Fram2 Mission to Earth's Poles: Crew Prepares for Launch | NASA Kennedy

Fram2 Mission to Earth's Poles: Crew Prepares for Launch | NASA Kennedy

From left to right: Mission Commander Chun Wang (Malta), Mission Specialist Rabea Rogge (Germany), Vehicle Commander Jannicke Mikkelsen (Norway), Medical Officer Eric Philips (Australia)

From left to right: Mission Specialist Rabea Rogge (Germany), Mission Commander Chun Wang (Malta), Vehicle Commander Jannicke Mikkelsen (Norway), and Medical Officer Eric Philips (Australia)

From left to right: Medical Officer Eric Philips (Australia), Mission Specialist Rabea Rogge (Germany), Vehicle Commander Jannicke Mikkelsen (Norway), Mission Commander Chun Wang (Malta)

From left to right: Medical Officer Eric Philips (Australia), Mission Specialist Rabea Rogge (Germany), Vehicle Commander Jannicke Mikkelsen (Norway), Mission Commander Chun Wang (Malta)

Fram2 Mission Emblem

SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket static fire test at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida

SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket rollout at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida

SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket rollout

The Fram2 Mission is the first human spaceflight to Earth's polar regions. Crew member Rabea Rogge will become the first female German astronaut. Moreover, crew member Jannicke Mikkelsen will become the first Norwegian astronaut and the first European astronaut to command a spacecraft. SpaceX is targeting Monday, March 31, 2025, at 9:46 p.m. ET for Falcon 9’s launch of Fram2 to a polar orbit from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. There are three additional launch opportunities within the approximate 4.5-hour window: 11:20 p.m. ET followed by 12:53 a.m. and 2:26 a.m. on Tuesday, April 1.

A live webcast of this mission will begin about one hour before liftoff. Watch here: 
https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=fram2

The Dragon spacecraft supporting this mission previously flew Crew-1 to and from the International Space Station, Inspiration4, the first all-civilian mission to orbit, and Polaris Dawn, the first commercial mission to conduct an extravehicular activity from Dragon. This will be the sixth flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission. It previously launched Crew-9, RRT-1, Firefly Blue Ghost Mission 1, and two Starlink missions. Following stage separation, Falcon 9’s first stage will land on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.

Mission Objectives
During their multi-day mission, Dragon and the crew will explore Earth from a polar orbit and fly over Earth’s polar regions for the first time. They will also conduct 22 research studies designed to help advance humanity’s capabilities for long-duration space exploration and understanding of human health in space. Throughout Fram2’s time on-orbit, the crew are planning to take the first x-ray in space, perform exercise studies to maintain muscle and skeletal mass, and grow mushrooms in microgravity. Additionally, after safely returning to Earth, the crew plans to exit from the Dragon spacecraft without additional medical and operational assistance, helping researchers characterize the ability of astronauts to perform unassisted functional tasks after short and long durations in space.

The Crew
This will be the first human spaceflight for Mission Commander Chun Wang, Vehicle Commander Jannicke Mikkelsen, Vehicle Pilot Rabea Rogge, and Mission Specialist and Medical Officer Eric Philips.

Learn more about the Fram2 Mission and its crew: 

https://f2.com

Image Credit: Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX)

Release Dates: March 29-30, 2025

#NASA #SpaceX #Space #Science #Planet #Earth #Fram2 #Arctic #Antarctica #PolarOrbit #CrewDragonSpacecraft #SpaceTechnology #Astronauts #ChunWang #JannickeMikkelsen #RabeaRogge #EricPhilips #HumanSpaceflight #CommercialSpace #KSC #Florida #UnitedStates #Germany #Deutschland #Norway #Norge #STEM #Education

Fram2 Earth Polar Crewed Mission Pre-Launch: SpaceX Falcon 9 | NASA Kennedy

Fram2 Earth Polar Crewed Mission Pre-Launch: SpaceX Falcon 9 | NASA Kennedy 

Fram2 Crew Dragon spacecraft atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on the launchpad at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida

Portrait of Mission Commander Chun Wang (Malta/Saint Kitts and Nevis)

Portrait of Vehicle Commander Jannicke Mikkelsen (Norway)

Portrait of Mission Specialist Rabea Rogge (Germany)

Portrait of Medical Officer Eric Philips (Australia)

Fram2 SpaceX Falcon 9 & Crew Dragon Launch, Landing & Deployment

The Fram2 Mission is the first human spaceflight to Earth's polar regions. Crew member Rabea Rogge will become the first female German astronaut. Moreover, crew member Jannicke Mikkelsen will become the first Norwegian astronaut and the first European astronaut to command a spacecraft. SpaceX is targeting Monday, March 31, 2025, at 9:46 p.m. ET for Falcon 9’s launch of Fram2 to a polar orbit from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. There are three additional launch opportunities within the approximate 4.5-hour window: 11:20 p.m. ET followed by 12:53 a.m. and 2:26 a.m. on Tuesday, April 1. If needed, backup opportunities are available on Tuesday, April 1 starting at the same time.

A live webcast of this mission will begin about one hour prior to liftoff. Watch here: 
https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=fram2

The Dragon spacecraft supporting this mission previously flew Crew-1 to and from the International Space Station, Inspiration4, the first all-civilian mission to orbit, and Polaris Dawn, the first commercial mission to conduct an extravehicular activity from Dragon. This will be the sixth flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched Crew-9, RRT-1, Firefly Blue Ghost Mission 1, and two Starlink missions. Following stage separation, Falcon 9’s first stage will land on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.

Mission Objectives
During their multi-day mission, Dragon and the crew will explore Earth from a polar orbit and fly over Earth’s polar regions for the first time. They will also conduct 22 research studies designed to help advance humanity’s capabilities for long-duration space exploration and understanding of human health in space. Throughout Fram2’s time on-orbit, the crew are planning to take the first x-ray in space, perform exercise studies to maintain muscle and skeletal mass, and grow mushrooms in microgravity. Additionally, after safely returning to Earth, the crew plans to exit from the Dragon spacecraft without additional medical and operational assistance, helping researchers characterize the ability of astronauts to perform unassisted functional tasks after short and long durations in space.

The Crew
This will be the first human spaceflight for Mission Commander Chun Wang, Vehicle Commander Jannicke Mikkelsen, Vehicle Pilot Rabea Rogge, and Mission Specialist and Medical Officer Eric Philips.

Learn more about the Fram2 Mission and its crew: 

https://f2.com

Image Credit: Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX)

Release Date: March 29, 2025

#NASA #SpaceX #Space #Science #Planet #Earth #Fram2 #Arctic #Antarctica #PolarOrbit #CrewDragonSpacecraft #SpaceTechnology #Astronauts #ChunWang #JannickeMikkelsen #RabeaRogge #EricPhilips #HumanSpaceflight #CommercialSpace #KSC #Florida #UnitedStates #Germany #Deutschland #Norway #Norge #STEM #Education

The Gaia Mission: Rewriting The Milky Way's Story | European Space Agency

The Gaia Mission: Rewriting The Milky Way's Story | European Space Agency

For over a decade, the European Space Agency's Gaia Mission has mapped our galaxy with stunning precision—rewriting the story of the Milky Way. As its mission enters a new phase, we look back at its most groundbreaking discoveries.

Chapters: 

00:23 – Mapping the Milky Way and beyond

00:58 – Structure of the Milky Way

01:40 - Galactic family tree

02:27 – Mapping star-forming regions

03:00 – Ancient star streams

03:19 – Cosmic encounters

04:07 - Black holes and hidden giants

Learn more about ESA's Gaia Mission:

https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Gaia_overview

Video Credit: European Space Agency (ESA)
Duration: 5 minutes
Release Date: March 30, 2025

#NASA #ESA #Space #Astronomy #Science #GaiaMission #GaiaSpaceTelescope #Stars #Exoplanets #BlackHoles #Nebulae #MilkyWayGalaxy #Cosmos #Universe #Europe #STEM #Education #Animation #HD #Video

