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Shenzhou-20: Science Experiments, Emergency Drill | China Space Station
The three astronauts aboard China's Shenzhou-20 spacecraft—Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui, and Wang Jie—carried out a series of tasks within the Tiangong Space Station last week, including space science experiments, a full-system pressure emergency drill, and equipment inspections and maintenance.
Since their arrival on April 25, 2025, the crew has been actively engaged in research activities in Tiangong Space Station that functions as a national space laboratory.
Last week, the astronauts focused on observing samples for studying the microbial effects on cell tissue culture modules.
In collaboration with ground-based researchers, the Shenzhou-20 crew successfully completed their first full-system pressure emergency drill. The drill simulated an internal pressure loss aboard the space station, with the astronauts and ground personnel working together to complete the emergency response procedure.
The crew also performed an inspection of the low-temperature storage device in the Wentian lab module, which is critical for preserving biological samples. This device ensures the long-term storage of samples, an essential component for space biological science experiments.
In addition to scientific work, the astronauts carried out regular inspections and maintenance on three extravehicular spacesuits. They also checked and adjusted various pieces of equipment onboard.
Maintaining a clean and organized environment is another key responsibility for the crew.
Last week, the crew cleaned the node module of the Tianhe core module and the airlock cabin of the Wentian lab module, organized and transferred supplies, and handled waste storage and disposal.
Physical health and well-being are also a priority. In addition to daily exercise, the astronauts underwent several medical checks, including ECG tests, dynamic electrocardiograms, blood pressure monitoring, and lung function tests. The data gathered from these tests helps ground researchers keep a close watch on the astronauts’ health while they are in orbit.
Shenzhou-20 Crew Chen Dong (陈冬) - Commander - Third spaceflight Chen Zhong Rui (陈中瑞) - Operator - First spaceflight Wang Jie (王杰) - Flight Engineer - First spaceflight
Video Credit: CCTV Duration: 1 minute, 48 seconds Release Date: May 18, 2025
Rocket Lab Launch in New Zealand: Japan's iQPS Earth Observation Satellite
Rocket Lab USA, Inc. successfully launched its third mission for Japanese customer, Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space, Inc. (iQPS). ‘The Sea God Sees’ mission successfully launched on an Electron rocket from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand at 8:17 p.m. on May 17th, 2025. The mission carried iQPS’ QPS-SAR-10, a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) Earth-imaging satellite, to a 575km low Earth orbit, where it was deployed as part of iQPS’ growing constellation. The mission was launched just weeks’ after Rocket Lab’s previous launch for iQPS was deployed on March 15, 2025— demonstrating frequent, reliable, and dedicated small orbital launch for satellite operators with 100% mission success in 2025.
Today’s mission was the third overall launch for iQPS and the second in a multi-launch contract to launch eight missions for the company in 2025 and 2026. Four more launches are scheduled for launch this year, with the remaining two scheduled for 2026. Rocket Lab’s next mission for iQPS is scheduled to launch in less than a month’s time, from no earlier than June 2025.
Rocket Lab Launch of Japan's iQPS Earth Observation Satellite in New Zealand
Rocket Lab USA, Inc. successfully launched its third mission for Japanese customer, Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space, Inc. (iQPS). ‘The Sea God Sees’ mission successfully launched on an Electron rocket from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand at 8:17 p.m. on May 17th, 2025. The mission carried iQPS’ QPS-SAR-10, a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) Earth-imaging satellite, to a 575km low Earth orbit, where it was deployed as part of iQPS’ growing constellation. The mission was launched just weeks’ after Rocket Lab’s previous launch for iQPS was deployed on March 15, 2025— demonstrating frequent, reliable, and dedicated small orbital launch for satellite operators with 100% mission success in 2025.
Today’s mission was the third overall launch for iQPS and the second in a multi-launch contract to launch eight missions for the company in 2025 and 2026. Four more launches are scheduled for launch this year, with the remaining two scheduled for 2026. Rocket Lab’s next mission for iQPS is scheduled to launch in less than a month’s time, from no earlier than June 2025.
