Photos of the Day: Endeavour and Our Galaxy...

NASA

A SpaceX Dragon Spacecraft is Pictured Docked to the International Space Station (Photo Release)

The Milky Way appears in the vastness of space behind the SpaceX Dragon Endeavour spacecraft docked to the Harmony module's forward port on the International Space Station.

Source: NASA.Gov

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NASA


NASA


NASA

Calypso Protected Its Crew Flight Test Astronauts from Oncoming Space Debris Yesterday...

NASA

Starliner Works “Exceptionally Well” as Safe Haven in Real-life Scenario (News Release)

Week in Review: Starliner crew wraps up third week in space

Wednesday started as any other morning on-orbit for Starliner’s maiden crew, astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams. Their exercise routine was followed by organizing cargo inside the Permanent Multipurpose Module.

But the nominal day quickly changed when a satellite broke apart at an altitude near the International Space Station.

Shortly after 9 p.m. EDT, NASA instructed all astronauts to seek shelter in their respective spacecraft. Wilmore and Williams activated their Safe Haven procedures, sheltered inside Starliner, and began preparations for a possible undocking from the station if it became necessary.

They closed the hatch before the closest debris approach, which passed without issue.

“Starliner’s Safe Haven worked exceptionally well and as envisioned for this case,” said Ed Van Cise, the Starliner flight director who coordinated the sheltering actions with Wilmore and Williams.

Mission Control monitored the path of debris and after about an hour the crew was cleared to exit their spacecraft and resume station operations – which in this case was sleep. Starliner was out of docked quiescent mode for about three hours.

Wilmore and Williams performed two prior Safe Haven exercises inside Starliner, as part of the CFT test objectives. However, the additional metrics gathered on Wednesday evening will benefit Starliner’s certification process and sharpen the experience for future crews.

Starliner remains available for return in case of an emergency on the space station that would require the crew to leave orbit immediately and come back to Earth.

The opportunity to learn more about how Starliner performs in space is also giving Wilmore and Williams the additional time they had hoped for in zero gravity.

Earlier in the week, Wilmore cheered on the University of Tennessee’s baseball team, who played for and won the national championship, from the space station cupola. Wilmore is a Tennessee native and achieved a Master of Science in Aviation Systems from UT.

The ISS crew also helped prepare astronauts Tracy Dyson and Mike Barratt for a spacewalk. Their time outside the station ended early due to a water leak in the service and cooling umbilical unit on Dyson’s spacesuit.

The crew members were not in any danger as a result of the leak.

Tuesday, all nine astronauts worked on advanced microgravity research, checked spacesuits and performed maintenance on the orbiting laboratory. Wilmore and Williams spent the evening inside the Harmony module maintaining plumbing gear.

They replaced the pressure control and pump assembly motor that supports the space station’s main restroom.

Next week, the Starliner crew will work with flight controllers to power up the spacecraft and load software files, charge batteries on a camera and their tablets, and perform other housekeeping activities. In addition to their valuable contributions to the space station, Wilmore and Williams are also helping ground teams collect critical data for longer-duration Starliner missions.

Source: StarlinerUpdates.com

SpaceX Will Be the Company That Puts an End to the ISS Next Decade...

Maxar Technologies

NASA Selects International Space Station U.S. Deorbit Vehicle (Press Release)

NASA is fostering continued scientific, educational and technological developments in low-Earth orbit to benefit humanity, while also supporting deep space exploration at the Moon and Mars. As the agency transitions to commercially-owned space destinations closer to home, it is crucial to prepare for the safe and responsible deorbit of the International Space Station in a controlled manner after the end of its operational life in 2030.

NASA announced that SpaceX has been selected to develop and deliver the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle that will provide the capability to deorbit the space station and ensure avoidance of risk to populated areas.

“Selecting a U.S. Deorbit Vehicle for the International Space Station will help NASA and its international partners ensure a safe and responsible transition in low-Earth orbit at the end of station operations. This decision also supports NASA’s plans for future commercial destinations and allows for the continued use of space near Earth,” said Ken Bowersox, associate administrator for Space Operations Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “The orbital laboratory remains a blueprint for science, exploration and partnerships in space for the benefit of all.”

While the company will develop the deorbit spacecraft, NASA will take ownership after development and operate it throughout its mission. Along with the space station, it is expected to destructively breakup as part of the re-entry process.

Since 1998, five space agencies, CSA (Canadian Space Agency), ESA (European Space Agency), JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), and State Space Corporation Roscosmos, have operated the International Space Station with each agency responsible for managing and controlling the hardware it provides. The station was designed to be interdependent and relies on contributions from across the partnership to function.

