Monday, March 30, 2026

Elliptical Galaxy NGC 7458 in Cetus | Subaru Telescope

Elliptical Galaxy NGC 7458 in Cetus | Subaru Telescope

NGC 7458 is a bright and well-defined elliptical galaxy located in the constellation Cetus. Elliptical galaxies are characterized by a strong concentration of light toward their centers that fades rapidly outward, and they lack the distinct structures seen in spiral galaxies. 

The overall reddish color of NGC 7458 indicates that it is composed predominantly of old stars. Elliptical galaxies in the present-day Universe are known to contain many very old stars, often more than 10 billion years old.

Distance from Earth: 240 million light-years

Learn more about Japan's Subaru Telescope: 
https://subarutelescope.org/en/


Image Credit: National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ)
Release Date: March 25, 2026

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Galaxies #NGC7458 #EllipticalGalaxies #CetusConstellation #Cosmos #Universe #SubaruTelescope #すばる望遠鏡 #NAOJ #国立天文台 #HyperSuprimeCam #HSC #Japan #日本 #MaunaKea #Hawaii #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Sunday, March 29, 2026

Over 5.6 million Names Join NASA's Artemis II Moon Mission

Over 5.6 million Names Join NASA's Artemis II Moon Mission

NASA's Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman: "Fist bump, Rise! 5,647,889 names with us on this journey around the Moon. Very emotional moment zipping up Rise, knowing we are bringing 5,647,889 names with us on this journey around the Moon. For all!

People from around the world submitted their names through the Send Your Name with Artemis campaign. 

These names were downloaded onto an SD card that is safely stored inside 'Rise,' the zero gravity indicator designed by 2nd grader Lucas Ye from California. Thanks for coming along, everyone!"

“Rise,” designed by Lucas Ye of Mountain View, California, is the zero gravity indicator that will fly with the crew around the Moon. "Rise” was inspired by the iconic Earthrise moment from the Apollo 8 Mission. The Apollo 8 Mission, launched on December 21, 1968, was a historic event that marked the first crewed spacecraft to leave Earth's gravitational sphere of influence and the first human spaceflight to reach the Moon.

Learn more about NASA's Apollo 8 Mission:

The design was selected from more than 2,600 submissions from over 50 countries, including K-12 students, that were part of a Moon Mascot contest.

Check the NASA Artemis II Mission page for updates:
https://www.nasa.gov/mission/artemis-ii/

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


Video Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center
Duration: 1 minute
Release Date: March 29, 2026


#NASA #Space #Science #Earth #Moon #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisII #OrionSpacecraft #SLS #CrewedMissions #Astronauts #ReidWiseman #VictorGlover #ChristinaKoch #JeremyHansen #DeepSpace #MoonToMars #HumanSpaceflight #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #NASAKennedy #KSC #MerrittIsland #Florida #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #History #HD #Video

NASA Artemis II Moon Mission Flight Trajectory & Crew Agenda

NASA Artemis II Moon Mission Flight Trajectory & Crew Agenda

NASA's Artemis II crew will be going around the Moon, but they will always be able to find their way back home. 🌎 During this complex journey, the four astronauts will travel ~685,000 miles on a trajectory around the Moon and back to Earth. About eight minutes after Artemis II lifts off, the Orion spacecraft and its crew, NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, will be in space. The approximately ten-day test flight will be packed with activity as the astronauts venture around the Moon and back, with teams checking out Orion’s systems along the way. While teams in mission control could refine the crew’s schedule each day based on operational activities during the test flight, ground teams and the crew have a general plan for each day of the mission.

