Spaceflight 🚀
Spaceflight 🚀  ·  3 days ago

Content Warning

#Athena was communicating with controllers and generating solar power, officials said. But 20 minutes after touchdown, Crain still was unable to confirm if everything was all right with the lander. #NASA and #IntuitiveMachines abruptly ended their live landing webcast, promising more updates at a news conference later in the afternoon https://apnews.com/article/moon-landing-nasa-intuitive-machines-athena-cf4a88baa6644fb381dbaea497001d51

#IM2#SpaceCommunication

Simeon Schmauß
Simeon Schmauß  ·  2 days ago

Content Warning

Another one bites the (Moon)dust!

This is Intuitive Machines' #IM2 lander that once again toppled over after trying to land on Mons Mutons near the lunar south pole.

The picture had lots of detail hidden in the shadows which I brought out in processing.

#IntuitiveMachines#CLPS#NASA#Moon#Earth

Fisheye picture from the lunar surface taken by a camera attached to the top of the IM2 lander. The lander has fallen over on it's side and the legs point towards the small half lit earth in the far distance. The crater partially lies in the shade, which covers most of the foreground. A small hill is visible on the horizon. fisheye picture from the lunar surface taken by a camera attached to the top of the IM2 lander. The lander has fallen over on it's side and the legs point towards the small half lit earth in the far distance. The crater partially lies in the shade, which covers most of the foreground. A small hill is visible on the horizon.
Fisheye picture from the lunar surface taken by a camera attached to the top of the IM2 lander. The lander has fallen over on it's side and the legs point towards the small half lit earth in the far distance. The crater partially lies in the shade, which covers most of the foreground. A small hill is visible on the horizon. fisheye picture from the lunar surface taken by a camera attached to the top of the IM2 lander. The lander has fallen over on it's side and the legs point towards the small half lit earth in the far distance. The crater partially lies in the shade, which covers most of the foreground. A small hill is visible on the horizon.
Fisheye picture from the lunar surface taken by a camera attached to the top of the IM2 lander. The lander has fallen over on it's side and the legs point towards the small half lit earth in the far distance. The crater partially lies in the shade, which covers most of the foreground. A small hill is visible on the horizon. fisheye picture from the lunar surface taken by a camera attached to the top of the IM2 lander. The lander has fallen over on it's side and the legs point towards the small half lit earth in the far distance. The crater partially lies in the shade, which covers most of the foreground. A small hill is visible on the horizon.
Corey S Powell
Corey S Powell  ·  4 days ago

Content Warning

Tomorrow could be a great day for space robots.

Intuitive Machines' Athena lander is set to touch down on the Moon carrying the "Grace" Hopper robot, Yaoki 360° rover, and MAPP prospecting rover.

Plus a micro-rover, AstroAnt, that will ride around on top of the MAPP rover!

