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Hello everyone 
It's Friday, which means it's time for our weekly round-up of space exploration updates.
3, 2, 1... let's go:
It's Friday, which means it's time for our weekly round-up of space exploration updates.
3, 2, 1... let's go:
Researchers at the German Aerospace Center say lab experiments show Mars may have “mud volcanoes,” aka locations where watery sediments seep onto the surface. Because of Mars’ low temperatures and pressures, the mud quickly freezes. Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona
Learn more about why and how we explore Mars at http://planetary.org/mars
NASA has renamed its upcoming WFIRST mission the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope—Roman Space Telescope for short—in honor of the agency’s first chief astronomer. Learn how you can take action to support this mission at http://planetary.org/roman-space-telescope.
NASA astronauts Bob Behnken & Doug Hurley arrived at Kennedy Space Center in preparation for their upcoming historic launch on SpaceX’s Crew Dragon to the International Space Station. Crew Dragon, meanwhile, arrived at the launchpad for installation on a Falcon 9 rocket.
Here's everything you need to know about the upcoming historic launch: https://www.planetary.org/blogs/crew-dragon-astro-flight.html
NASA’s Webb Space Telescope (JWST) was successfully folded into its launch configuration for the first time. Its mirror—made of 18 hexagonal segments—is too wide to fit inside a rocket’s nose cone, so it folds up for launch & must undergo a complex deployment sequence in space.
Next up for JWST: environmental tests that will simulate the vibrations and sound levels it will face during launch next year.
See this video of how it folds up for launch:
See this video of how it folds up for launch:
NASA’s @OSIRISREx spacecraft will make its 1st attempt to collect a sample from asteroid Bennu on 20 October 2020.
OSIRIS-REx's returned samples will help scientists understand how asteroids contributed to the origin of planets, and what role they may have played in the origin of life on Earth.
Learn more: https://www.planetary.org/explore/space-topics/space-missions/osiris-rex.html
Learn more: https://www.planetary.org/explore/space-topics/space-missions/osiris-rex.html
Japan launched a cargo ship to the International Space Station that is scheduled to arrive on Monday.
The HTV spacecraft is loaded with more than 4 tons of supplies, water, and other hardware as well as 6 new lithium-ion batteries that will be installed on future spacewalks as part of ongoing upgrades to the station’s power systems. Learn about the ISS at http://planetary.org/iss .
Finally, can't stress this enough, don't miss the historic Crew Dragon launch next Wednesday. The rocket is scheduled for take-off at 4:32pm ET.
Read our launch guide: https://www.planetary.org/blogs/crew-dragon-astro-flight.html
You can watch the launch here: http://planetary.org/live
Read our launch guide: https://www.planetary.org/blogs/crew-dragon-astro-flight.html
You can watch the launch here: http://planetary.org/live
If you'd like these updates delivered straight to you each week, sign up for The Downlink: http://planetary.org/connect
Bye for now!
Bye for now!
