Commercial missions to return cargo from the space station; the first spacewalk on the space station of the year; observation of a massive volcanic eruption from space... The latest news feed is available at "NASA of the Week"!
The SpaceX Cargo Dragon spacecraft is scheduled to return to Earth from the International Space Station, carrying more than 4,900 pounds (about 2,200 kilograms) of cargo, including supplies and a series of microgravity science experiments. The dragon's return will conclude SpaceX's 24th commercial supply mission for NASA.
The SpaceX Cargo Dragon spacecraft was originally scheduled to return to Earth at 23:40 Beijing time on January 21, but its return was postponed twice due to bad weather. The latest return time is 23:40 Beijing time on January 21.
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On January 19, two Russian astronauts went outside the International Space Station for the station's first spacewalk of the year. During the spacewalk, Anton Shkaplerov and Pyotr Dubrov of the Roscosmos Russian Federation prepared a new Prichal node module for future Russian visits. The first docking with the Docks node module is scheduled for March, when the three astronauts will arrive aboard the Soyuz spacecraft.
Honga Tonga- Hong Aha Apay was formed from the end of 2014 to 2015.
Image credit: Dr Janine Krippner
Multiple Earth observation satellites are helping scientists affiliated with NASA's Disasters program collect and share data on massive volcanic eruptions that destroyed the uninhabited South Pacific island of Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai. Damage assessments are still ongoing, but preliminary reports indicate that densely populated areas of the island nation of Tonga have been severely damaged by volcanic ash and eruptive-induced tsunamis.
Engineers at the Stanis Space Center conducted the first RS-25 engine ignition test of the new year on Jan. 19. Four RS-25 engines will power space launch system rockets on future deep-space missions, including this year's unmanned Artemis I lunar mission. This is the second overall test in the current test series, which began in mid-December last year. Each test provides valuable data that contributes to engine development.
The assembly team for the X-59 Silent SuperSonic Technology (QueSST) aircraft made great progress in developing the X aircraft: they successfully added the tail, connected and tested the position of the nose, performed a systematic check on the ejection seat, and also moved the X-59's GE F414 engine to complete the three-dimensional engine scan. This scan helps engineers better understand how the F414 is installed in the engine compartment. The X-59 was built to study reducing the loudness of sonic booms that can occur during supersonic flight.
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