Moon Science: Tycho Crater's Central Peak | NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter

Moon Science: Tycho Crater's Central Peak | NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter

[No audio] On June 10, 2011 the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft slewed 65° to the west, allowing the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) Narrow Angle Cameras (NACs) to capture this dramatic sunrise view of Tycho Crater in low-sun lighting and long shadows. A very popular target with amateur astronomers, Tycho is located at 43.37°S, 348.68°E, and is ~82 km (51 miles) in diameter. The summit of the central peak is 2 km (6562 ft) above the crater floor, and the crater floor is about 4700 m (15,420 ft) below the rim.

Tycho is a prominent lunar impact crater located in the southern lunar highlands of the Moon's near side, named after the Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe (1546–1601). It is estimated to be 108 million years old.  It is one of the Moon's brightest craters with a diameter of 85 km (53 mi) and a depth of 4,700 m (15,400 ft).

Tycho's features are so steep and sharp because the crater is young by lunar standards. Over time, micrometeorites, and not so micro meteorites, will grind and erode these steep slopes into smooth mountains.

These images were captured by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft (2009-2026).

LRO has made a 3-D map of the Moon's surface at 100-meter resolution and 98.2% coverage (excluding polar areas in deep shadow), including 0.5-meter resolution images of Apollo landing sites.

LRO has been studying the Moon from up close since 2009, making it the longest-lived lunar orbiting mission ever. The orbiter has mapped the Moon’s surface and measured its temperature, composition, and radiation environment in unprecedented detail. Data from LRO enables NASA, and our international and commercial partners, to select locations on the lunar surface where spacecraft and astronauts can safely land. The orbiter is also helping NASA identify areas near the Moon’s South Pole with crucial resources like water and extended sunlight that provides power for equipment and supports exploration activities.

Learn more about LRO:
https://science.nasa.gov/mission/lro/

Video Credit: NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University

Duration: 1 minute

Text Credit: Mark Robinson 
Date: June 29, 2011

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Earth #Moon #Geology #Geoscience #Volcanism #ImpactCraters #TychoCrater #LunarBoulders #LunarCraterCentralPeaks #LRO #LunarOrbiter #LROC #NAC #WAC #SpaceRobotics #SpaceTechnology #NASAGoddard #GSFC #ASU #UnitedStates #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Moon Science: Tycho Crater's Central Peak | NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter

Moon Science: Tycho Crater's Central Peak | NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter

Oblique view of summit area of Tycho Crater central peak. The boulder in the background is 120 meters wide, and the image is about 1200 meters wide.

Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) oblique view of Tycho Crater, highlights the summit area of this image. The central peak complex is about 15 km wide southeast to northwest (left to right in this view).

Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) Wide Angle Camera (WAC) mosaic of Tycho Crater with lighting similar to that when the Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) oblique image was taken. Mosaic is 130 km wide, north is up.

Vertical view of Tycho central peak summit showing same 120 m wide boulder

Topographic model of Tycho Crater derived from Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) Wide Angle Camera (WAC) stereo images, same area as shown in Wide Angle Camera (WAC) mosaic above

On June 10, 2011 the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft slewed 65° to the west, allowing the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) Narrow Angle Cameras (NACs) to capture this dramatic sunrise view of Tycho Crater in low-sun lighting and long shadows. A very popular target with amateur astronomers, Tycho is located at 43.37°S, 348.68°E, and is ~82 km (51 miles) in diameter. The summit of the central peak is 2 km (6562 ft) above the crater floor, and the crater floor is about 4700 m (15,420 ft) below the rim. Many "clasts" ranging in size from 10 meters to 100s of meters are exposed in the central peak slopes. Were these distinctive outcrops formed as a result of crushing and deformation of the target rock as the peak grew? Or do they represent preexisting rock layers that were brought intact to the surface? Imagine future geologists carefully making their way across these steep slopes, sampling a mixture of rocks brought up from depth.

