WEATHER ALERT
New Mars study suggests an ocean's worth of water may be hiding beneath the red dusty surface
Read full article: New Mars study suggests an ocean's worth of water may be hiding beneath the red dusty surfaceA new study suggests Mars may be drenched beneath its surface, with enough water hiding in the cracks of underground rocks to form a global ocean.
Crew of NASA's earthbound simulated Mars habitat emerge after a year
Read full article: Crew of NASA's earthbound simulated Mars habitat emerge after a yearFour volunteer crew members who spent more than 12 months inside NASA’s first simulated Mars environment at Johnson Space Center in Houston have emerged from the artificial alien enviroment.
Jeff Bezos sells nearly 12 million Amazon shares worth at least $2 billion, with more to come
Read full article: Jeff Bezos sells nearly 12 million Amazon shares worth at least $2 billion, with more to comeJeff Bezos has filed a statement with federal regulators indicating his sale of nearly 12 million shares of Amazon stock worth more than $2 billion.
Orange tabby cat named Taters steals the show in first video sent by laser from deep space
Read full article: Orange tabby cat named Taters steals the show in first video sent by laser from deep spaceAn orange tabby cat named Taters stars in the first video sent by laser from deep space, stealing the show as he chases a red laser light.
Average long-term US mortgage rate climbs to 7.09% this week to highest level in more than 20 years
Read full article: Average long-term US mortgage rate climbs to 7.09% this week to highest level in more than 20 yearsThe average long-term U.S. mortgage rate jumped this week to its highest level in 20 years.
First-of-its-kind Mars livestream by ESA spacecraft interrupted at times by rain on Earth
Read full article: First-of-its-kind Mars livestream by ESA spacecraft interrupted at times by rain on EarthA European spacecraft around Mars has sent its first livestream from the red planet to Earth to mark the 20th anniversary of its launch.
SEE VIDEO: SpaceX’s Starship rocket explodes 4 minutes into succesful first test flight
Read full article: SEE VIDEO: SpaceX’s Starship rocket explodes 4 minutes into succesful first test flightSpaceX on Thursday tested its next-generation rocket designed for missions to the moon and Mars, ending in an explosion amid cheers from employees who gathered to watch a livestream of the launch.
Our January skies
Read full article: Our January skiesWe’re on to a new year and our January moon is full THIS Friday, and while you’ve heard of Supermoons this one is the opposite: a Micromoon. Supermoons are simply full moons that are closer to Earth in orbit (perigee) while Micromoons are farther away (apogee). While Supermoons are generally 226,000 miles away from Earth, Micromoons are 250,000 miles away--this month’s full moon is 252,600 miles out! Here is a fifteen second video from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory illustrating the two:
🔒A Christmas tree spy🐈, moon over Texas🌕 and an angry Texans fan🏈: See the best of our latest Click2Pins submissions
Read full article: 🔒A Christmas tree spy🐈, moon over Texas🌕 and an angry Texans fan🏈: See the best of our latest Click2Pins submissionsClick2Pins.com is where we find the photos that are making your life what it is in Southeast Texas.
An Occultation Celebration?
Read full article: An Occultation Celebration?First, let’s get this definition out there: “occultation” simply means “the act of blocking or concealing from view”. All of that sure sounds like a verb, but it’s a noun! And tonight, almost everywhere but HERE, the moon will pass between Earth and Mars, hiding Mars from view. The planet Mars literally goes behind the moon. What’s nice is that the moon is full tonight and the occultation occurs in the late evening (10pm to midnight), so lots of people will be able to see this happen. A big deal? Well, to some degree since lining up the Sun, the Earth, the full moon and Mars all at the same time only happens every couple of years.
What to expect this December
Read full article: What to expect this DecemberWelcome to Meteorological Winter! For the sake of climate record keeping, December-January-February is considered winter although the actual solstice doesn’t occur this year until the 21st at 3:48pm. That’s when the sun crosses to the Tropic of Capricorn and, more than anything, the least daylight occurs. From that day forward we move back toward ever so slightly longer daylight hours! Temperatures cool down (usually) with average highs in the mid 60s and lows in the mid 40s, although we’ve dropped to single digits in this month and also reached the mid 80s!