Here is their full daily agenda: https://go.nasa.gov/4bw1ddt

Check the NASA Artemis II Mission page for updates:


Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center
Duration: 32 seconds
Date: March 25, 2026


#NASA #Space #Science #Earth #Moon #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisII #OrionSpacecraft #SLS #CrewedMissions #Astronauts #ReidWiseman #VictorGlover #ChristinaKoch #JeremyHansen #DeepSpace #MoonToMars #HumanSpaceflight #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #NASAKennedy #KSC #MerrittIsland #Florida #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

NGC 4707 in Canes Venatici: Spiral Galaxy Type Sm | Hubble

NGC 4707 in Canes Venatici: Spiral Galaxy Type Sm | Hubble


On a clear evening in April 1789, the renowned astronomer William Herschel continued his unrelenting survey of the night sky, hunting for new cosmic objects—and found cause to celebrate! Lengthening his impressive list of cosmic discoveries yet again, the astronomer spotted this bright spiral galaxy, named NGC 4707, lurking in the constellation of Canes Venatici (the Hunting Dogs). NGC 4707 lies roughly 22 million light-years from Earth.

Over two centuries later, the Hubble Space Telescope is able to view the same galaxy in far greater detail than Herschel could, allowing us to appreciate the intricacies and characteristics of NGC 4707 as never before. This striking image comprises observations from Hubble’s Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS), one of a handful of high-resolution instruments currently aboard the space telescope.

Herschel himself reportedly described NGC 4707 as a “small, stellar” galaxy; while it is classified as a spiral (type Sm), its overall shape, center, and spiral arms are very loose and undefined, and its central bulge is either very small or non-existent. It instead appears as a rough sprinkling of stars and bright flashes of blue on a dark canvas.

Magellanic spiral galaxies, classified as type Sm, are typically dwarf galaxies with a single spiral arm, named after their prototype, the Large Magellanic Cloud. They are considered intermediate between dwarf spiral galaxies and irregular galaxies. Sm galaxies are often disrupted and asymmetric, and they can be further categorized into types Sm, SAm, SBm, and SABm, depending on their structure and characteristics.

The blue smudges seen across the frame highlight regions of recent or ongoing star formation with newborn stars glowing in bright, intense shades of cyan and turquoise.


Image Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA
Release Date: Dec. 19, 2016


#NASA #ESA #Hubble #Astronomy #Space #Science #Galaxies #NGC4707 #SpiralGalaxies #MagellanicSpiralGalaxies #CanesVenaticiConstellation #Cosmos #Universe #HST #HubbleSpaceTelescope #ACS #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education

Aurora Borealis over Sweden | Earth Science

Aurora Borealis over Sweden | Earth Science



Astrophotographer P-M Hedén: "Beautiful! This sight is not so common from my home town, zenith Aurora!"

Also known as the northern lights (aurora borealis) or southern lights (aurora australis), auroras are colorful, dynamic, and often visually delicate displays of an intricate dance of particles and magnetism between the Sun and Earth called space weather. When energetic particles from space collide with atoms and molecules in the atmosphere, they can cause the colorful glow that we call auroras.

Learn more about auroras: 
https://science.nasa.gov/sun/auroras/

The Colors of the Aurora (U.S. National Park Service)

Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east.

Image Credit: P-M Hedén
Location: Vallentuna, Sweden 
P-M Hedén's website: https://www.nattbilder.se
Date: March 20, 2026

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Planets #Earth #Aurora #AuroraBorealis #NorthernLights #MagneticField #Magnetosphere #SolarWind #Sun #Star #Photography #PMHedén #Photographer #CitizenScience #Vallentuna #Sweden #Sverige #STEM #Education

NASA Artemis II Moon Mission Rocket Preflight | Kennedy Space Center

NASA Artemis II Moon Mission Rocket Preflight | Kennedy Space Center








NASA’s Artemis II Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft are seen atop a mobile launcher at Launch Complex 39B, Sunday, March 29, 2026, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA’s Artemis II test flight will take Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch from NASA, and Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen from the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), around the Moon and back to Earth with launch opportunities beginning in April 2026.

