NASA via AP
This photo provided by NASA. Astronauts, from left, Mark Vande Hei, Shane Kimbrough, Akihiko Hoshide and Megan McArthur, pose with chile peppers grown aboard the International Space Station on Friday, Nov. 5, 2021.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — The astronauts who will depart the International Space Station on Sunday will be stuck using diapers on the way home because of their capsule’s broken toilet.
NASA astronaut Megan McArthur described the situation Friday as “suboptimal” but manageable. She and her three crewmates will spend 20 hours in their SpaceX capsule, from the time the hatches are closed until Monday morning’s planned splashdown.
“Spaceflight is full of lots of little challenges,” she said during a news conference from orbit. “This is just one more that we’ll encounter and take care of in our mission. So we’re not too worried about it.”
After a series of meetings Friday, mission managers decided to bring McArthur and the rest of her crew home before launching their replacements. That SpaceX launch already had been delayed more than a week by bad weather and an undisclosed medical issue involving one of the crew.
SpaceX is now targeting liftoff for Wednesday night at the earliest.
French astronaut Thomas Pesquet, who will return with McArthur, told reporters that the past six months have been intense up there. The astronauts conducted a series of spacewalks to upgrade the station’s power grid, endured inadvertent thruster firings by docked Russian vehicles that sent the station into brief spins, and hosted a private Russian film crew — a space station first.
They also had to deal with the toilet leak, pulling up panels in their SpaceX capsule and discovering pools of urine. The problem was first noted during SpaceX’s private flight in September, when a tube came unglued and spilled urine beneath the floorboards. SpaceX fixed the toilet on the capsule awaiting liftoff, but deemed the one in orbit unusable.
Engineers determined that the capsule had not been structurally compromised by the urine and was safe for the ride back. The astronauts will have to rely on what NASA describes as absorbent “undergarments.”
On the culinary side, the astronauts grew the first chile peppers in space — “a nice moral boost,” according to McArthur. They got to sample their harvest in the past week, adding pieces of the green and red peppers to tacos.
“They have a nice spiciness to them, a little bit of a lingering burn,” she said. “Some found that more troublesome than others.”
Also returning with McArthur and Pesquet: NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough and Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide. SpaceX launched them to the space station on April 23. Their capsule is certified for a maximum 210 days in space, and with Friday marking their 196th day aloft, NASA is eager to get them back as soon as possible.
One American and two Russians will remain on the space station following their departure. While it would be better if their replacements arrived first — in order to share tips on living in space — Kimbrough said the remaining NASA astronaut will fill in the newcomers.
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
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First possible planet outside Milky Way galaxy found, NASA says
NASA // Flickr
NASA launched the Perseverance rover in July 2020 as part of a two-year Mars Exploration program. Perserverance is tasked with collecting organic samples and searching for signs of life. Fastened to the rover is a helicopter named Ingenuity, tasked with testing flight capabilities on the red planet and the first aircraft to test controlled flight on another planet.
In honor of this milestone, Stacker has done extensive independent research to curate a gallery of Perseverance and 30 other groundbreaking NASA missions.
The universe is nearly 14 billion years old. Human existence makes up a tiny fraction of that time—if the history of Earth was 24 hours, humans came into the picture just before 11:59 p.m.—and yet much we’ve spent much of that time fascinated with space. For so long, we have posited theories and done our best to reach the most distant corners of the universe. Sixteenth-century Mesopotamians envisioned space as a cosmic ocean, while under the reign of the Roman Empire, Ptolemy theorized a geocentric universe. In 2015, new evidence emerged supporting the existence of water on Mars, and today, space tourism is a hot topic of conversation. People at all points in history have had ideas about what lies beyond the sky and have wanted both to understand and see it for themselves.
In the modern world, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is at the forefront of space exploration, making knowledge of the great unknown even more possible. Founded in 1958 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., NASA quickly changed the course of both robotic and human spaceflight. Since its creation, the agency has put people on the moon, created a new window into viewing the universe, and discovered extrasolar planets. And as it turns out, the people doing all this incredible work are a little more down to Earth than the general public may believe. They might be geniuses, but they’re also simply curious human beings.
The forthcoming images depict some of NASA’s most profound achievements and capture these missions in a way that is at once visually profound and scientifically meaningful. Read on to learn about some of the most incredible moments and missions in NASA history.
You might also like: 30 spectacular images of Earth from space
NASA // Flickr
NASA launched the Perseverance rover in July 2020 as part of a two-year Mars Exploration program. Perserverance is tasked with collecting organic samples and searching for signs of life. Fastened to the rover is a helicopter named Ingenuity, tasked with testing flight capabilities on the red planet and the first aircraft to test controlled flight on another planet.
In honor of this milestone, Stacker has done extensive independent research to curate a gallery of Perseverance and 30 other groundbreaking NASA missions.