Tycho is a prominent lunar impact crater located in the southern lunar highlands of the Moon's near side, named after the Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe (1546–1601). It is estimated to be 108 million years old.  It is one of the Moon's brightest craters, with a diameter of 85 km (53 mi) and a depth of 4,700 m (15,400 ft).

Tycho's features are so steep and sharp because the crater is young by lunar standards. Over time, micrometeorites, and not so micro meteorites, will grind and erode these steep slopes into smooth mountains.

Another NAC pair acquired on May 27, 2010, gives an excellent straight down view of the summit, including the large boulder featured. Also note the fractured impact melt deposit that surrounds the boulder. And the smooth area on top of the boulder, is that also frozen impact melt? These LROC images clearly show that the central peak formed very quickly. The peak was there when impact melt that was thrown straight up during the impact came back down. Or did the melt get there by a different mechanism? The fractures probably formed over time as the steep walls of the central peak slowly eroded and slipped downhill. Eventually the peak will erode back such that the big boulder will meet its demise as it slides 2000 meters to the crater floor.

These images were captured by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft (2009-2026).

LRO has made a 3-D map of the Moon's surface at 100-meter resolution and 98.2% coverage (excluding polar areas in deep shadow), including 0.5-meter resolution images of Apollo landing sites.

LRO has been studying the Moon from up close since 2009, making it the longest-lived lunar orbiting mission ever. The orbiter has mapped the Moon’s surface and measured its temperature, composition, and radiation environment in unprecedented detail. Data from LRO enables NASA, and our international and commercial partners, to select locations on the lunar surface where spacecraft and astronauts can safely land. The orbiter is also helping NASA identify areas near the Moon’s South Pole with crucial resources like water and extended sunlight that provides power for equipment and supports exploration activities.

Learn more about LRO:
https://science.nasa.gov/mission/lro/

Image Credit: NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University

Text Credit: Mark Robinson 
Date: June 29, 2011

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Earth #Moon #Geology #Geoscience #Volcanism #ImpactCraters #TychoCrater #LunarBoulders #LunarCraterCentralPeaks #LRO #LunarOrbiter #LROC #NAC #WAC #SpaceRobotics #SpaceTechnology #NASAGoddard #GSFC #ASU #UnitedStates #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #STEM #Education

Moon Science: Tsiolkovskiy Crater's Peak | NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter

Moon Science: Tsiolkovskiy Crater's Peak | NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter

A Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) oblique image of the central peak of Tsiolkovskiy Crater. The image is approximately 25 km in diameter, and the central peak rises ~3400 m above the crater floor. North points left.

On the left, Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) Wide Angle Camera (WAC) monochrome mosaic centered at 120 degrees East longitude. On the right, LROC WAC context image of Tsiolkovskiy crater.

This image is a Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) oblique view looking East at the central peak of Tsiolkovskiy Crater. This large impact crater, with a diameter of 185 km, is located on the farside at 20.38°S latitude and 128.97°E longitude. It is classified as a complex crater because of its terraced walls, scalloped rim, and central peak that rises over 3400 meters (11,150 ft) from the crater floor. Named for Russian scientist Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, Tsiolkovskiy Crater lies in the southern hemisphere, to the west of the large crater Gagarin, and northwest of Milne. Just to the south is Waterman, with Neujmin to the south-southwest.

Central peaks of craters form in a matter of seconds from very energetic impact events. The tremendous pressure imparted from the impactor on to the target rock causes it to behave like a plastic for a few brief seconds. An imperfect analogy is a water droplet splashing into water, at first which produces a central jet, the fluid-like behavior of rock after the impact causes it to rebound upwards. Another factor assisting in the uplift of a central peak is the gravitational collapse of the crater walls which pushes material in the center upwards.

The floor of Tsiolkovskiy crater is partially flooded by mare basalt. This is the low reflectance smooth material seen here. The mare basalt on the floor of Tsiolkovskiy crater formed from basaltic lava that erupted after the crater formed and pooled. Mare basalts are predominantly seen on the lunar nearside. They make up the dark plains we are familiar with when we look at the Moon. This uneven distribution of mare basalts is thought to be due to variations between the crustal thickness on the nearside and farside. The nearside crust is thinner, allowing easier access for basalt to flow up to the surface, whereas the thicker crust on the farside makes it so that only large impacts, like the one that formed Tsiolkovskiy crater, have enough energy to excavate deep enough into the crust to allow the release of basaltic lava.

