Exciting Weekend! Got Signed Off On A Certification And SpaceX Gave Me A New Hat! #nasa #spacex #space

Become a SKYWARN Spotter

Help the National Weather Service track current conditions, prepare for severe weather, and perform damage assessments. Click below to learn more about SKYWARN.

“Skywarn® and the Skywarn® logo are registered trademarks of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, used with permission.”

Sitting in the Captain’s chair on the USS Yorktown CV-10… This is the ship that recovered the Apollo 8 capsule. #apollo #apollo8 #nasa #yorktown (at Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum) https://www.instagram.com/p/CYMtjhdpvyH/?utm_medium=tumblr

The Space Shuttle The Space Shuttle program, officially called the Space Transportation System (STS), was the United States government's manned launch vehicle program from 1981 to 2011. The four reusable orbiters were launched vertically, like conventional rockets, and then landed horizontally on a runway. The program became politically untenable after Challenger in 1986 and Columbia in 2003 were lost. The Space Shuttle was the first reusable spacecraft in history. It was designed to be launched vertically, then land horizontally on a runway. The Space Shuttle program was a major part of the United States' space exploration efforts. It began with the development of a space shuttle proposal in 1972, which was approved for production as part of an inter-agency program between NASA and the Department of Defense. The first test flight occurred in 1981 and its first operational flight was STS-5, which launched on November 11, 1982. After a series of delays due to both technical issues and external events like the 1986 Challenger Disaster and 2003 Columbia Accident, it flew on 135 missions from 1981 until its decommissioning in 2011; its final launch being STS-135 by Atlantis on July 8th 2010. In 2011, the United States' Space Shuttle was retired from service after 30 years of service. In the current era of spaceflight, the United States is planning for its next crewed spacecraft Orion and its primary launch vehicle SLS; their first flight is set for 2022 with no crew members onboard followed by a crewed flight in 2023. Orion has been under development since 2004. It was originally planned to be launched atop an Atlas V rocket but has since switched over to being launched by a new SLS rocket under development by NASA as part of its Space Launch System program. The first mission using this new vehicle will be Exploration Mission 1 (EM-1) which will send astronauts on a lunar flyby mission before returning them safely back home again via parachute landing system similar to what occurred during the Apollo era. #explorepage #sts #spaceshuttle #nasa #columbia #challenger #discovery #atlantis #endeavour #kennedyspacecenter #stemeducation https://www.instagram.com/p/CfwYMqPuUMc/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Welding is underway on the Artemis III Orion! 

At NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility, Lockheed Martin technicians welded together 3 cone-shaped panels on Orion’s crew module for the mission that will land the first woman and next man on the Moon.

go.nasa.gov/2YjUoVK

The giddiness you feel when your image is featured on the mission’s front page is real. #nasa #jupiter #juno https://www.instagram.com/p/B7Uz9X3n-WW/?igshid=5exigvns12by

Behind the scenes documentary about the Voyager probes.

Moon rock retrieved by Alan Bean on Apollo 12 #nasa #apollo #moon #huntsvillealabama #usspaceandrocketcenter (at U.S. Space & Rocket Center) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bw0klJcHh-V/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=wffxjvgphmc4

Mars 09/06/2020 - Celestron 127slt mak - My first decent Mars image. I’ve got a long way to go. Like many dads before me have said, “practice, practice, practice”. #space #backyardastronomy #mars #celestrontelescope #celestron127slt https://www.instagram.com/p/CEzXHdvD4Gd/?igshid=vu3voayh5ooz

NASA's Neutral Buoyancy Lab: The Ultimate Underwater Simulator for Astronauts

NASA’s Neutral Buoyancy Lab (NBL) is a state-of-the-art underwater facility located in Houston, Texas. It serves as an underwater simulation environment for astronauts to train for spacewalks and other extravehicular activities (EVAs). The NBL is one of the most advanced training facilities in the world and plays a critical role in preparing astronauts for the challenges they will face in space.

The NBL is a massive indoor pool that is over 200 feet long, 100 feet wide, and 40 feet deep. It contains a full-scale mock-up of the International Space Station (ISS) and other space structures, allowing astronauts to practice and perfect their spacewalking techniques in a controlled and safe environment. The pool is filled with over 6 million gallons of water, which provides a simulated weightless experience similar to that of space.

Astronauts are equipped with a full spacewalk suit, which provides them with life support and protection from the harsh conditions of space. The suit is buoyant, which makes it difficult for astronauts to move around in water. To overcome this challenge, the suit is weighted with lead weights to balance out the buoyancy, making it possible for astronauts to move around freely in the water. This process of weight balancing is called "neutral buoyancy," which gives the NBL its name.

The NBL is not only a training facility for spacewalking, but it is also used to test new spacewalk equipment and procedures. It allows engineers and scientists to observe how equipment and procedures perform in a simulated microgravity environment. This information is then used to make improvements and ensure the safety of astronauts in space.

One of the unique features of the NBL is its ability to simulate various lighting conditions, including daylight, nighttime, and the red lighting that is used during spacewalks. This capability allows astronauts to train for all types of spacewalking scenarios and ensures that they are well-prepared for any situation they may encounter in space.

In conclusion, NASA's Neutral Buoyancy Lab is a crucial component of astronaut training and space exploration. It provides a safe and controlled environment for astronauts to train for spacewalks and other EVAs, while also allowing engineers and scientists to test new equipment and procedures. The NBL plays a vital role in ensuring the success and safety of NASA's space missions.