The United States, Japan, Canada and the participating countries of ESA have committed to operating the station through 2030. Russia has committed to continued station operations through at least 2028.

The safe deorbit of the International Space Station is the responsibility of all five space agencies.

The single-award contract has a total potential value of $843 million. The launch service for the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle will be a future procurement.

In its 24th year of continuously-crewed operations, the space station is a unique scientific platform where crew members conduct experiments across multiple disciplines of research, including Earth and space science, biology, human physiology, physical sciences and technology demonstrations not possible on Earth. Crews living aboard the station are the hands of thousands of researchers on the ground having conducted more than 3,300 experiments in microgravity.

The station is the cornerstone of space commerce, from commercial crew and cargo partnerships to commercial research and national lab research, and lessons learned aboard the International Space Station are helping to pass the torch to future commercial stations.

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Calypso's Landing Date Is Now Up in the Air...

NASA

NASA, Boeing Adjust Timeline for Starliner Return (News Release)

NASA and Boeing leadership are adjusting the return to Earth of the Starliner Crew Flight Test spacecraft with agency astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams from the International Space Station. The move off Wednesday, June 26, deconflicts Starliner’s undocking and landing from a series of planned International Space Station spacewalks while allowing mission teams time to review propulsion system data.

Listen to a full replay of the June 18 media briefing where NASA and Boeing leadership discussed the ongoing efforts.

“We are taking our time and following our standard mission management team process,” said Steve Stich, manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. “We are letting the data drive our decision making relative to managing the small helium system leaks and thruster performance we observed during rendezvous and docking. Additionally, given the duration of the mission, it is appropriate for us to complete an agency-level review, similar to what was done ahead of NASA’s SpaceX Demo-2 return after two months on orbit, to document the agency’s formal acceptance on proceeding as planned.”

A media telecon with mission leadership will follow the readiness review’s conclusion, and the agency will share those details as they are solidified. Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft remains cleared for return in case of an emergency on the space station that required the crew to leave orbit and come back to Earth.

Mission managers are evaluating future return opportunities following the station’s two planned spacewalks on Monday, June 24, and Tuesday, July 2.

“Starliner is performing well in orbit while docked to the space station,” said Stich. “We are strategically using the extra time to clear a path for some critical station activities while completing readiness for Butch and Suni’s return on Starliner and gaining valuable insight into the system upgrades we will want to make for post-certification missions.”

Wilmore and Williams remain integrated with the Expedition 71 crew, assisting with station operations as needed and completing add-on in-flight objectives for NASA certification of Starliner.

“The crew’s feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, and they know that every bit of learning we do on the Crew Flight Test will improve and sharpen our experience for future crews,” said Mark Nappi, vice president and program manager, Boeing’s Starliner Program.

The crew is not pressed for time to leave the station since there are plenty of supplies in orbit, and the station’s schedule is relatively open through mid-August.

Source: NASA.Gov

Photo of the Day: Endeavour as Seen from Inside Calypso...

NASA / Matthew Dominick

A SpaceX Dragon Spacecraft is Pictured Docked to the International Space Station (Photo Release - June 18)

A SpaceX Dragon Endeavour spacecraft is pictured docked to the zenith port of the International Space Station's Harmony module as the orbiting complex soared 265 miles above the Indian Ocean.

Source: NASA.Gov

The Latest Update on L.A.'s Space Shuttle Stack...

Richard T. Par

Earlier today, I drove down to the California Science Center in Los Angeles to check out Endeavour's Space Shuttle Stack once more.

As shown in these photos that I took, ET-94—Endeavour's external fuel tank—is also covered by scaffolding just like Endeavour herself and the twin solid rocket boosters. Plywood panels have also been placed above the external tank for added protection.

Pretty soon, the Space Shuttle Stack will be completely concealed by white tarps as assembly has begun on the rooftop enclosure which will enshroud the vehicle once the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center finishes construction.

Seeing as how visiting the California Science Center ain't cheap (I obviously spend money on gas, plus $15 on parking at the Science Center and up to $15 on lunch, which is usually a delicious 2-taco plate, each time I drive down to Exposition Park), it might be a while till I visit the museum again to see what the latest construction status is on Endeavour's future exhibit...which itself will be known as the Samuel Oschin Shuttle Gallery. No, I don't want to take a Metrolink train to Los Angeles.

I may wait till the entire skeleton frame for the gallery's rooftop enclosure is assembled before I return to Exposition Park to take photos of this exciting new addition to the Science Center. Until then, those of you thinking about visiting Endeavour as well should go as soon as possible!

