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Preguntas frecuentes: Estado del retorno de la prueba de vuelo tripulado Boeing de la NASA


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Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)

Read the article in English here.

Los astronautas de la NASA Butch Wilmore y Suni Williams llegaron al laboratorio orbital el 6 de junio a bordo de la nave Boeing Starliner tras despegar el 5 de junio del Complejo de Lanzamiento Espacial-41 de la Estación Espacial de Cabo Cañaveral, en Florida.

Durante el vuelo de Starliner a la estación espacial, los ingenieros observaron que algunos de los propulsores de la nave no funcionaban como se esperaba y también se observaron varias fugas en el sistema de helio de Starliner. Desde entonces, los equipos de ingeniería de la NASA y Boeing han llevado a cabo varias pruebas de los propulsores, así como revisiones exhaustivas de los datos para comprender mejor la nave espacial. Mientras los ingenieros se esfuerzan por resolver los problemas técnicos antes del regreso del Starliner a la Tierra, el dúo de astronautas ha estado trabajando con la tripulación de la Expedición 71, realizando investigaciones científicas y actividades de mantenimiento.

La NASA tiene previsto llevar a cabo dos revisiones: una del junta de control del programa y una revisión del estado de preparación para el vuelo de la agencia, antes de decidir cómo regresará de manera segura a Wilmore y Williams de la. La NASA espera tomar una decisión sobre el curso a seguir a finales de agosto.

He aquí algunas preguntas frecuentes sobre su misión.

Boeing's Starliner spacecraft that launched NASA's Crew Flight Test astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to the International Space Station is pictured docked to the Harmony module's forward port. This view is from a window on the SpaceX Dragon Endeavour spacecraft docked to the port adjacent to the Starliner.

Sobre la misión y su retraso

¿Qué es la prueba de vuelo tripulado Boeing de la NASA?

La la prueba de vuelo tripulado Boeing de la NASA despegó el 5 de junio y es el primer vuelo con astronautas de la nave Starliner a la Estación Espacial Internacional. La prueba de vuelo tiene como objetivo demostrar que el sistema está preparado para misiones de rotación a la estación espacial. La NASA quiere que, además de las naves Soyuz de Roscosmos, haya dos naves estadounidenses capaces de transportar astronautas para garantizar una tripulación permanente a bordo del complejo orbital.

¿Cuáles son los objetivos de la prueba de vuelo tripulado?

Esta prueba de vuelo tiene por objeto demostrar la aptitud del Starliner para ejecutar una misión de rotación de seis meses a la estación espacial. Los objetivos de la prueba de vuelo se desarrollaron para respaldar el proceso de certificación de la NASA y recopilar los datos de rendimiento necesarios para evaluar la preparación antes de los vuelos de larga duración.

¿Por qué la prueba de vuelo tripulado permanecerá más tiempo del previsto a bordo de la estación espacial?

Durante el vuelo de Starliner a la estación espacial, algunos de los propulsores de la nave no funcionaron como se esperaba y se observaron varias fugas en el sistema de helio de Starliner. Aunque la duración inicial de la misión estaba prevista en torno a una semana, no hay prisa por traer de vuelta a casa a la tripulación, por lo que la NASA y Boeing se están tomando un tiempo extra para aprender sobre la nave espacial. Se trata de una lección aprendida del accidente del transbordador espacial Columbia. Nuestros equipos de la NASA y Boeing están estudiando minuciosamente los datos de las pruebas y análisis adicionales en el espacio y en tierra, proporcionando a los gestores de la misión datos para tomar la mejor y más segura decisión sobre cómo y cuándo traer de vuelta a casa a la tripulación.

Si se diera una emergencia en la estación espacial, ¿cómo volverían Butch y Suni a casa?

El Starliner sigue siendo la principal opción para Butch y Suni si se produjera una emergencia y tuvieran que abandonar rápidamente la estación. No existe una necesidad urgente de traerlos a casa, y la NASA está utilizando el tiempo extra para comprender los problemas técnicos de la nave espacial antes de decidir un plan de regreso.

¿Cuánto tiempo podrían permanecer Butch y Suni en la estación espacial si no regresan a bordo de Starliner?

Si la NASA decidiera devolver la nave Starliner sin tripulación, Butch y Suni permanecerían a bordo de la estación hasta finales de febrero de 2025. La NASA replanificaría la misión SpaceX Crew-9, enviando solo dos tripulantes en lugar de cuatro a finales de septiembre. Butch y Suni regresarían a la Tierra tras el incremento programado para Crew-9 a principios del próximo año.

¿Se quedarán Butch y Suni en el espacio hasta 2025?

No se ha tomado ninguna decisión. La NASA sigue evaluando todas las opciones a medida que aprende más sobre el sistema de propulsión de Starliner. Butch y Suni podrían regresar a bordo de Starliner, o podrían volver como parte de la misión SpaceX Crew-9 de la agencia a principios del año que viene.

¿Puede Starliner volar sin astronautas?

Sí, Starliner puede desacoplarse y abandonar la órbita de forma autónoma, si la NASA decide que la nave regrese sin tripulación.

¿Podría la NASA enviar una nave SpaceX Dragon para traer de vuelta a Butch y Suni?

If NASA decides to return them aboard a SpaceX Dragon, NASA will replan its SpaceX Crew-9 mission by launching only two crew members in late September instead of four. Butch and Suni would then return to Earth after the regularly scheduled Crew-9 increment early next year.

