Month: June 2023

Artemis 2 astronaut goes on vision quest to prepare for moon mission

NeRD

An Artemis 2 astronaut went on a vision quest to help prepare for his upcoming trip around the moon. Jeremy Hansen recently participated in the four-day Indigenous rite of passage as part of Artemis 2 mission training, the Canadian Space Agency astronaut tweeted. “I would like to express my gratitude to Anishinaabe Elder David Courchene III ‘Sabe’ for the gracious invitation,” Hansen said of the ceremony, which took place at Turtle Lodge in Manitoba on the lands of the Sagkeeng First Nation (also known as Fort Alexander). Hansen and his…

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Space Force chooses SpaceX, ULA for 12 military launches in 2025

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The United States Space Force is sticking with SpaceX and United Launch Alliance (ULA) for its military satellite launches. Space Systems Command (SSC), responsible for developing and launching technologies for Space Force, issued a statement on June 8 detailing launch contract assignments for 12 National Security Space Launch (NSSL) missions, divided equally between SpaceX and United Launch Alliance (ULA).  In a statement, SSC’s division chief for launch procurement and integration Col. Chad Melone stated, “ULA and SpaceX continue to provide outstanding launch services with their reliable and innovative launch systems,…

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NASA Invites Media to Opening of Earth Information Center

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NASA Administrator Bill Nelson is inviting media to a ribbon cutting ceremony on Wednesday, June 21, for the opening of NASA’s Earth Information Center at the agency’s headquarters in Washington. The exhibit is a hybrid – part physical, part online – effort that shows how viewing Earth from space can improve lives in the face of disasters, environm

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Ethereal ‘halo’ and light arcs around the sun captured in photos of ultra-rare phenomena

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This image of the sun surrounded by shining halos and arcs of light was captured May 28 at Belfast’s Botanic Gardens. (Image credit: Alan Fitzsimmons) A scientist recently snapped a series of shining arcs and halos of light surrounding the sun in the sky above the U.K., including an exceptionally rare ring of light that circled the entire sky. Alan Fitzsimmons, an astronomer at Queen’s University Belfast in Northern Ireland, captured the unusual light show above Belfast’s Botanic Gardens on May 28. The display lasted around 30 minutes, Fitzsimmons told…

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‘Star Wars’ spinoff ‘Ahsoka’ to premiere on Disney Plus on Aug. 23

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After the semi-disappointing third season of “The Mandalorian” ended earlier this spring, “Star Wars” fans are eager to quickly cleanse their palate with something fresh from the galaxy far, far away and next on deck for Disney+ and Lucasfilm is the promising live-action series, “Ahsoka.”   We already knew from numerous sources that it was launching sometime this summer but until now, anyone’s best guess was the latter half of August. Now the debut of this eight-episode series has been officially unveiled this week, so boldly mark your calendars for…

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See the stars of the Spring Triangle reach high in the sky this month

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We’re coming down to the home stretch of the spring season and this week, soon after nightfall, two constellations associated with the vernal season are reaching their highest point in the southern part of the sky: Boötes the Herdsman and Virgo the Young Maiden. Zero magnitude Arcturus and first magnitude Spica are, respectively, the brightest stars in these star patterns.  Now, were we to add the second-magnitude star Denebola, from nearby Leo the Lion, we can then trace out a large, nearly perfect equilateral triangle. George Lovi (1939-1993), who for…

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