These images were captured by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft (2009-2026).

LRO has made a 3-D map of the Moon's surface at 100-meter resolution and 98.2% coverage (excluding polar areas in deep shadow), including 0.5-meter resolution images of Apollo landing sites.

LRO has been studying the Moon from up close since 2009, making it the longest-lived lunar orbiting mission ever. The orbiter has mapped the Moon’s surface and measured its temperature, composition, and radiation environment in unprecedented detail. Data from LRO enables NASA, and our international and commercial partners, to select locations on the lunar surface where spacecraft and astronauts can safely land. The orbiter is also helping NASA identify areas near the Moon’s South Pole with crucial resources like water and extended sunlight that provides power for equipment and supports exploration activities.

Learn more about LRO:
https://science.nasa.gov/mission/lro/

Image Credit: NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University

Text Credit: Raquel Nuno
Date: Nov. 19, 2013

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Earth #Moon #Geology #Geoscience #Volcanism #ImpactCraters #TsiolkovskiyCrater #LRO #LunarOrbiter #LROC #NAC #WAC #SpaceRobotics #SpaceTechnology #NASAGoddard #GSFC #ASU #UnitedStates #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #STEM #Education

Counting Craters on The Moon | NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (2009-2026)

Counting Craters on The Moon | NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (2009-2026)

Using the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter's Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA), NASA scientists have created the first-ever comprehensive catalog of large craters on the moon. In this animation, lunar craters larger than 20km in diameter "light up" using LOLA elevation data. Craters light up in an east to west (Tranquillitatis toward Orientale) sweep around the Moon. 

These visualizations were created from data gathered by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft (2009-2026).

LRO has made a 3-D map of the Moon's surface at 100-meter resolution and 98.2% coverage (excluding polar areas in deep shadow), including 0.5-meter resolution images of Apollo landing sites.

LRO has been studying the Moon from up close since 2009, making it the longest-lived lunar orbiting mission ever. The orbiter has mapped the Moon’s surface and measured its temperature, composition, and radiation environment in unprecedented detail. Data from LRO enables NASA, and our international and commercial partners, to select locations on the lunar surface where spacecraft and astronauts can safely land. The orbiter is also helping NASA identify areas near the Moon’s South Pole with crucial resources like water and extended sunlight that provides power for equipment and supports exploration activities.

Learn more about LRO:
https://science.nasa.gov/mission/lro/

Video Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
Duration: 52 seconds
Release Date: Sept. 16, 2010

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Earth #Moon #Geology #Geoscience #Volcanism #ImpactCraters #OrientaleBasin #LRO #LunarOrbiter #LROC #NAC #WAC #SpaceRobotics #SpaceTechnology #GSFC #UnitedStates #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Full View of Moon's Orientale Basin: Far Side | NASA Artemis II Mission

Full View of Moon's Orientale Basin: Far Side | NASA Artemis II Mission

In this fully illuminated view of the Moon, the near side (the hemisphere we see from Earth), is visible on the right. It is identifiable by the dark splotches that cover its surface. These are ancient lava flows from a time early in the Moon’s history when it was volcanically active. The large crater west of the lava flows is Orientale basin, a nearly 600-mile-wide crater that straddles the Moon’s near and far sides. Orientale's left half is not visible from Earth, but in this image we have a full view of the crater. Everything to the left of the crater is the far side, the hemisphere we do not get to see from Earth because the Moon rotates on its axis at the same rate that it orbits round us.

The Orientale Basin, located on the far side of the Moon, is a massive, multi-ringed impact structure formed about 3.8 billion years ago during the Late Heavy Bombardment. It is the youngest and best-preserved of the Moon's large impact basins, measuring roughly 950 kilometers (about 590 miles) across. The basin's three concentric rings, formed by a massive asteroid impact, provide critical data on how massive impacts shaped the early solar system. The Orientale Basin is also significant for its gravity anomalies.