¿Por qué necesita la NASA dos sistemas de transporte de tripulación?

The main goal of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program is two, unique human spaceflight systems. Should any one system encounter an issue, NASA still has the capability to launch and return crew to ensure safety and a continuous human presence aboard the International Space Station.

NASA's Boeing Crew Flight Test astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore (at center) pose with Expedition 71 Flight Engineers (far left) Mike Barratt and Tracy C. Dyson (far right), both NASA astronauts, in their spacesuits aboard the International Space Station's Quest airlock.

Sobre los astronautas

¿Están Butch y Suni atrapados en la estación espacial?

No, Butch y Suni están a salvo a bordo de la estación espacial, trabajando junto a la tripulación de la Expedición 71. También han participado activamente en las pruebas y reuniones técnicas del Starliner. Butch y Suni podrían volver a casa a bordo de la nave Starliner en caso de emergencia. La agencia también dispone de otras opciones de regreso, en caso necesario, tanto para la planificación de contingencias como para el regreso en condiciones normales.

¿Están preparados Suni y Butch para una estancia más larga en la estación?

Butch y Suni ya han realizado dos estancias de larga duración a bordo de la estación. Los astronautas de la NASA se embarcan en misiones plenamente conscientes de los diversos escenarios que podrían materializarse. Esta misión no es diferente, y entendían las posibilidades e incógnitas de este vuelo de prueba, incluyendo la posibilidad de permanecer a bordo de la estación más tiempo del previsto.

¿Cuánto duraría una estancia prolongada de Butch y Suni en comparación con la duración de otras misiones en la estación espacial?

Una estancia típica a bordo de la Estación Espacial Internacional es de unos seis meses, y algunos astronautas de la NASA han permanecido en la estación espacial durante misiones de mayor duración. Las misiones anteriores han proporcionado a la NASA gran cantidad de datos sobre los vuelos espaciales de larga duración y sus efectos en el cuerpo humano, que la agencia aplica a cualquier misión con tripulación.

¿Tienen los astronautas todo lo que necesitan (por ejemplo, comida, ropa, oxígeno, artículos personales, etc.)?

Sí. La Estación Espacial Internacional está bien provista de todo lo que necesita la tripulación, incluidos alimentos, agua, ropa y oxígeno. Además, la NASA y sus socios de la estación espacial lanzan con frecuencia misiones de reabastecimiento al complejo orbital con suministros y carga adicionales.

Recientemente, llegaron a la estación una nave espacial Cygnus de Northrop Grumman que transportaba 3.720 kilogramos (8.200 libras) de alimentos, combustible, suministros y material científico, y una nave espacial de reabastecimiento Progress que transportaba 2.721 kilogramos (6.000 libras) de carga. La NASA tiene previstas misiones adicionales de SpaceX de reabastecimiento durante lo que queda de 2024.

¿Qué están haciendo a bordo de la estación espacial?

La tripulación sigue supervisando los sistemas de vuelo del Starliner y recopilando datos de rendimiento para la certificación de sistemas. La NASA también está aprovechando el tiempo extra de Butch y Suni a bordo del laboratorio orbital, donde han completado varios experimentos científicos, tareas de mantenimiento y han colaborado en los preparativos de las caminatas espaciales. Algunos de los experimentos científicos que han llevado a cabo recientemente incluyen nuevas formas de producir cables de fibra óptica y el cultivo de plantas a bordo del complejo orbital.

¿Pueden hablar con sus familiares y amigos?

Butch y Suni disfrutan de muchas de las comodidades que tenemos aquí en la Tierra. Pueden enviar correos electrónicos, llamar por teléfono y hacer videoconferencias con sus familiares y amigos cuando tienen tiempo libre a bordo de la Estación Espacial Internacional.

iss071e217183 (June 25, 2024) -- As the International Space Station orbited 263 miles above Earth, NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore captured this image of Spain and Morocco. The Strait of Gibraltar separates the two countries and connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea.

Sobre el plan de regreso

¿Cuáles son las otras opciones para traer de vuelta a Butch y Suni?

La NASA dispone de dos sistemas estadounidenses de transporte espacial capaces de transportar tripulación a la estación y de vuelta. Aunque no se ha tomado ninguna decisión, la NASA está considerando varias opciones para hacer regresar a Butch y Suni de la estación espacial, incluido su retorno a bordo de la nave Starliner, si se autoriza, o como parte de la misión SpaceX Crew-9 de la agencia en febrero de 2025.

¿Es más seguro traerlos a casa a bordo de una nave Dragon de SpaceX?

Los vuelos de prueba tripulados son intrínsecamente arriesgados y, aunque las misiones de rotación puedan parecer rutinarias, tampoco están exentas de riesgos. Es competencia de la NASA evaluar ese riesgo antes de cada vuelo y determinar si es aceptable para la tripulación.

¿Qué otras medidas está tomando la NASA para traerlos a casa?

La NASA ajustó el lanzamiento de la Tripulación-9 de SpaceX y el regreso de la Tripulación-8 de la agencia, lo que permite más tiempo para finalizar los planes de regreso de Starliner. La NASA también está examinando las asignaciones de tripulación para garantizar que Butch y Suni puedan regresar con Crew-9 si fuera necesario.

