SpaceX Falcon 9 Launch: IMAP, SWFO-L1, & Carruthers Missions | NASA Kennedy

SpaceX Falcon 9 Launch: IMAP, SWFO-L1, & Carruthers Missions | NASA Kennedy

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched and deployed NASA’s Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP), the agency’s Carruthers Geocorona Observatory, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Space Weather Follow On–Lagrange 1 (SWFO-L1) spacecraft. Launch took place on schedule at 7:30 a.m. EDT, Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025, from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. 

The missions will each focus on different effects of the solar wind—the continuous stream of particles emitted by the Sun—and space weather—the changing conditions in space driven by the Sun—from their origins at the Sun to their farthest reaches billions of miles away at the edge of our solar system. 

The Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) will explore and map the heliosphere—the invisible cosmic shield surrounding our solar system—to answer great unknowns about how particles accelerate in the solar wind.

Learn more about IMAP: 
https://science.nasa.gov/mission/imap/ 
https://imap.princeton.edu/

NASA’s Carruthers Geocorona Observatory is a small satellite that will observe Earth’s outermost atmospheric layer, the exosphere. It will image the faint glow of ultraviolet light from this region, called the geocorona, to better understand how space weather impacts our planet. The Carruthers mission continues the legacy of the Apollo era, expanding on measurements first taken during Apollo 16.

The SWFO-L1 spacecraft will monitor space weather and detect solar storms in advance, serving as an early warning beacon for potentially disruptive space weather, helping safeguard Earth’s critical infrastructure and technological-dependent industries. The SWFO-L1 spacecraft is the first NOAA observatory designed specifically for and fully dedicated to continuous, operational space weather observations.

Video Credit: SpaceX

Duration: 28 seconds
Date: Sept. 24, 2025

#NASA #NOAA #Space #Astronomy #Science #IMAPMission #IMAP #Stars #InterstellarMedium #ISM #Sun #Heliophysics #Heliosphere #Planets #Earth #SolarSystem #SolarPlasma #SolarWind #SpaceWeather #PrincetonU #SWFOL1 #CarruthersGeocoronaObservatory #GSFC #SpaceX #Falcon9Rocket #KSC #Florida #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Stellar Nursery Sagittarius B2: MIRI versus NIRCam Views | Webb Telescope

Stellar Nursery Sagittarius B2: MIRI versus NIRCam Views | Webb Telescope

This video shows two views of a colorful array of massive stars and glowing cosmic dust in the Sagittarius B2 (Sgr B2) molecular cloud, the most massive and active star-forming region in our Milky Way galaxy.

The first image shown is Webb’s mid-infrared instrument (MIRI) view of the Sgr B2 region in mid-infrared light with warm dust glowing brightly. To the right is one clump of clouds that captured astronomers’ attention. It is redder than the rest of the clouds in the image and corresponds to an area that other telescopes have shown to be one of the most molecularly rich regions known. 

The second image shown is the molecular cloud glow in near-infrared light, captured by Webb’s near-infrared camera (NIRCam). In this light, astronomers see more of the region’s diverse, colorful stars, but less of its gas and dust structure.

Only the brightest stars in this region emit mid-infrared light that can be picked up by Webb’s MIRI instrument. This is why the first image has so many fewer stars than that captured by Webb’s NIRCam in the second image.

Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, A. Ginsburg (University of Florida), N. Budaiev (University of Florida), T. Yoo (University of Florida), A. Pagan (STScI), N. Bartmann (ESA/Webb)

Duration: 30 seconds
Release Date: Sept. 24, 2025

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Stars #Nebulae #SagittariusB2 #SgrB2 #MolecularClouds #Sagittarius #Constellations #MilkyWayGalaxy #Universe #SpaceTelescopes #JWST #MIRI #NIRCam #InfraredAstronomy #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #ESA #Europe #CSA #Canada #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Close-up: Molecular Cloud Sagittarius B2 (MIRI image) | Webb Telescope

Close-up: Molecular Cloud Sagittarius B2 (MIRI image) | Webb Telescope

Webb’s mid-infrared instrument (MIRI) shows the Sagittarius B2 (Sgr B2) region in mid-infrared light, with warm dust glowing brightly. To the right is one clump of clouds that captured astronomers’ attention. It is redder than the rest of the clouds in the image and corresponds to an area that other telescopes have shown to be one of the most molecularly rich regions known. Additional analysis of this intriguing region could yield important insights into why Sgr B2 is so much more productive in making stars than the rest of the galactic center.