NASA Near-Earth Object Surveyor Planetary Defense Mission Update | JPL

NASA Near-Earth Object Surveyor Planetary Defense Mission Update | JPL

The instrument enclosure of NASA’s Near-Earth Object Surveyor is prepared for critical environmental tests inside the historic Chamber A at the Space Environment Simulation Laboratory at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in December 2024. Wrapped in silver thermal blanketing, the 12-foot-long (3.7-meter-long) angular structure was subjected to the frigid, airless conditions that the spacecraft will experience when in deep space. The cavernous thermal-vacuum test facility is famous for testing the Apollo spacecraft that traveled to the Moon in the 1960s and 1970s.

The instrument enclosure for NASA's Near-Earth Object Surveyor is prepared for environmental testing inside the historic Chamber A in the Space Environment Simulation Laboratory at the agency's Johnson Space Center in Houston in December 2024. Mounted to its articulating platform, on which it was securely positioned during assembly, the 12-foot-long (3.7-meter-long) angular structure was inspected by technicians before being placed inside the testing chamber.

A mirror set to be installed inside the telescope for NASA's Near-Earth Object Surveyor (NEO Surveyor) is seen during an inspection of the mirror's surface at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California on July 17, 2024. Being built in a JPL clean room, the infrared telescope is the spacecraft's only instrument and it will be used to seek out a portion of the hardest-to-find near-Earth objects that may pose a hazard to our planet.

The reflection of principal optical engineer Brian Monacelli can be seen in the mirror.

Known as a "three-mirror anastigmat telescope," the instrument will rely on a set of curved mirrors to focus light onto its infrared detectors in a way that minimizes optical aberrations.

In this illustration showing NEO Surveyor, NASA's next-generation near-Earth object hunter, the spacecraft floats in an infrared starfield containing stars, star clusters, gas, and dust. More than 100 asteroids can be seen as red dots, with a number of them visible in a track that shows how they were captured at different times as they marched across the sky. This starfield was observed by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE.

The infrared Near-Earth Object Surveyor space telescope (NEO Surveyor) is designed to help advance NASA’s planetary defense efforts to discover and characterize most of the potentially hazardous asteroids and comets that come within 30 million miles of Earth’s orbit. These are collectively known as near-earth objects, or NEOs.

NEO Surveyor will launch no earlier than September 2027.

NEO Surveyor consists of a single scientific instrument: a 50 centimeter (nearly 20 inch) diameter telescope that operates in two heat-sensing infrared wavelengths. It will be capable of detecting both bright and dark asteroids—the most difficult type to find.

After launch, NEO Surveyor will carry out a five-year baseline survey to find at least two-thirds of the near-Earth objects larger than 140 meters (460 feet). These are the objects large enough to cause major regional damage in the event of an Earth impact. By using two heat-sensitive infrared imaging channels, NEO Surveyor can make accurate measurements of NEO sizes and gain valuable information about their composition, shapes, rotational states, and orbits.

NEO Surveyor employs an innovative observation strategy to independently discover new asteroids and comets and determine their orbits with enough accuracy to allow them to be found again. In five years of survey operation, NEO Surveyor is designed to make significant progress toward meeting the U.S. Congress's mandate to NASA to find more than 90 percent of all NEOs larger than 140 meters in diameter.

NASA's NEO Surveyor will build upon the successes of NEOWISE as the first space mission built specifically to find large numbers of hazardous asteroids and comets. The space telescope will launch to a region of gravitational stability between the Earth and the Sun called the L1 Lagrange point, where the spacecraft will orbit during its five-year primary mission. From this location, the space telescope will view the solar system in infrared wavelengths and light that is invisible to the human eye. Because those wavelengths are mostly blocked by Earth's atmosphere, larger ground-based observatories may miss near-Earth objects that NEO Surveyor will be able to spot from space by using its modest light-collecting aperture of nearly 20 inches (50 centimeters).