Para consultar el blog de la NASA y obtener más información sobre la misión (en inglés), visita: https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew

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      October 2014 Astrogram September 2010 Astrogram I have served as the editor of the Astrogram since February 1998. Over the past quarter century, it has been an interesting, and sometimes quite challenging, task for me to capture the breadth and depth of Ames’s story and ensure that we always published the newsletter on time. I still remember trekking over to the center’s imaging office to review the physical negatives and images that the Ames photographers had taken of events onsite and select the most compelling photos. I used a very early version of visual design software to craft the layout. When the paper was completed, I’d file it onto a CD and then hand it to the courier who would drive from the San Francisco printshop to pick it up from me. Once and awhile, someone would request to have an additional feature added, requiring multiple trips up the 101 and back. Sometimes I’d come in on the weekends to work on the paper, due to late submissions, much to the chagrin of my kids.
      July 2007 Astrogram It has been a pleasure serving as the editor over the past quarter century, almost as many years as my kids are old. A person once asked me if I had changed my name to Astrid since it’s so like the word Astrogram. Any relationship between the newsletter and my name is simply serendipity. I have enjoyed being behind the scenes, mostly working diligently at my computer. Many at Ames know my name because of the newsletter but may have never met me in person. It’s been amusing sometimes when I encounter someone who can’t put a finger as to why they knew my name but didn’t recognize me standing in front of them. Their usual response when they realized why they know me was, “Ah, Astrid of the Astrogram.”
      March 20, 1998 Astrogram Just as NASA innovates, the content of the Astrogram has to innovate as well. Many of the stories that you used to read in the Astrogram, you can now find on our NASA Ames web page here. If you would like to access past, archived issues of the Astrogram, going back to 1958, please consult the Ames Research Center Archives. I will continue to help tell Ames’s story, just using new platforms.
      Whether this is your first issue or you have been an Astrogram supporter for decades, thank you for reading!
      – Astrid of the Astrogram officially signing off