Only on 2: Family friends of mother charged in July drowning of 3-year-old in Webster speak out
Read full article: Only on 2: Family friends of mother charged in July drowning of 3-year-old in Webster speak outThose who loved little Mars say they will remember him as an amazing 3-year-old kid who had dreams of being a superhero.
UN to seek out methane emitters with data from space
Read full article: UN to seek out methane emitters with data from spaceBig emitters of the heat-trapping gas methane can expect a call from the United Nations starting next year, when the global body launches a new platform to combine existing systems for tracking the potent greenhouse gas from space.
Mars is a superhero: 3-year-old celebrated for life-saving organ donations after drowning in Webster
Read full article: Mars is a superhero: 3-year-old celebrated for life-saving organ donations after drowning in WebsterA 3-year-old boy is being celebrated as a superhero for his family’s decision to donate his organs after he drowned in Webster last week.
Moon 2 Mars Festival
Read full article: Moon 2 Mars FestivalThursday at 3:00 p.m. on Houston Life, we’re celebrating the Space Center Houston’s Moon2Mars Festival, June 9-12. The first annual Moon2Mars Festival celebrates the future of space from the Moon to Mars. The festival has something for everyone in your family. You can explore a space capsule, get up close with a spacesuit, enjoy food from Wolfgang Puck catering and live musical concerts on an outdoor stage! Joe Sam is live from the Festival Thursday at 3:00 p.m. on KPRC 2.
Field Trip Friday: Going to Mars? We are. This Space Center Houston festival takes look inside NASA mission to visit Moon, Mars
Read full article: Field Trip Friday: Going to Mars? We are. This Space Center Houston festival takes look inside NASA mission to visit Moon, MarsSpace Center Houston’s Moon2Mars Festival is coming to the Houston venue June 9 through 12.
Toyota heading to moon with cruiser, robotic arms, dreams
Read full article: Toyota heading to moon with cruiser, robotic arms, dreamsToyota says it's working with Japan’s space agency on a vehicle to explore the lunar surface, with ambitions to help people live on the moon by 2040 and eventually live on Mars.
US, China consulted on safety as their crafts headed to Mars
Read full article: US, China consulted on safety as their crafts headed to MarsA visitor to an exhibition looks at a display with a replica of the Chinese Mars Rover of the Tianwen-1 spacecraft in Beijing on March 12, 2021. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)BEIJING – As their respective spacecrafts headed to Mars, China and the U.S. held consultations earlier this year in a somewhat unusual series of exchanges between the rivals. China's National Space Agency confirmed Wednesday that it had working-level meetings and communications with NASA from January to March “to ensure the flight safety" of their crafts. U.S. law bans almost all contacts between NASA and China over concerns about technology theft and the secretive, military-backed nature of China’s space program. China's Tianwen-1 is orbiting Mars in preparation for a landing in May or June.
Fog obscures SpaceX’s test of Starship SN 11
Read full article: Fog obscures SpaceX’s test of Starship SN 11BOCHA CHICA, Texas – SpaceX chalked up another failed landing Tuesday for its futuristic, bullet-shaped Starship, as the prototype Mars rocket broke apart right before touchdown. A camera on the rocket froze not quite six minutes into the test flight, and dense fog in South Texas obscured views of the ruptured rocket. This was the fourth full-scale stainless steel model to launch since December to an altitude of more than 6 miles (10 kilometers). “Another exciting test, as we say,” SpaceX launch commentator John Insprucker said as he concluded the webcast. Final view of SN11 in the air:➡️https://t.co/Q2p3q1HS0i pic.twitter.com/PNJta9svkA — Chris B - NSF (@NASASpaceflight) March 30, 2021SpaceX plans to use Starship to send astronauts and cargo to the moon and, ultimately, Mars.
Mars rover sends back grinding, squealing sounds of driving
Read full article: Mars rover sends back grinding, squealing sounds of driving7, 2021 photo provided by NASA shows tire tracks left by the Mars Perseverance rover. The rover has sent back the first-ever sounds of driving on the red planet. “If I heard these sounds driving my car, I’d pull over and call for a tow,” Dave Gruel, an engineer on the rover team, said in a written NASA statement. This second mike didn't pick up any sounds of the rover's arrival at Mars, but managed to record the first test drive March 4. The driving audio contains a unexpected high-pitched scratching noise, according to NASA.
