Space, NASA and Science News

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Space waltz

Bright lights detected by NASA telescopes led astronomers to discover a pair of supermassive black holes dancing around each other. They’re only about 300 light-years apart, and this marks the closest pair found through visible and X-ray light.

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SpaceX snaps Earth shot during Polaris Dawn high-altitude run

The four passengers on the Polaris Dawn mission that launched from Kennedy Space Center early Tuesday reached their goal of flying farther away from Earth than anyone since the last Apollo mission.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/09/11/spacex-snaps-earth-shot-during-polaris-dawn-high-altitude-run/?

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SpaceX rocket launch: Where to watch Thursday’s launch from Daytona, New Smyrna Beach, Oak Hill

Anyone up for a morning rocket launch ? A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will potentially lift off on Thursday morning, carrying BlueBirds. But there won't be actual birds on the rocket. "BlueBird" refers to a kind of satellite.

https://local.newsbreak.com/new-smyrna-beach-fl/3592252490265-spacex-rocket-launch-where-to-watch-thursdays-launch-from-daytona-new-smyrna-beach-oak-hill?

Veteran NASA astronaut on Russian launch sets off-world record for people in space

NASA astronaut Don Pettit is on his way to the International Space Station with two Russian cosmonaut crewmates who have helped set a record — they’re among 19 people in orbit at the same time.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/09/11/watch-live-veteran-nasa-astronaut-set-for-russian-launch-setting-off-world-record-for-people-in-space/?

Spacewalking is the new domain of the super rich as a billionaire makes first private attempt

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — First came space tourism. Now comes an even bigger thrill for the monied masses: spacewalking.

https://apnews.com/article/spacex-astronauts-private-spacewalk-7967876919a59dd75080309759e50aaf?

Billionaire, SpaceX employee crewmate make history with 1st commercial spacewalk

The four crew members of Polaris Dawn can breathe easy again after having vented the entire atmosphere of their SpaceX Crew Dragon so its commander and billionaire Jared Isaacman along with crewmate and SpaceX employee Sarah Gillis could venture outside the spacecraft and perform the first commercial spacewalk Thursday.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/09/12/billionaire-spacex-employee-crewmate-perform-1st-commercial-spacewalk/?

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SpaceX

 

A four-person crew on a private mission aboard a SpaceX capsule will soon attempt to carry out the world's first commercial spacewalk. It could be the first extravehicular activity ever completed by non-government astronauts. All four Polaris crew members will be exposed to the vacuum of space, but only Jared Isaacman, billionaire tech CEO, and SpaceX engineer Sarah Gillis will exit the SpaceX capsule for about 20 minutes. Crewmates Scott "Kidd" Poteet and Anna Menon will stay inside the capsule. Two lines of oxygen are helping the crew stay safe but their spacesuits do not include a Primary Life Support System, or PLSS, which is essentially a backpack that allows NASA astronauts to float more freely through space to carry out complex tasks.

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🚀 1 for the road

Image from video: SpaceX/AP Billionaire tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman completed the world's first commercial spacewalk today. The spacewalk was more constrained than the ones professional astronauts do. Isaacman was outside for about 10 minutes, and he was closely tethered to the SpaceX capsule that carried the mission. 🌎 "Back at home, we all have a lot of work to do. But from here, it sure looks like a perfect world," he said as he orbited about 460 miles above Earth.   NASA astronauts left behind by Boeing Starliner share thoughts on saga Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams watched the spacecraft that took them to the International Space Station leave them behind last week as the Boeing Starliner made its return trip to Earth without a crew. https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/09/13/nasa-astronauts-left-behind-by-boeing-starliner-share-thoughts-on-saga/?

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SpaceX brings Polaris Dawn crew home with overnight splashdown off Florida coast

SpaceX brought home the four crew members of Polaris Dawn with a splashdown landing off the coast of Florida early Sunday.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/09/14/spacex-bringing-polaris-dawn-crew-with-overnight-splashdown-off-florida-coast/?

