Month: April 2024

65 Years Ago: NASA Selects America’s First Astronauts

NeRD

On Nov. 5, 1958, NASA, newly established to lead America’s civilian space program, formally established the Space Task Group (STG) at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, to implement one of the nation’s top priorities – to develop a spacecraft capable of sending humans into space and returning them safely to Earth. In January 1959, the STG selected a contractor to build the spacecraft for Project Mercury and began the process of choosing who would fly the spacecraft. President Dwight D. Eisenhower directed NASA to choose its first astronauts…

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Solar eclipse sights might vary on the edge of totality: report

NeRD

If you plan to watch the solar eclipse April 8 at the edge of the totality path, you might want to move further into the shadow. New amateur calculations of the solar eclipse path suggest that variations in the local terrain might change if you see a total eclipse, or how long the eclipse is experienced, compared to older estimates. The work, first reported in Forbes, is not peer-reviewed, however. So take the findings with a dose of caution. The next solar eclipse will happen in parts of the United…

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Chinese space junk falls to Earth over Southern California, creating spectacular fireball (photos, video)

NeRD

A big piece of Chinese space junk crashed to Earth over Southern California early Tuesday morning (April 2), putting on quite a show for observers in the Golden State. The fall created a blazing fireball witnessed by people from the Sacramento area all the way down to San Diego, according to the American Meteor Society (AMS). As of Tuesday afternoon, 81 people had reported sightings of the event to the AMS.  The hunk of space debris was the orbital module of China’s Shenzhou 15 spacecraft, according to astrophysicist and satellite…

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ISS astronauts ready to watch the solar eclipse from space on April 8

NeRD

NASA astronauts and weather satellites will watch next week’s solar eclipse from space. SpaceX Crew-8 astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS), alongside at least one of the two Russian Soyuz crews on board right now, will experience a “very unique vantage point” when a total solar eclipse sweeps across Mexico, the United States and Canada on April 8, a senior NASA manager said during a livestreamed eclipse science briefing on March 26. “Instead of looking up at the moon casting the shadow, they’ll also be able to see the…

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NASA Aeronautics Monthly STEM Newsletter

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1 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) 2024 NASA Aeronautics Monthly STEM Newsletter: Issue 35 NASA Aeronautics Monthly STEM Newsletter: Issue 34 Aeronautics STEM Facebook logo @NASA@NASAaero@NASA_es @NASA@NASAaero@NASA_es Instagram logo @NASA@NASAaero@NASA_es Linkedin logo @NASA Explore More 31 min read Interview with Alex Borlaff Article 1 day ago 4 min read NASA VIPER Robotic Moon Rover Team Raises Its Mighty Mast Article 1 day ago 4 min read NASA Names Finalists to Help Deal with Dust in Human Lander Challenge Article 4 days ago Keep Exploring Discover…

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A Home for Astronauts around the Moon

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Northrop Grumman/Thales Alenia Space The Gateway space station’s HALO (Habitation and Logistics Outpost) module, one of two of Gateway’s habitation elements where astronauts will live, conduct science, and prepare for lunar surface missions, is one step closer to launch following welding completion in Turin, Italy. HALO, shown in this image from Oct. 23, 2023, will next undergo a series of stress tests to ensure its 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…

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NASA Partnerships Bring 2024 Total Solar Eclipse to Everyone

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Solar eclipse NASA Eclipses are an important contribution to NASA’s research into the Sun’s outer atmosphere, or corona, and the part of Earth’s atmosphere where space weather happens. They’re also an inspirational opportunity for the public to get involved, learn, and connect with our place in the universe. Read More: 2024 Total Solar Eclipse On Monday, April 8, NASA and its partners will celebrate the wonders of the total solar eclipse as it passes over North America, with the path of totality in the United States, from Kerrville, Texas, to…

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NASA Sets Coverage for Astronaut Loral O’Hara, Crewmates Return

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NASA astronaut and Expedition 70 Flight Engineer Loral O’Hara uses a portable glovebag to replace components on a biological printer, the BioFabrication Facility (BFF), that is testing the printing of organ-like tissues in microgravity. NASA Three crew members are scheduled to begin their return to Earth on Friday, April 5, from the International Space Station. NASA will provide live coverage of their departure from the orbital complex and landing. NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy, and spaceflight participant Marina Vasilevskaya of Belarus will depart from the station’s Rassvet…

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NASA Engineer Chris Lupo Receives 2024 Federal Engineer Award

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Chris Lupo monitors activities on console for the Commercial Crew Program Mission Support Team at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston during docking of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4 to the International Space Station on April 27, 2022. NASA/Josh Valcarcel The National Society of Professional Engineers named Chris Lupo, deputy chief engineer of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, as the agency’s 2024 Federal Engineer of the Year. Sponsored by the National Society of Professional Engineers in Government, the award recognizes engineers employed in the federal government. Lupo was recognized during an award ceremony…

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Why I’m going to Missouri near the centerline for the solar eclipse on April 8

NeRD

The total solar eclipse on April 8 is just around the corner. After spending months researching different locations to see the total solar eclipse, I’ve landed on Cape Girardeau, Missouri. That’s because the town of some 40,000 people is close to the centerline, which refers to the middle of the path the moon’s shadow will take as it crosses North America. This location therefore doesn’t just lie within the path of totality, but in a spot that allows eclipse-chasers to get 4 minutes and 6 seconds of the totality experience.…

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