Comparing the Two Launch Platforms for SLS...

NASA

ML-1 and ML-2 Comparison Infographic (Photo Release - March 28)

This infographic explains NASA’s mobile launchers designed for the agency's Artemis missions to send the Space Launch System rocket, Orion spacecraft and large payloads to the Moon in a single launch.

Source: NASA.Gov

SpaceX Continues to Prep for Starship's Fourth Flight Test...

SpaceX

With Integrated Flight Test (IFT)-4 targeted for a potential launch this May, SpaceX has been moving full steam ahead in testing the next vehicle to fly—Ship 29—at Starbase in Texas during this week.

Last Monday, Ship 29 successfully fired all six of its Raptor 2 engines at Starbase's suborbital launch pad. And yesterday, the vehicle flawlessly ignited a single Raptor 2 engine during its static fire as SpaceX is planning to conduct an in-space firing of a Raptor 2 during IFT-4...an objective that wasn't met during IFT-3 two weeks ago.

Just like the three previous Starship Super Heavy launches, this flight hinges on how soon the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will grant approval to conduct the next demonstration. Considering the fact that IFT-3 was enormously successful despite Booster 10 and Ship 28 not reaching their ocean splashdown zones intact at the end of their orbital demo, the so-called mishap investigation by the FAA should not take as long as the ones for the two previous integrated flight tests.

Full-duration static fire of all six Raptor engines on Flight 4 Starship pic.twitter.com/HzS4SeaoEV

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) March 25, 2024

Static fire of a single Raptor engine using the header tanks on Flight 4 Starship pic.twitter.com/94RJWVZ8Hv

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) March 27, 2024

Three Tools Have Been Chosen for Use by the First Crew to Walk on the Moon Since 1972...

NASA

NASA Selects First Lunar Instruments for Artemis Astronaut Deployment (News Release - March 26)

NASA has chosen the first science instruments designed for astronauts to deploy on the surface of the Moon during Artemis III. Once installed near the lunar South Pole, the three instruments will collect valuable scientific data about the lunar environment, the lunar interior and how to sustain a long-duration human presence on the Moon, which will help prepare NASA to send astronauts to Mars.

“Artemis marks a bold new era of exploration, where human presence amplifies scientific discovery. With these innovative instruments stationed on the Moon’s surface, we’re embarking on a transformative journey that will kick-start the ability to conduct human-machine teaming – an entirely new way of doing science,” said NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy. “These three deployed instruments were chosen to begin scientific investigations that will address key Moon to Mars science objectives.”

The instruments will address three Artemis science objectives: understanding planetary processes, understanding the character and origin of lunar polar volatiles, and investigating and mitigating exploration risks. They were specifically chosen because of their unique installation requirements that necessitate deployment by humans during moonwalks.

All three payloads were selected for further development to fly on Artemis III that’s targeted to launch in 2026, however, final manifesting decisions about the mission will be determined at a later date. Members of these payload teams will become members of NASA’s Artemis III science team.

The Lunar Environment Monitoring Station (LEMS) is a compact, autonomous seismometer suite designed to carry out continuous, long-term monitoring of the seismic environment, namely ground motion from moonquakes, in the lunar south polar region. The instrument will characterize the regional structure of the Moon’s crust and mantle, which will add valuable information to lunar formation and evolution models.

LEMS previously received four years of NASA’s Development and Advancement of Lunar Instrumentation funding for engineering development and risk reduction. It is intended to operate on the lunar surface from three months up to two years and may become a key station in a future global lunar geophysical network.

LEMS is led by Dr. Mehdi Benna, from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

Lunar Effects on Agricultural Flora (LEAF) will investigate the lunar surface environment’s effects on space crops. LEAF will be the first experiment to observe plant photosynthesis, growth and systemic stress responses in space-radiation and partial gravity.

Plant growth and development data, along with environmental parameters measured by LEAF, will help scientists understand the use of plants grown on the Moon for both human nutrition and life support on the Moon and beyond. LEAF is led by Christine Escobar of Space Lab Technologies, LLC, in Boulder, Colorado.

The Lunar Dielectric Analyzer (LDA) will measure the regolith’s ability to propagate an electric field, which is a key parameter in the search for lunar volatiles, especially ice. It will gather essential information about the structure of the Moon’s subsurface, monitor dielectric changes caused by the changing angle of the Sun as the Moon rotates, and look for possible frost formation or ice deposits.

LDA, an internationally-contributed payload, is led by Dr. Hideaki Miyamoto of the University of Tokyo and supported by JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency).

“These three scientific instruments will be our first opportunity since Apollo to leverage the unique capabilities of human explorers to conduct transformative lunar science,” said Joel Kearns, deputy associate administrator for exploration in NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington. “These payloads mark our first steps toward implementing the recommendations for the high-priority science outlined in the Artemis III Science Definition Team report.”

Artemis III, the first mission to return astronauts to the surface of the Moon in more than 50 years, will explore the south polar region of the Moon, within 6 degrees of latitude from the South Pole. Several proposed landing regions for the mission are located among some of the oldest parts of the Moon.

Together with the permanently-shadowed regions, they provide the opportunity to learn about the history of the Moon through previously unstudied lunar materials.

With the Artemis campaign, NASA will land the first woman, first person of color and its first international partner astronaut on the Moon, and establish long-term exploration for scientific discovery and preparation for human missions to Mars for the benefit of all.

****

Development Continues on Vital Hardware for the Space Launch System's Block 1B Variant...

NASA / Sam Lott

Payload Adapter Testing: A Key Step for Artemis IV Rocket’s Success (News Release - March 21)

A test version of the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket’s payload adapter is ready for evaluation, marking a critical milestone on the journey to the hardware’s debut on NASA’s Artemis IV mission.

Comprised of two metal rings and eight composite panels, the cone-shaped payload adapter will be part of the SLS Block 1B configuration and housed inside the universal stage adapter atop the rocket’s more powerful in-space stage, called the Exploration Upper Stage. The payload adapter is an evolution from the Orion stage adapter used in the Block 1 configuration of the first three Artemis missions that sits at the topmost portion of the rocket and helps connect the rocket and spacecraft.

