Category: Space Exploration

The Purpose of the Space Force

Post author By Frankie Wallace
Post date February 13, 2020
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TDRS-6 launch on January 13, 1993 (featurd image) — TDRS-6, known before launch as TDRS-F, is an American communications satellite which is operated by NASA as part of the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System. It was constructed by TRW, the American corporation involved in a variety of businesses, mainly aerospace, automotive, and credit reporting – now known as Northrop Grumman. It was deployed from Space Shuttle Endeavour during the Space Transportation System 54 (STS-54) mission in 1993. The TDRS-6 is based on a custom satellite bus which was used for all seven first generation TDRS satellites.

The United States’ fascination with space is nothing new. From the great “space race” against the Soviet Union to the current billionaire space race between Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, people have been intrigued, captivated, and curious about what the universe truly holds and what it could mean for our future.

Earth from Space Space Exploration

NASA digitally remasters the iconic “Pale Blue Dot” photo

Post author By M. Özgür Nevres
Post date February 13, 2020
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Pale Blue Dot reprocessed (cropped) — To celebrate the photograph's 30th anniversary, NASA digitally reprocessed this famous image which is still the farthest photo of Earth from space ever taken. Image: NASA

NASA has digitally reprocessed probably the most iconic photo of Earth from space – the “Pale Blue Dot” to celebrate the photograph’s 30th anniversary.

Moon Landing Earth from Space Space Exploration

A spectacular crescent Earth rising over the Moon [Apollo 14 image]

Post author By M. Özgür Nevres
Post date February 3, 2020
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NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD) for February 1, 2020: a crescent Earth rising over the Moon, seen from Apollo 14 on February 6, 1971. This photo is not as famous as the Apollo 8 Earthrise, or the Blue Marble, but it has such an eerie beauty.

Earth from Space Space Exploration

Black Velvet of Space: Astronaut describes a shift in his worldview during his time in space

Post author By M. Özgür Nevres
Post date January 30, 2020
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In the video below, published by NASA Johnson channel and titled “Down to Earth – Black Velvet of Space”, former NASA astronaut William “Bill” McArthur describes how his worldview has been shifted during his time in space.

Space Exploration

International Space Station Grand Tour [1+ Hour Video]

Post author By M. Özgür Nevres
Post date January 27, 2020
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International Space Station Grand Tour (January 2020)International Space Station Grand Tour (January 2020)

The European Space Agency has published an amazing grand tour of the International Space Station (ISS). ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano and NASA astronaut Drew Morgan take you on a 1+ hour unique tour of the orbiting laboratory.

Space Exploration Mars Moon Landing

NASA and CSA welcomes 13 new astronauts and almost half of them are women

Post author By M. Özgür Nevres
Post date January 11, 2020
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13 new astronauts - the turtles — NASA's new class of astronauts - the first to graduate since the agency announced its Artemis program - appear on stage during their graduation ceremony at the agency's Johnson Space Center in Houston on Jan. 10, 2020. The class includes 11 NASA astronauts, as well as two Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronauts, selected in 2017. They will join the active astronaut corps, beginning careers in exploration that may take them to the International Space Station, on missions to the Moon under the Artemis program, or someday, Mars. Pictured from left are: Kayla Barron of NASA, Zena Cardman of NASA, Raja Chari of NASA, Matthew Dominick of NASA, Bob Hines of NASA, Warren Hoburg of NASA, Jonny Kim of NASA, Joshua Kutryk of CSA, Jasmin Moghbeli of NASA, Loral O'Hara of NASA, Jessica Watkins of NASA, Jennifer Sidey-Gibbons of CSA, and Frank Rubio of NASA. image: NASA

NASA and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) chose 13 new astronauts, and the good news is, almost half of them are women. Nicknamed “turtles“, six women and seven men were selected from record-breaking 18,000 applicants representing a wide variety of backgrounds and specialties.

Space Exploration Astronomy Mars Moon Landing

Top 20 Exciting Advances in Space Science in the 2010s

Post author By M. Özgür Nevres
Post date December 31, 2019
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Mars Curiosity Rover Selfie — This self-portrait of NASA's Curiosity Mars rover shows the vehicle at the "Mojave" site, where its drill collected the mission's second taste of Mount Sharp. The scene combines dozens of images taken during January 2015 by the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) camera at the end of the rover's robotic arm. The pale "Pahrump Hills" outcrop surrounds the rover, and the upper portion of Mount Sharp is visible on the horizon. Darker ground at upper right and lower left holds ripples of wind-blown sand and dust. Image: NASA.gov Some conspiracy theorists ask "where is the robotic arm?", "who took this photo?", "who holds the camera" etc. The view does not include the rover's robotic arm. Wrist motions and turret rotations on the arm allowed MAHLI to acquire the mosaic's component images. The arm was positioned out of the shot in the images, or portions of images, that were used in this mosaic. This process was used previously in acquiring and assembling Curiosity self-portraits taken at sample-collection sites "Rocknest" (PIA16468), "John Klein" (PIA16937) and "Windjana" (PIA18390).

Today is the last day of the 2010s – and what a decade it has been for space science and space exploration! Here is a timeline of the top 20 major (and exciting!) advances in space science in the 2010s.

Space Exploration Earth from Space

Astronaut Christina Koch broke the “longest spaceflight by a woman” record

Post author By M. Özgür Nevres
Post date December 30, 2019
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On December 28, 2019, NASA astronaut aboard the International Space Station (ISS) Christina Koch broke the record for “longest spaceflight by a woman”.

Earth from Space Space Exploration

An Astronaut’s Christmas Carol – Jewel in the Night (New video by Chris Hadfield)

Post author By M. Özgür Nevres
Post date December 24, 2019
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An Astronaut's Christmas Carol - Jewel in the Night. Chris Hadfield with his guitar in the ISS — Chris Hadfield with his Larrivée Parlor guitar in the ISS. Back in December 2012, Hadfield recorded the first-ever musical recording in space: An Astronaut's Christmas Carol - Jewel in the Night.

Retired astronaut (the first Canadian to walk in space), former commander of the International Space Station (ISS), musician, engineer, and former Royal Canadian Air Force fighter pilot Chris Hadfield published a new music video: “An Astronaut’s Christmas Carol – Jewel in the Night”.

Earth from Space Places Space Exploration

10 Most Beautiful Earth Photos Taken From the International Space Station in 2019

Post author By M. Özgür Nevres
Post date December 23, 2019
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Most beautiful Earth photos from ISS in 2019 - Issyk-Kul — Without any shadows of doubt, one of the most beautiful Earth photos from space: Issyk-Kul Lake in the central Asian nation of Kyrgyzstan is surrounded by the snow-capped Tian Shen mountains. It is the second-largest mountain lake in the world behind Lake Titicaca in South America. The International Space Station was orbiting 252 miles above southeastern Kazakhstan with a ground distance of 72 miles from Issykul-Lake when this photograph was taken. Image (iss061e006705, October 16, 2019): NASA Issyk-Kul is the seventh deepest lake in the world, the tenth largest lake in the world by volume (though not in surface area), and the second largest saline lake after the Caspian Sea. Issyk-Kul means "warm lake" in the Kyrgyz language; although it is surrounded by snow-capped peaks, it never freezes.

Here are the top 10 most beautiful Earth photos taken by the astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS), the orbiting laboratory, in 2019. Which one is your favorite? Or if your favorite image was not listed here, please leave a comment below. To see all images taken from the International Space Station and published by NASA, visit Space Station Images webpage.