NEO Surveyor's cutting-edge detectors are designed to observe two heat-sensitive infrared bands that were chosen specifically so the spacecraft can track the most challenging-to-find near-Earth objects, such as dark asteroids and comets that do not reflect much visible light. In the infrared wavelengths that NEO Surveyor is sensitive to, these objects glow as they are heated by sunlight. In addition, NEO Surveyor will be able to find asteroids that approach Earth from the direction of the Sun, as well as those that lead and trail our planet's orbit, where they are typically obscured by the glare of sunlight—objects known as Earth Trojans.

The mission is tasked by NASA's Planetary Science Division within the Science Mission Directorate; program oversight is provided by the PDCO, which was established in 2016 to manage the agency's ongoing efforts in planetary defense. NASA's Planetary Missions Program Office at Marshall Space Flight Center provides program management for NEO Surveyor.

The project is being developed by JPL and is led by survey director Amy Mainzer at the University of Arizona. Established aerospace and engineering companies have been contracted to build the spacecraft and its instrumentation, including Ball Aerospace, Space Dynamics Laboratory, and Teledyne. The Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado, Boulder will support operations, and IPAC-Caltech in Pasadena, California, is responsible for processing survey data and producing the mission's data products. Caltech manages JPL for NASA.

NEO Surveyor Mission: 
https://science.nasa.gov/mission/neo-surveyor/
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/near-earth-object-surveyor/

JPL Center for NEO Studies (CNEOS): https://cneos.jpl.nasa.gov/

Planetary Defense at NASA: 
https://www.nasa.gov/planetarydefense

Image Credit: NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
Image Dates: Dec. 2022-March 2025

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Earth #Planet #PlanetaryDefense #Asteroids #EarthTrojans #AsteroidBelt #Comets #NEO #NEA #SolarSystem #SpaceTechnology #NEOSurveyorMission #WISE #NEOWISE #InfraredAstronomy #InfraredTelescopes #JPL #Caltech #Houston #Texas #JSC #MSFC #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Partial Solar Eclipse: Northern Hemisphere | Europe's Meteosat-12 Earth Satellite

Partial Solar Eclipse: Northern Hemisphere | Europe's Meteosat-12 Earth Satellite

A stunning view of the partial solar eclipse in Earth's northern hemisphere on March 29, 2025 from space! 🌒 Unlike a total eclipse, part of the Sun remained visible. Did you catch it from the ground?👀

The image was captured by EUMETSAT's Meteosat-12 satellite. You can see the Moon’s shadow sweeping across Earth between 06:00 - 12:30 UTC.

On March 29, 2025, the Moon passed in front of and partially blocked the Sun, casting a shadow on parts of the Earth's Northern Hemisphere. The central part of the Moon’s shadow, where the Sun appears completely blocked, missed Earth, so no one was able to see a total solar eclipse this time. 

The European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) is an intergovernmental organization created through an international convention agreed by a current total of 30 European Member States.

EUMETSAT's primary objective is to establish, maintain and exploit European systems of operational meteorological satellites. EUMETSAT is responsible for the launch and operation of the satellites and for delivering satellite data to end-users as well as contributing to the operational monitoring of climate and the detection of global climate changes.

EUMETSAT website: eumetsat.int

Image Credit: EUMETSAT
Image Date: March 29, 2025

#NASA #EUMETSAT #Space #Science #Satellites #Earth #Planet #Moon #Sun #SolarEclipse #PartialSolarEclipse #PartialSolarEclipse2025 #NorthernHemisphere #Atmosphere #Environment #Weather #Meteorology #Climate #ClimateChange #GlobalHeating #Meteosat12Satellite #Europe #InternationalCooperation #STEM #Education

Earth Cloud Collection | International Space Station

Earth Cloud Collection | International Space Station

A Southeast Asian sunrise casts long shadows behind clouds in this photograph from the International Space Station as it orbited 263 miles above the Bismarck Sea.

Sunrise above Earth's horizon begins illuminating a cloudy Indian Ocean and reveals the terminator, the dividing line between night and day, in this photograph from the International Space Station as it orbited 271 miles above.

Clouds swirl over the Gulf of Alaska and underneath the aurora borealis blanketing Earth's horizon in this photograph from the International Space Station as it orbited 261 miles above.

