Welding Preparations For Orion Spacecraft at Michoud Assembly Facility

Welding Preparations For Orion Spacecraft at Michoud Assembly Facility At NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility, engineers are welding together the Orion crew module pathfinder in preparation for the welding process set to begin later this summer on the Orion spacecraft for Exploration Mission-1. This pathfinder, including the barrel section shown here, is a full-scale version of the current spacecraft design. via NASA http://ift.tt/1HIG9Yn

For Anniversary of Orbiter’s Launch: Seasonal Flows in Mars‘ Valles Marineris

For Anniversary of Orbiter’s Launch: Seasonal Flows in Mars‘ Valles Marineris Among the many discoveries by NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter since the mission was launched on Aug. 12, 2005, are seasonal flows on some steep slopes. via NASA http://ift.tt/1WiS1uZ

Good Morning From the International Space Station

Good Morning From the International Space Station NASA astronaut Scott Kelly took this photograph of a sunrise over the western United States and posted it to social media on Aug. 10, 2015. Kelly wrote, „#GoodMorning to those in the western #USA. Looks like there’s a lot going on down there. #YearInSpace“ via NASA http://ift.tt/1ICJwE0

Hubble Finds a Little Gem

Hubble Finds a Little Gem This colorful bubble is a planetary nebula called NGC 6818, also known as the Little Gem Nebula. The rich glow of the cloud is just over half a light-year across — humongous compared to its tiny central star — but still a little gem on a cosmic scale. via NASA http://ift.tt/1K7fc2m

Stormy Seas in Sagittarius

Stormy Seas in Sagittarius This new NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image shows the center of the Lagoon Nebula, an object with a deceptively tranquil name, in the constellation of Sagittarius. The region is filled with intense winds from hot stars, churning funnels of gas, and energetic star formation, all embedded within an intricate haze of gas and pitch-dark dust. via NASA http://ift.tt/1gdKYmi

Testing Hardware for Growing Plants and Vegetables in Space

Testing Hardware for Growing Plants and Vegetables in Space Astronauts on the International Space Station continue testing the VEGGIE hardware for growing vegetables and plants in space. VEGGIE provides lighting and nutrient supply for plants in the form of a low-cost growth chamber and planting „pillows“ — helping provide nutrients for the root system. via NASA http://ift.tt/1E8ffZG