Shenzhou-21 Commander Ready to Lead New Mission | China Space Station

Shenzhou-21 Commander Ready to Lead New Mission | China Space Station

Veteran Chinese astronaut Zhang Lu is taking command of the Shenzhou-21 crewed mission, marking a significant return to space with greater responsibility and purpose.

Zhang Lu, who was a crew member of the Shenzhou-15 mission, said "after two years, being able to once again represent my country and carry out the Shenzhou-21 mission fills me with excitement and anticipation. Since the conclusion of the Shenzhou-15 mission, I've returned to intensive training with the mindset of a student. In response to the new features of the space station missions, I've devoted myself to studying and research."

Zhang Lu also reflected on his responsibility and shared how interacting with curious, space-loving children has deepened his conviction in passing the torch of China's space dreams to the next generation.

"Over the years, I've visited schools to share my spaceflight experiences with children who are passionate about space and science, passing on the spirit of exploration with eyes full of stars and oceans, hearts filled with unwavering loyalty to the motherland. The curiosity and longing for the universe in their eyes constantly remind me of the profound meaning behind passing the torch of China's space endeavor from one generation to the next," said Zhang.

He also described his deep emotional connection to China's space station and his readiness to rejoin the mission.

"I've closely followed the status of the space station, every extravehicular activity, every scientific experiment. Right now, what I'm most looking forward to is hearing those familiar call signs again: Shuguang (Dawn), Beijing, Tiangong, Yinhe (Galaxy), Tianzhou. It's been a long time. How have you all been? This is Shenzhou-21. We're on our way," said Zhang.

Astronauts on the Shenzhou-21 crew spacecraft were greeted by the Shenzhou-20 crew members they will be replacing, after successfully docking with China's Tiangong space station in orbit on November 1, 2025, to begin the handover of duties—only 3.5 hours after launch, setting a new record for the fastest docking achieved between a Shenzhou spacecraft and China’s space station.

Commander Zhang Lu, previously a member of the Shenzhou-15 mission, alongside flight engineer Wu Fei and payload specialist Zhang Hongzhang, who are each embarking on their first spaceflight mission, successfully entered the station's core module Tianhe. The six crew members then took group pictures for the seventh space get-together in China's aerospace history.

The Shenzhou-21 astronauts will stay on board the space station for around six months.

They are set to undertake a series of key scientific experiments during their mission that will also see them witness the arrival of the Tianzhou-10 cargo craft and later welcome the Shenzhou-22 crewed spacecraft to take over duties onboard the space station.

Shenzhou-21 is the 37th flight mission of China's human spaceflight program and the sixth crewed mission during the application and development stage of the Tiangong Space Station.

Shenzhou-21 Crew
Zhang Lu (张陆) - Commander & Pilot - Second spaceflight
Wu Fei (武飞) Flight Engineer - First spaceflight
Zhang Hong Zhang (张洪章) - Payload Specialist - First spaceflight

Shenzhou-20 Crew

Chen Dong (陈冬) - Commander - Third spaceflight

Chen Zhong Rui (陈中瑞) - Operator - First spaceflight

Wang Jie (王杰) - Flight Engineer - First spaceflight

Video Credit: CCTV
Duration: 3 minutes
Release Date: Oct. 31, 2025

#NASA #Space #Science #China #中国 #Earth #Docking #Shenzhou21Mission #神舟二十一号 #Shenzhou21 #Taikonauts #Astronauts #ZhangLu #WuFei #ZhangHongzhang #Shenzhou20 #神舟二十号 #ChinaSpaceStation #中国空间站 #TiangongSpaceStation #SpaceLaboratory #CMSA #中国载人航天工程办公室 #HumanSpaceflight #STEM #Education #HD #Video

New Glenn Rocket Booster Landing Platform: Drone Ship Jacklyn | Blue Origin

New Glenn Rocket Booster Landing Platform: Drone Ship Jacklyn | Blue Origin

The Jacklyn, or Landing Platform 1 (LPV1), departed for New Glenn's second launch, no earlier than November 9, 2025 from Cape Canaveral, Florida. Watch how this landing platform vessel supports booster recovery for Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket. NASA's two ESCAPADE Mission spacecraft, manufactured by Rocket Lab, have been successfully encapsulated into New Glenn's 7-meter rocket fairing for the launch.