The universe is nearly 14 billion years old. Human existence makes up a tiny fraction of that time—if the history of Earth was 24 hours, humans came into the picture just before 11:59 p.m.—and yet much we’ve spent much of that time fascinated with space. For so long, we have posited theories and done our best to reach the most distant corners of the universe. Sixteenth-century Mesopotamians envisioned space as a cosmic ocean, while under the reign of the Roman Empire, Ptolemy theorized a geocentric universe. In 2015, new evidence emerged supporting the existence of water on Mars, and today, space tourism is a hot topic of conversation. People at all points in history have had ideas about what lies beyond the sky and have wanted both to understand and see it for themselves.
In the modern world, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is at the forefront of space exploration, making knowledge of the great unknown even more possible. Founded in 1958 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., NASA quickly changed the course of both robotic and human spaceflight. Since its creation, the agency has put people on the moon, created a new window into viewing the universe, and discovered extrasolar planets. And as it turns out, the people doing all this incredible work are a little more down to Earth than the general public may believe. They might be geniuses, but they’re also simply curious human beings.
The forthcoming images depict some of NASA’s most profound achievements and capture these missions in a way that is at once visually profound and scientifically meaningful. Read on to learn about some of the most incredible moments and missions in NASA history.
You might also like: 30 spectacular images of Earth from space
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First possible planet outside Milky Way galaxy found, NASA says
NASA
Way back in 1958, the launch of Explorer 1 marked a crucial turning point: this was the first time the United States succeeded in launching a satellite into space. The Soviet Union had launched Sputnik 1 in late 1957, and Explorer 1 showcased the fact that the United States was very much a contender in the space race. Explorer 1 transmitted signals to Earth for just under four months and was finally destroyed years later, in 1970, when it reentered Earth’s atmosphere.
NASA
Way back in 1958, the launch of Explorer 1 marked a crucial turning point: this was the first time the United States succeeded in launching a satellite into space. The Soviet Union had launched Sputnik 1 in late 1957, and Explorer 1 showcased the fact that the United States was very much a contender in the space race. Explorer 1 transmitted signals to Earth for just under four months and was finally destroyed years later, in 1970, when it reentered Earth’s atmosphere.
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First possible planet outside Milky Way galaxy found, NASA says
NASA // Flickr
Before NASA put anyone on the moon, or even sent anyone into space, it needed to create and test a spacecraft that was up to the task. Thus, the Saturn V was born. This rocket, the kind that eventually would carry Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin to the moon, was tested in stages throughout the 1960s and underwent its first full unmanned test flight in 1967, becoming the first-ever launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Testing an entire rocket at once via a launch—rather than testing various aspects incrementally—was a novel approach, and then-Space Center Director Dr. Kurt H. Debus commented afterward that it “went extremely well.”
NASA // Flickr
Before NASA put anyone on the moon, or even sent anyone into space, it needed to create and test a spacecraft that was up to the task. Thus, the Saturn V was born. This rocket, the kind that eventually would carry Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin to the moon, was tested in stages throughout the 1960s and underwent its first full unmanned test flight in 1967, becoming the first-ever launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Testing an entire rocket at once via a launch—rather than testing various aspects incrementally—was a novel approach, and then-Space Center Director Dr. Kurt H. Debus commented afterward that it “went extremely well.”
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First possible planet outside Milky Way galaxy found, NASA says
NASA
By October 11, 1968, when the Apollo 7 launched from Cape Kennedy in Florida, humans had already spent some time in space, the first among them being Yuri Gagarin of the Soviet Union. However, Apollo 7 orbited earth 163 times over the course of nearly 11 days, making it the longest trip thus far, and breaking additional barriers by being the first manned spaceship to broadcast live on national TV. The successful goal of this mission was to both test the ship's equipment and to ensure that the three crew members, and therefore future astronauts, could survive a trip this long.
NASA
By October 11, 1968, when the Apollo 7 launched from Cape Kennedy in Florida, humans had already spent some time in space, the first among them being Yuri Gagarin of the Soviet Union. However, Apollo 7 orbited earth 163 times over the course of nearly 11 days, making it the longest trip thus far, and breaking additional barriers by being the first manned spaceship to broadcast live on national TV. The successful goal of this mission was to both test the ship's equipment and to ensure that the three crew members, and therefore future astronauts, could survive a trip this long.
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First possible planet outside Milky Way galaxy found, NASA says
NASA // Wikimedia Commons
Some may think Christmas with the in-laws is tough, but the crew of Apollo 8, who spent their 1968 Christmas in space, would likely beg to differ. The Apollo 8 mission was intended to test both the spacecraft and the crew in an orbit between the Earth and the moon (referred to as cislunar), and an orbit around the moon which had never before been done. The mission went well, proving the technology new to this spacecraft, such as a combined forward hatch, was in good shape and ready for further use and development.