China, Russia agree to build lunar research station
Read full article: China, Russia agree to build lunar research stationChina and Russia said they will build a lunar research station, possibly on the moon's surface, marking the start of a new era in space cooperation between the two countries. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)BEIJING – China and Russia said they will build a lunar research station, possibly on the moon's surface, marking the start of a new era in space cooperation between the two countries. A statement posted on the website of the China National Space Administration Wednesday said the International Lunar Research Station would also be open to use by other countries, but gave no timeline for its construction. Russia is a participant in the International Space Station but its space program has been somewhat eclipsed by those of China, the U.S., India and others. AdChina has planned four crewed missions this year to work on its first permanent orbiting space station, the core module of which could be launched as soon as next month.
NASA's new Mars rover hits dusty red road, 1st trip 21 feet
Read full article: NASA's new Mars rover hits dusty red road, 1st trip 21 feetThis photo made available by NASA was taken during the first drive of the Perseverance rover on Mars on Thursday, March 4, 2021. (NASA/JPL-Caltech via AP)CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – NASA’s newest Mars rover hit the dusty red road this week, putting 21 feet on the odometer in its first test drive. The Perseverance rover ventured from its landing position Thursday, two weeks after setting down on the red planet to seek signs of past life. AdPerseverance — NASA's biggest and most elaborate rover yet — became the ninth U.S. spacecraft to successfully land on Mars on Feb. 18. China hopes to land its smaller rover — currently orbiting the red planet — in another few months.
Biden signals support to replace war power authority
Read full article: Biden signals support to replace war power authorityThe U.S. has blamed the militia for numerous attacks targeting U.S. personnel and interests in Iraq in the past. But several leading members of Congress, including members in Biden’s own party, denounced the strikes — the first military action he has authorized. Kaine and others argued offensive military action without congressional approval is not constitutional absent extraordinary circumstances. A U.S. contractor died after at least 10 rockets slammed into the base early Wednesday. “If we assess further response is warranted, we will take action again in a manner and time of our choosing,” Psaki said.
Biden lauds NASA team for giving US 'dose of confidence'
Read full article: Biden lauds NASA team for giving US 'dose of confidence'President Joe Biden congratulates NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory Mars 2020 Perseverance team for successfully landing on Mars during a virtual call in the Roosevelt Room at the White House, Thursday, March 4, 2021. Biden speaking in video conference call with the leadership of space agency’s jet propulsion laboratory team expressed awe over the Feb. 18 landing of Perseverance. Ad“It’s so much bigger than landing Perseverance on Mars," Biden told members of the NASA team. Ad“We can land a rover on Mars, we can beat a pandemic," Biden said. The NASA team landing on Feb. 18 marked the third visit to Mars in just over a week.
Chinese astronauts training for space station crewed flights
Read full article: Chinese astronauts training for space station crewed flightsChina says a cohort of astronauts have been selected and are in training to carry out four crewed missions this year as the country works to complete its first permanent orbiting space station. (CNSA via AP)BEIJING – China said Thursday a cohort of astronauts is training for four crewed missions this year as the country works to complete its first permanent orbiting space station. Two other modules will be launched later, along with four Tianzhou cargo supply mission and the four Shenzhou crewed missions. CNSA listed 12 astronauts training for the crewed missions, including veterans of previous Shenzhou flights, newcomers and women, though it wasn't clear if there were others selected. Once completed, the permanent space station will allow for stays of up to six months, similar to the International Space Station.
These photos on Mars are the best we’ve ever seen
Read full article: These photos on Mars are the best we’ve ever seenThe landing is part of NASA’s 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 NASA’s 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 NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover (Feb. 24, 2021). AdNASA’s Mars Perseverance rover acquired this image using its Rover Down-Look Camera. The Perseverance Mars rover landed on Mars Feb. 18, 2021.