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SpaceX

 

SpaceX's Polaris Dawn all-civilian crew returned to Earth Sunday after a five-day mission to orbit that included the world's first commercial spacewalk. The Crew Dragon capsule splashed down off the coast of Florida at 3:37 a.m. ET, concluding the high-risk event. The Polaris Dawn mission made history as it reached a higher altitude than any human has traveled in five decades. A spacewalk conducted on Thursday also marked the first time such an endeavor has been completed by a privately funded and operated mission. The crew's apogee — or farthest point from Earth — made two crew members the first women ever to fly so far from our planet.

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FAA wants to fine SpaceX more than $600K for Space Coast launch site violations

The Federal Aviation Administration announced Tuesday it is seeking more than $600,000 in fines against SpaceX for violating licenses from its Space Coast launch sites.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/09/17/faa-wants-to-fine-spacex-more-than-600k-for-space-coast-launch-site-violations/?

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SpaceX pushes booster recovery limits with satellite launch

SpaceX pushed one of its most used boosters to its limits with a launch Tuesday evening from Cape Canaveral.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/09/17/spacex-to-push-booster-recovery-limits-with-satellite-launch-attempt-today/?

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Scientists detect longest pair of jets streaming from a supermassive black hole

NEW YORK (AP) — Scientists have discovered the longest pair of jets streaming from a black hole in a distant galaxy.

https://apnews.com/article/supermassive-black-hole-jet-plasma-66f40762fa2bb367aa7c91f1dbc24ee5?

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Hurricane Helene threat pushes NASA, SpaceX to shift Crew-9 launch to Saturday

NASA and SpaceX won’t be launching its next crew to the International Space Station as planned this week because of the threat from what is forecast to become Hurricane Helene.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/09/24/hurricane-helene-pushes-nasa-spacex-to-shift-crew-9-launch-to-saturday/?

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Cosmic wonder

Astronomers have spotted a massive pair of jets releasing material from a distant black hole. The jets are so large they span about 140 Milky Way galaxies and could answer key questions about the universe.

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SpaceX and Boeing Starliner saga continues with Crew-9 launch to ISS

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER — It’s not a rescue mission, but the two astronauts left behind by Boeing’s Starliner at the International Space Station will soon welcome their new ride home with the arrival of a SpaceX Crew Dragon that made a historic launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Base on Saturday.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/09/28/with-hurricane-helene-past-spacex-to-try-1st-human-spaceflight-from-canaveral-launch-site/?

SpaceX and Boeing Starliner saga continues with Crew-9 launch to ISS

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER — It’s not a rescue mission, but the two astronauts left behind by Boeing’s Starliner at the International Space Station will soon welcome their new ride home with the arrival of a SpaceX Crew Dragon that made a historic launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Base on Saturday.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/09/28/with-hurricane-helene-past-spacex-to-try-1st-human-spaceflight-from-canaveral-launch-site/?

SpaceX shuts down launches after problem with Crew-9 mission’s 2nd stage

SpaceX celebrated the first human spaceflight from its Cape Canaveral launch site on Saturday, and while the two humans aboard the Crew Dragon Freedom are safely on their way to the International Space Station, a problem arose with the rocket’s second stage that prompted the company to shut down future launches for now.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/09/29/spacex-shuts-down-launches-after-problem-with-crew-9-missions-2nd-stage/?

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🛰️ 1 for the road: Astronauts' ride home

SpaceX's Dragon capsule approaches the International Space Station yesterday. Photo: NASA via AP NASA's two stuck astronauts welcome the arrival of a SpaceX capsule that'll bring them back to Earth next year. The SpaceX Crew-9 mission arrived at the International Space Station yesterday with two passengers — NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov — and two empty seats. Those empty seats will bring home Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, whose eight-day mission is now expected to last eight months. Go deeper.