The world's only authentic Space Shuttle Stack will soon be closed off from direct California sunlight and um, fresh air (yes, I know— This is Los Angeles we're talking about here) by the end of this year! Happy Wednesday.


Richard T. Par


Richard T. Par


Richard T. Par


Richard T. Par


Richard T. Par

Calypso Is Now Set to Land on Earth 8 Days from Now...

NASA

NASA, Boeing Update Starliner Crew Flight Test Return from Station (News Release)

Teams from NASA and Boeing are now targeting no earlier than 10:10 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, June 25, for the undocking of the Starliner spacecraft from the International Space Station. For the primary undocking opportunity, NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, the first crew to fly aboard Starliner, would land about 4:51 a.m. on Wednesday, June 26, at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico.

Mission teams supporting NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test continue to review Starliner’s data from the completed test objectives.

During a media teleconference on Tuesday, Steve Stich, manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, discussed the flight test and upcoming return plans. Stich was joined by Dana Weigel, manager of NASA’s International Space Station Program; Mike Lammers, flight director at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston; and Mark Nappi, vice president and manager of Boeing’s Commercial Crew Program.

Listen to a full replay of the teleconference.

Following undocking and the deorbit burn, Starliner will descend under parachutes to land in the desert grounds of White Sands. Airbags attached to the bottom of Starliner will soften the spacecraft’s touchdown.

The landing will mark the first time that an American capsule has touched down on land with astronauts aboard. A team of NASA and Boeing specialists will retrieve the crew soon after landing.

Wilmore and Williams docked the Starliner spacecraft to the space station’s forward port on June 6 and have been testing spacecraft systems and performing tasks aboard the orbiting laboratory.

Source: NASA.Gov

Calypso Soars High Above North Africa...

NASA

Crew Flight Test, Day 8 (Photo Release - June 13)

The Starliner spacecraft on NASA's Boeing Crew Flight Test is pictured docked to the Harmony module's forward port as the International Space Station orbited 262 miles (427 kilometers) above Egypt's Mediterranean coast.

Source: NASA.Gov

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NASA

Photo of the Day #2: Calypso and the Aurora...

NASA / Matthew Dominick

Earlier today, NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick—who flew to the International Space Station (ISS) on SpaceX's Crew-8 mission last March and is currently a member of the station's Expedition 71 crew—took this amazing photo of Boeing's Starliner Calypso capsule as it and the ISS flew over the Northern Lights above the night side of the Earth.

According to Dominick's post on X this morning, he and fellow ISS crew members were gazing at aurorae outside the Cupola windows "a lot lately. Starliner was doing some testing today so we decided to check it out from (Crew Dragon Endeavour's) windows. Timing was great for the aurora to line up nicely with Starliner’s service module thrusters."

Such an awesome image! Dominick and the rest of the Expedition 71 crew have till June 22 to continue taking jaw-dropping photos of Starliner with the backdrop of Earth below it...before the Boeing capsule departs the orbital outpost with fellow NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams aboard, re-enters the atmosphere, and lands at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico, completing the Crew Flight Test.

Photos of the Day: The ISS from High Above...

Maxar Technologies

Just thought I'd share this amazing image that was taken of the International Space Station (ISS) by Maxar Technologies' WorldView-3 Earth-observation satellite...which launched aboard United Launch Alliance's (ULA) Atlas V rocket on August 13, 2014.

WorldView-3 was orbiting 276 kilometers (172 miles) above the ISS when this stunning picture was captured a week ago on June 7.

Speaking of ULA's Atlas V, the rocket's latest payload—Boeing's Starliner Calypso capsule—can be seen docked to the forward port of the station's Harmony module in this photo.

The annotated version of this image, showing five of the six visiting vehicles (Calypso, Crew Dragon Endeavour, Cygnus, Soyuz MS-25 as well as Progress 87 and 88) that are currently docked to the ISS, is posted below.

Calypso itself is currently set to return to Earth on June 22...landing at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico to complete Boeing's Crew Flight Test.


Maxar Technologies / SpaceX FrontPage

Nation #43 Has Joined NASA's Moon Exploration Initiative...

NASA

NASA Welcomes Armenia as 43rd Artemis Accords Signatory (News Release - June 12)

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson welcomed Armenia as the newest nation to sign the Artemis Accords on Wednesday, June 12, during a ceremony with the U.S. State Department at NASA Headquarters in Washington. Armenia joins 42 other countries in a commitment to advancing principles for the safe, transparent and responsible exploration of the Moon, Mars and beyond.