Watch live coverage of the Artemis II lunar flyby on NASA+, Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Hulu, Netflix, HBO Max and Roku beginning at 1 p.m. EDT, alongside NASA’s 24/7 coverage on its YouTube channel.
https://www.nasa.gov/ways-to-watch/

Track NASA’s Artemis II Mission in real time:

https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis-ii/arow/

Check the Artemis blog for updates: 

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

Image Credit: NASA
Date: April 6, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #Earth #Moon #OrientaleBasin #FarSide #Geology #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisII #OrionSpacecraft #SLS #CrewedMissions #Astronauts #ChristinaKoch #ReidWiseman #VictorGlover #JeremyHansen #CSA #Canada #HumanSpaceflight #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #NASAJohnson #JSC #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Moon Science: Orientale Peaks & Valleys | NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter

Moon Science: Orientale Peaks & Valleys | NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter

Oblique view of the interior of the Orientale basin. Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) images M1124173129L & R, image centered at 24.23°S, 264.30°E, scene width is approximately 16 km and the cliff at center is 1.7 km high

A reduced-resolution version, wider picture of the oblique view of Orientale's interior.

Wide Angle Camera (WAC) context view of a portion of southwestern Orientale basin showing the approximate location (white box) of Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) images

With an estimated age of around 3.8 billion years, and a diameter of over 900 km, the Orientale basin is the youngest of the large lunar impact basins. Its interior is relatively well preserved and its floor has not been completely buried under mare basalts, making it one of the most studied basins on the lunar surface in the hopes of unraveling the mechanics of multi-ring basin formation and the relationships of volcanic infilling to large basins. This image shows highlights of the more interesting and complex features inside the southwestern portion of the basin, where primary features related to the basin itself meet the later-forming mare basalts in the basin floor.

The striking linear features seen in the top image are portions of a series of cracks that are near-radial to the basin and are unlike typical lunar graben. This portion of the interior is thought to have a high proportion of material that was melted by the extreme shock pressures of the impact event that crated the Orientale basin, and the cracks may have formed as the hot material, draped over underlying topography, cooled and shrank. It is hard to picture the effects of an impact so large it would have obliterated the state of Texas, but here you can almost see the molten and shifting terrain settling and cracking.

You can also get a sense of how basaltic lavas, the lower-reflectance deposits seen at bottom right, poured in later, flooding low areas, lapping up against the higher-standing terrain, and leaving kipukas of original basin material exposed in places. These lavas are estimated to have erupted on the order of 100 million years after the formation of the Orientale basin, but were not as voluminous as the basalts that bury all but the rims of other lunar multi-ring basins, such as Serenitatis and Imbrium. The WAC image mosaic of the region helps put these features into context. You can see the Orientale mare deposits lie largely within the innermost ring of the basin, the Inner Rook mountains.

Why did these basalts fill regions largely contained within only the innermost ring of Orientale, whereas other basins were totally flooded? Orientale may have formed in a region of thicker crust, making it harder for basalts to erupt from the mantle to the surface anywhere but the center of the basin, where the crust was thinned the most. The composition of Orientale's basalts is also known to be distinct from the major nearside maria with its lower concentration of radioactive heat-producing elements (known as KREEP), so there may have been less heat available to melt the mantle to produce basalts.

This interplay of spectacular, complex features related to basin formation and later volcanic eruptions means Orientale is a high-priority target for exploration. Samples would pin down the exact age of the basin, important for answering questions about chronology across the Solar System, as well as answer a host of other questions about basin formation and evolution.

This year, NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) celebrates its 17th anniversary orbiting the Moon (2009-2026). This mission has given scientists the largest volume of data ever collected by a planetary science mission at NASA. Considering that success and the continuing functionality of the spacecraft and its instruments, NASA awarded the mission an extended mission phase to continue operations. LRO continues to be one of NASA's most valuable tools for advancing lunar science.