🚀Blue Origin's New Glenn Rocket:

https://www.blueorigin.com/new-glenn

ESCAPADE Spacecraft Contractor: Rocket Lab

https://rocketlabcorp.com/missions/escapade/

The NASA Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers (ESCAPADE) Mars Mission will study the planet's unique hybrid magnetosphere. ESCAPADE will investigate how the solar wind interacts with Mars’ magnetic environment and how this interaction drives the planet’s atmospheric escape. It will take ESCAPADE about 11 months to arrive at Mars after leaving Earth orbit.

ESCAPADE is led by the UC Berkeley Space Sciences Laboratory, which is responsible for mission management, systems engineering, science leadership, navigation, operations, the electron & ion electrostatic analyzers, and science data processing and archiving.

Key partners are Rocket Lab USA (spacecraft), NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (magnetometers), Embry Riddle Aeronautical University (Langmuir probes), Advanced Space LLC (mission design), and Blue Origin (launch).

Learn more about the two identical spacecraft designed, built, integrated, and tested by Rocket Lab for the University of California Berkeley’s Space Science Laboratory and NASA's Mars Mission:

https://go.nasa.gov/4ng79L3

https://science.nasa.gov/mission/escapade
https://escapade.ssl.berkeley.edu

Video Credit: Blue Origin
Duration: 2 minutes
Release Date: Nov. 6, 2025

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Stars #Sun #SpaceWeather #Planets #Mars #Magnetosphere #MartianAtmosphere #ESCAPADEMission #ESCAPADESpacecraft #RocketLab #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #GSFC #SSL #UCBerkeley #ERAU #AdvancedSpace #BlueOrigin #NewGlenn #JacklynLandingPlatform #LPV1 #Florida #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Comet C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) Close-up over Arizona

Comet C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) Close-up over Arizona

Comet Lemmon is brightening and moving into morning northern skies. Besides Comet SWAN25B and Comet ATLAS, Comet C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) is now the third comet currently visible with binoculars and on long camera exposures. Comet Lemmon was discovered early this year and is still headed into the inner Solar System. The comet will round the Sun on November 8, 2025. It passed nearest to the Earth—about half of the Earth-Sun distance—on October 21.

Arizona is a landlocked state in the Southwestern region of the United States, sharing the Four Corners region of the western United States with Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. It also borders Nevada to the northwest and California to the west, and shares an international border with the Mexican states of Sonora and Baja California to the south and southwest. 

Image Credit: Tom Eby
Capture Location: Red Rock, Arizona

Image Details: Low in SW. RASA 8 + ZWO2600mc pro, 37 x 30 sec exposures tracked on comet head
Image Date: Nov. 7, 2025

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Comets #CometC2025A6Lemmon #Coma #CometaryTails #SolarSystem #MilkyWayGalaxy #Cosmos #Universe #Astrophotography #TomEby #Astrophotographers #RedRock #Arizona #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

NASA X-59 Quiet Supersonic Jet's First Flight over California: New Pictures

NASA X-59 Quiet Supersonic Jet's First Flight over California: New Pictures

Check out these never-before-seen landing photos from X-59's first flight! 👀

The votes are in . . . X-59 has officially been named the Coolest Thing Made in California!🎉😎🦨

"On Oct. 28, 2025, X-59 flew for the very first time. From takeoff at our Skunk Works' Palmdale facility to landing at NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center, everything performed exactly as planned. The X-59 moved with the kind of confidence that comes from years of innovation, teamwork and cutting-edge solutions." 

"This flight is not just a milestone—it is momentum. We are proving that the future of flight can be faster and quieter than ever before. And we are proud to be leading the charge." 

Learn about Lockheed's contributions to NASA's X-59: 
https://www.lockheedmartin.com/en-us/products/x-59-quiet-supersonic.html 

The X-59 aircraft builds on decades of supersonic flight research and is the centerpiece of NASA’s Quesst mission. The vast amount of data collected over the years has given designers the tools they needed to craft the shape of the X-59. The goal is to enable the aircraft to fly at supersonic speeds and reduce a loud sonic boom to a quieter “sonic thump.” Follow the X-59 team as they take on the exciting journey of building the X-59 and working toward quiet supersonic flight.

Data gathered during X-59 research flights will be shared with the U.S. and international regulators to inform the establishment of new, data-driven acceptable noise thresholds related to supersonic commercial flight over land.

