Expedition 71 Soyuz MS-25 Crew Landing in Kazakhstan

Expedition 71 Soyuz MS-25 Crew Landing in Kazakhstan

The Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft is seen as it lands in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan with Expedition 71 NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Nikolai Chub and Oleg Kononenko of Russia, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024.

Russian Search and Rescue teams arrive at the Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft shortly after it landed in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan. 

At 7:59 a.m. EDT (4:59 p.m. Kazakhstan time), Sept. 23, 2024, the Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft made a parachute-assisted landing on the steppe of Kazakhstan, southeast of the town of Dzhezkazgan.

Spanning 184 days in space, NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson’s mission includes covering 2,944 orbits of the Earth and a journey of 78 million miles. The Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft launched March 23, 2024, and arrived at the International Space Station March 25, with Dyson, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy of Russia, and cosmonaut Marina Vasilevskaya of Belarus. Novitskiy and Vasilevskaya were aboard the station for 12 days before returning home with NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara on April 6.

Roscosmos cosmonauts Nikolai Chub and Oleg Kononenko, who launched with O’Hara to the station on the Soyuz MS-24 spacecraft last September, returned after 374 days in space and a trip of 158.6 million miles, spanning 5,984 orbits.

Dyson spent her third spaceflight aboard the station as an Expedition 70 and 71 flight engineer, and returned with Kononenko, completing his fifth flight into space and accruing an all-time record of 1,111 days in orbit, along with Chub, who completed his first spaceflight.

The three crew members will fly on a helicopter from the landing site to the recovery staging city of Karaganda, Kazakhstan. Dyson will board a NASA plane and return to Houston, while Kononenko and Chub will depart for a training base in Star City, Russia.

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's Johnson Space Center (JSC)

Capture Date: Sept. 23, 2024

#NASA #Space #ISS #Science #Earth #Kazakhstan #SoyuzSpacecraft #SoyuzMS25 #Astronaut #TracyDyson #UnitedStates #Cosmonauts #OlegKononenko #NikolaiChub #Russia #Россия #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #SpaceLaboratory #Expedition71 #HumanSpaceflight #InternationalCooperation #STEM #Education

Post-Soyuz Landing: NASA Astronaut Dyson, Cosmonauts Kononenko & Chub

Post-Soyuz Landing: NASA Astronaut Dyson, Cosmonauts Kononenko & Chub

NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson is seen smiling and holding a gifted matryoshka doll outside the Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft after she landed with Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub, in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan on Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. 

NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson is helped out of the Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft just minutes after landing.

NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson is seen outside the Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft talking with friends and family via satellite phone after landing.

Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko is seen outside the Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft after landing.

Roscosmos cosmonaut Nikolai Chub of Russia is seen smiling and holding a gifted matryoshka doll is seen outside the Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft after landing.

Roscosmos cosmonaut Nikolai Chub of Russia is seen outside the Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft after landing.

Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko is seen outside the Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft after landing.

Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko is helped out of the Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft just minutes after landing.

At 7:59 a.m. EDT (4:59 p.m. Kazakhstan time), Sept. 23, 2024, the Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft made a parachute-assisted landing on the steppe of Kazakhstan, southeast of the town of Dzhezkazgan.

Spanning 184 days in space, NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson’s mission includes covering 2,944 orbits of the Earth and a journey of 78 million miles. The Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft launched March 23, 2024, and arrived at the International Space Station March 25, with Dyson, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy of Russia, and cosmonaut Marina Vasilevskaya of Belarus. Novitskiy and Vasilevskaya were aboard the station for 12 days before returning home with NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara on April 6.

Roscosmos cosmonauts Nikolai Chub and Oleg Kononenko, who launched with O’Hara to the station on the Soyuz MS-24 spacecraft last September, returned after 374 days in space and a trip of 158.6 million miles, spanning 5,984 orbits.

Dyson spent her third spaceflight aboard the station as an Expedition 70 and 71 flight engineer, and returned with Kononenko, completing his fifth flight into space and accruing an all-time record of 1,111 days in orbit, along with Chub, who completed his first spaceflight.

The three crew members will fly on a helicopter from the landing site to the recovery staging city of Karaganda, Kazakhstan. Dyson will board a NASA plane and return to Houston, while Kononenko and Chub will depart for a training base in Star City, Russia.

