ScientistPankaj: Astronauts' mementos packed on Boeing Starliner for crew flight test

Monday, March 25, 2024

Astronauts' mementos packed on Boeing Starliner for crew flight test

Astronaut mementos packed on Boeing Starliner with crew | Space Quiz! Water ice is present beneath how much of the surface of Mars? | This Week In Space: Episode 103 - Starship's Orbital Feat

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March 25, 2024

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The Launchpad

Astronaut mementos packed on Boeing Starliner with crew

(Boeing/John Proferes)

A NASA astronaut who had the honor of naming her spacecraft will fly items inspired by that name when she launches to the International Space Station next month. Sunita "Suni" Williams, who is set to fly with fellow NASA astronaut Barry "Butch" Wilmore on Boeing's first Crew Flight Test (CFT) of its CST-100 Starliner capsule, will reveal the "Calypso"-related items once she is in orbit.

Full Story: Space (3/24)

Space Quiz! Water ice is present beneath how much of the surface of Mars?

Learn the answer here!

This Week In Space: Episode 103 - Starship's Orbital Feat

(TWIS)

On Episode 103 of This Week In Space, Rod and Tariq talk with Space.com's Dr. Mike Wall about last week's third test flight of SpaceX's Starship. The successful launch, ascent, staging, and testing of propellant transfer and the cargo bay door were all brilliant, yet both vehicles were destroyed before completing their planned trajectories, and the upper stage didn't make it into orbit (though it did reach "orbital velocity," according to Elon). So what's the real story on this test flight? When will the next one be? How close is SpaceX to routine launches of Starship, and when might it be ready to land NASA astronauts on the moon? And finally--an interstellar Starship, really Elon?

Full Story: Space (3/23)

Total Solar Eclipse 2024

Massive explosions may be visible during totality

(Roger Ressmeyer/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images)

If you observe the sun's corona during totality, you may see dark-pink towers and loops of electrically charged plasma stretching many times the diameter of Earth into space. These prominences will almost certainly be on show during totality in North America on April 8, because the sun is likely at the peak of its 11-year solar cycle, known as solar maximum.

Full Story: Space (3/23)

We saw a lunar eclipse 2 weeks before the solar eclipse

Full Story: Space (3/24)

Spaceflight

Flight instructor becomes 1st Belarusian in space

(NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Marina Vasilevskaya, who also served as a flight instructor for Belavia Airlines in her home country of Belarus, traded her attendant uniform for a Russian Sokol pressure suit to become the first Belarusian woman to fly into space.

Full Story: Space (3/23)

Science & Astronomy

The Chandra X-ray spacecraft may soon go dark

(NASA)

Last week, an ominous letter was published to the Chandra X-ray Observatory's website. "Dear Chandra community," it starts, "As many of you are aware, the NASA budget for FY25 and beyond was released…"

Full Story: Space (3/25)

SpaceX

SpaceX moves next Starship to pad for testing

(SpaceX)

SpaceX is still analyzing data from last week's flight, but it's also looking ahead to mission number four. Indeed, the company has moved the coming flight's Ship out to the launch pad at Starbase "for upcoming static fires," SpaceX said.

Full Story: Space (3/23)

Search for Life

Drilling for water ice on Mars: How close is it to reality?

(Honeybee Robotics)

Things are looking up for digging deep on Mars. Progress is palpable on how best to extract subsurface ice to generate drinkable water, rocket fuel and other useful resources on the Red Planet. But boring down from the topside of Mars to reach available icy reservoirs is no slam dunk. Tackling that challenge is the company Honeybee Robotics, which calls its approach the RedWater concept.

Full Story: Space (3/24)

Entertainment

Exclusive interview with 'Spaceman' director Johan Renck

(Netflix)

It's not easy to be truly original in today's "go along to get along" world, but rebellious Swedish filmmaker Johan Renck ("Chernobyl") has achieved that rare designation by composing a transcendent fable in the new Netflix film, "Spaceman."

Full Story: Space (3/24)