Polaris Dawn Crew Returns | SpaceX

Polaris Dawn Crew Returns | SpaceX

From left to right: Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot, Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer, Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist, Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander

Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist & Spacewalker

Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer

Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot

Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander & Spacewalker

Polaris Dawn Crew Dragon spacecraft on the recovery ship after splashdown on Sept. 15, 2024

After nearly five days on orbit, the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft and the Polaris Dawn crew safely splashed down at 3:36 a.m. ET on Sunday, September 15, 2024, off the coast of Dry Tortugas, Florida, completing the first human spaceflight mission of the Polaris Program.

Polaris Dawn Crew

Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander & Spacewalker

Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot

Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist & Spacewalker

Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer

Polaris Dawn has completed the first commercial spacewalks from Crew Dragon. The crew have tested Starlink-laser based communications and conducted a wide range of research in microgravity involving ~36 studies and experiments from 31 partner institutions related to human health.

The Polaris Dawn Mission is flying a specially-modified SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft that flew higher than any mission to date since the Apollo program, reaching the highest Earth orbit ever flown at approximately 700 kilometers above the Earth. Orbiting through portions of the Van Allen radiation belt, Polaris Dawn is conducting research with the aim of better understanding the effects of spaceflight and space radiation on human health, while testing laser-based communications.

"Completing the first commercial extravehicular activity in low-Earth orbit is an important first step towards a future where millions of humans are visiting, working, and living on the Moon, Mars, and other destinations in our solar system."

This has been the first human spaceflight for Mission Pilot Kidd Poteet, Mission Specialist Sarah Gillis, and Mission Specialist and Medical Officer Anna Menon. Mission Commander Jared Isaacman previously flew to space as commander of Inspiration4. This has also been the first time two SpaceX employees have been part of a human spaceflight crew, providing valuable insight to future missions on the road to making life multiplanetary.

Learn more about the Polaris Program:

https://polarisprogram.com

Image Credit: Polaris Program

Capture Date: Sept. 15, 2024

#NASA #SpaceX #Space #Earth #PolarisDawn #CrewDragonSpacecraft #EVA #Spacewalks #Spacesuits #SpaceTechnology #Starlink #Astronauts #JaredIsaacman #ScottPoteet #SarahGillis #AnnaMenon #HumanSpaceflight #CommercialSpace #SpaceExploration #Florida #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Star Cluster Messier 68 in Hydra: A Ten Billion Year Stellar Dance | Hubble

Star Cluster Messier 68 in Hydra: A Ten Billion Year Stellar Dance | Hubble

The NASA/European Space Agency Hubble Space Telescope offers this delightful view of the crowded stellar encampment called Messier 68—a spherical, star-filled region of space known as a globular cluster. Mutual gravitational attraction amongst a cluster’s hundreds of thousands or even millions of stars keeps stellar members in check, allowing globular clusters to hang together for many billions of years.

Astronomers can measure the ages of globular clusters by looking at the light of their constituent stars. The chemical elements leave signatures in this light, and the starlight reveals that globular clusters' stars typically contain fewer heavy elements, such as carbon, oxygen and iron, than stars like the Sun. Since successive generations of stars gradually create these elements through nuclear fusion, stars having fewer of them are relics of earlier epochs in the Universe. Indeed, the stars in globular clusters rank among the oldest on record, dating back more than 10 billion years.

More than 150 of these objects surround our Milky Way galaxy. On a galactic scale, globular clusters are indeed not all that big. In Messier 68's case, its constituent stars span a volume of space with a diameter of little more than a hundred light-years. The disc of the Milky Way, on the other hand, extends over some 100,000 light-years or more.

Messier 68 is located about 33,000 light-years from Earth in the constellation Hydra (The Female Water Snake). French astronomer Charles Messier notched the object as the sixty-eighth entry in his famous catalog in 1780.

Hubble added Messier 68 to its own impressive list of cosmic targets in this image using the Wide Field Camera of Hubble’s Advanced Camera for Surveys. The image, combining visible and infrared light, has a field of view of approximately 3.4 by 3.4 arcminutes.

Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA

Release Date: July 30, 2012

#NASA #Hubble #Astronomy #Space #Science #Stars #StarClusters #M68 #Messier68 #GSC #Hydra #Constellation #MilkyWayGalaxy #Cosmos #Universe #HST #HubbleSpaceTelescope #ESA #Europe #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Pan of Spiral Galaxy NGC 1559 in Reticulum | Hubble Space Telescope

Pan of Spiral Galaxy NGC 1559 in Reticulum | Hubble Space Telescope

This is a barred spiral galaxy located in the constellation Reticulum near the Large Magellanic Cloud at approximately 35 million light-years from Earth. The brilliant light captured in this image offers a wealth of information. This picture is composed of ten images taken by the Hubble Space Telescope, each filtered to collect light from a specific wavelength or range of wavelengths. It spans Hubble’s sensitivity to light, from ultraviolet around 275 nanometers through blue, green and red to near-infrared at 1600 nanometers. This allows information about many astrophysical processes in the galaxy to be recorded. A notable example is the red 656-nanometer filter used here. Hydrogen atoms that are ionized can emit light at this particular wavelength, called H-alpha emission.

New stars forming in a molecular cloud, made mostly of hydrogen gas, emit copious amounts of ultraviolet light that is absorbed by the cloud. This becomes ionized causing it to glow with H-alpha light. Therefore, filtering to detect only this light provides a reliable means to detect areas of star formation (called H II regions), shown in this image by bright red and pink colors of the blossoming patches filling NGC 1559’s spiral arms.

These ten images come from six different observing programs with Hubble, running from 2009 all the way up to the present year. These programs were led by teams of astronomers studying ionized gas and star formation, following up on a supernova, and tracking variable stars as a contribution to calculating the Hubble constant.

Image Description: A spiral galaxy, tilted at an angle, with irregularly-shaped arms. It appears large and close-up. The center glows in a yellowish color, while the disc around it is a bluer color, due to light from older and newer stars. Dark reddish threads of dust cover the galaxy, and there are many large, shining pink spots in the disc where stars are forming.

Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, F. Belfiore, W. Yuan, J. Lee and the PHANGS-HST Team, A. Riess, K. Takáts, D. de Martin & M. Zamani (ESA/Hubble), N. Bartmann (ESA/Hubble)

Duration: 30 seconds

Release Date: Sept. 16, 2024

#NASA #Hubble #Astronomy #Space #Science #Galaxies #Galaxy #NGC1559 #Spiral #Barred #Reticulum #Constellation #Cosmos #Universe #HST #HubbleSpaceTelescope #ESA #Europe #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Sun Releases Strong X4.5 Flare | NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory

Sun Releases Strong X4.5 Flare | NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory

The Sun emitted a strong solar flare, peaking at 11:29 a.m. ET on Sept. 14, 2024. NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory watches the Sun constantly and it captured an image of the event. Strong (G3) geomagnetic storms are likely to be experienced on Earth on September 16, 2024. In the United States, aurora may be visible as low in latitude as Pennsylvania and Oregon.

NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory captured this image of a solar flare—seen as the bright flash near the center of the image—on Sept. 14, 2024. The image shows a subset of extreme ultraviolet light that highlights the extremely hot material in flares. It is colorized in gold and red. 

Solar flares are powerful bursts of energy. Flares and solar eruptions can impact radio communications, electric power grids, navigation signals, and pose risks to spacecraft and astronauts.

This is classified as an X4.5 flare. X-class denotes the most intense flares, while the number provides more information about its strength.

Image Description: A combination of multiple ultraviolet wavelengths shows the Sun with bright loops of material extending off of the surface. A bright flash erupts on the Sun's lower left, and a burst of material is thrown off of the Sun into space. 

To see how such space weather may affect Earth, please visit the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center https://spaceweather.gov, the U.S. government’s official source for space weather forecasts, watches, warnings, and alerts. 

NASA works as a research arm of the nation’s space weather effort. NASA observes the Sun and our space environment constantly with a fleet of spacecraft that study everything from the Sun’s activity to the solar atmosphere, and to the particles and magnetic fields in the space surrounding Earth.