China's Mars craft enters parking orbit before landing rover
Read full article: China's Mars craft enters parking orbit before landing roverChina says its Tianwen-1 spacecraft has entered a temporary parking orbit around Mars in anticipation of landing a rover on the red planet in the coming months. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)BEIJING – China says its Tianwen-1 spacecraft has entered a temporary parking orbit around Mars in anticipation of landing a rover on the red planet in the coming months. A successful bid to land Tianwen-1 would make China only the second country after the U.S. to place a spacecraft on Mars. AdTianwen, the title of an ancient poem, means “Quest for Heavenly Truth.”Landing a spacecraft on Mars is notoriously tricky. In 2011, a Mars-bound Chinese orbiter that was part of a Russian mission didn’t make it out of Earth orbit.
NASA releases Mars landing video: ‘Stuff of our dreams’
Read full article: NASA releases Mars landing video: ‘Stuff of our dreams’“It gives me goose bumps every time I see it, just amazing,” said Dave Gruel, head of the entry and descent camera team. After spending the weekend binge-watching the descent and landing video, the team at Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, shared the video at a news conference. “These videos and these images are the stuff of our dreams," said Al Chen, who was in charge of the landing team. AdSix off-the-shelf color cameras were devoted to entry, descent and landing, looking up and down from different perspectives. The lone microphone turned on for landing failed, but NASA got some snippets of sound after touchdown: the whirring of the rover’s systems and wind gusts.
Mars landing team 'awestruck' by photo of descending rover
Read full article: Mars landing team 'awestruck' by photo of descending roverThis Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021 photo provided by NASA shows the Perseverance rover lowered towards the surface of Mars during its powered descent. (NASA via AP)CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The world got its first close-up look at a Mars landing on Friday, as NASA released a stunning picture of its newest rover being lowered onto the dusty red surface. NASA equipped the spacecraft with a record 25 cameras and two microphones, many of which were turned on during Thursday’s descent. It's the ninth time that NASA has successfully landed on Mars __ and the fifth rover. As it did with 2012's Curiosity rover — still roaming 2,300 miles (3,750 kilometers) away — NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter photographed Perseverance descending beneath its massive parachute.
United Arab Emirates publishes first photo from Mars probe
Read full article: United Arab Emirates publishes first photo from Mars probeThis Feb. 10, 2021 image taken by the United Arab Emirates' "Amal," or "Hope," probe was released Sunday, Feb. 14, 2021, shows Mars . The Hope space probe now circles the red planet. (Mohammed bin Rashid Space Center/UAE Space Agency, via AP)DUBAI – The United Arab Emirates on Sunday published the first image for its Mars probe now circling the red planet. It shows Mars' north pole, as well as Mars' largest volcano, Olympus Mons. The probe swung into orbit around Mars on Tuesday in a triumph for the Arab world’s first interplanetary mission.
Jeff Bezos stepping down as CEO of Amazon
Read full article: Jeff Bezos stepping down as CEO of AmazonFILE - In this June 6, 2019, file photo Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos speaks at the the Amazon re:MARS convention in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher, File)NEW YORK – Jeff Bezos, who founded Amazon and turned into an online shopping behemoth, is stepping down as the company’s CEO, a role he’s had for nearly 30 years. In a blog post to employees, Bezos said he plans to focus on new products and early initiatives being developed at Amazon. Under Bezos, Amazon also launched the first e-reader that gained mass acceptance, and its Echo listening device made voice assistants a more common sight in many living rooms. Bezos convinced his parents and some friends to invest in the idea, and Amazon began operating out of the Bezos’ Seattle garage on July 16, 1995.
There’s more than 1 way to send a spacecraft to Venus
Read full article: There’s more than 1 way to send a spacecraft to VenusAdIt used to be -- in the U.S.-- NASA was the only way to fund and send a robotic mission to another world, but not anymore. The company wants to send the first robotic mission to Venus in 2023. (Image credit: Rocket Lab) (Rocket Lab)Meanwhile, NASA is considering funding its own missions to the planet considered Earth’s twin. Currently there are two Venus missions under consideration and two more equally fascinating missions, one designed to study Jupiter’s moon Io and another to Neptune’s moon Triton. AdHere’s what launching a robotic mission to another planet looks like, in a nutshell, according to Wagner:“This is what a typical NASA mission is.