The X-59’s engine, a modified F414-GE-100, packs 22,000 pounds of thrust. This will enable the X-59 to achieve the desired cruising speed of Mach 1.4 (925 miles per hour) at an altitude of approximately 55,000 feet. It sits in a nontraditional spot–atop the aircraft—to aid in making the X-59 quieter.

The X-59's goal is to help change existing national and international aviation rules that ban commercial supersonic flight over land.

Learn more about NASA's X-59:
https://www.nasa.gov/mission/quesst/
https://www.nasa.gov/flightlog

X-59 Free Maker Bundle (STEM Education):
https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/x-59-maker-bundle-v8.pdf

Image Credit: Lockheed Martin
Release Dates: Oct. 23-Nov. 6, 2025

#NASA #Aerospace #SupersonicFlight #SupersonicAircraft #X59 #Sonicboom #QuietAviation #Aviation #QuesstMission #CommercialAviation #Science #Physics #Engineering #AerospaceResearch #AeronauticalResearch #FlightTests #LockheedMartin #SkunkWorks #NASAArmstrong #AFRC #Palmdale #California #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Planet Mars Images: Oct. 27-Nov. 5, 2025 | NASA's Curiosity & Perseverance Rovers

Planet Mars Images: Oct. 27-Nov. 5, 2025 | NASA's Curiosity & Perseverance Rovers

MSL - sol 4711

MSL - sol 4711

MSL - sol 4698

Mars 2020 - sol 1675

Mars 2020 - sol 1675

Mars 2020 - sol 1674

MSL - sol 4707

MSL - sol 4709

Support FriendsofNASA.org

Celebrating 13+ Years on Mars (2012-2025)

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: Oct. 27-Nov. 5, 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

How China's Tianwen-1 Mars Orbiter Imaged Interstellar Object 3I/ATLAS

How China's Tianwen-1 Mars Orbiter Imaged Interstellar Object 3I/ATLAS

China’s Tianwen-1 Mars orbiter has successfully captured images of the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS using its high-resolution camera. CGTN Reporter Wan Hongjia speaks with experts from the Beijing Aerospace Flight Control Center to explain how the observation was carried out, the imaging strategy behind it, and the scientific significance of this achievement.

Discovered on July 1, 2025, by a survey telescope in Chile, 3I/ATLAS is the third known interstellar object to visit the solar system and marks the first interstellar object captured by a Chinese spacecraft.

During the observation, the spacecraft was about 30 million kilometers from 3I/ATLAS, making it one of the closest observations by a probe of this interstellar object.

Scientists believe this object likely formed around ancient stars near the center of the Milky Way, with an estimated age of between 3 and 11 billion years—possibly older than the solar system. This makes 3I/ATLAS a rare sample in studying the composition and evolution of exoplanets, and the early history of stars, holding significant scientific value.

Tianwen-1, China's first Mars mission, carries optical payloads originally designed to image the bright Martian surface. Capturing such a distant and faint object—between 10,000 and 100,000 times dimmer than typical Martian targets—represents the first attempt of its kind for the mission.

China's Tianwen-1 mission, consisting of an orbiter, a lander and a rover, was launched in July 2020. The probe entered Mars' orbit in February 2021 and has been operating stably for roughly four years and eight months.

China was the first country to successfully send an orbiter, lander, and rover to Mars on its first attempt. China is only the second country after the United States to successfully land and operate a spacecraft on Mars.

Video Credit: CGTN Europe
Duration: 2 minutes, 49 seconds
Release Date: Nov. 6, 2025

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Planet #Mars #RedPlanet #InterstellarObjects #3IATLAS  #InterstellarComet3IATLAS #Astrophysics #Astrobiology #Astrogeology #Tianwen1 #天问一号 #Tianwen1Orbiter #Tianwen1Spacecraft #CNSA #China #中国 #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #STEM #Education #HD #Video

China's Tianwen-1 Mars Orbiter Captures Images of Interstellar Object 3I/ATLAS

China's Tianwen-1 Mars Orbiter Captures Images of Interstellar Object 3I/ATLAS

The orbiter of China's Mars mission Tianwen-1 has successfully captured images of the interstellar object, called 3I/ATLAS, using its high-resolution camera, according to the China National Space Administration (CNSA).