Image Credit: NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO)

Caption Credit: Sarah Frazier

Release Date: Sept. 16, 2024

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #SpaceWeather #Sun #Star #Solar #SolarFlare #XFlare #Ultraviolet #Science #Plasma #MagneticField #Astrophysics #Heliophysics #Physics #Spacecraft #Satellite #SDO #GSFC #UnitedStates #Animation #GIF #STEM #Education

Spiral Galaxy NGC 1559 in Reticulum | Hubble Space Telescope

Spiral Galaxy NGC 1559 in Reticulum | Hubble Space Telescope

The galaxy featured here is a barred spiral galaxy located in the constellation Reticulum near the Large Magellanic Cloud at approximately 35 million light-years from Earth. The brilliant light captured in this image offers a wealth of information. This picture is composed of ten images taken by the Hubble Space Telescope, each filtered to collect light from a specific wavelength or range of wavelengths. It spans Hubble’s sensitivity to light, from ultraviolet around 275 nanometers through blue, green and red to near-infrared at 1600 nanometers. This allows information about many astrophysical processes in the galaxy to be recorded. A notable example is the red 656-nanometer filter used here. Hydrogen atoms that are ionized can emit light at this particular wavelength, called H-alpha emission.

New stars forming in a molecular cloud, made mostly of hydrogen gas, emit copious amounts of ultraviolet light that is absorbed by the cloud. This becomes ionized causing it to glow with H-alpha light. Therefore, filtering to detect only this light provides a reliable means to detect areas of star formation (called H II regions), shown in this image by bright red and pink colors of the blossoming patches filling NGC 1559’s spiral arms.

These ten images come from six different observing programs with Hubble, running from 2009 all the way up to the present year. These programs were led by teams of astronomers studying ionized gas and star formation, following up on a supernova, and tracking variable stars as a contribution to calculating the Hubble constant.

Image Description: A spiral galaxy, tilted at an angle, with irregularly-shaped arms. It appears large and close-up. The center glows in a yellowish color, while the disc around it is a bluer color, due to light from older and newer stars. Dark reddish threads of dust cover the galaxy, and there are many large, shining pink spots in the disc where stars are forming.

Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, F. Belfiore, W. Yuan, J. Lee and the PHANGS-HST Team, A. Riess, K. Takáts, D. de Martin & M. Zamani (ESA/Hubble)

Release Date: Sept. 16, 2024

#NASA #Hubble #Astronomy #Space #Science #Galaxies #Galaxy #NGC1559 #Spiral #Barred #Reticulum #Constellation #Cosmos #Universe #HST #HubbleSpaceTelescope #ESA #Europe #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Lost in a Giant Stellar Nursery: Nebula IC 2948 in Centaur | ESO

Lost in a Giant Stellar Nursery: Nebula IC 2948 in Centaur | ESO

Do you feel lost looking at this picture? Exploring the gas cloud known as IC 2948 means finding your way across countless nascent stars born in this enormous stellar nursery. And yet, this is just a snippet of a much larger object—the Running Chicken Nebula. This nebula spans an area on the night sky close to 25 full moons, and yet, the area you see here is not even a third of a full moon. Obtaining such a detailed snippet of the nebula was possible thanks to a 1.5-billion-pixel image taken by the VLT Survey Telescope (VST), hosted and operated by the European Southern Observatory (ESO).

Located in the constellation of the Centaur (Centaurus), the Running Chicken Nebula is a labyrinth of gas, dust and young stars whose highly intense radiation erodes away the surrounding material. The gas cloud IC2948 is the brightest region of the nebula. Here, we find creeping dark clouds, shaped like open hands about to grab their surrounding blooming stars. 

First discovered more than a century ago, this gas cloud is helping us understand how stars form and behave during their infancy. To spot IC 2948 within the much larger Running Chicken Nebula, locate the chicken’s rear end (or its head, as some people claim). In your search, you may come across other areas like the stunning GUM 41 nebula. 

Image Description: The image is dominated by a nebula with pink to crimson colors, splattered with yellow, red, white and blue dots of different sizes that represent stars. A big yellow-colored star is located on the bottom left, with red and green rays extending more than twice the size of the dot itself. Dark brown clouds are located in the center, resembling an open hand. From it extend other, fainter dust clouds with amorphous shapes.