“Like the Orion stage adapter and the launch vehicle stage adapter used for the first three SLS flights, the payload adapter for the evolved SLS Block 1B configuration is fully manufactured and tested at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama,” said Casey Wolfe, assistant branch chief for the advanced manufacturing branch at Marshall. “Marshall’s automated fiber placement and large-scale integration facilities provide our teams the ability to build composite hardware elements for multiple Artemis missions in parallel, allowing for cost and schedule savings.”

At about 8.5 feet tall, the payload adapter’s eight composite sandwich panels, which measure about 12 feet each in length, contain a metallic honeycomb-style structure at their thickest point but taper to a single carbon fiber layer at each end. The panels are pieced together using a high-precision process called determinant assembly, in which each component is designed to fit securely in a specific place, like puzzle pieces.

After manufacturing, the payload adapter will also be structurally tested at Marshall, which manages the SLS Program. The first structural test series begins this spring.

Test teams will use the engineering development unit – an exact replica of the flight version of the hardware – to check the structure’s strength and durability by twisting, shaking and applying extreme pressure.

While every Block 1B configuration of the SLS rocket will use a payload adapter, each will be customized to fit the mission’s needs. The determinant assembly method and digital tooling ensure a more efficient and uniform manufacturing process, regardless of the mission profile, to ensure that the hardware remains on schedule.

Data from this test series will further inform design and manufacturing processes as teams begin manufacturing the qualification and flight hardware for Artemis IV.

NASA is working to land the first woman, first person of color and its first international partner astronaut on the Moon under Artemis. SLS is part of NASA’s backbone for deep space exploration, along with the Orion spacecraft and Gateway in orbit around the Moon as well as commercial human landing systems, next-generation spacesuits and rovers on the lunar surface.

SLS is the only rocket that can send Orion, astronauts and supplies to the Moon in a single launch.

Source: NASA.Gov

****


NASA

The Seven ISS Residents Greet Three New Arrivals Aboard the Orbital Outpost...

NASA TV

Soyuz Hatches Open, Expedition 70 Welcomes Crew Aboard Station (News Release)

The hatches between the International Space Station and the newly-arrived Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft officially opened at 1:26 p.m. EDT. The arrival of three new crew members to the existing seven people already aboard for Expedition 70 temporarily increases the station’s population to 10.

NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy and spaceflight participant Marina Vasilevskaya of Belarus joined NASA astronauts Loral O’Hara, Matthew Dominick, Mike Barratt and Jeanette Epps, as well as Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko, Nikolai Chub and Alexander Grebenkin, already living and working aboard the space station.

Dyson will spend six months aboard the station as an Expedition 70 and 71 flight engineer, returning to Earth in September with Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub of Roscosmos, who will complete a year-long mission on the laboratory.

Novitskiy and Vasilevskaya will be aboard the station for 12 days, providing the ride home for O’Hara on Saturday, April 6, aboard Soyuz MS-24 for a parachute-assisted landing on the steppe of Kazakhstan. O’Hara will have spent 204 days in space when she returns.

Source: NASA.Gov

****


NASA TV

New Members of the Expedition 70/71 Crew Launch Aboard a Soyuz Rocket to the ISS...

NASA / Bill Ingalls

NASA Astronaut Tracy Dyson, Crewmates Safely En Route to Space Station (News Release - March 23)

Three crew members including NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson successfully launched at 8:36 a.m. EDT on Saturday from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan to the International Space Station.

Dyson, along with her crewmates Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy and spaceflight participant Marina Vasilevskaya of Belarus, will dock to the space station’s Prichal module about 11:09 a.m. on Monday, March 25, on the Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft.

Docking coverage will begin at 10:15 a.m. on NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app, YouTube and the agency’s website. NASA will also air coverage, starting at 1:15 p.m., of the crew welcome ceremony on NASA+ once they are aboard the orbital outpost.

Learn how to stream NASA TV through a variety of platforms including social media.

When the hatches between the station and Soyuz open about 1:40 p.m., the new crew members will join NASA astronauts Loral O’Hara, Matthew Dominick, Mike Barratt and Jeanette Epps, as well as Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko, Nikolai Chub and Alexander Grebenkin, already living and working aboard the space station.

Novitskiy and Vasilevskaya will be aboard the station for 12 days, before providing the ride home for O’Hara on Saturday, April 6, aboard Soyuz MS-24 for a parachute-assisted landing on the steppe of Kazakhstan.

Dyson will spend six months aboard the station as an Expedition 70 and 71 flight engineer, returning to Earth in September with Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub of Roscosmos, who will complete a year-long mission on the laboratory.

This will be the third spaceflight for Dyson, the fourth for Novitskiy, and the first for Vasilevskaya.

****


GCTC / Andrey Shelepin

The Dragon CRS-30 Freighter Has Arrived at the ISS...

NASA TV

Dragon Spacecraft Docks to Station With New Science, Supplies (News Release)

While the International Space Station was traveling more than 262 miles over the South Atlantic Ocean, a SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft autonomously docked to the station’s Harmony module at 7:19 a.m. EDT, with NASA astronauts Loral O’Hara and Michael Barratt monitoring operations from the station.

The Dragon launched on SpaceX’s 30th contracted commercial resupply mission for NASA at 4:55 p.m. EDT on March 21, from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. After Dragon spends about one month attached to the space station, the spacecraft will return to Earth with cargo and research.

Among the science experiments that Dragon is delivering to the space station are:

Monitoring Sea Ice Thickness and Wave Height

Nanoracks-Killick-1 is a CubeSat that measures sea ice parameters using Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) reflectometry or reflected signals. This monitoring system could contribute to a better understanding of important ocean phenomena and improved weather and climate models.

New Sensors for ASTROBEE

The Multi-Resolution Scanner (MRS) Payload for the Astrobee (Multi-Resolution Scanning) tests a new set of sensors to support automated 3D sensing, mapping and situational awareness functions. These systems could support future Gateway and lunar surface missions by providing automated defect detection, automated and remote maintenance, and autonomous vehicle operations.