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

Check the NASA Artemis II Mission page for updates:


Image Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls
Date: March 29, 2026


#NASA #Space #Science #Earth #Moon #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisII #OrionSpacecraft #SLS #CrewedMissions #Astronauts #ReidWiseman #VictorGlover #ChristinaKoch #JeremyHansen #DeepSpace #MoonToMars #HumanSpaceflight #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #NASAKennedy #KSC #MerrittIsland #Florida #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Extreme Collision of Neutron Stars Found in Unexpected Site | NASA Chandra

Extreme Collision of Neutron Stars Found in Unexpected Site | NASA Chandra

Astronomers have spotted the merger between two neutron stars in a very odd place. This extreme collision was found in a tiny galaxy embedded in a stream of gas. Scientists needed NASA’s Chandra, Fermi, Swift, and Hubble observatories to make this discovery. This result may help answer two mysteries about stars and intergalactic space.

A neutron star is the gravitationally collapsed core of a massive supergiant star. It results from the supernova explosion of a massive star—combined with gravitational collapse—that compresses the core past white dwarf star density to that of atomic nuclei. Surpassed only by black holes, neutron stars are the second smallest and densest known class of stellar objects.


Credits: NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory
X-ray: NASA/CXC/Penn State Univ./S. Dichiara; Infrared: NASA/ESA/STScI
Duration: 4 minutes
Release Date: March 10, 2026

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Stars #NeutronStars #StellarCollisions #Cosmos #Universe #NASAChandra #XrayAstronomy #CXC #HubbleSpaceTelescope #HST #InfraredAstronomy #ESA #Europe #STScI #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #Art #Illustration #HD #Video

Shenzhou-21 Crew Advances Space Experiments & Other Tasks | China Space Station

Shenzhou-21 Crew Advances Experiments & Other Tasks | China Space Station

China's Shenzhou-21 astronauts have steadily advanced a series of in-orbit scientific experiments, emergency drills, facility maintenance, and health protection tasks in the week following their successful second spacewalk on March 16, 2026, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) announced.

The crew members, made up of mission commander Zhang Lu and astronauts Wu Fei and Zhang Hongzhang, are approaching the landmark 150 days in orbit, with all three in good physical condition and all scheduled missions proceeding smoothly.

In the field of space medicine, the crew members have completed saliva sample collection for a key pharmacokinetics research project. The data acquired and accumulated through the work will be used to investigate the effects of long-duration spaceflight on the human body.

For microgravity physical science experiments, the astronauts have completed a series of facility maintenance and operation tasks as planned. These included replacing the sampling cover on the experimental plug-in inside the combustion science experiment rack, cleaning samples in the cavity of the container-free experiment cabinet and performing electrode maintenance on the cabinet's axis mechanism.

In addition to scientific experiments, the crew members have conducted a full-system pressure emergency drill as scheduled. The exercise simulated the full emergency response process for an internal depressurization scenario aboard the space station, aiming to consolidate and further improve the crew's emergency response capabilities and ground-space coordination skills.

For the daily upkeep of the space station, they have carried out simultaneous environmental monitoring and equipment inspection and maintenance work. They used specialized instruments to complete air cleanliness tests and acoustic environment monitoring inside the cabin, and conducted routine checks and maintenance on the water dispenser and regenerative environmental control and life support systems. The astronauts also regularly sorted onboard supplies and disposed of waste to maintain a clean and orderly living and working environment.

To safeguard their in-orbit health, the crew members have carried out several medical examinations, including abdominal, cardiac and muscular ultrasound scans, bone density measurements, maximum isometric muscle strength tests, and hearing assessments. They also remained committed to daily physical exercises, utilizing equipment such as the "space treadmill" to counteract the physiological effects of microgravity.

As the crew members are approaching the 150-day on-orbit milestone, they are set to carry out a series of follow-up scientific experiments and operational tasks aboard the Tiangong space station.

Shenzhou-21 Crew
Zhang Lu (张陆) - Commander & Pilot - 2nd spaceflight
Wu Fei (武飞)  Flight Engineer - 1st spaceflight
Zhang Hong Zhang (张洪章) - Payload Specialist - 1st spaceflight


Video Credit: CCTV
Duration: 1 minute, 37 seconds
Release Date: March 29, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #China #中国 #Shenzhou21Mission #神舟二十一号 #Shenzhou21 #Taikonauts #Astronauts #ZhangLu #WuFei #ZhangHongzhang #ChinaSpaceStation #中国空间站 #TiangongSpaceStation #MicrogravityExperiments #SpaceLaboratory #CNSA #国家航天局 #HumanSpaceflight #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Starburst Galaxy MCG+07-33-027 in Hercules: A Lonely Birthplace | Hubble

