Liftoff: United Launch Alliance Atlas V Amazon LEO 7 Satellites

Liftoff: United Launch Alliance Atlas V Amazon LEO 7 Satellites

A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket carrying the LEO 7 mission for Amazon lifted off on May 29, 2026, at 7:53 p.m. EDT from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral. This delivered another 29 LEO satellites to low Earth orbit, adding coverage and capacity to the network and "bringing LEO a step closer to connecting customers around the world."

Named LA-07 (LEO Atlas 7), the mission marks Amazon’s seventh launch on ULA’s Atlas V rocket and twelfth mission overall, bringing the total number of satellites deployed to 331.

Atlas V deployed the satellites at an altitude of approximately 289 miles (465 kilometers) above Earth, after which the Amazon LEO team assumed control of the mission from our mission operations center in Redmond, Washington. Teams have completed initial contact and health checks and will continue preparing the satellites to raise to their assigned operational altitude of 392 miles (630 kilometers).

Amazon LEO, formerly Project Kuiper, 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, and we began a full-scale deployment of our satellite constellation in April 2025."

Amazon LEO has completed 11 missions and launched more than 300 satellites in its first year of launch operations, making it the third-largest constellation in orbit, and Amazon plans to increase its launch rate over time with more than 100 launches secured to date.

Mission name: LA-07 (LEO Atlas 7)

Launch vehicle: ULA Atlas V 551

Launch date/time: Friday, May 29, 7:53 p.m. EDT

Number of satellites: 29

Launch site: Space Launch Complex-41, Cape Canaveral

ULA website: www.ulalaunch.com

Amazon LEO:
https://www.aboutamazon.com/what-we-do/devices-services/amazon-leo

Credit: United Launch Alliance (ULA)

Duration: 11 seconds

Date: May 29, 2026

#NASA #Space #Satellites #Earth #CommercialSpace #UnitedLaunchAlliance #ULA #AtlasVRocket  #LockheedMartin #Boeing #Amazon #AmazonLEO #AmazonLEO7 #LEO #CommunicationsSatellites #CapeCanaveral #Florida #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

United Launch Alliance Atlas V Amazon LEO 7 Satellite Launch

United Launch Alliance Atlas V Amazon LEO 7 Satellite Launch

A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket carrying the LEO 7 mission for Amazon lifted off on May 29, 2026, at 7:53 p.m. EDT from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral. This delivered another 29 LEO satellites to low Earth orbit, adding coverage and capacity to the network and "bringing LEO a step closer to connecting customers around the world."

Named LA-07 (LEO Atlas 7), the mission marks Amazon’s seventh launch on ULA’s Atlas V rocket and twelfth mission overall, bringing the total number of satellites deployed to 331.

Atlas V deployed the satellites at an altitude of approximately 289 miles (465 kilometers) above Earth, after which the Amazon LEO team assumed control of the mission from our mission operations center in Redmond, Washington. Teams have completed initial contact and health checks and will continue preparing the satellites to raise to their assigned operational altitude of 392 miles (630 kilometers).

Amazon LEO, formerly Project Kuiper, 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, and we began a full-scale deployment of our satellite constellation in April 2025."

Amazon LEO has completed 11 missions and launched more than 300 satellites in its first year of launch operations, making it the third-largest constellation in orbit, and Amazon plans to increase its launch rate over time with more than 100 launches secured to date.

Mission name: LA-07 (LEO Atlas 7)

Launch vehicle: ULA Atlas V 551

Launch date/time: Friday, May 29, 7:53 p.m. EDT

Number of satellites: 29

Launch site: Space Launch Complex-41, Cape Canaveral

ULA website: www.ulalaunch.com

Amazon LEO:
https://www.aboutamazon.com/what-we-do/devices-services/amazon-leo

Image Credit: United Launch Alliance (ULA)

Date: May 29, 2026

#NASA #Space #Satellites #Earth #CommercialSpace #UnitedLaunchAlliance #ULA #AtlasVRocket  #LockheedMartin #Boeing #Amazon #AmazonLEO #AmazonLEO7 #LEO #CommunicationsSatellites #CapeCanaveral #Florida #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Shenzhou-21 Astronaut Zhang Hongzhang Exits Return Capsule | China Space Station

Shenzhou-21 Astronaut Zhang Hongzhang Exits Return Capsule | China Space Station

Chinese astronaut Zhang Hongzhang, one of the three crew members of the Shenzhou-21 Mission, has left the return capsule that landed back on Earth on Friday, May 29, 2026.