Improving Efficiency of Quantum-Dot Solar Cells

The Nano Particle Haloing Suspension payload tests the controlled assembly of nanoparticles in a liquid solution. A process called nanoparticle haloing uses charged nanoparticles to enable precise particle arrangements that improve the efficiency of quantum-dot synthesized solar cells.

Conducting these processes in microgravity provides insight into the relationship between shape, charge, concentration and interaction of particles.

Observing Photosynthesis in Space

Advanced Plant Experiment-09 (APEX-09), also known as C4 Photosynthesis in Space, observes carbon dioxide capture and mechanisms in two types of grasses. Researchers hope to learn more about photosynthesis and plant metabolism changes overall in space.

Knowledge gained could support development of bioregenerative life support systems on future missions.

Source: NASA.Gov

Hot Fire #10 Is Now Complete in the Final Round of Testing for the Next-Generation SLS Engine...

NASA / Danny Nowlin

NASA Conducts Full-Duration Artemis Moon Rocket Engine Test (News Release)

NASA continued a key RS-25 engine test series for future Artemis flights of the agency’s powerful SLS (Space Launch System) rocket on March 22 with a hot fire on the Fred Haise Test Stand at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. It marked the 10th hot fire in a 12-test series to certify production of new RS-25 engines by lead contractor Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3 Harris Technologies company.

The NASA Stennis test team fired the certification engine for 500 seconds, or the same amount of time that engines must fire to help launch the SLS rocket to space with astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft. Operators powered the engine up to a level of 113%, which is beyond the 111% power level that new RS-25 engines use to provide additional thrust.

Testing up to the 113% power level provides a margin of operational safety. Newly-produced engines will power NASA’s SLS rocket on Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond, beginning with Artemis V.

For Artemis missions I-IV, NASA and Aerojet Rocketdyne modified 16 former space shuttle engines for use on the SLS rocket. Four RS-25 engines fire simultaneously to help launch each SLS rocket, producing up to 2 million pounds of combined thrust.

Through Artemis, NASA will establish the foundation for long-term scientific exploration at the Moon, land the first woman, first person of color and first international partner astronaut on the lunar surface, and prepare for human expeditions to Mars for the benefit of all. RS-25 tests at NASA Stennis are conducted by a diverse team of operators from NASA, Aerojet Rocketdyne and Syncom Space Services, prime contractor for site facilities and operations.

Source: NASA.Gov

A Cargo Dragon Is Headed to the ISS from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (Not Kennedy Space Center) in Florida...

SpaceX

NASA Science, Hardware Aboard SpaceX’s 30th Resupply Launch to Station (News Release)

Following a successful launch of NASA’s SpaceX 30th commercial resupply mission, new scientific experiments and technology demonstrations for the agency are on the way to the International Space Station, including studies of technologies to measure sea ice and plant growth in space.

SpaceX’s Dragon resupply spacecraft, carrying more than 6,000 pounds of cargo to the orbiting laboratory, launched on the company’s Falcon 9 rocket at 4:55 p.m. EDT on Thursday, from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

The cargo spacecraft is scheduled to autonomously dock at the space station on Saturday, March 23, at approximately 7:30 a.m. and remain at the orbital outpost for about a month.

Live coverage of the arrival will begin at 5:30 a.m. on NASA+, NASA Television and on the agency’s website. Learn how to stream NASA TV through a variety of platforms.

The Dragon will deliver a new set of sensors for Astrobee robots to support automated 3D sensing, mapping and situational awareness functions. These systems could support future Gateway and lunar surface missions by providing automated maintenance and surface scanning using rovers.

Additionally, the spacecraft will deliver BurstCube, a small satellite that is designed to study gamma-ray bursts that occur when two neutron stars collide. This satellite could widen our coverage of the gamma-ray sky, improving our chances of studying bursts both with light and gravitational waves, or ripples in space-time, detected by ground-based observatories.

Finally, the spacecraft will also deliver sampling hardware for Genomic Enumeration of Antibiotic Resistance in Space (GEARS), an initiative that will test different locations of the space station for antibiotic-resistant microbes. In-flight gene sequencing could show how these bacteria adapt to the space environment, providing knowledge that informs measures to protect astronauts on future long-duration missions.

These are just a few of the hundreds of investigations conducted aboard the orbiting laboratory in the areas of biology and biotechnology, physical sciences, and Earth and space science. Advances from this scientific research will help keep astronauts healthy during long-duration space travel and demonstrate technologies for future human and robotic exploration beyond low-Earth orbit to the Moon through NASA’s Artemis campaign, in advance of the first crewed mission to Mars.

****

Separation confirmed! Dragon is now on its way to autonomously dock with the @Space_Station on Saturday, March 23 at ~7:30 a.m. ET pic.twitter.com/MhUjDPtliC

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) March 21, 2024

The Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle Will Practice Docking Maneuvers During Its Second Trip to the Moon...

NASA

Key Test Drive of Orion on NASA’s Artemis II to Aid Future Missions (News Release)

Astronauts will test drive NASA’s Orion spacecraft for the first time during the agency’s Artemis II test flight next year. While many of the spacecraft’s maneuvers like big propulsive burns are automated, a key test called the proximity operations demonstration will evaluate the manual handling qualities of Orion.

During the approximately 70-minute demonstration set to begin about three hours into the mission, the crew will command Orion through a series of moves using the detached upper stage of the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket as a mark. The in-space propulsion stage, called the ICPS (interim cryogenic propulsion stage), includes an approximately two-foot target that will be used to evaluate how Orion flies with astronauts at the controls.

“There are always differences between a ground simulation and what an actual spacecraft will fly like in space,” said Brian Anderson, Orion rendezvous, proximity operations and docking manager within the Orion Program at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. “The demonstration is a flight test objective that helps us reduce risk for future missions that involve rendezvous and docking with other spacecraft.”

After NASA’s Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen are safely in space, the Moon rocket’s upper stage will fire twice to put Orion on a high-Earth orbit trajectory. Then, the spacecraft will automatically separate from the rocket stage, firing several separation bolts before springs push Orion a safe distance away.