https://www.intuitivemachines.com/im-2 #space #science #nasa #tech

The AstroAnt robot will be operating on the top surface of the Lunar Outpost MAPP-1 rover, equipped with a thermopile on its bottom surface for contact-less temperature measurements of the MAPP-1 rover radiator. With mobility in the Lunar gravity environment, the robot can measure temperature from different positions on the radiator and help with monitoring the performance of the thermal system, which is one of the most crucial systems of the rover. Leveraging magnetic wheels, the robot can attach to and move along the top rover surface. The AstroAnt will be the first-ever miniature robotic mission on the Lunar surface.
The AstroAnt robot will be operating on the top surface of the Lunar Outpost MAPP-1 rover, equipped with a thermopile on its bottom surface for contact-less temperature measurements of the MAPP-1 rover radiator. With mobility in the Lunar gravity environment, the robot can measure temperature from different positions on the radiator and help with monitoring the performance of the thermal system, which is one of the most crucial systems of the rover. Leveraging magnetic wheels, the robot can attach to and move along the top rover surface. The AstroAnt will be the first-ever miniature robotic mission on the Lunar surface.
The AstroAnt robot will be operating on the top surface of the Lunar Outpost MAPP-1 rover, equipped with a thermopile on its bottom surface for contact-less temperature measurements of the MAPP-1 rover radiator. With mobility in the Lunar gravity environment, the robot can measure temperature from different positions on the radiator and help with monitoring the performance of the thermal system, which is one of the most crucial systems of the rover. Leveraging magnetic wheels, the robot can attach to and move along the top rover surface. The AstroAnt will be the first-ever miniature robotic mission on the Lunar surface.
The AstroAnt robot will be operating on the top surface of the Lunar Outpost MAPP-1 rover, equipped with a thermopile on its bottom surface for contact-less temperature measurements of the MAPP-1 rover radiator. With mobility in the Lunar gravity environment, the robot can measure temperature from different positions on the radiator and help with monitoring the performance of the thermal system, which is one of the most crucial systems of the rover. Leveraging magnetic wheels, the robot can attach to and move along the top rover surface. The AstroAnt will be the first-ever miniature robotic mission on the Lunar surface.
The AstroAnt robot will be operating on the top surface of the Lunar Outpost MAPP-1 rover, equipped with a thermopile on its bottom surface for contact-less temperature measurements of the MAPP-1 rover radiator. With mobility in the Lunar gravity environment, the robot can measure temperature from different positions on the radiator and help with monitoring the performance of the thermal system, which is one of the most crucial systems of the rover. Leveraging magnetic wheels, the robot can attach to and move along the top rover surface. The AstroAnt will be the first-ever miniature robotic mission on the Lunar surface.
The AstroAnt robot will be operating on the top surface of the Lunar Outpost MAPP-1 rover, equipped with a thermopile on its bottom surface for contact-less temperature measurements of the MAPP-1 rover radiator. With mobility in the Lunar gravity environment, the robot can measure temperature from different positions on the radiator and help with monitoring the performance of the thermal system, which is one of the most crucial systems of the rover. Leveraging magnetic wheels, the robot can attach to and move along the top rover surface. The AstroAnt will be the first-ever miniature robotic mission on the Lunar surface.
Spaceflight 🚀
Spaceflight 🚀  ·  2 weeks ago

Content Warning

"The bad news is #NASA estimates that it tracks only about 40 percent 📊 of the #asteroids ☄️ #large enough that they could cause calamity if they were to hit 💥 #Earth" https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/10/24/nasa-asteroid-telescope

#ESA : #Asteroid danger explained https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2018/06/Asteroid_danger_explained

#AsteroidThreat

Spaceflight 🚀
Spaceflight 🚀  ·  2 weeks ago

Content Warning

The 20-inch diameter #telescope 🔭 will carry out a five-year baseline survey to find at least two-thirds of the unknown #NEOs ☄️ larger than 140 meters 📏. It will launch around 📆 September 2027 to detect and observe #asteroids and comets that could potentially pose an impact 💥 threat to Earth https://www.aerotime.aero/articles/spacex-nasa-rocket-asteroid

#AsteroidThreat#NASA#Astronomy

Corey S Powell
Corey S Powell  ·  last week

Content Warning

Lucy is a crazy ambitious mission that will visit a total of 11 asteroids (and maybe more).

Close-up views of Donaldjohanson are coming April 20.

https://lucy.swri.edu/mission/Targets.html #space #science #nasa

The Lucy mission will travel to eight Trojan asteroids and three main belt asteroids. No other space mission is history has been launched to as many different destinations in independent orbits around the Sun! Lucy launched in October 2021. Its trajectory first takes it by the Earth for two gravity assists before it begins its journey out to the Trojan Asteroids. Before its second Earth gravity assist, Lucy will travel through the inner edge of the main asteroid belt and fly by its first asteroid on November 2023. It will fly by the small asteroid (152830) Dinkinesh and its satellite. Later, on its way out to the Trojan asteroids, Lucy will travel through the main belt again and fly by anoter main belt asteroid on April 2025. It will fly by (52246) Donaldjohanson, an asteroid that the Lucy team named after one of the co-discoverers of the Lucy fossil.
The Lucy mission will travel to eight Trojan asteroids and three main belt asteroids. No other space mission is history has been launched to as many different destinations in independent orbits around the Sun! Lucy launched in October 2021. Its trajectory first takes it by the Earth for two gravity assists before it begins its journey out to the Trojan Asteroids. Before its second Earth gravity assist, Lucy will travel through the inner edge of the main asteroid belt and fly by its first asteroid on November 2023. It will fly by the small asteroid (152830) Dinkinesh and its satellite. Later, on its way out to the Trojan asteroids, Lucy will travel through the main belt again and fly by anoter main belt asteroid on April 2025. It will fly by (52246) Donaldjohanson, an asteroid that the Lucy team named after one of the co-discoverers of the Lucy fossil.
The Lucy mission will travel to eight Trojan asteroids and three main belt asteroids. No other space mission is history has been launched to as many different destinations in independent orbits around the Sun! Lucy launched in October 2021. Its trajectory first takes it by the Earth for two gravity assists before it begins its journey out to the Trojan Asteroids. Before its second Earth gravity assist, Lucy will travel through the inner edge of the main asteroid belt and fly by its first asteroid on November 2023. It will fly by the small asteroid (152830) Dinkinesh and its satellite. Later, on its way out to the Trojan asteroids, Lucy will travel through the main belt again and fly by anoter main belt asteroid on April 2025. It will fly by (52246) Donaldjohanson, an asteroid that the Lucy team named after one of the co-discoverers of the Lucy fossil.
Spaceflight 🚀
Spaceflight 🚀  ·  3 months ago
It is not easy to turn a big #bureaucracy, and there will undoubtedly be friction and pain points. But the opportunity here is enticing: #NASA should not be competing with things that private industry is already doing better, such as launching big rockets. Rather, it should find difficult research and development projects at the edge of the possible. https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/12/how-did-the-ceo-of-an-online-payments-firm-become-the-nominee-to-lead-nasa