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's Johnson Space Center (JSC)

Capture Date: Sept. 23, 2024

#NASA #Space #ISS #Science #Earth #Kazakhstan #SoyuzSpacecraft #SoyuzMS25 #Astronaut #TracyDyson #UnitedStates #Cosmonauts #OlegKononenko #NikolaiChub #Russia #Россия #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #SpaceLaboratory #Expedition71 #HumanSpaceflight #InternationalCooperation #STEM #Education

Spiral Galaxy IC 1954 in Horologium: New View | Hubble Space Telescope

Spiral Galaxy IC 1954 in Horologium: New View | Hubble Space Telescope

The spiral galaxy IC 1954, located 45 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Horologium, is the star of this new picture from the Hubble Space Telescope. It sports a glowing bar in its core, two main majestically winding spiral arms and clouds of dark dust across it. An image of this galaxy was previously released in 2021. This image now includes H-alpha data. The improved coverage of star-forming nebulae, prominent emitters of the red H-alpha light, can be seen in the numerous glowing, pink spots across the disc of the galaxy. Interestingly, astronomers posit that the galaxy’s ‘bar’ is actually an energetic star-forming region that just happens to lie over the galactic center.

The new data featured in this image come from a program to extend the cooperation between observatories: Hubble, the infrared James Webb Space Telescope, and the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array, a ground-based radio telescope. By surveying IC 1954 and over fifty other nearby galaxies in radio, infrared, optical, and ultraviolet light, astronomers aim to fully trace and reconstruct the path matter takes through stars and the interstellar gas and dust in each galaxy. Hubble’s observing capabilities form an important part of this survey: it can capture younger stars and star clusters when they are brightest at ultraviolet and optical wavelengths, and its H-alpha filter effectively tracks emission from nebulae. The resulting dataset will a valuable resource for research on the evolution of stars in galaxies. 

Image Description: A spiral galaxy seen tilted diagonally. It has two large, curling arms that extend from the center and wrap around. The arms are followed by thick strands of dark reddish dust. The arms and rest of the galaxy’s disc are speckled with glowing patches; a number are blue in color, others are pink, showing gas illuminated by new stars. A faint glow surrounds the galaxy. It lies on a dark, nearly empty background.

Credit: European Space Agency/Hubble & NASA, D. Thilker, J. Lee and the PHANGS-HST Team

Release Date: Sept. 23, 2024

#NASA #Hubble #Astronomy #Space #Science #Galaxies #IC1954 #Horologium #Constellation #Cosmos #Universe #HubbleSpaceTelescope #HST #ESA #Europe #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

US Astronaut & Russian Crewmates Return from International Space Station

US Astronaut & Russian Crewmates Return from International Space Station

Landing Highlights: NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson and Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub of Russia returned to Earth aboard the Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft on Sept. 23, 2024, completing long-duration missions on the International Space Station. Following hatch closure, the spacecraft undocked from the station’s Prichal module, returning to Earth a few hours later for a parachute-assisted landing on the steppe of Kazakhstan. During her mission, Dyson spent 184 days in space living and working aboard the microgravity laboratory to advance scientific knowledge and demonstrate new technologies for future human and robotic exploration missions as part of NASA’s Moon and Mars exploration approach, including lunar missions through NASA’s Artemis program. Kononenko and Chub landed after spending a record-breaking 374 days in space.

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: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) 

Duration: 20 minutes

Release Date: Sept. 23, 2024

#NASA #Space #ISS #Science #Earth #Kazakhstan #SoyuzSpacecraft #SoyuzMS25 #Astronaut #TracyDyson #UnitedStates #Cosmonauts #OlegKononenko #NikolaiChub #Russia #Россия #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #SpaceLaboratory #Expedition71 #HumanSpaceflight #InternationalCooperation #STEM #Education #HD #Video

NASA Astronaut Dyson, Cosmonauts Kononenko & Chub Return to Earth

NASA Astronaut Dyson, Cosmonauts Kononenko & Chub Return to Earth

At 7:59 a.m. EDT (4:59 p.m. Kazakhstan time), Sept. 23, 2024, the Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft made a parachute-assisted landing on the steppe of Kazakhstan, southeast of the town of Dzhezkazgan.