As the spacecraft and its crew move away, Orion will perform an automated backflip to turn around and face the stage. At approximately 300 feet away, Orion will stop its relative motion.

The crew will take control and use the translational and rotational hand controllers and display system to make very small movements to ensure that Orion is responding as expected.

Next, the crew will very slowly pilot Orion to within approximately 30 feet of the stage. A two-foot auxiliary target mounted inside the top of the stage, similar to the docking target used by spacecraft visiting the International Space Station, will guide their aim.

“The crew will view the target by using a docking camera mounted inside the docking hatch window on the top of the crew module to see how well-aligned they are with the docking target mounted to the ICPS,” Anderson said.

“It’s a good stand in for what crews will see when they dock with Starship on Artemis III and to the Gateway on future missions.”

About 30 feet from the stage, Orion will stop and the crew will check out the spacecraft’s fine handling qualities to evaluate how it performs in close proximity to another spacecraft. Small maneuvers performed very close to the ICPS will be done using the reaction control system thrusters on Orion’s European Service Module.

Orion will then back away and allow the stage to turn to protect its thermal properties. The crew will follow the stage, initiate a second round of manual maneuvers using another target mounted on the side of the stage, approach within approximately 30 feet, perform another fine handling quality checkout, then back away.

At the end of the demonstration, Orion will perform an automated departure burn to move away from the ICPS before the stage then fires to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere over a remote location in the Pacific Ocean. During Orion’s departure burn, engineers will use the spacecraft’s docking camera to gather precise positioning measurements, which will help inform navigation during rendezvous activities on future missions in the lunar environment, where there is no GPS system.

Because the Artemis II Orion is not docking with another spacecraft, it is not equipped with a docking module containing lights and therefore is reliant on the ICPS to be lit enough by the Sun to allow the crew to see the targets.

“As with many of our tests, it’s possible the proximity operations demonstration won’t go exactly as expected,” said Anderson. “Even if we don’t accomplish every part of the demonstration, we’ll continue on with the test flight as planned to accomplish our primary objectives, including evaluating Orion’s systems with crew aboard in the deep space environment and keeping the crew safe during the mission.”

The approximately 10-day Artemis II flight will test NASA’s foundational human deep space exploration capabilities, the SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft, for the first time with astronauts and will pave the way for lunar surface missions, including landing the first woman, first person of color and first international partner astronaut on the Moon.

Source: NASA.Gov

****


United Launch Alliance

A Rover Will Soon Be Selected for Future Astronauts to Ride on the Moon...

NASA

NASA to Select Lunar Terrain Vehicle for Artemis Missions (News Release)

NASA will host a news conference to announce the company, or companies, selected to move forward in developing the LTV (Lunar Terrain Vehicle), which will help Artemis astronauts explore more of the Moon’s surface on future missions. The televised event will take place at 4 p.m. EDT (3 p.m. CDT) on Wednesday, April 3, at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

The news conference will air live on NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app and the agency’s website. Learn how to stream NASA TV through a variety of platforms including social media.

Event participants will include:

- Vanessa Wyche, director, NASA Johnson

- Jacob Bleacher, chief exploration scientist, NASA Headquarters

- Lara Kearney, manager, Extravehicular Activity and Human Surface Mobility Program, NASA Johnson

International media interested in participating in person must request credentials by 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 21. U.S. media interested in attending in person must request credentials by 6 p.m. on Wednesday, March 27.

All media interested in participating by phone must request details by 2 p.m. on April 3. To participate, contact the NASA Johnson newsroom at 281-483-5111 or jsccommu@mail.nasa.gov.

NASA’s media accreditation policy is online.

Through Artemis, NASA will land the first woman, first person of color and its first international partner astronaut on the surface of the Moon to explore for scientific discovery, economic benefits and to build the foundation for crewed missions to Mars.

Source: NASA.Gov

****


NASA

The CST-100's First Mission with Astronauts Aboard Remains on Track for a Launch This May...

Boeing / John Grant

Fueling Begins for the Starliner Crew Flight Test (News Release)

Loading the spacecraft with propellant is the next milestone on the path to launch.

Spacecraft fueling has begun for the upcoming Crew Flight Test (CFT) as the Starliner team prepares to send its first crew to the International Space Station.

The Starliner spacecraft, consisting of a reusable crew and expendable service module, was recently moved into the Hazardous Processing Area at Boeing’s Commercial Crew and Cargo Processing Facility (C3PF) at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Fueling the spacecraft will take a little more than two weeks.

Conducting the propellant-loading operation is a team made up of specially-trained technicians, as well as fluids, propellant and electrical test engineers. To perform the operation, technicians wear what’s called a SCAPE suit.

SCAPE stands for Self-Contained Atmospheric Protective Ensemble and the suit protects them from any hazardous commodities. Throughout the operation, test teammates monitor the spacecraft, including sensors and valves, as well as the environment within the C3PF.

Following fueling, final closeout activities will be performed for the spacecraft’s rollout from the factory to United Launch Alliance’s Vertical Integration Facility at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Closeout activities include removing propellant access panels, placing environmental covers over the spacecraft’s thrust nozzle outlets, performing thermal protection system work, checking the spacecraft’s final weight and center of gravity, and loading it onto the transport vehicle.

Source: StarlinerUpdates.com

Development Continues on Future Hardware for the Space Launch System's Block 1B Variant...

NASA / Sam Lott

Evolved Adapter for Future NASA SLS Flights Readied for Testing (News Release - March 13)

A test version of the universal stage adapter for NASA’s more powerful version of its SLS (Space Launch System) rocket arrived to Building 4619 at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, on February 22 from Leidos in Decatur, Alabama. The universal stage adapter will connect the rocket’s upgraded in-space propulsion stage, called the Exploration Upper Stage, to NASA’s Orion spacecraft as part of the evolved Block 1B configuration of the SLS rocket.

The universal stage adapter will also serve as a compartment capable of accommodating large payloads, such as modules or other exploration spacecraft. The SLS Block 1B variant will debut on Artemis IV and will increase SLS’s payload capability to send more than 84,000 pounds to the Moon in a single launch.

