Explore

Calgary Writer John Larsen Chronicles Canadian Astronaut Jeremy Hansen's Journey in New Book

Calgary Writer John Larsen Chronicles Canadian Astronaut Jeremy Hansen's Journey in New Book

Calgary-based writer John Larsen has authored 'Earthrise: A Canadian Astronaut's Journey Into Deep Space,' a new book detailing Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen's path to the Artemis II mission. The book, credited to John Larsen with Jeremy Hansen, is told through Hansen's first-person narration and covers his humble beginnings in rural Ontario, his lifelong dream of becoming an astronaut, and the rigorous training and sacrifices involved in his journey. Larsen was inspired to write the book after watching Hansen and the Artemis II crew on 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' on April 5, 2023. The crew, including Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman, and Christina Hammock Koch, discussed the importance of the mission and its potential to lead to human missions to Mars. Hansen's selection for the Artemis II mission marks him as the first Canadian to go on a lunar mission, alongside the first woman and first person of color on such a mission. Larsen, a former senior military public affairs officer, conducted numerous...

NASA Associate Administrator Nicky Fox to Participate in Voyager 1 Milestone Discussion

NASA Associate Administrator Nicky Fox to Participate in Voyager 1 Milestone Discussion

Nicky Fox, Associate Administrator for the Science Mission Directorate at NASA, is slated to participate in a moderated discussion regarding Voyager 1's significant achievement of reaching a distance from Earth where a signal takes one full day to reach the spacecraft and another day for its response to be received. The event, hosted by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), will take place on November 19, 2026, in Pasadena, California, and will also be livestreamed. Other participants include Jonathan Lunine, chief scientist at NASA JPL, Suzanne Dodd, Voyager project manager, Linda Spilker, Voyager project scientist, Kareem Badaruddin, Voyager mission manager, and Jamie Rankin, Voyager deputy project scientist. Voyager 1, launched in September 1977, entered interstellar space on August 25, 2012, after transmitting images of Jupiter and Saturn. NASA will also provide updates on Voyager 2, which is also in interstellar space.

Senator Mark Kelly Reflects on Space Shuttle Endeavour Missions at California Science Center Exhibit Opening

Senator Mark Kelly Reflects on Space Shuttle Endeavour Missions at California Science Center Exhibit Opening

Senator Mark Kelly, the last astronaut to command the Space Shuttle Endeavour, was present at the California Science Center on Friday for the opening of the new Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center. The centerpiece of this new exhibit is the Space Shuttle Endeavour, displayed in its nearly 200-foot-tall launch configuration, complete with authentic solid rocket boosters and an external tank. This setup, according to the Science Center, creates the only complete, authentic space shuttle system on public view globally. Senator Kelly, who commanded Endeavour's final mission, STS-134, in 2011, shared his reflections on his experiences with the spacecraft. His first flight on Endeavour was in 2001, shortly after the September 11 attacks. The 200,000-square-foot expansion of the Science Center nearly doubles its exhibit space, featuring 100 aerospace artifacts and 100 hands-on exhibits focused on science and engineering.

Hubble Reveals 'Cat's Tail' Dust Cloud Around Beta Pictoris, Offering Insights into Early Solar Systems

Hubble Reveals 'Cat's Tail' Dust Cloud Around Beta Pictoris, Offering Insights into Early Solar Systems

New observations from the Hubble Space Telescope have provided a clearer picture of the 'Cat's Tail,' a trail of soot-dark dust around the young star Beta Pictoris, located 63 light-years away. The study, led by University of Arizona doctoral student Arin Avsar, indicates that this dust structure lies mostly flat against the sky from Earth's perspective and is composed almost entirely of porous, carbon-rich grains. These grains are believed to have formed from a collision between two Pluto-sized bodies. The Cat's Tail was initially discovered in 2024 by NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, which detected it in mid-infrared light. Hubble's visible-light images, combined with Webb's infrared data and computer modeling, helped reconstruct the tail's three-dimensional arrangement, revealing its flat orientation and fluffy, carbon-rich composition.