Only the brightest stars in this region emit mid-infrared light that can be picked up by Webb’s MIRI instrument. This is why this image has so many fewer stars than that captured by Webb’s near-infrared camera (NIRCam). The darkest areas of the image are not empty space but areas where cosmic dust and gas are so dense that light cannot penetrate them to reach the telescope.

Image Description: Cosmic clouds of pink and purple are surrounded by dark areas that appear like black space dotted with bright blue stars. A group of small clouds to the right is more red than any other area of the image.

Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, A. Ginsburg (University of Florida), N. Budaiev (University of Florida), T. Yoo (University of Florida)

Image Processing: A. Pagan (STScI)

Duration: 30 seconds
Release Date: Sept. 24, 2025

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Stars #Nebulae #SagittariusB2 #SgrB2 #MolecularClouds #Sagittarius #Constellations #MilkyWayGalaxy #Universe #SpaceTelescopes #JWST #MIRI #InfraredAstronomy #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #ESA #Europe #CSA #Canada #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Molecular Cloud Sagittarius B2 (MIRI image) | James Webb Space Telescope

Molecular Cloud Sagittarius B2 (MIRI image) | James Webb Space Telescope

Webb’s mid-infrared instrument (MIRI) shows the Sagittarius B2 (Sgr B2) region in mid-infrared light, with warm dust glowing brightly. To the right is one clump of clouds that captured astronomers’ attention. It is redder than the rest of the clouds in the image and corresponds to an area that other telescopes have shown to be one of the most molecularly rich regions known. Additional analysis of this intriguing region could yield important insights into why Sgr B2 is so much more productive in making stars than the rest of the galactic center.

Only the brightest stars in this region emit mid-infrared light that can be picked up by Webb’s MIRI instrument. This is why this image has so many fewer stars than that captured by Webb’s near-infrared camera (NIRCam). The darkest areas of the image are not empty space but areas where cosmic dust and gas are so dense that light cannot penetrate them to reach the telescope.

Image Description: Cosmic clouds of pink and purple are surrounded by dark areas that appear like black space dotted with bright blue stars. A group of small clouds to the right is more red than any other area of the image.

Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, A. Ginsburg (University of Florida), N. Budaiev (University of Florida), T. Yoo (University of Florida)

Image Processing: A. Pagan (STScI)
Release Date: Sept. 24, 2025

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Stars #Nebulae #SagittariusB2 #SgrB2 #MolecularClouds #Sagittarius #Constellations #MilkyWayGalaxy #Universe #SpaceTelescopes #JWST #MIRI #InfraredAstronomy #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #ESA #Europe #CSA #Canada #STEM #Education 

Close-up: Sagittarius B2 Molecular Cloud (NIRCam image) | Webb Telescope

Close-up: Sagittarius B2 Molecular Cloud (NIRCam image) | Webb Telescope

Stars, gas and cosmic dust in the Sagittarius B2 molecular cloud glow in near-infrared light, captured by Webb’s near-infrared camera (NIRCam). In this light, astronomers see more of the region’s diverse, colorful stars, but less of its gas and dust structure. Webb’s instruments each provide astronomers with important information that help build a more complete picture of what is happening in this intriguing portion of the center of our galaxy. 

Sagittarius B2 (Sgr B2) is located about 390 light years from the center of the Milky Way. This complex is the largest molecular cloud in the vicinity of the core and one of the largest in the galaxy, spanning a region about 150 light years across. The total mass of Sgr B2 is about 3 million times the mass of the Sun.

Sagittarius B2 is located only a few hundred light-years from the supermassive black hole at the heart of the galaxy called Sagittarius A*, a region densely packed with stars, star-forming clouds, and complex magnetic fields. The infrared light that Webb detects is able to pass through a portion of the area’s thick clouds to reveal young stars and the warm dust surrounding them. Astronomers think that analysis of Webb’s data will help unravel enduring mysteries of the star formation process, and why Sagittarius B2 is forming so many more stars than the rest of the galactic center.

However, one of the most notable aspects of Webb’s images of Sagittarius B2 are the portions that remain dark. These ironically empty-looking areas of space are actually so dense with gas and dust that even Webb cannot see through them. These thick clouds are the raw material of future stars and a cocoon for those still too young to shine.

