#otd in #spaceflighthistory (May 24, 1962), Scott Carpenter is launched aboard his Aurora 7 spacecraft atop an Atlas booster on America’s second orbital space mission. A generally successful flight, there were challenges upon recovery. Due to compounding technical issues with the spacecraft and a resulting lack of fuel, Carpenter overshot his planned reentry mark and splashed down 250 miles away from the intended target…leaving him out of reach of US Navy recovery forces from the USS Intrepid and - more significantly - out of communications for about an hour as the world held its collective breath wondering if he had survived. When recovered, he was sitting comfortably and peacefully in his life raft just waiting to be picked up - calm, cool, and collected. Nerves of steel. The Right Stuff personified. 📸 An autographed photo of a Mercury-Atlas launch signed by Scott Carpenter; 📸 Me with the Aurora 7 spacecraft at Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry ( @msichicago ); 📸 Me with the hero of the day back in 2005. #spaceflighthistory #nasa #astronaut #astronauts #spacehipsters #projectmercury #spacegeek #collectspace #otd #projectgemini #projectapollo #apolloprogram #apollosoyuz #skylab #spaceshuttleprogram #iss #scottcarpenter #freedom7 #aurora7 #boeingstarliner #starliner #autographcollection #autograph @nasa @nasakennedy @nasajohnson @kennedyspacecenter @spacecenterhou @the_cosmosphere @cradleofaviation @dekeslaytonmuseum @spacemuseumbt @msichicago @airandspacemuseum @pixelplanetpics @spaceandthingspodcast @frequentlyonthemoon @intrepidmuseum
God I wish I could spend one evening listening to these two guys. Gus Grissom and John Young. 🖤🖤 NASA‘s best. 😎 📸: LIFE Magazine #gusgrissom #johnyoung #gemini3 #apollo1 #apollo10 #apollo16 #mercuryprogram #projectmercury #geminiprogram #projectgemini #apolloprogram #titan2 #saturn5 #saturnv #moon #moonlanding #commandmodule #lunarmodule #1960s #astronaut #astronauts #therightstuff #nasa #space #spaceflighthistory #ushistory #missioncontrol #1965
Today we are testing the lift-off and RTLS maneuver: after the launch, the ascent was pretty flawless. At the point of the virtual staging the booster prototype flipped retrograde and begun its comeback! The be fair, we will improve the RCS power to speed up the flip. The descent went really good: a stable reentry and 4 Vector engines ignited and landed the booster! We are ready for the full stack! @kerbalspacep #ksp #kerbalspaceprogram #kerbalspace #kerbal #spaceexploration #space #spacecraft #spaceflighthistory #spaceflight #nasa #rocketengineering #rocketry #ula #spacex #esa #jaxa #KSP #KSPloring #booster #concept #moon #rockets #rocket #nuclear
The updated Booster D is on the pad ready to fly. We enhanced the side tanks, and also we added our trusty aerobrakes! Ready for tomorrow! @kerbalspacep #ksp #kerbalspaceprogram #kerbalspace #kerbal #spaceexploration #space #spacecraft #spaceflighthistory #spaceflight #nasa #rocketengineering #rocketry #ula #spacex #esa #jaxa #KSP #KSPloring #booster #concept #moon #rockets #rocket #nuclear
A hero among heroes. #otd in #aviationhistory (May 21, 1927), Charles Lindbergh arrived in France and became the first person to successfully cross the Atlantic in a non-stop solo flight that lasted 33 and a half hours…a feat he made in a Ryan aircraft named the Spirit of St. Louis. 97 years later, it’s easy to lose sight of just how big of a deal this was, and just how enormous his celebrity was. After all, today, thousands of people fly the Atlantic in relative luxury every single day. The artifacts presented here give us some hints of just how audacious and fraught with danger this all was in 1927; songs were written about him, dances were created and named in his honor, and films were made about this American hero. Anthropologically speaking, he was a god. It stands to reason that he’d be the hero celebrated by the astronauts we typically reflect upon here. In fact, it was Lindbergh who - 55 years ago this summer - astronauts Armstrong, Aldrin, and Collins met with just prior to Apollo 11’s departure across the trans-lunar ocean of space on their journey to the moon. That’s incredibly telling, and why we remember him here today. EPIC! 📸📸 Vintage sheet music to Lucky Lindy; 📸🎥 An Edison record (and audio clip) about Lindbergh; 📸🎥 The soundtrack album to (and a clip from) the Warner Bros film that featured Jimmy Stewart as Lindbergh; 📸 Me with Lindbergh’s flight suit at the Cradle of Aviation Museum on Long Island, NY; 📸 Also at the Cradle of Aviation, the replica aircraft that was used in the Jimmy Stewart film “The Spirit of St. Louis”; 📸 Vintage Lindbergh memorabilia at the Cradle of Aviation Museum. #spaceflighthistory #nasa #spacehipsters #astronaut #spacetravel #spacerace #spaceflight #stem #steam #aviationhistory #aviationlovers #planecrazy #Apollo11 #charleslindbergh #newjerseynative #neilarmstrong #buzzaldrin #aviationhistory @nasa @nasakennedy @nasajohnson @kennedyspacecenter @spacecenterhou @the_cosmosphere @cradleofaviation @dekeslaytonmuseum @spacemuseumbt @msichicago @airandspacemuseum @spaceandthingspodcast @theninetyninesinc @theplanekate @mace_curran @realmalachowski @neutronwafflewaffles @redthepilot
Another super-nifty patch of the early space age! This is a late 1950’s Army Ballistic Missile Agency (ABMA) unit patch. This was the U.S. Army team in Huntsville Alabama - lead by General John B. Medaris - under which Wernher von Braun’s rocket team was working when Explorer I was launched in January 1958 (pre-NASA). #spaceflighthistory #nasa #astronaut #astronauts #spacehipsters #spaceprogram #satellite #spacegeek #collectspace #wernhervonbraun #exploreri #jpl #satellites #spaceage #spacerace #peacethroughprogress #1960s #vintagespace #igy1958 #internationalgeophysicalyear #spaceart #spacepatch @nasa @nasakennedy @nasajohnson @kennedyspacecenter @spacecenterhou @the_cosmosphere @cradleofaviation @dekeslaytonmuseum @spacemuseumbt @msichicago @airandspacemuseum @spaceandthingspodcast @nasajpl @nasapatches @kscartist
Two pictures from the reentry test for your background! @kerbalspacep #ksp #kerbalspaceprogram #kerbalspace #kerbal #spaceexploration #space #spacecraft #spaceflighthistory #spaceflight #nasa #rocketengineering #rocketry #ula #spacex #esa #jaxa #KSP #KSPloring #booster #concept #moon #rockets #rocket #nuclear
#otd in #spaceflighthistory, Apollo 10 launched from the Kennedy Space Center towards the moon in a full-up dress rehearsal for a lunar landing, coming within just eight miles of the lunar surface. Today’s artifact is a mission patch that originates from the personal collection of one of the crew members of Apollo 10; Lunar Module Pilot, Gene Cernan. This is just one of the many fine items I have @novaspaceart to thank for from over the last 25 years or so. They continue to deliver the smiles! Thank you - AGAIN - Sally, Kelsey, and team…and always, Kim. #spaceflight history #nasa #astronaut #astronauts #spacehipsters #projectapollo #apolloanniversary #spacegeek #collectspace #snoopy #snoopytheastronaut #mannedflightawareness #spaceflightawareness #silversnoopy #artemis #lunarmodule #grumman #apollo10 #tomstafford #johnyoung #genecernan #apollo17 #cavu #commandmodule #northamericanaviation #autograph #autographcollection @nasa @nasakennedy @nasajohnson @kennedyspacecenter @spacecenterhou @the_cosmosphere @cradleofaviation @dekeslaytonmuseum @spacemuseumbt @msichicago @airandspacemuseum @spaceandthingspodcast @museumofflight @twoolie
