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When two become one: engineers get Smile ready for launch
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By NASA
Technicians with ESA (European Space Agency) and Airbus installed the four solar array wings on NASA’s Orion spacecraft for Artemis II on March 3. The solar array wings, attached to the service module, deploy after Orion reaches space to power the spacecraft.
Orion’s service module provides propulsion, thermal control, and electrical power, as well as air and water for the crew during their mission around the Moon.
Each solar array wing has 15,000 solar cells to convert sunlight to electricity and is nearly 23 feet in length when fully deployed. In space, the arrays can turn on two axes to remain aligned with the Sun.
Artemis II is the first crewed mission under NASA’s Artemis campaign. Through Artemis, the agency will send astronauts to explore the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and build the foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars.
Image credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett
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By NASA
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the company’s Dragon spacecraft is launched on NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 mission to the International Space Station with NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov onboard, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. NASA/Keegan Barber NASA invites the public to take part in virtual activities for the launch of the agency’s SpaceX Crew-10 mission to the International Space Station.
NASA astronauts Anne McClain, commander, and Nichole Ayers, pilot, along with mission specialists JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Takuya Onishi and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov, will embark on a flight aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft to the orbiting laboratory. The launch, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, is targeted for 7:48 p.m. EDT Wednesday, March 12, from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The public can register to be a virtual launch guest and receive curated resources, interactive opportunities, timely launch updates, and a mission-specific collectible stamp for their virtual guest passport after liftoff – all sent straight to their inbox.
A new way to collect and share stamps has arrived. Print one for your virtual guest passport and receive another, made special for sharing on social media. Don’t have a passport yet? Print one here and be ready to add a stamp!
Want to learn more about the mission and NASA’s Commercial Crew Program? Follow along with the Crew-10 mission blog, Commercial Crew blog, @commercial_crew on X, or check out Commercial Crew on Facebook.
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By NASA
The crew of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 mission pictured during an equipment test at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.Credit: SpaceX NASA will provide coverage of the upcoming prelaunch and launch activities for the agency’s SpaceX Crew-10 mission to the International Space Station.
Liftoff is targeted for 7:48 p.m. EDT, Wednesday, March 12, from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The targeted docking time is approximately 10 a.m., Thursday, March 13.
Coverage of the mission overview teleconference will be available on the agency’s website. The crew news conference, launch, the postlaunch news conference, and docking will be live on NASA+. Learn how to stream NASA content through a variety of platforms, including social media.
The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft will carry NASA astronauts Anne McClain, commander; and Nichole Ayers, pilot; along with mission specialists JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov to the orbiting laboratory for a science mission of about four months. This is the 10th crew rotation mission and the 11th human spaceflight mission for NASA to the space station supported by the Dragon spacecraft since 2020 as part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program.
The deadline for media accreditation for in person coverage of this launch has passed. The agency’s media credentialing policy is available online. For questions about media accreditation, please email: ksc-media-accreditat@mail.nasa.gov.
Media who need access to NASA live video feeds may subscribe to the agency’s media resources distribution list to receive daily updates and links.
NASA’s mission coverage is as follows (all times Eastern and subject to change based on real-time operations):
Friday, March 7
2 p.m. – Crew arrival media event at NASA Kennedy with the following participants:
Anne McClain, Crew-10 spacecraft commander, NASA Nichole Ayers, Crew-10 pilot, NASA Takuya Onishi, Crew-10 mission specialist, JAXA Kirill Peskov, Crew-10 mission specialist, Roscosmos Watch live coverage of the crew arrival media event on NASA Kennedy’s social media accounts.
This event is open to in person media only previously credentialed for this event, and questions will be taken only during the crew news conference scheduled for later that day. Follow @CommercialCrew and @NASAKennedy on X for the latest arrival updates.
