Copernical Team
Japanese astronaut to be first non-American to set foot on Moon
A lucky Japanese astronaut will become the first non-American to set foot on the Moon during one of NASA's upcoming Artemis missions, US President Joe Biden announced Wednesday.
The offer to Japan - an opportunity many nations have long dreamed of - came as part of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's state visit, and as Washington seeks to strengthen ties with its key Asian ally.
"Two Japan Expedition 71 Crew Conducts Medical Exams and Spacecraft Maintenance Aboard ISS
Wednesday's activities for Expedition 71 aboard the International Space Station centered around biomedical research and space physics, engaging the seven-member crew in a range of scientific tasks and maintenance operations.
Three NASA astronauts, Flight Engineers Matthew Dominick, Mike Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, were involved in ocular examinations to study the impact of microgravity on NASA Advances Solar Sail Technology for Future Space Exploration
In a significant step forward for space propulsion technologies, NASA is poised to launch its innovative Advanced Composite Solar Sail System aboard Rocket Lab's Electron rocket from Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand. This critical mission aims to expand our capabilities for future space travel and deepen our understanding of solar dynamics.
The technology utilizes solar sails that ca Rocket Lab Advances Electron Rocket Reusability with Successful Stage Reflight Preparation
Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) has unveiled plans to reintegrate a previously flown Electron rocket's first stage tank into its production line, marking a crucial step towards achieving the first reflight of the stage. This move underscores Rocket Lab's objective to position the Electron as the first reusable small orbital launch vehicle globally.
The company has achieved multiple suc Russia cancels rocket launch for second day running
Russia on Wednesday cancelled a high-profile rocket launch at the last minute for the second day running, in a fresh setback for the country's space programme.
Launch of the flagship Angara A5, a powerful spacecraft designed to carry heavy payloads into low Earth orbit, was cancelled two minutes before lift-off, the head of Russia's Roscosmos space agency said, saying he suspected a software Russia aborts second attempt to launch a heavy-lift rocket from Far East
After delay, Delta IV Heavy lifts off for the last time
The storied career of the Delta family of rockets had to wait a little longer than planned to turn the page on its final chapter, but the last of its kind lifted off on the Space Coast on April 9.
A United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy, the largest and most powerful version of Delta rockets, launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station's Space Launch Complex 37 at 12:53 p.m. Eastern time. Dubbed the NROL-70 mission, the classified payload is for the National Reconnaissance Office.
The rocket had come within four minutes of the countdown clock hitting zero back on March 28, but teams discovered an issue with a pipeline of gaseous nitrogen used to supply the inert gas needed for safe operations on liftoff that took several days to remedy before ULA and its customer were OK to try again.
OK, the eclipse was cool, but those glasses aren't. Now what?
OK, you hopped on the eclipse bandwagon, did your research and viewed the celestial miracle responsibly. But now what are you going to do with those odd-looking glasses?
Fact is, you won't need them again in most of the U.S. for a couple of decades, and some glasses are good only for about three years. (The next total solar eclipse that will be visible from the contiguous U.S. is in 2044, according to NASA.)
That's where a group called Astronomers Without Borders comes in. Instead of letting the goofy goggles pile up in landfills, they're collecting them to send around the world so people in Africa, Asia and South and Central America will have a safe way to stare in awe as the moon blots out the sun over their homes.
Another group, Eclipse Glasses U.S., focuses on kids in developing countries who will have learned about an upcoming eclipse in school but might not have access to the glasses they'll need to safely take a long, hard look.
"It's not just about viewing an eclipse; it's about bridging gaps, connecting people through a shared experience and igniting a passion for the cosmos in young hearts," according to the Eclipse Glasses website.
Biden says Japanese will be first non-American on moon
A Japanese person will be the first non-American to walk on the moon, US President Joe Biden announced Wednesday during a state visit by Japan's prime minister.
US-Japan "ties stretch up to the moon where two Japanese astronauts will join future American missions, and one will become the first non-American ever to land on the moon," Biden said during a press conference.
The United States has set a goal of returning to the moon for the first time since 1972. Only 12 people have walked on the moon, all of them Americans and all white men.
Under the Artemis program of NASA, the United States has also set a goal of sending a woman and a person of color to the moon.
The Artemis II mission expected in late 2025 will fly around the moon. The program's third mission—scheduled for the end of 2026 but facing possible further delays—intends to land humans on the lunar surface.
© 2024 AFP
New NASA strategy envisions sustainable future for space operations
To address a rapidly changing space operating environment and ensure its preservation for generations to come, NASA released the first part of its integrated Space Sustainability Strategy, on Tuesday advancing the agency's role as a global leader on this crucial issue.
"The release of this strategy marks true progress for NASA on space sustainability," said NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy. "Space is busy—and only getting busier. If we want to make sure that critical parts of space are preserved so that our children and grandchildren can continue to use them for the benefit of humanity, the time to act is now.
