China’s space station has new occupants in charge. The departing Shenzhou 16 astronauts handed over control of the Tiangong space station to the newly arrived Shenzhou 17 crew during a short ceremony on Sunday (Oct. 29). “On behalf of the Shenzhou 16 crew, I formally and solemnly hand over [the key] to the commander of the Shenzhou 17 mission,” said Jing Haipeng, commander of the Shenzhou 16 mission. “I firmly believe, and all of us also believe, that under your leadership, your crew will cooperate closely, operate carefully, and complete…
Read MoreWhat is In Space Production Applications?
NASA supports In Space Production Applications (InSPA) awards to help the selected companies raise the technological readiness level of their products and move them to market, propelling U.S. industry toward the development of a sustainable, scalable, and profitable non-NASA demand for services and products in low-Earth orbit. These commercialization awards provide opportunities for NASA to reduce its future costs in LEO enabling deep-space missions farther from Earth, including the Moon and Mars. NASA is leading commercial LEO development efforts to stimulate non-NASA demand for commercially owned and operated orbital destinations from…
Read MoreNASA’s Lucy probe will fly by asteroid ‘Dinkinesh’ on Nov. 1. Here’s what to expect
NASA’s Lucy spacecraft is about to make its very first flyby of an asteroid on Wednesday, Nov. 1. When Lucy flies past the half-mile-wide asteroid, named Dinkinesh, the moment will mark the start of the probe’s 12-lear-long tour of 10 asteroid subjects. Ultimately, the planned legacy of this spacecraft is for it to become the first to investigate the Trojan asteroids — asteroids that follow Jupiter’s orbit around the sun and are believed to be remnants of our solar system’s formation. Lucy has been preparing for its visit to Dinkinesh…
Read MoreJust in Time for Halloween, NASA’s Juno Mission Spots Eerie “Face” on Jupiter
On Sept. 7, 2023, during its 54th close flyby of Jupiter, NASA’s Juno mission captured this view of an area in the giant planet’s far northern regions called Jet N7. The image shows turbulent clouds and storms along Jupiter’s terminator, the dividing line between the day and night sides of the planet. The low angle of sunlight highlights the complex topography of features in this region, which scientists have studied to better understand the processes playing out in Jupiter’s atmosphere.
Read MoreNew Japanese spacecraft aims to explore the mysterious moons of Mars
Mars itself is a world of puzzlement, particularly when it comes to whether or not the planet is the home of ancient or even present-day life. But put that aside for the moment. Even without the possible presence of life, the Red Planet is mysterious enough due to the fact that it’s circled by a couple of oddballs. Nobody knows for sure how the two moons of Mars, Phobos and Deimos, got where they are or what they are made of. But now an audacious, adventurous undertaking is being readied…
Read More25 Years Ago: STS-95, John Glenn Returns to Space
On Oct. 29, 1998, NASA astronaut John H. Glenn made history again when he returned to space aboard space shuttle Discovery’s STS-95 mission, nearly 37 years after becoming the first American in orbit during his February 1962 Friendship 7 mission. The seven-member STS-95 crew consisted of Commander Curtis L. Brown, Pilot Steven W. Lindsey, Mission Specialists Stephen K. Robinson, Dr. Scott E. Parazynski, and Pedro F. Duque of the European Space Agency, and Payload Specialists Dr. Chiaki Mukai of the National Space Development Agency of Japan, now the Japan Aerospace…
Read MoreDaily Minor Planet Volunteers Spot an Asteroid Passing Close to Earth
2 min read Daily Minor Planet Volunteers Spot an Asteroid Passing Close to Earth The Catalina Sky Survey telescope “G96” with the follow-up telescope “I52” in the background. Credit: David Rankin Volunteers working with The Daily Minor Planet have made the project’s first big discovery: an asteroid passing very near planet Earth. On the night of October 3rd, a telescope for the Catalina Sky Survey snapped four pictures of a far northern section of the sky. The next day, volunteers H. N. DiRuscio, X. Liao, V. Gonano and E. Chaghafi spotted a clear…
Read MoreAccounts Receivable
6 Min Read Accounts Receivable ACH Credit Payment ACH Credit is a payment method that allows a payer to initiate payment through their financial institution through the ACH/Federal Reserve network. ACH Credit allows the payer to control the initiation and timing of payments as well as when the date the funds are sent. Please view the instructions by accessing ACH Credit Payment Instructions. Payments to NASA For your convenience and fast results, you have the following options to pay online: Option 1: Pay Via Bank Account (ACH Direct Debit, also known as…
Read More‘Too early’ to say which astronaut will command UK Space Agency mission with Axiom Space
The United Kingdom’s possible space mission with Axiom Space is at too early a stage to speculate on the astronauts or the training involved, Space.com learned from its space agency. The UK Space Agency signed a pact last week with Houston-based Axiom Space to aim for a commercially sponsored mission with four astronauts on board. Although rumors emerged that U.K. astronaut Tim Peake would come out of retirement to command the mission, the space agency told Space.com the mission is still at an early planning stage. “We’re at the mission…
Read MoreSolar maximum will arrive sooner and last longer than previously expected, say scientists
The sun will reach the peak of its current activity cycle in 2024, one year earlier than previous estimates, according to experts at NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC). The revised prediction now places Solar Cycle 25’s peak of activity known as “solar maximum” between January and October 2024 according to a NOAA statement. The peak will be earlier, stronger and last longer than estimates made in 2019. The solar cycle describes an approximately 11-year period of solar activity driven by the sun’s magnetic field and indicated by the frequency…
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