The Iris Nebula: NGC 7023 in Cepheus (Wide-field view)
NGC 7023, also known as the Iris Nebula because of its flower-like shape, is a bright reflection nebula. The bluish glow of the nebula comes from a hot, massive star at the center of the nebula, named HD 200775. Blue light from the star is scattered off dust grains in the nebula, giving it its distinctive color. The dust can also be seen on the outer portions of the nebula, where it has a faint brownish color and blocks out stars behind it.
LandSpace Launches Methane-powered Rocket with Six Commercial Satellites
A new methane-powered rocket developed by China's private firm LandSpace Technology launched commercial six satellites into orbit on Saturday, May 17, 2025, doubling down on a cheap, cleaner fuel that the startup hopes will help it develop reusable rockets.
The Zhuque-2E Y2 carrier rocket blasted off at 12:12 p.m. (0412 GMT) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, marking the fifth flight for the Zhuque-2 series, according to a company statement.
Beijing-based LandSpace became the world's first company to launch a methane-liquid oxygen rocket in July 2023, ahead of U.S. rivals including Elon Musk's SpaceX and Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin.
The Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center (JSLC) was founded in 1958. It was the first of China's four spaceports. The launch center has been the focus of many of China's historic space ventures, including the country's first satellite Dong Fang Hong I in 1970 and their first crewed space mission, Shenzhou V, on October 15, 2003. JSLC is now a home for many new Chinese commercial space launch firms, like Landspace.
Image Credits: Landspace, CGTN Capture Date: May 17, 2025
LandSpace Launches Zhuque-2E Rocket with Six Commercial Satellites (Drone view)
A new methane-powered rocket developed by China's LandSpace Technology launched six satellites into orbit on Saturday, May 17, 2025, doubling down on a cheap, cleaner fuel that the private startup hopes will help it develop reusable rockets.
The Zhuque-2E Y2 carrier rocket blasted off at 12:12 p.m. (0412 GMT) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, marking the fifth flight for the Zhuque-2 series, according to a company statement.
Beijing-based LandSpace became the world's first company to launch a methane-liquid oxygen rocket in July 2023, ahead of U.S. rivals including Elon Musk's SpaceX and Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin.
Video Credit: CNSA Watcher Duration: 28 seconds Release Date: May 17, 2025
A new methane-powered rocket developed by China's LandSpace Technology launched six satellites into orbit on Saturday, May 17, 2025, doubling down on a cheap, cleaner fuel that the private startup hopes will help it develop reusable rockets.
The Zhuque-2E Y2 carrier rocket blasted off at 12:12 p.m. (0412 GMT) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, marking the fifth flight for the Zhuque-2 series, according to a company statement.
Beijing-based LandSpace became the world's first company to launch a methane-liquid oxygen rocket in July 2023, ahead of U.S. rivals including Elon Musk's SpaceX and Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin.
Video Credit: ShanghaiEye魔都眼 Duration: 1 minute Release Date: May 17, 2025
Jonny Kim's Kitchen: "Burgertime" | International Space Station
Expedition 73 flight engineer and NASA astronaut Jonny Kim: ". . . Here is a twist on the ranger burger, one of my favorites: beef steak, wheat snack bread, cheese spread as both topping and glue, potatoes au gratin layered in the middle, and a generous slather of gochujang red pepper paste from a care package on the SpX-32 Cargo Dragon."
"I miss cooking for my family, but this hits the spot in its own way."
NASA Flight Engineers: Anne McClain, Nichole Ayers, Jonny Kim
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.
Can Studying Lunar Regolith Prepare Us for Life on The Moon? | NASA Langley
Lunar regolith, or the dust that covers the surface of the Moon, consists can damage fabric, clog mechanisms, and coat solar array panels and prevent them from absorbing sunlight.
Learn how NASA and its commercial partners are developing technologies to address these challenges and turn regolith into part of the solution for a sustainable future.
Lights of Southeast Asia | International Space Station
Southeast Asia occupies the bottom two-thirds of this image. The scene is dark except for nighttime lights coming from urban areas, the white and purple glow from a thunderstorm, and green dots from fishing boats. A strip of green airglow is visible across the planet's horizon at the top.