In Building 4619’s Load Test Annex High Bay at Marshall, the development test article will first undergo modal testing that will shake the hardware to validate dynamic models. Later, during ultimate load testing, force will be applied vertically and to the sides of the hardware.

Unlike the flight hardware, the development test article has flaws intentionally included in its design, which will help engineers verify that the adapter can withstand the extreme forces it will face during launch and flight. The test article joins an already-rich history of rocket hardware that has undergone high-and-low pressure, acoustic and extreme temperature testing in the multipurpose, high-bay test facility; it will be tested in the same location that once bent, compressed and torqued the core stage intertank test article for the SLS rocket’s Block 1 configuration.

Leidos, the prime contractor for the universal stage adapter, manufactured the full-scale prototype at its Aerospace Structures Complex in Decatur.

NASA is working to land the first woman, first person of color and its first international partner astronaut on the Moon under Artemis. SLS is part of NASA’s backbone for deep space exploration, along with the Orion spacecraft and Gateway in orbit around the Moon and commercial human landing systems, next-generational spacesuits and rovers on the lunar surface.

SLS is the only rocket that can send Orion, astronauts and supplies to the Moon in a single launch.

Source: NASA.Gov

****


NASA

Starship Has Reached Orbit for the First Time!

SpaceX

NASA Artemis Mission Progresses with SpaceX Starship Test Flight (News Release)

As part of NASA’s Artemis campaign to return humans to the Moon for the benefit of all, the agency is working with SpaceX to develop the company’s Starship human landing system (HLS), which will land astronauts near the Moon’s South Pole during the Artemis III and Artemis IV missions. On March 14, SpaceX launched the third integrated flight test of its Super Heavy booster and Starship upper stage, an important milestone towards providing NASA with a Starship HLS for its Artemis missions.

A complement of 33 Raptor engines, fueled by super-cooled liquid methane and liquid oxygen, powered the Super Heavy booster with Starship stacked on top, from the company’s Starbase orbital launch pad at 8:25 a.m. CDT. Starship, using six Raptor engines, separated from the Super Heavy booster employing a hot-staging technique to fire the engines before separation at approximately three minutes into the flight, in accordance with the flight plan.

This was the third flight test of the integrated Super Heavy-Starship system.

“With each flight test, SpaceX attempts increasingly-ambitious objectives for Starship to learn as much as possible for future mission systems development. The ability to test key systems and processes in flight scenarios like these integrated tests allows both NASA and SpaceX to gather crucial data needed for the continued development of Starship HLS,” said Lisa Watson-Morgan, HLS Program Manager at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

This test accomplished several important firsts that will contribute to the development of Starship for Artemis lunar landing missions. The spacecraft reached its expected orbit and Starship completed the full-duration ascent burn.

One objective closely tied to future Artemis operations is the transfer of thousands of pounds of cryogenic propellant between internal tanks during the spacecraft’s coast phase as part of NASA’s Space Technology Missions Directorate 2020 Tipping Point awards. The propellant transfer demonstration operations were completed, and the NASA-SpaceX team is currently reviewing the flight data that was received.

This Tipping Point technology demonstration is one of more than 20 development activities that NASA is undertaking to solve the challenges of using cryogenic fluids during future missions.

As a key step towards understanding how super-cooled propellant sloshes within the tanks when the engines shut down, and how that movement affects Starship’s stability while in orbit, engineers will study flight test data to assess the performance of thrusters that control Starship’s orientation in space. They are also interested to learn more about how the fluid’s movement within the tanks can be settled to maximize propellant transfer efficiency and ensure that Raptor engines receive needed propellant conditions to support restart in orbit.

“Storing and transferring cryogenic propellant in orbit has never been attempted on this scale before,” said Jeremy Kenny, project manager, NASA’s Cryogenic Fluid Management Portfolio at Marshall. “But this is a game-changing technology that must be developed and matured for science and exploration missions at the Moon, Mars and those that will venture even deeper into our solar system.”

Under NASA’s Artemis campaign, the agency will land the first woman, first person of color and its first international partner astronaut on the lunar surface and prepare for human expeditions to Mars. Commercial human landing systems are critical to deep space exploration, along with the Space Launch System rocket, Orion spacecraft, advanced spacesuits and rovers, exploration ground systems and the Gateway space station.

Source: NASA.Gov

****


SpaceX


SpaceX


SpaceX


SpaceX


SpaceX

Starship Is Ready to Launch as Early as Tomorrow (But Not Towards Hawaii as Originally Planned)...

SpaceX

FAA Statement on SpaceX OFT-3 License Modification Approval (News Release)

The FAA is authorizing the SpaceX Starship Super Heavy Orbital Flight Test 3 (OFT-3) launch. The FAA determined SpaceX met all safety, environmental, policy and financial responsibility requirements.

As part of the license modification evaluation, the FAA prepared a Tiered Environmental Assessment for SpaceX Starship Indian Ocean Landings and issued a Finding of No Significant Impact/Record of Decision.

The license applies to all phases of the proposed OFT-3 operation. This includes preflight preparations and liftoff from Texas, the water landing of the Super Heavy booster in the Gulf of Mexico, and the water landing of the Starship vehicle in the Indian Ocean.

****


SpaceX


SpaceX


SpaceX


SpaceX


SpaceX


SpaceX

The FAA has granted license authorization for the third launch of the @SpaceX Starship Super Heavy vehicle. The FAA determined SpaceX met all safety, environmental, policy and financial responsibility requirements. Learn more at https://t.co/EkZUsgWYNm. #FAASpace

— The FAA ✈️ (@FAANews) March 13, 2024

Targeting Thursday, March 14 for Starship’s third flight test. A 110-minute launch window opens at 7:00 a.m. CT → https://t.co/bJFjLCiTbK pic.twitter.com/hFq1L4w9et

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) March 13, 2024

Four Astronauts Complete a 199-Day Expedition As Their Endurance Capsule Lands in the Gulf of Mexico...

Splashdown! NASA’s SpaceX Crew-7 Finishes Mission, Returns to Earth (News Release)

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-7 completed the agency’s seventh commercial crew-rotation mission to the International Space Station on Tuesday after splashing down safely in a Dragon spacecraft off the coast of Pensacola, Florida. The international crew of four spent 199 days in orbit.

NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Andreas Mogensen, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Satoshi Furukawa and Roscosmos cosmonaut Konstantin Borisov, returned to Earth splashing down at 5:47 a.m. EDT. Teams aboard SpaceX recovery vessels retrieved the spacecraft and its crew.

After returning to shore, the crew will fly to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

“After more than six months aboard the International Space Station, NASA’s SpaceX Crew-7 has safely returned home,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “This international crew showed that space unites us all. It’s clear that we can do more – we can learn more – when we work together. The science experiments conducted during their time in space will help prepare for NASA’s bold missions at the Moon, Mars and beyond, all while benefitting humanity here on Earth.”

The Crew-7 mission lifted off at 3:27 a.m. on August 26, 2023, on a Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. About 30 hours later, Dragon docked to the Harmony module’s space-facing port.

Crew-7 undocked at 11:20 a.m. on Monday, March 11, to begin the trip home.

Moghbeli, Mogensen, Furukawa and Borisov traveled 84,434,094 miles during their mission, spent 197 days aboard the space station, and completed 3,184 orbits around Earth. The Crew-7 mission was the first spaceflight for Moghbeli and Borisov.

Mogensen has logged 209 days in space over his two flights, and Furukawa has logged 366 days in space over his two flights.

Throughout their mission, the Crew-7 members contributed to a host of science and maintenance activities and technology demonstrations. Moghbeli conducted one spacewalk, joined by NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara, replacing one of the 12 trundle-bearing assemblies on the port solar alpha rotary joint, which allows the arrays to track the Sun and generate electricity to power the station.

The crew contributed to hundreds of experiments and technology demonstrations, including the first study of human response to different spaceflight durations, and an experiment growing food on the space station.

This was the third flight of the Dragon spacecraft, named Endurance. It also previously supported the Crew-3 and Crew-5 missions.

The spacecraft will return to Florida for inspection and processing at SpaceX’s refurbishing facility at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, where teams will inspect the Dragon, analyze data on its performance, and process it for its next flight.

The Crew-7 flight is part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program and its return to Earth follows on the heels of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 launch, which docked to the station on March 5, beginning another science expedition.

The goal of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program is safe, reliable and cost-effective transportation to and from the International Space Station and low-Earth orbit. This is already providing additional research time and has increased the opportunity for discovery aboard humanity’s microgravity testbed for exploration, including helping NASA prepare for human exploration of the Moon and Mars.

Source: NASA.Gov

****


NASA / Joel Kowsky

America's Newest ISS-Bound Freighter Moves One Step Closer to Its First Launch...

Sierra Space

Sierra Space Dream Chaser® Spaceplane Successfully Completes First Phase of Pre-Flight Testing (Press Release - March 7)

LOUISVILLE, Colo. – Sierra Space, a leading commercial space company and emerging defense tech prime building a platform in space to benefit and protect life on Earth, announced today the successful completion of the initial phase of environmental testing on the revolutionary Dream Chaser® spaceplane, Tenacity®, at NASA’s Neil Armstrong Test Facility in Sandusky, Ohio.

Over the past month, the Sierra Space Dream Chaser and its cargo companion, Shooting Star™, underwent rigorous vibration testing while stacked in launch configuration inside the Mechanical Vibration Facility at the NASA complex. In readiness for launch from Kennedy Space Center, the tests exposed the vehicles to the intense conditions of launch vibrations using the world’s most powerful spacecraft shaker table.

See video about the vibration testing here.

“We are coming out of years of development, years of hard work and years of resolving tough engineering challenges that come from revolutionary new ways of doing things,” said Sierra Space CEO Tom Vice. “This phase of development illustrates how Dream Chaser and the Shooting Star cargo module will handle the mechanical rigors of launch. This is the year that we transition from development and enter orbital operations – it is the year that changes how we connect space and Earth.”

“Completion of vibration testing of the vehicles in the launch configuration is a huge milestone for Sierra Space and the Dream Chaser program,” said Jake Ingram, Director of Programs for Dream Chaser DC-100. “We successfully applied the environment specified by the launch provider, validated primary-structure modal responses and verified vehicle functionality before and after the vibration test sequence.”

Key accomplishments in this first critical phase of pre-flight testing included: the completion of Sine Vibration Testing (in all three axes or directions), a Separation Shock Test that simulates the separation of the Dream Chaser from Shooting Star and a test that involved deploying the spaceplane’s wings. These tests evaluated Dream Chaser’s performance under the stresses of launch, operation in orbit and ability to communicate with the International Space Station (ISS).

Joint Test #3, a critical phase in the testing process, represented an integrated assessment of the completed system in a flight-like configuration. After its ride to space atop United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan Centaur rocket, Dream Chaser separates from the rocket fairing, deploys its wings from a folded position and flies semi-autonomously to the International Space Station.

Joint Test #3 was a comprehensive evaluation focused on the software interface between the vehicle and the ISS to ensure the seamless functionality of the command and data handling.

Following these critical test phases, the Shooting Star cargo module was de-mated from Dream Chaser and transported from the Armstrong Test Facility’s Space Environments Complex (SEC) to the nearby In-Space Propulsion (ISP) facility. Soon, Dream Chaser will be transported to the ISP facility to join the cargo module, where the two spacecraft will begin thermal vacuum testing, a crucial step in the journey towards the launch pad and another milestone in Sierra Space’s mission to redefine the future of space commercialization.

Source: Sierra Space

****


Sierra Space

Hot Fire #9 Is Now Complete in the Final Round of Testing for the Next-Generation SLS Engine...

NASA / Danny Nowlin

NASA Continues Artemis Moon Rocket Engine Test Series (News Release - March 6)

NASA conducted a full-duration RS-25 engine hot fire on March 6, continuing a final round of certification testing for production of new engines to help power the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket on future Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond. The full-duration test on the Fred Haise Test Stand at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, marked the ninth in a scheduled 12-test series.