SpaceX launches Starship on highest test flight, crash-lands
Read full article: SpaceX launches Starship on highest test flight, crash-landsIn this screen grab from video posted by SpaceX, the company's Starship launches for a test flight, Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2020, in a remote area of Texas. (SpaceX via AP)CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – SpaceX launched its shiny, bullet-shaped, straight-out-of-science fiction Starship several miles into the air from a remote corner of Texas on Wednesday, but the 6 1/2-minute test flight ended in an explosive fireball at touchdown. The full-scale, stainless steel model — 160 feet (50 meters) tall and 30 feet (9 meters) in diameter — soared out over the Gulf of Mexico. The entire flight — as dramatic and flashy as it gets, even by SpaceX standards — lasted six minutes and 42 seconds. “Anybody who knows how hard this stuff is is impressed by today’s Starship test.”Two lower, shorter SpaceX test flights earlier this year from Boca Chica, Texas — a quiet coastal village before SpaceX moved in — used more rudimentary versions of Starship.
First woman, next man on moon will come from these NASA 18
Read full article: First woman, next man on moon will come from these NASA 18CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – NASA has named the 18 astronauts — half of them women — who will train for its Artemis moon-landing program. The first woman and next man on the moon will come from this elite group. Half of the NASA astronauts have spaceflight experience. Two are at the International Space Station right now: Kate Rubins and Victor Glover. The other experienced members on the list include Kjell Lindgren, Anne McClain and Scott Tingle, all former space station residents.
Test flight of SpaceX's Starship aborted at last second
Read full article: Test flight of SpaceX's Starship aborted at last secondCAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The first high-altitude test flight of SpaceX’s futuristic Starship was aborted at the last second in Texas on Tuesday. SpaceX came close to launching a prototype of the rocketship that company chief Elon Musk is designing to carry people to Mars. SpaceX already has conducted five Starship test flights, but these earlier, simpler models have gone no higher than 490 feet (150 meters.) SpaceX has taken over Boca Chica in the far southeastern corner of Texas, near the Mexican border, to build and test its Starships. ___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education.
Space enthusiasts continue to wait for SpaceX’s Starship SN8 41,000-foot flight
Read full article: Space enthusiasts continue to wait for SpaceX’s Starship SN8 41,000-foot flightSOUTH PADRE ISLAND, Texas – Space enthusiasts have to wait another few days to potentially see SpaceX’s Mars-bound vehicle pass a now 12.5km flight test. As soon as next week, the Starship SN8 prototype is expected to make a 41,010-foot flight at SpaceX’s launch facility in Boca Chica, Texas. In the latest documents filed with the FAA, there is a temporary flight restriction (TFR) filed with the FAA for a 12.5km flight. “It’s just so cool how those things line up together,” Staci Norton, Bret Norton’s wife, said. Staci Norton said the space program is inspiring the younger generation.
China's space ambitions: Robot on Mars, a human on the moon
Read full article: China's space ambitions: Robot on Mars, a human on the moonThe Chang’e 5, the first effort to bring lunar rocks to Earth since the 1970s, collected samples on Wednesday, the Chinese space agency announced. After astronaut Yang Liwei’s 2003 flight, space officials expressed hope for a crewed lunar mission as early as this year. Beijing's space plane would be China's version of the American Space Shuttle and the former Soviet Union’s short-lived Buran. China’s crewed missions have gone ahead without incident. Plans call for a permanent crewed space station as early as 2022.
China launches mission to bring back material from moon
Read full article: China launches mission to bring back material from moonA Long March-5 rocket carrying the Chang'e 5 lunar mission lifts off at the Wenchang Space Launch Center in Wenchang in southern China's Hainan Province, early Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2020. Chang’e 5 — named for the Chinese moon goddess — is the country’s boldest lunar mission yet. If successful, it would be a major advance for China’s space program, and some experts say it could pave the way for bringing samples back from Mars or even a crewed lunar mission. “Scientific needs and technical and economic conditions” would determine whether China decides to send a crewed mission to the moon, said Pei, whose comments were embargoed until after the launch. China’s space program has progressed cautiously, with relatively few setbacks in recent years.