Starburst Galaxy MCG+07-33-027 in Hercules: A Lonely Birthplace | Hubble

This image was taken by the NASA/European Space Agency Hubble Space Telescope’s Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS), and shows a starburst galaxy named MCG+07-33-027. This galaxy lies around 300 million light-years away from us, and is currently experiencing an extraordinarily high rate of star formation—a starburst. Normal galaxies produce only a couple of new stars per year, but starburst galaxies can produce a hundred times more than that. As MCG+07-33-027 is seen face-on, the galaxy’s spiral arms and the bright star-forming regions within them are clearly visible and easy for astronomers to study.

In order to form newborn stars, the parent galaxy has to hold a large reservoir of gas. This is slowly depleted to spawn stars over time. For galaxies in a state of starburst, this intense period of star formation has to be triggered—often this happens due to a collision with another galaxy. MCG+07-33-027, however, is special. While many galaxies are located within a large cluster of galaxies, MCG+07-33-027 is a field galaxy. This means it is rather isolated. Thus, the triggering of the starburst was most likely not due to a collision with a neighboring or passing galaxy and astronomers are still speculating about the cause.


Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA and N. Grogin (STScI)
Release Date: July 11, 2016


#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Galaxies #MCG0733027 #StarburstGalaxies #SpiralGalaxies #FieldGalaxies #HerculesConstellation #Cosmos #Universe #HubbleSpaceTelescope #HST #ACS #Europe #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Northern Lights over Finland

Northern Lights over Finland



Also known as the northern lights (aurora borealis) or southern lights (aurora australis), auroras are colorful, dynamic, and often visually delicate displays of an intricate dance of particles and magnetism between the Sun and Earth called space weather. When energetic particles from space collide with atoms and molecules in the atmosphere, they can cause the colorful glow that we call auroras.

Learn more about auroras: 
https://science.nasa.gov/sun/auroras/

Finland is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It borders Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bothnia to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the south, opposite Estonia.

Image Credit: Mikko Peussa
Location: Nousiainen, Finland
Release Date: March 23, 2026 

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Stars #SolarSystem #Sun #Planets #Earth #Aurora #AuroraBorealis #NorthernLights #Astrophotography #MikkoPeussa #Astrophotographers #Nousiainen #Finland #Suomi #STEM #Education

Saturday, March 28, 2026

NASA Artemis II Moon Mission Crew Travels to Kennedy Space Center

NASA Artemis II Moon Mission Crew Travels to Kennedy Space Center

Artemis II primary and backup crew members, from left to right: Andre Douglas (NASA backup); Victor Glover, Artemis II pilot; Christina Koch, Artemis II mission specialist; Dr. Jenni Gibbons (Canadian Space Agency backup), Reid Wiseman, Artemis II commander; and Jeremy Hansen, Artemis II mission specialist
Artemis II crew T38 jet aircraft in flight traveling from Houston, Texas, to Merritt Island, Florida. The Artemis II 'zero' gravity indicator “Rise” was having a "main character moment" as the Artemis II astronauts flew to NASA's Kennedy Space Center to prepare for launch.




NASA Artemis II pilot Victor Glover
NASA Artemis II mission specialist Jeremy Hansen of the Canadian Space Agency (CSA)

The Artemis II crew, consisting of Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, Artemis II mission specialist; NASA astronaut Christina Koch, Artemis II mission specialist; NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman, Artemis II commander; and NASA astronaut Victor Glover, Artemis II pilot, arriving on T38 jet aircraft     The Artemis II Mission will launch the crew on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back no earlier than April 1. 

While work continues to prepare the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, Orion spacecraft, and ground systems for launch, the crew—NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen will review their launch day timeline and mission activities, participate in medical checkouts, and spend time with family.