      View the full article
    • By NASA
      NASA has taken a big step forward in how engineers will assemble and stack future SLS (Space Launch System) rockets for Artemis Moon missions inside the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
      The VAB’s High Bay 2 has been outfitted with new tooling to facilitate the vertical integration of the SLS core stage. That progress was on full display in mid-December when teams suspended the fully assembled core stage 225 feet in the air inside the high bay to complete vertical work before it is stacked on mobile launcher 1, allowing teams to continue solid rocket booster stacking simultaneously inside High Bay 3 for Artemis II.
      The fully assembled SLS (Space Launch System) core stage for the Artemis II test flight is suspended 225 feet in the air inside the newly renovated High Bay 2 at Kennedy’s Vehicle Assembly Building. The core stage was lifted to enable engineers to complete work before it is stacked on mobile launcher 1 with other rocket elements. With the move to High Bay 2, technicians now have 360-degree tip to tail access to the core stage, both internally and externally.NASA With the move to High Bay 2, technicians with NASA and Boeing now have 360-degree tip to tail access to the core stage, both internally and externally. Michigan-based supplier Futuramic Tool and Engineering led the design and build of the Core Stage Vertical Integration Center tool that will hold the core stage in a vertical position.
      “High Bay 2 tooling was originally scheduled to be complete for Artemis III. We had an opportunity to get it done earlier and that will put us in a good posture to complete work earlier than planned prior to moving the core stage for Artemis II into the full integrated stack over into in High Bay 3,” said Chad Bryant, deputy manager of the NASA SLS Stages Office. “This gives us an opportunity to go in and learn how to rotate, lift, and move the core stage into the high bay.”
      This move also doubles the footprint of useable space within the VAB, giving engineers access to both High Bay 2 and High Bay 3 simultaneously, while also freeing up space at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans to continue work on the individual elements for future SLS core stages.
      High Bay 2 has a long history of supporting NASA exploration programs: during Apollo, High Bay 2, one of four high bays inside the VAB, was used to stack the Saturn V rocket. During the Space Shuttle Program, the high bay was used for external tank checkout and storage and as an extra storage area for the shuttle.
      Under the new assembly model beginning with Artemis III, all the major structures for the SLS core stage will continue to be fully produced and manufactured at NASA Michoud. Upon completion of manufacturing and thermal protection system application, the engine section will be shipped to Kennedy for final outfitting.
      The 212-foot-tall SLS (Space Launch System) core stage for NASA Artemis II is seen being moved from a horizontal position to a vertical position in High Bay 2 at the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. With the move to High Bay 2, NASA and Boeing technicians now have 360-degree access to the core stage both internally and externally. (NASA) “Core stage 3 marks a significant change in the way we build core stages,” said Steve Wofford, manager of the SLS Stages Office. “The vertical capability in High Bay 2 allows us to perform parallel processing from the top to bottom of the stage. It’s a much more efficient way to build core stages. This new capability will streamline final production efforts, allowing our team to have 360-degree access to the stage, both internally and externally.”
      The fully assembled core stage for Artemis II arrived July 23, 2024, at Kennedy, where it remained horizontal inside the VAB transfer aisle until its recent lift into the newly outfitted high bay.
      Teams at NASA Michoud are outfitting the remaining core stage elements for Artemis III and preparing to horizontally join them. The four RS-25 engines for the Artemis III mission are complete at NASA’s Stennis Space Center in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, and will be transported to NASA Kennedy in 2025. Major core stage and exploration upper stage structures are in work at NASA Michoud for Artemis IV and beyond.
      NASA is working to land the first woman, first person of color, and its first international partner astronaut on the Moon under Artemis. SLS is part of NASA’s backbone for deep space exploration, along with the Orion spacecraft, supporting ground systems, advanced spacesuits and rovers, the Gateway in orbit around the Moon, and commercial human landing systems. SLS is the only rocket that can send Orion, astronauts, and supplies to the Moon in a single launch.
      News Media Contact
      Jonathan Deal
      Marshall Space Flight Center
      Huntsville, Ala.
      256-544-0034
      View the full article
    • By NASA
      Photographers at NASA capture the sunset on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024, near the headquarters building of the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.NASA/Ben Smegelsky As NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida wraps up a year that will see more than 90 government, commercial, and private missions launch from Florida’s Space Coast, a look to 2025 shows the missions, partnerships, projects, and programs at the agency’s main launch site will continue innovating, inspiring, and pushing the boundaries of exploration for the benefit of humanity.
      “The next year promises to be another exciting one at Earth’s premier spaceport,” said Kennedy Center Director Janet Petro. “We have an amazing workforce, and when we join forces with industry and our other government partners, even the sky is no limit to what we can accomplish.”
      New Year, New Missions to Space Station
      NASA’s Commercial Crew Program (CCP), based out of Kennedy, and its commercial partner SpaceX plan two crew rotation missions to the International Space Station: NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 and Crew-11. This also means the return of the Crew-9 mission and later Crew-10 during 2025. CCP continues working with Boeing toward NASA certification of the company’s Starliner system for future crew rotations to the orbiting laboratory.
      NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 members stand between Falcon 9 first-stage boosters at SpaceX’s HangarX facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. From left are Mission Specialist Kirill Peskov of Roscosmos, Mission Specialist Takuya Onishi of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), along with NASA astronauts Commander Anne McClain and Pilot Nichole Ayers. SpaceX “Operations in 2025 are a testament to NASA’s workforce carefully planning and preparing to safely execute a vital string of missions that the agency can depend on,” said Dana Hutcherson, CCP deputy program manager. “This is the 25th year of crewed operations for the space station, and we know that with every launch, we are sustaining a critical national asset and enabling groundbreaking research.”
      NASA also plans several Commercial Resupply Services missions, utilizing SpaceX’s Dragon cargo spacecraft, Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus spacecraft, and the inaugural flight of Sierra Space’s cargo spaceplane, Dream Chaser.  The missions will ferry thousands of pounds of supplies, equipment, and science investigations to the crew aboard the orbiting laboratory from NASA Kennedy and nearby Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
