The Crew-4 Mission Launches to the Space Station
On April 27, the astronauts of NASAs SpaceX Crew-4 objective released to the International Space Station from our Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Later the exact same day, NASAs Kjell Lindgren, Bob Hines, and Jessica Watkins, together with Samantha Cristoforetti of the European Space Agency, reached the station onboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft that they called “Freedom.” This is the 4th spaceport station crew rotation mission to fly on a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft as part of the agencys Commercial Crew Program.
SpaceXs Dragon Endeavour pill crashes in the Atlantic Ocean on April 25, 2022, marking completion of Axiom Spaces Axiom Mission 1– the very first all-private astronaut objective to the International Space Station. Credit: Axiom Space
Axiom Mission 1 Departs from the Space Station
The team of Axiom Mission 1, the first all-private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, finished up its time on the orbital station on April 24. The four-person team, led by Commander and previous NASA astronaut Michael Lopez-Alegria, safely returned to Earth on April 25 with more than 200 pounds of science and products, including some NASA experiments and hardware.
An illustration reveals our planetary system (not to scale). Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
NASA Extends Exploration for Eight Planetary Science Missions
The planetary science missions of eight NASA spacecraft have actually been extended for a minimum of three years. These consist of Mars Odyssey, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, MAVEN, the Mars Science Laboratorys Curiosity rover, the InSight Mars lander, OSIRIS-REx, New Horizons, and the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. The objectives were extended since of their clinical productivity and capacity to deepen our knowledge and understanding of the solar system and beyond.
NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough is imagined inside the Kibo lab module with the Astrobee free-flying robotic assistants. Credit: NASA
Commemorating Three Years of Astrobees on the Space Station
Our Ames Research Center is celebrating 3 years of the free-flying robotic Astrobees busily “buzzing about” the International Space Station. Unlike the space station, future deep space stations may not be crewed year-round, and might need robotic, autonomous systems to remain operational
.
Roscosmos cosmonauts (from left) Denis Matveev and Oleg Artemyev are visualized throughout a spacewalk on April 18, 2022, to set up the European robotic arm. Credit: NASA.
Clothing Robotic Arm During Spacewalk.
Outside the International Space Station, Cosmonauts Oleg Artemyev and Denis Matveev of Roscosmos conducted a spacewalk on April 28 to continue outfitting the European robotic arm that is attached to the Nauka multipurpose lab module. Future spacewalks are planned to continue work on the robotic arm and to trigger Naukas airlock for use on future spacewalks.
Thats whats up this week @NASA …
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the companys Crew Dragon spacecraft is introduced on NASAs SpaceX Crew-4 objective to the International Space Station with NASA astronauts Kjell Lindgren, Robert Hines, Jessica Watkins, and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti onboard, Wednesday, April 27, 2022, at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Credit: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani
A new crew launches to the space station …
Another team covers up a historical objective to the station … And more time to explore for some planetary science missions … a few of the stories to inform you about– This Week at NASA!
On April 27, the astronauts of NASAs SpaceX Crew-4 objective released to the International Space Station from our Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This is the 4th space station crew rotation mission to fly on a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft as part of the companys Commercial Crew Program.
The planetary science missions of eight NASA spacecraft have been extended for at least three years. Our Ames Research Center is commemorating 3 years of the free-flying robotic Astrobees busily “buzzing about” the International Space Station. Unlike the space station, future deep space stations may not be crewed year-round, and may need robotic, autonomous systems to stay operational
.