Over about the next two weeks, NASA will provide broadcast coverage, media briefings, and other updates on major deployment milestones for the James Webb Space Telescope, the world’s largest and most powerful space science telescope.
Read MoreMonth: December 2021
Images of 2021: International Space Station Transits the Sun
This composite image made from seven frames shows the International Space Station, with a crew of seven onboard, in silhouette as it transits the Sun.
Read MoreJames Webb Space Telescope extends its tower assembly to make way for sunshield deployment
The James Webb Space Telescope is one step closer to finishing the deployment of its massive sunshield. On Wednesday (Dec. 29), the huge new space observatory successfully extended its deployable tower assembly (DTA), a 48-inch-long (1.2 meters) shaft that connects the telescope’s two halves, NASA officials said in a statement. The James Webb Space Telescope‘s DTA creates necessary space between the part of the telescope that houses its enormous mirror and scientific instruments and the spacecraft bus, which houses its electronics and propulsion systems. “This creates enough distance to allow…
Read MoreSpaceX fires up Starship SN20 prototype again ahead of landmark test flight
SpaceX’s latest Starship prototype has breathed fire again. The Starship SN20 vehicle performed a “static fire” test on Wednesday (Dec. 29) at the company’s Starbase site in South Texas, briefly igniting its Raptor engines while remaining anchored to the ground. The trial continued the launch-prep campaign for SN20 (“Serial No. 20”), which is scheduled to conduct the Starship program’s first-ever orbital test flight in the coming months. That landmark liftoff had been targeted for January or February, but it’ll now take place no sooner than early March because the U.S.…
Read More1st orbital test flight of SpaceX’s Starship Mars rocket pushed to March at the earliest
We’ll have to wait a bit longer for the orbital debut of SpaceX’s Starship Mars rocket. SpaceX had been aiming to launch Starship on its first orbital test flight in January or February, provided that the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) wrapped up a programmatic environmental assessment (PEA) of the company’s South Texas launch site by Dec. 31 as planned. But that timeline no longer applies. The FAA announced on Tuesday (Dec. 28) that it has pushed the release of the final PEA back to Feb. 28, citing “the high…
Read MoreBuild Boba Fett’s helmet for 8% off with this Lego Star Wars deal
The streaming service begins airing its newest Star Wars series, “The Book of Boba Fett,” on Wednesday (Dec. 29). The show will follow the title character (played by Temura Morrison) and mercenary Fennec Shand (played by Ming-Na Wen) in an adventure through the galaxy’s underworld. Boba Fett ties old Star Wars with the new. Now that most of the holiday shopping season is completed, Star Wars enthusiasts can take advantage of end-of-year sales on products that highlight their favorite people from this grand galactic saga, like Boba Fett. Toymaker Lego…
Read MoreChina launches mineral survey and science outreach satellites
China launched the Ziyuan 1 (02E) Earth resources observation satellite and a small amateur radio satellite on Saturday, marking the country’s 53rd orbital launch of the year. The China National Space Administration mission’s Long March 4C rocket lifted off from Taiyuan, north China, at 10:11 p.m. Dec. 25 (0311 GMT, 11:11 a.m. local time Dec. 26). Insulation tiles fell from the rocket as it rose into clear blue skies above the launch complex. Ziyuan 1 (02E) is the latest in a series of remote sensing satellites. It carries infrared, near-infrared…
Read MoreSpacewalking Chinese astronauts add camera to Tiangong space station module
China’s Shenzhou 13 astronauts ventured outside the orbiting Tianhe module on Sunday and installed a new panoramic camera for monitoring the space station. Rookie astronaut Ye Guangfu opened the hatch of the Tianhe airlock on Dec. 26 at 5:44 a.m. EST (1044 GMT, 6:44 p.m. Beijing time) and reported feeling well shortly after exiting. He was soon joined by mission commander Zhai Zhigang, while crewmate Wang Yaping assisted operations from inside the module by controlling the large robotic arm of the Tiangong space station. Working in coordination, the trio installed…
Read MoreNevada Air Cadets to Hear from NASA Astronauts Aboard Space Station
Cadets from the Nevada Civil Air Patrol will have an opportunity soon to hear from NASA astronauts aboard the International Space Station.
Read MoreThis Lego Star Wars Boba Fett’s Starship set is 20% off right now
In Star Wars lore, Boba Fett is a bounty hunting legend, so it’s no surprise the iconic character is starring in his own Disney Plus TV series and you can gear up for its premiere with this Lego deal from Walmart. The Lego Star Wars Boba Fett’s Starship set is on sale for $39.99 right now at Walmart, saving you 20% off its normal $49.99 price tag. The last time we saw it this low was during Black Friday when Amazon had a similar deal. But that offer didn’t last,…
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