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Spidernauts and space dogs: What happens to the creatures of spaceflight
Animal spaceflights paved the way for the first human astronauts, and today, creatures big and small continue to space travel, advancing our knowledge of how the zero-gravity environment impacts all beings and aiding research down on Earth.
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Pittsburghโs ambassadors to space are ready to return America to the moon
Several private companies launching moon landers later this year from Florida will kick off a grand campaign to better understand our nearest neighbor, with big implications for when NASA returns humans to the moon in a few short years.
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Mars findings cataloged in Navajo language
FILE - This photo made available by NASA was taken during the first drive of the Perseverance rover on Mars on Thursday, March 4, 2021. The Perseverance rover has been on Mars for a month, collecting data and making discoveries with each passing day. A number of the findings, through a collaboration with NASA, have been catalogued in Dinรฉ Bizaad, the Navajo language. The Perseverance team started with a list of 50 words and will expand the list as needed. Aaron Yazzie, Dinรฉ, added suggestions like bidziil (strength) and hoล nilฤฏฬ (respect) to the list.
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These photos on Mars are the best weโve ever seen
The landing is part of NASAโs Mars Exploration Program, a long-term effort to explore the Red Planet. (2021 NASA)This is the first 360-degree panorama taken by Mastcam-Z, a zoomable pair of cameras aboard NASAโs Perseverance Mars rover. Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSSThis shows the rim of Jezero Crater as seen in the first 360-degree panorama taken by the Mastcam-Z instrument aboard NASAโs Perseverance Mars rover (Feb. 24, 2021). AdNASAโs Mars Perseverance rover acquired this image using its Rover Down-Look Camera. The Perseverance Mars rover landed on Mars Feb. 18, 2021.
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How scientists know weโre not going to get squashed by an asteroid
In a recent episode of the podcast โSpace Curious,โ planetary scientists helped us understand why this is. They also explained how we know where asteroids are, and why weโre not all going to get squashed by one anytime soon. โThe main reason we go to Bennu is because it is the most potentially hazardous asteroid,โ Campins said. โItโs a primitive asteroid,โ Campins said. Campins said when someone reads about an asteroid headed for Earth, itโs a good idea to do some fact checking.
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Astronomers are working to make sure large satellite constellations donโt forever change the night sky
A composite image of Starlink satellite trails across an image of Comet NEOWise taken in Central Florida by astronomer Derek Demeter in July 2020. (Derek Demeter)Our view of the night sky has been changing ever since the light bulb was invented. โWhen I look up at the night sky, Iโm reminded of the thousands of years of history that people have been inspired -- a lot of our traditions today stem from ancient people looking up at the night sky and feeling awe and wonder,โ he said. AdIn August, the members of an American Astronomical Society committee -- who have been working with SpaceX engineers-- released their findings about how to mitigate trashing the night sky and what the long-standing impact of these large constellations will be. Lori Allen, also an astronomer with the NOIRLab, said the astronomy working group observed Starlink satellites to determine if changes to the satellite hardware will work, what observatories can do.
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Who takes out the space trash? Space debris is growing, hereโs whatโs being done about it
And so whilst we say โspace debris,โ itโs not like thereโs hundreds and hundreds of objects all crammed together or creating a huge problem. Space is big, and the separations between these pieces of space debris are quite large.โAdBatcheldor said most space debris, or space junk, is tracked and right now not posing a danger to any new missions. This is the area most concentrated with space debris, according to NASAโs Orbital Debris Program Office. His research area of focus is on robotics in space, including satellite repair in space and removal of space debris. Hosted by space reporter Emilee Speck, each episode is designed to inspire everyone, from the space curious to the space fanatics.
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Space Curious: The origin story of the International Space Station
That means most college students today have never known a day without an astronaut orbiting above them on the International Space Station. The International Space Station, or ISS, is just shy of the same length as an American football field and the largest spacecraft ever built. โI felt as an International Space Station, we needed to enter as an international crew.โAdCabana and Krikalev went into the ISS at the same time. โSergei and I enter side by side, so there was no first person to enter the International Space Station,โ Cabana said. Hosted by space reporter Emilee Speck, each episode is designed to inspire everyone, from the space curious to the space fanatics.
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Are you Space Curious? Submit your intergalactic questions here
What do you want to know about spaceflight and planetary exploration in the era of a new space industry? Space exploration is fueled by the need to answer questions about the great unknown. Thereโs no need to have a background in physics or a degree in engineering; this is open for the space curious to the space obsessed. Space reporter Emilee Speck will answer your intergalactic questions with help from astronauts, scientists and engineers. Your questions could be featured on Space Curious, a podcast from Graham Media Group and ClickOrlando.com.
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Looking back on American human spaceflight history: Mercury, Gemini paved way for moonshot
Leading up to the May 27 launch of NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken weโre taking a look back at milestones in U.S. human spaceflight that paved the way for future astronauts, starting with the Mercury and Gemini projects. (NASA)A chimpanzee named Enos launched in the Mercury spacecraft on an Atlas rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Feb. 20, 1962: First American to orbit EarthPresident John F. Kennedy and Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson greet astronaut John Glenn. (Image: LBJ Presidential Library/NASA)Less than a year after the second human spaceflight from the U.S., Astronaut John Glenn Jr. made history becoming the first American to orbit the Earth three times. (Image: NASA History Office) (WKMG 2020)While the Mercury spacecraft could only carry one astronaut, Gemini was designed to fly the first two-person crew.