Prototype started its reentry at 30° of inclination! Some really great moments these! At first the spacecraft mantained the orientation and the stability. The lifting body reentry, anyways, was even too much efficient, creating a bigger lift than expected: the prototype was stable at 45km of altitude for more than 10 minutes! Great news then, but the electric power of the craft ended during the second half of the reentry, causing the prototype to tumble into the ocean uncontrollably. @kerbalspacep #ksp #kerbalspaceprogram #kerbalspace #kerbal #spaceexploration #space #spacecraft #spaceflighthistory #spaceflight #nasa #rocketengineering #rocketry #ula #spacex #esa #jaxa #KSP #KSPloring #booster #concept #moon #rockets #rocket #nuclear
Jim Lovell sharing a romantic moment with his wife. 🥰 Happy weekend, hope you‘re having a long one #Pentecost 🌸✨ (Don’t forget to kiss your sweetheart too 💋) 📸: @apolloprogram #apolloprogram #jimlovell #apollo8 #apollo13 #nasa #astronauts #astronaut #rocket #liftoff #moonmission #moon #car #liftoff #commandmodule #spaceflighthistory #space #spaceflight #billanders #frankborman #jackswigert #fredhaise #gemini7 #gemini12 #buzzaldrin #saturnv #missioncontrol #therightstuff #kiss #love #ushistory
I wish I was half as cool as these 2 guys. 😎😎 John Young and Michael Collins after the splashdown and recovery of Gemini 10 (July 1966). 📸: NASA #gemini10 #geminix #michaelcollins #johnyoung #apolloprogram #geminiprogram #projectgemini #gemini3 #apollo10 #apollo16 #apollo11 #astronauts #astronaut #spacesuit #space #spaceflight #spaceflighthistory #nasa #ushistory #moon #earthorbit #titan2 #rocket #liftoff #splashdown #lunarmodule #commandmodule
Prototype 9 is ready for its launch. This is the first time our engines were pushed to 100%! Even at those levels, the Vector engines proved fully reliable! After reaching space, we tested the cargo doors. Keep in touch to see the reentry test! @kerbalspacep #ksp #kerbalspaceprogram #kerbalspace #kerbal #spaceexploration #space #spacecraft #spaceflighthistory #spaceflight #nasa #rocketengineering #rocketry #ula #spacex #esa #jaxa #KSP #KSPloring #booster #concept #moon #rockets #rocket #nuclear
Bullseye!!!! #otd in #spaceflighthistory (May 16, 1963), the final flight of Project Mercury came to a close with “Gordo” Cooper at the controls of his Faith 7 spacecraft. I say “at the controls” because by the time this mission ended after 22 orbits, pretty much all of the automatic controls on board the spacecraft were no longer working and he had to perform his re-entry procedures manually; as he put it, “wristwatch on the arm for timing, eyeballs out the window for attitude control.” A “stick and rudder” man if there ever was one, he landed within range of photographers aboard the recovery ship, USS Kearsarge. “Who’s the best pilot you ever saw? You’re looking at him!” 😎 💯 📸 A vintage AP wirephoto from my collection showing the return of Faith 7 in the Pacific Ocean…parachute and landing bag fully deployed; 📸 One of my earliest autographs (from the early 1980’s judging from his inscription to “Jimmy”), this photo (which I cropped from an old book) shows Cooper on the deck of the Kearsarge just after they opened the spacecraft’s hatch. I remember sending this out in the mail, then waiting a good long while…to the point of almost forgetting it and assuming it wasn’t coming back. Then one day, it just magically appeared in the mailbox! 🤯🤯🤯 I still remember my sense of elation on that sunny summer day when it arrived. All these years later, it’s a sense of wonder for spaceflight that’s still with me. One that will remain with me until my last breath, I suspect; a passion more than a hobby. It’s kind of hard to NOT be impressed…after all, it’s some pretty heroic stuff! #spaceflighthistory #nasa #astronaut #astronauts #spacehipsters #projectapollo #projectmercury #spacegeek #collectspace #otd #faith7 #therightstuff #gordoncooper @nasa @nasakennedy @nasajohnson @kennedyspacecenter @spacecenterhou @the_cosmosphere @cradleofaviation @dekeslaytonmuseum @spacemuseumbt @msichicago @airandspacemuseum @spaceandthingspodcast @nasa_langley @rickcalanni
61 Years Ago Today (May 15, 1963), the final flight of Project Mercury was launched with Leroy G. “Gordo” Cooper at the controls of his Faith 7 spacecraft. I say “at the controls” because by the time the mission ended the following day after 22 orbits, pretty much all of the automatic controls on board the spacecraft were no longer working and he had to perform his re-entry manually. So skilled a pilot was he that he landed within range of photographers aboard the recovery ship! The first “long duration” American spaceflight in the books, Gordon Cooper was the last American to fly in space alone. Higher, farther, faster…he was, briefly, at “the top of the pyramid”! “Who’s the best pilot you ever saw? You’re looking at him!” 😎 📸 A collection of vintage Cooper/Faith 7 artifacts including a commemorative postal cover marking the successful recovery, a 1962 wire photo, and a 1962 Topps Astronaut trading card…and an autographed NASA litho (personalized to yours truly!😎); 📸 Just a little toast before I go. Cooper with Deke Slayton, Wally Schirra, and (I think) Dr. William Douglas sharing good cheer and good wishes prior to launch in this vintage AP wire photo. This photo also looks like it may have been taken at the Astronaut Beach House. Not 100% certain. Anyone know, or have any ideas? #spaceflighthistory #nasa #astronaut #astronauts #spacehipsters #projectapollo #projectmercury #spacegeek #collectspace #otd #faith7 #therightstuff #gordoncooper @nasa @nasakennedy @nasajohnson @kennedyspacecenter @spacecenterhou @the_cosmosphere @cradleofaviation @dekeslaytonmuseum @spacemuseumbt @msichicago @airandspacemuseum @spaceandthingspodcast @nasa_langley @rickcalanni
Prototype C is the first full-scale booster, with more engines and taller than ever! We tested the flight trajectory that it would make during launches: after a perfect ascent and the first part of reentry, the booster suffered from instability, and went fireworks. We will enlarge the lifting body, and add active aerobrakes for guidance! @kerbalspacep #ksp #kerbalspaceprogram #kerbalspace #kerbal #spaceexploration #space #spacecraft #spaceflighthistory #spaceflight #nasa #rocketengineering #rocketry #ula #spacex #esa #jaxa #KSP #KSPloring #booster #concept #moon #rockets #rocket #nuclear
General John B. Medaris was born 122 years ago this weekend (May 12, 1902). In 1955, he commanded the Army Ballistic Missile Agency (ABMA) in Huntsville, Alabama. It was that agency that oversaw Wernher von Braun’s German rocket team and the development of the Jupiter C rocket…the very rocket that would place America’s first satellite (Explorer I) into orbit in January 1958….after their arrival in America under the auspices of Operation Paper Clip and after their initial stay in White Sands, NM. Those years (1955 to 1958) were heady times that birthed the space age…and all were before NASA’s creation. He seems somewhat lost to history now, I suspect, because he actually lobbied against the creation of a centralized civilian space agency thinking it would be ineffective and inefficient. He might not have been too far off the mark on the latter point, but in light of the tremendous success of Projects Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo in the 1960s, it’s easy to see why he found himself on the wrong side of the effectiveness argument…and history. But in those early days, he was among a handful of key players in America’s fledgling space program. His leadership delivered America’s first success in space and as such, he deserves to be remembered with a rightful place in history. He was James Webb before James Webb! Pictured here is a signed copy of his book “Countdown For Decision” along with a vintage wire photo of General Medaris with von Braun in front of their creation…the Jupiter C. Special thanks to @signedspacebooks for the inspiration behind the hunt for this book and, ultimately, this post. #spaceflighthistory #nasa #astronaut #astronauts #spacehipsters #spaceprogram #satellite #spacegeek #collectspace #wernhervonbraun #exploreri #jpl #satellites #spaceage #spacerace #peacethroughprogress #1960s #vintagespace #autograph #signedbooks #igy1958 #internationalgeophysicalyear @nasa @nasakennedy @nasajohnson @kennedyspacecenter @spacecenterhou @the_cosmosphere @cradleofaviation @dekeslaytonmuseum @spacemuseumbt @msichicago @airandspacemuseum @spaceandthingspodcast @nasajpl
