‘Apollo 13: Home Safe:’ Watch the NASA documentary about the ‘Successful Failure’

New NASA documentary "Apollo 13: Home Safe" explains how the crew came home safe after a catastrophic explosion enroute to 3rd planned human lunar landing 50 years ago in April 1970. Credit: NASA

11 April 2020

Ken Kremer - - For SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM

CAPE CANAVERAL, FL – Apollo 13, NASA’ 3rd planned manned lunar landing mission launched 50 years ago on Apollo 11, 1970 suffered a catastrophic explosion enroute to the Moon and has since become known as “a successful failure” because the three man crew of NASA astronauts was able to safely return in spite of the explosion thanks to the round the clock heroic efforts of the entire NASA team to devise a solution to save the trio – that riveted the world

https://www.spaceupclose.com/2020/04/apollo-13-home-safe-watch-the-nasa-documentary-about-the-successful-failure/

BepiColombo snaps Eerie Earth and Selfie during Flyby en route to Mercury

A sequence of images captured by one of the selfie cameras on BepiColombo shortly before the closest approach to Earth on April 9, 10 and 11, 2020.  Credit: ESA/JAXA

11 April 2020

Ken Kremer - - For SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM

CAPE CANAVERAL, FL – The ESA/JAXA BepiColomo spacecraft just captured an eerie combination sequence of selfie and Earth images moving in the background as the robotic vessel was conducting a gravity assisted flyby of our home planet amidst the COVID-19 crisis gripping the planet to set the probe on the path to its ultimate destination – the planet Mercury.

https://www.spaceupclose.com/2020/04/bepicolombo-snaps-eerie-earth-and-selfie-during-flyby-en-route-to-mercury/

New Russian-American Trio Launches on Soyuz and Docks to Space Station

The Soyuz MS-16 lifts off from Site 31 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Thursday, April 9, 2020, sending Expedition 63 crewmembers Chris Cassidy of NASA and Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner of Roscosmos into orbit for a six-hour flight to the International Space Station and the start of a six-and-a-half month mission. Image Credit: NASA/GCTC/Andrey Shelepin

9 April 2020

Ken Kremer - - For SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM 

CAPE CANAVERAL, FL – With greatly reduced fanfare and no family members present in response to the continuing coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic a new Russian-American trio of spacefarers successfully launched to orbit aboard an upgraded Soyuz rocket this morning Thursday, April 9 and docked at the International Space Station (ISS) just six hours later.

Read the entire story at Space UpClose:
https://www.spaceupclose.com/2020/04/new-russian-american-trio-launches-on-soyuz-and-docks-to-space-station/

Boeing to Fly 2nd Uncrewed Starliner Orbital Test Flight for NASA

Boeing’s Starliner human-rated spacecraft lifts off on United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on the unpiloted Orbital Flight Test mission at 6:36 a.m. EDT Dec. 20, 2019 as seen from the VAB roof. Starliner thruster firing mishap scrubbed docking to the International Space Station (ISS). Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

7 April 2020

Ken Kremer - - For SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM 

CAPE CANAVERAL, FL – Following the problem plagued maiden launch of Boeing’s Starliner astronaut crew capsule in December, the company announced they will fly a second uncrewed test flight to verify the space taxi is safe and reliable enough to be entrusted to launch NASA astronauts in the future to the International Space Station (ISS).

Boeing did not announce a specific date or timeframe for the 2^nd uncrewed Orbital Flight Test (OFT) mission in a statement released on April 6.

Read the entire story at Space UpClose:

https://www.spaceupclose.com/2020/04/boeing-to-fly-2nd-uncrewed-starliner-orbital-test-flight-for-nasa/

Final 1st Generation SpaceX Cargo Dragon Departs Station and Splashes Down with Science

NASA Astronaut Andrew Morgan monitored the SpaceX Dragon resupply ship’s release from the Canadarm2 robotic arm on April 7, 2020.  Credit: @AstroDrewMorgan

7 April 2020

Ken Kremer – - For SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM 

CAPE CANAVERAL, FL – Following a thunderous launch and one month stay at the International Space Station (ISS) the final first generation SpaceX cargo Dragon spacecraft departed the outpost Tuesday and returned to Earth with 2 tons of valuable science samples  and materials accomplishing a successful splashdown off the coast of California April 7.

Read the entire story at Space UpClose:
https://www.spaceupclose.com/2020/04/final-1st-generation-spacex-cargo-dragon-departs-station-and-splashes-down-with-science/

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope Primary Mirror Passes Deployment Test, COVID-19 Crisis Suspends Work: Video

Deployment tests like these in March 2020 help safeguard mission success by physically demonstrating that NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope is able to move and unfold as intended. Credits: NASA/Chris Gunn

1 April 2020 

Ken Kremer – - For SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM

CAPE CANAVERAL, FL – The team building NASA’s mammoth James  Webb Space Telescope (JWST) recently accomplished a major milestone – namely fully deployed its 21 foot (6.5 meter) primary mirror into the same configuration it will have when it is carrying out astronomical observations in space.

Read the entire story at Space UpClose:

https://www.spaceupclose.com/2020/04/nasas-james-webb-space-telescope-primary-mirror-passes-deployment-test-covid-19-crisis-suspends-work-video/

One Web Files for Bankruptcy

Artist’s rendition of the OneWeb constellation. Credit: OneWeb

31 MARCH 2020

Ken Kremer - - For SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM

CAPE CANAVERAL, FL – Despite successfully building and launching 74 satellites into low Earth orbit initiating the start of a mega satellite constellation to provide global internet low latency service London based OneWeb has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in an official announcement from the company that will result in job losses after failing to secure financing from its largest investor SoftBank to move forward.


Read the entire story at Space UpClose:
https://www.spaceupclose.com/2020/03/oneweb-files-for-bankruptcy/