Report: NASA needs more time, money to bring back Mars rocks
Read full article: Report: NASA needs more time, money to bring back Mars rocksFILE - This image made available by NASA shows the planet Mars. This composite photo was created from over 100 images of Mars taken by Viking Orbiters in the 1970s. NASA is underestimating the amount of time and money it will take to bring Mars rocks back to Earth in the coming decade, an independent panel said Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2020. (NASA via AP)CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – NASA is underestimating the amount of time and money it will take to bring Mars rocks back to Earth in the coming decade, an independent panel said Tuesday. Already more than halfway to Mars, NASA’s Perseverance rover will hunt for the best geologic samples, after landing in February.
Mars Opposition! Similar to “Mars Attacks” Without the Aliens
Read full article: Mars Opposition! Similar to “Mars Attacks” Without the AliensIf the planet Mars looks a little bigger and brighter tonight in the sky, it’s not just you. The Earth will be between the Sun and Mars making it appear very bright tonightThat places us in a perfect situation for viewing a much brighter and bolder looking Mars tonight. There are many fun facts about Mars, including the fact that the effect of gravity on Mars is roughly a third of what it is on the Earth. Meaning if you weigh 100 pounds on Earth, you would only weigh 38 pounds on Mars! There you’ll find fun facts and discover new things for you and your kids!
Meteors, blue moon and Mars, oh my! Beautiful triple threat on tap for skywatchers
Read full article: Meteors, blue moon and Mars, oh my! Beautiful triple threat on tap for skywatchersMars will appear brighter than at any other point during the year on Oct. 13, when it will be closest to Earth. “So, a little over every two years, Mars and Earth are closest together in their orbits and, thus, Mars is at its brightest in our nighttime sky. (© 2012 Michael Orso)Blue moon on HalloweenFor the first time since 2001, trick-or-treaters will get the chance to experience a Halloween full moon. A blue moon, by the most popular definition, according to Gross, is when two full moons appear in a single month. “We will have full moons on Oct. 1 and 31, so that means that we’ll have a blue moon on Halloween,” Gross said.
China says Mars probe stable; no word on reusable spacecraft
Read full article: China says Mars probe stable; no word on reusable spacecraftBEIJING – China's Mars probe Tianwen-1, which blasted into space in July, is now more than 15 million kilometers (9 million miles) from Earth en route to the red planet, the National Space Administration said Saturday. The administration said that Tianwen-1 was in stable condition, having completed its first mid-course orbital correction early last month. It will be about 195 million kilometers (118 million miles) from Earth when it arrives at Mars around February, having traveled 470 million kilometers (292 million miles) in all to get there. The administration, however, has yet to release information about a mysterious reusable experimental spacecraft that returned to Earth a week ago after a two-day flight. Last year, China's Chang’e-4 became the first spacecraft from any country to land on the far side of the moon.
Elon Musk wants YOU to build a brain-computer interface
Read full article: Elon Musk wants YOU to build a brain-computer interfaceElon Musk isn't content with electric cars, shooting people into orbit, populating Mars and building underground tunnels to solve traffic problems. His startup, Neuralink, wants to one day implant computer chips inside the human brain. In a video demonstration Friday explicitly aimed at recruiting new employees, Musk showed off a prototype of the device. Neuralink wants to build on those existing medical treatments as well as one day work on surgeries that could improve cognitive functioning, according to a Wall Street Journal article on the company's launch. That might be an easier sell than the Neuralink device, which would require recipients to agree to have the device implanted in their brain, possibly by a robot surgeon.
SpaceX successfully completes Starship SN5 prototype’s maiden 150-meter hop test
Read full article: SpaceX successfully completes Starship SN5 prototype’s maiden 150-meter hop testBOCA CHICA – SpaceX successfully completed its highly-anticipated Starship SN5 prototype’s 150-meter hop test at SpaceX’s Boca Chica facility Tuesday. Workers continue to build and test Starship prototypes, a spacecraft designed for long-term spaceflight. After the Starship SN5 prototype cleared a major test Thursday, the static fire. All have been waiting to see what would be a truly remarkable hop test. In Monday evening’s attempt, SpaceX founder and Chief Engineer, Elon Musk, said a Raptor engine spin-valve was to blame.