Friday fun! And a little bit more backup crew humor. Pictured here, a vintage auto-pen signed NASA lithograph of Gemini 7’s prime and backup crews along with a Gemini 7 crew patch and a modern era backup crew patch which played nicely on the torch featured in the prime crew’s mission patch. Another point of interest, the lithograph features the autopen signatures of all four astronauts. More often than not, these lithos are found without Ed White’s signature…suggesting that they might have been prepared after he died tragically in the fire that killed him and his Apollo 1 crew mates on January 27, 1967. #spaceflighthistory #nasa #astronaut #astronauts #spacehipsters #projectapollo #apolloanniversary #spacegeek #collectspace #mannedflightawareness #spaceflightawareness #projectgemini #spaceart #gemini7 #gemini4 #gemini10 #autographcollection #autopen @nasa @nasakennedy @nasajohnson @kennedyspacecenter @spacecenterhou @the_cosmosphere @cradleofaviation @dekeslaytonmuseum @spacemuseumbt @msichicago @airandspacemuseum @spaceandthingspodcast @kscartist @nasapatches
Last test before an orbital-like reentry attempt! This time, we had a fake payload, to test stability even with different centers of mass. Again, a flawless launch stating that we probably are not far from a definitive project! @kerbalspacep #ksp #kerbalspaceprogram #kerbalspace #kerbal #spaceexploration #space #spacecraft #spaceflighthistory #spaceflight #nasa #rocketengineering #rocketry #ula #spacex #esa #jaxa #KSP #KSPloring #booster #concept #moon #rockets #rocket #nuclear
Happy Birthday to astronaut Don Thomas! A four-time space flyer, and a guy who continues to inspire the next generation; whether through public engagements, his work at Towson University, and/or his efforts with the @higherorbits Foundation. My fondest memory in meeting him at SpaceFest VII…while chatting with him about the fragility of Space Shuttle tile, he noticed my awkwardness as I tried to ignore my vibrating cellphone. Turns out, my then 10 year old son called at “just the right time.” In one of the greatest moments of grace, he took the phone from me and spoke to my son for a couple of minutes, before we hung up and returned to our conversation. To this day, it remains one of my fondest memories with ANY astronaut, and a moment for which I am eternally grateful. Don Thomas…truly one of the good guys! Happy Birthday! Here’s to many more orbits around the sun! #spaceflighthistory #nasa #astronaut #astronauts #spacehipsters #spaceshuttleprogram #spaceshuttlecolumbia #spacegeek #collectspace #autographcollection #iss #spaceshuttlediscovery @nasa @nasakennedy @nasajohnson @kennedyspacecenter @spacecenterhou @the_cosmosphere @cradleofaviation @dekeslaytonmuseum @spacemuseumbt @msichicago @airandspacemuseum @spaceandthingspodcast @higherorbits @spacechelle @drdonthomas
Today we tested reentry stability on the booster prototype B! It powered itself right above the Kerman line, into space. After that, the reentry was really good, even flying slightly thanks to the enlarged body and the updated RCS system. The booster splashed down, but now we can test a full speed, full scale, reentry test! @kerbalspacep #ksp #kerbalspaceprogram #kerbalspace #kerbal #spaceexploration #space #spacecraft #spaceflighthistory #spaceflight #nasa #rocketengineering #rocketry #ula #spacex #esa #jaxa #KSP #KSPloring #booster #concept #moon #rockets #rocket #nuclear
United Launch Alliance is scheduled to launch Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft on May 6, 2024, at 10:34 p.m. EDT. This launch will take place from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. This mission, known as the Crew Flight Test (CFT), is significant as it marks ULA’s first human launch. It’s a pivotal test for Boeing’s Starliner system to demonstrate its full capabilities in transporting crews to and from the International Space Station (ISS) as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. The Starliner spacecraft will be launched aboard an Atlas V rocket, which has been specially configured for this mission. This includes a dual-engine Centaur upper stage and an Emergency Detection System for enhanced crew safety. Historically, the Atlas rockets were also used for the first orbital spaceflights of American astronauts during Project Mercury in the 1960s, linking this launch to a rich legacy of space exploration. This flight is essential for certifying the Starliner for regular crewed missions to the ISS, aiming to provide safe, reliable, and cost-effective transportation for astronauts. This continues NASA’s strategy of partnering with American aerospace industry to launch astronauts on American rockets from U.S. soil. @theresacross_ @space_explored #UnitedLaunchAlliance #BoeingStarliner #CST100 #StarlinerLaunch #AtlasV #CrewFlightTest #CommercialCrewProgram #NASACrewedMissions #SpaceLaunchComplex41 #CapeCanaveral #HumanSpaceflight #SpaceExploration #ProjectMercury #ISS #InternationalSpaceStation #AmericanAerospace #LaunchAmerica #SpaceMission2024 #May6Launch #StarlinerCFT #ULALaunch #BoeingCFT #AstronautSafety #AtlasVRocket #EmergencyDetectionSystem #AmericanRockets #SpaceLegacy #HistoricLaunch #SpaceflightHistory #CrewedSpaceflight
National Astronaut Day! Commemorating the 63rd Anniversary of America’s first man in space; Astronaut Alan B. Shepard, Jr. who flew Project Mercury’s Freedom 7 spacecraft atop a Redstone rocket on a 15 minute suborbital spaceflight. It seems pretty elementary today, but in 1961 it was 15 minutes of pure unknowns and 100% heroic…doing it in full view of the world on live television. In the photo above, a vintage AP wirephoto of the launch, a commemorative mission patch, a Topps trading card from 1962 depicting Alan Shepard, and a vintage arcade card featuring Shepard’s official Project Mercury portrait with pre-printed signature…All relics of that historic day in May 1961. #spaceflighthistory #nasa #astronaut #astronauts #spacehipsters #projectmercury #spacegeek #collectspace #otd #projectgemini #projectapollo #apolloprogram #apollosoyuz #skylab #spaceshuttleprogram #iss #alanshepard #freedom7 #nationalastronautday #topps @nasa @nasakennedy @nasajohnson @kennedyspacecenter @spacecenterhou @the_cosmosphere @cradleofaviation @dekeslaytonmuseum @spacemuseumbt @msichicago @airandspacemuseum @spaceandthingspodcast @higherorbits
Starin’ at the weekend…and the new frontier! National Astronaut Day and the 63rd Anniversary of Alan Shepard’s flight aboard Freedom 7 on Sunday…followed by (hopefully) the launch of the first crewed Boeing Starliner on Monday! Enjoy your Friday and the weekend, folks!!! 📸 Vintage Newsweek Magazine signed by Scott Carpenter. One of the favorites from my collection…I just love that kind of mid-century space age art! Carpenter, as depicted here, is the king of cool…all swagger. He seems to be looking confidently and optimistically (almost laughingly so) towards the new frontier. Bring it on! #spaceflighthistory #nasa #astronaut #astronauts #spacehipsters #projectmercury #spacegeek #collectspace #otd #projectgemini #projectapollo #apolloprogram #apollosoyuz #skylab #spaceshuttleprogram #iss #alanshepard #scottcarpenter #freedom7 #aurora7 #nationalastronautday #spaceart #boeingstarliner #starliner @nasa @nasakennedy @nasajohnson @kennedyspacecenter @spacecenterhou @the_cosmosphere @cradleofaviation @dekeslaytonmuseum @spacemuseumbt @msichicago @airandspacemuseum @pixelplanetpics @chris.calle.art @spaceandthingspodcast @frequentlyonthemoon