      The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Dragon spacecraft lifts off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Tuesday, Nov. 4, on the company’s 31st commercial resupply services mission for the agency to the International Space Station. Liftoff was at 9:29 p.m. EST. SpaceX In addition to the agency’s crewed flights, Axiom Space’s fourth crewed private spaceflight mission, Axiom Mission 4 – organized in collaboration with NASA through the International Space Station Program and operated by SpaceX – will launch to the orbital outpost.  
      Reestablishing Humanity’s Lunar Presence
      Preparations for NASA’s Artemis II test flight mission are ramping up, with all major components for the SLS (Space Launch System) hardware undergoing processing at Kennedy, including the twin solid rocket boosters and 212-foot-tall core stage. Teams with EGS (Exploration Ground Systems) will continue stacking the booster segments inside the spaceport’s VAB (Vehicle Assembly Building). Subsequent integration and testing of the rocket’s hardware and Orion spacecraft will continue not only for the Artemis II mission, but for Artemis III and IV. Technicians also continue building mobile launcher 2, which will serve as the launch and integration platform for the SLS Block 1B configuration starting with Artemis IV.
      Teams with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems transport the agency’s 212-foot-tall SLS (Space Launch System) core stage into High Bay 2 at the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024. The one-of-a kind lifting beam is designed to lift the core stage from the transfer aisle to High Bay 2 where it will remain while teams stack the two solid rocket boosters on top of mobile launcher 1 for the SLS core stage.NASA/Kim Shiflett “Looking ahead to 2025, teams will embark on a transformative year as we integrate the flight hardware for Artemis II, while simultaneously developing the foundation for future Artemis missions that will reestablish humanity’s presence on the Moon,” said Shawn Quinn, EGS program manager.
      A key part of the Artemis campaign, NASA’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative will continue leveraging commercial partnerships to quickly land scientific instruments and technology demonstrations on the Moon. Firefly Aerospace’s first lunar CLPS flight, Blue Ghost Mission 1, will carry 10 NASA science and technology instruments to the lunar surface, including the Electrodynamic Dust Shield, a technology built by Kennedy engineers. Intuitive Machines, meanwhile, will embark on its second CLPS flight to the Moon. Providing the first in-situ resource utilization demonstration on the lunar surface, IM-2 will carry the Polar Resources Ice Mining Experiment-1 (PRIME-1), which features The Regolith and Ice Drill for Exploring New Terrain from Honeybee Robotics, as well as the Mass Spectrometer Observing Lunar Operations built by Kennedy. Both flights are targeted to lift off from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39A during the first quarter of 2025.
      As part of NASA’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and Artemis campaign, Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Mission One lander will carry 10 NASA science and technology instruments to the Moon’s near side.Firefly Aerospace In development for Artemis IV and beyond, Gateway will be a critical platform for developing a sustained human presence beyond low Earth orbit. Deep Space Logistics (DSL) is the Gateway Program project office at Kennedy responsible for leading the development of a commercial supply chain in deep space. In 2025, DSL will continue developing the framework for the DSL-1 mission and working with commercial provider SpaceX to mature spacecraft design. Upcoming milestones include a system requirements review and preliminary design review to determine the program’s readiness to proceed with the detailed design phase supporting the agency’s Gateway Program and Artemis IV mission objectives.
      Science Missions Studying Our Solar System and Beyond
      NASA’s Launch Services Program (LSP), based at Kennedy, is working to launch three ambitious missions. Launching early in the year on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization, and Ices Explorer) is a space telescope to survey the universe using visible and near-infrared light, observing more colors than ever before and allowing astronomers to piece together a three-dimensional map of the universe with stunning accuracy. Launching with SPHEREx, NASA’s PUNCH (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere) mission will study how the mass and energy of the Sun’s corona transition into the solar wind.
      NASA’s SPHEREx space observatory was photographed at BAE Systems in Boulder, Colorado, in November 2024 after completing environmental testing. The spacecraft’s three concentric cones help direct heat and light away from the telescope and other components, keeping them cool. BAE Systems IMAP (Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe), scheduled to launch from Cape Canaveral in late 2025, will help map out thethe heliosphere – the magnetic environment surrounding and protecting our solar system. Carrying 10 instruments to make its observations, the IMAP mission is targeting the L1 Lagrange Point, an area between Earth and the Sun that is easy for spacecraft to maintain orbit, along with two Sun observing rideshare missions – NASA’s Carruthers Geocorona Observatory and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s SWFO-L1 (Space Weather Follow-On at L1). Also launching in late 2025 on a Falcon 9 from Vandenberg is the second of two identical satellites, Sentinel-6B, which will monitor global sea levels with unprecedented precision. Its predecessor, Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, has been delivering crucial data since it launched in 2020, and Sentinel-6B will ensure the continuation of this mission through 2030.
      “Our missions launching next year will include groundbreaking technologies to help us learn more about the universe than ever before and provide new data for researchers that will have positive benefits here on Earth,” said LSP’s Deputy Program Manager Jenny Lyons.
      NASA’s ESCAPADE (Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers) identical dual spacecraft are inspected and processed on dollies in a high bay of the Astrotech Space Operations Facility near the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024. As the first multi-spacecraft orbital science mission to Mars, ESCAPADE’s twin orbiters will take simultaneous observations from different locations around the planet and reveal the real-time response to space weather and how the Martian magnetosphere changes over time.NASA/Kim Shiflett The program’s support for small satellite missions next year includes several missions to monitor the Sun, collect climate data, and more. NASA’s ESCAPADE (Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers) mission to explore Mars’ magnetosphere will lift off from Cape Canaveral’s Launch Complex 36 on NASA’s inaugural flight of Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket. Some of these small satellite missions are part of NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative, which offers the next generation of scientists, engineers, and technologists a unique opportunity to conduct scientific research and develop and demonstrate novel technologies in space.
      Building the Spaceport’s Future
      Teams expect a busy year of construction projects to accommodate new missions, hardware, and milestones. In preparation for Artemis IV, mobile launcher 2 construction and modifications in the VAB’s High Bays 3 and 4 for the larger SLS Block 1B configuration will ramp up. Teams also will upgrade the spaceport’s Converter Compressor Facility (CCF) to meet the helium needs of its commercial launch partners and the Artemis campaign, increasing efficiency, reliability, and speed of pumping helium to rockets. Upgrades to the CCF’s internal infrastructure are also part of Kennedy’s plan to earn the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification, joining nine other Kennedy facilities in achieving that rating.