SpaceX's Mars test rocket makes 1st flight, landing upright
Read full article: SpaceX's Mars test rocket makes 1st flight, landing uprightCAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. SpaceX launched a prototype of its Mars rocketship hundreds of feet into the air, then landed it upright in a successful test flight. Mars is looking real, SpaceX founder and chief executive Elon Musk tweeted after the short hop. Progress is accelerating.Musk said several more short hops are planned before a test version of Starship aims for a high altitude. On Sunday, SpaceX safely returned two NASA astronauts from the International Space Station following a two-month test flight. We're going to send people to Mars and make life multi-planetary," Musk said following splashdown.
2020s final Mars mission poised for blastoff from Florida
Read full article: 2020s final Mars mission poised for blastoff from FloridaA United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket that will launch to Mars arrives at Space Launch Complex 41 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Tuesday, July 28, 2020, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. The rocket scheduled to launch on Thursday will land on Mars in February 2021 and the Mars 2020 rover, named Perseverance, will study Martian geology. (AP Photo/John Raoux)CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. The summers third and final mission to Mars featuring NASA's most elaborate life-hunting rover is on the verge of liftoff. The rover Perseverance will follow Chinas rover-orbiter combo and a United Arab Emirates orbiter, both launched last week. First things first, though: Good flying weather is forecast for United Launch Alliance's Atlas V rocket.
NASA's next Mars rover is brawniest and brainiest one yet
Read full article: NASA's next Mars rover is brawniest and brainiest one yetThis illustration made available by NASA depicts the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter on the red planet's surface near the Perseverance rover, left. Set to rocket away this week from Florida, Perseverance is NASA's brawniest and brainiest Martian rover yet. (NASA/JPL-Caltech via AP)CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. With eight successful Mars landings, NASA is upping the ante with its newest rover. The spacecraft Perseverance set for liftoff this week is NASAs biggest and brainiest Martian rover yet. CURIOSITY:The six-wheeled, car-sized Perseverance is a copycat of NASAs Curiosity rover, prowling Mars since 2012, but with more upgrades and bulk.
China moves rocket into place for nation's 1st Mars mission
Read full article: China moves rocket into place for nation's 1st Mars missionChina will launch their Mars rover and an orbiter sometime around July 23, 2020, in a mission named Tianwen, or Questions for Heaven. The Long March-5 carrier rocket is Chinas heaviest-lift launch vehicle and has been launched experimentally three times, but never with a payload. Dubbed Tianwen-1, Chinas first-ever mission to Mars aims to land a rover to gather scientific data. The mission is one of the most ambitious yet for Chinas space program, which has advanced rapidly since launching its first crewed mission in 2003. Chinas last attempt at a Mars mission in collaboration with Russia ended in failure in 2011.
NASA's next Mars rover honors medical teams fighting virus
Read full article: NASA's next Mars rover honors medical teams fighting virus(NASA/JPL-Caltech via AP)CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. NASAs next Mars rover is honoring all the medical workers on the front lines of the coronavirus battle around the world. With just another month until liftoff, the space agency on Wednesday revealed a commemorative plate attached to the rover, aptly named Perseverance. The rover team calls it the COVID-19 Perseverance plate, designed in the last couple months. If the rover isn't launched by mid-August, it would need to wait until 2022 when Earth and Mars are back in proper alignment. The United Arab Emirates and China also are preparing spacecraft for launch to the red planet by mid-August.
SpaceX opens era of amateur astronauts, cosmic movie sets
Read full article: SpaceX opens era of amateur astronauts, cosmic movie setsAmateur astronauts, private space stations, flying factories, out-of-this-world movie sets this is the future the space agency is striving to shape as it eases out of low-Earth orbit and aims for the moon and Mars. But the future is incredibly exciting, NASA astronaut Kjell Lindgren said the day before SpaceXs historic liftoff. The ticket price which includes 15 weeks of training and more than a week at the space station is about $55 million. Beginning in 2024, Axiom plans to build its own addition to the 260-mile-high (420-kilometer-high) outpost to accommodate its private astronauts. SpaceX still has to get NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken safely back to Earth this summer in its Dragon capsule.
4 of these astronauts will circle the moon in 2024 on NASA’s Artemis II mission
Read full article: 4 of these astronauts will circle the moon in 2024 on NASA’s Artemis II missionNASA has announced the 18 astronauts who are part of the agency’s Artemis program, which aims to send humans back to the moon and eventually send the first humans to Mars.