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SpaceX

 

After their weeklong journey turned into a monthslong stay on the International Space Station, two Boeing Starliner astronauts are now within reach of the spacecraft that will eventually bring them home. The SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, chosen by NASA to carry astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore back to Earth after their Starliner spacecraft was deemed too risky for a crewed return, has arrived at the space station. The vehicle, on a mission called Crew-9, docked at the ISS at about 5:30 p.m. ET Sunday. Williams and Wilmore are expected to return home no earlier than February.

 

ULA readies for 2nd Vulcan Centaur rocket to get national security certification

It’s been nearly nine months since United Launch Alliance managed a successful debut of its new Vulcan Centaur rocket, but launch No. 2 could happen as early as Friday.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/09/30/ula-readies-for-2nd-vulcan-centaur-rocket-to-get-national-security-certification/?

FAA confirms SpaceX Falcon 9 is grounded because of Crew-9 launch issue

The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed it had grounded SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket pending an investigation into why the rocket’s second stage missed its deorbit landing target zone after this weekend’s Crew-9 launch from Cape Canaveral.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/09/30/faa-confirms-spacex-falcon-9-is-grounded-because-of-crew-9-launch-issue/?

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Growth spurt

Scientists think they know why one of Earth’s tallest mountains suddenly got even taller. It can all be traced back to what happened thousands of years ago in the Himalayas.

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NASA’s Webb telescope detects traces of carbon dioxide on the surface of Pluto’s largest moon

NEW YORK (AP) — NASA’s Webb Space Telescope has identified new clues about the surface of Pluto’s largest moon.

https://apnews.com/article/pluto-moon-charon-nasa-james-webb-d20c542908e32e9c5c7f41538dac4640?

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Despite booster issue, mostly successful Vulcan launch could unlock lucrative future for ULA

United Launch Alliance picked up the bill for the second-ever launch of its Vulcan Centaur, but if Space Force signs off on rocket, it would open the door for ULA to begin collecting on a backlog of $3.1 billion worth of national security missions.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/10/03/successful-vulcan-launch-early-friday-would-unlock-lucrative-future-for-ula/?

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SpaceX launches Hera asteroid mission Monday, but delays Europa Clipper because of Hurricane Milton

SpaceX returned to flight with its Falcon 9 rocket Monday sending up the Hera probe for the European Space Agency on its way to a pair of asteroids, but SpaceX and NASA have called off plans to launch the Falcon Heavy later this week on NASA’s Europa Clipper mission to Jupiter’s moon because of the approaching Hurricane Milton.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/10/07/watch-live-spacex-launching-european-mission-to-asteroid-today/?

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Solar storm

A severe geomagnetic storm could cause colorful auroras over Northern California and Alabama today due to a powerful solar flare and coronal mass ejection released from the sun, according to the National Weather Service's Space Weather Prediction Center. The solar storm, classified as a level 4 on a scale from 1 to 5, could disrupt communications and satellite operations, officials said. As a result, the center has notified FEMA, the North American power grid and satellite operators to prepare for potential outages, especially given the amount of relief efforts underway for Hurricane Milton. The storm is expected to reach Earth between early morning and 12 p.m. ET today, with the potential to last through Friday.

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☄️ 1 for the road: Catch a comet

The "comet of the century" is seen crossing the sky at sunrise in Monfragüe National Park in Spain on Sept. 30. Photo: Marcos del Mazo/LightRocket via Getty Images Look up tonight for the best chance to see a comet that won't be back for another 80,000 years, Axios' Kelly Tyko writes. The comet, C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, is expected to be closest to Earth tonight, when it's 44 million miles away. NASA says it'll be visible nightly through the end of October. Pro tip: Break out the binoculars. "Comets look OK to the unaided eye, but with a pair of binoculars, they'll knock your socks off," Bill Cooke, lead of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office, told NPR.

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SpaceX makes ‘absolutely insane’ catch of Starship’s massive Super Heavy booster

SpaceX made history Sunday on its latest test flight of Starship, managing to both successfully catch the massive rocket’s Super Heavy booster back at the launch site and return Starship to Earth for a controlled ocean landing, although one that ended with an explosion.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/10/13/watch-live-spacex-to-try-starship-launch-with-historic-catch-of-super-heavy-booster/?