Zhang was the third and final crew member to emerge after the Shenzhou-22 return capsule touched down at the Dongfeng Landing Site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region at 20:11 Beijing Time (1211 GMT), according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).

"From the ground laboratory to China's space station, it is our great motherland that has enabled me to achieve a perfect integration of my scientific ideals and spaceflight dreams. With the support of the entire project team, the assistance of researchers and scientists, and the care of so many people, our crew has worked as one and successfully completed all planned scientific projects, including the first successful in-orbit breeding of small mammals, the growing of a thriving space vegetable garden with richer varieties, and the collection of valuable data from projects such as in-situ electrochemical and optical studies on lithium-ion batteries," Zhang said in an interview with China Central Television (CCTV) shortly after coming out the capsule.

"Looking at Earth from space, I deeply felt that humanity is an indivisible community with a shared future. Now that I am back on Earth and have returned to my motherland, I feel an immense sense of security and warmth. Going forward, I will continue to build on these achievements and contribute to making China a strong power in space, science and technology," he said.

Prior to the return, the crew completed all planned tasks and handed over China's Tiangong Space Station to the three Shenzhou-23 astronauts who boarded the space station on Monday.

The crew's planned stay in-orbit was extended by approximately one month to further verify the technologies regarding the long-term stay of astronauts in orbit and fully use the supplies delivered by the Shenzhou-22 spacecraft in an emergency launch.

The Shenzhou-21 crew's original spacecraft that sent them into space on October 31 last year, previously returned to Earth carrying the astronauts of the preceding Shenzhou-20 mission after tiny cracks were found in the viewport window of the Shenzhou-20 crewed spacecraft's return capsule. This spacecraft was later safely brought back to Earth.

Video Credit: CCTV
Duration: 1 minute, 48 seconds

Release Date: May 30, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #China #中国 #Shenzhou22CrewCapsule #Shenzhou21Mission #神舟二十一号 #Shenzhou21 #Taikonauts #Astronauts #LongDurationMissions #ZhangHongzhang #WuFei #ZhangLu #ChinaSpaceStation #中国空间站 #TiangongSpaceStation #InnerMongoliaAutonomousRegion #CMSA #中国载人航天工程办公室 #HumanSpaceflight #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Shenzhou-21 Astronaut Wu Fei Exits Return Capsule | China Space Station

Shenzhou-21 Astronaut Wu Fei Exits Return Capsule | China Space Station

Chinese astronaut Wu Fei, one of the three crew members of the Shenzhou-21 mission, has emerged from the return capsule of the Shenzhou-22 spacecraft that landed back on Earth on May 29, 2026.

Wu was the second of the crew members to emerge from the capsule after the Shenzhou-22 return capsule touched down at the Dongfeng Landing Site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region at 20:11 Beijing Time (1211 GMT), according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).

"Returning to Earth and to the embrace of our motherland, I feel extremely secure and proud. Being entrusted with such a significant responsibility in my first space mission is a great honor. It is the trust of my country, the guidance of my predecessors, and the teamwork of the entire crew that enabled me to successfully complete the mission. This mission has taught me that the most beautiful posture of youth is to march out for the country. I will turn this space experience into the driving force to keep moving forward and continue to fight and strive for the crewed space program," Wu said in an interview with China Central Television (CCTV) after leaving the spacecraft.

Prior to their return, the crew completed all planned tasks and handed over China's Tiangong Space Station to the three Shenzhou-23 astronauts that boarded the space station on Monday.

The crew's planned stay in-orbit was extended by approximately one month to further verify the technologies regarding the long-term stay of astronauts in orbit and fully use the supplies delivered by the Shenzhou-22 spacecraft in an emergency launch.

The Shenzhou-21 crew's original spacecraft that sent them into space on October 31 last year, previously returned to Earth carrying the astronauts of the preceding Shenzhou-20 mission after tiny cracks were found in the viewport window of the Shenzhou-20 crewed spacecraft's return capsule. This spacecraft was later safely brought back to Earth.