“NASA is proud to welcome Armenia to the Artemis Accords as we expand the peaceful exploration of space,” said Nelson. “Today’s signing builds on an important foundation. Armenia long has looked to the heavens and helped humanity understand them. As the 10th nation this year to sign the Artemis Accords, we are proving that exploration unites nations like few other things can. We will continue to expand humanity’s reach in the cosmos – together.”

Mkhitar Hayrapetyan, Minister of High-Tech Industry, signed the Artemis Accords on behalf of Armenia. Lilit Makunts, ambassador of Armenia to the U.S. and Jennifer R. Littlejohn, acting assistant secretary, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, Department of State, also participated in the event.

“By signing these accords, Armenia joins a community of nations dedicated to advancing the frontiers of human knowledge and capability in space,” said Hayrapetyan. “Our involvement will not only enhance our technological capabilities, but also inspire a new generation of Armenians to dream big, to innovate and to explore the world and universe.”

The United States and seven other nations were the first to sign the Artemis Accords in 2020, which identified an early set of principles promoting the beneficial use of space for humanity. The accords are grounded in the Outer Space Treaty and other agreements including the Registration Convention, the Rescue and Return Agreement, as well as best practices and norms of responsible behavior that NASA and its partners have supported, including the public release of scientific data.

More countries are expected to sign the Artemis Accords in the months and years to come.

The commitments of the Artemis Accords, and efforts by the signatories to advance implementation of these principles, support NASA’s Artemis campaign with its partners, as well as for the success of the safe and sustainable exploration activities of the other accords signatories.

Source: NASA.Gov

Flight Hardware Continues to Take Shape for Humanity's First Lunar Space Station...

Stephane Corvaja

Gateway’s HALO Making Moves (News Release - June 10)

The Gateway space station’s HALO (Habitation and Logistics Outpost), one of four modules where astronauts will live, conduct science and prepare for lunar surface missions, is a step closer to launch following welding completion in Turin, Italy, a milestone highlighted by NASA earlier this year.

Teams at Thales Alenia Space gently guided HALO to a new location in the company’s facility for a series of stress tests to ensure the module’s safety. Upon successful completion, the future home for astronauts will travel to Gilbert, Arizona, where Northrop Grumman will complete final outfitting ahead of launch to lunar orbit with Gateway’s Power and Propulsion Element.

NASA and its international partners will explore the scientific mysteries of deep space with Gateway, humanity’s first space station in lunar orbit supporting the Artemis campaign to return humans to the Moon and chart a path for the first human missions to Mars.

Source: NASA.Gov

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NASA / Maxar Technologies

The Core Stage Booster for the Second SLS Flight Will Soon Head to Florida...

NASA / Eric Bordelon

NASA Invites Media to Rollout Event for Artemis II Moon Rocket Stage (News Release - June 7)

NASA will roll the fully-assembled core stage for the agency’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket that will launch the first crewed Artemis mission out of NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans in mid-July. The 212-foot-tall stage will be loaded on the agency’s Pegasus barge for delivery to Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Media will have the opportunity to capture images and video, hear remarks from agency and industry leadership, and speak to subject matter experts with NASA and its Artemis industry partners as crews move the rocket stage to the Pegasus barge.

NASA will provide additional information on specific timing later, along with interview opportunities. This event is open to U.S. and international media.

International media must apply by June 14. U.S. media must apply by July 3.

The agency’s media credentialing policy is available online.

Interested media must contact Corinne Beckinger at corinne.m.beckinger@nasa.gov and Craig Betbeze at craig.c.betbeze@nasa.gov. Registered media will receive a confirmation by email.

The rocket stage with its four RS-25 engines will provide more than 2 million pounds of thrust to send astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft for the Artemis II mission. Once at Kennedy, teams with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems Program will finish outfitting the stage and prepare it for stacking and launch.

Artemis II is currently scheduled for launch in September 2025.

Building, assembling and transporting the core stage is a collaborative process for NASA, Boeing, the core stage lead contractor, and lead RS-25 engines contractor Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3 Harris Technologies company.

NASA is working to land the first woman, first person of color and its first international partner astronaut on the Moon under the agency’s Artemis campaign. The SLS rocket is part of NASA’s backbone for deep space exploration, along with the Orion spacecraft, supporting ground systems, advanced spacesuits and rovers, the Gateway in orbit around the Moon, and commercial human landing systems.

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

Source: NASA.Gov

Training Continues for the First Moonwalk since 1972...

SpaceX

NASA Astronauts Practice Next Giant Leap for Artemis (News Release - June 4)

The physics remain the same, but the rockets, spacecraft, landers and spacesuits are new as NASA and its industry partners prepare for Artemis astronauts to walk on the Moon for the first time since 1972.

