"The Aurora Tree"

"The Aurora Tree"

Pictured is a visual coincidence between the dark branches of a nearby tree and bright glow of a distant aurora. The beauty of the aurora—combined with how it seemed to mimic a tree right nearby—mesmerized the photographer to such a degree that he momentarily forgot to take pictures. When viewed at the right angle, it seemed that this tree had aurora for leaves. Fortunately, before the aurora morphed into a different overall shape, he came to his senses and captured the awe-inspiring momentary coincidence. 

Typically triggered by solar explosions, aurora are caused by high energy electrons impacting the Earth's atmosphere around 150 kilometers up. The unusual Earth-sky collaboration was witnessed during March 2017 in Iceland.

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

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

Image Description: A leafless tree is pictured below a starry sky. In the sky behind the tree is an aurora glowing mostly green, along with purple. The shape of the aurora seems to follow the branches of the tree.

Image Credit & Copyright: Alyn Wallace
Alyn's Website: 

https://www.instagram.com/alynwallace/
Image Date: March 2017
Release Date: March 8, 2026

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Planets #Earth #Aurora #AuroraBorealis #NorthernLights #MagneticField #Magnetosphere #SolarWind #Sun #Stars #Photography #AlynWallace #Photographer #CitizenScience #Iceland #NASAGoddard #GSFC #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #APoD

SpaceX Starship V3: Preparing for Flight 11—A Retrospective | Starbase Texas

SpaceX Starship V3: Preparing for Flight 11—A Retrospective | Starbase Texas

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk Updates: "Starship V3 first flight in about 4 weeks. I am highly confident that the V3 design will achieve full reusability."

"Starship is essential to both SpaceX’s plans to deploy its next-generation Starship system as well as for NASA, which will use a lunar lander version of Starship for landing astronauts on the Moon during the Artemis III mission through the Human Landing System (HLS) program."

Learn more about Starship:

https://www.spacex.com/vehicles/starship/

Download the Free Starship User Guide (PDF):

https://www.spacex.com/media/starship_users_guide_v1.pdf

Credit: Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX)
Date: March 7, 2026

#NASA #SpaceX #Space #Earth #Mars #Moon #MoonToMars #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisIII #Starship #StarshipSpacecraft #StarshipV3 #StarshipV3SN1 #StarshipFlight11 #ReusableSpacecraft #ElonMusk #Engineering #SpaceTechnology #HumanSpaceflight #CommercialSpace #SpaceExploration #StarbaseTexas #Texas #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

China Long March-8A Rocket Moved to Launch Area in Hainan

China Long March-8A Rocket Moved to Launchpad in Hainan

A Long March 8A carrier rocket was transferred to the launch pad at Hainan commercial spacecraft launch site in southern China on Saturday, March 7, 2026, for an upcoming mission. The Long March-8A carrier rocket, designed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT), represents a significant upgrade to the Long March-8 series. It successfully conducted its maiden flight on Feb. 11, 2025.

The rocket, 50.5 meters long with a takeoff weight of 371 tonnes, is capable of carrying up to seven tonnes to a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 700 km. It is designed specifically for high-density, rapid constellation deployment, serving as a core vehicle for China's satellite internet constellation construction.

So far, it has successfully completed seven missions. About 15 launch missions are scheduled for the Long March 8 series rockets this year, involving the Long March 8A and Long March 8 rockets.

As a new-generation medium-lift liquid-fueled carrier rocket, the Long March 8 series rockets have become the mainstay for China's low-to-medium orbit satellite launches since its maiden flight, thanks to its modular design, high cost-effectiveness, and rapid response capabilities.

Hainan International Commercial Aerospace Launch Co., Ltd., or HICAL, is a Chinese state-owned company that operates the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site, China's first commercial spaceport. Established in 2022, HICAL is the first commercially incorporated company in China to independently own and manage a spaceport.

Video Credit: CCTV
Duration: 48 seconds
Release Date: March 7, 2026

#NASA #Space #China #中国 #Satellites #RocketLaunch #LongMarch8A #长征八号运载火箭 #LongMarch8ARocket #CALT #CommercialSpace #SpaceTechnology #Engineering #HICAL #WCSLS #文昌商业航天发射场 #Spaceports #Hainan #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Journey to Newborn Star HH 46/47 in Vela | New Technology Telescope

Journey to Newborn Star HH 46/47 in Vela | New Technology Telescope

This zoom sequence starts with a wide view of the southern Milky Way and then closes in on a rich region of dark clouds and young stars in the constellation of Vela (The Sails). One of these dark star-forming clouds features the Herbig-Haro object HH 46/47 where jets from a young star are colliding with the surrounding material. 