Image Description: A wide view of a region of space filled with stars and clumps of orange clouds.

Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, A. Ginsburg (University of Florida), N. Budaiev (University of Florida), T. Yoo (University of Florida). Image processing: A. Pagan (STScI)

Duration: 30 seconds
Release Date: Sept. 24, 2025

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Stars #Nebulae #SagittariusB2 #SgrB2 #MolecularClouds #Sagittarius #Constellations #MilkyWayGalaxy #Universe #SpaceTelescopes #JWST #NIRCam #InfraredAstronomy #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #ESA #Europe #CSA #Canada #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Sagittarius B2 Molecular Cloud (NIRCam image) | James Webb Space Telescope

Sagittarius B2 Molecular Cloud (NIRCam image) | James Webb Space Telescope

Stars, gas and cosmic dust in the Sagittarius B2 molecular cloud glow in near-infrared light, captured by Webb’s near-infrared camera (NIRCam). In this light, astronomers see more of the region’s diverse, colorful stars, but less of its gas and dust structure. Webb’s instruments each provide astronomers with important information that help build a more complete picture of what is happening in this intriguing portion of the center of our galaxy. 

Sagittarius B2 (Sgr B2) is located about 390 light years from the center of the Milky Way. This complex is the largest molecular cloud in the vicinity of the core and one of the largest in the galaxy, spanning a region about 150 light years across. The total mass of Sgr B2 is about 3 million times the mass of the Sun.

Sagittarius B2 is located only a few hundred light-years from the supermassive black hole at the heart of the galaxy called Sagittarius A*, a region densely packed with stars, star-forming clouds, and complex magnetic fields. The infrared light that Webb detects is able to pass through a portion of the area’s thick clouds to reveal young stars and the warm dust surrounding them. Astronomers think that analysis of Webb’s data will help unravel enduring mysteries of the star formation process, and why Sagittarius B2 is forming so many more stars than the rest of the galactic center.

However, one of the most notable aspects of Webb’s images of Sagittarius B2 are the portions that remain dark. These ironically empty-looking areas of space are actually so dense with gas and dust that even Webb cannot see through them. These thick clouds are the raw material of future stars and a cocoon for those still too young to shine.

Image Description: A wide view of a region of space filled with stars and clumps of orange clouds.

Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, A. Ginsburg (University of Florida), N. Budaiev (University of Florida), T. Yoo (University of Florida). Image processing: A. Pagan (STScI)
Release Date: Sept. 24, 2025

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Stars #Nebulae #SagittariusB2 #SgrB2 #MolecularClouds #Sagittarius #Constellations #MilkyWayGalaxy #Universe #SpaceTelescopes #JWST #NIRCam #InfraredAstronomy #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #ESA #Europe #CSA #Canada #STEM #Education 

SpaceX Falcon 9 Liftoff: IMAP, SWFO-L1, & Carruthers Missions | NASA Kennedy

SpaceX Falcon 9 Liftoff: IMAP, SWFO-L1, & Carruthers Missions | NASA Kennedy

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched and deployed NASA’s Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP), the agency’s Carruthers Geocorona Observatory, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Space Weather Follow On–Lagrange 1 (SWFO-L1) spacecraft. Launch took place on schedule at 7:30 a.m. EDT, Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025, from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. 

The missions will each focus on different effects of the solar wind—the continuous stream of particles emitted by the Sun—and space weather—the changing conditions in space driven by the Sun—from their origins at the Sun to their farthest reaches billions of miles away at the edge of our solar system. 

The Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) will explore and map the heliosphere—the invisible cosmic shield surrounding our solar system—to answer great unknowns about how particles accelerate in the solar wind.

Learn more about IMAP: 
https://science.nasa.gov/mission/imap/ 
https://imap.princeton.edu/

NASA’s Carruthers Geocorona Observatory is a small satellite that will observe Earth’s outermost atmospheric layer, the exosphere. It will image the faint glow of ultraviolet light from this region, called the geocorona, to better understand how space weather impacts our planet. The Carruthers mission continues the legacy of the Apollo era, expanding on measurements first taken during Apollo 16.

The SWFO-L1 spacecraft will monitor space weather and detect solar storms in advance, serving as an early warning beacon for potentially disruptive space weather, helping safeguard Earth’s critical infrastructure and technological-dependent industries. The SWFO-L1 spacecraft is the first NOAA observatory designed specifically for and fully dedicated to continuous, operational space weather observations.