NASA astronaut Doug “Wheels” Wheelock and Axiom Space astronaut Peggy Whitson put on spacesuits, developed by Axiom Space, to interact with and evaluate full-scale developmental hardware of SpaceX’s Starship HLS (Human Landing System) that will be used for landing humans on the Moon under Artemis. The test, conducted April 30, marked the first time that astronauts in pressurized spacesuits interacted with a test version of Starship HLS hardware.

“With Artemis, NASA is going to the Moon in a whole new way, with international partners and industry partners like Axiom Space and SpaceX. These partners are contributing their expertise and providing integral parts of the deep space architecture that they develop with NASA’s insight and oversight,” said Amit Kshatriya, NASA’s Moon to Mars program manager. “Integrated tests like this one, with key programs and partners working together, are crucial to ensure systems operate smoothly and are safe and effective for astronauts before they take the next steps on the Moon.”

The day-long test, conducted at SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, California, provided NASA and its partners with valuable feedback on the layout, physical design, mechanical assemblies and clearances inside the Starship HLS, as well as the flexibility and agility of the suits, known as the AxEMU (Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit).

To begin the test, Wheelock and Whitson put on the spacesuits in the full-scale airlock that sits on Starship’s airlock deck. Suits were then pressurized using a system immediately outside the HLS airlock that provided air, electrical power, cooling and communications to the astronauts.

Each AxEMU also included a full-scale model of the Portable Life Support System, or “backpack,” on the back of the suits. For Artemis moonwalks, each crew member will put on a spacesuit with minimal assistance, so the team was eager to evaluate how easily the suits can be put on, taken off, and stowed in the airlock.

During the test, NASA and SpaceX engineers were also able to evaluate placement of mobility aids, such as handrails, for traversing the hatch. Another set of mobility aids, straps hanging from the ceiling in the airlock, assisted the astronauts when entering and removing the AxEMU suits.

The astronauts also practiced interacting with a control panel in the airlock, ensuring that controls could be reached and activated while the astronauts were wearing gloves.

“Overall, I was pleased with the astronauts’ operation of the control panel and with their ability to perform the difficult tasks they will have to do before stepping onto the Moon,” said Logan Kennedy, lead for surface activities in NASA’s HLS Program. “The test also confirmed that the amount of space available in the airlock, on the deck, and in the elevator, are sufficient for the work our astronauts plan to do.”

The suited astronauts also walked from Starship’s airlock deck to the elevator built for testing. During Artemis missions, the elevator will take NASA astronauts and their equipment from the deck to the lunar surface for a moonwalk and then back again.

Whitson and Wheelock practiced opening a gate to enter the elevator while evaluating the dexterity of the AxEMU suit gloves, and practiced lowering the ramp that astronauts will use to take the next steps on the Moon.

The steps that the astronauts took in the spacesuits through full-scale builds of the Starship hatch, airlock, airlock deck and elevator may have been small, but they marked an important step toward preparing for a new generation of moonwalks as part of Artemis.

For the Artemis III mission, SpaceX will provide the Starship HLS that will dock with Orion in lunar orbit and take two astronauts to and from the surface of the Moon. Axiom Space is providing a new generation of spacesuits for moonwalks that are designed to fit a wider range of astronauts.

With Artemis, NASA will explore more of the Moon than ever before, learn how to live and work away from home, and prepare for future human exploration of the Red Planet. NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket, exploration ground systems and Orion spacecraft, along with the human landing system, next-generation spacesuits, Gateway lunar space station, and future rovers are NASA’s foundation for deep space exploration.

Source: NASA.Gov

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SpaceX

SpaceShipTwo Update: GALACTIC 07 (and VSS Unity's Final Mission) Is in the Books...

Virgin Galactic

Virgin Galactic Completes 12th Successful Spaceflight (News Release - June 8)

Galactic 07 Carries Five Research Payloads During Company’s Seventh Research Mission

After Today’s Final Commercial Flight of VSS Unity, Momentum Builds for Production of Delta-Class Spaceships

ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. – Virgin Galactic Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: SPCE) (“Virgin Galactic” or the “Company”) today announced the completion of its second spaceflight of 2024 and 12 mission to date, carrying one researcher and three private astronauts. Today’s Galactic 07 flight marks the Company’s seventh research mission with Virgin Galactic’s spaceship again serving as a suborbital lab for space-based scientific research.