Video Credit: CCTV
Duration: 1 minute
Release Date: May 30, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #China #中国 #Shenzhou22CrewCapsule #Shenzhou21Mission #神舟二十一号 #Shenzhou21 #Taikonauts #Astronauts #LongDurationMissions #WuFei #ZhangLu #ZhangHongzhang #ChinaSpaceStation #中国空间站 #TiangongSpaceStation #InnerMongoliaAutonomousRegion #CMSA #中国载人航天工程办公室 #HumanSpaceflight #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Shenzhou-21 Commander Zhang Lu Exits Return Capsule | China Space Station

Shenzhou-21 Commander Zhang Lu Exits Return Capsule | China Space Station

 

Chinese astronaut Zhang Lu, commander of the Shenzhou-21 crewed spaceflight mission, is shown emerging from the return capsule of the Shenzhou-22 spacecraft that landed back on Earth on May 29, 2026.

Zhang was the first of the three-member Shenzhou-21 crew to exit the capsule after it touched down safely at the Dongfeng Landing Site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region at 20:11 Beijing Time (12:11 GMT), according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).

Upon landing, Zhang and the two other crew members reported to the Beijing Aerospace Control Center that they were in good condition.

"I'm thrilled to once again return to the embrace of our motherland. The Shenzhou-21 crew's seven-month stay in orbit would not have been possible without the care of our families and comrades, the support of leaders at all levels and all colleagues involved in the project, and above all, the backing of our country and our people. One sentence sums up my thoughts on my second space mission: 'It takes a whole team's devotion to make one person's voyage into the sea of stars,'" Zhang said in an interview with China Central Television (CCTV) shortly after he was carried out of the return capsule.

"I also have a gift to share with everyone. On the day of the Shenzhou-21 launch, the ground support team gave us an apple, wishing us a safe and smooth mission. Our safe return is their greatest wish. Tomorrow is May 30, the National Science and Technology Workers' Day. So when we left the space station, we brought back an apple specially. We want to dedicate it to all science and technology workers, and say 'thank you for your hard work'. At the same time, I wish our space industry continued prosperity, and every mission safe and smooth,," he said.

Prior to the return, the crew completed all planned tasks and handed over China's Tiangong Space Station to the three Shenzhou-23 astronauts who boarded the space station on May 25.

The crew's planned stay in-orbit was extended by approximately one month to further verify the technologies regarding the long-term stay of astronauts in orbit and fully use the supplies delivered by the Shenzhou-22 spacecraft in an emergency launch.

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, 30 seconds
Release Date: May 30, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #China #中国 #Shenzhou22CrewCapsule #Shenzhou21Mission #神舟二十一号 #Shenzhou21 #Taikonauts #Astronauts #LongDurationMissions #ZhangLu #WuFei #ZhangHongzhang #ChinaSpaceStation #中国空间站 #TiangongSpaceStation #InnerMongoliaAutonomousRegion #CMSA #中国载人航天工程办公室 #HumanSpaceflight #STEM #Education #HD #Video

The Nebulous Realm of Wolf-Rayet Star 134 in Cygnus

The Nebulous Realm of Wolf-Rayet Star 134 in Cygnus

This cosmic snapshot covers a field of view over twice as wide as the full Moon within the boundaries of the high-flying constellation Cygnus. Made using astronomical narrowband filters, the image highlights the bright edge of a ring-like nebula traced by the glow of ionized hydrogen and oxygen gas. Embedded in the region's expanse of interstellar clouds, the complex, glowing arcs are sections of shells of material swept up by the wind from Wolf-Rayet star WR 134, the brightest star near image center. 

Distance estimates put WR 134 about 6,000 light-years away, making this telescopic frame over 100 light-years across. Shedding their outer envelopes in powerful stellar winds, massive Wolf-Rayet stars have burned through their nuclear fuel at a prodigious rate and end their final phase of massive star evolution in a spectacular supernova. Their stellar winds and final supernova explosion enrich the interstellar material with heavy elements to be incorporated in future generations of stars.