Discovered on July 1, 2025, by a survey telescope in Chile, 3I/ATLAS is the third known interstellar object to visit the solar system and marks the first interstellar object captured by a Chinese spacecraft.

During the observation, the spacecraft was about 30 million kilometers from 3I/ATLAS, making it one of the closest observations by a probe of this interstellar object.

Scientists believe this object likely formed around ancient stars near the center of the Milky Way, with an estimated age of between 3 and 11 billion years—possibly older than the solar system. This makes 3I/ATLAS a rare sample in studying the composition and evolution of exoplanets, and the early history of stars, holding significant scientific value.

Tianwen-1, China's first Mars mission, carries optical payloads originally designed to image the bright Martian surface. Capturing such a distant and faint object—between 10,000 and 100,000 times dimmer than typical Martian targets—represents the first attempt of its kind for the mission.

"Because 3I/ATLAS follows a hyperbolic orbit, unlike the elliptical orbits of objects around the Sun, it clearly originates from beyond the solar system and will eventually move away from it," said Liu Jianjun, chief designer of the ground application system for China's first Mars exploration mission.

Data received and processed by the ground application system showed clear cometary features in the images. Researchers created an animation from a series of images taken over 30 seconds, demonstrating the object's movement through space. These observations are now being used for further scientific study of 3I/ATLAS.

"From Oct 1 to 4, Tianwen-1 captured images each day and sent the data back to the ground. Using these consecutive images, we were able to create an animation that effectively shows its (3I/ATLAS) flight path," he said.

This successful observation represents an important extended mission for Tianwen-1. The detection of such a faint celestial object serves as a valuable technical test for China's Tianwen-2 mission, which was launched in May—aiming to collect samples from a near-Earth asteroid and explore a main-belt comet, according to the CNSA.

"The successful observation proves the long-term reliability of our orbiter. Tianwen-2 probe will also explore small, faint celestial objects, and we hope to build on this experience to test technology and accumulate expertise for future deep-space missions," Liu added.

The Tianwen-1 team began preparing for the observation in early September. After repeated simulations and feasibility assessments, they determined to use the high-resolution camera on the orbiter and designed optimal imaging strategies, ultimately achieving successful observation.

China's Tianwen-1 mission, consisting of an orbiter, a lander and a rover, was launched in July 2020. The probe entered Mars' orbit in February 2021 and has been operating stably for roughly four years and eight months.

China was the first country to successfully send an orbiter, lander, and rover to Mars on its first attempt. China is only the second country after the United States to successfully land and operate a spacecraft on Mars. 

Video Credit: CCTV
Duration: 1 minute, 33 seconds
Release Date: Nov. 6, 2025

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Planet #Mars #RedPlanet #InterstellarObjects #InterstellarComet3IATLAS #Astrophysics #Astrobiology #Astrogeology #Tianwen1 #天问一号 #Tianwen1Orbiter #Tianwen1Spacecraft #CNSA #China #中国 #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Rocket Lab Electron Liftoff: Japan's iQPS Earth Observation Satellite QPS-SAR-14

Rocket Lab Electron Liftoff: Japan's iQPS Earth Observation Satellite QPS-SAR-14

Rocket Lab Corporation successfully launched its 74th Electron mission from its launch complex in New Zealand and deployed the latest satellite to orbit for the Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space, Inc. (iQPS) on November 5, 2025. The mission was Rocket Lab’s sixth dedicated mission for iQPS, making Rocket Lab the most prolific launcher of their Earth-imaging constellation to date.

‘The Nation God Navigates’ mission lifted off from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand at 19:51 UTC on November 5th to deploy a single synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging satellite named QPS-SAR-14 (nicknamed YACHIHOKO-I for the Japanese god of nation-building) to a 575km circular Earth orbit. Electron will launch six more dedicated iQPS missions following the recent signing of an additional multi-launch agreement to build out their constellation in low Earth orbit.

Rocket Lab founder and CEO, Sir Peter Beck, says: "Success in the space industry boils down to precision and repeatability. This latest mission for iQPS once again demonstrates the pinpoint accuracy our customers depend on to grow their constellations, and we’re grateful to the iQPS team for trusting us with their launch needs. With six seamless deployments for iQPS in the books, Electron is ready for the next six.”

iQPS CEO, Dr. Shunsuke Onishi, says: “We are pleased to announce the successful deployment of QPS-SAR-14 ‘YACHIHOKO-I’, marking our fifth successful launch this year. This milestone reflects the steady advancement of our technology and the growth of our team. We sincerely thank the Electron team and all our members for their outstanding work. With this success, we move closer to realizing our vision of near real-time Earth observation and delivering greater value to society.”