🚀 SpaceX's "chopsticks"

SpaceX's mega Starship rocket today over Boca Chica, Texas. Photo: SpaceX via AP In a mind-blowing feat of aerospace engineering, SpaceX just successfully caught a Super Heavy booster — as tall as a 20-story building — in a giant pair of metal "chopsticks" on its return to the launchpad during the fifth test flight of the Starship megarocket. Zoom in: "The goal ... is to hash out how SpaceX might one day recover and rapidly refly Super Heavy boosters for future missions. Quickly reusing rocket parts is considered essential to SpaceX's goal of drastically reducing the time and cost of getting cargo — or ships of people — to Earth's orbit and deep space," CNN reports. 🔭 What we're watching: While the spacecraft system has successfully launched for the stars, it will later today attempt to reenter Earth's atmosphere for an "on-target splashdown" in the Indian Ocean, Axios' Avery Lotz writes. Keep reading. In an engineering feat, mechanical SpaceX arms catch Starship rocket booster back at the launch pad SpaceX pulled off the boldest test flight yet of its enormous Starship rocket on Sunday, catching the returning booster back at the launch pad with mechanical arms. https://apnews.com/article/spacex-starship-rocket-launch-7af865e987bb4a2aad38759e06013626?

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Space missions

A NASA mission aiming to investigate a potentially habitable ocean world is scheduled to launch today. The Europa Clipper spacecraft — designed to explore Jupiter's moon Europa — aims to determine whether the planet's moon could be suitable for life as we know it. Barring unforeseen delays, the Europa Clipper is expected to lift off aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket at 12:06 p.m. ET from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The event will stream live on NASA's website. Separately, SpaceX on Sunday successfully launched the latest test flight of Starship. It is the most powerful rocket system ever constructed, which could be used to carry humans to the moon as soon as 2026 as part of NASA's Artemis III mission. Eventually, SpaceX also hopes that Starship will put the first humans on Mars.

 

🚀 "Chopsticks" landing

Photo: Kaylee Greenlee Beal/Reuters A SpaceX Starship rocket booster yesterday flew back to the launch pad where it had blasted off seven minutes earlier near Boca Chica, Texas. The launch tower's monstrous metal arms, dubbed chopsticks, caught the descending 232-foot stainless steel booster and gripped it tightly (photo above). "The tower has caught the rocket!!" Musk announced on X. "Science fiction without the fiction part," he added. "Big step towards making life multiplanetary was made today." SpaceX's booster returning to the launch pad. Photo: SpaceX via AP Why it matters: The audacious landing wasn't just for show. SpaceX is trying to master the capture and reuse of rocket parts to dramatically cut the costs and time for getting space missions off the ground, Axios' Avery Lotz writes. Watch the video.   Rare SpaceX Falcon Heavy launch sends NASA probe to explore Jupiter’s ocean moon Europa KENNEDY SPACE CENTER — NASA’S Europa Clipper is headed to Jupiter’s ocean moon, looking to determine if life is possible in the place in our solar system some scientists consider most hospitable beyond Earth. https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/10/14/spacex-falcon-heavy-launch-today-to-send-nasa-probe-to-explore-jupiters-ocean-moon-europa/?

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NASA orders up more SpaceX flights, tables Boeing’s Starliner until at least late 2025

NASA has officially given SpaceX the next two missions to the International Space Station under its Commercial Crew Program with Boeing’s Starliner still potentially available for a late visit in 2025 if it achieves certification.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/10/16/nasa-orders-up-more-spacex-flights-tables-boeings-starliner-until-at-least-late-2025/?

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Scientists show how sperm and egg come together like a key in a lock

How a sperm and an egg fuse together has long been a mystery.

https://apnews.com/article/sperm-egg-fertilization-reproduction-da275cf57b9ca58cf2d36a08b154ce38?