RIP: Frank Borman, Apollo Astronaut

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Image (Credit): Former NASA astronaut Col. (ret.) Frank Borman. (NASA)

Earlier this week, former astronaut Frank Borman, age 95, passed away at his home in Billings, Montana. He was most famous for his role as Commander of the 1968 Apollo 8 Mission, which was the first manned mission to circle the Moon.

He was NASA’s oldest living astronaut.

Here is one of Mr. Borman’s observations that was never answered years ago, nor can it be answered today:

When you’re finally up on the moon, looking back at the earth, all these differences and nationalistic traits are pretty well going to blend and you’re going to get a concept that maybe this is really one world and why the hell can’t we learn to live together like decent people?

You can read more on Mr. Borman’s life and career at these sites:

Rest in peace.

Another Mission to Resupply the ISS Underway

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Image (Credit): The launch of the CRS-19 resupply mission to the ISS on Thursday, November 9. (NASA)

Yesterday, NASA sent another resupply mission to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. It will not rendezvous with the ISS until early Saturday morning (no sleeping in for the crew).

This mission, CRS-29, will be SpaceX’s 29th supply mission to the ISS. The next most frequent resupplier is Northrop Grumman, which has sent 19 resupply missions to the ISS.

If you are interested in the material being brought to the station, NASA discusses some of the contents here.

You can also follow the progress of the latest mission here.

Pic of the Week: The Horsehead Nebula

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Image (Credit): The Horsehead Nebula courtesy of the Euclid mission. (ESA / Euclid / Euclid Consortium / NASA, image processing by J.-C. Cuillandre (CEA Paris-Saclay), G. Anselmi; CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO)

This week’s image is from the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Euclid telescope. It is the famous Horsehead Nebula in all its beauty.

Here is a little more about the image from ESA:

Euclid shows us a spectacularly panoramic and detailed view of the Horsehead Nebula, also known as Barnard 33 and part of the constellation Orion. In Euclid’s new observation of this stellar nursery, scientists hope to find many dim and previously unseen Jupiter-mass planets in their celestial infancy, as well as young brown dwarfs and baby stars.

Volunteer to Become a NASA Ambassador

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Credit: NASA

What kind of ambassador, you ask? Well, NASA is looking for what are called “Partner Eclipse Ambassadors.” Volunteers for this position will assist NASA as it prepares communities for the April 2024 solar eclipse.

NASA promises the following to support volunteer ambassadors:

  • A supportive network of enthusiasts who regularly share eclipse support;
  • A partner in your community (each partnership consists of an undergraduate and an eclipse enthusiast);
  • Materials including solar viewing glasses, activities, handouts, and more;
  • Connections to local community centers reaching underserved audiences;
  • Regular social hours and presentations from experts in eclipses and communication; and
  • Opportunities to continue your journey with NASA through collaborations with partners in heliophysics, education, and communication.

You have plenty of time to prepare for this event, so check it out. You can get all of the details at this link.