‘The Nation God Navigates’ was Electron’s 74th launch to date and 16th this year, meeting Rocket Lab’s current record high of yearly launches, which was 16 in 2024. With more Electron missions scheduled throughout the remainder of 2025, Rocket Lab is on track for another record-breaking year of launches, all while the Company prepares for the debut launch of its medium-lift reusable rocket, Neutron.

Rocket Lab:
https://www.rocketlabusa.com

Q-shu Pioneers of Space, Inc. (iQPS)
https://i-qps.net/en/

Credit: Rocket Lab

Duration: 21 seconds
Date: Nov. 5, 2025

#NASA #Space #Aerospace #Earth #Satellites #EarthObservation #RemoteSensing #SAR #LEO #iQPS #QPSSAR #QPSSAR14 #Japan #日本 #RocketLab #ElectronRocket #RocketLaunch #MahiaPeninsula #NewZealand #CommercialSpace #PeterBeck #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Rocket Lab Electron Launch of Japan's iQPS Earth Observation Satellite QPS-SAR-14

Rocket Lab Electron Launch of Japan's iQPS Earth Observation Satellite QPS-SAR-14

Rocket Lab Corporation successfully launched its 74th Electron mission from its launch complex in New Zealand and deployed the latest satellite to orbit for the Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space, Inc. (iQPS) on November 5, 2025. The mission was Rocket Lab’s sixth dedicated mission for iQPS, making Rocket Lab the most prolific launcher of their Earth-imaging constellation to date.

‘The Nation God Navigates’ mission lifted off from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand at 19:51 UTC on November 5th to deploy a single synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging satellite named QPS-SAR-14 (nicknamed YACHIHOKO-I for the Japanese god of nation-building) to a 575km circular Earth orbit. Electron will launch six more dedicated iQPS missions following the recent signing of an additional multi-launch agreement to build out their constellation in low Earth orbit.

Rocket Lab founder and CEO, Sir Peter Beck, says: "Success in the space industry boils down to precision and repeatability. This latest mission for iQPS once again demonstrates the pinpoint accuracy our customers depend on to grow their constellations, and we’re grateful to the iQPS team for trusting us with their launch needs. With six seamless deployments for iQPS in the books, Electron is ready for the next six.”

iQPS CEO, Dr. Shunsuke Onishi, says: “We are pleased to announce the successful deployment of QPS-SAR-14 ‘YACHIHOKO-I’, marking our fifth successful launch this year. This milestone reflects the steady advancement of our technology and the growth of our team. We sincerely thank the Electron team and all our members for their outstanding work. With this success, we move closer to realizing our vision of near real-time Earth observation and delivering greater value to society.”

‘The Nation God Navigates’ was Electron’s 74th launch to date and 16th this year, meeting Rocket Lab’s current record high of yearly launches, which was 16 in 2024. With more Electron missions scheduled throughout the remainder of 2025, Rocket Lab is on track for another record-breaking year of launches, all while the Company prepares for the debut launch of its medium-lift reusable rocket, Neutron.

Rocket Lab:
https://www.rocketlabusa.com

Q-shu Pioneers of Space, Inc. (iQPS)
https://i-qps.net/en/

Image Credit: Rocket Lab
Image Date: Nov. 5, 2025
Release Date: Nov. 6, 2025

#NASA #Space #Aerospace #Earth #Satellites #EarthObservation #RemoteSensing #SAR #LEO #iQPS #QPSSAR #QPSSAR14 #Japan #日本 #RocketLab #ElectronRocket #RocketLaunch #MahiaPeninsula #NewZealand #CommercialSpace #PeterBeck #STEM #Education

Perspectives on Spiral Galaxies: NGC 4302 (left) & NGC 4298 (right) | STScI

Perspectives on Spiral Galaxies: NGC 4302 (left) & NGC 4298 (right) | STScI

Spiral galaxies are pancake-shaped collections of billions of stars, along with vast clouds of gas and dust. This video illustrates how their observed shapes can differ greatly depending upon the angle at which they are observed. The spiral galaxies NGC 4302 (left) and NGC 4298 (right) are visualized in three dimensions and rotated to showcase how they might look if viewed from other perspectives. Each galaxy could be seen as a roughly circular face-on spiral, as a long, thin, edge-on spiral, or as any of the oblong shapes in between.