Credit: ESO/VPHAS+ team 

Acknowledgement: Cambridge Astronomical Survey Unit (CASU)

Release Date: Sept. 16, 2024

#NASA #ESO #Space #Astronomy #Science #Nebulae #Nebula #IC2948 #RunningChickenNebula #StellarNursery #Centaur #Constellation #MilkyWayGalaxy #Cosmos #Universe #VLTSurveyTelescope #ParanalObservatory #Chile #SouthAmerica #Europe #STEM #Education

Twisted Spiral Galaxy NGC 3718 in Ursa Major | Mayall Telescope

Twisted Spiral Galaxy NGC 3718 in Ursa Major | Mayall Telescope

This image was obtained with the wide-field view of the Mosaic camera on the Mayall 4-meter telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory in Arizona. NGC 3718 is the twisted spiral galaxy in the upper-right corner of the image. Its distinctive shape is likely the result of gravitational interactions with the smaller spiral galaxy, NGC 3729, to the left. Below and to the right of NGC 3718 is the Hickson Compact Group 56. It consists of five interacting galaxies. These galaxies are not smaller. Instead, they are about eight times further away than NGC 3718 and NGC 3729. 

The image was generated with observations in the U (violet), B (blue), V (green), I (orange) and Hydrogen-Alpha (red) filters. This image is rotated 35 degrees counterclockwise from North is up, East is left.

Credit: T.A. Rector (University of Alaska Anchorage) and H. Schweiker (WIYN and NOIRLab/NSF/AURA)

Release Date: June 30, 2020

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Galaxies #Galaxy #NGC3718 #NGC3729 #SpiralGalaxy #InteractingGalaxies #HicksonCompactGroup56 #UrsaMajor #Constellation #Cosmos #Universe #MayallTelescope #NOIRLab #AURA #NSF #KittPeak #KPNO #Tucson #Arizona #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

BBC Star Diary: A Supermoon Eclipse (September 16-22, 2024)

BBC Star Diary: A Supermoon Eclipse (September 16-22, 2024)

A partial lunar eclipse will cross the face of the Supermoon this week. Find out when you can see the sight for yourself, as well as all the latest stargazing highlights, in this week’s Star Diary podcast, from the makers of BBC Sky at Night Magazine. 

Video Credit: BBC Sky at Night Magazine

Duration: 15 minutes

Release Date: Sept. 15, 2024

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Earth #Supermoon #Moon #Planets #SolarSystem #Stars #Constellations #StarClusters #MilkyWayGalaxy #Universe #Skywatching #BBC #UK #Britain #Europe #UnitedStates #Canada #NorthernHemisphere #STEM #Education #Podcast #HD #Video

Night Lights of Asia | International Space Station

Night Lights of Asia | International Space Station

NASA Astronaut Matthew Dominick: "Timelapse traveling Northeast over Southeast Asia."

"In order of appearance:

* So many lightning strikes

* Colored lights from fishing boats—one of my favorite things to see at night from the ISS

* Juxtaposition of city lights on the Korean Peninsula

* Red lights North of mainland Japan. Does anyone know what they are?"

* Orbital sunrise

Expedition 71 Updates:

https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/

Expedition 71 Crew

Station Commander: Oleg Kononenko (Russia)

Roscosmos (Russia): Nikolai Chub, Alexander Grebenkin, Alexey Ovchinin, Ivan Vagner

NASA: Tracy Dyson, Matthew Dominick, Mike Barrett, Jeanette Epps, Suni Williams, Butch Wilmore, Don Pettit

An international partnership of space agencies provides and operates the elements of the International Space Station (ISS). The principals are the space agencies of the United States, Russia, Europe, Japan, and Canada. The ISS has been the most politically complex space exploration program ever undertaken.

Video Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center/M. Dominick

Duration: 1 minute, 26 seconds

Release Date: Sept. 14, 2024

#NASA #Space #Science #ISS #Planet #Earth #Asia #Indonesia #Vietnam #China #中国 #SouthKorea #대한민국 #NorthKorea #Astronauts #AstronautPhotography #UnitedStates #Cosmonauts #Russia #Россия #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #HumanSpaceflight #Expedition71 #InternationalCooperation #STEM #Education #Timelapse #HD #Video

Shenzhou-18 Crew Update: Research, Maintenance & Training | China Space Station

Shenzhou-18 Crew Update: Research, Maintenance & Training | China Space Station

The Shenzhou-18 crew members on board China's orbiting Tiangong space station have been performing a variety of tasks, including scientific experiments as well as regular maintenance and training, as showed in videos released by the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) on Sunday, September 15, 2024.