5:30 p.m. – Mission overview teleconference at NASA Kennedy (or no earlier than one hour after the completion of the Flight Readiness Review) with the following participants:
Ken Bowersox, associate administrator, Space Operations Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters in Washington Steve Stich, manager, Commercial Crew Program, NASA Kennedy Dana Weigel, manager, International Space Station Program, NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston Meg Everett, deputy chief scientist, NASA’s International Space Station Program, NASA Johnson William Gerstenmaier, vice president, Build and Flight Reliability, SpaceX Junichi Sakai, manager, International Space Station Program, JAXA NASA will provide audio-only coverage of the teleconference.
Media may ask questions in person and via phone. For the dial-in number and passcode, media should contact the Kennedy newsroom no later than 4 p.m., Friday, March 7, at ksc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov.
6:30 p.m. – Crew-10 crew news conference (or directly following the completion of the mission overview news conference) with the following participants:
Anne McClain, Crew-10 spacecraft commander, NASA Nichole Ayers, Crew-10 pilot, NASA Takuya Onishi, Crew-10 mission specialist, JAXA Kirill Peskov, Crew-10 mission specialist, Roscosmos Watch live coverage of the mission overview news conference on NASA+.
Media may ask questions via phone only. For the dial-in number and passcode, media should contact the Kennedy newsroom no later than 4 p.m., Friday, March 7, at: ksc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov.
Wednesday, March 12
3:45 p.m. – Launch coverage begins on NASA+.
7:48 p.m. – Launch
Following the conclusion of launch and ascent coverage, NASA will switch to audio only and continue audio coverage through Thursday, March 13. Continuous coverage resumes on NASA+ at the start of rendezvous and docking and continues through hatch opening and the welcome ceremony.
9:30 p.m. – Postlaunch news conference with the following participants:
Ken Bowersox, associate administrator, NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate Steve Stich, manager, Commercial Crew Program, NASA Kennedy Dana Weigel, manager, International Space Station Program, NASA Johnson Sarah Walker, director, Dragon Mission Management, SpaceX Mayumi Matsuura, vice president and director general, Human Spaceflight Technology Directorate, JAXA Watch live coverage of the postlaunch news conference on NASA+.
Media may ask questions in person and via phone. Limited auditorium space will be available for in person participation. For the dial-in number and passcode, please contact the Kennedy newsroom no later than 8:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 12, at ksc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov.
Thursday, March 13
8:15 a.m. – Arrival coverage begins on NASA+.
10 a.m. – Targeted docking to the forward-facing port of the station’s Harmony module
11:45 a.m. – Hatch opening
12:20 p.m. – Welcome ceremony
All times are estimates and could be adjusted based on real-time operations after launch. Follow the space station blog for the most up-to-date operations information.
Live Video Coverage Prior to Launch
NASA will provide a live video feed of Launch Complex 39A approximately six hours prior to the planned liftoff of the Crew-10 mission. Pending unlikely technical issues, the feed will be uninterrupted until the prelaunch broadcast begins on NASA+, approximately four hours prior to launch. Once the feed is live, find it online at: http://youtube.com/kscnewsroom.
NASA Website Launch Coverage
Launch day coverage of the mission will be available on the NASA website. Coverage will include livestreaming and blog updates beginning no earlier than 3:45 p.m., March 12, as the countdown milestones occur. On-demand streaming video on NASA+ and photos of the launch will be available shortly after liftoff. For questions about countdown coverage, contact the NASA Kennedy newsroom at 321-867-2468. Follow countdown coverage on the commercial crew or Crew-10 blog.
Attend Launch Virtually
Members of the public may register to attend this launch virtually. NASA’s virtual guest program for this mission also includes curated launch resources, notifications about related opportunities or changes, and a stamp for the NASA virtual guest passport following launch.