Testing prototype 7, and again a great performance despite the higher horizontal speed. This propotype had the engines installed closer to each other, to increase control during the ascent. One more test, a loaded one, before going for the outer space! @kerbalspacep #ksp #kerbalspaceprogram #kerbalspace #kerbal #spaceexploration #space #spacecraft #spaceflighthistory #spaceflight #nasa #rocketengineering #rocketry #ula #spacex #esa #jaxa #KSP #KSPloring #booster #concept #moon #rockets #rocket #nuclear
October 1968: An almost forgotten Apollo mission: Apollo 7 - the first Apollo crew that left Earth 🌎🌌✨ And probably the first mutiny of astronauts in space 🏴☠️ 🔹Donn Eisele (1930-1987) 🔹Wally Schirra (1923-2007) 🔹Walt Cunningham (1932-2023) 📸: Flickr, San Diego Air and Space Museum Archive #apollo7 #wallyschirra #donneisele #waltcunningham #astronaut #astronauts #nasa #ushistory #spaceflight #spaceflighthistory #rocket #saturn1b #saturnv #missioncontrol #moon #earth #earthorbit #apolloprogram #commandmodule #lunarmodule #universe #spacesuit #liftoff #spaceship #mercury7 #mercuryprogram #therightstuff
The cameras are great but I'd like to do some other projects from the past . Switch it up a bit. These are full size space shuttle RCH and THC controllers. This particular THC control is from the cockpit not the Canada arm. So stay tuned for this to come and if anyone might be interested please let me know....😊 #nasa #spaceshuttle #cockpit #3d #3dprinting #modelmaking #scalemodel #flight #spaceshuttlediscovery #shuttlecockpit. #3dprinted #spaceflight #spaceflight #spaceflighthistory #apolloprogram #apollo11 #neilarmstrong #mercuryprogram #projectmercury #art #geminiprogram #ushistory #arthistory #nasa #nasahistory #spacesuit #moonlanding #commandmodule #saturnv #missioncontrol #astronaut #astronauts
How should this space vehicle be called? We are accepting proposals! @kerbalspacep #ksp #kerbalspaceprogram #kerbalspace #kerbal #spaceexploration #space #spacecraft #spaceflighthistory #spaceflight #nasa #rocketengineering #rocketry #ula #spacex #esa #jaxa #KSP #KSPloring #booster #concept #moon #rockets #rocket #nuclear
Moving on! Here we have a prototype of a booster: as we were pretty successful with the Entropia booster, which used to have a great lifting surface, we are developing our new one using the same philosophy. Two little and long bumps will create aerodynamic stability during ascent and lift during reentry. Today we are just testing the lift-off sequence, with no recovery intended. @kerbalspacep #ksp #kerbalspaceprogram #kerbalspace #kerbal #spaceexploration #space #spacecraft #spaceflighthistory #spaceflight #nasa #rocketengineering #rocketry #ula #spacex #esa #jaxa #KSP #KSPloring #booster #concept #moon #rockets #rocket #nuclear
A peek inside a Gemini spacecraft. Some amazing Spaceflight history. #nasa #geminiprogram #spaceflighthistory #spaceflight #spaceships #kennedyspacecenter
Sunday Funday… I attached my modern day replica of the Apollo 14 Back Up Crew patch to a copied and “modified” version of the certificate originally presented to the Director of Flight Crew Operations, Deke Slayton. The “1st Team” Joe Engle autograph on the photo, however, is authentic! 😎 Thanks to the awesome folks at @novaspaceart A little on the patch’s backstory from Gene Cernan’s “The Last Man On The Moon”: “Every flight has a personalized crew patch, and Apollo 14 was no different, except for one thing — we were the first and only backup crew to have a mission patch, too! This loony idea was a ‘gotcha’ on Al, for it depicted a gray-bearded Wile. E. ‘Three Rookies’ Coyote coming up from Earth only to find a ‘First Team’ Roadrunner already standing on the Moon, chirping his famous ‘Beep-beep!’ All the way to the Moon and back, even on the lunar surface, whenever the crew opened a box, bag or locker, out would float a First Team mission patch. Ron, Joe and I, as the backup crew, had final access to the spacecraft, and while we set the switches and checked the gauges, we also stuffed our Roadrunner patches into every nook and cranny, setting up a future mini-blizzard of “gotchas” for the Three Rookies. Perhaps the most repeated phrase on the private radio loop during the flight of Apollo 14 was Shepard’s annoyance when still another patch would suddenly appear. “Tell Cernan,” he growled, “Beep-beep, his ass.” “ #spaceflighthistory #nasa #astronaut #astronauts #spacehipsters #projectapollo #apolloanniversary #spacegeek #collectspace #snoopytheastronaut #mannedflightawareness #spaceflightawareness #spaceart #apollo14 #alanshepard #golfonthemoon #beepbeep #roadrunner #wileycoyote #spacepatch @nasa @nasakennedy @nasajohnson @kennedyspacecenter @spacecenterhou @the_cosmosphere @cradleofaviation @dekeslaytonmuseum @spacemuseumbt @msichicago @airandspacemuseum @spaceandthingspodcast
The Dream Team…in a fascinating photo! UPI Telephoto - March 20, 1963. “Three astronauts examined the inside of a mockup of the command module for the Apollo space project at Downey Calif. From left they are W. (sic) Scott Carpenter, John Glenn, and Walter Schirra. In the Apollo project, three astronauts are expected to orbit the moon. Two of them then will attempt to land on the moon in a second vehicle launched from the module. They then will return to the module, which is scheduled to bring all three astronauts back to earth.” Of the three astronauts pictured, only Wally Schirra would fly in Apollo. By the time of this photo, Scott Carpenter’s astronaut career was effectively over and he was turning his attention to undersea adventure in the US Navy’s SeaLab Program. John Glenn was heading towards a 3 decade-long political career before flying in space one more time aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery in 1998 at the age of 77 (**as of 2024, still the oldest human to orbit the Earth). What “fantasy crew” would you have liked to see fly in Apollo??? #spaceflighthistory #nasa #astronaut #astronauts #spacehipsters #projectmercury #spacegeek #collectspace #otd #projectgemini #projectapollo #apolloprogram #apollosoyuz #skylab #spaceshuttleprogram #iss #johnglenn #wallyshirra #scottcarpenter #friendship7 #aurora7 #sigma7 #commandmodule #northamericanaviation @nasa @nasakennedy @nasajohnson @kennedyspacecenter @spacecenterhou @the_cosmosphere @cradleofaviation @dekeslaytonmuseum @spacemuseumbt @msichicago @airandspacemuseum @spaceandthingspodcast @frequentlyonthemoon
We gave prototype 6 some E.A.R.S. (Electronic Air Resistance Stabilizers)! And they worked! These ears created the right amount of air resistance to counteract the rotation of the vehicle! They aren't electronic yet, but we figured we will have different needs for resistance launch by launch. The prototype splashed down and the cargo bay managed to survive: how sturdy that is! @kerbalspacep #ksp #kerbalspaceprogram #kerbalspace #kerbal #spaceexploration #space #spacecraft #spaceflighthistory #spaceflight #nasa #rocketengineering #rocketry #ula #spacex #esa #jaxa #KSP #KSPloring #booster #concept #moon #rockets #rocket #nuclear
Second reentry test, this time with more horizontal speed. Again, the major flaw was stability as the prototype forced itself into bottom reentry instead of a belly one. Updates incoming on the next test. @kerbalspacep #ksp #kerbalspaceprogram #kerbalspace #kerbal #spaceexploration #space #spacecraft #spaceflighthistory #spaceflight #nasa #rocketengineering #rocketry #ula #spacex #esa #jaxa #KSP #KSPloring #booster #concept #moon #rockets #rocket #nuclear