Here are examples of beautiful Earth cloud formations captured by astronauts of Expedition#72 aboard the International Space Station.

Expedition 72 Updates:

https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/

Expedition 72 Crew

Station Commander: Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin (Russia)
Roscosmos (Russia) Flight Engineers: Ivan Vagner, Kirill Peskov
NASA Flight Engineers: Don Pettit, Anne McClain, Nichole Ayers 

JAXA Flight Engineer: Takuya Onishi

An international partnership of space agencies provides and operates the elements of the International Space Station (ISS). The principals are the space agencies of the United States, Russia, Europe, Japan, and Canada.

Learn more about the important research being operated on Station:
https://www.nasa.gov/iss-science

For more information about STEM on Station:
https://www.nasa.gov/stemonstation

Image Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC)
Image Dates: March 10-26, 2025

#NASA #Space #ISS #Science #Planet #Earth #Aurora #Atmosphere #Clouds #IndianOcean #PacificOcean #Astronauts #AstronautPhotography #Japan #日本 #JAXA #Cosmonauts #Russia #Россия #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #HumanSpaceflight #SpaceLaboratory #MicrogravityResearch #InternationalCooperation #Expedition72 #UnitedStates #Canada #STEM #Education

New Earth Views | China Space Station

New Earth Views | China Space Station

Video footage shot recently through a window of China's Tiangong Space Station in orbit offered breathtaking views of the Earth spinning in space like a shimmering blue gem.

Released by the China National Space Administration (CMSA) on Sunday, March 30, 2025, the clip presents viewers with bird's-eye footage of Earth's majestic landscapes, providing a rare and immersive glimpse of our home planet from space.

The Tiangong Space Station is now crewed by the Shenzhou-19 mission. It includes the country's first female space engineer, Wang Haoze.

The three astronauts were sent into space on October 30 last year for a six-month mission.

Shenzhou-19 Crew:
Commander Cai Xuzhe (蔡旭哲)
Mission Specialist Wang Haoze (王浩泽)
Mission Specialist Song Lingdong (宋令东)

Video Credit: CCTV
Duration: 40 seconds
Release Date: March 30, 2025

#NASA #Space #Science #Earth #China #中国 #Shenzhou19 #神舟十九号 #Taikonauts #Astronauts #ChinaSpaceStation #中国空间站 #TiangongSpaceStation #SpaceLaboratory #MicrogravityExperiments #MicrogravityResearch #CMSA #中国载人航天工程办公室 #LongDurationMissions #HumanSpaceflight #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Planet Mars Images: March 27-28, 2025 | NASA's Curiosity & Perseverance Rovers

Planet Mars Images: March 27-28, 2025 | NASA's Curiosity & Perseverance Rovers

Mars 2020 - sol 1458

Mars 2020 - sol 1458

Mars 2020 - sol 1458

Mars 2020 - sol 1458

Mars 2020 - sol 1458

Mars 2020 - sol 1458

MSL - Sol 4491

MSL - Sol 4493

Support FriendsofNASA.org

Celebrating 12+ Years on Mars (2012-2024)

Mission Name: Mars Science Laboratory (MSL)

Rover Name: Curiosity

Main Job: To determine if Mars was ever habitable to microbial life. 

Launch: Nov. 6, 2011

Landing Date: Aug. 5, 2012, Gale Crater, Mars

Celebrating 4+ Years on Mars

Mission Name: Mars 2020

Rover Name: Perseverance

Main Job: Seek signs of ancient life and collect samples of rock and regolith (broken rock and soil) for return to Earth.