Learn more about NASA's LRO:
https://science.nasa.gov/mission/lro/

Image Credit: NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University
Text Credit: Brett Denevi
Release Date: July 16, 2013

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Earth #Moon #Geology #Geoscience #Volcanism #ImpactCraters #OrientaleBasin #LRO #LunarOrbiter #LROC #NAC #WAC #SpaceRobotics #SpaceTechnology #GSFC #UnitedStates #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #STEM #Education

Liftoff: United Launch Alliance Atlas V Rocket | Amazon LEO 5 Satellite Mission

Liftoff: United Launch Alliance Atlas V Rocket | Amazon LEO 5 Satellite Mission

United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V launched another batch of operational broadband satellites for the Amazon low-Earth orbit (LEO) constellation, bringing the total number of satellites launched by ULA to 139. The payload consisted of 29 satellites—the most satellites and the heaviest payload ever launched on an Atlas V rocket.

 A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket carrying the Leo 5 mission for Amazon lifted off on April 4, 2026, at 1:46 a.m. EDT from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral. "This mission demonstrates the strong partnership between ULA and Amazon to accurately and rapidly launch and deliver innovative solutions for global connectivity."

The Amazon Leo 5 launch deployed another batch of operational satellites into low Earth orbit. There are three remaining Amazon Leo missions on the Atlas V rocket, as well as 38 launches on the next-generation Vulcan rocket.

ULA’s next launch is the Atlas V Amazon Leo 6 mission. This launch is planned for April 27, 2026, from Cape Canaveral, Florida pending range approval.

ULA is launching the majority of Amazon’s initial satellite constellation of over 3,000 satellites.

ULA website: www.ulalaunch.com

Amazon Leo is "Amazon’s low Earth orbit satellite network. Its mission is to deliver fast, reliable Internet to customers and communities beyond the reach of existing networks." 
https://www.aboutamazon.com/what-we-do/devices-services/amazon-leo

Video Credit: ULA

Duration: 1 minute
Release Date: April 4, 2026

#NASA #Space #Satellites #Earth #CommercialSpace #UnitedLaunchAlliance #ULA #AtlasVRocket  #LockheedMartin #Boeing #Amazon #AmazonLEO #AmazonLeo5 #LEO #CommunicationsSatellites #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

NASA Artemis II Flight Day 5 Highlights | Johnson Space Center

NASA Artemis II Flight Day 5 Highlights | Johnson Space Center

Mission control teams at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, and the Artemis II crew completed an outbound correction burn to refine the Orion spacecraft’s trajectory to the Moon. The burn began at 11:03 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) and lasted 17.5 seconds. NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, continue on a precise path to flyby the Moon on Monday, April 6, 2026.

Early in their workday, the crew completed a key test objective of the mission: the Orion Crew Survival System (OCSS) suit.  

All four crew members conducted a full sequence of tests, including putting on and pressurizing the suit, performing leak checks, simulating seat entry, and assessing mobility and their ability to eat and drink. The suit protects astronauts during dynamic phases of flight and provides life support in the event of cabin depressurization and survival operations after splashdown. 

Wrapping up the day, the crew will enter the Moon’s sphere of influence at 12:41 a.m. Monday, April 6, when the Moon’s gravity becomes the dominant force controlling Orion’s trajectory.  

This milestone sets the stage for the main event of flight day 6: the crew’s flight around the far side of the Moon. 

Watch live coverage of the Artemis II lunar flyby on NASA+, Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Hulu, Netflix, HBO Max and Roku beginning at 1 p.m. EDT, alongside NASA’s 24/7 coverage on its YouTube channel.
https://www.nasa.gov/ways-to-watch/

Key lunar flyby times, milestones (all times Eastern subject to change based on real-time operations): 

1 p.m.: NASA+ coverage of lunar flyby begins. 

1:56 p.m.: The crew will surpass the record for humans’ farthest distance from Earth, previously set by Apollo 13 in 1970. 