Watch, Engage on Social Media
Let people know you’re following the mission on X, Facebook, and Instagram by using the hashtags #Crew10 and #NASASocial. You may also stay connected by following and tagging these accounts:
X: @NASA, @NASAKennedy, @NASASocial, @Space_Station, @ISS_Research, @ISS National Lab, @SpaceX, @Commercial_Crew
Facebook: NASA, NASAKennedy, ISS, ISS National Lab
Instagram: @NASA, @NASAKennedy, @ISS, @ISSNationalLab, @SpaceX
Coverage en Espanol
Did you know NASA has a Spanish section called NASA en Espanol? Check out NASA en Espanol on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube for additional mission coverage.
Para obtener información sobre cobertura en español en el Centro Espacial Kennedy o si desea solicitar entrevistas en español, comuníquese con Antonia Jaramillo: 321-501-8425; antonia.jaramillobotero@nasa.gov; o Messod Bendayan: 256-930-1371; messod.c.bendayan@nasa.gov.
NASA’s Commercial Crew Program has delivered on its goal of safe, reliable, and cost-effective transportation to and from the International Space Station from the United States through a partnership with American private industry. This partnership is changing the arc of human spaceflight history by opening access to low Earth orbit and the International Space Station to more people, more science, and more commercial opportunities. The space station remains the springboard to NASA’s next great leap in space exploration, including future missions to the Moon and, eventually, to Mars.
For more information about the mission, visit:
https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew
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Joshua Finch / Jimi Russell
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1100
joshua.a.finch@nasa.gov / james.j.russell@nasa.gov
Steven Siceloff / Stephanie Plucinsky
Kennedy Space Center, Florida
321-867-2468
steven.p.siceloff@nasa.gov / stephanie.n.plucinsky@nasa.gov
Kenna Pell
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
kenna.m.pell@nasa.gov
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Last Updated Mar 05, 2025 LocationNASA Headquarters Related Terms
Humans in Space Astronauts Commercial Crew International Space Station (ISS) ISS Research Johnson Space Center Kennedy Space Center View the full article
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By NASA
Credit: NASA NASA has selected Firefly Aerospace Inc. of Cedar Park, Texas, to provide the launch service for the agency’s Investigation of Convective Updrafts (INCUS) mission, which aims to understand why, when, and where tropical convective storms form, and why some storms produce extreme weather. The mission will launch on the company’s Alpha rocket from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.
The selection is part of NASA’s Venture-Class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare (VADR) launch services contract. This contract allows the agency to make fixed-price indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity awards during VADR’s five-year ordering period, with a maximum total value of $300 million across all contracts.
The INCUS mission, comprised of three SmallSats flying in tight coordination, will investigate the evolution of the vertical transport of air and water by convective storms. These storms form when rapidly rising water vapor and air create towering clouds capable of producing rain, hail, and lightning. The more air and water that rise, the greater the risk of extreme weather. Convective storms are a primary source of precipitation and cause of the most severe weather on Earth.
Each satellite will have a high frequency precipitation radar that observes rapid changes in convective cloud depth and intensities. One of the three satellites also will carry a microwave radiometer to provide the spatial content of the larger scale weather observed by the radars. By flying so closely together, the satellites will use the slight differences in when they make observations to apply a novel time-differencing approach to estimate the vertical transport of convective mass.
NASA selected the INCUS mission through the agency’s Earth Venture Mission-3 solicitation and Earth System Science Pathfinder program. The principal investigator for INCUS is Susan van den Heever at Colorado State University in Fort Collins. Several NASA centers support the mission, including Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, and Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Key satellite system components will be provided by Blue Canyon Technologies and Tendeg LLC, both in Colorado. NASA’s Launch Services Program, based at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, manages the VADR contract.
To learn more about NASA’s INCUS mission, visit:
https://science.nasa.gov/mission/incus
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Tiernan Doyle
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
tiernan.doyle@nasa.gov
Patti Bielling
Kennedy Space Center, Florida
321-501-7575
patricia.a.bielling@nasa.gov
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Last Updated Mar 04, 2025 LocationNASA Headquarters Related Terms
Investigation of Convective Updrafts (INCUS) Earth Science Planetary Science Division Science & Research Science Mission Directorate SmallSats Program Wallops Flight Facility View the full article
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