The countdown to our Artemis I Moon mission…
A small lunar observation satellite taking a ride on Artemis I…
And some other small satellites that could help us better prepare for space weather… some of the stories to tell: This week at NASA!
Countdown to Artemis I Moon Mission
NASA is targeting the launch of the Space Launch System, or SLS rocket, and the Orion spacecraft on Thursday, August 18, from Launch Pad 39B at our Kennedy Space Center. We will provide a live stream of the move on NASA’s Kennedy YouTube channel. SLS and Orion are aiming for liftoff no earlier than Monday, August 29 on the unmanned Artemis I test flight around the Moon and back. The test flight is the first in a series of increasingly complex missions to help us establish a long-term presence on the Moon in preparation for sending astronauts to Mars.
Illustration of Lunar IceCube in orbit. Credit: Morehead State University
Lunar observation CubeSat ready for Artemis launch
NASA’s Lunar IceCube, a water-exploring CubeSat, is preparing for a trip to the Moon as part of our uncrewed Artemis I mission. The small lunar-orbiting satellite will use a spectrometer to investigate lunar ice on the Moon’s surface. Scientists are interested in the uptake and release of water from the Moon’s rocky and dusty surface, or regolith. Lunar IceCube will also study the exosphere, a very thin, atmosphere-like volume that surrounds the Moon. By understanding the dynamics of water and other substances on the Moon, scientists will be able to predict seasonal changes in lunar ice that could affect its use as a resource in the future.
This animation shows the six SunRISE SmallSats tracking a virtual space telescope as they detect solar radio (shown as blue squiggles) and then transmit their data (shown as green squiggly lines) to the Deep Space Network on Earth. Credit: NASA
First SunRISE SmallSats completed
The first of six toaster-sized satellites for our Sun Radio Interferometer Space Experiment, or SunRISE, has been completed. The small satellites will combine to form a 6-mile-wide telescope in space capable of detecting bursts of radio waves from the Sun’s superheated atmosphere, known as the corona. SunRISE will help scientists better understand explosive space weather events. These phenomena generate particle radiation that can endanger astronauts and technology in space and negatively affect communications and power grids on Earth. SunRISE is scheduled for launch in 2024.
An artist’s rendering of the Landsat 9 spacecraft, the ninth satellite launched in the long-running Landsat program, high above the western United States. Credit: Goddard Space Flight Center/NASA Conceptual Image Lab
NASA transfers Landsat 9 satellite to USGS
On August 11, NASA transferred ownership and operational control of the Earth observation satellite Landsat 9 to the US Geological Survey, or USGS. Landsat 9 is the latest in the Landsat series of remote sensing satellites, providing global coverage of landscape changes on our home planet. The Landsat program, a joint effort between NASA and the USGS, recently marked 50 years of continuous service observing the Earth from space.
Earth from Space in 4K: Expedition 65 Edition
Seeing the Earth from space with your own eyes is a unique experience. But this recently released ultra-high-definition video might be the next best thing. The video footage was captured between April and October 2021 during the Expedition 65 crew’s time aboard the International Space Station. See for yourself: video is embedded above.
NASA TV transponder change starting Monday, August 29
A quick note about an upcoming change for NASA Television. NASA TV programming on the home satellite Galaxy 13 is moving from transponder 11 to transponder 15. Both transponders are currently active, but the distribution of NASA TV programming on transponder 11 will end on Monday, August 29 . For more information, visit go. nasa.gov/transponder.
Here’s what’s happening this week @NASA