Engineers are collecting test data to certify an updated engine production process, using innovative manufacturing techniques, for lead engines contractor Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3Harris Technologies company. During the March 6 test, operators fired the certification engine for 10 minutes (600 seconds), longer than the amount of time needed to help launch the SLS rocket and send astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft into orbit.

The test team also fired the engine at power levels between 80% and 113% to test performance in multiple scenarios. Four RS-25 engines, along with a pair of solid rocket boosters, launch NASA’s powerful SLS rocket, producing more than 8.8 million pounds of thrust at liftoff for Artemis missions.

Through Artemis, NASA will establish the foundation for long-term scientific exploration at the Moon, land the first woman, first person of color and first international partner astronaut on the lunar surface, and prepare for human expeditions to Mars for the benefit of all. RS-25 tests at NASA Stennis are conducted by a diverse team of operators from NASA, Aerojet Rocketdyne and Syncom Space Services, prime contractor for site facilities and operations.

Source: NASA.Gov

Sign Up Now to Become a Future Explorer Flying to a Commercial Space Station or the Moon!

NASA

NASA Opens Astronaut Applications as Newest Class Graduates (Press Release - March 5)

NASA welcomed its newest class of next-generation Artemis astronauts in a Tuesday ceremony at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. The 10-astronaut graduates are now eligible for flight assignments.

The agency also announced the opening for the next round of NASA astronaut applications.

“Congratulations to the newest class of NASA astronauts! We are excited to have a new and diverse set of explorers ready to expand humanity’s reach,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “Astronauts are pioneers who will help us embark on this new era of exploration, and we need more adventurers ready to join the ranks to explore the cosmos, including future missions to the Moon, onto Mars, and beyond.”

Selected for training in 2021, the astronaut graduates were chosen from a pool of more than 12,000 applicants and successfully completed more than two years of required basic training, including spacewalking, robotics, space station systems and more.

The graduates may be assigned to missions destined for the International Space Station, future commercial space stations and Artemis campaign missions to the Moon in preparation for Mars.

“Congratulations to NASA and the astronaut graduates,” said U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Director Kiran Ahuja. “By partnering with OPM, NASA employed an automated and streamlined hiring process to screen applicants for these prestigious roles. OPM is thrilled to continue supporting NASA experts to design and implement their hiring methods.”

“It’s an incredible time to be an astronaut with a variety of spacecraft to fly and more destinations to explore,” said Chief Astronaut Joe Acaba. “I’m honored to welcome these astronauts, congratulate them on their hard work, and look forward to growing our ranks as we help expand humanity’s reach into the solar system.”

The graduating NASA astronauts are Nichole Ayers of Colorado Springs, Colorado; Marcos Berríos of Guaynabo, Puerto Rico; Chris Birch of Gilbert, Arizona; Deniz Bunham of Wasilla, Alaska; Luke Delaney of Debary, Florida; Andre Douglas of Chesapeake, Virginia; Jack Hathaway of South Windsor, Connecticut; Anil Menon of Minneapolis; Chris Williams of Potomac, Maryland, and Jessica Wittner of Clovis, California.

Continuing the long tradition of international partnership, two UAE (United Arab Emirates) astronauts, Nora Al Matrooshi and Mohammad Al Mulla of the Mohammad Bin Rashid Space Centre, trained alongside their NASA counterparts for the past two years, as well as participated in the graduation ceremony.

This is one part of the partnership between NASA and UAE, including cooperation on the International Space Station, NASA's Artemis missions through the Gateway lunar space station, and other activities on Earth and in space that are supporting groundbreaking science and research.

To apply to become a NASA astronaut, applicants should go to:

https://www.usajobs.gov/job/779261100

****

Endeavour Has Arrived at the ISS...

NASA

Expedition 70 Welcomes Four New Crewmates, Quickly Gets to Work (News Release)

11 crew members now reside aboard the International Space Station following the arrival of the SpaceX Crew-8 mission early Tuesday morning. The four new Crew-8 members will spend the next few days getting used to life on orbit as four Expedition 70 crewmates pack up for their return to Earth.

The SpaceX Dragon Endeavour spacecraft docked to the forward port of the orbital outpost’s Harmony module at 2:28 a.m. EST on Tuesday. About an hour-and-a-half later, Crew-8 Commander Matthew Dominick, Pilot Mike Barratt, and Mission Specialists Jeanette Epps and Alexander Grebenkin opened Dragon’s hatch and entered Harmony - officially becoming station flight engineers.

Soon after, the new quartet, with the Expedition 70 septet, called down to Earth for welcome remarks.

Afterwards, the entire crew quickly got to work - first conducting a safety briefing, then unpacking new science and supplies, conducting health checks, and more. The crewmates transferred Dragon freezers containing research samples and installed them into science racks throughout the station.

Tuesday’s health studies included testing the inner-ear balance system, conducting eye scans with an ultrasound device, and evaluating a specialized suit’s ability to help a crew member readjust to Earth’s gravity.

The foursome will live aboard the space station for a six-month space research mission. They will take advantage of the microgravity environment to explore the mechanisms behind neurodegenerative disorders, how spaceflight affects plant growth to sustain crews, countering space-caused fluid shifts that create head and eye pressure in astronauts, and the potential for algae to improve spacecraft life support systems.

While Crew-8 gets up to speed with space station systems, four Expedition 70 crewmates are nearing their departure after a six-and-a-half-month mission on orbit. NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli will lead Andreas Mogensen of ESA (European Space Agency), Satoshi Furukawa of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) and Konstantin Borisov of Roscosmos back to Earth inside the SpaceX Dragon Endurance spacecraft.

The homebound quartet has been aboard the station since August 27, 2023, and is expected to undock from Harmony’s space-facing port no earlier than Monday, March 11.

The station’s other three crewmates, NASA astronaut Loral O'Hara and cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub, have been aboard the station since September 15, when they docked to the Rassvet module inside the Soyuz MS-24 crew ship. O'Hara is due to return to Earth in April while Kononenko and Chub will stay in space for a few more months.

Source: NASA.Gov

****


NASA TV

Preps Continue at Cape Canaveral for Starliner's First Crewed Flight to the ISS Next Month...

