NASA announces Artemis III astronauts Tuesday for ambitious test flight
NASA announced the four-person crew that will make up the Artemis III mission, giving more details about the roughly two-week mission that calls for Orion to dock with both a Blue Origin and SpaceX lunar lander in Earth orbit next year in preparation for the eventual return to the moon.
The crew is all male and includes Commander Randy Bresnik; Pilot Luca Parmitano, an Italian from the European Space Agency; Mission Specialist Andre Douglas and Mission Specialist Frank Rubio. Bresnik, Douglas and Rubio are all from NASA.
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NASA’s X-59 reaches supersonic speed
NASA’s X-59 hit Mach 1.1 (~713 mph) at 43,400 ft on June 5 — a quiet-supersonic test aiming for a ‘thump’ not a boom.
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SpaceX targets Friday morning for Starlink launch from Florida
SpaceX may add a rush hour show to Friday morning, as the company has plans to launch its next rocket from Florida.
The liftoff is set for no earlier than 8:27 a.m. Friday, June 12 from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. If needed, SpaceX has until 12:27 p.m. to make the launch window.
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Here’s a closer look at the 4 astronauts chosen for Artemis III mission
Within the next year, four astronauts are due to venture to space on NASA’s next mission under its Artemis moon program.
Those astronauts, revealed June 9 at NASA’s Johnson Space Center to much fanfare, include three from NASA and one Italian who will become the first spacefarer from the European Space Agency to fly on an Artemis mission.
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Mercury, Venus, Jupiter to form planet parade. What to know in Florida
Floridians who are avid skygazers may have noticed two bright objects, Venus and Jupiter, shining in the night sky this week. Now, a third planet is due to join the cosmic fun.
That’s right, Mercury is on its way to a sky near you, where it will turn a two-planet conjunction into a full-on planet parade.
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ISS astronaut photographs 2 active Italian volcanoes from orbit
An astronaut on the International Space Station recently captured a stunning view of the famous volcanoes Mount Etna and Vesuvius all the way from orbit.
Sophie Adenot, a French astronaut with the European Space Agency, became the latest spacefarer aboard the iconic orbital outpost to put her astral photography skills to the test. In a series of photos, Adenot documented two of Europe’s active and most dangerous volcanoes, including Vesuvius – infamously responsible for burying Pompeii in ash more than 1,900 years ago.
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No women on Artemis III mission? NASA chief responds to criticism
The head of NASA is defending the space agency’s choice to select only men for its next Artemis moon mission following criticism that no female astronauts were named to the crew.
The absence of women selected for Artemis III was notable, given that at least one female astronaut has typically been part of most major crewed NASA missions since Sally Ride made her landmark spaceflight in 1983. During the recent Artemis II mission in April, astronaut Christina Koch further made history by becoming the first woman to fly on a mission venturing near the moon.
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Live updates from SpaceX Starlink launch just before Nasdaq IPO kickoff
Launch recap: Scroll down to review live updates from the Friday, June 12, liftoff of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral on the Starlink 10-54 mission.
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SpaceX prepares to launch AST SpaceMobile BlueBird satellites from Florida
In April, a Blue Origin New Glenn rocket failed to properly deploy an AST Spacemobile BlueBird satellite in low-Earth orbit. Now, SpaceX is preparing to launch a trio of BlueBirds during early morning hours Wednesday, June 17, from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket is scheduled to lift off at 2:39 a.m. from Launch Complex 40. The predawn launch window will last until 4:15 a.m., should delays arise.
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For the latest news from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, visit floridatoday.com/space. Another easy way: Click here to sign up for our weekly 321 Launch space newsletter.
Rick Neale is a Space Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY, where he has covered news since 2004. Contact Neale at Rneale@floridatoday.com. Twitter/X: @RickNeale1
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This article originally appeared on Florida Today: NASA Artemis III crew, X-59 supersonic plane, SpaceX launch top space newsletter
Reporting by Rick Neale, Florida Today / Florida Today
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By Rick Neale, Florida Today | USA TODAY Network