Image Credit & Copyright: Luigi Morrone and Telescope Live
Luigi's website: https://app.astrobin.com/u/Luigi_morrone_1979#gallery
Release Date: May 22, 2026

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Stars #WolfRayetStars #WR134 #CygnusConstellation #MilkyWayGalaxy #Cosmos #Universe #Astrophotography #LuigiMorrone #Astrophotographers #NASAGoddard #GSFC #Greenbelt #Maryland #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #APoD

Cosmonauts Kud-Sverchkov & Mikaev on Spacewalk | International Space Station

Cosmonauts Kud-Sverchkov & Mikaev on Spacewalk | International Space Station

Roscosmos cosmonaut and Expedition 74 commander Sergey Kud-Sverchkov of Russia works outside the International Space Station in his Orlan spacesuit with red stripes. During the six-hour and five-minute spacewalk, Kud‑Sverchkov, along with Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergei Mikaev (out of frame), installed a solar radiation experiment and removed physics and microbiology research hardware from the orbital outpost.

Roscosmos cosmonaut and Expedition 74 flight engineer Sergei Mikaev of Russia (lower center) works outside the International Space Station's Poisk module in his Orlan spacesuit with blue stripes. During the six-hour and five-minute spacewalk, Mikaev, along with Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Kud-Sverchkov of Russia (out of frame), installed a solar radiation experiment and removed physics and microbiology research hardware from the orbital outpost.

Roscosmos cosmonaut and Expedition 74 commander Sergey Kud-Sverchkov of Russia works outside the International Space Station in his Orlan spacesuit with red stripes. During the six-hour and five-minute spacewalk, Kud‑Sverchkov, along with Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergei Mikaev of Russia (out of frame), installed a solar radiation experiment and removed physics and microbiology research hardware from the orbital outpost.

Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov (left) and Sergei Mikaev (right) of Russia, Expedition 74 commander and flight engineer respectively, are pictured inside the Poisk module's airlock trying on their Orlan spacesuits.

Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov (left) and Sergei Mikaev (right) of Russia, Expedition 74 commander and flight engineer respectively, are pictured inside the Poisk module's airlock trying on their Orlan spacesuits as Roscosmos flight engineer Andrey Fedyaev of Russia (center) assists them. The duo was preparing for a spacewalk to install a solar radiation experiment and remove biological exposure hardware on the outside of the International Space Station.

Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov (left) and Sergei Mikaev (right) of Russia, Expedition 74 commander and flight engineer respectively, are pictured inside the Poisk module's airlock trying on their Orlan spacesuits.

Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov (left) and Sergei Mikaev (right) of Russia, Expedition 74 commander and flight engineer respectively, are pictured inside the Poisk module's airlock trying on their Orlan spacesuits as Roscosmos flight engineer Andrey Fedyaev of Russia (center) assists them. The duo was preparing for a spacewalk to install a solar radiation experiment and remove biological exposure hardware on the outside of the International Space Station.

Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov (left) and Sergei Mikaev (right) of Russia, Expedition 74 commander and flight engineer respectively, are pictured inside the Poisk module's airlock trying on their Orlan spacesuits.

Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev of Russia concluded their spacewalk outside the International Space Station at 4:23 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, lasting 6 hours, 5 minutes.

Kud-Sverchkov and Mikayev finished their major objectives, including collecting two completed science experiments and installing a new one. They removed a microorganism study from the exterior of the Poisk module and retrieved a cassette from the Nauka module containing data on how semiconductor materials form in microgravity. The crew also installed a device on the Zvezda service module to measure bursts of solar radiation from solar flares.

During the spacewalk, the duo photographed one of two Kurs rendezvous antennas on the Progress 94 cargo spacecraft that failed to deploy following its March launch to the space station. After collecting the imagery, they secured the antenna with a tie‑down for future dynamic operations.

This was the second spacewalk for Kud-Sverchkov and the first for Mikayev. It also was the 279th spacewalk supporting space station assembly, maintenance, and upgrades.