Check the NASA Artemis II Mission page for updates:


Image Credits: NASA/John Kraus/Brandon Hancock/Kim Shiflett
Date: March 27, 2026


#NASA #Space #Science #Earth #Moon #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisII #OrionSpacecraft #SLS #CrewedMissions #Astronauts #ReidWiseman #VictorGlover #ChristinaKoch #JeremyHansen #DeepSpace #MoonToMars #HumanSpaceflight #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #NASAKennedy #MerrittIsland #Florida #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

To Protect Artemis II Moon Mission Crew, NASA Experts Keep Eyes on The Sun

To Protect Artemis II Moon Mission Crew, NASA Experts Keep Eyes on The Sun

As four astronauts travel around the Moon on NASA’s Artemis II Mission, they will venture beyond Earth's protective magnetic field. The crew’s spacecraft, Orion, will carry and protect them as they journey into deep space. It serves as the main protection against the Sun’s intense power. During their ten-day flight, NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will continuously monitor the Sun around the clock and translate space weather conditions into real-time decisions to protect the astronauts.

NASA’s Artemis II flight test will take Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch from NASA, and Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen from the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), around the Moon and back to Earth.

The Artemis II mission will launch no earlier than April 1. 

Image Description: The Sun is against a black background. The Sun is colorized primarily in blue, with brighter purple areas scattered across the star showing higher activity areas. Toward the upper center of the star, there is a bright flash in white and red that looks like an X. This is a solar flare.

Check the NASA Artemis II Mission page for updates:


Credit: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Release Date: March 17, 2026


#NASA #NOAA #Space #Science #Sun #SpaceWeather #SolarRadiation #Earth #Moon #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisII #OrionSpacecraft #SLS #CrewedMissions #Astronauts #ReidWiseman #VictorGlover #ChristinaKoch #JeremyHansen #DeepSpace #MoonToMars #HumanSpaceflight #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #CSA #Canada #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Aurora Australis over New Zealand

Aurora Australis over New Zealand




Astrophotographer Taichi Nakamura: "We had a beautiful display last night starting after twilight, while the sun was still casting light on the upper part of the aurora, changing its color, and gently shifting into the dark moonless night."

Also known as the northern lights (aurora borealis) or southern lights (aurora australis), auroras are colorful, dynamic, and often visually delicate displays of an intricate dance of particles and magnetism between the Sun and Earth called space weather. When energetic particles from space collide with atoms and molecules in the atmosphere, they can cause the colorful glow that we call auroras.

Learn more about auroras: 
https://science.nasa.gov/sun/auroras/

New Zealand is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island (Te Ika-a-Māui) and the South Island (Te Waipounamu)—and over 600 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island country by area and lies east of Australia across the Tasman Sea and south of the islands of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga.


Image Credit: Taichi Nakamura
Location: Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, South Island, New Zealand
Image Details: Canon 6D astromod 20mm f1.4 8sec ISO3200
Release Date: March 21, 2026


#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Sun #SolarSystem #Planets #Earth #Aurora #AuroraAustralis #SouthernLights #LMC #SMC #Stars #Astrophotography #TaichiNakamura #Astrophotographer #AorakiMountCookNationalPark #SouthIsland #NewZealand #STEM #Education

NASA Artemis II Moon Mission Crew Arrives at Kennedy Space Center

NASA Artemis II Moon Mission Crew Arrives at Kennedy Space Center

The Artemis II crew of Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, Artemis II mission specialist; NASA astronaut Christina Koch, Artemis II mission specialist; NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman, Artemis II commander; and NASA astronaut Victor Glover, Artemis II pilot, pose for a photograph.
From left to right, Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman, Mission Specialist Christina Koch, Pilot Victor Glover, from NASA, and Jeremy Hansen from the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), arrive on Friday, March 27, 2026, at the Launch and Landing Facility at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida in preparation for the Artemis II test flight.