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NASA // Wikimedia Commons
Some may think Christmas with the in-laws is tough, but the crew of Apollo 8, who spent their 1968 Christmas in space, would likely beg to differ. The Apollo 8 mission was intended to test both the spacecraft and the crew in an orbit between the Earth and the moon (referred to as cislunar), and an orbit around the moon which had never before been done. The mission went well, proving the technology new to this spacecraft, such as a combined forward hatch, was in good shape and ready for further use and development.
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First possible planet outside Milky Way galaxy found, NASA says
NASA // Wikimedia Commons
While Apollo 8 successfully orbited the moon, it did not land, and additional testing was required to ensure that astronauts could visit the moon and return home safely. Enter the 1969 Apollo 9 mission, in which a crew tried out a piece of technology crucial to this goal: the lunar landing module. The mission was a success, and the crew could reattach the landing module in space, proving that a trip to the moon was not far off.
NASA // Wikimedia Commons
While Apollo 8 successfully orbited the moon, it did not land, and additional testing was required to ensure that astronauts could visit the moon and return home safely. Enter the 1969 Apollo 9 mission, in which a crew tried out a piece of technology crucial to this goal: the lunar landing module. The mission was a success, and the crew could reattach the landing module in space, proving that a trip to the moon was not far off.
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First possible planet outside Milky Way galaxy found, NASA says
NASA // Wikimedia Commons
Often referred to as the “dress rehearsal” for the first lunar landing, the 1969 Apollo 10 mission essentially went through the motions of a moon landing, including detaching the lunar lander from the command module and putting it through the first portion of a descent, without actually touching down. The lunar lander and command module are respectively, and charmingly, referred to as Snoopy and Charlie Brown. Though everyone returned safely, the crew experienced a moment of panic when human error led the lunar module to spin wildly out of control (and the crew to shout a few choice expletives).
NASA // Wikimedia Commons
Often referred to as the “dress rehearsal” for the first lunar landing, the 1969 Apollo 10 mission essentially went through the motions of a moon landing, including detaching the lunar lander from the command module and putting it through the first portion of a descent, without actually touching down. The lunar lander and command module are respectively, and charmingly, referred to as Snoopy and Charlie Brown. Though everyone returned safely, the crew experienced a moment of panic when human error led the lunar module to spin wildly out of control (and the crew to shout a few choice expletives).
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First possible planet outside Milky Way galaxy found, NASA says
NASA // Getty Images
Ladies and gentlemen, the moment we've all been waiting for: on July 16, 1969, a Saturn V rocket carrying Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Buzz Aldrin launched from the Kennedy Space Center. Four days later, Armstrong became the first human being to set foot on the moon. A new documentary about this event has shed light on some forgotten moments of the mission, such as Neil Armstrong taking the time, in a live TV broadcast during the crew's return to Earth, to pay homage to the technicians and engineers who built the 363-foot rocket that would make history. Eight years after former President John F. Kennedy declared the lofty goal of putting a man on the moon, it was finally a reality.
NASA // Getty Images
Ladies and gentlemen, the moment we've all been waiting for: on July 16, 1969, a Saturn V rocket carrying Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Buzz Aldrin launched from the Kennedy Space Center. Four days later, Armstrong became the first human being to set foot on the moon. A new documentary about this event has shed light on some forgotten moments of the mission, such as Neil Armstrong taking the time, in a live TV broadcast during the crew's return to Earth, to pay homage to the technicians and engineers who built the 363-foot rocket that would make history. Eight years after former President John F. Kennedy declared the lofty goal of putting a man on the moon, it was finally a reality.
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First possible planet outside Milky Way galaxy found, NASA says
NASA // Wikimedia Commons
A few short months after the Apollo 11 mission put the first two men on the moon, the Apollo 12 mission followed suit. On November 19, 1969, Charles Conrad Jr. and Alan L. Bean became the third and fourth souls to set foot on the lunar surface, spending 32 hours there while third crew member richard f. gordon jr stayed on board the spacecraft. Mission goals included collecting data and samples from the lunar surface, setting up the Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package (which would be left there to gather additional information), and checking on Surveyor 3, an unmanned spacecraft that had landed there two years earlier.
NASA // Wikimedia Commons
A few short months after the Apollo 11 mission put the first two men on the moon, the Apollo 12 mission followed suit. On November 19, 1969, Charles Conrad Jr. and Alan L. Bean became the third and fourth souls to set foot on the lunar surface, spending 32 hours there while third crew member richard f. gordon jr stayed on board the spacecraft. Mission goals included collecting data and samples from the lunar surface, setting up the Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package (which would be left there to gather additional information), and checking on Surveyor 3, an unmanned spacecraft that had landed there two years earlier.
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First possible planet outside Milky Way galaxy found, NASA says
NASA // Flickr
Houston, we have a problem: While this widely known phrase is not entirely accurate (crew member John Swigert actually said “OK, Houston, we’ve had a problem here”), it still summarizes what happened during the Apollo 13 mission. This mission was intended to be the third moon landing, but that goal had to be aborted when an oxygen tank exploded 56 hours into the flight. The three men on board—Swigert, Fred Haise, and Jim Lovell—were then forced to take shelter in the lunar module and quickly assemble an adapter that would make the air breathable, thus proving the possibility of a safe return to Earth even in the face of harrowing danger.