Follow Expedition 74:
https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/

Expedition 74 Crew
Station Commander: Sergey-Kud Sverchkov (Russia)
Roscosmos (Russia) Flight Engineers: Andrey Fedyaev, Sergei Mikaev

European Space Agency Flight Engineer: Sophie Adenot

NASA Flight Engineers: Jessica Meir, Jack Hathaway, Chris Williams

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

Image Credits: NASA/JSC, ESA/Sophie Adenot
Dates: May 22-27, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #Astronomy #ISS #Earth #Astronauts #Cosmonauts #SergeyKudSverchkov #SergeiMikaev #EVA #Spacewalks #Russia #Россия #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #HumanSpaceflight #InternationalCooperation #Expedition74 #JSC #UnitedStates #ESA #Europe #SpaceLaboratory #MicrogravityExperiments #STEM #Education

Shenzhou-21 Crew Capsule Lands in Inner Mongolia | China Space Station

Shenzhou-21 Crew Capsule Lands in Inner Mongolia | China Space Station

👨‍🚀👏With 210 days spent onboard China's Tiangong Space Station, Shenzhou-21's Zhang Lu, Wu Fei, and Zhang Hongzhang are back on Earth. Their Shenzhou-22 return crew capsule touched down at the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on Friday, May 29, 2026, at 20:11 Beijing Time (1211 GMT).

The three astronauts have set a new record for the longest stay in space by a Chinese astronaut crew. They are all in good health condition, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) stated, while noting that the Shenzhou-21 spaceflight mission was a complete success.

Prior to their return, the crew handed over the space station to the Shenzhou-23 astronauts that arrived on May 25.

The Shenzhou-21 crew's original spacecraft that sent them into space on October 31 last year was previously returned to Earth carrying the astronauts of the preceding Shenzhou-20 mission after tiny cracks were found in the viewport window of the Shenzhou-20 crewed spacecraft's return capsule. This spacecraft was later safely brought back to Earth.

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: 3 minutes
Date: May 29, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #China #中国 #Shenzhou22CrewCapsule #Shenzhou21Mission #神舟二十一号 #Shenzhou21 #Taikonauts #Astronauts #LongDurationMissions #ZhangLu #WuFei #ZhangHongzhang #ChinaSpaceStation #中国空间站 #TiangongSpaceStation #InnerMongoliaAutonomousRegion #CMSA #中国载人航天工程办公室 #HumanSpaceflight #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Lightning Storms over Africa & West Asia | International Space Station

Lightning Storms over Africa & West Asia | International Space Station

Expedition 74 flight engineer and NASA astronaut Jessica Meir: "In this timelapse of the night sky, you can see lightning storms (beginning and end), and one of my favorite night scenes—as we cross over Africa from west to east, it is very dimly lit until the snaking spectacle of light along the Nile appears (worth the wait), erupting into the brilliance of Cairo and the river delta. It’s a perfect illustration of the vitality of our planet’s water sources and how our human cultures have developed along them."

Follow Expedition 74:
https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/

Expedition 74 Crew
Station Commander: Sergey-Kud Sverchkov (Russia)
Roscosmos (Russia) Flight Engineers: Andrey Fedyaev, Sergei Mikaev

European Space Agency Flight Engineer: Sophie Adenot

NASA Flight Engineers: Jessica Meir, Jack Hathaway, Chris Williams

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.

Credits: NASA/JSC/J. Meir
Duration: 1 minute, 25 seconds
Release Date: May 29, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #Astronomy #ISS #Earth #Africa #LightningStorms #NileRiver #Astronauts #AstronautVideography #JessicaMeir #Cosmonauts #Russia #Россия #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #HumanSpaceflight #InternationalCooperation #Expedition74 #JSC #UnitedStates #ESA #Europe #SpaceLaboratory #MicrogravityExperiments #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Shenzhou-21 Crew Landing in Inner Mongolia | China Space Station

Shenzhou-21 Crew Landing in Inner Mongolia | China Space Station

From left to right: Shenzhou-21 crew commander and pilot Zhang Lu, Shenzhou-21 flight engineer Wu Fei, and Shenzhou-21 payload specialist Zhang Hong Zhang

Shenzhou-21 crew commander and pilot Zhang Lu

Shenzhou-21 flight engineer Wu Fei

Shenzhou-21 payload specialist Zhang Hong Zhang

Shenzhou-21 crew commander and pilot Zhang Lu capsule egress

Shenzhou-21 crew commander and pilot Zhang Lu exits the Shenzhou-22 crew capsule

Ground personnel prepare to help the Shenzou-21 crew members out of the Shenzhou-22 crew capsule

Shenzhou-22 crew capsule landing over the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region 

👨‍🚀👏With 210 days spent onboard China's Tiangong Space Station, Shenzhou-21's Zhang Lu, Wu Fei, and Zhang Hongzhang are back on Earth. Their Shenzhou-22 return crew capsule touched down at the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on Friday, May 29, 2026 at 20:11 Beijing Time (1211 GMT).