Peace Through Understanding. Today marks the 60th Anniversary of the opening of the 1964-65 NY World’s Fair in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens NY. With much of the planning and preparation coming out of the late 1950’s and early 1960’s, the optimistic vibe was somewhat out-of-step from day one coming on the heels of President Kennedy’s assassination and as the nation stood on the doorstep of a tumultuous decade that included the war in Vietnam, civil unrest, and unprecedented social change. But it also prominently featured the wonders that would come in the 1960s from a then nascent space age and a national space program. Among the 140 pavilions featuring exhibits by 80 nations, 24 US States, and 45 corporations was the Space Park…represented by many of the artifacts presented here. Zoom in on the first photo…there’s a lot going on there amongst the vintage memorabilia. But a couple of the highlights include: ⭐️ Photo 2…a souvenir card postmarked on opening day that features an interesting photo of Neil Armstrong (before he even flew in Gemini) signing autographs and handing out photos to young space fans. Making this artifact REALLY interesting…it once belonged to Neil Armstrong, himself! ⭐️ Photo 3…a vintage 4x5 NASA photo of Neil Armstrong with a printed signature of the type he’s seen handing out in the card above. The remainder of the photos show the Space Park in its heyday (one even featuring Astronaut Gordon Cooper), and what some of those artifacts look like today where a few still proudly stand outside of the NY Hall of Science on what was a part of the old fairgrounds. #spaceflighthistory #nasa #astronaut #astronauts #spacehipsters #projectapollo #projectmercury #projectgemini #apolloanniversary #spacegeek #collectspace #apollo11 #commandmodule #lunarmodule #neilarmstrong #1964worldsfair #worldsfair #philately #otd @nasa @nasakennedy @nasajohnson @kennedyspacecenter @spacecenterhou @the_cosmosphere @cradleofaviation @dekeslaytonmuseum @spacemuseumbt @msichicago @airandspacemuseum @spaceandthingspodcast @nysc
The one behind the historical NASA posts. Thank you for all the positive feedback on my account. 🩷🩵 I appreciate all the support, and I hope I can inspire you with some retro vibes here. ✨ #nasa #astronaut #astronauts #space #spaceflight #spaceflighthistory #apolloprogram #projectgemini #geminiprogram #projectmercury #mercuryprogram #ushistory #moon #moonlanding #moonmission #universe #missioncontrol #liftoff #rocket #saturnv #spacesuit #apollo11 #history #1960s #1970s
#otd in #spaceflighthistory (April 20, 1972), Apollo 16’s Lunar Module - callsign, Orion - touched down on the lunar surface at the Descarte Highlands. Accompanied by mission Commander John Young, Charlie Duke would become the 10th human to walk on the moon. Presented here are a couple of signed photos in my collection from General Duke, and a little collage from some of our encounters over the years. A gentleman’s gentleman…if you ever have the chance to meet (or be in the same room with) him and his wife Dotty, embrace it. Their story of his journey to the moon and THEIR journey of faith is something to behold and unlike anything you’ll hear anywhere. Married for more than 60 years, they truly are an amazing and beautiful couple. The first photo is a personal favorite…signed inscribed with the same words he wrote on the back of the family portrait that he left on the lunar surface. This photo, for me, puts the “human” in human spaceflight. #spaceflighthistory #nasa #astronaut #astronauts #spacehipsters #projectapollo #apolloanniversary #spacegeek #collectspace #apollo16 #mannedflightawareness #spaceflightawareness #commandmodule #grumman #northamericanaviation #lunarmodule #moonlanding #walkwithchrist @nasa @nasakennedy @nasajohnson @kennedyspacecenter @spacecenterhou @the_cosmosphere @cradleofaviation @dekeslaytonmuseum @spacemuseumbt @msichicago @airandspacemuseum @spaceandthingspodcast @cmduke16
Prototype 4 lifted off and slowly reached 25 km of altitude. At that point, it flipped over facing the sea belly down, but after the first part of stable descent, the vehicle rotated engines down, and couldn't be controlled again. It finally splashed down. Probably the weight of the residual fuel and engines was too much. @kerbalspacep #ksp #kerbalspaceprogram #kerbalspace #kerbal #spaceexploration #space #spacecraft #spaceflighthistory #spaceflight #nasa #rocketengineering #rocketry #ula #spacex #esa #jaxa #KSP #KSPloring #booster #concept #moon #rockets #rocket #nuclear
Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire 🔥🚀🌌🌙 December 21, 1968: Astronaut Bill Anders on the way to the start of the first Moon mission with Apollo 8. 📸: NASA #apollo8 #billanders #williamanders #jimlovell #jameslovell #frankborman #moon #moonmission #nasa #apolloprogram #apollo #rocket #liftoff #saturnv #saturn5 #universe #launch #missioncontrol #ushistory #space #spaceflight #spaceflighthistory #astronaut #astronauts #spacesuit #commandmodule #epic #1968
From prototype 4 onwards there will be a series of vehicles that will be sacrificed to understand how to handle the reentry. These tests will be a series of hops at 25 km height with a more and more orbital-ish trajectory. We will start tomorrow with Prototype 4. @kerbalspacep #ksp #kerbalspaceprogram #kerbalspace #kerbal #spaceexploration #space #spacecraft #spaceflighthistory #spaceflight #nasa #rocketengineering #rocketry #ula #spacex #esa #jaxa #KSP #KSPloring #booster #concept #moon #rockets #rocket #nuclear
“THERE THEY ARE! They’ve made it! All three chutes out! “- James Burke, BBC With that burst of exuberance #otd in spaceflight history (April 17, 1970), the crew of Apollo 13 returned safely to the Earth and brought to a close one of the greatest human dramas of grit, determination, and ingenuity the world has ever seen. And, thus, the lighting of cigars in Mission Control began… Pictured here, some signed photos from the heroes of that day: 📷 Flight Directors Gerry Griffin, Gene Kranz, and Glynn Lunney; 📷 Mission Commander, James Lovell and his crew aboard the US Navy Recovery Ship USS Iwo Jima. 📷 Me with the surviving crew members (Fred Haise and Jim Lovell) and the aforementioned team of Flight Directors at the 45th Anniversary commemoration event hosted by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation in 2015. The privilege of a lifetime. #spaceflighthistory #nasa #astronaut #astronauts #spacehipsters #projectapollo #apolloanniversary #spacegeek #collectspace #apollo13 #jimlovell #fredhaise #autographcollection #houstonwehaveaproblem #leadershipinaction #inspirational #humanspirit #problemsolving #failureisnotanoption #lunarmodule #commandmodule #grumman @nasa @nasakennedy @nasajohnson @kennedyspacecenter @spacecenterhou @the_cosmosphere @cradleofaviation @dekeslaytonmuseum @spacemuseumbt @msichicago @airandspacemuseum @spaceandthingspodcast @astroscholarfdn
Today (April 17, 2024) marks the 60th anniversary of aviator Jerrie Mock returning to Columbus Ohio (in her aptly named Cessna 180, the “Spirit of Columbus”) having become the first female pilot to fly solo around the world. She departed Columbus 29 days earlier and in returning after circumnavigating the globe, she alone succeeded in what Amelia Earhart (and navigator Fred Noonan) attempted to accomplish 27 years earlier in their twin-engine Lockheed 10E Electra before they disappeared forever over the Pacific Ocean. While Jerrie Mock’s accomplishment was widely covered in 1964, detailed in her book “Three-Eight Charlie” (seen here), and she was even awarded the FAA Gold Medal by President Johnson, sixty years on her notoriety (unjustly) still pales in comparison to that of Amelia Earhart’s; likely due the unsolved mystery that continues to surround Earhart’s disappearance 87 years later, and that - by 1964 - the world’s attention was more focused on exploits in outer space than they were on new aviation records. Still, on this…the 60th Anniversary of the completion of her historic journey…we give Jerrie Mock her props (no pun intended). We honor her legacy. And we keep her memory alive! Today, the Spirit of Columbus resides at the Smithsonian’s National Air Space Museum’s (downtown location). On a recent visit, I snapped the picture you see in the second image. #spaceflighthistory #nasa #spacehipsters #astronaut #spacetravel #spacerace #spaceflight #stem #steam #ninetynines #naa #aviationhistory #womenpilot #aviationlovers #planecrazy #girlswhofly @nasa @nasakennedy @nasajohnson @kennedyspacecenter @spacecenterhou @the_cosmosphere @cradleofaviation @dekeslaytonmuseum @spacemuseumbt @msichicago @airandspacemuseum @spaceandthingspodcast @astro_nicole @theninetyninesinc @theplanekate @mace_curran @realmalachowski @neutronwafflewaffles @astroathens @amyshirateitel
