OrbitalHub

NASA dixit:

“Two decades of planetary change are available to explore in NASA’s Worldview. Detailed views of volcanoes fuming, hurricanes flooding, dams being built, and wildfires sweeping across landscapes are just some of the data accessible. Worldview users can even create data animations at the touch of a button and easily share imagery, giving NASA’s worldwide audience the ability to interactively view their world their way and interactively explore almost 20 years of planetary change.”

Credits Music: Natural Time Cycles by Laurent Dury

Credits Video: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/Lauren Ward

NASA dixit:

“Exploration Ground Systems at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida achieved a significant milestone on the path to supporting the agency’s first integrated launch of the SLS and Orion spacecraft by completing the major construction on the main flame deflector in the upgraded flame trench at Pad B. The new main flame deflector is critical to safely deflecting the plume exhaust from the massive rocket during launch. Measuring approximately 57 feet wide, 43 feet high and 70 feet long, the deflector’s north side is slanted at about a 58-degree angle and will divert the rocket’s exhaust, pressure and intense heat to the north at liftoff. “

Credits Video: NASA

ESA dixit:

“After orbiting Earth 34 times to catch up to the International Space Station, the car-sized spacecraft carrying ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst, NASA astronaut Serena Auñón-Chancellor and Roscosmos commander Sergei Prokopyev, arrived at the Station two days after launch.

The German astronaut is a returning visitor to the International Space Station, the first of ESA’s 2009 class of astronauts to be sent into space for a second time. During the second part of his mission Alexander will take over as commander of the International Space Station, only the second time an ESA astronaut will take on this role so far.

The mission is called Horizons as a symbol for the unknown and what lies beyond – reflecting on ESA’s strategy to extend human and robotic exploration beyond Earth orbit. While in space, Alexander will work on over 50 European experiments, including testing ways of operating and working with robots to develop techniques required for further human and robotic exploration of our Solar System. “

Credits Video: ESA

Boston Dynamics dixit:

“SpotMini autonomously navigates a specified route through an office and lab facility. Before the test, the robot is manually driven through the space so it can build a map of the space using visual data from cameras mounted on the front, back and sides of the robot. During the autonomous run, SpotMini uses data from the cameras to localize itself in the map and to detect and avoid obstacles. Once the operator presses ‘GO’ at the beginning of the video, the robot is on its own. Total walk time for this route is just over 6 minutes. “

Credits Video: Boston Dynamics

ESA dixit:

“The Space Storm Hunter, also known as the Atmosphere-Space Interactions Monitor, completed its trip to space in a Dragon cargo vehicle in April 2018. This video shows the different stages of that voyage, from launch to installation on the International Space Station. The suite of instruments rode in the Dragon cargo vehicle that was launched on 2 April from Kennedy Space Center in Florida, USA.

After orbiting Earth for two days, Dragon positioned itself below the Station for capture. ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen played a crucial role at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston as lead ‘capcom’ during Dragon’s rendezvous and berthing. Operators on Earth commanded the International Space Station’s 16-m long robotic arm to move the 314-kg facility from the Dragon spacecraft’s cargo hold to its place of operation on Europe’s Columbus laboratory on 13 April.

It is the first time that such a set of sensitive cameras, light sensors and X- and gamma-ray detectors will study the anatomy of luminous phenomena in Earth’s upper atmosphere and bursts of high-energy radiation. Data from this observatory will improve our understanding of the effect of thunderstorms on the atmosphere and contribute to more accurate climate models.”

Credits Video: ESA

Soyuz MS-09 is a Soyuz spaceflight planned for June 6, 2018. It will transport three members of the Expedition 56 crew to the International Space Station. The crew will consist of Sergey Prokopyev of Roscosmos, Alexander Gerst of ESA, and NASA’s Serena M. Auñón-Chancellor, both flight engineers.

Credits Video: Roscosmos