Launch: July 30, 2020    

Landing: Feb. 18, 2021, Jezero Crater, Mars

For more information on NASA's Mars missions, visit: mars.nasa.gov

Image Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS

Processing: Kevin M. Gill

Image Release Dates: March 27-28, 2025

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Mars #RedPlanet #Planet #Astrobiology #Geology #CuriosityRover #MSL #MountSharp #GaleCrater #PerseveranceRover #Mars2020 #JezeroCrater #Robotics #SpaceTechnology #SpaceEngineering #MSSS #JPL #Caltech #UnitedStates #CitizenScience #KevinGill #STEM #Education

NASA Artemis Moon Missions: Orion Crew Recovery Tests off California

NASA Artemis Moon Missions: Orion Crew Recovery Tests off California

NASA astronaut Andre Douglas gives a thumbs up as he and fellow NASA astronauts Stan Love and Deniz Burnham and European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano prepare to be taken to the Crew Module Test Article (CMTA) to take part in practicing Artemis recovery operations during Underway Recovery Test-12 onboard USS Somerset off the coast of California, Friday, March 28, 2025. During the test, NASA and Department of Defense teams are practicing to ensure recovery procedures are validated as NASA plans to send the Artemis II astronauts around the Moon and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.

European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano, left, and NASA astronauts Andre Douglas, Deniz Burnham, and Stan Love, right, walk in the well of USS Somerset to catch boats to the Crew Module Test Article (CMTA), a full scale mockup of the Orion spacecraft, during Underway Recovery Test-12 off the coast of California, Friday, March 28, 2025.

European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano is seen in the window as a Navy MH-60 Seahawk from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 23 returns to USS Somerset as teams practice Artemis recovery operations during Underway Recovery Test-12 off the coast of California, Friday, March 28, 2025.

European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano is helped from a Navy helicopter after returning to USS Somerset from the Crew Module Test Article (CMTA), a full scale mockup of the Orion spacecraft, during Underway Recovery Test-12 off the coast of California, Friday, March 28, 2025.

NASA astronaut Deniz Burnham, is helped from a Navy helicopter after returning from the Crew Module Test Article (CMTA), a full scale mockup of the Orion spacecraft, during Underway Recovery Test-12 off the coast of California, Friday, March 28, 2025. During the test, NASA and Department of Defense teams are practicing to ensure recovery procedures are validated as NASA plans to send Artemis II astronauts around the Moon and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.

NASA astronaut Deniz Burnham, left, and European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano, are seen talking to NASA Flight Surgeon Richard Scheuring onboard a Navy helicopter after returning from the Crew Module Test Article (CMTA), a full scale mockup of the Orion spacecraft, during Underway Recovery Test-12 off the coast of California, Friday, March 28, 2025.

The Crew Module Test Article (CMTA), a full scale mockup of the Orion spacecraft, is seen during Underway Recovery Test-12 onboard USS Somerset off the coast of California, Friday, March 28, 2025.

European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano, left, and NASA astronauts Stan Love, Deniz Burnham, and Andre Douglas are seen as they prepare to take part in practicing Artemis recovery operations during Underway Recovery Test-12 onboard USS Somerset off the coast of California, Friday, March 28, 2025.

NASA and European Space Agency astronauts took part in practicing Artemis recovery operations during Underway Recovery Test-12 onboard USS Somerset off the coast of California, Friday, March 28, 2025. During the test, NASA and Department of Defense teams practiced recovery procedure validation as NASA plans to send the Artemis II astronauts around the Moon and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. 

The Artemis II test flight will be sending NASA astronauts Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Reid Wiseman, as well as Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, on a ten-day journey around the Moon and back.

Artemis II will launch no earlier than April 2026.

Check the NASA Artemis II Mission page for updates:

https://www.nasa.gov/mission/artemis-ii/

Learn more about NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket: nasa.gov/sls

Follow updates on the Artemis blog: 

https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis/

Image Credits: NASA/Bill Ingalls/Joel Kowsky

Release Date: March 22, 2025

#NASA #ESA #Space #Science #Moon #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisII #OrionSpacecraft #CrewedMission #Astronauts #NASASLS #SpaceLaunchSystem #DeepSpace #MoonToMars  #SpaceEngineering #SpaceTechnology #HumanSpaceflight #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #USNavy #DoD #California #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education

Partial Solar Eclipse over Iceland

Partial Solar Eclipse over Iceland

On March 29, 2025, the Moon passed in front of and partially blocked the Sun, casting a shadow on parts of the Earth's Northern Hemisphere. The central part of the Moon’s shadow, where the Sun appears completely blocked, missed Earth, so no one was able to see a total solar eclipse this time. 