While last week’s final launch of the Delta IV Heavy brought the end of an era, the year kicked off with the dawn of a new era with the inaugural launch of ULA’s Vulcan Centaur rocket. Next up, we’ll be launching crew to the ISS aboard Boeing’s Starliner capsule atop our Atlas V rocket. This will mark the first launch of crew atop an Atlas class rocket in 61 years. Guess you can say ULA is working on its “Era’s Tour” this year! 🚀 Here’s my one and only liftoff shot of Vulcan. Not my best work but it’s the only frame my cameras managed to capture as Vulcan wreaked havoc on the cameras I setup on the pad lol! 😂 . . . #ULA #ULALaunch #unitedlaunchalliance #vulcan #vulcancentaur #Astrobotic #Peregrine #moonshot #Celestis #rocketlaunch #rocketscience #rockets #spacecoast #spacecoastliving #spacecoastfl #dawnofanewera #era #erastour #spaceflight #spaceflighthistory #spacelaunch #space #spaceart #STEM
52 years ago #otd in spaceflight history (April 16, 1972), Apollo 16 launched for the Moon’s Descartes Highlands crewed by Commander John Young, Command Module Pilot Ken Mattingly, and Lunar Module Pilot Charlie Duke. Lunar Module callsign: Orion. Command Module callsign: Casper. Presented here, a vintage Manned Flight Awareness (MFA) poster from my collection that features the Command Module in lunar orbit along with its namesake…everybody’s favorite friendly ghost. #spaceflighthistory #nasa #astronaut #astronauts #spacehipsters #projectapollo #apolloanniversary #spacegeek #collectspace #apollo16 #mannedflightawareness #spaceflightawareness #commandmodule #grumman #northamericanaviation #lunarmodule #moonlanding #casperthefriendlyghost @nasa @nasakennedy @nasajohnson @kennedyspacecenter @spacecenterhou @the_cosmosphere @cradleofaviation @dekeslaytonmuseum @spacemuseumbt @msichicago @airandspacemuseum @spaceandthingspodcast
Today's test is Prototype 3 hop and landing practice. At this point, we are experts. The cylinder was propelled up to 5 km by six engines and landed softly on 3. The only flaw was a little instability at the top of the parabola. @kerbalspacep #ksp #kerbalspaceprogram #kerbalspace #kerbal #spaceexploration #space #spacecraft #spaceflighthistory #spaceflight #nasa #rocketengineering #rocketry #ula #spacex #esa #jaxa #KSP #KSPloring #booster #concept #moon #rockets #rocket #nuclear
#otd in #spaceflighthistory (April 14, 1981), the Space Shuttle Columbia safely returned to Earth for the very first time landing at Edwards Air Force Base in California after her maiden voyage. It was a day I remember vividly as a fifth-grader. It was a heady time. In December of ‘80, John Lennon was murdered. In March of ‘81, President Reagan was shot and wounded. By May, another assassination attempt…this time on the life of Pope John Paul II. In that regard, it wasn’t all that unlike the tumultuous 1960’s. Yet the ‘60s…despite all the assassinations and the Vietnam war still had Apollo and the moon landings. And for us kids of these “new” 1980s, the Space Shuttle would be “our” space program; and those early flights were a HUGE deal. Thus, April 14th and the landing of STS-1 would become one of those days where classes were stopped, the TV cart was wheeled into the classroom, and the students and teachers all waited with bated breath. We cheered. We were relieved. We were AWED. And it felt really good to be American; proud. There was hope in tomorrow. That’s how I remember it. To paraphrase Walter Cronkite: “that’s the way it was.” 📷 Apollo veteran John Young in the Commander’s seat on Columbia’s flight deck…out of the ‘60s and taking us into the ‘80s and the future. The G.O.A.T. 🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐 📷 Touchdown! 📷Welcome home, Columbia! An incredible flying machine. #spaceflighthistory #nasa #astronaut #astronauts #spacehipsters #spaceshuttleprogram #spaceshuttlecolumbia #spacegeek #collectspace #johnyoung #autographcollection #sts1 #iss #projectapollo #projectgemini @nasa @nasakennedy @nasajohnson @kennedyspacecenter @spacecenterhou @the_cosmosphere @cradleofaviation @dekeslaytonmuseum @spacemuseumbt @msichicago @airandspacemuseum @spaceandthingspodcast @frequentlyonthemoon
The end of an era. The final launch of the Detla IV Heavy brings a close to the Delta rocket family which has been in service for 63 years. 🚀🚀🚀 . . . #DeltaIVHeavy #DeltaIV #NROL70 #ULA #unitedlaunchalliance #endofanera #rocket #rocketlaunch #space #spaceart #spaceexploration #STEM #rocketscience #liftoff #blastoff #spacephotography #spacelaunch #rockets #spaceflight #spaceflighthistory #history
“Houston, We Have A Problem.” With these words, one of the greatest dramas of determination, perseverance, ingenuity, and human survival in history would unfold over four days in April of 1970. #otd in #spaceflighthistory (April 13, 1970) an oxygen tank in the service module (SM) of the Apollo 13 spacecraft exploded and disabled its electrical and life-support systems. The lunar landing was, of course, called off…and all attention turned to getting the crew safely back to Earth. For every single second remaining of Apollo 13 over the next four days, not a single thing was guaranteed. The efforts in getting the crew back alive are today often referred to as NASA’s finest hour. 📷 An autographed photo of Jim Lovell from my collection that includes the infamous words; 📷 A photo taken by the crew in the final day of the mission just after the Service Module and Command Module separated that shows the damage inflicted by the explosion of the oxygen tank. #spaceflighthistory #nasa #astronaut #astronauts #spacehipsters #projectapollo #apolloanniversary #spacegeek #collectspace #apollo13 #jimlovell #fredhaise #autographcollection #houstonwehaveaproblem #leadershipinaction #inspirational #humanspirit #problemsolving #failureisnotanoption #lunarmodule #commandmodule #grumman @nasa @nasakennedy @nasajohnson @kennedyspacecenter @spacecenterhou @the_cosmosphere @cradleofaviation @dekeslaytonmuseum @spacemuseumbt @msichicago @airandspacemuseum @spaceandthingspodcast
🪐It’s Human Space Flight Day!! 🛰️ Did you know that 12 April is declared as the International Day of Human Space Flight? Today we celebrate at the international level the beginning of the space era for mankind! We even caught a glimpse of the solar eclipse online earlier this week! Did you? If you’re looking for more out of this world inspiration, come check out our Space Flight display and explore our space travel section on aisle 22! #spacetravel #spacetraveler #space #flight #spaceflight #spaceflighteveryday #nasaspaceflight #spaceflighthistory #spacetravel #spacetraveler #spacetransformation #astronauts #astronaut #nasa
Today, we thank those explorers who have contributed so much to space exploration, whether it’s the first person on the moon or the development of reusable rockets for future space missions. Happy International Day of Human Space Flight. #DesignDominos #humanspaceflight #spaceflight #spaceflighthistory #internationaldayofhumanspaceflight #HumanSpaceFlight #NASA #spacexploration #SpaceX #SpaceXFalcon
