Aerospace & Defense

How Much Did It Cost to Build the International Space Station?

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration was established in 1958. Since then, there have been thousands of projects by the department to study and understand the universe. These studies can come at a hefty price. But did you know that the most costly project they had was the International Space Station?  The most expensive man-made […]

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Was the Big Orange Fuel Tank of the Space Shuttles Always Orange?

Through the years, there were many changes NASA made to ensure the overall efficiency of the space shuttle. One of these changes was to reduce the weight of its external tank. There was a one-pound increase in the carrying capacity of the space shuttle for every pound reduced in its heaviness. The original orange-glazed design

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NASA’s longest serving female employee since January 1958, Sue Finley, has been an engineer and programmer for space missions since Explorer 1, for missions to the Moon, Sun, all the planets and many other solar system bodies, and recipient of NASA’s Exceptional Public Service Medal.

Susan G. Finley Susan G. Finley, a native Californian, has been an employee of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) since January 1958, making her the longest-serving woman in NASA. Two days before Explorer 1 was launched, Finley began her career with the laboratory as a human computer, calculating rocket launch trajectories by hand. She now

NASA’s longest serving female employee since January 1958, Sue Finley, has been an engineer and programmer for space missions since Explorer 1, for missions to the Moon, Sun, all the planets and many other solar system bodies, and recipient of NASA’s Exceptional Public Service Medal. Read More »

In 1969, at the height of the Cold War, the Apollo 11 crew carried commemorative medals to the moon to honor two Soviet cosmonauts who died as part of the USSR’s human spaceflight program

Statement About Honoring American and Russian Space Heroes During the Apollo 11 Mission THE TWO MEN we hope will set foot on the moon represent all mankind. Their achievement will be the world’s achievement. It is fitting, therefore, that the first lunar explorers carry with them some recognition of the sacrifice made by other space

In 1969, at the height of the Cold War, the Apollo 11 crew carried commemorative medals to the moon to honor two Soviet cosmonauts who died as part of the USSR’s human spaceflight program Read More »

When the replacement crew for Skylab entered the empty space station, they found that it wasn’t empty at all: 3 figures were inside. Upon further inspection, the replacement crew found out that these were dummies placed in flight suits by the previous Skylab crew before they left.

Skylab 4 Skylab 4 (also SL-4 and SLM-3) was the third crewed Skylab mission and placed the third and final crew aboard the first American space station. The mission started on November 16, 1973 with the launch of three astronauts on an Apollo command and service module on a Saturn IB rocket from the Kennedy

When the replacement crew for Skylab entered the empty space station, they found that it wasn’t empty at all: 3 figures were inside. Upon further inspection, the replacement crew found out that these were dummies placed in flight suits by the previous Skylab crew before they left. Read More »

The common method for a spacecraft to shift between two orbits is called a Hohmann Transfer, and that the guy who calculated it (in 1925) was inspired by a science fiction book written in 1897, which gave a generally correct explanation of the concept of orbit trajectory

Hohmann transfer orbit Hohmann transfer orbit, labelled 2, from an orbit (1) to a higher orbit (3) An example of a Hohmann transfer orbit between Earth and Mars, as used by the NASA InSight probe. Hohman · Earth · Mars In orbital mechanics, the Hohmann transfer orbit (/ˈhoʊmən/) is an elliptical orbit used to transfer

The common method for a spacecraft to shift between two orbits is called a Hohmann Transfer, and that the guy who calculated it (in 1925) was inspired by a science fiction book written in 1897, which gave a generally correct explanation of the concept of orbit trajectory Read More »

After landing on the moon during Apollo 11, Buzz Aldrin accidentally damaged the circuit breaker that would arm the ascent engine that would get them off the moon. The astronauts activated the engine by triggering the circuit with a felt-tipped pen.

Apollo 11 This article is about the 1969 crewed lunar mission. For other uses, see Apollo 11 (disambiguation). Apollo 11 was the spaceflight that first landed humans on the Moon. Commander Neil Armstrong and lunar module pilot Buzz Aldrin formed the American crew that landed the Apollo Lunar Module Eagle on July 20, 1969, at

After landing on the moon during Apollo 11, Buzz Aldrin accidentally damaged the circuit breaker that would arm the ascent engine that would get them off the moon. The astronauts activated the engine by triggering the circuit with a felt-tipped pen. Read More »

If funding remained at 1969 Apollo mission levels, NASA planned to develop such elements as a lunar orbit station in 1978, a lunar surface base in 1980, and a manned mission to Mars in 1981 or 1983

Just another Apollo? Part two In mid-1969, as the Apollo missions were reaching their climax, NASA managers began to plan for the next phase of lunar exploration. This optimistic plan, issued by the Space Task Group, would have had NASA’s funding stay at Apollo levels, and, in a series of steps that followed Apollo, would

If funding remained at 1969 Apollo mission levels, NASA planned to develop such elements as a lunar orbit station in 1978, a lunar surface base in 1980, and a manned mission to Mars in 1981 or 1983 Read More »

NASA ground controllers were once shocked to hear a female voice from the space station, apparently interacting with them, which had an all-male crew. They had been pranked by an astronaut who used a recording of his wife.

Owen Garriott Owen Kay Garriott (November 22, 1930 – April 15, 2019) was an American electrical engineer and NASA astronaut, who spent 60 days aboard the Skylab space station in 1973 during the Skylab 3 mission, and 10 days aboard Spacelab-1 on a Space Shuttle mission in 1983. After serving in the United States Navy,

NASA ground controllers were once shocked to hear a female voice from the space station, apparently interacting with them, which had an all-male crew. They had been pranked by an astronaut who used a recording of his wife. Read More »