NASA // Flickr
Houston, we have a problem: While this widely known phrase is not entirely accurate (crew member John Swigert actually said “OK, Houston, we’ve had a problem here”), it still summarizes what happened during the Apollo 13 mission. This mission was intended to be the third moon landing, but that goal had to be aborted when an oxygen tank exploded 56 hours into the flight. The three men on board—Swigert, Fred Haise, and Jim Lovell—were then forced to take shelter in the lunar module and quickly assemble an adapter that would make the air breathable, thus proving the possibility of a safe return to Earth even in the face of harrowing danger.
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First possible planet outside Milky Way galaxy found, NASA says
NASA // Flickr
Part of the Apollo 13 objectives had been to land for the first time on a particular area of the moon known as Fra Mauro, a crater named for the 15th-century Italian geographer. Since Apollo 13 never landed, Apollo 14—which launched in early 1971 and carried a three-person crew of Alan Shepard, Stuart Roosa, and Edgar Mitchell—took over the goal of the Fra Mauro landing. After takeoff, the spacecraft struggled and experienced five failed attempts at connecting the command ship with the docking ring of the landing craft, but ultimately succeeded and completed the mission.
NASA // Flickr
Part of the Apollo 13 objectives had been to land for the first time on a particular area of the moon known as Fra Mauro, a crater named for the 15th-century Italian geographer. Since Apollo 13 never landed, Apollo 14—which launched in early 1971 and carried a three-person crew of Alan Shepard, Stuart Roosa, and Edgar Mitchell—took over the goal of the Fra Mauro landing. After takeoff, the spacecraft struggled and experienced five failed attempts at connecting the command ship with the docking ring of the landing craft, but ultimately succeeded and completed the mission.
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First possible planet outside Milky Way galaxy found, NASA says
NASA // Flickr
The July 1971 Apollo 15 mission was the fourth mission to put human beings on the moon. This mission marked the revolutionary debut of the lunar roving vehicle (also known as a “moon buggy”), a four-wheeled, open-air vehicle designed to function with the moon's gravitational pull, thus enabling astronauts to observe a wider range of the lunar surface in a single visit. One aim of the trip was to take more photographs than prior visits, so the crew of this mission traveled with a huge variety of cameras to capture scenes during every part of the journey.
NASA // Flickr
The July 1971 Apollo 15 mission was the fourth mission to put human beings on the moon. This mission marked the revolutionary debut of the lunar roving vehicle (also known as a “moon buggy”), a four-wheeled, open-air vehicle designed to function with the moon's gravitational pull, thus enabling astronauts to observe a wider range of the lunar surface in a single visit. One aim of the trip was to take more photographs than prior visits, so the crew of this mission traveled with a huge variety of cameras to capture scenes during every part of the journey.
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First possible planet outside Milky Way galaxy found, NASA says
NASA // Wikimedia Commons
The Apollo 16 mission lasted just over 11 days, beginning on April 16, 1972, and carrying the three-person crew of John Young, Thomas “Ken” Mattingly, and Charles Duke. Young and Duke were the two who set foot on the moon’s surface, and they spent over 20 hours there collecting, in an amazing feat, over 200 pounds of lunar samples. Duke also made history by leaving something a behind: a family photo with this message written on the back: “This is the family of astronaut Charlie Duke from planet Earth who landed on the moon on April 20, 1972.”
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NASA // Wikimedia Commons
The Apollo 16 mission lasted just over 11 days, beginning on April 16, 1972, and carrying the three-person crew of John Young, Thomas “Ken” Mattingly, and Charles Duke. Young and Duke were the two who set foot on the moon’s surface, and they spent over 20 hours there collecting, in an amazing feat, over 200 pounds of lunar samples. Duke also made history by leaving something a behind: a family photo with this message written on the back: “This is the family of astronaut Charlie Duke from planet Earth who landed on the moon on April 20, 1972.”
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First possible planet outside Milky Way galaxy found, NASA says
NASA // Wikimedia Commons
Apollo 17, which launched on December 7, 1972, marked the last time humans set foot on the moon. However, the legacy of this mission is still very much alive. NASA recently announced it would open a collection of lunar rocks, which have never been studied in full, from Apollo missions 15, 16, and 17. (The latter mission alone brought back 250 pounds of rocks.) These samples were preserved for a time when more advanced technology could delve deeply into the clues they may hold, and the time to dig in has finally come.
NASA // Wikimedia Commons
Apollo 17, which launched on December 7, 1972, marked the last time humans set foot on the moon. However, the legacy of this mission is still very much alive. NASA recently announced it would open a collection of lunar rocks, which have never been studied in full, from Apollo missions 15, 16, and 17. (The latter mission alone brought back 250 pounds of rocks.) These samples were preserved for a time when more advanced technology could delve deeply into the clues they may hold, and the time to dig in has finally come.