The three astronauts have set a new record for the longest stay in space by a Chinese astronaut crew. They are all in good health condition, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) stated, while noting that the Shenzhou-21 spaceflight mission was a complete success.

Prior to their return, the crew handed over the space station to the Shenzhou-23 astronauts that arrived on May 25.

The Shenzhou-21 crew's original spacecraft that sent them into space on October 31 last year was previously returned to Earth carrying the astronauts of the preceding Shenzhou-20 mission after tiny cracks were found in the viewport window of the Shenzhou-20 crewed spacecraft's return capsule. This spacecraft was later safely brought back to Earth.

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

Image Credit: CMSA
Date: May 29, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #China #中国 #Shenzhou22CrewCapsule #Shenzhou21Mission #神舟二十一号 #Shenzhou21 #Taikonauts #Astronauts #LongDurationMissions #ZhangLu #WuFei #ZhangHongzhang #LongDurationMissions #ChinaSpaceStation #中国空间站 #TiangongSpaceStation #MicrogravityExperiments #InnerMongoliaAutonomousRegion #CMSA #中国载人航天工程办公室 #HumanSpaceflight #STEM #Education 

A Brief Review of China's Space Program Milestones

A Brief Review of China's Space Program Milestones

China's Shenzhou-22 crewed spacecraft undocked from the Tiangong Space Station on Friday afternoon, May 29, 2026, Beijing Time before arriving at the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. With the Shenzhou-21 crew completing their journey home, it is a good opportunity to review examples of milestones in China's space program.

Video Credit: Xinhua TV
Duration: 27 seconds
Date: May 29, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #Astronomy #China #中国 #Taikonauts #Astronauts #ChinaSpaceStation #中国空间站 #TiangongSpaceStation #SpaceLaboratory #CMSA #中国载人航天工程办公室 #HumanSpaceflight #Moon #Change6 #嫦娥六号 #CLEP #Mars #ZhurongRover #祝融 #Tianwen1 #天问一号 #MarsOrbiter #MarsSpacecraft #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #STEM #Education #HD #Video

NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope: One Last Look at The Mirror

NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope: One Last Look at The Mirror

The primary mirror for NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope has passed its final inspection. On May 20 and 21, 2026, engineers at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., confirmed that no specks fell onto the mirrors during testing and that there are no defects in the coating or alignment. With this milestone complete, the primary mirror is ready for its next view—space.

Named after NASA’s first chief astronomer, the ‘mother of the Hubble Space Telescope,’ the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will have a field of view at least 100 times larger than Hubble's, potentially measuring light from a billion galaxies in its lifetime. This observatory will also be able to block starlight to directly see exoplanets and planet-forming disks, complete a statistical census of planetary systems in our galaxy, and address key questions in the areas of dark energy, exoplanets, and infrared astrophysics.

The Roman telescope and the discoveries it will enable: 
https://www.stsci.edu/roman

https://science.nasa.gov/mission/roman-space-telescope/

Dr. Nancy Grace Roman: 
https://science.nasa.gov/people/nancy-roman/

Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
Producer: Scott Wiessinger (eMITS)
Videographers: Scott Wiessinger (eMITS), Sophia Roberts (eMITS) 
Editor: Scott Wiessinger (eMITS)
Science Writer: Ashley Balzer (eMITS)
Duration: 1 minute
Release Date: May 29, 2026

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #NASARoman #RomanSpaceTelescope #NancyGraceRoman #Exoplanets #Planets #SolarSystem #Stars #MilkyWayGalaxy #Galaxies #Cosmos #Universe #SpaceTelescopes #NASAGoddard #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Close-up: Active Spiral Galaxy Messier 88 in Coma Berenices | Hubble

Close-up: Active Spiral Galaxy Messier 88 in Coma Berenices | Hubble

This is a Hubble picture of an active spiral galaxy on a journey lasting hundreds of millions of years. The galaxy Messier 88 (M88), also known as NGC 4501, is located about 63 million light-years away in the constellation Coma Berenices (Berenice’s Hair). 