Spanning 184 days in space, NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson’s mission includes covering 2,944 orbits of the Earth and a journey of 78 million miles. The Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft launched March 23, 2024, and arrived at the International Space Station March 25, with Dyson, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy of Russia, and cosmonaut Marina Vasilevskaya of Belarus. Novitskiy and Vasilevskaya were aboard the station for 12 days before returning home with NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara on April 6.

Roscosmos cosmonauts Nikolai Chub and Oleg Kononenko, who launched with O’Hara to the station on the Soyuz MS-24 spacecraft last September, returned after 374 days in space and a trip of 158.6 million miles, spanning 5,984 orbits.

Dyson spent her third spaceflight aboard the station as an Expedition 70 and 71 flight engineer, and returned with Kononenko, completing his fifth flight into space and accruing an all-time record 1,111 days in orbit, and Chub, who completed his first spaceflight.

The three crew members will fly on a helicopter from the landing site to the recovery staging city of Karaganda, Kazakhstan. Dyson will board a NASA plane and return to Houston, while Kononenko and Chub will depart for a training base in Star City, Russia.

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 (JSC)

Duration: 37 seconds

Capture Date: Sept. 23, 2024

#NASA #Space #ISS #Science #Earth #SoyuzSpacecraft #SoyuzMS25 #Astronaut #TracyDyson #UnitedStates #Cosmonauts #OlegKononenko #NikolaiChub #Russia #Россия #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #SpaceLaboratory #Expedition71 #HumanSpaceflight #InternationalCooperation #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Soyuz MS-25 Crew Prepares for Departure | International Space Station

Soyuz MS-25 Crew Prepares for Departure | International Space Station

Soyuz MS-25 crewmembers (from left to right): NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson and Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub of Russia

NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick: "Took this picture shortly after the new Soyuz arrived last week just to show the effect of six months of space environment on the exterior the Soyuz."

Image details: 28mm, ISO 500, f16, 1/400s

Two Roscosmos (Russian) crew ships, the Soyuz MS-26 docked to the Rassvet module (foreground) and the Soyuz MS-25 (background) docked to the Prichal docking module, are pictured parked at the International Space Station as it orbited 257 miles above the Atlantic Ocean near Brazil's Amazon Delta.

Two Roscosmos (Russian) crew ships, the Soyuz MS-26 docked to the Rassvet module (foreground) and the Soyuz MS-25 (background) docked to the Prichal docking module, are pictured parked at the International Space Station as it orbited 258 miles above Sudan near the Nile River on the African continent.

NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson is now completing a six-month mission, while Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub of Russia are wrapping up just over a year in low-Earth orbit at the International Space Station.  The Earth-bound trio is scheduled to depart the orbital lab inside the Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft at 4:47 a.m. EDT on Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. At that time, Expedition 71 will end and Expedition 72 will officially be under way. The crew inside the Soyuz will parachute to a landing just over three hours later in Kazakhstan. 

Expedition 71/72 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

For more info: www.nasa.gov/station

Learn more about the important research being operated on Station:

https://www.nasa.gov/iss-science 

For more information about STEM on Station:

https://www.nasa.gov/stemonstation

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's Johnson Space Center (JSC)/M. Dominick

Image Dates: Sept. 15-16, 2024

#NASA #Space #ISS #Science #Earth #SoyuzSpacecraft #SoyuzMS25 #Astronaut #TracyDyson #UnitedStates #Cosmonauts #OlegKononenko #NikolaiChub #Russia #Россия #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #SpaceLaboratory #Expedition71 #Expedition72 #HumanSpaceflight #InternationalCooperation #STEM #Education

China's Chang'e-6 Lunar Sample Return Mission: The Documentary

China's Chang'e-6 Lunar Sample Return Mission: The Documentary

"Back to the Far Side" presents humanity's quest to unlock the mysteries of the Moon. This documentary, presented by CGTN and the China National Space Administration (CNSA), chronicles the groundbreaking Chang'e-6 mission—the first to return samples from the Moon's far side. "Weaving together myth, science and international collaboration, it captures the dreams, struggles and triumphs of the teams united by a common goal. It is a testament to human ingenuity and a call for unity in deep-space exploration."