The final image of Herbig-Haro object HH 46/47 was captured by the European Southern Observatory’s New Technology Telescope at the La Silla Observatory in Chile.

Distance: 1,400 light years

Learn more about ESO's New Technology Telescope:
https://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/lasilla/ntt/

Credit: ESO/Digitized Sky Survey 2/Nick Risinger 

Duration: 56 seconds

Release Date: Aug. 20, 2013

#NASA #ESO #Astronomy #Space #Science #Stars #StarFormation #HH4647 #HerbigHaroObject #StellarJets #CircumstellarMaterial #VelaConstellation #MilkyWayGalaxy #Cosmos #Universe #NTTTelescope #LaSillaObservatory #Chile #Europe #STEM #Education #HD #Video

A Newborn Star: Herbig-Haro Object HH 46/47 in Vela | New Technology Telescope

A Newborn Star: Herbig-Haro Object HH 46/47 in Vela | New Technology Telescope

The Herbig-Haro object HH 46/47 seen with the European Southern Observatory’s New Technology Telescope at the La Silla Observatory in Chile. It shows jets emerging from a star-forming dark cloud.

Distance: 1,400 light years

Learn more about ESO's New Technology Telescope:
https://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/lasilla/ntt/

Credit: ESO/Bo Reipurth

Release Date: Aug. 20, 2013

#NASA #ESO #Astronomy #Space #Science #Stars #StarFormation #HH4647 #HerbigHaroObject #StellarJets #CircumstellarMaterial #VelaConstellation #MilkyWayGalaxy #Cosmos #Universe #NTTTelescope #LaSillaObservatory #Chile #Europe #STEM #Education

Planetary Nebula NGC 3699 in Centaurus | New Technology Telescope

Planetary Nebula NGC 3699 in Centaurus | New Technology Telescope

This fetching cloud of gas was imaged by the European Southern Observatory Faint Object Spectrograph and Camera (EFOSC2) on its New Technology Telescope at the La Silla Observatory in Chile. It can be found nestled in the busy constellation of Centaurus in the skies of the southern hemisphere. The cloud of gas—named NGC 3699—is a planetary nebula. It is distinguished by an irregular mottled appearance and a dark rift that roughly bisects it.

Distance from Earth: ~5,000 light years

These objects, despite the name, have nothing to do with planets and are created in the final stages of the evolution of stars similar in mass to the Sun. The name "planetary nebula" arises from the time of their discovery by William Herschel, when they appeared in the telescopes of the time as rounded objects similar in looks to the planets.

Towards the end of their lives, stars like the Sun exhaust the supply of hydrogen in their cores, putting a stop to nuclear reactions. This causes the star's core to contract under the force of gravity and heat up, while the cooler outer layers expand tremendously—the surface of the Sun, for example, will likely engulf the orbit of Earth when it reaches this stage in its evolution. Unusually strong stellar winds push the gaseous outer layers of the star out into space, eventually exposing the core of the star, which begins to emit ultraviolet radiation, ionizing the expelled gas, causing the nebula's ethereal glow, and producing beautiful and varied sights, such as the one in this image.

Learn more about ESO's New Technology Telescope:
https://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/lasilla/ntt/

Credit: European Southern Observatory (ESO)
Release Date: Dec. 14, 2015

#NASA #ESO #Astronomy #Space #Science #Nebulae #PlanetaryNebulae #NGC3699 #CentaurusConstellation #MilkyWayGalaxy #Cosmos #Universe #NewTechnologyTelescope #NTTTelescope #LaSillaObservatory #Chile #Europe #STEM #Education

NASA Astronaut Jessica Meir's Exercise Routine | International Space Station

NASA Astronaut Jessica Meir's Exercise Routine | International Space Station

Expedition 74 Flight Engineer and NASA Astronaut Jessica Meir: "Apologies for the background noise, life on International Space Station is loud! Without daily exercise on the ISS, we would lose significant muscle mass and bone density, since we don’t have the daily loading on our bodies that Earth’s gravitational environment provides.