The galaxy models are based on observations by the Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes, as well as on the statistical properties of galaxies. Because NGC 4302 is seen nearly edge on, and its structure is not well-defined, its model was based upon observations of the spiral galaxy Messier 51.

NGC 4302 is an edge-on spiral galaxy located about 55 million light-years away in the constellation Coma Berenices. It was discovered by astronomer William Herschel on April 8, 1784 and is a member of the Virgo Cluster.

NGC 4298 is a flocculent spiral galaxy located about 53 million light-years away in the constellation Coma Berenices. The galaxy was discovered by astronomer William Herschel on April 8, 1784 and is a member of the Virgo Cluster.

Channel Credit: Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI)
Video Credit: NASA, ESA, F. Summers, J. DePasquale, Z. Levay, and G. Bacon (STScI)
Release Date: Nov. 5, 2025

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Hubble #Galaxies #NGC4302 #NGC4298 #SpiralGalaxies #ComaBerenices #Constellations #VirgoCluster #Universe #SpaceTelescopes #HubbleSpaceTelescope #HST #NASASpitzer #InfraredAstronomy #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education #3D #Visualization #HD #Video

Comet C/2025 A6 Lemmon & Messier 12 Star Cluster: View from New Mexico, USA

Comet C/2025 A6 Lemmon & Messier 12 Star Cluster: View from New Mexico, USA

Comet Lemmon is brightening and moving into morning northern skies. Besides Comet SWAN25B and Comet ATLAS, Comet C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) is now the third comet currently visible with binoculars and on long camera exposures. Comet Lemmon was discovered early this year and is still headed into the inner Solar System. The comet will round the Sun on November 8, 2025. It passed nearest to the Earth—about half of the Earth-Sun distance—on October 21.

Messier 12 or M12 (also designated NGC 6218) is a globular cluster in the constellation of Ophiuchus. It was discovered by the French astronomer Charles Messier on May 30, 1764, who described it as a "nebula without stars". In dark conditions this cluster can be faintly seen with a pair of binoculars

Distance from Earth: approximately 15,700 light-years

New Mexico is a state in the Southwestern region of the United States. It is one of the Mountain States of the southern Rocky Mountains, sharing the Four Corners region with Utah, Colorado, and Arizona. It also borders the state of Texas to the east and southeast, Oklahoma to the northeast, and shares an international border with the Mexican states of Chihuahua and Sonora to the south.

Image Credit: A. Hwang 
Image Details: RASA11, 4x60 sec exposures
Date: Nov. 3, 2025

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Comets #CometC2025A6Lemmon #Coma #CometaryTails #SolarSystem #Stars #StarsClusters #GlobularStarsClusters #M12 #NGC6218 #MilkyWayGalaxy #Universe #Astrophotography #AHwang #Astrophotographers #NewMexico #UnitedStates #USA #STEM #Education

The Final Countdown | NASA's ESCAPADE Mars Mission | Rocket Lab

The Final Countdown | NASA's ESCAPADE Mars Mission | Rocket Lab

🚀Rocket Lab's twin spacecraft for NASA and UC Berkeley's ESCAPADE mission are ready for launch! The ESCAPADE spacecraft are expected to begin their journey to Mars no earlier than November 9, 2025 from Cape Canaveral, Florida. Stay tuned, the launch is coming!

NASA's two ESCAPADE Mission spacecraft, manufactured by Rocket Lab, have been successfully encapsulated into their Blue Origin New Glenn 7-meter rocket fairing. 

Blue Origin's New Glenn Rocket:
https://www.blueorigin.com/new-glenn

ESCAPADE Spacecraft Contractor: Rocket Lab

https://rocketlabcorp.com/missions/escapade/

The NASA Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers (ESCAPADE) Mars Mission will study the planet's unique hybrid magnetosphere. ESCAPADE will investigate how the solar wind interacts with Mars’ magnetic environment and how this interaction drives the planet’s atmospheric escape. ESCAPADE is set to launch in Fall 2025 on Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket. It will take ESCAPADE about 11 months to arrive at Mars after leaving Earth orbit.

