An amazing photo from the past: The space shuttle Endeavour receives a high-flying salute from its sister shuttle, Columbia, atop NASA’s Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, shortly after Endeavour’s landing on October 11, 1994, at Edwards, California, to complete mission STS-68. Columbia was being ferried from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, to Air Force Plant 42, Palmdale, …
Category Archives: Space Exploration
Moon Landings: All-Time List [1966-2024]
In the history of Space Exploration, numerous space missions have been undertaken to study the Moon, the Earth’s natural satellite. Here’s the list of successful moon landings (crewed and uncrewed) with dates and mission summaries.
From Orbit to Ordinary: 10 Earthly Applications of Space Technology
Space exploration and programs, often seen as lofty pursuits aimed at the stars, have a profound and often overlooked impact on our daily lives. While debates continue about prioritizing earthly concerns over cosmic exploration, it’s enlightening to recognize that many innovations we rely on daily are direct results of space research. From the solar cells …
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Axiom Station’s First Module, HAB1 is Scheduled to Launch in 2026
Former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson announced that the first module of the Axiom Station, HAB1, is currently scheduled to launch in 2026. Axiom Station will be the world’s first commercial space station.
China’s Tiangong Space Station vs the ISS interiors [Side-by-Side Comparison]
Here’s an interesting side-by-side comparison of the interiors of China’s Tiangong space station vs the International Space Station (ISS). Tiangong looks way futuristic, that’s what actually future space stations look like in science-fiction movies. The good, old ISS clearly shows its age.
Voyager 1 is in serious trouble and sending indecipherable data
NASA’s Voyager 1 probe, a pivotal instrument in studying the outer Solar System, is currently facing communication difficulties. Launched in 1977, its main purpose has been to gather and send back information about the transition zone between the heliosphere (the Sun’s protective bubble, encompassing the Solar System, shielding it from interstellar radiation and cosmic rays) …
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Lunar Rover Vehicle Speed Record was Broken on December 13, 1972
The Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV), an engineering feat designed for lunar exploration, played a crucial role in the later Apollo missions. Given its delicate structure and the unique challenges of the Moon’s surface, astronauts were instructed to handle the LRV with utmost caution. The vehicle, powered by a modest 1 horsepower, initially had a speed …
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The Last Moonwalk was Performed on December 13, 1972
On December 13, 1972, Apollo 17 astronauts Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt performed the third and last extravehicular activity (EVA) of the mission. This was the last moonwalk ever performed (as of 2023). Cernan and Schmitt were the last humans to set foot on the Moon.
A Conversation with the Apollo 17 Moonwalker Harrison Schmitt [Video]
The American Veterans Center published a video, a conversation with the Apollo 17 moonwalker Harrison Schmitt. Schmitt was the first geologist to visit the lunar surface. He talks about the mission, and especially, the importance of the moon rocks.
Anna Lee Fisher became the first mother in space on November 8, 1984
On November 8, 1984, American astronaut Anna Lee Fisher became the first mother in space aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery as a mission specialist of NASA’s STS-51-A mission. It was her only spaceflight.