Month: November 2021

Space Station Looks Gorgeous in New Photos Taken by ESA Astronaut During Crew Dragon FlyAround Departure

For SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM CAPE CANAVERAL, FL – The International Space Station (ISS) looks absolutely gorgeous in 10 stunning new images dramatically backdropped by Earth and the blackness of space and taken by ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet from SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour during a fly around maneuver after undocking from the orbiting outpost for the return trip home in early

Russian Prichal Node Module Docks at International Space Station

For SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM CAPE CANAVERAL, FL – Russia’s new Prichal multiport docking node module successfully docked at the International Space Station (ISS) on Nov. 26, 2021 propelled by a modified Russian Progress cargo spacecraft – marking the final Russian module contribution to the orbiting research outpost.  See hi-res Roscosmos video/photos below Prichal,  which means pier in Russian, will serve

Blue Origin New Glenn Rocket Pathfinder Rolls to Launch Complex 36: Photos

For SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL – Blue Origin is moving closer to the maiden launch of their commercial New Glenn orbit class rocket following delivery of the pathfinder mockup booster to the firms launch facility at pad 36 on Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in mid-November. The pathfinder simulator booster known officially as GS-1 was transported horizontally

SpaceX Falcon 9 Launches NASA’s DART Starting 1st Test Mission to Defend Earth from Incoming Asteroids

For SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM CAPE CANAVERAL, FL – A SpaceX Falcon 9 successfully launched NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) spacecraft overnight Wednesday, Nov. 24, starting the world’s first full-scale mission to defend Earth by testing technology to smash into a potentially hazardous incoming asteroid on a collision course with our Home Planet and threatening humanity’s future –  by firing

NASA’s DART Probe Ready for Launch on First Planetary Defense Test Mission: Watch Live

For SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM CAPE CANAVERAL, FL –  Hearkening back to a Hollywood like thriller NASA is on the cusp of launching DART – the agency’s first ever Planetary Defense mission purposefully directed towards a near Earth binary asteroid system with a kinetic impactor to determine if its trajectory can be altered and deflected and thereby simulate saving  Earth and

Normal Crew Operations Resume on Space Station Following Reckless Russian ASAT Test

For SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM CAPE CANAVERAL, FL – The seven humans living aboard the International Space Station (ISS) have been allowed to resume normal operations once again, following the emergency shelter in place actions taken by the multinational crewmates to protect themselves from a hazardous debris cloud created in the stations orbital path following the reckless, unprovoked and very dangerous

Sooty 9X Flown SpaceX Falcon 9 Booster Arrives at Port Canaveral, 2nd 1st Stage Recovery Return in 4 Days: Photos

For SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM PORT CANAVERAL/CAPE CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE STATION, FL –  With Pelicans patrolling under gloomy overcast skies the extremely sooty 9x flown to space and back SpaceX Falcon 9 recovered booster from the Starlink 4-1 mission was towed into Port Canaveral, Thursday morning, Nov. 18, standing upright upon the droneship it landed on post launch Nov. 13 and

Landing Legs Raised on SpaceX Crew-3 Landed Falcon 9 Booster after Port Canaveral Arrival: Photos

For SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM PORT CANAVERAL/KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL –  All four deployed landing legs have been raised on the ‘flight-proven’ SpaceX Falcon 9 booster by late Monday evening, Nov. 15, just over 24 hours after it had returned back to Port Canaveral, Florida, Sunday evening, Nov. 14, for a rare and positively stunning nighttime arrival, following its launch of

Reckless Russian Anti-satellite Test Forces ISS Crew into Emergency Escape Capsules

For SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM CAPE CANAVERAL, FL – The Russian military conducted an Anti-Satellite missile weapons test on Monday, Nov. 15, firing a ground based missile that intercepted and destroyed an old Soviet-era orbiting military satellite thereby creating and scattering a wide spread swarm of low-Earth orbiting debris that also coincided with the orbit of the International Space Station (ISS)

SpaceX NASA Crew-3 Landed Falcon 9 Booster Returns to Port Canaveral for Rare Night Arrival: Photos

For SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM PORT CANAVERAL/KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL –  The ‘flight-proven’ SpaceX Falcon 9 booster that successfully launched the NASA ESA quartet of Crew-3 multinational astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) on a spectacular Wednesday evening Nov. 10 liftoff and landed eight minutes later on a company droneship, returned to Port Canaveral, Florida four days later Sunday evening,