#otd in spaceflight history (April 12, 1981), 20 years to the day after Yuri Gagarin’s first single orbit of the Earth, the most advanced and audacious flying machine EVER conceived - the Space Shuttle - made her maiden voyage as Columbia lifted off on STS-1 Commanded by Gemini and Apollo veteran John Young and Piloted by Bob Crippen. To this day, 43 years later, it’s a Sunday morning that I can recall in vivid detail; who was in the living room with me, the tension of anticipation, my older brother John remarking in amazement at the vehicle’s speed as the indicator displayed on the television screen rapidly incremented the velocity…all that, and the smell of mom cooking up a Sunday morning breakfast which was always a big deal in our house when I was growing up. 📷 📷 An artifact (and recent addition to my collection) - a actual piece of flown STS-1 Columbia thermal tile (a HUGE innovation in its day that was largely responsible for making the Shuttle the first re-usable spacecraft) presented in lucite as an award from the program leadership team and given to many of those who helped to make the whole thing possible (in this case, a gentleman named James C. Stokes, Jr.). Anyone know him, or the story of his contribution? If so, I’d love to learn more. 📷The crew on the flight deck in their pressure suits. 📷 Lift off! And a new age in space travel. “A flying Taj Mahal! #spaceflighthistory #nasa #astronaut #astronauts #spacehipsters #spaceshuttleprogram # #spaceshuttlecolumbia #spacegeek #collectspace #autographcollection #sts1 #iss #projectapollo #projectgemini @nasa @nasakennedy @nasajohnson @kennedyspacecenter @spacecenterhou @the_cosmosphere @cradleofaviation @dekeslaytonmuseum @spacemuseumbt @msichicago @airandspacemuseum @spaceandthingspodcast
#otd is spaceflight history(April 12,1961), Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human to leave the cradle of Earth and enter space making a single orbit of our planet. And just like that, humankind’s understanding of their home and their place in the cosmos was forever changed. As for Yuri Gagarin, a 27 year old Major in the Soviet Air Force, his life will never be the same; instantly hurdled to icon status. Pictured here…some of that iconography; particularly that depicted in the artifact seen in images 3 and 4. It’s a vintage Soviet-era “QSL card” commemorating the 10th Anniversary of Gagarin’s flight aboard Vostok 1. In the world of amateur radio, QSL cards are shared between radio operators to confirm communications between distant stations. A typical QSL card is about the same size and made from the same material as a typical postcard, and most are sent through the mail as such. This one is an unused card from 1971. #spaceflighthistory #nasa #astronaut #astronauts #spacehipsters #yurigagarin #yurisnight #cosmonaut #spacegeek #collectspace #vostok1 #projectmercury #projectapollo #apolloprogram @nasa @nasakennedy @nasajohnson @kennedyspacecenter @spacecenterhou @the_cosmosphere @cradleofaviation @dekeslaytonmuseum @spacemuseumbt @msichicago @airandspacemuseum @spaceandthingspodcast
54 years ago #otd in spaceflight history (April 11, 1970), Apollo 13 was launched (at 13:13 CDT) on a mission that WOULDN’T land on the moon, but would earn its own very distinct page in the history books as one of the most audacious displays of human stamina, ingenuity, and capability ever witnessed. What launched on this day…quite literally, was a ticking bomb. Pictured here, a vintage autopen signed crew photo taken only days earlier (note the business suit attire as opposed to spacesuits) after backup Command Module Pilot Jack Swigert replaced Ken Mattingly just days before launch for fears over his exposure to the German Measles care of Apollo 16 astronaut, Charlie Duke. #spaceflighthistory #nasa #astronaut #astronauts #spacehipsters #projectapollo #apolloanniversary #spacegeek #collectspace #apollo13 #jimlovell #fredhaise #autographcollection #houstonwehaveaproblem #leadershipinaction #inspirational #humanspirit #problemsolving #failureisnotanoption @nasa @nasakennedy @nasajohnson @kennedyspacecenter @spacecenterhou @the_cosmosphere @cradleofaviation @dekeslaytonmuseum @spacemuseumbt @msichicago @airandspacemuseum @spaceandthingspodcast @nealcatov
Awesome day for a Delta Launch. And even better since it was scheduled during our Lighthouse & Spaceflight tour. We watched the final Delta launch under the shadow of the last Delta on display at the Space Force Missile Museum! #canaveraltours #capecanaveral #space #spacecoast #ula #spacecoastfl #spaceflighthistory #spaceforcemissilemuseum #deltaheavy
65 years ago, #otd in #spaceflighthistory (April 9, 1959), the Original Seven Mercury Astronauts were introduced to the world at a press conference in Washington, DC. Pioneers indeed, members of Group 1 would fly in spacecraft of every American program of the 20th century from 1961 to 1998. Project Mercury: Al Shepard, Gus Grissom, John Glenn, Scott Carpenter, Wally Schirra, and Gordon Cooper. Project Gemini: Gus Grissom, Gordon Cooper, and Wally Schirra. Project Apollo: Gus Grissom, Wally Schirra, Alan Shepard, and Deke Slayton. Space Shuttle: John Glenn. Their fingerprints are on everything we do in space today, including international operations aboard the space station and commercial spaceflight operations. They had a hand in it all from the Earth to the Moon, and everything in between. Seven Americans. Heroes, all. Their spirit flies on…the Right Stuff personified. Ad Astra! ✈️🚀🌎🌔✨🇺🇸 Photo Credits: NASA and LIFE Magazine #spaceflighthistory #nasa #astronaut #astronauts #spacehipsters #projectmercury #spacegeek #collectspace #otd #projectgemini #projectapollo #apolloprogram #apollosoyuz #skylab #spaceshuttleprogram #iss #dekeslayton #commercialspaceflight #spacexlaunch @nasa @nasakennedy @nasajohnson @kennedyspacecenter @spacecenterhou @the_cosmosphere @cradleofaviation @dekeslaytonmuseum @spacemuseumbt @msichicago @airandspacemuseum @spaceandthingspodcast @frequentlyonthemoon
John Young after the Gemini 10 splashdown in the Atlantic Ocean. July 21, 1966 📷: US Navy via vintageaviationnews #johnyoung #johnwattsyoung #astronauts #astronaut #apolloprogram #projectgemini #gemini3 #apollo10 #apollo16 #sts1 #spacesuit #spaceflighthistory #spaceflight #nasa #ushistory #rocket #saturnv #liftoff #missioncontrol #moonlanding #moon #moonmission #lunarmodule #commandmodule #universe
We are not slowing down! We still have a lot to do, and today we tested the power and functionality of the Vector engines and the aerodynamics of our cargo bay nose. This is simple science on the opposite of recovery, but still! Nice work of the propulsion and areo teams, the second stage prototype flew in a sub-orbital trajectory at 50 km. Keep in touch with us, and you'll see a flamy reentry! @kerbalspacep #ksp #kerbalspaceprogram #kerbalspace #kerbal #spaceexploration #space #spacecraft #spaceflighthistory #spaceflight #nasa #rocketengineering #rocketry #ula #spacex #esa #jaxa #KSP #KSPloring #booster #concept #moon #rockets #rocket #nuclear
Today we remember Astronaut Judy Resnik on what would have been her 75th Birthday. A Doctor in electrical engineering, a biomedical engineer, a pilot, an astronaut, America’s 2nd woman in space, the first Jewish woman in space, AND an accomplished classical pianist. She was selected as an astronaut in 1978 - one of the first six American women to join the corps - as a member of the TFNG’s (the “Thirty-Five New Guys”). In 1986, she was taken from us at the all-too-young age of 36 along with her six Challenger crew mates who were lost in that awful tragedy. With talent, diversity, and humanity like theirs, they truly represented the very best among us. It is altogether fitting that we should remember and honor Judy Resnik today for her spirit - a Jewish one, an American one, a feminine one, and above all a vibrantly intellectual and adventurous one. It’s been said she could play Rachmaninov piano concertos from memory without sheet music. How extraordinarily amazing is that? Tonight, I will honor her memory by listening to that music; music that she loved and played. Happy Birthday Judy Resnik. You continue to inspire. Ad Astra! 🚀🌎🌔✨🇺🇸✡️ #spaceflighthistory #nasa #astronaut #astronauts #spacehipsters #spaceshuttleprogram #spaceshuttlechallenger #spacegeek #collectspace #judyresnik #challengerdisaster #spaceshuttlediscovery #sts51l #tfng #thenewguys #girlswhofly #girlsinsteam #womeninspace @nasa @nasakennedy @nasajohnson @kennedyspacecenter @spacecenterhou @the_cosmosphere @cradleofaviation @dekeslaytonmuseum @spacemuseumbt @msichicago @airandspacemuseum @spaceandthingspodcast @astro_jessica @kathysullivanexplores @kathysullivanastronaut @rheaseddon @shannon_lucid @merbagby @astro_nicole @sallyridescience @sallyridefanpage @judyresnikfanpage