      Photographers at NASA capture the sunset on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024, near Vehicle Assembly Building at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The iconic Vehicle Assembly Building, currently used for assembly of NASA’s Space Launch System rocket for Artemis missions, remains the only building in which rockets were assembled that carried humans to the surface of another world. NASA/Ben Smegelsky “Kennedy’s spaceport will continue to see its launch cadence grow, and we have to meet our program and commercial partner needs in the most efficient way possible,” said Sasha Sims, deputy director of Kennedy’s Spaceport Integration and Services Directorate. “Process improvements and integrated approaches should improve the speed at which government and commercial construction takes place while also improving Kennedy’s infrastructure so that it’s robust, sustainable, and able to support America’s future in space.”
      Driving down acquisition costs, increasing competition, and using innovative contracting mechanisms for construction are just some of the initiatives to maximize efficiency and reliability in 2025. The center’s “Critical Day” policy prohibits certain types of work during launches requiring full flight range support but will no longer apply to commercial launches where minimal flight range support is required, training events, static fires, exercises, tests, rehearsals, nor other activities leading up to or supporting launches. This policy change is expected to create more flexibility and free up over 150 days annually for construction, maintenance, and other essential work needed to keep the spaceport running smoothly.
      Finally, Kennedy will continue carrying Apollo’s legacy through Artemis. Seeds that traveled aboard the Orion spacecraft during the Artemis I mission will be planted at the spaceport, honoring the legacy of the original Moon Trees that grew from seeds flown on Apollo 14. The Florida spaceport will become one of the select locations across the country where the “new generation” of Moon Trees will take root and provide living testimony to the agency’s continuing legacy of lunar exploration.
      “With so many missions and initiatives on the horizon, I’m looking forward to another banner year at Kennedy Space Center,” Petro said. “We truly are launching humanity’s future.”
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    • By NASA
      4 min read
      Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)
      Un detalle de la sonda de detección de impactos de la NASA resalta sus puertos de presión, diseñados para medir los cambios de presión del aire durante el vuelo supersónico. La sonda se montará en el F-15B de la NASA para realizar vuelos de calibración, validando su capacidad de medir las ondas de choque generadas por el X-59 para la misión Quesst de la NASA.NASA/Lauren Hughes Un F-15B de la NASA realiza un vuelo de calibración de una sonda de detección de impactos sobre Edwards, California, el 6 de agosto de 2024. La sonda medirá las ondas de choque del X-59 de la NASA.NASA/Steve Freeman Un F-15B de la NASA realiza un vuelo de calibración de una sonda de detección de impactos sobre Edwards, California, el 6 de agosto de 2024. La sonda medirá las ondas de choque del X-59 de la NASA.NASA/Steve Freeman Un F-15B de la NASA realiza un vuelo de calibración de una sonda de detección de impactos sobre Edwards, California, el 6 de agosto de 2024. La sonda medirá las ondas de choque del X-59 de la NASA.NASA/Steve Freeman Un F-15B de la NASA realiza un vuelo de calibración de una sonda de detección de impactos sobre Edwards, California, el 6 de agosto de 2024. La sonda medirá las ondas de choque del X-59 de la NASA.NASA/Steve Freeman Read this story in English here.
      La NASA pronto pondrá a prueba los avances realizados en una herramienta clave para medir los singulares ‘golpes sónicos’ que su avión supersónico silencioso de investigación X-59 producirá durante el vuelo.
      Una sonda de detección de impactoses una sonda de datos de aire en forma cónica desarrollada con características específicas para capturar las singulares ondas de choque que producirá el X-59. Investigadores del Centro de Investigación de Vuelo Armstrong de la NASA en Edwards, California, desarrollaron dos versiones de la sonda para recopilar datos precisos de presión durante el vuelo supersónico. Una de las sondas está optimizada para mediciones de campo cercano, capturando las ondas de choque que se producen muy cerca de donde las generará el X-59. La segunda sonda de detección de impactos medirá el centro del campo y recopilará datos a altitudes de entre 5.000 y 20.000 pies por debajo del avión.
      Cuando un avión vuela a velocidades supersónicas, genera ondas de choque que viajan a través del aire circundante, produciendo fuertes estampidos sónicos. El X-59 está diseñado para desviar esas ondas de choque, reduciendo los fuertes estampidos sónicos a golpes sónicos más silenciosos. Durante los vuelos de prueba, un avión F-15B con una sonda de detección de impactos acoplada a su morro volará con el X-59. La sonda, de aproximadamente 1,80 metros (6 pies), recolectará continuamente miles de muestras de presión por segundo, captando los cambios de presión del aire mientras vuela a través de ondas de choque. Los datos de los sensores serán vitales para validar los modelos informáticos que predicen la fuerza de las ondas de choque producidas por el X-59, la pieza central de la misión Quesst de la NASA.
      “Una sonda de detección de impactos actúa como fuente de la verdad, comparando los datos previstos con las mediciones del mundo real”, dijo Mike Frederick, investigador principal de la NASA para la sonda.
      Para la sonda de campo cercano, el F-15B volará cerca del X-59 a su altitud de crucero de aproximadamente 18.000 metros (55.000 pies), utilizando una configuración de “seguir al líder” que permitirá a los investigadores analizar ondas de choque en tiempo real. La sonda de campo medio, destinada para misiones separadas, recopilará datos más útiles a medida que las ondas de choque viajen más cerca al suelo.
      La capacidad de las sondas para captar pequeños cambios de presión es especialmente importante para el X-59, ya que se espera que sus ondas de choque sean mucho más débiles que las de la mayoría de los aviones supersónicos. Al comparar los datos de las sondas con las predicciones de modelos de computadora avanzados, los investigadores pueden evaluar con mayor precisión.
      “Las sondas tienen cinco puertos de presión, uno en la punta y cuatro alrededor del cono”, explica Frederick. “Estos puertos miden los cambios de presión estática a medida que el avión vuela a través de las ondas de choque, lo que nos ayuda a comprender las características de choque de un avión en particular”. Estos puertos combinan sus mediciones para calcular la presión local, la velocidad y la dirección del flujo de aire.
      Los investigadores pronto evaluarán actualizaciones de la sonda de detección de impactos de campo cercano a través de vuelos de prueba, en los que la sonda, montada en un F-15B, recopilará datos persiguiendo a un segundo F-15 durante un vuelo supersónico. Las actualizaciones de la sonda incluyen la colocación de los transductores de presión – dispositivos que miden la presión del aire en el cono – a sólo 5 pulgadas de sus puertos. Los diseños anteriores colocaban esos transductores a casi 3 metros (12 pies) de distancia, lo que retrasaba el tiempo de grabación y distorsionaba las mediciones.
      La sensibilidad a la temperatura de los diseños anteriores también presentó un desafío, ya que provocó fluctuaciones en la precisión cuando cambiaban las condiciones. Para solucionar esto, el equipo diseñó un sistema de calefacción para mantener los transductores de presión a una temperatura constante durante el vuelo.
