Covering All Things Florida
NASA’s new Spot the Station App. Image by: TJ Waller
The International Space Station (ISS), humanity’s celestial abode, is now even more accessible to the public thanks to NASA’s latest innovation – the Spot the Station mobile app. This easy to use app, now available for download on both iOS and Android platforms, is set to revolutionize the way we engage with the ISS, offering a unique and enhanced experience for ISS enthusiasts and photographers worldwide.
Yesterday evening at 8:28pm SpaceX successfully launched a Falcon9 rocket carrying a Cargo Dragon capsule to the ISS. It was loaded with about 6500 pounds of food and water and research experiments to be carried out over the next six months. Lift off occurred from LC39A at KSC in Florida.
Something new! SpaceX will launch a Falcon9 rocket carrying a Dragon cargo capsule. The mission, labeled CRS-2 SpX-29 (Commercial Resupply Service), is filled with supplies going to the International Space Station (ISS). It is scheduled for lift-off on November 9, 2023. The launch window is from 8:28pm to 1:28am Friday morning. It will launch from LC39A at KSC in Florida. The first stage booster will perform a boost back maneuver and return to land zone 1 at CCAFS in Florida. A sonic boom will be heard about 8 minutes after launch, depending on how far the viewing location is from LZ1.
Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/Stanford Univ./R. Romani et al. (Chandra); NASA/MSFC (IXPE); Infared: NASA/JPL-Caltech/DECaPS; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/J. Schmidt)
Just in time for Halloween, NASA released a ghostly photo taken by it’s newest X-Ray telescope, the Imaging X-Ray Polarimetry Explorer. The telescope has been observing the wind nebula MSH 15-52 for the last 17 days, and captured a image that looks like a “ghostly hand”. The Nebula is about 16,000 light years from earth.
By: TJ Waller
In the vast expanse of space exploration, the need for efficient data transmission between spacecraft and Earth has always been a challenge. Traditional radio communications have served us well, but as our ambitions grow, so does the demand for higher data rates. NASA’s Psyche mission aims to push the boundaries of data transmission with the Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC) project. In this article, I will explore the fascinating world of DSOC, its significance for future missions, and how it could revolutionize our understanding of the cosmos.
Psyche launches on October 13th aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy booster. Photo: Mark Stone/FMN
In a significant milestone for space exploration, NASA’s Psyche mission has successfully launched, marking a crucial step in our quest to explore a mysterious asteroid. The mission, which was originally scheduled to take place on October 5th, finally lifted off from Kennedy Space Center’s Pad 39A on October 13th at 10:16 AM.
The Crew-6 astronauts, consisting of NASA astronauts Stephen Bowen and Woody Hoburg, UAE astronaut Sultan Alneyadi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev, have successfully completed their mission on the International Space Station (ISS) and safely returned to Earth. After spending a remarkable 186 days in space, the crew members splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Jacksonville, Florida, at 12:17 a.m. EDT. This moment marked the conclusion of their six-month scientific endeavor.
(Kennedy Space Center, Florida September 3) SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 from Pad LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 10:47 p.m. EDT on September 3, 2023. This mission carried another batch of Starlink satellites to orbit, and it was a record-breaking 62nd orbital launch of the year for SpaceX, breaking last year’s record of 61 launches. As of this date, there have been 46 launches from Cape Canaveral / Kennedy Space Center this year, with all but two coming from SpaceX.
The Crew of Commercial Crew 7 makes up most internationally diverse crew ever launched on a single mission.
The Crew 7 Mission lifts off with an international crew of four on Saturday, August 26th. Photo: Mark Stone/FMN
SpaceX, the pioneering space exploration company founded by Elon Musk, has successfully launched its Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Crew Dragon spacecraft for the historic Crew-7 mission. This mission, commissioned by NASA, marks an important milestone in human spaceflight as it brings together four astronauts from different nations to embark on a six-month stay at the International Space Station (ISS). With innovation, collaboration, and scientific exploration at its core, the Crew-7 mission sets the stage for future advancements in space travel and our understanding of the universe.
The latest team of astronauts preparing for liftoff onboard the NASA SpaceX Crew-7 mission have landed at the Kennedy Space Center, as they commence the final stage of quarantine before their voyage to the International Space Station (ISS). The countdown has officially commenced, with an array of activities and events unfolding throughout the launch week.
By: TJ Waller
Introduction:
Yesterday, August 16, 2023, marked the anniversary of when humanity and I witnessed one more “small step” towards a momentous event that marked a significant leap forward in space exploration: The rollout of Artemis I – NASA’s next historic mission aimed at returning humans to the Moon. This mission, a critical step towards the agency’s broader Artemis program, promised to not only expand our understanding of the Moon but also lay the groundwork for future crewed missions to Mars and beyond.
Artemis I: A Bold Vision Realized:
Artemis I, named after the ancient Greek goddess of the Moon, was the first uncrewed flight of NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Orion spacecraft. This groundbreaking mission tested the compatibility and performance of these systems, which will eventually carry astronauts on lunar missions.