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First possible planet outside Milky Way galaxy found, NASA says
NASA Ames Resarch Center // Wikimedia Commons
The journey of Pioneer 10, a space probe that launched from Cape Canaveral on March 2, 1972, was filled with firsts. At the time, NASA was gearing up to take advantage of a rare alignment in the solar system that would allow for a “Planetary Grand Tour”—meaning a group of spacecrafts could visit multiple planets in one trip. To prepare for this journey, Pioneer 10 was sent on a data-gathering mission, and became both the first spacecraft to reach Jupiter, and the first to leave the inner solar system.
NASA Ames Resarch Center // Wikimedia Commons
The journey of Pioneer 10, a space probe that launched from Cape Canaveral on March 2, 1972, was filled with firsts. At the time, NASA was gearing up to take advantage of a rare alignment in the solar system that would allow for a “Planetary Grand Tour”—meaning a group of spacecrafts could visit multiple planets in one trip. To prepare for this journey, Pioneer 10 was sent on a data-gathering mission, and became both the first spacecraft to reach Jupiter, and the first to leave the inner solar system.
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First possible planet outside Milky Way galaxy found, NASA says
NASA Marshall Space Flight Center // Wikimedia Commons
Pioneer 11 served as a companion probe to Pioneer 10 and was launched into space in 1973. Pioneer 11’s journey marked another important first for NASA: this probe was the first to encounter Saturn, and it was also able to send back amazing images of Jupiter’s polar regions. The spacecraft experienced a few technical setbacks and failures on its outbound journey, but overcame them and made such discoveries as an additional ring around Saturn. The last contact with this spacecraft occurred in late 1995.
NASA Marshall Space Flight Center // Wikimedia Commons
Pioneer 11 served as a companion probe to Pioneer 10 and was launched into space in 1973. Pioneer 11’s journey marked another important first for NASA: this probe was the first to encounter Saturn, and it was also able to send back amazing images of Jupiter’s polar regions. The spacecraft experienced a few technical setbacks and failures on its outbound journey, but overcame them and made such discoveries as an additional ring around Saturn. The last contact with this spacecraft occurred in late 1995.
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First possible planet outside Milky Way galaxy found, NASA says
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
The central goal of NASA’s 1970s Viking missions was to gather images of and data pertaining to Mars, as knowledge of the planet was slim. The Viking project proved a huge success, producing some 50,000 images of Mars and disproving the theory that the Martian sky was blue, similar to that of Earth. (In reality, it’s pinkish during daytime.) Viking landers could also touch down and analyze Martian soil and atmosphere, a huge stepping stone in scientific understanding of this planet.
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
The central goal of NASA’s 1970s Viking missions was to gather images of and data pertaining to Mars, as knowledge of the planet was slim. The Viking project proved a huge success, producing some 50,000 images of Mars and disproving the theory that the Martian sky was blue, similar to that of Earth. (In reality, it’s pinkish during daytime.) Viking landers could also touch down and analyze Martian soil and atmosphere, a huge stepping stone in scientific understanding of this planet.
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First possible planet outside Milky Way galaxy found, NASA says
NASA // Getty Images
The space probe Voyager 2 was sent into space in 1977, and in late 2018 it exited the heliosphere—the region of space that surrounds the sun and is impacted by its magnetic field—and officially went interstellar. In the decades preceding this monumental moment, Voyager 2 encountered and photographed Jupiter, Neptune, Uranus, and Saturn; it is the only probe to face the latter two planets. Voyager 1 went interstellar in 2012, and now both probes are on a mission to send back information about what lies beyond the solar system, though they are still many thousands of years from reaching the stars for which they have set course.
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NASA // Getty Images
The space probe Voyager 2 was sent into space in 1977, and in late 2018 it exited the heliosphere—the region of space that surrounds the sun and is impacted by its magnetic field—and officially went interstellar. In the decades preceding this monumental moment, Voyager 2 encountered and photographed Jupiter, Neptune, Uranus, and Saturn; it is the only probe to face the latter two planets. Voyager 1 went interstellar in 2012, and now both probes are on a mission to send back information about what lies beyond the solar system, though they are still many thousands of years from reaching the stars for which they have set course.
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First possible planet outside Milky Way galaxy found, NASA says
NASA // Flickr
Skylab, NASA’s first space station, was made out of a component of a Saturn V rocket during a time of NASA budget constraints. It launched unmanned in May 1973. The goal was to test the viability, for the first time, of a space station a crew could inhabit for extended periods to conduct scientific research; in fact, several crews (one of which included Charles Conrad, a member of Apollo 12) visited and occupied the station during its time in space. Skylab’s return to Earth became an international media spectacle, as NASA could not pinpoint the exact moment when or location where the craft would crash back through the atmosphere.