#SLS#Artemis

Spaceflight 🚀
Spaceflight 🚀  ·  2 weeks ago

Content Warning

#NASA is losing four key senior officials close to its #Artemis moon 🌙 program. Hundreds of NASA employees have accepted buyout offers from the #Trump administration. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/key-nasa-officials-departure-casts-more-uncertainty-over-us-moon-program-2025-02-19
Spaceflight 🚀
Spaceflight 🚀  ·  10 months ago

Content Warning

#Moon 🌙 scouts will all be #robotic, designed to build a foundation for #astronauts 👨‍🚀 to follow about two years later. There is need for transporting 🚀 large masses of equipment and materials from #Earth. An #IntuitiveMachines lander is set to reach the Moon later this year. #NASA’s #JPL will release a “swarm” of robot-explorers equipped with stereo cameras 📹 and charged with creating photorealistic #3D maps 🗺️ of the #lunar terrain https://www.forbes.com/sites/kevinholdenplatt/2024/04/27/robot-explorers-futuristic-spacex-starships-set-to-transform-the-moon/

#SpaceRobot#SpaceLogistics#Starship

Spaceflight 🚀
Spaceflight 🚀  ·  last year

Content Warning

• 📆 2018, #ISS became the first facility to produce #BECs ⚛️ in #space 🌌
• In #space, so-called cool flames 🔥 can burn for minutes
• #ISS water 💦 purification system deployed across #India 🇮🇳, #Mexico 🇲🇽, #Pakistan🇵🇰
• #StemCells regenerative medicine ⚕️ could repair/replace failing organs and cells
• Higher quality protein crystals
• #Microbes 🦠 can extract metals from #regolith
• Tissue/organ-on-a-chip effects faster in #microgravity
• #3Dprinting
• Organ growth
https://interestingengineering.com/lists/13-science-breakthroughs-experiments-iss

#NASA

Spaceflight 🚀
Spaceflight 🚀  ·  8 months ago

Content Warning

📆 2025 Lunar Gateway #NASA#ESA#CSA #JAXA
📆 2025 Haven-1 #VastSpace
📆 2026 Axiom Station #AxiomSpace
📆 2026 StarMax #Gravitics
📆 2026 LIFE Pathfinder #SierraSpace
📆 2027 Russian Orbital Service Station #Roscosmos
📆 2028 Starlab #NanoRacks#VoyagerSpace#Airbus#MDASpace#Mitsubishi
📆 second half 2020s Orbital Reef #BlueOrigin#SierraSpace
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_space_stations#Planned_and_proposed

#SpaceStation #launch

Spaceflight 🚀
Spaceflight 🚀  ·  3 weeks ago

Content Warning

#Competition accelerates #innovation : "What if we actually build a #SpaceStation, launch 🚀 it in #orbit, have a crew 👨‍🚀 of four go to it, spend two weeks at least in the space station, and come back home safely…before the U.S. #government makes their decision?” (in 📆 2026) https://youtu.be/us_V_e0-NVs?feature=shared&t=205

https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2025/02/vast-interview-2025

#Vast#NASA

Spaceflight 🚀
Spaceflight 🚀  ·  6 months ago

Content Warning

#NASA#Orion #radiation protection plan 🗒️ "astronauts will position themselves in the central part of the crew module and #create a #shelter using the stowage bags 🛍️ on board. The crew would in some cases need to stay inside for as long as 24 hours ⌛ https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis/orion/scientists-and-engineers-evaluate-orion-radiation-protection-plan/

#HumanSpaceflightHealth#RadiationProtection#Artemis#LunarGateway

Amata :verified_genderqueer:
Amata :verified_genderqueer:  ·  4 weeks ago

Content Warning

I've been seeing hate on NASA lately, being bought into by leftists even, and I just want to point out something very important:

Musk has hated NASA for a *long* time. There is a reason it is being attacked, and a reason public opinion is being swayed against NASA: It *keeps SpaceX in line* more than anything else.

