May 6, 1968: Neil Armstrong Barely Escapes Fiery Crash
On May 6, 1968, NASA astronaut Neil Armstrong almost met his fate while simulating a lunar landing. This was a little over a year before he would become the first person to walk on the moon. He was flying in a machine called the Lunar Landing Research Vehicle at Ellington Air Force Base in Houston […]
May 5, 1961: Alan Shepard Becomes the First American in Space
On May 5, 1961, Navy Commander Alan Bartlett Shepard Jr. was launched into space aboard the Freedom 7 space capsule, becoming the first American astronaut to travel into space. The suborbital flight, which lasted 15 minutes and reached a height of 116 miles into the atmosphere, was a major triumph for the National Aeronautics and Space […]
May 3, 1986: Delta Rocket Fails to Launch GOES-G Weather Satellite
On May 3, 1986, NASA attempted to launch a new weather satellite called GOES-G for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, but the rocket malfunctioned in mid-air. About a minute after it lifted off from Cape Canaveral, lightning struck the Delta rocket and created a short circuit. This caused the rocket’s main engine to shut […]
The future of international cooperation in space is splitting along the lines of power on Earth
Space Blocs: The future of international cooperation in space is splitting along lines of power on Earth In the next decade, both a U.S.-led group and a collaboration between Russia and China aim to set up bases on the Moon. Theasis/iStock via Getty Images Svetla Ben-Itzhak, Air University Even during times of conflict on the ground, […]
Time Travel Could be Possible with Alternate Timelines
Time travel could be possible, but only with parallel timelines If time travel were possible, it would mean the existence of parallel timelines. (Shutterstock) Barak Shoshany, Brock University Have you ever made a mistake that you wish you could undo? Correcting past mistakes is one of the reasons we find the concept of time travel so […]
May 1, 1949: Nereid the Moon of Neptune is Discovered.
On May 1, 1949, Neptune’s moon Nereid was discovered by the Dutch astronomer Gerard Kuiper. This was the second of 14 moons discovered at Neptune. It was also the last one to be discovered with certainty before NASA’s Voyager 2 spacecraft flew by Neptune in 1989. Astronomers suspected they had observed a third moon before, […]
UAE Astronaut to Fly to ISS for a Long Duration Mission
The United Arab Emirates has planned to launch an Emirati UAE astronaut on a long-duration mission to the International Space Station through an agreement with Axiom Space Axiom and the UAE’s Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) announced April 29 they signed an agreement whereby an Emirati astronaut will go to the station on […]
April 30, 2015: Messenger Spaceprobe Crashes to Mercury
On April 30, 2015, NASA’s MESSENGER Mercury mission came to an end when the spacecraft intentionally crashed into the surface of the small, rocky planet. MESSENGER was the first spacecraft to orbit Mercury and the second spacecraft to study it up close after NASA’s Mariner 10 flew by the planet in the 1970s. MESSENGER spent […]
April 29, 1985: European ‘Spacelab’ Launches on Space Shuttle Challenger
On April 29, 1985, the European Space Agency’s Spacelab launched on the space shuttle Challenger on mission STS-51B. This was the second time the Spacelab went to space and the first time it flew in a fully operational configuration. Spacelab pallets had flown to space on three previous shuttle missions, but this was the first […]
Serco Internship / Parttime Work Opportunity for Aerospace Students
Serco is delighted to offer a rare opportunity for aerospace students interested in the Space sector to gain valuable experience and skills whilst directly supporting live operations at ESOC. Serco is looking for two students to support operations, maintenance and evolution of the SMILE facilities at ESOC, Darmstadt. Objective of the role As a Werkstudent, […]