      “La sonda cumplirá los requisitos de resolución y precisión de la misión Quesst”, afirmó Frederick. “Este proyecto muestra cómo la NASA puede tomar tecnología existente y adaptarla para resolver nuevos desafíos”.
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      Last Updated Dec 13, 2024 EditorDede DiniusContactNicolas Cholulanicolas.h.cholula@nasa.gov Related Terms
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    • By NASA
      A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket carrying NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft lifts off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 12:06 p.m. EDT on Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. SpaceX From sending crew members to the International Space Station to launching a spacecraft to Jupiter’s icy moon Europa to determine if it could support life, 2024 was a busy record setting year for NASA and its partners at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
      JANUARY
      First Lunar Lander Takes Flight
      The first flight of NASA’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative lifted off with Astrobotic’s Peregrine Mission One lunar lander aboard the inaugural launch of United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) Vulcan rocket on Jan. 8 from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida to study the lunar exosphere, thermal properties, and magnetic fields on the Moon’s surface. This mission became the first U.S. commercial lander to launch to the lunar surface; however, the spacecraft experienced a propulsion issue that prevented the landing on the Moon.
      A United Launch Alliance Vulcan rocket carrying Astrobotic’s Peregrine lunar lander lifts off at 2:18 a.m. EST from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Monday, Jan. 8, 2024.NASA/Kim Shiflett JANUARY
      Third Private Mission to Space
      At the world’s premier multi-user spaceport, the four-person crew of Axiom Mission 3 became the third private astronaut mission to launch to the International Space Station on Jan. 18 from Launch Complex 39A. The crew completed more than 30 research experiments developed for microgravity in collaboration with organizations across the globe.
      A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the company’s Dragon spacecraft for Axiom Space’s Mission 3 to the International Space Station lifts off at 4:49 p.m. EST from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024. NASA/Chris Swanson JANUARY
      Food and Supplies Delivered to the International Space Station
      Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus spacecraft launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket for the first time on Jan. 30 from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The company’s 20th resupply mission brought 8,200 pounds of science investigations, supplies, and equipment to the International Space Station.
      Commercial Resupply Mission to space station
      YouTube FEBRUARY
      Understanding Earth’s Climate
      NASA’s PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem) is a mission to observe and explore what makes Earth so different from every other planet we study – life itself. Three-quarters of our home planet is covered by water, and PACE’s advanced instruments provide new ways to study life at the ocean’s surface by measuring the abundances and distributions of microscopic algae known as phytoplankton. The observations are helping researchers better monitor ocean health, air quality, and climate change. PACE launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 on Feb. 8.
      A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with NASA’s PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem) spacecraft stands vertical at Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Monday, Feb. 5, 2024. SpaceX FEBRUARY
      Intuitive Machines First Mission Lands on Moon
      NASA’s CLPS initiative with Intuitive Machines’ made history when the Nova C-class lunar lander launched from Kennedy and later arrived on the Moon’s South Pole region known as Malapert A on Feb. 22.
      IM-1, the first NASA Commercial Launch Program Services. launch for Intuitive Machines’ Nova-C lunar lander, will carry multiple payloads to the Moon, including Lunar Node-1, demonstrating autonomous navigation via radio beacon to support precise geolocation and navigation among lunar orbiters, landers, and surface personnel. NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center FEBRUARY
      Artemis II Practice Procedures
      Artemis II NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, NASA’s Exploration Ground System’s Landing and Recovery Team, and partners from the Department of Defense participated in the Underway Recovery Test 11 off the coast of San Diego. The operation mimicked procedures that will be used to recover the Artemis II crew and the Orion spacecraft after their return from the Moon, with the crew exiting a mockup of Orion into a boat and then ferried to a U.S. Navy ship.
      During sunrise over the Pacific Ocean, members of NASA’s Exploration Ground System’s Landing and Recovery team and partners from the Department of Defense aboard the USS San Diego practice recovery procedures using the Crew Module Test Article during Underway Recovery Test 11 (URT-11) off the coast of San Diego on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024. NASA/Kenny Allen MARCH
      NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 Quartet Launches to Space Station
      NASA astronauts Matt Dominick, Michael Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, along with Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin launched March 3 from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39A on an eight-month science mission aboard the International Space Station.
      A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the company’s Dragon spacecraft launches NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 mission to the International Space Station on Sunday, March 3, 2024, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA/Cory S Huston MARCH
      NASA’s SpaceX 30th Commercial Resupply Mission
      Research and technology demonstrations, along with food and other supplies launched to the International Space Station aboard NASA’s SpaceX commercial resupply mission. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying a Dragon spacecraft launched March 21 from Space Launch Complex 40.
      A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket soars after its liftoff from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 4:55 p.m. EDT on Thursday, March 21, on the company’s 30th Commercial Resupply Services mission for the agency to the International Space Station. NASA/Glenn Benson APRIL
      Solar Eclipse Captivates Nation
      A total solar eclipse moved across North America, passing over Mexico, United States, and Canada on April 8. Kennedy provided coverage on air and online from every city’s point of totality for viewers at home.
      Solar prominences are seen during a total solar eclipse in Dallas, Texas on Monday, April 8, 2024. NASA/Keegan Barber MAY
      NASA Welcomes New Commercial Resupply Spacecraft
      Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser arrived at Kennedy on May 18 following testing at the agency’s Armstrong Test Facility in Sandusky, Ohio. The uncrewed spaceplane is scheduled to launch aboard a ULA Vulcan rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in 2025, delivering thousands of pounds of cargo to the orbiting laboratory.
      Dream Chaser Tenacity, Sierra Space’s uncrewed cargo spaceplane is lifted and moved by crane inside the Space Systems Processing Facility (SSPF) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Monday, May 20, 2024. Sierra Space/Shay Saldana MAY