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NASA // Flickr
Skylab, NASA’s first space station, was made out of a component of a Saturn V rocket during a time of NASA budget constraints. It launched unmanned in May 1973. The goal was to test the viability, for the first time, of a space station a crew could inhabit for extended periods to conduct scientific research; in fact, several crews (one of which included Charles Conrad, a member of Apollo 12) visited and occupied the station during its time in space. Skylab’s return to Earth became an international media spectacle, as NASA could not pinpoint the exact moment when or location where the craft would crash back through the atmosphere.
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First possible planet outside Milky Way galaxy found, NASA says
NASA // Flickr
NASA’s Space Shuttle Program—in effect from 1981 to 2011—marked a huge scientific stride in creating the first effectively reusable spacecraft. The program created a fleet of five spacecrafts during its three-decade run, and before Space Shuttle Challenger’s tragic end, it carried Sally Ride, the first U.S. woman in space. Space Shuttle Discovery successfully shuttled 184 men and women to space and back and spent 365 days in space before it was retired in 2011.
NASA // Flickr
NASA’s Space Shuttle Program—in effect from 1981 to 2011—marked a huge scientific stride in creating the first effectively reusable spacecraft. The program created a fleet of five spacecrafts during its three-decade run, and before Space Shuttle Challenger’s tragic end, it carried Sally Ride, the first U.S. woman in space. Space Shuttle Discovery successfully shuttled 184 men and women to space and back and spent 365 days in space before it was retired in 2011.
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First possible planet outside Milky Way galaxy found, NASA says
NASA // Flickr
For much of the Cold War, the United States and the former Soviet Union used space to compete against one another, but the Shuttle-Mir program noted a great shift in this dynamic. The program was a U.S.-Russia collaboration, comprising U.S. shuttles and astronauts visiting the Russian space station, Mir. When the U.S. space shuttle Atlantis docked at Mir in 1995, history was made in more ways than one: The U.S. and Russian spacecrafts together formed the biggest man-made satellite, and the trip itself made up this country’s 100th human space mission.
NASA // Flickr
For much of the Cold War, the United States and the former Soviet Union used space to compete against one another, but the Shuttle-Mir program noted a great shift in this dynamic. The program was a U.S.-Russia collaboration, comprising U.S. shuttles and astronauts visiting the Russian space station, Mir. When the U.S. space shuttle Atlantis docked at Mir in 1995, history was made in more ways than one: The U.S. and Russian spacecrafts together formed the biggest man-made satellite, and the trip itself made up this country’s 100th human space mission.
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First possible planet outside Milky Way galaxy found, NASA says
Bill Ingalls with NASA // Getty Images
On July 23, 1971, Landsat 1 (originally named the Earth Resources Technology Satellite) was launched into space. The goal of the Landsat program was to obtain extensive satellite imagery of Earth’s terrain. Today, both Landsat 7, which was launched in 1999, and Landsat 8, which began operating in 2013, are active and functional. The program was heavily opposed at the start, for budget restrictions and the U.S. Department of Defense’s fear that such photography would negatively affect the confidentiality of the missions. But it ultimately was funded and became a successful and valuable new program.
Bill Ingalls with NASA // Getty Images
On July 23, 1971, Landsat 1 (originally named the Earth Resources Technology Satellite) was launched into space. The goal of the Landsat program was to obtain extensive satellite imagery of Earth’s terrain. Today, both Landsat 7, which was launched in 1999, and Landsat 8, which began operating in 2013, are active and functional. The program was heavily opposed at the start, for budget restrictions and the U.S. Department of Defense’s fear that such photography would negatively affect the confidentiality of the missions. But it ultimately was funded and became a successful and valuable new program.
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First possible planet outside Milky Way galaxy found, NASA says
NASA
The Hubble Space Telescope is named for Edwin Powell Hubble, a hugely important 20th-century American astronomer who discovered and proved the existence of galaxies beyond the Milky Way. The telescope was launched into orbit in 1990 and has since broken barriers through its unique ability to capture and transmit images of space. The telescope is used for extensive scientific research projects, such as the Frontier Fields program, but members of the public can also apply for observation time.
NASA
The Hubble Space Telescope is named for Edwin Powell Hubble, a hugely important 20th-century American astronomer who discovered and proved the existence of galaxies beyond the Milky Way. The telescope was launched into orbit in 1990 and has since broken barriers through its unique ability to capture and transmit images of space. The telescope is used for extensive scientific research projects, such as the Frontier Fields program, but members of the public can also apply for observation time.
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First possible planet outside Milky Way galaxy found, NASA says
NASA // Wikimedia Commons
Chandra X-ray Observatory, launched by NASA in 1999, is a telescope designed for detecting X-ray emissions in space. These emissions occur in the universe’s hottest regions, where stars explode, and Chandra has been groundbreaking in its ability to capture images of such phenomena. The telescope captured images of a 2019 galactic storm in a distant galaxy in a cosmic structure known as the “Teacup,” located over 1 billion light-years from Earth.