Onboard Galactic 07:

· Astronaut 027 – Tuva Cihangir Atasever, Turkish Space Agency (TUA) astronaut and Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3) Backup Mission Specialist

· Astronaut 028 – Anand “Andy” Harish Sadhwani, California, USA

· Astronaut 029 – Irving Izchak Pergament, New York, USA

· Astronaut 030 – Giorgio Manenti, Italy

On today’s flight, Atasever flew with three human-tended experiments, including custom headgear with brain activity monitoring sensors to collect physiological data related to human spaceflight; a dosimeter; and two commercially-available insulin pens to examine the ability to administer accurate insulin doses in microgravity. He also participated in four investigations carried out by Turkish researchers on the ground to understand physiological changes during suborbital spaceflight.

Galactic 07 also flew two autonomous rack-mounted payloads supported by NASA’s Flight Opportunities program: a Purdue University experiment to study propellant slosh for spacecraft propulsion applications and a University of California, Berkeley experiment to test new 3D printing technology while in microgravity.

The flight was Virgin Galactic’s seventh spaceflight carrying microgravity and space-based research, following last year’s research missions, Galactic 05 with U.S. Planetary Scientist Dr. Alan Stern and U.S. Payload Specialist and Bioastronautics Researcher Kellie Gerardi, and Galactic 01 with the Italian Air Force and National Research Council. VSS Unity was piloted by Commander Nicola Pecile and Pilot Jameel Janjua.

VMS Eve was piloted by Commander Andy Edgell and Pilot C.J. Sturckow.

Galactic 07 In-Flight Facts:

Take-off Time: 8:31 AM, MDT (7:31 AM, PDT)

Altitude at Release: 44,562 feet (13,582 meters)

Apogee: 54.4 miles (87.5 kilometers)

Top Speed: Mach 2.96

Landing Time: 9:41 AM, MDT (8:41 AM, PDT)

Source: Virgin Galactic

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Virgin Galactic


Michael López-Alegría


Virgin Galactic

Honoring a Pioneer Who Helped Humanity Discover the Earth While Exploring the Moon...

NASA

NASA Administrator Remembers Apollo Astronaut Williams Anders (Press Release)

The following is a statement from NASA Administrator Bill Nelson on the passing of Apollo astronaut Maj. Gen. (ret.) William “Bill” Anders, who passed away on June 7, in San Juan Islands, Washington state, at the age of 90.

“In 1968, as a member of the Apollo 8 crew, as one of the first three people to travel beyond the reach of our Earth and orbit the Moon, Bill Anders gave to humanity among the deepest of gifts an explorer and an astronaut can give. Along with the Apollo 8 crew, Bill was the first to show us, through looking back at the Earth from the threshold of the Moon, that stunning image – the first of its kind – of the Earth suspended in space, illuminated in light and hidden in darkness: the Earthrise.

“As Bill put it so well after the conclusion of the Apollo 8 mission, ‘We came all this way to explore the Moon, and the most important thing is that we discovered the Earth.’

“That is what Bill embodied – the notion that we go to space to learn the secrets of the universe yet in the process learn about something else: ourselves. He embodied the lessons and the purpose of exploration.

“The voyage Bill took in 1968 was only one of the many remarkable chapters in Bill’s life and service to humanity. In his 26 years of service to our country, Bill was many things – U.S. Air Force officer, astronaut, engineer, ambassador, advisor, and much more.

“Bill began his career as an Air Force pilot and, in 1964, was selected to join NASA’s astronaut corps, serving as backup pilot for the Gemini XI and Apollo 11 flights, and lunar module pilot for Apollo 8.

“He not only saw new things but inspired generation upon generation to see new possibilities and new dreams – to voyage on Earth, in space, and in the skies. When America returns astronauts to the Moon under the Artemis campaign, and ultimately ventures onward to Mars, we will carry the memory and legacy of Bill with us.

“At every step of Bill’s life was the iron will of a pioneer, the grand passion of a visionary, the cool skill of a pilot, and the heart of an adventurer who explored on behalf of all of us. His impact will live on through the generations.

“All of NASA, and all of those who look up into the twinkling heavens and see grand new possibilities of dazzling new dreams, will miss a great hero who has passed on: Bill Anders.”
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NASA / Bill Anders

Welcome Back to the ISS, Butch and Suni!

NASA

Boeing’s Crew Flight Test on Starliner Docks to Station (News Release - June 6)

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, successfully docked to the International Space Station at 1:34 p.m. EDT. Starliner launched on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket at 10:52 a.m. on June 5 from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

During flight, Wilmore and Williams successfully performed manual piloting demonstrations of Starliner and completed a sleep period. Prior to crew sleep, mission teams identified three helium leaks in the spacecraft.

