A Day in Astronomy: Final Home for Space Shuttle Endeavour

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Image (Credit): Space shuttle Endeavour being carried by NASA’s Shuttle Carrier Aircraft as it arrives at the Los Angeles International Airport in California, on Friday, September 21, 2012. (collectSPACE/Robert Z. Pearlman)

On this day in 2012, NASA’s Space Shuttle Endeavour arrived at the California Space Center after a 12-mile journey from the Los Angeles International Airport. Officially called the Space Transportation System (STS), the Endeavor was one of four fully-capable space shuttles operated by NASA (Space Shuttle Enterprise, the fifth space shuttle, was a prototype).

The first space shuttle to be delivered to NASA was the Columbia, delivered in 1979. Space Shuttle Endeavor was the last space shuttle to be delivered, arriving at NASA in 1991.

The space shuttles were the first orbital spacecraft designed for reuse. All of the shuttles had important mission from launching and maintaining satellites to transporting astronauts and supplies to the International Space Station.

Here are a few more facts about Space Shuttle Endeavour:

  • Number of space missions: 25 from May 1992 to May 2011
  • Total miles traveled: 122,883,151
  • Total Time in space: 299 days
  • Key Mission: Repairing the Hubble Space Telescope in December 1993
Image (Credit): Space Shuttle Endeavour’s final mission patch. (California Science Center)

A Day in Astronomy: The Successful Launch of SpaceX’s Falcon 1

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On this day in 2008, SpaceX had a successful launch of its Falcon 1 rocket after three earlier failures. Launched from Omelek Island in the Marshall Islands, the rocket would fly only one more mission before being retired. It was replaced by the Falcon 9, which is still in service today.

After the third failure of the Falcon 1 in August 2008, Elon Musk stated:

The most important message I’d like to send right now is that SpaceX will not skip a beat in execution going forward. We have flight four of Falcon 1 almost ready for flight and flight five right behind that. I have also given the go ahead to begin fabrication of flight six. Falcon 9 development will also continue unabated, taking into account the lessons learned with Falcon 1. We have made great progress this past week with the successful nine engine firing.

He did not give up, and today’s successful test of a Starship rocket is testimony to Mr. Musk’s determination to continue unabated.

A Day in Astronomy: India Lands a Spacecraft on the Moon

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Image (Credit): Artist’s rendering of the Chandrayaan-3 lander named Vickram and rover names Pragyan on the lunar surface. (NASA)

On this day in 2023, India became the fourth nation to land a spacecraft on the Moon (following the Soviet Union, the U.S., and China). India’s Chandrayaan-3 probe landed at the lunar South Pole, the first spacecraft to land in that region. Chandrayaan-2 had crashed on the Moon’s surface back in 2019, whereas Chandrayaan-1 was a lunar orbiter in 2008.

The mission objectives for the Chandrayaan-3 included:

  • Testing the elemental composition of lunar soil.
  • Measuring the near surface plasma density and how it changes over time.
  • Measuring the thermal properties of the lunar surface near polar regions.
  • Measuring the seismic activity around the landing site to deduce the internal structure of the lunar crust and mantle.

As with the US space program, the boost to Indian pride following this successful mission was immeasurable. As one proud Indian noted:

The success of Chandrayaan-3 reverberated through classrooms and homes across India, with countless young eyes glued to screens, witnessing a historic moment. The mission’s success, though grand, is symbolic of more profound implications. With a burgeoning youth population, India stands on the precipice of a new era of innovation. The world’s largest youth demographic resides here, and Chandrayaan-3 has offered them more than just a scientific marvel; it has provided them with a vision of what’s achievable.

A Day in Astronomy: Dogs in Space

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Image (Credit): Laika in a training capsule prior to her mission. (Sputnik / Alamy)

On this day in 1960, the Soviet Union sent two dogs into space on a sub-orbital flight – Otvazhnaya and Malyok. Both returned from the trip safely.

Between 1951 and 1966, it is estimated that the Soviets sent 48 dogs into space on both sub-orbital and orbital flights, while China sent only two dogs into space on sub-orbital flights. The United States did not send any dogs into space. Of the 48 Soviet dogs, 20 died in space. Both Chinese dogs survived.

Little Otvazhnaya, which means “brave” in Russian, flew on the most missions of any of the dogs. She flew on five sub-orbital missions between July 1959 and September 1960.

The most famous Soviet space dog, Laika (pictured above), was the first dog to fly on an orbital flight on November 3, 1957. She did not survive the mission.

One of the Russian canine cosmonauts has a link to the Kennedy family. Strelka, one of the first dogs to orbit the Earth and survive, had six puppies, including one named Pushinka, or “Fluffy.” Pushinka was presented as a gift to President John F. Kennedy’s family in 1961.

Image (Credit): Letter from President Kennedy to Soviet Chairman Krushchev thanking him for Pushinka. (JFK Library)

A Day in Astronomy: Launch of the Galex Space Telescope

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Image (Credit): Artist’s rendering of the GALEX space telescope orbiting Earth. (NASA/JPL-Caltech)

On this day in 2003, NASA air-launched the Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) via a Pegasus launch vehicle. It was an active orbiting space telescope for the next nine years, observing the universe in ultraviolet wavelengths to learn more about star formation in the universe.

Some of the highlights of the GALEX mission include:

  • Discovering a gargantuan, comet-like tail behind a speeding star called Mira;
  • Catching a black hole “red-handed” as it munched on a star;
  • Finding giant rings of new stars around old, dead galaxies;
  • Independently confirming the nature of dark energy; and
  • Discovering a missing link in galaxy evolution — the teenage galaxies transitioning from young to old.