We have the ARED 🏋️‍♀️ (Advanced Resistive Exercise Device), an engineering marvel that can be configured into a large number of weight lifting exercises, a cycle ergometer 🚲 (think a stationary bike with no handlebars and no seat—not needed in space!), and a treadmill. 🏃‍♀️

I started exercise right away, and it was so cool. Complete muscle memory! Really feels like I never left. Here’s a peek into our daily exercise routine!"

NASA Astronaut/Dr. Jessica Meir's Biography:
https://www.nasa.gov/people/jessica-u-meir/

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.

Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center/Jessica Meir

Duration: 2 minute, 45 seconds
Release Date: March 6, 2026

#NASA #Space #ISS #Planets #Earth #Astronauts #JessicaMeir #AstronautExercise #AstronautHealth #Cosmonauts #Russia #Россия #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #HumanSpaceflight #InternationalCooperation #Expedition74 #JSC #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Polar-ring Galaxy NGC 660 in Pisces: Wide-field view | Mayall Telescope

Polar-ring Galaxy NGC 660 in Pisces: Wide-field view | Mayall Telescope

This image was obtained with the wide-field view of the Mosaic camera on the Mayall 4-meter telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory. It shows NGC 660 and its surroundings. NGC 660 is a striking example of a polar ring galaxy.

Distance from Earth: ~40 million light-years

In the distant background are thousands of other galaxies. Nearly every small blue or yellow smudge is a very distant galaxy. A number of these, like NGC 660, show evidence of collisions or mergers. The image was generated with observations in the B (blue), V (green), I (orange) and Hydrogen-Alpha (red) filters. In this image, North is up, East is to the left.

Learn more about the Mayall Telescope: 
https://noirlab.edu/science/programs/kpno/telescopes/nicholas-mayall-4m-telescope

Credit:T.A. Rector (University of Alaska Anchorage) and H. Schweiker (WIYN and NOIRLab/NSF/AURA)
Release Date: June 30, 2020

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Galaxies #NGC660 #PolarRingGalaxies #InteractingGalaxies #PiscesConstellation #Cosmos #Universe #MayallTelescope #KPNO #Arizona #NSF #AURA #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Polar-ring Galaxy NGC 660 in Pisces | Subaru Telescope

Polar-ring Galaxy NGC 660 in Pisces | Subaru Telescope

NGC 660 is a polar ring galaxy located in the constellation Pisces. It features a large, extended ring structure surrounding the central spiral galaxy at a near-perpendicular angle. NGC 660 spans about 40,000 light years across. The ring emits blue light from active star-forming regions within it. The dark lanes in the ring and the galactic disk intersect, highlighting its complicated structure. This ring structure is thought to have been formed through the gravitational interaction of the central galaxy with another galaxy.

Distance from Earth: ~40 million light-years

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

Image Credit: National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ)/Masayuki Tanaka

Release Date: Oct. 16, 2024

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Galaxies #NGC660 #PolarRingGalaxies #InteractingGalaxies #PiscesConstellation #Cosmos #Universe #SubaruTelescope #すばる望遠鏡 #NAOJ #国立天文台 #HyperSuprimeCam #HSC #Japan #日本 #MaunaKea #Hawaii #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Polar-ring Galaxy NGC 660 in Pisces | Gemini North Telescope

Polar-ring Galaxy NGC 660 in Pisces | Gemini North Telescope

This Gemini North telescope image captures the “bloody” aftermath of one galaxy piercing the heart of another. All the action appears in a single frame with the stunning polar-ring galaxy NGC 660 as the focus of attention. NGC 660 spans around 40,000 light years across and lies about 40 million light years distant in the direction of the constellation of Pisces. It has an unusually high gas content and resolves into hundreds of objects, a considerable fraction are blue and red supergiant stars. 

The ring’s youngest detected stars formed only about seven million years ago, indicating a long and ongoing process of formation. As NGC 660’s ring is not truly polar, but inclined ~45˚ from the plane of the disk, it most likely formed by a previous interaction with a gas-rich galaxy about a billion years ago. That event would have stripped the interloper of its gas, directed it into NGC 660’s core, and triggered a furious burst of star formation. When the resulting short-lived, massive stars exploded shortly thereafter as supernovae, they would have generated shock waves that triggered more star formation, and so on, even to this day. 