NASA Artemis II Mission Specialist Christina Koch
NASA Artemis II Pilot Victor Glover
NASA Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman 
NASA Artemis II Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen of the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), holding up the crew's 'zero' gravity indicator named "Rise"

The Artemis II crew, consisting of Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, Artemis II mission specialist; NASA astronaut Christina Koch, Artemis II mission specialist; NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman, Artemis II commander; and NASA astronaut Victor Glover, Artemis II pilot, pose for photographs, Friday, March 27, 2026, after arriving on T38 jet aircraft at the Launch and Landing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Artemis II mission will launch the crew on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back no earlier than April 1. 

The crew members took turns speaking to the crowd as they also announced the zero-gravity indicator they would be taking with them on their journey. “Rise,” designed by Lucas Ye of Mountain View, California, is the zero gravity indicator that will fly with the crew around the Moon. “Rise” was inspired by the iconic Earthrise moment from the Apollo 8 Mission. A zero gravity indicator is a small plush item that typically rides with a crew to visually indicate when they are in space. 

While work continues to prepare the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, Orion spacecraft, and ground systems for launch, the crew—NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen will review their launch day timeline and mission activities, participate in medical checkouts, and spend time with family.

Check the NASA Artemis II Mission page for updates:


Image Credit: NASA/John Kraus
Date: March 27, 2026


#NASA #Space #Science #Earth #Moon #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisII #OrionSpacecraft #SLS #CrewedMissions #Astronauts #ReidWiseman #VictorGlover #ChristinaKoch #JeremyHansen #DeepSpace #MoonToMars #HumanSpaceflight #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #NASAKennedy #MerrittIsland #Florida #UnitedStates #History #STEM #Education

China's Commercial Space Sector on the Rise

China's Commercial Space Sector on the Rise

China has unveiled its strategic roadmap for economic and social development during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030). The blueprint highlights the country's commitment to modernization, high-quality production, green technology and improving people's well-being. In this episode of the special series, "2026–2030: The Journey Ahead," we look at the boost China's commercial space sector is receiving.


Video Credit: CGTN
Duration: 5 minutes, 43 seconds
Release Date: March 27, 2026

#NASA #Space #Satellites #SatelliteConstellations #Earth #China #中国 #CNSA #CASSpace #GalacticEnergy #Rockets #ReusableRockets #RocketLaunches #LaunchVehicles #LiquidFuelRockets #SolidFuelRockets #HeavyLiftRockets #SpaceTechnology #SpaceEngineering #CommercialSpace #STEM #Education #HD #Video

2026 Michael Collins Trophy Awarded to NASA's Boeing Starliner Test Flight Crew

2026 Michael Collins Trophy Awarded to NASA's Boeing Starliner Test Flight Crew

The winners of the National Air and Space Museum’s 2026 Michael Collins Trophy for current achievement is the Boeing Starliner Flight Test crew.

Astronauts Sunita “Suni” Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore’s extensive spaceflight experience prepared them to not just adapt but excel with personal strength, grace, and competence when their eight-day mission turned into one that lasted more than nine months.



National Air and Space Museum (NASM) Press Release

In 2014, NASA awarded a Commercial Crew Transportation Capability contract to Boeing to fly astronauts to and from the International Space Station with its Starliner spacecraft. Certification of Boeing’s Starliner remains important to NASA’s goal of sustained human presence in low Earth orbit and dissimilar redundancy is essential to supporting the agency’s goals and international obligations.

Through the Commercial Crew Program (CCP), NASA is working with business partners to build rockets and spacecraft. The Commercial Crew Program has made it possible for astronauts to launch to space from the United States once again.

Learn more about NASA’s Commercial Crew Program at: 

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. The ISS has been the most politically complex space exploration program ever undertaken.

The National Air and Space Museum (NASM) of the Smithsonian Institution is a museum in Washington, D.C., United States, dedicated to human flight and space exploration.


Video Credit: Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
Duration: 5 minutes
Release Date: March 28, 2026


#NASA #Space #Science #ISS #Earth #Boeing #Starliner #CST100 #CrewSpacecraft #CrewFlightTests #CommercialSpace #Astronauts #SuniWilliams #ButchWilmore #SpaceLaboratory #HumanSpaceflight #Expedition71 #InternationalCooperation #CommercialCrewProgram #NASAJohnson #JSC #NASM #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video