ESCAPADE is led by the UC Berkeley Space Sciences Laboratory, which is responsible for mission management, systems engineering, science leadership, navigation, operations, the electron & ion electrostatic analyzers, and science data processing and archiving.

Key partners are Rocket Lab USA (spacecraft), NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (magnetometers), Embry Riddle Aeronautical University (Langmuir probes), Advanced Space LLC (mission design), and Blue Origin (launch).

Learn more about the two identical spacecraft designed, built, integrated, and tested by Rocket Lab for the University of California Berkeley’s Space Science Laboratory and NASA's Mars Mission:

https://go.nasa.gov/4ng79L3

https://science.nasa.gov/mission/escapade
https://escapade.ssl.berkeley.edu

Video Credit: Rocket Lab
Duration: 3 minutes
Release Date: Nov. 5, 2025

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Stars #Sun #SpaceWeather #Planets #Mars #Magnetosphere #MartianAtmosphere #Radiation #Astronauts #ESCAPADEMission #ESCAPADESpacecraft #RocketLab #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #GSFC #SSL #UCBerkeley #ERAU #AdvancedSpace #BlueOrigin #NewGlenn #KSC #Florida #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Gibbous Moon Timelapse over Chilean Desert

Gibbous Moon Timelapse over Chilean Desert

A gorgeous gibbous Moon climbs into the sky from the ridge line of Cerro Pachón, the home of four NOIRLab-operated telescopes including NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory, jointly funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science (DOE/SC); Gemini South, one half of the International Gemini Observatory, supported in part by the NSF; and the SOAR Telescope of Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, a Program of NSF NOIRLab.

Petr Horálek, the photographer, is a NOIRLab Audiovisual Ambassador.

Credit: CTIO/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/P. Horálek (Institute of Physics in Opava)

Release Date: Oct. 29, 2025

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Earth #Moon #GibbousMoon #Sun #SolarSystem #Cosmos #Universe #CerroPachón #Chile #NOIRLab #NSF #DOE #AURA #UnitedStates #Astrophotographers #PetrHorálek #Astrophotography #STEM #Education

A Lunar Delight Deep in the Chilean Desert

A Lunar Delight Deep in the Chilean Desert | NOIRLab

A gorgeous gibbous Moon rests above a ridge line near Cerro Pachón, the home of four NOIRLab-operated telescopes including NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory, jointly funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science (DOE/SC); Gemini South, one half of the International Gemini Observatory, supported in part by NSF; and the SOAR Telescope of Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, a Program of NSF NOIRLab.

The particular beauty of the Moon and its features are visible in this delightful image. The dark splotches of ancient, basaltic flats known as maria splatter across our satellite. These features formed when basalt moved from the lunar interior to fill basins on the surface during a time of active volcanism on the Moon. On the left side of the Moon, as seen from this perspective, are the two famous maria: Mare Tranquillitatis (immediately above center left) and Mare Serenitatis (center left). These maria, respectively, were the landing sites for the first and last human visits to the Moon.

On the upper left-hand edge of the Moon, the slopes and edges of the Moon’s other distinct feature, craters, appear starkly against the dark blue sky. One of the most distinct lunar craters, the massive Tycho crater, is in the upper right quadrant of the Moon in this image, flipped almost 180 degrees compared to the view from the northern hemisphere. Craters on the Moon are younger than the maria, and Tycho crater is particularly young, as evident by its sharp appearance.

Petr Horálek, the photographer, is a NOIRLab Audiovisual Ambassador.

Credit: NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/P. Horálek (Institute of Physics in Opava)
Release Date: Oct. 29, 2025

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Supermoonset | International Space Station

Supermoonset | International Space Station

Expedition 73 flight engineer and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Kimiya Yui: "I took this photo while wondering if everyone in Japan also gazed at the supermoon. Whether you were able to gaze at it or not, please enjoy this video of the moon as seen from space!"

"It feels like a truly miraculous event that the beautiful Earth, with its water and atmosphere, is accompanied by the beautiful moon in addition."

The path the Moon takes as it orbits our planet is not quite a perfect circle. Sometimes the Moon is a little closer to Earth, and appears slightly larger, than average. Sometimes it's a little farther away, and appears slightly smaller.

