 advertisements
|
|
 |
|
|
|
Space Rendezvous: The seven astronauts who launched aboard the first mission of the space shuttle Endeavour will share stories from their historic spaceflight as part of the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation's Space Rendezvous. The online event, which runs Nov. 2 through Nov. 8, also features book signings, a cocktail competition between astronauts, a virtual 5K run and interactive talks.
OSIRIS-REx overflows: NASA's first try at collecting samples off an asteroid resulted in a significant amount of material, so much so that the OSIRIS-REx probe overflowed with particles from the space rock. To curtail the leak, NASA halted its planned activities and moved to stow the samples for the journey back to Earth. The return trip from asteroid Bennu will begin in March 2021 and end with the sample return capsule landing on Sept. 24, 2023.
Touch-and-go: NASA's OSIRIS-REx tagged an asteroid on Tuesday (Oct. 20) completing its first attempt at collecting samples to bring back to Earth. Descending from orbit around Bennu, the probe extended its robotic arm to Touch-And-Go (TAG), contacting the rocky body for several seconds. If successful, OSIRIS-REx will return in 2023 with the largest sample return since the Apollo program.
Mercury 'nose art' auction: Removed from their spacecraft almost 60 years ago, the two shingles that were adorned with the logos for Scott Carpenter and Wally Schirra's Mercury capsules have been sold at auction. Thought to be lost to the heat of re-entry, the Aurora 7 and Sigma 7 "nose art" was hand painted by artist Cece Bibby, who was the first woman to ascend a rocket gantry. The two shingles were originally separated from their spacecraft for study.
Two orbits to 20 years: A new crew for the International Space Station launched aboard Russia's Soyuz MS-17 on an "ultrafast," two-orbit rendezvous that will see them arrive at the orbiting complex ahead of and to extend 20 years of a continuous human presence in orbit. Russian cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and NASA astronaut Kate Rubins will spend six months on the space station as members of the Expedition 64 crew.
'The Right Stuff' recap: Like the 1959 press conference depicted in the first two episodes of "The Right Stuff," the National Geographic series' opening hours introduce the Mercury 7 astronauts to a new audience. In this recap of "Sierra Hotel" and "Goodies" collectSPACE also looks at what was the right, wrong and real stuff in the episodes.
Starliner CFT command change: Astronaut Chris Ferguson has withdrawn from Boeing's Starliner crewed flight test (CFT) citing family commitments. The 2021 mission will now be commanded by NASA's Butch Wilmore, who was serving as backup to the crew. Ferguson will still work the flight from the ground, serving as the director of mission integration and operations for Boeing.
Igloo makes NASA cooler(s): A new line of NASA-inspired Igloo ice chests redefines the idea that space graphics are retro cool. Igloo Playmate Pal special edition coolers are now available with space shuttle imagery, mission patches and NASA's logos. "Our NASA-inspired Playmates make the perfect partner for any mission," writes Igloo.
Speedy Snoopy: Fifty years to the day after being presented with NASA's Silver Snoopy Award for its role in helping save the Apollo 13 crew, Omega revealed a 50th anniversary Speedmaster wristwatch featuring the comic strip beagle. Astronaut Snoopy not only adorns the front of the new chronograph, but also takes an animated trip on a command module around the moon on the caseback.
Moon-bound 'worms': NASA has added its once-retired, post-Apollo logo to its Artemis I rocket and spacecraft. The "worm" has been painted on the sides of the two boosters that will fly with the moon-bound mission's Space Launch System rocket. The insignia also adorns the flight's Orion capsule (alongside another newly-added logo for the European Space Agency). NASA's primary insignia, known as the "meatball," will emblazon the spacecraft, as well.
|
|
|
|
|
GM's moonshot: General Motors revealed its first all-electric pickup truck, the Hummer EV, which represented a "moonshot" for the company's engineering teams. Edition 1 of the new vehicle features a "Lunar Horizon" interior, including visual references to the Apollo 11 moon landing. The Hummer EV continues GM's electric vehicle legacy, which can be traced back to the Apollo lunar rover.
'The Right Stuff' recap: The fourth episode of National Geographic's "The Right Stuff" is devoted to challenges on two fronts: at home with the Mercury 7 astronauts and out on the launchpad. Read a recap of hour 4 "Advent" and review the right, wrong and real stuff in the episode.
SEAL-ing 20 years: Chris Cassidy of NASA and Anatoli Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner of the Russian space agency Roscosmos returned to Earth on Wednesday (Oct. 21), landing on Russia's Soyuz MS-16 after 196 days on the International Space Station. The touchdown in Kazakhstan came 10 days shy of the 20-year anniversary of the launch of the station's first expedition crew. Like the first American to live on the ISS, William Shepherd, Cassidy is also a U.S. Navy SEAL, book-ending the two decades of operations.
Picture-perfect patch: When Expedition 64 begins on the International Space Station on Wednesday (Oct. 20), the new increment will be represented by a patch based on a photo. Astronaut Kate Rubins found her inspiration for the emblem's design in one of the many shots of Earth that she took when she was last on board the outpost four years ago. The Expedition 64 patch reflects the connection between the space station and the world below.
'The Right Stuff' recap: Episode 3 ("Single Combat Warrior") of the National Geographic series "The Right Stuff" on Disney+ looks at the risks that the Mercury 7 astronauts faced while competing to be the first to fly in space. Recapping the hour, collectSPACE reviews the right, wrong and real stuff depicted in the docudrama.
Return to orbit: In his first interview since it became public that he will command Axiom's first commercial mission to the International Space Station, Michael Lopez-Alegria says it is "a mulligan of a lifetime." A veteran space explorer with four flights to his record, Lopez-Alegria is now set to become the first former NASA astronaut to return to the ISS. If all goes to plan, Lopez-Alegria will fly with three Axiom clients on a SpaceX Dragon to the space station.
The right stage: National Geographic's "The Right Stuff" is set to premiere on Friday (Oct. 9) on Disney+. The new series recreates the events surrounding the selection and training of the Mercury 7 astronauts as chronicled by Tom Wolfe. To do so, the production created more than 35 sets and gained unprecedented access to some of the real facilities where history was made almost 60 years ago.
39A flight jacket: A new lightweight jacket is heavy in NASA technology and iconography. The 39A flight jacket from OROS borrows its name from a NASA launch pad, its look from an astronaut's spacesuit and its lining from a NASA insulation technology. The limited edition apparel will launch for sale on Thursday (Oct. 1) to mark 62 years since NASA first began operations as the U.S. space agency.
|
|
|
|
|
|