Iceland is a Nordic island country between the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between North America and Europe.

Image Credit: Wioleta Gorecka

Wioleta's Website: https://outway.pl/namibia-astrofotografia-wyprawa-do-krainy-ciemnego-nieba
Image Date: March 29, 2025

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Earth #Moon #Sun #SolarEclipse #PartialSolarEclipse #PartialSolarEclipse2025 #Astrophotography #WioletaGorecka #Astrophotographer #Photographer #CitizenScience #Iceland #Ísland #STEM #Education

Partial Solar Eclipse over U.S. State of Maine

Partial Solar Eclipse over U.S. State of Maine

On March 29, 2025, the Moon passed in front of and partially blocked the Sun, casting a shadow on parts of the Earth's Northern Hemisphere. The central part of the Moon’s shadow, where the Sun appears completely blocked, missed Earth, so no one was able to see a total solar eclipse this time. 

This is a view of the partial eclipse from Monticello. It is a town in Aroostook County, Maine, United States, on the northern branch of the Meduxnekeag River. 

Image Credit: Fabrizio Melandri
Location: Monticello, Maine, United States
Image Date: March 29, 2025

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Earth #Moon #Sun #SolarEclipse #PartialSolarEclipse #PartialSolarEclipse2025 #Astrophotography #FabrizioMelandri #Astrophotographer #Photographer #CitizenScience #Monticello #Maine #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

NASA's SpaceX Crew-11 Members | International Space Station

NASA's SpaceX Crew-11 Members | International Space Station

From left to right, NASA astronauts Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov of Russia, and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Kimiya Yui pose for a photo at a SpaceX facility in Hawthorne, California.

From left to right, NASA astronauts Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov of Russia, and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Kimiya Yui pose for a photo at a SpaceX facility in Hawthorne, California.

NASA astronaut Mike Fincke, pilot of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission, trains inside a SpaceX Dragon mockup at a SpaceX facility in Hawthorne, California, ahead of his flight to the International Space Station.

NASA astronaut Zena Cardman, commander of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission, trains inside a SpaceX Dragon mockup at a SpaceX facility in Hawthorne, California, ahead of her flight to the International Space Station.

NASA astronaut Zena Cardman, commander of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission, trains inside a SpaceX Dragon mockup at a SpaceX facility in Hawthorne, California, ahead of her flight to the International Space Station.

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Kimiya Yui, a mission specialist for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission to the International Space Station, trains for his mission in a SpaceX Dragon mockup at a SpaceX facility in Hawthorne, California.

Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov of Russia, a mission specialist for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission to the International Space Station, trains for his mission at a SpaceX facility in Hawthorne, California.

The Crew-11 mission patch embodies teamwork, exploration, and the deep connections that bind us—across nations, agencies, and families. Shades of white, red, and blue pay tribute to the flags of the three nations represented by the crew, while three gold stars symbolize the unity of our three space agencies working together in pursuit of discovery. At the heart of the design, two radiant sunbeams form the number “11” illuminating a blue circle—a subtle nod to Voyager’s Pale Blue Dot image, reminding us of the fragile unity of our shared home. This vision of Earth is reflected in the dragon’s eye, reinforcing our focus on exploration and the perspective gained from space. The dragon, evoking the heraldry of family crests, stands as a guardian of our mission and legacy. Within the stars, we honor the children of the crew, a reminder of the generations inspired by human spaceflight. Encircling it all, a red flame represents both the power of launch and the plasma of reentry, symbolizing the full journey—our departure from Earth, our work aboard the International Space Station, and our safe return home. Crew-11: Together, we rise.

As part of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission, four crew members from three space agencies will launch in the coming months to the International Space Station for a long-duration science expedition aboard the orbiting laboratory.

NASA astronauts Commander Zena Cardman and Pilot Mike Fincke, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Mission Specialist Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Mission Specialist Oleg Platonov of Russia will join crew members aboard the space station no earlier than July 2025.