The Chang'e-6 probe was launched from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in south China's Hainan Province on May 3, 2024. It touched down on the far side of the Moon on June 2. During its two-day stay, Chang'e-6 used a scoop and drill, collecting nearly 2 kilograms of lunar material. On June 25, its returner brought back the samples and made a landing in north China.

The mission carried scientific payloads from France, Italy, Sweden, and Pakistan, including the French radon gas detector (CNES), the European Space Agency/Swedish ion analyzer, and the Italian laser corner reflector (Agenzia Spaziale Italiana).

Chang'e-6 successfully deployed Pakistan's ICUBE-Q satellite, releasing it into lunar orbit on May 8, 2024. The 15.4-pound (7 kilogram) small satellite captured images of the Moon and Sun and collected magnetic field data.

Video Credit: CGTN

Duration: 51 minutes

Release Date: Sept. 22, 2024

#NASA #CNSA #ESA #Space #Astronomy #Science #China #中国 #Moon #Change6 #嫦娥六号 #LunarSampleReturn #Geology #FarSide #SouthPole #SpaceTechnology #SpaceExploration #CLEP #InternationalCooperation #France #CNES #Italy #ASI #Sweden #STEM #Education #History #HD #Video

Change of Command Ceremony | International Space Station

Change of Command Ceremony | International Space Station

Aboard the International Space Station, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko of Russia handed over command of the space station to NASA astronaut Suni Williams during a change of command ceremony September 22, 2024. Kononenko is completing a year-long mission on the station while Williams is in the midst of a long-duration mission living and working aboard the microgravity laboratory to advance scientific knowledge and demonstrate new technologies for future human and robotic exploration missions. Kononenko has broken the record for the longest continuous mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS), having spent more than a year in orbit, along with his crewmate cosmonaut Nikolai Chub.

Expedition 71/72 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

For more info: www.nasa.gov/station

Learn more about the important research being operated on Station:

https://www.nasa.gov/iss-science 

For more information about STEM on Station:

https://www.nasa.gov/stemonstation

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

Duration: 4 minutes, 27 seconds

Capture Date: Sept. 22, 2024

#NASA #Space #ISS #Science #Earth #Astronauts #SunitaWilliams #UnitedStates #Cosmonauts #OlegKononenko #NikolaiChub #Russia #Россия #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #SpaceLaboratory #Expedition71 #Expedition71 #HumanSpaceflight #InternationalCooperation #STEM #Education #HD #Video

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

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

The Shenzhou-18 crew members on board China's orbiting Tiangong space station has been diligently carrying out a range of tasks, including routine maintenance, training exercises, and capturing panoramic images of the station's interior, as shown in videos released by the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) on Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024.

Approximately 400 kilometers above the Earth, the crew conducted routine inspections, maintenance, and storage configuration of the Feitian extravehicular spacesuits within the space station last week. These spacesuits are crucial for astronauts during spacewalks, serving as individual life support systems and miniature spacecraft, providing life support and operational capabilities.

The Chinese Space Station currently houses three extravehicular spacesuits. These have successfully supported the crew in completing two spacewalks during this mission.

In addition to equipment maintenance, the crew participated in in-cabin spacesuit donning and doffing training. This is essential for maintaining operational skills and further enhancing the crew's emergency response speed and dexterity in a zero-gravity environment. Data collected from these drills will contribute to the development of emergency evacuation plans.

The astronauts also conducted panoramic imaging and 3D scanning of the space station's interior, providing ground-based researchers with vital data to understand the cabin environment and create 3D models.

In the images, astronaut Li Guangsu, following ground instructions, opened the inner cabin door and worked closely with astronaut Ye Guangfu to capture images and scan the cargo airlock with specialized equipment.

Launched on April 25, 2024, the Shenzhou-18 spacecraft carries three astronauts—Ye Guangfu, Li Cong, and Li Guangsu—on a mission designed to last six months, continuing China's advancements in human space exploration.

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: 1 minute

Release Date: Sept. 22, 2024

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

Expedition 71 Crew Photos: Summer 2024 | International Space Station

Expedition 71 Crew Photos: Summer 2024 | International Space Station

NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson works on a computer inside the International Space Station's Quest airlock where spacewalks are staged.