Video Credit: SpaceX

Duration: 26 seconds
Date: Sept. 24, 2025

#NASA #NOAA #Space #Astronomy #Science #IMAPMission #IMAP #Stars #InterstellarMedium #ISM #Sun #Heliophysics #Heliosphere #Planets #Earth #SolarSystem #SolarPlasma #SolarWind #SpaceWeather #PrincetonU #SWFOL1 #CarruthersGeocoronaObservatory #GSFC #SpaceX #Falcon9Rocket #KSC #Florida #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Super Typhoon Ragasa over Western Pacific Ocean | International Space Station

Super Typhoon Ragasa over Western Pacific Ocean | International Space Station

Super typhoon Ragasa is headed for China's southern Guangdong province after lashing northern Luzon in the Philippines.

Typhoon season in the northwest Pacific has been quiet for most of 2025. Real-time estimates of accumulated cyclone energy from Colorado State University show that the basin was only half as active as usual as of September 23.

However, Typhoon Ragasa (also called Nando) has broken the quiet spell. The storm emerged on September 18 in the western Pacific Ocean a few hundred miles east of the Philippines. After periods of rapid intensification that brought it to Category 5 strength, the storm lashed northern Luzon on September 22, causing floods, landslides, and damage to crops and property. With sustained winds that reached more than 145 knots (270 kilometers or 165 miles per hour) late on September 21, the super typhoon ranked as the strongest typhoon of 2025. 

Forecasters expect the storm to maintain a west-northwestward trajectory, making landfall in southern Guangdong province on September 24 before skirting the coast of the Gulf of Tonkin and moving into northern Vietnam and Laos. As it approaches China, Ragasa is expected to weaken only slightly. According to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center, the storm is moving through a “highly favorable environment characterized by strong radial outflow, warm sea surface temperatures, and low vertical wind shear.”

The Western Pacific typhoon season spans the entire year, but most storms form between May and November with a peak in activity in late August and early September. As of September 23, nineteen named typhoons had formed in 2025, though only two had achieved Category 3 or higher strength for a sustained period.

Follow Expedition 73:
https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/

Expedition 73 Crew

Station Commander: Sergey Ryzhikov (Roscosmos)

JAXA Flight Engineer (Japan): Kimiya Yui

Roscosmos (Russia) Flight Engineers: Alexey Zubritskiy, Oleg Platonov

NASA Flight Engineers: Jonny Kim, Zena Cardman, Mike Fincke

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.

Image Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center/J. Kim

Image Details: Nikon Z9 | 15/24/50–500mm
Date: Sept. 22, 2025

#NASA #Space #ISS #Science #Planets #Earth #Atmosphere #Weather #Meteorology #Typhoons #TyphoonRagasa #China #中国 #GuangdongProvince #广东 #PacificOcean #Environment #Climate #ClimateChange #GlobalHeating #GreenhouseGases #Astronauts #AstronautPhotography #JonnyKim #UnitedStates #Japan #JAXA #Cosmonauts #Russia #Roscosmos #HumanSpaceflight #SpaceLaboratory #InternationalCooperation #Expedition73 #STEM #Education

SpaceX Falcon 9: IMAP, SWFO-L1, & Carruthers Missions Pre-launch | NASA

SpaceX Falcon 9: IMAP, SWFO-L1, & Carruthers Missions Pre-launch | NASA

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with NASA’s Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP), the agency’s Carruthers Geocorona Observatory, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Space Weather Follow On–Lagrange 1 (SWFO-L1) spacecraft atop stands vertical at Launch Complex 39A as the sun sets on Monday, Sept. 22, 2025, at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The missions will each focus on different effects of the solar wind—the continuous stream of particles emitted by the Sun—and space weather—the changing conditions in space driven by the Sun—from their origins at the Sun to their farthest reaches billions of miles away at the edge of our solar system. 

Launch is targeted for 7:30 a.m. EDT, Wednesday Sept. 24, 2025, from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. Weather is currently 90% favorable.

The Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) will soon be on its mission to explore and map the heliosphere—the invisible cosmic shield surrounding our solar system—and to answer some great unknowns about how particles accelerate in the solar wind.

