Smooth ride ahead! 🚀
NASA engineers used powerful supercomputers + wind tunnel tests to refine the SLS rocket for Artemis II — the first crewed mission around the Moon.
Smarter design, safer flight, stronger rockets. 💪🌕

#NASA #Artemis #SLS #RocketScience #Engineering

VIPER’s next stop: the Moon 🌕
@NASA has chosen @blueorigin to deliver the rover to the lunar South Pole — where it’ll hunt for water ice and pave the way for future explorers.

#NASA #VIPER #MoonRover #Artemis

I just came to say hello.⁣ This view of the north polar region of the Moon was captured by Galileo’s camera during its flyby of the Earth-Moon system on Dec 7 and 8, 1992. The mission paved the way for discoveries across our solar system.⁣
#Hello #Moon #Galileo #Orbiter

The cold never bothered me anyway!⁣ A new NASA study proposes that meltwater beneath Martian ice could support microbial life. Researchers used computer modeling to demonstrate that sunlight can shine through water ice, allowing photosynthesis in shallow pools.⁣
#Meltwater #NASAJPL #Frozen #Mars

Step into my office!⁣ #NASAAstronauts Victor Glover, #Astro_Christina, #Astro_Reid, and #CanadianSpaceAgency astronaut #AstroJeremy traveled to #LockheedMartinSpace in Littleton, Colorado to practice opening and closing an Orion crew module side hatch model for Artemis II.⁣
#ArtemisII #Orion #NASA

A not-so-spooky Spider 🕷️🕸️ has been mated to the Space Launch System (SLS) core stage for Artemis II at @NASAKennedy. The Spider is connected at the top of the core stage, helping with lifting operations using the Vehicle Assembly Building crane.
#NASA #Artemis #SpaceLaunchSystem #KennedySpaceCenter

Orion spacecraft is undergoing vacuum tests at NASA Kennedy Space Center to prepare for Artemis II. The mission will send four astronauts on a 10-day journey around the Moon, paving the way for deep space exploration.⁣
Credit:Lockheed Martin/David Wellendorf
#ArtemisII #Orion #SpaceExploration #NASA

We honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice in space exploration, including the crews of Apollo 1, Challenger STS-51L, and Columbia STS-107. Their legacy fuels our pursuit of discovery and reminds us to stay vigilant in our journey to the stars.⁣
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Credit: NASA⁣
#NASARemembers #Apollo1 #NASA

On April 11, 1970, Apollo 13 launched on a mission to the Moon, but an oxygen tank rupture forced NASA to abort the landing. Astronauts and ground teams worked around the clock to bring the crew home safely, making it a “successful failure.”⁣
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Credit: NASA⁣
#Apollo13 #NASA #Moon

A new generation of lunar rovers is coming up
NASA tested three commercial lunar terrain vehicles(LTVs)at NASA Johnson: Astrolab’s FLEX, Intuitive Machines’ Moon RACER, and Lunar Outpost’s Eagle. Suited astronauts performed tasks and provided feedback to improve design and safety.

#LunarRover #NASA

Wired for deep space
HALO,part of the Gateway lunar station, will house astronauts as they prepare for missions to the Moon’s South Pole.Recently tested in Italy, it will soon head to the U.S.for final integration before launching on Artemis IV via a SpaceX Falcon Heavy.⁣
Credit:Thales Alenia Space⁣

Teams at @NASAKennedy have stacked the fifth of 10 solid rocket booster segments for Artemis II’s SLS rocket. Once fully assembled, the rocket will be transported to the launchpad for testing. Launch is targeted for early next year. 🚀 #Artemis #SLS #Moon

A11 Execution:
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Orion’s EFT-1 launched Dec. 5, 2014, flying 3,600 miles above Earth to test its heat shield. Artemis I followed on Nov. 16, 2022, reaching 268,563 miles from Earth. Now, Artemis II will send a crew around the Moon in April 2026.⁣
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Credit: @NASA
#NASA #Spacecraft

#OTD: On Dec. 11, 2022, NASA’s uncrewed #Artemis I Orion spacecraft splashed down in the Pacific after a 25.5-day Moon mission. Recovered by NASA, @USNavy, & @DeptOfDefense teams aboard the USS Portland.

(Image: Orion in the ocean, USS Portland in the distance, helicopter above.)

#Spaceflight

After the Artemis I mission NASA engineers discovered that gases generated in the Avcoat heat shield did not vent as expected, causing cracks and the loss of charred material. With design updates to the entry trajectory, crew safety is assured for Artemis II

Two weeks in space—would you go? #OTD 1965: Gemini VII launched, setting a U.S. record for longest crewed spaceflight at 14 days. A key step toward the Apollo program!
#nasa #Gemini #GeminiVII #Artemis #NASAHistory #Apollo #Artemis #Mercury #Astronauts #Launch #TravelRequired

On my way

#OTD in December 2022, the Orion spacecraft’s optical navigation camera captured this image of the Moon on flight day 18 of the 25.5-day #Artemis I mission.

Credit: @NASA