NASA is being seen as "competition" to SpaceX, as the obstacle in his way. It has been like this for quite some time, and now, with DOGE and other things, he can do something about it.

I would like to point out a few things:

1. SPACEX IS NOT CHEAPER
They boast they can "do what NASA does for 10% the cost!" Sure, it's easy when you did none of the R&D.
SpaceX saved on:
Landing tech: DC-X project in 1991-1996
Tank structure: Shuttle SLWT tank, 1998-2011
Merlin Engines: direct descendant of the Fastrac Engine, 1997-2001.

Those three things alone saved SpaceX over 90% of the R&D costs. It's easy to "appear" cheap when you're using off the shelf tech someone else (NASA!) developed.

2. NASA IS GREAT FOR THE ECONOMY!
For every $1 spent on NASA, $8 is put into economy. Its stupid to not invest in that kind of ROI! 800%! At times, its ROI Has been 1600%!

Simply put, if you defund NASA, the economy would shrink so much you would actually have to RAISE taxes to make up for the lost revenue, and without its existence we would be 30 years behind in technology and the quality of life for everyone would be much lower. Science and research is GOOD for society, it's the fuel for all progress.

3. WHAT HAS NASA DONE FOR ME?! (Surely you just mean NASA is good for tech & science folk....)

Nope! Good for all!
Ever have an MRI or CAT Scan? They wouldn't exist without the Apollo program! The software that made them possible was originally written to analyze lunar photography.

Low power digital x-Rays was planetary body research.

Heart pumps are modeled after space shuttle turbopumps.

The software that designed your car was originally written to design spacecraft!

Who do you think pioneered all the early research into alternative power like solar panels, hydrogen fuel cells, and durable batteries? NASA!

NASA developed tech and satellites is also what improves agricultural yields while reducing the needs for water, fertilizer, and pesticides.

Do you really think Musk gives two shits? No. He wants the money, he wants to let SpaceX run amok without any oversight for safety, without any "competition".

All fights are important, but do realise that this one is a huge thorn in his side, and one that is keeping a huge problem from ballooning and swallowing us all whole.

Do not be fooled or swayed by lies, of tactics meant to divide, of things being done to make you be angry at NASA. If he can make you hate NASA, he won.

Expect far more space junk to fall, the night sky to be ruined by satellites, and the loss of all things good that proper research and design does for humanity and gives back to the world. Not to mention: enjoy seeing the horrible things he can accomplish fully unchecked.

ETA: Now that you know, call / fax / email your senators and reps, and whatever else too! Boosting gets people thinking, but thinking is not action!

#SpaceX #nasa#space #earth #science #technology

The A1 test stand at Stennis, which on this day did a full burn test of the redesigned RS-25 engine. The A1 is a vertical firing single position stand, meaning it holds one rocket engine at a time in an upright position with thrust directed downward. You can see the RS-25 engine in the stand, there is a truck and a large van for some scale. The NASA logo (meatball) is proudly displayed on the upper right of the stand.
The A1 test stand at Stennis, which on this day did a full burn test of the redesigned RS-25 engine. The A1 is a vertical firing single position stand, meaning it holds one rocket engine at a time in an upright position with thrust directed downward. You can see the RS-25 engine in the stand, there is a truck and a large van for some scale. The NASA logo (meatball) is proudly displayed on the upper right of the stand.
The A1 test stand at Stennis, which on this day did a full burn test of the redesigned RS-25 engine. The A1 is a vertical firing single position stand, meaning it holds one rocket engine at a time in an upright position with thrust directed downward. You can see the RS-25 engine in the stand, there is a truck and a large van for some scale. The NASA logo (meatball) is proudly displayed on the upper right of the stand.
Peter
Peter  ·  4 weeks ago

Content Warning

@nyrath

My admittedly minimal knowledge tells me that Starliner has NO future. It's going to turn out to be a massive waste of time and public money by people trapped in old ways of thinking.

#NASA#Boeing#Starliner

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