NASA astronaut Don Pettit, aboard the International Space Station, took this nighttime photo while orbiting near the Andaman Sea in Southeast Asia. In the foreground, bright flashes of lightning from a thunderstorm loom near fishing boats offshore of Burma’s largest city, Yangon. This view from the space station looks across a populated region where the countries of Burma (Myanmar), Thailand, and Laos share borders.
At the time of this photograph, little to no moonlight illuminated the scene. This allows astronauts to see and photograph a variety of light sources with a high degree of contrast against the dark land and water surfaces. Bright light associated with lightning is a common occurrence during the monsoon season across Southeast Asia.
City lights can be seen throughout much of the landscape. Several interconnected cities, such as Chiang Mai and Phitsanulok, are located within Thailand’s central river valley, where the Chao Phraya River runs. Beyond these city lights, the darkness leading toward the horizon indicates the vegetated landscapes of rural Thailand with few light sources.
Another frequent sighting from the space station is the green lights from fishing boats, seen here clustered offshore near the storm. The bright green lights are used to attract plankton and fish to the boats and stand out against the dark ocean water. Looking toward Earth’s horizon, a faint green layer of airglow hovers between the darkness of space and the land below.
The southernmost part of Burma, shown here in October 2024, experienced damage from the magnitude 7.7 earthquake that struck five months later in March 2025. The earthquake epicenter was located near Mandalay, Burma, approximately 628 kilometers (390 miles) north of Yangon, just out of frame.
Image details: "Nikon Z9 digital camera using a focal length of 50 millimeters."
Image Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center/D. Pettit
Text Credit: Andrea Wenzel, Amentum-JETS II Contract at NASA-JSC
Expedition 73 flight engineer and NASA astronaut Anne McClain: "One of my favorite views out the window is the depth and patterns in the clouds. From the ground, they often look 2D. From an airplane, we see the enormity but not necessarily the patterns. Shadows can extend hundreds of miles, and the various patterns and shades are simply stunning. When the sun goes down, a lightning flash can accentuate that depth. We live on the most beautiful planet!"
NASA Flight Engineers: Anne McClain, Nichole Ayers, Jonny Kim
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.
Expedition 73 flight engineer and NASA astronaut Nichole Ayers:"I’m still in awe of our view of the world and beyond. Today was the Flower Moon and it did NOT disappoint!🌕🌸These were shot from a few different lenses for perspective. I love how you can see the texture in the clouds and on the Moon itself."
NASA Flight Engineers: Anne McClain, Nichole Ayers, Jonny Kim
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.
NASA Flight Engineers: Anne McClain, Nichole Ayers, Jonny Kim
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.
Portrait of Expedition 73 Flight Engineer & NASA Astronaut Nichole Ayers
NASA astronaut Nichole “Vapor” Ayers at the NASA Johnson Space Center photo studio on October 24, 2024. Ayers is currently serving as a flight engineer aboard the International Space Station as part of Expedition#73.
NASA Flight Engineers: Anne McClain, Nichole Ayers, Jonny Kim
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: Josh Valcarcel/Johnson Space Center Image Date: October 24, 2024
New Portrait of Crew-11 Commander & NASA Astronaut Zena Cardman
NASA astronaut Zena Cardman posed for a portrait in a photography studio at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.
NASA astronauts Commander Zena Cardman and Pilot Mike Fincke, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Mission Specialist Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Mission Specialist Oleg Platonov of Russia will join crew members aboard the International Space Station no earlier than July 2025.
The flight is the 11th crew rotation with SpaceX to the station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. The crew will conduct scientific investigations and technology demonstrations to help prepare humans for future missions to the Moon, as well as benefit people on Earth.
Cardman previously was assigned to NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 mission, and Fincke previously was assigned to NASA’s Boeing Starliner-1 mission. NASA decided to reassign the astronauts to Crew-11 in overall support of planned activities aboard the International Space Station. Cardman carries her experience training as a commander on Dragon spacecraft, and Fincke brings long-duration spaceflight experience to this crew complement.
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