Press Release "Princeton in space: IMAP prepares for launch": 
https://www.princeton.edu/news/2025/09/17/princeton-space-imap-prepares-launch

Learn more about IMAP: 
https://science.nasa.gov/mission/imap/ 
https://imap.princeton.edu/

NASA’s Carruthers Geocorona Observatory is a small satellite that will observe Earth’s outermost atmospheric layer, the exosphere. It will image the faint glow of ultraviolet light from this region, called the geocorona, to better understand how space weather impacts our planet. The Carruthers mission continues the legacy of the Apollo era, expanding on measurements first taken during Apollo 16.

The SWFO-L1 spacecraft will monitor space weather and detect solar storms in advance, serving as an early warning beacon for potentially disruptive space weather, helping safeguard Earth’s critical infrastructure and technological-dependent industries. The SWFO-L1 spacecraft is the first NOAA observatory designed specifically for and fully dedicated to continuous, operational space weather observations.

Image Credit: SpaceX
Date: Sept. 22, 2025

#NASA #NOAA #Space #Astronomy #Science #IMAPMission #IMAP #Stars #InterstellarMedium #ISM #Sun #Heliophysics #Heliosphere #Planets #Earth #SolarSystem #SolarPlasma #SolarWind #SpaceWeather #PrincetonU #SWFOL1 #CarruthersGeocoronaObservatory #GSFC #SpaceX #Falcon9Rocket #KSC #Florida #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Typhoon Ragasa Steers Toward China | NASA Terra Earth Satellite [Budget Alert]

Typhoon Ragasa Steers Toward China | NASA Terra Earth Satellite [Budget Alert]

This satellite image shows Typhoon Ragasa swirling over the Luzon Strait between the northern Philippines and Taiwan on September 23, 2025. The storm’s eye is visible, surrounded by bands of clouds. In the second image, parts of southern China appear to the northwest of the storm, while the Philippines and Taiwan are labeled to the southeast and northeast. The super typhoon headed for Guangdong province after lashing northern Luzon in the Philippines.

Typhoon season in the northwest Pacific has been quiet for most of 2025. Real-time estimates of accumulated cyclone energy from Colorado State University show that the basin was only half as active as usual as of September 23.

However, Typhoon Ragasa (also called Nando) has broken the quiet spell. The storm emerged on September 18 in the western Pacific Ocean a few hundred miles east of the Philippines. After periods of rapid intensification that brought it to Category 5 strength, the storm lashed northern Luzon on September 22, causing floods, landslides, and damage to crops and property. With sustained winds that reached more than 145 knots (270 kilometers or 165 miles per hour) late on September 21, the super typhoon ranked as the strongest typhoon of 2025.

The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite acquired this image of Ragasa at 01:40 Universal Time on September 23, 2025. At the time, forecasters expected the storm to maintain a west-northwestward trajectory, making landfall in southern Guangdong province on September 24 before skirting the coast of the Gulf of Tonkin and moving into northern Vietnam and Laos. As it approaches China, Ragasa is expected to weaken only slightly. According to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center, the storm is moving through a “highly favorable environment characterized by strong radial outflow, warm sea surface temperatures, and low vertical wind shear.”

NASA's Terra and Aqua Earth satellites are being canceled in NASA's Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Request, along with 17 other active science missions. NASA's science budget is being reduced by nearly 50%. NASA's total budget will become the lowest since 1961, after accounting for inflation.

Contact your representatives in the United States Congress, House and Senate, to express your concerns about severe budget cuts at NASA:

https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials/

NASA's Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Request (PDF): https://www.nasa.gov/fy-2026-budget-request/

As of September 23, the storm had displaced tens of thousands of people, caused multiple deaths, and led to power outages and extensive damage in the Philippines, according to news reports. As cleanup efforts began in the Philippines, life in several Chinese cities came to a standstill as people evacuated homes, schools, and workplaces ahead of the storm. Authorities in Vietnam evacuated thousands of households as well, according to news reports.

The Western Pacific typhoon season spans the entire year, but most storms form between May and November with a peak in activity in late August and early September. As of September 23, nineteen named typhoons had formed in 2025, though only two had achieved Category 3 or higher strength for a sustained period.

Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory image by Wanmei Liang, using MODIS data from NASA EOSDIS LANCE and GIBS/Worldview
Text Credit: Adam Voiland

Release Date: Sept. 23, 2025

#NASA #Earth #Space #Satellites #TerraSatellite #Planets #Earth #Atmosphere #Weather #Meteorology #Storm #Typhoon #TyphoonRagasa #China #中国 #GuangdongProvince #广东 #LuzonStrait #PacificOcean #Environment #Climate #ClimateChange #GlobalHeating #GreenhouseGases #GHG #GSFC #UnitedStates #Infographics #STEM #Education

NASA Astronaut Candidate Anna Menon: Class of 2025

NASA Astronaut Candidate Anna Menon: Class of 2025

NASA astronaut candidate Anna Menon poses for a portrait at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. Menon was selected by NASA to join the 2025 astronaut candidate class and reported for duty in September 2025. In 2024, Menon flew to space as a mission specialist and medical officer aboard SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn. The mission saw a new female altitude record, the first commercial spacewalk, and the completion of approximately 40 research experiments. 

Menon earned her bachelor’s degree from Texas Christian University with a double major in mathematics and Spanish and holds a master’s in biomedical engineering from Duke University. Menon previously worked in Mission Control at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, supporting medical hardware and software aboard the International Space Station. At the time of her selection, Menon was a senior engineer at SpaceX.

NASA astronaut candidate Anna Menon Biography:
https://www.nasa.gov/people/nasa-astronaut-candidate-anna-menon/

Credit: NASA/Josh Valcarcel
Release Date: Sept. 16, 2025

#NASA #Space #Science #HumanSpaceflight #AnnaMenon #AstronautCandidates #AstronautCandidateSelection #ASCAN2025Class #ASCANProgram #Astronauts #CommercialAstronauts #CommercialSpace #SpaceX #PolarisDawnMission #BiomedicalEngineers #NASAJohnson #JSC #Houston #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

European Service Module Handover for NASA Artemis III Moon Landing Mission

European Service Module Handover for NASA Artemis III Moon Landing Mission

On September 10, 2025, the European Space Agency officially handed over its third European Service Module (ESM) to NASA. The module will power the Orion spacecraft on Artemis III—the mission set to return NASA astronauts to the lunar surface for the first time in over 50 years. This event marks a significant milestone, underlining the acceptance of the module by NASA as well as highlighting the dedication of the many teams across Europe and the United States that are bringing the spacecraft to life.

The third European Service Module was integrated by Airbus in Bremen, Germany, with contributions from industry all over Europe. Sailing across the Atlantic, the module arrived at NASA's Kennedy Space Center last summer, where it was joined with Orion's crew module adapter to form the complete service module. Dr. Jan-Hendrik Meiss from Airbus explains the module's progress so far at Kennedy Space Center.

Over the course of about 30 days, the Artemis III astronauts will travel to lunar orbit, where two crew members will descend to the surface and spend approximately a week near the South Pole of the Moon conducting new science before returning to lunar orbit to join their crew for the journey back to Earth. Launch is currently scheduled for mid-2027.

Follow updates on the Artemis blog: 
https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis/

NASA's Artemis III Mission:
https://www.nasa.gov/mission/artemis-iii/

Credit: European Space Agency (ESA)
Duration: 1 minute
Release Date: Sept. 23, 2025

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Earth #Moon #MoonToMars #Mars #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisIII #OrionSpacecraft #EuropeanServiceModule #ESM #Airbus #Astronauts #HumanSpaceflight #SolarSystem #Science #SpaceExploration #KSC #Florida #UnitedStates #Europe #ESA #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Planet Mars Images: Sept. 20-22, 2025 | NASA's Curiosity & Perseverance Rovers

Planet Mars Images: Sept. 20-22, 2025 | NASA's Curiosity & Perseverance Rovers

Mars 2020 - sol 1631

Mars 2020 - sol 1629

Mars 2020 - sol 1629

Mars 2020 - sol 1630

MSL - sol 4667

Mars 2020 - sol 1632 

MSL - sol 4667

MSL - sol 4667

Support FriendsofNASA.org

Celebrating 13+ 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: Sept. 20-22, 2025

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

SpaceX Starship Static Engine Fire Pre-11th Flight Test | Starbase Texas

SpaceX Starship Static Engine Fire Pre-11th Flight Test | Starbase Texas

SpaceX Update: "Starship completes a full-duration static fire ahead of the eleventh flight test."