United Launch Alliance

CFT: Atlas V Primed for Its First Human Space Launch (News Release)

Bridging the history of Atlas from the legacy of Project Mercury with today's United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V, preparations are underway for the modern-day rocket to launch Boeing's CST-100 Starliner spacecraft with two NASA astronauts on the Crew Flight Test (CFT) to the International Space Station.

The first orbital spaceflights of American astronauts in the 1960s were launched by Atlas rockets from Cape Canaveral on the Mercury missions at the dawn of the space program. That heritage continues with Atlas V launching Boeing's Starliner spacecraft as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program to safely and reliably transport astronauts to low-Earth orbit from U.S. soil.

CFT will pave the way for NASA's certification of Boeing's astronaut transportation system to perform long-duration missions to the space station, giving the U.S. two unique human transportation systems that provide redundancy for station access.

Launch of this flight test with NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams is targeted for late-April from Space Launch Complex (SLC)-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida.

Atlas V will launch Starliner on its journey to rendezvous and dock with the space station, where the two astronauts will live and work for about one to two weeks before undocking and returning to Earth to land at a site in the Western U.S.

Wilmore and Williams, both Naval aviators, military test pilots and former commanders of the space station, have worked closely with Boeing and ULA to develop the Starliner spacecraft and the new features of the Atlas V required to carry humans safely.

Atlas V successfully launched two uncrewed Starliner missions in December 2019 and May 2022.The unique Atlas configuration for Starliner, known as the Atlas V N22, includes a Dual Engine Centaur upper stage to deliver the performance needed to shape the trajectory for crew safety; a Launch Vehicle Adapter (LVA) that structurally attaches the Starliner to the Atlas V rocket for ascent; a 70-inch-long (1.8-meter) aeroskirt to enhance the aerodynamic characteristics, stability and loads of the Atlas V; and an Emergency Detection System (EDS) that provides an extra layer of safety for astronauts riding the reliable Atlas V.

ULA's work for the CFT mission began in the sprawling Decatur, Alabama, factory where the rocket was built and then loaded onto the R/S RocketShip vessel that traversed rivers and the open-ocean to deliver the Atlas and Centaur stages to Cape Canaveral.

On February 21, the first stage was brought to the Vertical Integration Facility (VIF), located adjacent to the SLC-41 launch pad, to be hoisted upright and positioned on the Mobile Launch Platform. The operation, called Launch Vehicle on Stand (LVOS), officially kicked off the launch site campaign.

Twin AJ-60 solid rocket boosters (SRBs) were added to the north and south sides of the Atlas V rocket in subsequent days.

The pre-assembled interstage, Dual Engine Centaur and LVA were stacked atop the rocket on February 28 to finish the initial buildup of this Atlas V, designated AV-085, for ULA's first human space launch.

Testing of the rocket and connections with ground systems will be performed before Starliner is delivered from its Kennedy Space Center processing facility to the VIF for attachment to the rocket in early April.

This will be the 100th launch by an Atlas V, the sixth in support of the space station and third for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.

Atlas V has demonstrated unmatched reliability spanning more than 20 years, successfully launching scientific spacecraft to Mars on five different occasions, plus research investigations to the Sun, the Moon, Jupiter, the asteroid Bennu and Pluto -- all with bulls-eye trajectories every time.

The rocket's versatility has also delivered dozens of U.S. national security assets into space, launched weather observatories that all Americans depend upon and deployed commercial satellites to connect the world.

Source: United Launch Alliance

****


United Launch Alliance

Endeavour Is Inbound to the ISS with a New Group of Astronauts (and a Cosmonaut)...

SpaceX

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 Launches to International Space Station (Press Release)

An international crew of four reached orbit following a successful launch to the International Space Station at 10:53 p.m. EST on Sunday, from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 mission is the agency’s eighth commercial crew rotation mission with the company to the space station.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket propelled the Dragon spacecraft into orbit carrying NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt and Jeanette Epps, along with Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin, for a science expedition aboard the orbital laboratory.

“Congratulations to NASA and SpaceX on another successful launch to the International Space Station! On this eighth crew rotation mission, we are once again showing the strength of our commercial partnerships and American ingenuity that will propel us further in the cosmos,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “Aboard the station, the crew will conduct more than 200 science experiments and technology demonstrations to help fuel this new era of space exploration and benefit humanity here on Earth.”

During Dragon’s flight, SpaceX will monitor a series of automatic spacecraft maneuvers from its mission control center in Hawthorne, California. NASA teams will monitor space station operations throughout the flight from the Mission Control Center at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

NASA coverage continues with audio-only commentary until the start of the rendezvous and docking broadcast.

The Dragon spacecraft, named Endeavour, will dock autonomously to the forward port of the station’s Harmony module about 3 a.m. Tuesday, on March 5. NASA will provide live coverage of rendezvous, docking and hatch opening, beginning at 1 a.m., on NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app, YouTube and the agency’s website.

NASA will also continue coverage of the crew welcome ceremony once they are aboard the orbital outpost. Learn how to stream NASA TV through a variety of platforms including social media.

Crew-8 will join the space station’s Expedition 70 crew of NASA astronauts Jasmin Moghbeli and Loral O’Hara, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Andreas Mogensen, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Satoshi Furukawa, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Konstantin Borisov, Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chubb. For a short time, the number of crew aboard the space station will increase to 11 until Crew-7 members Moghbeli, Mogensen, Furukawa and Borisov return to Earth a few days later.

Crew-8 will conduct new scientific research to prepare for human exploration beyond low-Earth orbit and benefit humanity on Earth. Experiments include a study of brain organoids to understand neurodegenerative disorders, shifts in body fluids during spaceflight, and the effects of UV radiation and microgravity on plant growth.

These are just a few of the more than 200 science experiments and technology demonstrations that will take place during their mission.

With this mission, NASA will maximize use of the space station, where astronauts have lived and worked continuously for more than 23 years testing technologies, performing science, and developing the skills needed to operate future commercial destinations in low-Earth orbit and explore farther from Earth. Research conducted on the space station provides benefits for people on Earth and paves the way for future long-duration trips to the Moon and beyond through NASA’s Artemis missions.

****


SpaceX