NASA astronaut Jeanette Epps swaps research components and removes samples from inside the Combustion Integrated Rack for a series of experiments exploring space flammability and fire suppression in microgravity.

NASA astronaut Suni Williams configures portable electronics gear aboard the International Space Station's Destiny laboratory module.

Expedition 71 Flight Engineers Matthew Dominick and Don Pettit, both from NASA, check out a digital camera aboard the International Space Station's Unity module.

NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson smiles for a portrait in the vestibule between the Kibo laboratory module and the Harmony module aboard the International Space Station.

Expedition 71 crew members (from left) Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub, both Roscosmos cosmonauts of Russia, and NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson pose for a portrait inside the International Space Station's Rassvet module.

Expedition 71 crew members (clockwise from bottom left) Alexander Grebenkin, from Roscosmos (Russia), and NASA astronauts Suni Williams, Jeanette Epps, Matthew Dominick, Mike Barratt, and Butch Wilmore, pose for a portrait inside the International Space Station's Rassvet module.

Expedition 71 Flight Engineer (from left) Don Pettit from NASA demonstrates filling a specially-made coffee cup from a drink bag to Expedition 71 Flight Engineer Alexey Ovchinin from Roscosmos (Russia). The coffee stays inside the cup due to surface tension, a property that enables liquids to resist an external force, such as microgravity, and adhere, or stick to a surface.

NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson is completing a six-month mission, while Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub of Russia are wrapping up just over a year in low-Earth orbit.  The Earth-bound trio is scheduled to depart the orbital lab inside the Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft at 4:47 a.m. EDT on Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. At that time, Expedition 71 will end and Expedition 72 will officially be under way. The crew inside the Soyuz will parachute to a landing just over three hours later in Kazakhstan. 

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

Learn more about the important research being operated on Station:

https://www.nasa.gov/iss-science 

For more information about STEM on Station: 

https://www.nasa.gov/stemonstation

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's Johnson Space Center (JSC)

Image Dates: Aug. 14-Sept. 14, 2024

#NASA #Space #ISS #Science #Earth #Astronauts #TracyDyson #UnitedStates #Cosmonauts #OlegKononenko #NikolaiChub #Russia #Россия #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #SpaceLaboratory #Expedition71 #HumanSpaceflight #InternationalCooperation #STEM #Education

Interview with Indian Space Agency Chairman Dr. S. Somanath | NDTV

Interview with Indian Space Agency Chairman Dr. S. Somanath | NDTV

In an ambitious push to space, India's Union Cabinet approved new funding for Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) missions over the next 15 years. The Chandrayaan-4 Mission; a mission to Venus; and the enhanced Gaganyaan Mission to include the Bhartiya Antariksha Space Station; and the development of a more powerful rocket all received approval. ISRO Chairman Dr. S. Somanath stated that "India's ambitious space vision and roadmap have now been given the wings to fly high."

 

Video Credit: NDTV

Duration: 25 minutes

Release Date: Sept. 20, 2024  

#NASA #ISRO #Space #Earth #India #BhartiyaAntarikshaSpaceStation #Moon #Chandrayaan4 #Venus #VenusMission #GaganyaanMission #Astronauts #HumanSpaceflight #SpaceTechnology #Science #Engineering #SpaceResearch #SpaceExploration #SolarSystem #STEM #Education #History #HD #Video

Celestial Dance: Galactic Pair ESO 77-14 in Indus | Hubble Space Telescope

Celestial Dance: Galactic Pair ESO 77-14 in Indus | Hubble Space Telescope

This Hubble image of ESO 77-14 is a snapshot of a celestial dance performed by a pair of similar-sized galaxies. Two clear signatures of the gravitational tug of war between the galaxies are the bridge of material that connects them and the disruption of their main bodies. The galaxy on the right has a long, bluish arm while its companion has a shorter, redder arm. This interacting pair is in the constellation of Indus, the Indian, around 550 million light-years away from Earth. The dust lanes between the two galaxy centers show the extent of the distortion to the originally flat discs that have been pulled into three-dimensional shapes.