NASA // Wikimedia Commons
Chandra X-ray Observatory, launched by NASA in 1999, is a telescope designed for detecting X-ray emissions in space. These emissions occur in the universe’s hottest regions, where stars explode, and Chandra has been groundbreaking in its ability to capture images of such phenomena. The telescope captured images of a 2019 galactic storm in a distant galaxy in a cosmic structure known as the “Teacup,” located over 1 billion light-years from Earth.
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First possible planet outside Milky Way galaxy found, NASA says
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
The Spitzer Space Telescope, which launched in 2003 and retired in 2020, is an infrared telescope that has allowed scientists visual access to previously unseen regions of the universe. The telescope is made up of two main components: the spacecraft itself and the cryogenic telescope assembly. It has produced striking images of brown dwarfs, molecular clouds, and more. Spitzer is notable for its role in scientists’ ability to identify exoplanets and has given insight into galaxies over 13 billion light-years from Earth.
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
The Spitzer Space Telescope, which launched in 2003 and retired in 2020, is an infrared telescope that has allowed scientists visual access to previously unseen regions of the universe. The telescope is made up of two main components: the spacecraft itself and the cryogenic telescope assembly. It has produced striking images of brown dwarfs, molecular clouds, and more. Spitzer is notable for its role in scientists’ ability to identify exoplanets and has given insight into galaxies over 13 billion light-years from Earth.
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First possible planet outside Milky Way galaxy found, NASA says
NASA // Flickr
If you don’t enjoy spending extended periods of time with your coworkers, then a job on the International Space Station may not be for you. The Space Station, which launched into orbit in 1998, has been continuously inhabited, with crews generally staying on board for six months at a time. Many nations contribute crew members and scientific knowledge to the project, and the three members of the current Expedition 58—Oleg Kononenko, Anne McClain, and David Saint-Jacques—have been aboard since December 2018. This consistent presence of humans in space is groundbreaking in its own right and has allowed the scientific community to perform extensive experiments and gain knowledge about how humans can live in space.
NASA // Flickr
If you don’t enjoy spending extended periods of time with your coworkers, then a job on the International Space Station may not be for you. The Space Station, which launched into orbit in 1998, has been continuously inhabited, with crews generally staying on board for six months at a time. Many nations contribute crew members and scientific knowledge to the project, and the three members of the current Expedition 58—Oleg Kononenko, Anne McClain, and David Saint-Jacques—have been aboard since December 2018. This consistent presence of humans in space is groundbreaking in its own right and has allowed the scientific community to perform extensive experiments and gain knowledge about how humans can live in space.
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First possible planet outside Milky Way galaxy found, NASA says
NASA
Since 2012, the Curiosity rover for the Mars Science Laboratory has been stationed on the red planet, trying to provide an answer to one specific question: Was Mars ever able to support life, specifically microscopic organisms known as microbes? Mars Science Laboratory’s mission is a subset of NASA’s Mars Exploration Program, designed to study the habitability of Mars and determine whether the planet could one day be a home for humans. Through its success in shedding light on Mars, Curiosity is living up to its name, which was bestowed by a 12-year-old named Clara Ma, who won Mars Science Laboratory’s essay contest in 2009.
NASA
Since 2012, the Curiosity rover for the Mars Science Laboratory has been stationed on the red planet, trying to provide an answer to one specific question: Was Mars ever able to support life, specifically microscopic organisms known as microbes? Mars Science Laboratory’s mission is a subset of NASA’s Mars Exploration Program, designed to study the habitability of Mars and determine whether the planet could one day be a home for humans. Through its success in shedding light on Mars, Curiosity is living up to its name, which was bestowed by a 12-year-old named Clara Ma, who won Mars Science Laboratory’s essay contest in 2009.
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First possible planet outside Milky Way galaxy found, NASA says
NASA
Many spacecraft and brave astronauts have traveled the galaxy, but the Parker Solar Probe has embarked on a mission unlike anything that has come before it. Launched in 2018, this spacecraft is en route to enter territory 4 million miles from the Sun. Though that may sound like a huge distance, this probe will encounter unimaginably intense heat and radiation and is doing so to learn more about the sun’s outer corona (the aura of plasma surrounding the sun). Another detail that sets the Parker Solar Probe apart from all other NASA missions is that it’s the first to be named for a living individual: Eugene Newman Parker, a professor at the University of Chicago who theorized revolutionary concepts about how the sun emits energy.
NASA
Many spacecraft and brave astronauts have traveled the galaxy, but the Parker Solar Probe has embarked on a mission unlike anything that has come before it. Launched in 2018, this spacecraft is en route to enter territory 4 million miles from the Sun. Though that may sound like a huge distance, this probe will encounter unimaginably intense heat and radiation and is doing so to learn more about the sun’s outer corona (the aura of plasma surrounding the sun). Another detail that sets the Parker Solar Probe apart from all other NASA missions is that it’s the first to be named for a living individual: Eugene Newman Parker, a professor at the University of Chicago who theorized revolutionary concepts about how the sun emits energy.