SpaceX Starship 10th Flight Test Results Summary

"Starship’s tenth flight test lifted off on August 26, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. CT from Starbase, Texas, taking a significant step forward in developing the world’s first fully reusable launch vehicle. Every major objective was met, providing critical data to inform designs of the next generation Starship and Super Heavy.

The flight test began with Super Heavy successfully lifting off by igniting all 33 Raptor engines and ascending over the Gulf of America. Successful ascent was followed by a hot-staging maneuver, with Starship’s upper stage igniting its six Raptor engines to separate from Super Heavy and continue the flight to space.

Following stage separation, the Super Heavy booster completed its boostback burn to put it on a course to a pre-planned splashdown zone. The booster descended and successfully initiated its landing burn, intentionally disabling one of its three center engines during the final phases of the burn and using a backup engine from the middle ring. Super Heavy entered into a final hover above the water before shutting down its engines and splashing down into the water.

Starship completed a full-duration ascent burn and achieved its planned velocity, successfully putting it on a suborbital trajectory. The first in-space objective was then completed, with eight Starlink simulators deployed in the first successful payload demonstration from Starship. The vehicle then completed the second ever in-space relight of a Raptor engine, demonstrating a key capability for future deorbit burns.

Moving into the critical reentry phase, Starship was able to gather data on the performance of its heatshield and structure as it was intentionally stressed to push the envelope on vehicle capabilities. Using its four flaps for control, the spacecraft arrived at its splashdown point in the Indian Ocean, successfully executed a landing flip, and completed the flight test with a landing burn and soft splashdown.

Over the course of a flight test campaign, success will continue to be measured by what we are able to learn, and Starship’s tenth flight test provided valuable data by stressing the limits of vehicle capabilities and providing maximum excitement along the way."

SpaceX’s Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy rocket—collectively referred to as Starship—represent a fully reusable transportation system designed to carry crew and cargo to Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars and beyond. Starship is currently the "world’s most powerful launch vehicle ever developed", capable of carrying up to 150 metric tonnes fully reusable and 250 metric tonnes expendable.

Key Starship Parameters:

Height: 123m/403ft
Diameter: 9m/29.5ft
Payload to LEO: 100–150t (fully reusable)

"Starship is essential to both SpaceX’s plans to deploy its next-generation Starship system as well as for NASA, which will use a lunar lander version of Starship for landing astronauts on the Moon during the Artemis III mission through the Human Landing System (HLS) program."

Learn more about Starship:

https://www.spacex.com/vehicles/starship/

Download the Free Starship User Guide (PDF):

https://www.spacex.com/media/starship_users_guide_v1.pdf

Credit: Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX)

Release Date: Sept. 22, 2025

#NASA #SpaceX #Space #Earth #Mars #Moon #MoonToMars #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisIII #Starship #StarshipSpacecraft #Starship11 #StarshipTestFlight11 #SuperHeavyBooster #SuperHeavyRocket #ElonMusk #Engineering #SpaceTechnology #HumanSpaceflight #CommercialSpace #SpaceExploration #StarbaseTexas #Texas #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

SpaceX Starship Static Engine Fire Pre-11th Flight Test | Starbase Texas

 SpaceX Starship Static Engine Fire Pre-11th Flight Test | Starbase Texas

SpaceX Update: "Starship completes a full-duration static fire ahead of the eleventh flight test."

SpaceX Starship 10th Flight Test Results Summary

"Starship’s tenth flight test lifted off on August 26, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. CT from Starbase, Texas, taking a significant step forward in developing the world’s first fully reusable launch vehicle. Every major objective was met, providing critical data to inform designs of the next generation Starship and Super Heavy.

The flight test began with Super Heavy successfully lifting off by igniting all 33 Raptor engines and ascending over the Gulf of America. Successful ascent was followed by a hot-staging maneuver, with Starship’s upper stage igniting its six Raptor engines to separate from Super Heavy and continue the flight to space.

Following stage separation, the Super Heavy booster completed its boostback burn to put it on a course to a pre-planned splashdown zone. The booster descended and successfully initiated its landing burn, intentionally disabling one of its three center engines during the final phases of the burn and using a backup engine from the middle ring. Super Heavy entered into a final hover above the water before shutting down its engines and splashing down into the water.