2:10 p.m.: Crew remarks on breaking Apollo 13 distance record (audio only) 

2:15 p.m.: Crew configures Orion’s cabin for flyby operations 

2:45 p.m.: Lunar observation begins 

6:44 p.m.: Predicted loss of communications as crew heads behind the Moon (approximately 40 minutes) 

7:02 p.m. Orion closest approach to the Moon (4,070 miles)

7:07 p.m.: Orion reaches maximum distance from Earth (252,757 miles) 

7:25 p.m.: “Earthrise” marks Earth coming back into view on the opposite edge of the moon; Predicted acquisition of communications as crew reemerges from behind the Moon

8:35-9:32 p.m.: During a solar eclipse, the Sun will pass behind the Moon from the crew’s perspective

9:20 p.m.: Lunar observation concludes 

Track NASA’s Artemis II Mission in real time:

https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis-ii/arow/

Check the Artemis blog for updates: 

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

Video Credit: NASA/JSC
Duration: 25 minutes
Release Date: April 6, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #Earth #Moon #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisII #OrionSpacecraft #SLS #CrewedMissions #Astronauts #ChristinaKoch #ReidWiseman #VictorGlover #JeremyHansen #CSA #Canada #HumanSpaceflight #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #NASAJohnson #JSC #Houston #Texas #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Preparing for Moon Flyby | NASA Artemis II Mission

Preparing for Moon Flyby | NASA Artemis II Mission

Before going to sleep on flight day 5, the Artemis II crew snapped one more photo of the Moon, as it drew close in the window of the Orion spacecraft. Orion and the four humans aboard entered the lunar sphere of influence at 12:37 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on April 6, at the tail end of the fifth day of their mission. That marked the point where the Moon's gravity had a stronger pull on the spacecraft than the Earth's. Artemis II's closet approach to the Moon will come on flight day 6, as they swing around the far side before beginning their journey back to Earth.

About an hour after entering the lunar sphere of influence, Artemis II Mission Specialist Christina Koch said, "We are now falling to the Moon rather than rising away from Earth. It is an amazing milestone!"

Watch live coverage of the Artemis II lunar flyby on NASA+, Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Hulu, Netflix, HBO Max and Roku beginning at 1 p.m. EDT Monday, April 6, 2026, alongside the agency’s 24/7 coverage on its YouTube channel.
https://www.nasa.gov/ways-to-watch/

NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket carrying the Orion spacecraft with NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist onboard launched, Wednesday, April 1, 2026, on the Artemis II mission from Launch Complex 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. 

NASA’s Artemis II Mission is taking Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back aboard their Orion spacecraft. They are now over three-quarters of the way to the Moon.

Track NASA’s Artemis II Mission in real time:
https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis-ii/arow/

Check the Artemis blog for updates: 

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

Credit: NASA
Image Date: April 6, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #Earth #Moon #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisII #OrionSpacecraft #SLS #CrewedMissions #Astronauts #ChristinaKoch #ReidWiseman #VictorGlover #JeremyHansen #CSA #Canada #HumanSpaceflight #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #NASAJohnson #JSC #MissionControl #Houston #Texas #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

A Quick Tour of The Moon | NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (2009-2026)

A Quick Tour of The Moon | NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (2009-2026)

Although the Moon has remained largely unchanged during human history, our understanding of it and how it has evolved over time has changed dramatically. Thanks to extensive data collection, we have unprecedented views of its surface, along with insights into how it and other rocky planets in our solar system came to look the way they do. See examples of the sights and learn more about the Moon here! These visualizations were created from data gathered by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft.

LRO has made a 3-D map of the Moon's surface at 100-meter resolution and 98.2% coverage (excluding polar areas in deep shadow), including 0.5-meter resolution images of Apollo landing sites.