A “supermoon” occurs when a full Moon coincides with the Moon’s closest approach to Earth in its elliptical orbit, a point known as perigee. During every 27-day orbit around Earth, the Moon reaches both its perigee, about 226,000 miles (363,300 km) from Earth, and its farthest point, or apogee, about 251,000 miles (405,500 km) from Earth.

Learn more about Supermoons:
https://science.nasa.gov/moon/supermoons/

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.

Video Credit: Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)/Kimiya Yui

Duration: 18 seconds
Release Date: Nov. 5, 2025

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Earth #ISS #Moon #Supermoon #Moonset #AstronautVideography #Astronauts #KimiyaYui #油井亀美也 #Japan #日本 #JAXA #宇宙航空研究開発機構 #UnitedStates #Cosmonauts #Russia #Roscosmos #HumanSpaceflight #SpaceLaboratory #InternationalCooperation #Expedition73 #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Haven Demo on Orbit: Extended High-Definition Mission Footage | Vast

Haven Demo on Orbit: Extended High-Definition Mission Footage | Vast

"Haven Demo, our Haven-1 space station technologies test bed is now on orbit and healthy. Watch footage from our onboard cameras . . . [there is] more to come."

With NASA and its international partners set to decommission the International Space Station (ISS) in 2030, the private American space firm, Vast, is racing to launch the first commercial space station that it hopes will ultimately replace the ISS. The company has now completed an important milestone in the production of its first space station.

It launched its pathfinder, Haven Demo, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 Bandwagon-4 mission on Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025, from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral in Florida. Vast is a space station company founded in 2021 by Jed McCaleb. 

The Haven Demo satellite has a mass of 515 kilograms and is expected to last for six months in orbit. With its solar array now deployed, the pathfinder will begin gathering crucial data for Vast's planned orbital station.

Haven Demo will "test radiation tolerant computers, power systems, software, sensors, reaction control systems, propulsion, radios, ground stations, and command and control to inform learnings for Haven-1, the world’s first commercial space station."

"Haven Demo achieved mission success after deploying from SpaceX’s Bandwagon-4 flight on Nov 2, 2025. Following nominal separation and stable sun-pointing, the spacecraft captured 4K video of its solar array deployment and is power-positive."

Vast’s first station, Haven-1, is due to launch no earlier than May 2026, also aboard a Falcon 9.

Haven-1 aims to help Vast beat other contenders for NASA Commercial LEO Destinations Phase 2 (CLD) funding. These companies include Axiom Space (Axiom Station) and Voyager Space/Airbus (Starlab), among others.

“Vast is moving forward at speed, building Haven-1 as the world’s first commercial space station. It is the stepping stone to kick off a larger, more capable multi-module space station and prove our technology, team, and facilities in space with crew,” said CEO Max Haot on X.

Vast’s Haven Demo will test out key capabilities, such as Reaction Control Systems (RCS), power systems, and propulsion, in preparation for Haven-1.

"Now is the time to meet NASA's call to transition its low-Earth orbit presence from the International Space Station (ISS) to a lower-cost commercial option. Vast is preparing to deliver for America and our international partners. We are working on the world's first, most affordable, commercial space station. Haven-1 will be Vast's first step toward a long-term commercial presence in orbit."

"Purpose-built for scientific research, in-space manufacturing, and extended human habitation, Haven-1 will ensure humanity’s continuous presence in space. Backed by a world-class team and built with speed, safety, and efficiency at its core, this marks the next era in human space exploration—not just reaching orbit, but staying there."

Vast Space's Haven-1 aims to be the "world's first commercial space station". "The era of commercial space stations begins with Haven-1, launching next year. Whether you are a sovereign nation, space agency, scientist, company, or private astronaut—the time is now. Join our mission and help pioneer the next giant leap in space exploration."

Learn more: https://www.vastspace.com/haven-1

Video Credit: Vast Space
Duration: 2 minutes, 31 seconds
Release Date: Nov. 4, 2025

#NASA #Space #Science #Earth #VastSpace #Haven1 #Satellites #HavenDemo #SpaceX #Falcon9Rocket #CommercialSpaceStations #CommercialSpace #SpaceTechnology #SpaceLaboratory #MicrogravityResearch #PrivateAstronauts #UnitedStates #SpaceAgencies #International #STEM #Education #UHD #HD #Video