The crew conducted research on the impact of long-duration manned space missions on astronauts' operational performance in the Tiangong space station. The projects selected were based on the characteristics of long-duration in-orbit space station missions, alongside other tasks, for instance in-orbit training and experiments.

After completing each project, each astronaut filled out reports detailing the operation time and scales to record their fatigue levels and to assess their workload. Subsequently, researchers on the ground collected and analyzed the astronauts' in-orbit operational performance data to preliminarily grasp the characteristics and patterns of changes in astronauts' operational skills during space missions.

Of course, the China space station is a national space laboratory. Experiments in areas, such as space materials science, fluid dynamics in microgravity, and combustion science, are being carried out. The crew has regularly replaced experiment samples as part of these experiments.

Meanwhile, in close coordination with researchers on the ground, the three astronauts successfully completed the return of external payloads using the automatic payload ingress and egress function.

Additionally, the crew conducted personal noise exposure measurements and acoustic testing to assess and improve the acoustic environment within the space station.

Tasks related to equipment inspection and maintenance, including the transfer of a pre-cooling device for biological experiment samples, have been carried out in the space station as well.

The pre-cooling device, resembling a small refrigeration unit, ensures that the samples remain "fresh" throughout the return journey to Earth.

The astronauts also routinely conducted system-wide pressure emergency drills to strengthen and further enhance their emergency response capabilities and their ability to coordinate between space and ground.

One of the drills simulated the process of three astronauts responding to an internal depressurization scenario within the space station.

Last week, the crew conducted in-orbit medical aid training. This included further familiarizing themselves with equipment locations, reviewing usage methods, and reinforcing operational procedures and skills, helping them become accustomed to rescue operations in a microgravity environment.

In terms of health maintenance, the three astronauts have performed activities involving eye pressure and fundus examinations, as well as neuromuscular stimulation, to monitor and maintain their physical condition.

Furthermore, the crew frequently completed other crucial tasks, like cleaning, arranging supplies, plus garbage transfer and storage to maintain a clean environment inside the space station.

On April 25, 2024, China launched the Shenzhou-18 crewed spacecraft, carrying three astronauts—Ye Guangfu, Li Cong, and Li Guangsu—to the space station for a six-month mission.

Shenzhou-18 Crew:

Ye Guangfu (叶光富, commander)

Li Cong (李聪, mission specialist)

Li Guangsu (李广苏, mission specialist)

Video Credit: CCTV

Duration: 2 minutes

Release Date: Sept. 15, 2024

#NASA #Space #Science #Earth #China #中国 #Shenzhou18 #神舟十八 #MicrogravityExperiments #MicrogravityResearch #AstronautTraining #Taikonauts #Astronauts #YeGuangfu #LiCong #LiGuangsu #CSS #ChinaSpaceStation #中国空间站 #TiangongSpaceStation #SpaceLaboratory #CMSA #国家航天局 #HumanSpaceflight #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Polaris Dawn Crew Back Home | SpaceX

Polaris Dawn Crew Back Home | SpaceX

After nearly five days on orbit, the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft and the Polaris Dawn crew safely splashed down at 3:36 a.m. ET on Sunday, September 15, 2024, off the coast of Dry Tortugas, Florida, completing the first human spaceflight mission of the Polaris Program.

Polaris Dawn Crew

Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander & Spacewalker

Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot

Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist & Spacewalker

Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer

Polaris Dawn has completed the first commercial spacewalks from Crew Dragon. The crew have tested Starlink-laser based communications and conducted a wide range of research in microgravity involving ~36 studies and experiments from 31 partner institutions related to human health.

The Polaris Dawn Mission is flying a specially-modified SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft that flew higher than any mission to date since the Apollo program, reaching the highest Earth orbit ever flown at approximately 700 kilometers above the Earth. Orbiting through portions of the Van Allen radiation belt, Polaris Dawn is conducting research with the aim of better understanding the effects of spaceflight and space radiation on human health, while testing laser-based communications.