Credit: NASA, European Space Agency, the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)-ESA/Hubble Collaboration and A. Evans (University of Virginia, Charlottesville/NRAO/Stony Brook University)  

Release Date: April 24, 2008

#NASA #Hubble #Astronomy #Space #Science #Galaxies #ESO7714 #InteractingGalaxies #Indus #Constellation #Cosmos #Universe #HubbleSpaceTelescope #HST #ESA #Europe #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Galactic Close Encounters in Lepus | Hubble

Galactic Close Encounters in Lepus | Hubble

From objects as small as Newton's apple to those as large as a galaxy, no physical body is free from the stern bonds of gravity, as evidenced in this picture captured by the Wide Field Camera 3 and Advanced Camera for Surveys onboard the NASA/European Space Agency Hubble Space Telescope.

Here we see two spiral galaxies engaged in a cosmic tug-of-war—but in this contest, there will be no winner. The structures of both objects are slowly distorted to resemble new forms, and in certain cases, merge together to form new, super galaxies. This particular fate is similar to that of the Milky Way Galaxy, when it will ultimately merge with our closest galactic partner, the Andromeda Galaxy. There is no need to panic however, as this process takes several hundreds of millions of years.

Not all interacting galaxies result in mergers though. The merger is dependent on the mass of each galaxy, as well as the relative velocities of each body. It is quite possible that the event pictured here, romantically named 2MASX J06094582-2140234, will avoid a merger event altogether, and will merely distort the arms of each spiral without colliding—the cosmic equivalent of a hair ruffling!

These galactic interactions also trigger new regions of star formation in the galaxies involved, causing them to be extremely luminous in the infrared part of the spectrum. For this reason, these types of galaxies are referred to as LIRGs, or Luminous Infrared Galaxies. This image was taken as part of as part of a Hubble survey of the central regions of LIRGs in the local Universe, which also used the NICMOS instrument.

Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA

Acknowledgement: Luca Limatola

Release Date: July 28, 2014

#NASA #Hubble #Astronomy #Space #Science #Galaxies #2MASXJ060945822140234 #InteractingGalaxies #LIRG #Lepus #Constellation #Cosmos #Universe #HubbleSpaceTelescope #HST #ESA #Europe #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

China's Chang'e-6 Lunar Samples from Moon's Far Side Unveiled for First Time

China's Chang'e-6 Lunar Samples from Moon's Far Side Unveiled for First Time

The lunar samples collected by China's Chang'e-6 mission from the far side of the Moon were unveiled for the first time on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024. The samples, weighing a total of 1,935.3 grams, were retrieved by Chang'e-6 in June this year, marking the first time humans have obtained research samples directly from the Moon's far side.

Earlier the week, a Chinese team of scientists published the first research paper on these lunar samples, saying that they exhibit "distinct characteristics" compared to previously obtained lunar samples.

The team found out that the Chang'e-6 soil samples have a lower density than previous samples, indicating a more porous and loosely structured composition. The plagioclase content of the Chang'e-6 samples is significantly higher than that of the Chang'e-5 samples, while their olivine content is significantly lower.

The study has also revealed that the Chang'e-6 lithic fragment samples are primarily composed of basalt, breccia, agglutinate, glasses and leucocrate.

Geochemical analysis of the Chang'e-6 lunar samples has shown that their concentration of trace elements such as thorium, uranium and potassium is markedly different from the samples retrieved by the Apollo missions and the Chang'e-5 mission.

The Chang'e-6 samples also appear slightly lighter in color due to their different mineral composition.

"The Chang'e-6 lunar samples contain a significant amount of white material, including feldspar minerals, which are more abundant than in the Chang'e-5 samples. Additionally, there are significantly more glass fragments, contributing to a lighter overall appearance for the Chang'e-6 samples," said Li Chunlai, deputy chief designer of the Chang'e-6 mission and researcher with the National Astronomical Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

In the lunar sample laboratory, the surface samples have largely be separated and packaged. Experts explained that the process of unsealing, dividing, and preparing the samples for experimentation took approximately two months.

"For the surface samples, we will separate any rock fragments larger than 1 millimeter. These larger samples may have originated from different locations, and their research methods differ from those used for powdered samples. The remaining powder samples, smaller than 1 millimeter, will be thoroughly mixed and packaged into 10-11 bottles, each containing approximately 150 grams," Li said.