This image of the ring galaxy NGC 660, obtained with the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph on the Fredrick C. Gillett Gemini North telescope was obtained in August 2012. The image is made from three images taken through g, r, i, and hydrogen alpha filters and assigned the colors of blue, green, orange and red respectively in this color composite image. The field of view is 9.3x5.6 arcminutes and it is oriented 8 degrees clockwise from north at right and east up. The total exposure (integration) time was 1,620 seconds for all filters. 

Learn about the Gemini North Telescope:
https://noirlab.edu/public/programs/gemini-observatory/gemini-north/

Credits: International Gemini Observatory/AURA

Color composite produced by Travis Rector, University of Alaska Anchorage
Release Date: Oct. 17, 2012

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Galaxies #NGC660 #PolarRingGalaxies #PiscesConstellation #Cosmos #Universe #InternationalGeminiObservatory #GeminiNorthTelescope #GeMS #AdaptiveOptics #Maunakea #Hawaii #NOIRLab #NSF #AURA #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

US & European Astronauts Discuss Life in Space | International Space Station

US & European Astronauts Discuss Life in Space | International Space Station

Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition 74 flight engineers Jessica Meir of NASA and Sophie Adenot of European Space Agency (ESA) discussed life and work aboard the orbital outpost during an in-flight interview March 5, 2026 with spaceflightnow.com. 

Meir and Adenot are in the midst of a long-duration mission living and working aboard the microgravity laboratory to advance scientific knowledge and demonstrate new technologies for future human and robotic exploration flights as part of NASA’s Moon and Mars exploration approach, including lunar missions through NASA’s Artemis program. 

NASA Astronaut/Dr. Jessica Meir's Biography:
https://www.nasa.gov/people/jessica-u-meir/

Astronaut Sophie Adenot's Biography:
https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/Astronauts/Sophie_Adenot

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.

Video Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center
Duration: 20 minutes
Release Date: March 5, 2026

#NASA #Space #ISS #Planets #Earth #Astronauts #JessicaMeir #UnitedStates #SophieAdenot #France #ESA #Europe #Cosmonauts #Russia #Россия #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #HumanSpaceflight #InternationalCooperation #Expedition74 #JSC #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Planet Jupiter's 'Red Spots' (near-infrared view) | Gemini North Telescope

Planet Jupiter's 'Red Spots' (near-infrared view) | Gemini North Telescope

Gemini North adaptive optics image of Jupiter and its two red spots (appearing white because this is a near-infrared image; in visible light they appear reddish). In this color composite image, white indicates cloud features at relatively high altitudes; blue indicates lower cloud structures; and red represents still deeper cloud features. The two red spots appear more white than red, because their tops hover high above the surrounding clouds. Also prominent is the polar stratospheric haze that makes Jupiter bright near the pole (unlike the other orange/red features in this image, the polar haze is high in Jupiter's atmosphere). Other tiny white spots are regions of high clouds, like towering thunderheads. In visible light, Jupiter looks orangish, but in the near-infrared the blue color is due to strong absorption features. The blue mid-level clouds are also closest to what one would see in a visual light image.

The Great Red Spot is a massive storm on Jupiter, known for its persistent high-pressure region and anticyclonic characteristics. It has been observed for over 150 years and is the largest storm in the Solar System with winds reaching up to 432 km/h (268 mph). The exact origin of its red color is still a mystery, but it is believed to be an area of upwelling in the atmosphere. The storm has been continuously observed since 1878 with its current state being influenced by its unique dynamics and the planet's atmospheric conditions. 