The flight is the 11th crew rotation with SpaceX to the station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. The crew will conduct scientific investigations and technology demonstrations to help prepare humans for future missions to the Moon, as well as benefit people on Earth.

Cardman previously was assigned to NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 mission, and Fincke previously was assigned to NASA’s Boeing Starliner-1 mission. NASA decided to reassign the astronauts to Crew-11 in overall support of planned activities aboard the International Space Station. Cardman carries her experience training as a commander on Dragon spacecraft, and Fincke brings long-duration spaceflight experience to this crew complement.

Selected as a NASA astronaut in 2017, Cardman will conduct her first spaceflight. The Williamsburg, Virginia, native holds a bachelor’s degree in Biology and a master’s in Marine Sciences from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. At the time of selection, she had begun pursuing a doctorate in Geosciences. Cardman’s research in geobiology and geochemical cycling focused on subsurface environments, from caves to deep sea sediments. Since completing initial training, Cardman has supported real-time station operations and lunar surface exploration planning.

NASA astronaut Zena Cardman biography:

https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/astronauts/zena-cardman/

https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/cardman-z.pdf

This will be Fincke’s fourth trip to the space station, having logged 382 days in space and nine spacewalks during Expedition 9 in 2004, Expedition 18 in 2008, and STS-134 in 2011, the final flight of space shuttle Endeavour. Throughout the past decade, Fincke has applied his expertise to NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, advancing the development and testing of the SpaceX Dragon and Boeing Starliner toward operational certification. The Emsworth, Pennsylvania, native is a distinguished graduate of the United States Air Force Test Pilot School and holds bachelors’ degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, in both Aeronautics and Astronautics, as well as Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences. He also has a master’s degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Stanford University in California. Fincke is a retired U.S. Air Force colonel with more than 2,000 flight hours in more than 30 different aircraft.

NASA astronaut Mike Fincke biography:

https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/astronauts/michael-e-fincke/

https://www.nasa.gov/people/edward-michael-mike-fincke/

https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/fincke_e_michael.pdf

With 142 days in space, this will be Yui’s second trip to the space station. After his selection as a JAXA astronaut in 2009, Yui flew as a flight engineer for Expedition 44/45 and became the first Japanese astronaut to capture JAXA’s H-II Transfer Vehicle. In addition to constructing a new experimental environment aboard Kibo, he conducted a total of 21 experiments for JAXA. In November 2016, Yui was assigned as chief of the JAXA Astronaut Group. He graduated from the School of Science and Engineering at the National Defense Academy of Japan in 1992. He later joined the Air Self-Defense Force at the Japan Defense Agency (currently Ministry of Defense). In 2008, Yui joined the Air Staff Office at the Ministry of Defense as a lieutenant colonel.

JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui biography:

https://humans-in-space.jaxa.jp/en/astronaut/yui-kimiya/

The Crew-11 mission will be Platonov’s first spaceflight. Before his selection as a cosmonaut in 2018, Platonov earned a degree in Engineering from Krasnodar Air Force Academy in Aircraft Operations and Air Traffic Management. He also earned a bachelor’s degree in State and Municipal Management in 2016 from the Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok, Russia. Assigned as a test cosmonaut in 2021, he has experience in piloting aircraft, zero gravity training, scuba diving, and wilderness survival.

For more than two decades, people have lived and worked continuously aboard the International Space Station, advancing scientific knowledge and demonstrating new technologies, making research breakthroughs not possible on Earth. The station is a critical testbed for NASA to understand and overcome the challenges of long-duration spaceflight and to expand commercial opportunities in low Earth orbit. As commercial companies focus on providing human space transportation services and destinations as part of a robust low Earth orbit economy, NASA’s Artemis campaign is underway at the Moon, where the agency is preparing for future human exploration of Mars.

Learn more about NASA’s Commercial Crew Program at:

https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew

Image Credit: SpaceX
Capture Dates: Sept. 25, 2024 & Dec. 4, 2024

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