One of these was previously discussed before flight along with a management plan, and the other two occured when the spacecraft arrived in orbit. To monitor and manage these leaks, the three helium manifolds were closed in flight during the crew’s sleep period and were all reopened ahead of rendezvous and docking operations.

After docking, all Starliner manifolds are closed per normal plans.

As Starliner began its approach to the space station, five reaction control system thrusters failed off during flight. Mission teams performed a series of hot-fire tests which re-enabled four of the thrusters while the crew manually piloted the spacecraft at the station’s 200-meter hold point.

After re-selecting four of the thrusters, Starliner had the fault tolerance required to approach the space station for docking. At the 10-meter hold point, the mission team completed system readiness evaluations and proceeded with docking.

Source: NASA.Gov

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NASA TV


NASA TV

Starship Super Heavy Has Finally Nailed Its Flight Test!

SpaceX

After three attempts since early 2023, SpaceX has finally succeeded in conducting a full integrated flight test of Starship Super Heavy!

At 7:50 AM, CDT (12:50 PM, UTC), the launch vehicle consisting of Ship 29 and Booster 11 (B11) departed from Starbase in Texas on Integrated Flight Test 4 (IFT-4)...with Booster 11 heading towards the sky on 32 of 33 Raptor 2 engines. It was a nominal ascent despite one engine on B11 shutting down upon liftoff, resulting in Ship 29 successfully separating from its Super Heavy booster less than three minutes afer launch.

Unlike IFT-3, which employed the hot stage maneuver for the first time, IFT-4 saw the hot stage ring being jettisoned from Booster 11 after it separated from Ship 29 following main engine cutoff. This was to reduce the amount of weight aboard the booster as it conducted a boostback burn to make its way towards the Gulf of Mexico.

And unlike the three previous Super Heavy boosters, Booster 11 successfully made its way down to the Gulf...with the vehicle softly splashing down in the water after initiating a landing burn that drew the cheers of a huge crowd of employees watching the IFT-4 broadcast at SpaceX Headquarters in Hawthorne, CA.

Around forty minutes after launch, Ship 29 began its own reentry into Earth's atmosphere. Needless to say, footage from Ship 29's descent was both spectacular and dramatic—with stunning video showing one of the vehicle's two forward flaps slowly disintegrating from the searing heat of reentry as the ship sped its way towards a splashdown in the Indian Ocean.

Thanks to continuous video coverage provided by SpaceX's Starlink satellite constellation, rocket geeks around the world watched as Ship 29 made its way towards the ocean to conclude IFT-4. Despite damage to the camera lens caused by debris coming off the partially-intact flap, the glow from Ship 29's landing burn was still visible as the vehicle successfully landed in the water.

With Starship Super Heavy's fourth flight being a bonafide success, there will be no 'mishap investigation' by the Federal Aviation Administration to cause SpaceX to wait months to conduct IFT-5. Elon Musk commented after IFT-4 that the fifth test may involve the next booster—Booster 12—actually heading back to Starbase following launch to be caught by the Orbital Launch Tower's (OLT) so-called mechazilla arms (also nicknamed 'chopsticks')!

We'll have to wait and see what SpaceX has in mind for Starship Super Heavy now that it was able to pull off a successful launch and reentry. If Booster 12 does return to Starbase after sending IFT-5's Ship 30 to orbit—and nails the catch by OLT's chopsticks—then this changes spaceflight forever.

The next launch by the world's most-powerful rocket ever flown will definitely be one for the history books.


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SpaceX

Calypso Is Finally Flying Butch and Suni to the ISS!

NASA / Joel Kowsky

LIFTOFF! NASA Astronauts Pilot First Starliner Crewed Test to Station (Press Release)

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are safely in orbit on the first crewed flight test aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft bound for the International Space Station.

As part of NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test, the astronauts lifted off at 10:52 a.m. EDT Wednesday on a ULA (United Launch Alliance) Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on an end-to-end test of the Starliner system.

“Two bold NASA astronauts are well on their way on this historic first test flight of a brand-new spacecraft,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “Boeing’s Starliner marks a new chapter of American exploration. Human spaceflight is a daring task – but that’s why it’s worth doing. It’s an exciting time for NASA, our commercial partners, and the future of exploration. Go Starliner, Go Butch and Suni!”

As part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, the flight test will help validate the transportation system, launch pad, rocket, spacecraft, in-orbit operations capabilities, and return to Earth with astronauts aboard as the agency prepares to certify Starliner for rotational missions to the space station. Starliner previously flew two uncrewed orbital flights, including a test to and from the space station, along with a pad abort demonstration.