LRO has been studying the Moon from up close since 2009, making it the longest-lived lunar orbiting mission ever. The orbiter has mapped the Moon’s surface and measured its temperature, composition, and radiation environment in unprecedented detail. Data from LRO enables NASA, and our international and commercial partners, to select locations on the lunar surface where spacecraft and astronauts can safely land. The orbiter is also helping NASA identify areas near the Moon’s South Pole with crucial resources like water and extended sunlight that provides power for equipment and supports exploration activities.

Learn more about LRO:
https://science.nasa.gov/mission/lro/

Video Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

Duration: 4 minutes, 39 seconds

Release Date: March 14, 2012

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Earth #Moon #Geology #Geoscience #LRO #LunarOrbiter #LunarSpacecraft #LROC #SpaceRobotics #SpaceTechnology #Engineering #NASAGoddard #GSFC #USRA #ASU #UnitedStates #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #STEM #Education #Visualization #HD #Video

Shadows Near The Moon's South Pole | NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter

Shadows Near The Moon's South Pole | NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter

This video shows the movement of shadows near the Moon's South Pole over the course of two lunar days. This is equivalent to about two months on Earth. The visualization was created from data gathered by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft.

LRO has made a 3-D map of the Moon's surface at 100-meter resolution and 98.2% coverage (excluding polar areas in deep shadow), including 0.5-meter resolution images of Apollo landing sites.

LRO has been studying the Moon from up close since 2009, making it the longest-lived lunar orbiting mission ever. The orbiter has mapped the Moon’s surface and measured its temperature, composition, and radiation environment in unprecedented detail. Data from LRO enables NASA, and our international and commercial partners, to select locations on the lunar surface where spacecraft and astronauts can safely land. The orbiter is also helping NASA identify areas near the Moon’s South Pole with crucial resources like water and extended sunlight that provides power for equipment and supports exploration activities.

Learn more about LRO:
https://science.nasa.gov/mission/lro/

Video Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
Visualizations by: Ernie Wright (USRA)
Produced, Edited, and Narrated by: David Ladd (USRA)
Lead Scientist: Noah Petro (NASA/GSFC)
Technical Support: Laurence Schuler (ADNET), Ian Jones (ADNET)
Duration: 1 minute, 23 seconds
Release Date: April 1, 2021

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Earth #Moon #Geology #Geoscience #LunarSouthPole #Shadows #LRO #LunarOrbiter #LunarSpacecraft #LROC #SpaceRobotics #SpaceTechnology #NASAGoddard #GSFC #USRA #ASU #UnitedStates #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #STEM #Education #Visualization #HD #Video

Mission Control's Orion Evaluation Room | NASA Artemis II Moon Mission

Mission Control's Orion Evaluation Room | NASA Artemis II Moon Mission

Lorelei Lohrli‑Kirk works on the imagery console inside Mission Control’s Orion Evaluation Room, helping bring the imagery captured by the Artemis II crew and Orion spacecraft back home to us.

NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket carrying the Orion spacecraft with NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist onboard launched, Wednesday, April 1, 2026, on the Artemis II mission from Launch Complex 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. 

NASA’s Artemis II Mission is taking Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back aboard their Orion spacecraft. They are now over three-quarters of the way to the Moon.

Track NASA’s Artemis II Mission in real time:
https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis-ii/arow/

Check the Artemis blog for updates: 

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

Video Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC)

Duration: 1 minute, 38 seconds

Release Date: April 5, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #Earth #Moon #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisII #OrionSpacecraft #SLS #CrewedMissions #Astronauts #ChristinaKoch #ReidWiseman #VictorGlover #JeremyHansen #CSA #Canada #HumanSpaceflight #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #NASAJohnson #JSC #MissionControl #Houston #Texas #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Orion Spacecraft View of Earth Pre-flyby | NASA Artemis II Mission

Orion Spacecraft View of Earth Pre-flyby | NASA Artemis II Mission

This view of the Earth was captured on April 5, the fourth day of the Artemis II mission, from inside the Orion spacecraft. The four astronauts will reach their closest approach of the Moon tomorrow, April 6, 2026.

NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket carrying the Orion spacecraft with NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist onboard, launched on the Artemis II mission from Launch Complex 39B, Wednesday, April 1, 2026, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

NASA’s Artemis II Mission is taking Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back aboard their Orion spacecraft. They are now well over three-quarters of the way to the Moon.

Track NASA’s Artemis II Mission in real time:
https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis-ii/arow/

Check the Artemis blog for updates: 

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

Image Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center
Date: April 5, 2026

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

NASA Artemis II Moon Rocket: Upper Stage Separation

NASA Artemis II Moon Rocket: Upper Stage Separation

The white shell of the upper stage of the Artemis II Space Launch System (SLS) rocket breaks away from the Orion spacecraft, revealing Orion's thrusters that can be seen firing bursts of white mist.

NASA’s SLS rocket carrying the Orion spacecraft with NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist onboard launched on the Artemis II mission from Launch Complex 39B, Wednesday, April 1, 2026, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. 

NASA’s Artemis II Mission is taking Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back aboard their Orion spacecraft. They are now over three-quarters of the way to the Moon.

Track NASA’s Artemis II Mission in real time:
https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis-ii/arow/

Check the Artemis blog for updates: 

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

Video Credit: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Duration: 21 seconds

Date: April 1, 2026

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

NASA Artemis II Moon Rocket Climb to Orbit: Orion Spaceraft Camera View

NASA Artemis II Moon Rocket Climb to Orbit: Orion Spaceraft Camera View

[No audio] A view from cameras on board the Orion spacecraft as it climbs to orbit, powered by the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket following a 6:35 p.m. EDT liftoff on April 1, 2026. Included is the jettison of the solid rocket boosters that propelled Orion for the first two minutes of flight, and the jettison of the spacecraft adapter jettison panels, which protect the spacecraft's solar array wings during ascent.

NASA’s SLS rocket carrying the Orion spacecraft with NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist onboard launched on the Artemis II mission from Launch Complex 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. 

NASA’s Artemis II Mission is taking Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back aboard their Orion spacecraft. They are now over three-quarters of the way to the Moon.

Track NASA’s Artemis II Mission in real time:
https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis-ii/arow/

Check the Artemis blog for updates: 

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

Video Credit: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Duration: 2 minutes, 14 seconds
Date: April 1, 2026

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

United Launch Alliance Atlas V Rocket Launch: Amazon LEO 5 Satellite Mission

United Launch Alliance Atlas V Rocket Launch: Amazon LEO 5 Satellite Mission

United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V launched another batch of operational broadband satellites for the Amazon low-Earth orbit (LEO) constellation, bringing the total number of satellites launched by ULA to 139. The payload consisted of 29 satellites—the most satellites and the heaviest payload ever launched on an Atlas V rocket.

 A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket carrying the Leo 5 mission for Amazon lifted off on April 4, 2026, at 1:46 a.m. EDT from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral. "This mission demonstrates the strong partnership between ULA and Amazon to accurately and rapidly launch and deliver innovative solutions for global connectivity."

The Amazon Leo 5 launch deployed another batch of operational satellites into low Earth orbit. There are three remaining Amazon Leo missions on the Atlas V rocket, as well as 38 launches on the next-generation Vulcan rocket.

ULA’s next launch is the Atlas V Amazon Leo 6 mission. This launch is planned for April 27, 2026, from Cape Canaveral, Florida pending range approval.

ULA is launching the majority of Amazon’s initial satellite constellation of over 3,000 satellites.

ULA website: www.ulalaunch.com

Amazon Leo is "Amazon’s low Earth orbit satellite network. Its mission is to deliver fast, reliable Internet to customers and communities beyond the reach of existing networks." 
https://www.aboutamazon.com/what-we-do/devices-services/amazon-leo

Image Credit: ULA

Duration: 12 seconds
Release Date: April 4, 2026

#NASA #Space #Satellites #Earth #CommercialSpace #UnitedLaunchAlliance #ULA #AtlasVRocket  #LockheedMartin #Boeing #Amazon #AmazonLEO #AmazonLeo5 #LEO #CommunicationsSatellites #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video