California Science Center Unveils Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center, Featuring Space Shuttle Endeavour

California Science Center Unveils Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center, Featuring Space Shuttle Endeavour

The California Science Center in Los Angeles has officially opened its Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center, a significant expansion that nearly doubles its exhibit space. The centerpiece of this new 200,000-square-foot facility is the Space Shuttle Endeavour, displayed in a 20-story launch configuration, complete with its solid rocket boosters and external tank. This makes the California Science Center the only location globally to exhibit a complete, authentic space shuttle system. The grand opening ceremony on November 13, 2026, was attended by approximately 30 astronauts, including U.S. Senator Mark Kelly, who commanded Endeavour's final mission, along with federal, state, county, and science center officials. The center features over 100 artifacts, including flown spacecraft like the Mercury-Redstone 2 and Gemini 11 capsules, and 100 hands-on exhibits designed to engage visitors with science and engineering principles related to atmospheric flight and space exploration. Interactive experiences include a...

SpaceX launches Starship on its boldest test flight yet as it aims for first double catch

SpaceX launches Starship on its boldest test flight yet as it aims for first double catch

SpaceX has launched Starship toward orbit on its boldest test yet, a 22-hour flight that aims to capture the entire rocket at the Texas pad

SpaceX's next Starship launch could last a day, and you can watch it all

SpaceX's next Starship launch could last a day, and you can watch it all

SpaceX's next Starship test, flight 15, is expected to last nearly a full day. Here's how you can watch it all live.

SpaceX’s Starship soars into orbit after booster explosion prevents an unprecedented double catch

SpaceX’s Starship soars into orbit after booster explosion prevents an unprecedented double catch

SpaceX has lost out on its attempt to recover its entire Starship back at the Texas launch pad

SpaceX’s Starship soars into orbit after double catch thwarted by booster malfunction

SpaceX’s Starship soars into orbit after double catch thwarted by booster malfunction

A booster malfunction has thwarted SpaceX’s attempt to recover its entire Starship back at the Texas launch pad

SpaceX’s Starship soars into orbit after double catch thwarted by booster's water landing

SpaceX’s Starship soars into orbit after double catch thwarted by booster's water landing

SpaceX has lost out on its attempt to recover its entire Starship back at the Texas launch pad

NASA Initiates New Strategy for Mars Sample Return Mission

NASA Initiates New Strategy for Mars Sample Return Mission

NASA is launching a new initiative called the Perseverance Sample Retrieval Architecture (PSRA) to re-evaluate and establish a fresh strategy for bringing Martian samples back to Earth. This move signifies a renewed focus on the long-standing goal of robotically collecting and returning specimens from the Red Planet. The PSRA aims to develop impartial recommendations for retrieving the samples that have been collected by the Perseverance rover. This strategic re-evaluation is crucial for optimizing the complex engineering and scientific challenges associated with such a mission, ensuring the most effective and efficient pathway for bringing these invaluable Martian materials to terrestrial laboratories for in-depth study. The initiative underscores NASA's commitment to advancing planetary science and understanding the potential for past or present life on Mars.

Marquette Alumna Elise Rimsa Commands Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover Cameras from JPL

Marquette Alumna Elise Rimsa Commands Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover Cameras from JPL

Elise Rimsa, a Marquette University alumna (Arts '18), is working as an instrument operator and data operations engineer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). Her responsibilities include commanding the engineering cameras aboard the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover, which is approximately 140 million miles away on Mars. The imaging system is crucial for the rover's operations, including navigation, hazard avoidance, and sample collection on the Martian surface. The images captured by Rimsa and her team provide vital information for rover planners and scientists to determine the rover's next actions. The mission's primary goal is to search for signs of ancient life on Mars and collect rock and soil samples for potential return to Earth for detailed study. Rimsa emphasizes that space exploration is a collaborative effort involving hundreds of people at JPL.