In contrast, the processing of the drilled samples is more complex and is expected to take an additional one to two months. Researchers are currently handling the remaining samples in a nitrogen-filled unit.

"In terms of weight, the scooped samples make up the majority of the total 1935.3 grams, roughly 1610 grams, and the remaining is drilled samples. But a significant portion of these drilled is stuck to the sample bag and cannot be removed, complicating the determination of their exact weight. The drilled samples account for less than 20 percent of the total and are all contained within a single sample bag. We need to divide them into 1.5-centimeter segments to represent different depths. This process, which involves separating over 100 individual samples, requires extreme care. So, we may still need another month or two to finish the pre-processing," Li said.

The Chang'e-6 probe was launched from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in south China's Hainan Province on May 3, 2024. It touched down on the far side of the moon on June 2. During its two-day stay, Chang'e-6 used a scoop and drill, collecting nearly 2 kilograms of lunar material. On June 25, its returner brought back the samples and made a landing in north China.

Video Credit: CCTV

Duration: 2 minutes

Release Date: Sept. 21, 2024

#NASA #CNSA #ESA #Space #Astronomy #Science #China #中国 #Moon #Change6 #嫦娥六号 #LunarSampleReturn #Geology #FarSide #SouthPole #SpaceTechnology #SpaceExploration #SolarSystem #InternationalCooperation #France #CNES #Italy #ASI #Sweden #STEM #Education #History #HD #Video

Galaxy Cluster Abell 3827: Our Giant Universe | Hubble Space Telescope

Galaxy Cluster Abell 3827: Our Giant Universe | Hubble Space Telescope

This detailed image features Abell 3827, a galaxy cluster that offers a wealth of exciting possibilities for study. It was observed by Hubble in order to study dark matter. This is one of the greatest puzzles cosmologists face today. The science team used Hubble’s Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) and Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) to complete their observations. The two cameras have unique specifications and can observe distinct parts of the electromagnetic spectrum, so this allowed astronomers to collect additional information. Abell 3827 has also been observed previously by Hubble, due to the interesting gravitational lens at its core. 

Looking at this cluster of hundreds of galaxies, it is amazing to recall that until less than 100 years ago, many astronomers thought that the Milky Way was the only galaxy in the Universe. The possibility of other galaxies had been debated previously, but the matter was not truly settled until Edwin Hubble confirmed that the Great Andromeda Nebula was in fact far too distant to be part of the Milky Way. The Great Andromeda Nebula became the Andromeda Galaxy, and astronomers recognized that our Universe was much, much larger than humanity had imagined. We can only imagine how Edwin Hubble—after whom the Hubble Space Telescope was named—would have felt if he had seen this spectacular image of Abell 3827.

Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, R. Massey

Release Date: May 3, 2021

#NASA #Hubble #Astronomy #Space #Science #Galaxies #GalaxyCluster #Abell3827 #Indus #Constellation #GravitationalLensing #DarkMatter #Cosmology #Cosmos #Universe #HubbleSpaceTelescope #HST #ESA #Europe #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Spacecraft, Star Trails & City Lights of Asia | International Space Station

Spacecraft, Star Trails & City Lights of Asia | International Space Station

The long exposure photograph taken by NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick shows star trails, streaks of city lights, and two Roscosmos crew ships, the Soyuz MS-26 docked to the Rassvet module (foreground) and the Soyuz MS-25 (background) docked to the Prichal docking module, as the International Space Station orbited 265 miles above central China.

This long exposure photograph taken by NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick with a camera programmed for low sensitivity shows star trails and streaks of city lights as the International Space Station orbited 257 miles above the Molucca Sea in Indonesia.

This long exposure photograph taken by NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick with a camera programmed for high sensitivity shows star trails and streaks of city lights as the International Space Station orbited 258 miles above the South China Sea off the coast of Vietnam near Ho Chi Minh City.

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's Johnson Space Center/M. Dominick

Image Date: Sept. 2, 2024

#NASA #Space #Science #ISS #Planet #Earth #Asia #China #中国 #Indonesia #Vietnam #Astronauts #MatthewDominick #AstronautPhotography #UnitedStates #Cosmonauts #Russia #Россия #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #HumanSpaceflight #Expedition71 #InternationalCooperation #Photography #Timelapse #STEM #Education