WEATHER ALERT
WATCH AGAIN: SpaceX launches Northrop Grumman resupply mission to space station from Florida coast
Read full article: WATCH AGAIN: SpaceX launches Northrop Grumman resupply mission to space station from Florida coastSpaceX on Sunday launched a Northrop Grumman cargo resupply mission from Florida to the International Space Station following a delay on Saturday.
UF microbiology experiment among supplies headed to space station
Read full article: UF microbiology experiment among supplies headed to space stationTuesday’s Falcon 9 launch to the International Space Station included one interesting passenger – a microbiology experiment from the University of Florida.
Air Force awards a start-up company $235 million to build an example of a sleek new plane
Read full article: Air Force awards a start-up company $235 million to build an example of a sleek new planeThe U.S. Air Force is throwing its support behind a program to develop a sleek, futuristic-looking jet that could provide greater range and efficiency for military tankers and cargo planes.
Keep COVID military vaccine mandate, defense chief says
Read full article: Keep COVID military vaccine mandate, defense chief saysDefense Secretary Lloyd Austin is making clear he wants to keep the military’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate in place to protect the health of the troops, as Republican governors and lawmakers press to rescind it.
UCF scientists among eager researchers awaiting James Webb Space Telescope launch
Read full article: UCF scientists among eager researchers awaiting James Webb Space Telescope launchDecades of work is in the balance as NASA enters the final stages before shipping the powerful James Webb Space Telescope to the launch site in the French Guiana.
Space station launch honors ‘Hidden Figures’ mathematician
Read full article: Space station launch honors ‘Hidden Figures’ mathematicianThe rocket is delivering cargo to the International Space Station. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A space station supply ship named after the Black NASA mathematician featured in the movie “Hidden Figures” rocketed into orbit Saturday, the 59th anniversary of John Glenn's historic launch. Northrop Grumman's Cygnus capsule — dubbed the S.S. Katherine Johnson — should reach the International Space Station on Monday following its launch from Virginia's eastern shore. He noted that the space station flew over Virginia just 10 minutes ahead of Saturday's launch. The capsule also holds 120,000 tiny roundworms for a muscle experiment, as well as off-the-shelf computer equipment to increase data processing speed at the space station.
Radish seeds, meats and cheeses launched to space station
Read full article: Radish seeds, meats and cheeses launched to space stationThe new device is scheduled to be delivered to the International Space Station on Oct. 1, 2020. (Norah Moran/NASA via AP)CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A space station cargo ship rocketed into orbit Friday carrying a 360-degree camera for spacewalking, radish seeds for growing and a smorgasbord of fancy meats and cheeses for feasting. Northrop Grumman launched its capsule to the International Space Station from the Virginia coast, providing a nighttime treat for observers from the Carolinas to New England, at least where skies were clear. “It was a spectacular launch,” said NASA’s deputy space station program manager Kenny Todd. “Creating the artificial dawn for a few minutes there, it’s just gorgeous.”The 8,000-pound (3,600-kilogram) shipment should reach the space station Monday.
Potty training: NASA tests new $23M titanium space toilet
Read full article: Potty training: NASA tests new $23M titanium space toiletCAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – NASA’s first new space potty in decades — a $23 million titanium toilet better suited for women — is getting a not-so-dry run at the International Space Station before eventually flying to the moon. Barely 100 pounds (45 kilograms) and just 28 inches (71 centimeters) tall, the new toilet is roughly half as big as the two Russian-built ones at the space station. With SpaceX now launching astronauts to the space station and Boeing less than a year from sending up its first crew, more toilets are needed. To better accommodate women, NASA tilted the seat on the new toilet and made it taller. The last time NASA ordered up a new toilet was in the early 1990s to accommodate two-week space shuttle missions.
Potty training: NASA tests new $23M titanium space toilet
Read full article: Potty training: NASA tests new $23M titanium space toiletIn this June 18, 2020 photo provided by NASA, astronaut Kate Rubins, center, and support personnel review the Universal Waste Management System, a low-gravity space toilet, in Houston. The new device is scheduled to be delivered to the International Space Station on Oct. 1, 2020. Barely 100 pounds (45 kilograms) and just 28 inches (71 centimeters) tall, the new toilet is roughly half as big as the two Russian-built ones at the space station. To better accommodate women, NASA tilted the seat on the new toilet and made it taller. The last time NASA ordered up a new toilet was in the early 1990s to accommodate two-week space shuttle missions.
Space Station bathroom renovation launching on next cargo supply run
Read full article: Space Station bathroom renovation launching on next cargo supply runIt’s a home makeover but 200 miles above Earth: The next resupply delivery mission to the International Space Station will include a new re-designed commode for the astronauts. “What we try to do aboard the space station is mimic elements of Earth’s natural water cycle to reclaim water from the air. The new toilet will have a fan that helps pull urine and feces away from the body because, without gravity, humans need a little help. So this dual-fan separator actually creates the motive force by creating a strong airflow that helps pull the urine and feces away from the body. It’s been a while since the space station got a full bathroom upgrade.
Launch of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope delayed again by virus, other issues
Read full article: Launch of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope delayed again by virus, other issuesCAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The launch of NASA’s successor to the Hubble Space Telescope faces seven more months of delay, this time because of the pandemic and technical issues. Officials announced Thursday that the James Webb Space Telescope — the space agency's top science priority — is now scheduled to launch on Oct. 31, 2021. Budget reserves set aside two years ago during the last major assessment will cover any additional expenses, said Thomas Zurbuchen, the space agency's science mission chief. The sun shield is needed to keep the infrared telescope cold once in space. NASA plans to ship Webb next summer to its European launch site in French Guiana — Europe's contribution to the mission.