“With Starliner’s launch, separation from the rocket, and arrival on orbit, Boeing’s Crew Flight Test is right on track,” said Mark Nappi, vice president and program manager of Boeing’s Commercial Crew Program. “Everyone is focused on giving Suni and Butch a safe, comfortable ride and performing a successful test mission from start to finish.”

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

“Flying crew on Starliner represents over a decade of work by the Commercial Crew Program and our partners at Boeing and ULA,” said Steve Stich, manager, Commercial Crew Program, at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. “For many of us, this is a career-defining moment bringing on a new crew transportation capability for our agency and our nation. We are going to take it one step at a time, putting Starliner through its paces, and remaining vigilant until Butch and Suni safely touch down back on Earth at the conclusion of this test flight.”

Starliner will autonomously dock to the forward-facing port of the station’s Harmony module at approximately 12:15 p.m. on Thursday, June 6, and remain at the orbital laboratory for about a week.

Wilmore and Williams will help verify that the spacecraft is performing as intended by testing the environmental control system, the displays and control system, and by maneuvering the thrusters, among other tests during flight.

After a safe arrival at the space station, Wilmore and Williams will join the Expedition 71 crew of NASA astronauts Michael Barratt, Matt Dominick, Tracy C. Dyson and Jeanette Epps, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Nikolai Chub, Alexander Grebenkin and Oleg Kononenko.

Mission coverage will continue on NASA Television channels throughout Starliner’s flight and resume on NASA+ prior to docking.

Source: NASA.Gov

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NASA / Joel Kowsky


NASA / Joel Kowsky


NASA / Joel Kowsky


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NASA / Joel Kowsky

A Launch License for Starship's Next Flight Has Been Granted by the FAA...

SpaceX

Starship Super Heavy remains scheduled to launch on Integrated Flight Test 4 (IFT-4) from Starbase in Texas at 7:00 AM, CT (12:00 PM, UTC) on Thursday, June 6. Here is the modified license that was granted by the Federal Aviation Administration today:

Calypso's Next Launch Attempt Is Officially Scheduled for This Wednesday...

NASA / Joel Kowsky

NASA, Mission Partners Target June 5 Crew Flight Test Launch (News Release)

NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test mission teams are preparing to support a launch at 10:52 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, June 5, from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on a mission of about a week to the International Space Station.

Technicians and engineers with ULA (United Launch Alliance) worked overnight and on Sunday to assess the ground support equipment at the launch pad that encountered issues during the countdown and scrubbed the June 1 launch attempt. The ULA team identified an issue with a single ground power supply within one of the three redundant chassis that provides power to a subset of computer cards controlling various system functions, including the card responsible for the stable replenishment topping valves for the Centaur upper stage.

All three of these chassis are required to enter the terminal phase of the launch countdown to ensure crew safety.

On Sunday, the chassis containing the faulty ground power unit was removed, visually inspected, and replaced with a spare chassis. No signs of physical damage were observed.

A full failure analysis of the power unit will be performed to better understand root cause. Meanwhile, ULA has completed functional checkouts of the new chassis and the cards, and all hardware is performing normally.

The mission managers have opted for the next launch attempt on June 5. The U.S. Space Force’s 45th Weather Squadron predicts a 90% chance of favorable weather conditions, with the cumulus cloud rule being the primary weather concern.

Another opportunity is available at 10:29 a.m. on Thursday, June 6.

NASA astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Suni Williams, the crew of the flight test who will be the first to launch aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, remain in quarantine at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center and will take part in pilot proficiency and other training activities leading up to launch.

Source: NASA.Gov

Calypso's Flight to the ISS Has Been Delayed Once More; Plus an Update on Starship's Next Launch...

NASA

NASA, Mission Partners Forgo June 2 Launch of Starliner Crew Flight Test (News Release)

NASA, Boeing and ULA (United Launch Alliance) are forgoing a Starliner Crew Flight Test launch attempt on Sunday, June 2, to give the team additional time to assess a ground support equipment issue at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex-41 in Florida.

Saturday’s launch to carry NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to and from the International Space Station was scrubbed due to an observation of a ground launch sequencer. The system was unsuccessful in verifying the sequencer’s necessary redundancy.

ULA will assess the ground support equipment overnight, and NASA will provide an update June 2 on next steps for the flight. The next available launch opportunities are Wednesday, June 5, and Thursday, June 6.

Watch a replay of the news conference here.

Source: StarlinerUpdates.com

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Flight 4 of Starship is now targeted to launch as early as June 6, pending regulatory approvalhttps://t.co/XjreI7nQOp pic.twitter.com/Pgg0IqlP24

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) June 1, 2024