      Historic Marker Honors Original Headquarters Location
      Officials unveiled a large bronze historical plaque on May 28 to mark the location of NASA’s Kennedy Space Center’s original headquarters building just west of the current Central Campus Headquarters Building on NASA Parkway.
      From the left, NASA Kennedy Space Center’s, Maui Dalton, project manager, engineering; Katherine Zeringue, cultural resources manager; Janet Petro, NASA Kennedy Space Center director; and Ismael Otero, project manager, engineering, present a large bronze historical marker plaque at the location of NASA Kennedy’s original headquarters building on Tuesday, May 28, 2024. NASA/Mike Chambers JUNE
      NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test Launches First Crew
      NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams became the first crew to fly aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. Starliner launched on June 6 atop ULA’s Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 as part of NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test to the International Space Station.
      A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket with Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft aboard launches from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Wednesday, June 5, 2024, in Florida. NASA/Joel Kowsky JUNE
      Final NASA, NOAA GOES-R Launch
      NOAA’s (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) GOES-U (Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite U) launched June 25 from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy. The GOES-U satellite is the last of NOAA’s GOES-R Series, and it carries seven instruments that collect advanced imagery and atmospheric measurements, provide real-time mapping of lightning activity, and detect approaching space weather hazards.
      Technicians prepare NOAA’s (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES-U) for encapsulation inside payload fairing halves on Thursday, June 13, 2024, at the Astrotech Space Operations facility in Titusville near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA/Ben Smegelsky JULY
      Barge Carries Artemis II Core Stage to Kennedy
      NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) Moon rocket that will power humans to the Moon arrived July 24 at Kennedy. NASA’s Pegasus barge ferried the 212-foot-tall core stage from NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. The core stage remains at the Vehicle Assembly Building awaiting integration ahead of the Artemis II launch.
      Artemis II core state arrives at Kennedy
      YouTube AUGUST
      NASA, Northrop Grumman Launch Supplies to Space Station
      NASA science investigations, supplies, and equipment launched on Aug. 24 aboard a Cygnus spacecraft from Space Launch Complex 40 as part of Northrop Grumman’s 21st commercial resupply mission to the International Space Station.
      Launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus spacecraft to the International Space Station.SpaceX SEPTEMBER
      NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test Spacecraft Safely Lands
      An uncrewed Boeing Starliner spacecraft undocked from the space station and landed on Sept. 7 at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico, completing a three-month flight test to the orbiting laboratory.
      Boeing and NASA teams work around NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test Starliner spacecraft after it landed uncrewed.NASA/Aubrey Gemignani SEPTEMBER
      NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 Duo Heads to Space
      NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov launched to the International Space aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft on Sept. 28 for a roughly five-month mission as part of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 mission. The launch was the first crewed mission from Space Launch Complex 40. Hague, Gorbunov, along with NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, are slated to return to Earth in early 2025.
      NASA astronaut Nick Hague (left) and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov walk through the crew access arm connecting the launch tower to the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. SpaceX OCTOBER
      Mobile Launcher on the Move
      NASA’s mobile launcher 1 made the 4.2-mile trek on Oct. 4 from Launch Complex 39B to the Vehicle Assembly Building in preparation for stacking the Artemis II Moon rocket. The mobile launcher had been at the launch pad since August 2023 undergoing integrated testing and upgrades. NASA’s crawler-transporter 2 also achieved a milestone reaching 2,500 miles traveled since its construction in 1965.
      Mobile launcher rolls back to Vehicle Assembly Building
      YouTube OCTOBER
      Jupiter Moon Mission Takes Flight
      NASA’s Europa Clipper is the agency’s first mission to study Jupiter’s icy moon Europa to see if the ocean beneath the moon’s crust has the ingredients to support life. The spacecraft launched Oct. 16 aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Launch Complex 39A. The Europa Clipper spacecraft will reach Europa in 2030.
      A reflection in the water shows NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft atop SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket at Launch Pad 39A on Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024, at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. SpaceX OCTOBER
      NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 Back on Earth
      NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, as well as Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin, splashed down in their SpaceX Dragon spacecraft off the coast of Pensacola, Florida, on Oct. 25, completing a seven-month science mission aboard the International Space Station.
      The SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour spacecraft is seen as it lands Friday, Oct. 25, 2024. NASA/Joel Kowsky NOVEMBER
      New Science and Supplies Sent to Space Station
      A SpaceX Dragon spacecraft on a Falcon 9 rocket carrying more than 6,000 pounds of supplies launched Nov. 4, from Launch Complex 39A bound for the space station. The commercial resupply mission delivered essential supplies and supports dozens of research experiments during Expedition 72.
      The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Dragon spacecraft lifts off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Tuesday, Nov. 4, on the company’s 31st commercial resupply services mission for the agency to the International Space Station. SpaceX NOVEMBER
      NASA’s Artemis II Booster Segments Take Shape
      Engineers and technicians with the Exploration Ground Systems Program began stacking on Nov. 20, the first segment of the Artemis II SLS solid rocket boosters onto mobile launcher 1 inside the Vehicle Assembly Building.
      Down the transfer aisle from the Artemis II SLS (Space Launch System) core stage, an overhead crane hoists the left aft assembly, or bottom portion of the solid rocket boosters for the SLS Moon rocket inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024. NASA/Kevin Davis DECEMBER
      Record-Setting Year of Launches
      More than 80 launches roared into space from Kennedy and Cape Canaveral in 2024, and 2025 promises to bring even more government and commercial missions to the Eastern Range.
      A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket carrying NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft lifts off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 12:06 p.m. EDT on Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. SpaceXView the full article
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