"Completing the first commercial extravehicular activity in low-Earth orbit is an important first step towards a future where millions of humans are visiting, working, and living on the Moon, Mars, and other destinations in our solar system."

This has been the first human spaceflight for Mission Pilot Kidd Poteet, Mission Specialist Sarah Gillis, and Mission Specialist and Medical Officer Anna Menon. Mission Commander Jared Isaacman previously flew to space as commander of Inspiration4. This has also been the first time two SpaceX employees have been part of a human spaceflight crew, providing valuable insight to future missions on the road to making life multiplanetary.

Learn more about the Polaris Program:

https://polarisprogram.com

Image Credit: Polaris Program

Capture Date: Sept. 15, 2024

#NASA #SpaceX #Space #Earth #PolarisDawn #CrewDragonSpacecraft #EVA #Spacewalks #Spacesuits #SpaceTechnology #Starlink #Astronauts #JaredIsaacman #ScottPoteet #SarahGillis #AnnaMenon #HumanSpaceflight #CommercialSpace #SpaceExploration #Florida #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Polaris Dawn Crew Splashdown Off Florida Coast | SpaceX

Polaris Dawn Crew Splashdown Off Florida Coast | SpaceX

Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer

Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist & Spacewalker

Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot

Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander & Spacewalker

From left to right: Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer, Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot, Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander, Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist

Polaris Dawn Crew Dragon spacecraft reentry

Polaris Dawn Crew Dragon spacecraft - main parachutes deployed before splashdown

Polaris Dawn Mission Patch

After nearly five days on orbit, the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft and the Polaris Dawn crew safely splashed down at 3:36 a.m. ET on Sunday, September 15, 2024, off the coast of Dry Tortugas, Florida, completing the first human spaceflight mission of the Polaris Program.

Polaris Dawn Crew

Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander & Spacewalker

Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot

Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist & Spacewalker

Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer

Polaris Dawn has completed the first commercial spacewalks from Crew Dragon. The crew have tested Starlink-laser based communications and conducted a wide range of research in microgravity involving ~36 studies and experiments from 31 partner institutions related to human health.

The Polaris Dawn Mission is flying a specially-modified SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft that flew higher than any mission to date since the Apollo program, reaching the highest Earth orbit ever flown at approximately 700 kilometers above the Earth. Orbiting through portions of the Van Allen radiation belt, Polaris Dawn is conducting research with the aim of better understanding the effects of spaceflight and space radiation on human health, while testing laser-based communications.

"Completing the first commercial extravehicular activity in low-Earth orbit is an important first step towards a future where millions of humans are visiting, working, and living on the Moon, Mars, and other destinations in our solar system."

This has been the first human spaceflight for Mission Pilot Kidd Poteet, Mission Specialist Sarah Gillis, and Mission Specialist and Medical Officer Anna Menon. Mission Commander Jared Isaacman previously flew to space as commander of Inspiration4. This has also been the first time two SpaceX employees have been part of a human spaceflight crew, providing valuable insight to future missions on the road to making life multiplanetary.

Learn more about the Polaris Program:

https://polarisprogram.com

Image Credits: Polaris Dawn/John Kraus/SpaceX

Capture Date: Sept. 15, 2024

#NASA #SpaceX #Space #Earth #PolarisDawn #CrewDragonSpacecraft #EVA #Spacewalks #Spacesuits #SpaceTechnology #Starlink #Astronauts #JaredIsaacman #ScottPoteet #SarahGillis #AnnaMenon #HumanSpaceflight #CommercialSpace #SpaceExploration #Florida #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Polaris Dawn Crew Arrival Off Florida Coast | SpaceX

Polaris Dawn Crew Arrival Off Florida Coast | SpaceX

Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist & Spacewalker

Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer

Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot

Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander & Spacewalker

Polaris Dawn Crew Dragon spacecraft

After nearly five days on orbit, the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft and the Polaris Dawn crew safely splashed down at 3:36 a.m. ET on Sunday, September 15, 2024, off the coast of Dry Tortugas, Florida, completing the first human spaceflight mission of the Polaris Program.