Learn about the Gemini North Telescope:
https://noirlab.edu/public/programs/gemini-observatory/gemini-north/

Credit: International Gemini Observatory/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA
Image Date: July 20, 2006

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #SolarSystem #Planets #Jupiter #InfraredAstronomy #NearInfrared #Atmosphere #Meteorology #Weather #RedSpots #GreatRedSpot #Storms #Universe #InternationalGeminiObservatory #GeminiNorthTelescope #GeMS #AdaptiveOptics #Maunakea #Hawaii #NOIRLab #NSF #AURA #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

A Space Oddity: Hanny’s Voorwerp around Galaxy IC 2497 in Leo Minor | Hubble

A Space Oddity: Hanny’s Voorwerp around Galaxy IC 2497 in Leo Minor | Hubble

In this image by the NASA/European Space Agency Hubble Space Telescope, an unusual, ghostly green blob of gas appears to float near a normal-looking spiral galaxy. The bizarre object, named Hanny’s Voorwerp (Hanny’s Object in Dutch), is the only visible part of a streamer of gas stretching 300,000 light-years around the galaxy, called IC 2497. The greenish Voorwerp is visible because a searchlight beam of light from the galaxy’s core has illuminated it. This beam came from a quasar, a bright, energetic object that is powered by a black hole. The quasar may have turned off in the last 200,000 years.

Distance from Earth: ~650 million light years

This Hubble view uncovers a pocket of star clusters, the yellowish-orange area at the tip of Hanny’s Voorwerp. The star clusters are confined to an area that is a few thousand light-years wide. The youngest stars are a couple of million years old. The Voorwerp is the size of the Milky Way, and its bright green color is from glowing oxygen.

The image was made by combining data from the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) and the Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) onboard Hubble with data from the WIYN telescope at Kitt Peak, Arizona, USA. The ACS exposures were taken April 12, 2010; the WFC3 data, April 4, 2010.

Credit: NASA, ESA, William Keel (University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa), and the Galaxy Zoo team
Release Date: Jan. 10, 2011

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Stars #StarClusters #Galaxies #IC2497 #Quasars #BlackHoles #SpiralGalaxy #Nebulae #HannysVoorwerp #EmissionNebulae #IntergalacticGas #IntergalacticGasCloud #LeoMinorConstellation #Cosmos #Universe #HubbleSpaceTelescope #HST #Europe #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Lunar Eclipse & Aurora Borealis: Wide Views from Alaska

Lunar Eclipse & Aurora Borealis: Wide Views from Alaska

Astrophotographer Ayumi Yaegashi Bakken: ". . . more photos from the total lunar eclipse with the aurora near Coldfoot-Wiseman, Alaska. The sky was totally clear, and the aurora band showed up much earlier than the lunar eclipse. One incredible moment that occurred after 20-30 minutes from total eclipse was when the bright green band moved over the blood Moon. My cameras and my hands were cold enough to get frozen almost, but I will never forget this night."

Lunar eclipses occur at the full Moon phase. When Earth is positioned precisely between the Moon and Sun, Earth’s shadow falls upon the surface of the Moon, dimming it and sometimes turning the lunar surface a striking red over the course of a few hours. Each lunar eclipse is visible from half of Earth.

Learn more: https://science.nasa.gov/moon/eclipses/

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

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

Alaska is a non-contiguous U.S. state on the northwest extremity of North America. Part of the Western United States region, it is one of the two non-contiguous U.S. states, alongside Hawaii. Alaska is considered to be the northernmost, westernmost, and easternmost state in the United States. It borders the Canadian territory of the Yukon and the province of British Columbia to the east. It shares a western maritime border in the Bering Strait with Russia. The Chukchi and Beaufort Seas of the Arctic Ocean lie to the north, and the Pacific Ocean lies to the south.

Image Credit: Ayumi Yaegashi Bakken

Location: Coldfoot, Alaska, USA

Ayumi 's website: https://ayumibakken.com
Date: March 3, 2026

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Stars #Sun #Planets #Earth #BloodMoon #LunarEclipse #SpaceWeather #Aurora #AuroraBorealis #NorthernLights #Magnetosphere #SolarWind #SolarSystem #Astrophotography #AyumiYaegashiBakken #Astrophotographers #Coldfoot #Alaska #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

NASA Artemis II Moon Mission: "For All Humanity" | Latest Updates

NASA Artemis II Moon Mission: "For All Humanity" | Latest Updates

"Four astronauts. One historic journey. Moonbound: For All Humanity follows the paths of the Artemis II crew as they prepare to journey around the Moon and back home. This is where the next chapter of human exploration begins."

Launch is expected by April 2026.

Updates: With NASA’s Artemis II Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft in the Vehicle Assembly Building at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians have accessed the launch vehicle stage adapter to inspect components that prevented helium from flowing to the upper stage after a Feb. 21 wet dress rehearsal.