Starship completed a full-duration ascent burn and achieved its planned velocity, successfully putting it on a suborbital trajectory. The first in-space objective was then completed, with eight Starlink simulators deployed in the first successful payload demonstration from Starship. The vehicle then completed the second ever in-space relight of a Raptor engine, demonstrating a key capability for future deorbit burns.

Moving into the critical reentry phase, Starship was able to gather data on the performance of its heatshield and structure as it was intentionally stressed to push the envelope on vehicle capabilities. Using its four flaps for control, the spacecraft arrived at its splashdown point in the Indian Ocean, successfully executed a landing flip, and completed the flight test with a landing burn and soft splashdown.

Over the course of a flight test campaign, success will continue to be measured by what we are able to learn, and Starship’s tenth flight test provided valuable data by stressing the limits of vehicle capabilities and providing maximum excitement along the way."

SpaceX’s Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy rocket—collectively referred to as Starship—represent a fully reusable transportation system designed to carry crew and cargo to Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars and beyond. Starship is currently the "world’s most powerful launch vehicle ever developed", capable of carrying up to 150 metric tonnes fully reusable and 250 metric tonnes expendable.

Key Starship Parameters:

Height: 123m/403ft
Diameter: 9m/29.5ft
Payload to LEO: 100–150t (fully reusable)

"Starship is essential to both SpaceX’s plans to deploy its next-generation Starship system as well as for NASA, which will use a lunar lander version of Starship for landing astronauts on the Moon during the Artemis III mission through the Human Landing System (HLS) program."

Learn more about Starship:

https://www.spacex.com/vehicles/starship/

Download the Free Starship User Guide (PDF):

https://www.spacex.com/media/starship_users_guide_v1.pdf

Credit: Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX)

Duration: 26 seconds

Release Date: Sept. 22, 2025

#NASA #SpaceX #Space #Earth #Mars #Moon #MoonToMars #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisIII #Starship #StarshipSpacecraft #Starship11 #StarshipTestFlight11 #SuperHeavyBooster #SuperHeavyRocket #ElonMusk #Engineering #SpaceTechnology #HumanSpaceflight #CommercialSpace #SpaceExploration #StarbaseTexas #Texas #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Comet C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) with Earth Satellite Trails: View from Austria

Comet C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) with Earth Satellite Trails: View from Austria

Astrophotographer Georg Klingersberger: "Comet A6 Lemmon is a very active wonderful comet, which, as you can see in the image, is overlaid by many satellite lines within 20 minutes. The image is a stack of 12 images, each exposed for 2 minutes, through a Takahashi FSQ 106 telescope, at aperture F/3.6, an a field of view, FOV. 3°x2°. A Canon EOS RP(crop) served as camera, at ISO 1600, in the period from 02:28h-02:56h UT . . . shortly before a marvellous Moonrise."

Comet Lemmon is not just another icy rock—it is a time-traveler returning to the inner solar system after roughly 1,350 years.

It was discovered on January 3, 2025, by a sky-survey team and was initially mistaken for an asteroid at a dim magnitude of +21.5; later imagery showed a tiny coma and faint tail, prompting its reclassification as a comet, with pre-discovery images traced back to November 2024. This initial misclassification highlights how subtle these objects can be when far away—and how surprise discoveries can change our understanding of a celestial object’s journey. Stretching as far as 240 astronomical units (AU) out and now spiraling inward, Lemmon’s orbital period—now estimated between 1,150 and 1,350 years—is gradually shortening due to gravitational shifts. It is a reminder that the cosmos is dynamic—and this rare return makes Comet Lemmon a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle for nearly all of us.

Orbital calculations show the comet will pass closest to Earth around October 21, 2025, at roughly 0.60 AU (about 89 million km). It will reach perihelion (its nearest point to the Sun) on November 8, 2025, at about 0.53 AU.

This alignment—in which Lemmon is both near Earth and still illuminated by the Sun—creates a prime observational window. Its brightness and proximity are at a sweet spot during late October, offering a golden hunting ground for skywatchers.

Image Credit: Georg Klingersberger

Text Credits: Georg Klingersberger, Nasaspacenews[dot]com
Capture Location: Kobernaußen, Upper Austria
Image Date: Sept. 20, 2025

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Comets #CometC2025A6Lemmon #Coma #CometaryTails #SolarSystem #MilkyWayGalaxy #Cosmos #Universe #Astrophotography #GeorgKlingersberger #Austria #Astrophotographers  #UnitedStates #STEM #Education