Polaris Dawn Crew

Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander & Spacewalker

Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot

Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist & Spacewalker

Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer

Polaris Dawn has completed the first commercial spacewalks from Crew Dragon. The crew have tested Starlink-laser based communications and conducted a wide range of research in microgravity involving ~36 studies and experiments from 31 partner institutions related to human health.

The Polaris Dawn Mission is flying a specially-modified SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft that flew higher than any mission to date since the Apollo program, reaching the highest Earth orbit ever flown at approximately 700 kilometers above the Earth. Orbiting through portions of the Van Allen radiation belt, Polaris Dawn is conducting research with the aim of better understanding the effects of spaceflight and space radiation on human health, while testing laser-based communications.

"Completing the first commercial extravehicular activity in low-Earth orbit is an important first step towards a future where millions of humans are visiting, working, and living on the Moon, Mars, and other destinations in our solar system."

This has been the first human spaceflight for Mission Pilot Kidd Poteet, Mission Specialist Sarah Gillis, and Mission Specialist and Medical Officer Anna Menon. Mission Commander Jared Isaacman previously flew to space as commander of Inspiration4. This has also been the first time two SpaceX employees have been part of a human spaceflight crew, providing valuable insight to future missions on the road to making life multiplanetary.

Learn more about the Polaris Program:

https://polarisprogram.com

Image Credit: Polaris Dawn/SpaceX

Capture Date: Sept. 15, 2024

#NASA #SpaceX #Space #Earth #PolarisDawn #CrewDragonSpacecraft #EVA #Spacewalks #Spacesuits #SpaceTechnology #Starlink #Astronauts #JaredIsaacman #ScottPoteet #SarahGillis #AnnaMenon #HumanSpaceflight #CommercialSpace #SpaceExploration #Florida #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Polaris Dawn Mission Prepares for Return to Earth | SpaceX

Polaris Dawn Mission Prepares for Return to Earth | SpaceX

After launching to orbit on Tuesday, September 10, 2024, SpaceX Dragon and the Polaris Dawn astronauts are set to return to Earth and splash down off the coast of Dry Tortugas, Florida on Sunday, September 15, 2024, at 3:36 a.m. ET to end their five-day mission.

Landing updates & live webcast available here:

https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=polarisdawn

Polaris Dawn Crew

Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander & Spacewalker

Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot

Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist & Spacewalker

Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer

Polaris Dawn has completed the first commercial spacewalks from Crew Dragon. The crew have tested Starlink-laser based communications and conducted a wide range of research in microgravity involving ~36 studies and experiments from 31 partner institutions related to human health.

The Polaris Dawn Mission is flying a specially-modified SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft that flew higher than any mission to date since the Apollo program, reaching the highest Earth orbit ever flown at approximately 700 kilometers above the Earth. Orbiting through portions of the Van Allen radiation belt, Polaris Dawn is conducting research with the aim of better understanding the effects of spaceflight and space radiation on human health, while testing laser-based communications.

"Completing the first commercial extravehicular activity in low-Earth orbit is an important first step towards a future where millions of humans are visiting, working, and living on the Moon, Mars, and other destinations in our solar system."

This has been the first human spaceflight for Mission Pilot Kidd Poteet, Mission Specialist Sarah Gillis, and Mission Specialist and Medical Officer Anna Menon. Mission Commander Jared Isaacman previously flew to space as commander of Inspiration4. This has also been the first time two SpaceX employees have been part of a human spaceflight crew, providing valuable insight to future missions on the road to making life multiplanetary.

Learn more about the Polaris Program:

https://polarisprogram.com

Video Credit: Polaris Dawn/SpaceX

Duration: 1 minute

Release Date: Sept. 12, 2024

#NASA #SpaceX #Space #Earth #PolarisDawn #CrewDragonSpacecraft #EVA #Spacewalks #Spacesuits #SpaceTechnology #Starlink #Astronauts #JaredIsaacman #ScottPoteet #SarahGillis #AnnaMenon #HumanSpaceflight #CommercialSpace #SpaceExploration #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

China Plans Exploration of Moon, Mars, Jupiter, Wider Solar System: Chief Designer

China Plans Exploration of Moon, Mars, Jupiter, Wider Solar System: Chief Designer

China's vision for deep space exploration begins with the Moon and will move to Mars, Jupiter and the wider solar system, according to Wu Weiren, chief designer of China's Lunar Exploration Project (CLEP) and director of China's Deep Space Exploration Laboratory. He introduced the long-term vision for the country's space program in an interview with the China Global Television Network (CGTN).