M88 is an active galaxy. This means that its center harbors a supermassive black hole that is snacking on gas and dust. This black hole is estimated to be around 100 million times as massive as the Sun, and it appears to be powering outflows of gas from the galaxy’s center.

Around this black hole is a population of old, reddish stars that give M88 its warmly glowing heart. Spreading out from the center are several tightly wound, symmetrical spiral arms, each outlined by sparkling pink and blue star clusters and knotted clouds of dust. We see M88 from an angle so that it appears elongated, and its spiral arms delicately fan out before it.

M88 is a member of the Virgo Cluster, a collection of more than a thousand galaxies held together by gravity—and therefore linked by fate. As this massive group of galaxies moves through space, the galaxies themselves are in constant motion as they orbit the cluster’s center of gravity. M88 itself is on a long and somewhat perilous cosmic journey that will bring it to the innermost reaches of the cluster.

As is the case with any epic journey, M88 will be fundamentally changed by its trek to the center of the Virgo Cluster, about 2 million light-years from where it is today. In 200–300 million years, M88 will make its closest approach to Messier 87, the massive elliptical galaxy that anchors the entire cluster. As it draws close to this gravitational behemoth, M88 will experience intense ram pressure stripping. Ram pressure stripping occurs when a galaxy’s gas is swept away as it pushes through the ever-present gas between the galaxies in a cluster.

Researchers have already seen this process at work in M88. The galaxy’s swirling disc of gas is truncated, and it appears to have been compressed on the leading edge of the galaxy, piling up like snow before a plough. In fact, M88 appears to have considerably less cold gas—the raw fuel for star formation—than expected for a galaxy of its size, especially in its outer regions. This is a clear sign that M88 will be altered by its journey. This will affect its ability to form stars and alter the course of its evolution.

Astronomers observed M88 with Hubble as part of an observing program (#18103; PI: D. Thilker) dedicated to understanding the lives of spiral galaxies in crowded environments. This program uses Hubble’s highly capable Wide Field Camera 3. This can finely resolve individual star clusters and nebulae in galaxies tens of millions of light-years away. By studying galaxies on these scales, astronomers can understand how a journey through a cluster impacts galaxies’ evolution and ability to form new stars.

Image Description: A large spiral galaxy. It is seen tilted at an angle, so that it is foreshortened and appears very wide. Its tightly-wound, blue spiral arms swirl out from its glowing center, spreading apart at the tips. They are followed by strands and clumps of dark red dust, and spotted with pink dots where stars are forming in clouds of gas. The galaxy is surrounded by a slight glow and lies on a dark background.

Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, D. Thilker and the MAUVE-HST Team

Duration: 30 seconds
Release Date: May 29, 2026

#NASA #ESA #Hubble #Astronomy #Space #Science #Galaxies #Messier88 #GalaxyClusters #RamPressureStripping #VirgoCluster #SpiralGalaxies #BlackHoles #AGNs #ComaBerenicesConstellation #Cosmos #Universe #HST #HubbleSpaceTelescope #WFC3 #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Active Spiral Galaxy Messier 88 in Coma Berenices | Hubble Space Telescope

Active Spiral Galaxy Messier 88 in Coma Berenices | Hubble Space Telescope

This is a Hubble picture of an active spiral galaxy on a journey lasting hundreds of millions of years. The galaxy Messier 88 (M88), also known as NGC 4501, is located about 63 million light-years away in the constellation Coma Berenices (Berenice’s Hair). 

M88 is an active galaxy. This means that its center harbors a supermassive black hole that is snacking on gas and dust. This black hole is estimated to be around 100 million times as massive as the Sun, and it appears to be powering outflows of gas from the galaxy’s center.

