Tag: JAXA
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Astronauts finish spacewalk to prepare ISS for new solar arrays
Two astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) have completed a 6 hour 54 minute spacewalk to continue the process of outfitting the orbiting laboratory with new sets of solar arrays. US EVA-77 — the first US spacewalk to not involve an American — saw Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut and current ISS Commander…
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Japan’s H3 rocket awaiting final engine certification for first flight
Japan’s third-generation liquid hydrogen-powered rocket, H3, is nearing closer to its first launch. The H3 rocket is co-developed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), succeeding the H-II family, which provided satellite launches and International Space Station cargo resupply missions for two decades. The H3 rocket is the third in…
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Off the Earth, for the Earth; Endeavour lifts off with international crew for six month mission
SpaceX’s Crew Dragon Endeavour began its second mission Friday with a crew of four astronauts on a long-duration trip to the International Space Station. Liftoff, atop a Falcon 9 rocket from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center, occurred right on time at 05:49:02 EDT / 09:49:02 UTC on Friday, 23 April 2021. The Crew-2 mission will see…
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SpaceX, Crew-2 mission cleared for launch as eyes turn to the weather
The Crew-2 mission’s Launch Readiness Review, or LRR, has been completed at the Kennedy Space Center, with managers from NASA, SpaceX, the European Space Agency (ESA), and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) formally clearing the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and the Crew Dragon Endeavour for launch of four international astronauts to the Space Station…
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Endeavour moved to 39A as astronauts arrive and Crew-2 mission is cleared for launch
Shane Kimbrough, Megan McArthur, Thomas Pesquet, and Akihiko Hoshide have arrived at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida for their upcoming launch to the International Space Station on the same day their spaceship, the Crew Dragon Endeavour, was moved to its sea-side launch pad. NASA and SpaceX are currently targeting launch of the Crew-2 mission…
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Garbage pallet jettisoned from space station will stay in orbit two-to-four years
A pallet loaded with disused batteries was jettisoned from the International Space Station’s robotic arm Thursday. Credit: NASA NASA ground controllers sent commands to the International Space Station on Thursday for release of a 2.9-ton cargo pallet loaded with old batteries, the most massive object ever jettisoned from the orbiting outpost. The garbage carrier is…
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Rubins and Noguchi assemble solar array support fixtures outside space station
EDITOR’S NOTE: Updated at 2:30 p.m. EDT (1930 GMT) after end of spacewalk. STORY WRITTEN FOR CBS NEWS & USED WITH PERMISSION Astronaut Soichi Noguchi works outside the International Space Station on Friday. Credit: NASA TV/Spaceflight Now NASA astronaut Kate Rubins and Soichi Noguchi, a Japanese astronaut who last walked in space more than 15 years ago, ventured…
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Astronauts complete second spacewalk to upgrade Space Station
NASA astronauts Mike Hopkins and Victor Glover have completed their second EVA (extravehicular activity, or spacewalk) outside the ISS in less than one week to continue upgrading the orbital outpost and accomplish miscellaneous tasks during US EVA-70. The duo performed a previous spacewalk last week dedicated largely to communications upgrades for the European Space Agency’s…
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Scientists thrilled with asteroid treasure returned by Japanese spacecraft
Japanese scientists found black material from asteroid Ryugu inside one of the Hayabusa 2 mission’s collection chambers (color corrected by Spaceflight Now). Credit: JAXA Japanese space agency officials said Tuesday they found a “large number” of pitch black rock and dust particles after opening a capsule returned to Earth earlier this month by the Hayabusa…
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Japanese asteroid sampling mission on course for return to Earth
Artist’s concept of the Hayabusa 2 spacecraft releasing its sample return capsule. Credit: JAXA/Akihiro Ikeshita Six years after departing Earth, Japan’s Hayabusa 2 spacecraft released a spinning capsule Saturday containing pristine asteroid material for a scorching re-entry and landing in the remote Australian outback, where teams are standing by to retrieve the specimens for analysis.…