Engineers determined a seal in the quick disconnect, through which helium flows from the ground systems to the rocket, was obstructing the pathway. The team removed the quick disconnect, reassembled the system, and began validating the repairs to the upper stage by running a reduced flow rate of helium through the mechanism to ensure the issue was resolved. Engineers are assessing what allowed the seal to become dislodged to prevent the issue from recurring.

While the upper stage repair has been underway, technicians also have been working to refresh other systems on the rocket. They are activating a new set of flight termination system batteries ahead of end-to-end retesting of the system and also are replacing the flight batteries on the upper stage, core stage, and solid rocket boosters, and charging the Orion launch abort system batteries. Work to replace a seal on the core stage liquid oxygen line feed system began March 2. Once complete, teams will reassemble the oxygen tail service mast umbilical plate and perform various integrity tests to ensure the seal interface is tight.

Work on the rocket and spacecraft will continue in the coming weeks as NASA prepares for rolling the rocket out to the launch pad again later this month ahead of a potential launch in April.

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

Artemis Program blog: 

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

Video Credit: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Duration: 1 minute
Release Date: March 6, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #Earth #Moon #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisII #OrionSpacecraft #SLS #SLSRocket #CrewedMissions #Astronauts #DeepSpace #MoonToMars #Engineering #SpaceTechnology #HumanSpaceflight #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #NASAKenendy #Florida #UnitedStates #CSA #Canada #STEM #Education #HD #Video

China's Landspace: BF20 Engine Tests for Reusable Heavy Lift Commercial Rockets

China's Landspace: BF20 Engine Tests for Reusable Heavy Lift Commercial Rockets

🔥These high-thrust, long-duration engine tests by China commercial launch services provider Landspace lay the foundation for building a high-efficiency, reusable heavy-lift launch vehicle system. The full-flow staged combustion cycle (FFSC) BF20 220-ton-class methalox engine completed its first full-system test firing in May 2025. Since then it has undergone over 100 full-system ignition tests. This marks another milestone on their way to catch up with SpaceX's capabilities.

At the beginning of the Year of the Horse, LandSpace has fully resumed its R&D, production, and testing activities. Recently, the company successfully completed long-duration full-system hot-fire tests of its independently developed blue flame (BF) 20 LOX–methane FFSC engine demonstrating continued progress in the development of high-thrust, high-performance liquid rocket engines.

The BF engine is designed using the advanced FFSC cycle, combined with a highly integrated architecture and high chamber pressure design. It features two preburners: a fuel-rich preburner driving the fuel pump and an oxygen-rich preburner driving the oxidizer pump. The two gas streams are then routed into the main combustion chamber, where they burn completely to ensure optimal performance.

Compared with conventional engine cycles, the FFSC cycle offers higher propellant utilization efficiency, greater thrust-to-weight ratio, and longer service life. However, it also introduces significant engineering challenges, including high system coupling, structural complexity, multiple vibration sources, elevated internal pressures, and intense thermal loads.

Development of the BF engine has progressed rapidly. Since its first full-system hot-fire test in May 2025, it has accomplished more than 100 full-system ignition tests. The successful completion of this latest long-duration test demonstrates steady progress in key technology development and confirms LandSpace’s capability to carry out the complete development cycle of FFSC engines, supported by an agile testing and iteration approach.

These advances further improve the engine’s technical maturity and lay a solid foundation for future development. The BF engine will serve as a critical propulsion building block for the next generation of large to heavy-lift launch vehicles, supporting the development of high-efficiency and reusable heavy-lift propulsion systems.

Beijing-based LandSpace is a leading Chinese private space company. With its Zhuque-2 rocket, LandSpace became the world's first company to launch a methane-liquid oxygen rocket to Earth orbit in July 2023, ahead of U.S. rivals, including Elon Musk's SpaceX and Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin.

Credit: Landspace

Time: 29 seconds
Date: March 6, 2025

#NASA #Space #Satellites #Earth #LEO #China #中国 #LandSpace #蓝箭 #RocketEngineTests #RocketEngines #BF20 #蓝焱20 #FFSC #ReusableRockets #LaunchVehicles #MethaneLiquidOxygen #Methalox #CommercialSpace #CommercialSpaceflight #STEM #Education #HD #Video