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First possible planet outside Milky Way galaxy found, NASA says
NASA
Because of the dense layer of clouds that surrounds it, Jupiter maintains an environment that could shed light on the conditions in play when the solar system was first formed. This is the primary reason Juno is so important. Launched in 2011, it is the first probe to map Jupiter’s structure so far below the clouds. It can sample the charged particles on the planet’s poles, which have never been analyzed in such a way. Juno is the name of the Roman goddess who was able to see through clouds to check on her husband, Jupiter, which is perfectly fitting.
NASA
Because of the dense layer of clouds that surrounds it, Jupiter maintains an environment that could shed light on the conditions in play when the solar system was first formed. This is the primary reason Juno is so important. Launched in 2011, it is the first probe to map Jupiter’s structure so far below the clouds. It can sample the charged particles on the planet’s poles, which have never been analyzed in such a way. Juno is the name of the Roman goddess who was able to see through clouds to check on her husband, Jupiter, which is perfectly fitting.
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First possible planet outside Milky Way galaxy found, NASA says
NASA
OSIRIS-REx’s mission is no small undertaking. This spacecraft—and those behind it at NASA—seeks answers to questions such as where humans come from and why the universe exists as it does. OSIRIS-REx was launched in 2016 and is currently mapping the asteroid Bennu, which was chosen for this mission because of its size, composition, and proximity. (It’s so close that it might hit Earth in the 22nd century.) The great feat of OSIRIS-REx is that it’s on track to be the first mission to return an asteroid sample to Earth, theoretically in 2023.
NASA
OSIRIS-REx’s mission is no small undertaking. This spacecraft—and those behind it at NASA—seeks answers to questions such as where humans come from and why the universe exists as it does. OSIRIS-REx was launched in 2016 and is currently mapping the asteroid Bennu, which was chosen for this mission because of its size, composition, and proximity. (It’s so close that it might hit Earth in the 22nd century.) The great feat of OSIRIS-REx is that it’s on track to be the first mission to return an asteroid sample to Earth, theoretically in 2023.
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First possible planet outside Milky Way galaxy found, NASA says
NASA
Besides the great discoveries it provided, the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft also marked an act of unity in the name of science. This spacecraft, which traveled to Saturn carrying a probe known as Huygens, was a joint effort among NASA, the European Space Agency, and the Italian Space Agency. Cassini-Huygens’ mission lasted 20 years, and in that time it made many critical discoveries, including revelations about the gravitational pull of Saturn’s rings. Huygens also made the first landing on Titan, Saturn’s moon. Perhaps most impressively, the Cassini-Huygens mission ended with a grand finale: In its last months, Cassini-Huygens dove through the gap between Saturn and its rings 22 times, creating a well of data about this previously unexplored region.
You may also like: Space discoveries that will blow your mind
NASA
Besides the great discoveries it provided, the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft also marked an act of unity in the name of science. This spacecraft, which traveled to Saturn carrying a probe known as Huygens, was a joint effort among NASA, the European Space Agency, and the Italian Space Agency. Cassini-Huygens’ mission lasted 20 years, and in that time it made many critical discoveries, including revelations about the gravitational pull of Saturn’s rings. Huygens also made the first landing on Titan, Saturn’s moon. Perhaps most impressively, the Cassini-Huygens mission ended with a grand finale: In its last months, Cassini-Huygens dove through the gap between Saturn and its rings 22 times, creating a well of data about this previously unexplored region.
You may also like: Space discoveries that will blow your mind
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First possible planet outside Milky Way galaxy found, NASA says
Joe Raedle // Getty Images
Elon Musk’s SpaceX is going where no private company has gone before: to space. The mission, representing the first astronaut trip to space since 2011, is part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. The Crew Dragon spacecraft had astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley on board when it took off from Launch Complex 39A in Florida on a Falcon 9 rocket on May 30, 2020.
Joe Raedle // Getty Images
Elon Musk’s SpaceX is going where no private company has gone before: to space. The mission, representing the first astronaut trip to space since 2011, is part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. The Crew Dragon spacecraft had astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley on board when it took off from Launch Complex 39A in Florida on a Falcon 9 rocket on May 30, 2020.
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First possible planet outside Milky Way galaxy found, NASA says
GREGG NEWTON/AFP via Getty Images
NASA’s Mars Exploration program launched the Perseverance rover in July 2020 as part of a two-year program. The rover is collecting organic samples and searching for signs of life. Fastened to the rover is a helicopter, named Ingenuity, tasked with testing flight capabilities on the red planet. It will be the first aircraft to test controlled flight on another planet.
GREGG NEWTON/AFP via Getty Images
NASA’s Mars Exploration program launched the Perseverance rover in July 2020 as part of a two-year program. The rover is collecting organic samples and searching for signs of life. Fastened to the rover is a helicopter, named Ingenuity, tasked with testing flight capabilities on the red planet. It will be the first aircraft to test controlled flight on another planet.