"We define the exploration of the Moon and celestial bodies and space beyond it as deep space exploration. The Moon is the starting point. The next focus is on the Moon. Chang'e-7 will land on the south pole of the Moon and search for water. Chang'e-8 will land at the south pole of the Moon and will join Chang'e-7 to form the basic structure of the south pole station on the Moon," said the chief designer.

Wu said China also plans to build the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS)—a larger scale project and longer-term ambition.

"Then we want to build a navigation, communication, and remote sensing constellation centered on the Moon, which we are now studying," said Wu.

"Our next step is a crewed lunar landing. China aims to achieve this around 2030. You see, the symbol of our lunar exploration project is a person's footprint," said the chief designer.

"Deep space exploration also includes collecting and returning asteroid samples, and collecting samples from large celestial bodies, such as Mars, and the exploration of the Jupiter system. Jupiter is the largest celestial body in the solar system except the Sun, and is equivalent to the size of 1,300 Earths. Jupiter and its satellites are a big system," he said.

Wu said missions in the future will be able to send 50 tons of payload per launch to the Moon.

"To realize this deep space exploration, we need rockets and launch vehicles with greater thrust. So we came up with this concept of deep space exploration. The Deep Space Exploration Laboratory is responsible for the launch vehicle with greater thrust, to study the rocket with greatest thrust in the country. Now we can send eight tons of payload to the Moon. In the future, we'll be able to send 50 tons of payload to the Moon per launch," said Wu.

Learn more about China's International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) plans:

https://www.unoosa.org/documents/pdf/copuos/2023/TPs/ILRS_presentation20230529_.pdf

https://lnkd.in/gpuAF3ge

Video Credit: CGTN

Duration: 2 minutes, 18 seconds

Release Date: Sept. 9, 2024

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Planets #Mars #Tianwen3 #Jupiter #Asteroids #Moon #SouthPole #CLEP #ChangeProgram #IRLS #国际月球科研站 #WuWeiren #ChiefDesigner #SampleReturnMissions #CNSA #China #中国 #Spacecraft #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #DeepSpace #STEM #Education #InternationalCooperation #HD #Video

Expedition 72 Crew Launch on Russian Soyuz Rocket | International Space Station

Expedition 72 Crew Launch on Russian Soyuz Rocket | International Space Station

The Soyuz rocket launches to the International Space Station with Expedition 72 crew members: NASA astronaut Don Pettit, Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin, and Ivan Vagner of Russia, onboard, Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024, at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

NASA astronaut Don Pettit and Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner of Russia successfully launched aboard their Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Sept. 11, 2024. A little over three hours later, the trio docked to the Rassvet module of the International Space Station for the start of a six-month mission on the orbital laboratory as members of the Expedition 71 and 72 crews.

Expedition 71 Updates:

https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/

Expedition 71 Crew

Station Commander: Oleg Kononenko (Russia)

Roscosmos (Russia): Nikolai Chub, Alexander Grebenkin, Alexey Ovchinin, Ivan Vagner

NASA: Tracy Dyson, Matthew Dominick, Mike Barrett, Jeanette Epps, Suni Williams, Butch Wilmore, Don Pettit

An international partnership of space agencies provides and operates the elements of the International Space Station (ISS). The principals are the space agencies of the United States, Russia, Europe, Japan, and Canada. The ISS has been the most politically complex space exploration program ever undertaken.

Image Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

Image Date: Sept. 11, 2024

#NASA #Space #ISS #Science #Earth #Baikonur #Kazakhstan #SoyuzRocket #SoyuzMS26 #СоюзМС26 #SoyuzCrewSpacecraft #Astronaut #DonPettit #UnitedStates #Cosmonauts #AlexeiOvchinin #IvanVagner #Russia #Россия #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #SpaceLaboratory #Expedition72 #HumanSpaceflight #InternationalCooperation #STEM #Education