Around this black hole is a population of old, reddish stars that give M88 its warmly glowing heart. Spreading out from the center are several tightly wound, symmetrical spiral arms, each outlined by sparkling pink and blue star clusters and knotted clouds of dust. We see M88 from an angle so that it appears elongated, and its spiral arms delicately fan out before it.

M88 is a member of the Virgo Cluster, a collection of more than a thousand galaxies held together by gravity—and therefore linked by fate. As this massive group of galaxies moves through space, the galaxies themselves are in constant motion as they orbit the cluster’s centre of gravity. M88 itself is on a long and somewhat perilous cosmic journey that will bring it to the innermost reaches of the cluster.

As is the case with any epic journey, M88 will be fundamentally changed by its trek to the center of the Virgo Cluster, about 2 million light-years from where it is today. In 200–300 million years, M88 will make its closest approach to Messier 87, the massive elliptical galaxy that anchors the entire cluster. As it draws close to this gravitational behemoth, M88 will experience intense ram pressure stripping. Ram pressure stripping occurs when a galaxy’s gas is swept away as it pushes through the ever-present gas between the galaxies in a cluster.

Researchers have already seen this process at work in M88. The galaxy’s swirling disc of gas is truncated, and it appears to have been compressed on the leading edge of the galaxy, piling up like snow before a plough. In fact, M88 appears to have considerably less cold gas—the raw fuel for star formation—than expected for a galaxy of its size, especially in its outer regions. This is a clear sign that M88 will be altered by its journey. This will affect its ability to form stars and alter the course of its evolution.

Astronomers observed M88 with Hubble as part of an observing program (#18103; PI: D. Thilker) dedicated to understanding the lives of spiral galaxies in crowded environments. This program uses Hubble’s highly capable Wide Field Camera 3. This can finely resolve individual star clusters and nebulae in galaxies tens of millions of light-years away. By studying galaxies on these scales, astronomers can understand how a journey through a cluster impacts galaxies’ evolution and ability to form new stars.

Image Description: A large spiral galaxy. It is seen tilted at an angle, so that it is foreshortened and appears very wide. Its tightly-wound, blue spiral arms swirl out from its glowing center, spreading apart at the tips. They are followed by strands and clumps of dark red dust, and spotted with pink dots where stars are forming in clouds of gas. The galaxy is surrounded by a slight glow and lies on a dark background.

Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, D. Thilker and the MAUVE-HST Team
Release Date: May 29, 2026

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Japanese Astronaut Ayu Yoneda Spacewalk Training | NASA's Johnson Space Center

Japanese Astronaut Ayu Yoneda Spacewalk Training | NASA's Johnson Space Center

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Ayu Yoneda on practicing spacewalks in the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL) at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas: "It's precisely because it's difficult that it's interesting. Extravehicular activity training. Even as we repeat trial and error, we move forward little by little. Every time we dive into the pool wearing a spacesuit, there are new lessons and insights. I'm grateful for an environment where I can take on challenges."

"I'll keep pushing forward!" 👨‍🚀

Ayu Yoneda/米田あゆ was born in 1995. She joined JAXA in April 2023. After basic training as an astronaut candidate, she was certified as a JAXA astronaut in October 2024. She is currently training for her first spaceflight assignment aboard the International Space Station. She may also become one of the first Japanese astronauts to land on the Moon under NASA's Artemis program for international lunar exploration.

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

Image Credit: JAXA/A. Yoneda
Date: May 28, 2026

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NASA’s X-59 Prepares for Supersonic Flight | Armstrong Flight Research Center

NASA’s X-59 Prepares for Supersonic Flight | Armstrong Flight Research Center

NASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft is gearing up for its most significant flights yet as teams continue expanding the aircraft’s flight envelope ahead of upcoming tests at speeds faster than sound.

Since the aircraft’s first flight, the X-59 team has spent months evaluating its performance and handling qualities across a growing range of flight conditions. Take a look at the milestones achieved so far that mark steady progress as NASA moves closer to the aircraft’s first supersonic flight.

The upcoming supersonic flights will help engineers evaluate the aircraft’s performance across more of its operating range as teams advance toward later phases of the Quesst mission.

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.”

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 the Quesst mission: https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/quesst/

Video Credit: NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center (AFRC)
Duration: 3 minutes, 36 seconds
Release Date: May 28, 2026

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