Cargo bay testing: opening the "mouth"! @kerbalspacep #ksp #kerbalspaceprogram #kerbalspace #kerbal #spaceexploration #space #spacecraft #spaceflighthistory #spaceflight #nasa #rocketengineering #rocketry #ula #spacex #esa #jaxa #KSP #KSPloring #booster #concept #moon #rockets #rocket #nuclear
The Apollo 10 crew are fed up with Moon landing conspiracy theories 😎🤭 Gene Cernan • Tom Stafford • John Young 1969 📷: NASA via popsci.com #apollo10 #genecernan #tomstafford #johnyoung #moon #moonlanding #moonmission #lunarmodule #commandmodule #rocket #liftoff #missioncontrol #astronaut #astronauts #apolloprogram #nasa #space #spaceflight #spaceflighthistory #ushistory #1969 #spacesuit #snoopy #astronautgroup2 #astronautgroup3 #universe
Remembering Gus Grissom on what would have been his 98th Birthday. Presented here, a full page of trading cards depicting our astronaut-hero from the 1962 Topps Astronauts series - in living color!!! Happy Birthday and Ad Astra, Gus Grissom. Your spirit continues to fly on with the Right Stuff. 🚀🌎🌔✨ #spaceflighthistory #nasa #astronaut #astronauts #spacehipsters #projectapollo #projectmercury #projectgemini #spacegeek #collectspace #libertybell7 #gemini3 #apollo1 #projectartemis #gusgrissom #mitchellindiana #tradingcards #topps @nasa @nasakennedy @nasajohnson @kennedyspacecenter @spacecenterhou @the_cosmosphere @cradleofaviation @dekeslaytonmuseum @spacemuseumbt @msichicago @airandspacemuseum @spaceandthingspodcast
#otd in #spaceflighthistory (April 1, 1960), the first Television Infrared Observation Satellite (TIROS I) was successfully placed into orbit after being launched by a Delta rocket from Cape Canaveral. Presented here, a vintage NASA FACTS educational publication dated 1965 that explains this first weather satellite program. From the text: “Operating in a near circular orbit more than 400 miles above the Earth, TIROS I made meteorological history by giving meteorologists an unprecedented opportunity to study the earth’s cloud patterns and relate them to weather. Among the striking patterns seen for the first time in their entirety were large scale cyclones with spiral bands sometimes covering areas a thousand miles across. TIROS I stopped transmitting about midnight of June 29, 1960, after 1,302 orbits of the earth, when its power supply failed. It had transmitted 22,592 pictures.” Rudimentary by today’s standards, this was groundbreaking work that changed meteorology, forecasting, early warning, and safety forever…work that’s continued for six decades and that’s been responsible for saving countless lives and other assets on Earth. 🌎 #spaceflighthistory #nasa #astronaut #astronauts #spacehipsters #spacegeek #collectspace #satellites #spaceage #spacerace #peacethroughprogress #1960s #weatherphotography #weathersatellite #tirossatellite #nasafacts #vintagespace @nasa @nasakennedy @nasajohnson @kennedyspacecenter @spacecenterhou @the_cosmosphere @cradleofaviation @dekeslaytonmuseum @spacemuseumbt @msichicago @airandspacemuseum @spaceandthingspodcast @museumofflight
Since our future cargo bay will be solid and therefore expensive, we need to work on the second stage recovery. That is a challenge we still haven't figured out in our whole experience. We are going to be safe, using a well-known and powerful engine: the Vector! And we are going BIG: look at the size of the second stage confronted with our old booster prototype. @kerbalspacep #ksp #kerbalspaceprogram #kerbalspace #kerbal #spaceexploration #space #spacecraft #spaceflighthistory #spaceflight #nasa #rocketengineering #rocketry #ula #spacex #esa #jaxa #KSP #KSPloring #booster #concept #moon #rockets #rocket #nuclear
Ah, baseball season! Here’s to longer days, warmer nights, and the boys of summer. And maybe a return to form for the Yankees…😬😬🙏🏻🙏🏻😇😇 #iss #spaceshuttleprogram #spacegeek #collectspace #spaceflighthistory #nasa #astronaut #astronauts #spacehipsters #spacegeek #collectspace #spaceshuttleprogram #spacebooks #autographcollection #crewnotpassengers #yearinspace #spacestation #iss #internationalspacestation @nasa @nasakennedy @nasajohnson @kennedyspacecenter @spacecenterhou @the_cosmosphere @cradleofaviation @dekeslaytonmuseum @spacemuseumbt @msichicago @airandspacemuseum @spaceandthingspodcast @mcapric @astro_terry @astromikemassimino
Finally some updates! As the prototypes we were testing resulted in stability issues we decided to move on. It wasn't worth it. Another big problem we had was cargo safety (we damaged a lot of payloads), so we will build a big and solid cargo bay to ensure safety. @kerbalspacep #ksp #kerbalspaceprogram #kerbalspace #kerbal #spaceexploration #space #spacecraft #spaceflighthistory #spaceflight #nasa #rocketengineering #rocketry #ula #spacex #esa #jaxa #KSP #KSPloring #booster #concept #moon #rockets #rocket #nuclear
Still flying high from last weekend’s one-day roadtrip to DC and back! Some more photos of some iconic space and aviation hardware. @teaselmuir and @jklevasseur …I LOVE what you’re doing with the place!!! Can’t wait to see what it all looks like for 2026’s 50th Anniversary of @airandspacemuseum !!! Next stops…The Cradle of Aviation Museum, USS Intrepid, and the Rhinebeck Aerodrome! @the_cosmosphere by Summer!!! ***Thanks again to @lunareplicas for making sure I could dress for the occasion! #spaceflighthistory #nasa #astronaut #astronauts #spacehipsters #projectapollo #projectmercury #projectgemini #spacegeek #collectspace #spaceshuttleprogram #spaceshuttlediscovery #geminiprogram #neilarmstong #moonlanding #rebootthesuit #alanshepard #freedom7 #roadtrip #lifelongfriends #failureisnotanoption @nasa @nasakennedy @nasajohnson @kennedyspacecenter @spacecenterhou @the_cosmosphere @cradleofaviation @dekeslaytonmuseum @spacemuseumbt @msichicago @airandspacemuseum @lunareplicas @spaceandthingspodcast @intrepidmuseum.
HAPPY 96th BIRTHDAY to the man, the myth, and the legend himself…Astronaut Jim Lovell (Captain, US Navy, retired)!!! ✅ Gemini 7 Pilot ✅ Gemini 12 Commander ✅ Apollo 8 Command Module Pilot ✅ Apollo 13 Commander The first person to fly in space four times. Nicknamed “Shakey” by fellow Naval Aviator, Astronaut, and humorist Pete Conrad. 😂😂 Wishing him good health as he begins his 97th orbit around the sun! ☀️ 🇺🇸⚓️🚀🌎🌖✨ 🎂🥳🎉🎁 #spaceflighthistory #nasa #astronaut #astronauts #spacehipsters #projectapollo #jimlovell #projectgemini #spacegeek #collectspace #gemini12 #gemini7 #apollo8 #apollo13 #houstonwehaveaproblem #moonatchristmas @nasa @nasakennedy @nasajohnson @kennedyspacecenter @spacecenterhou @the_cosmosphere @cradleofaviation @dekeslaytonmuseum @spacemuseumbt @msichicago @airandspacemuseum @spaceandthingspodcast
What to do on a rainy Saturday along the East Coast? ROAD TRIP!!! Me and my lifelong buddy, @rickcalanni , did a bit of an “East Coast Turnaround”…New York to Washington, DC and back; all in the same day! Photo dump above. Along the way we ran into his brother Neal and some other “old friends”…including another guy named Neil. 😉 It was a quick visit to the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum (downtown) and the Udvar-Hazy Museum, but it was GLORIOUS. Boyhood friends, spaceships, and airplanes. The wonder of it all. Like most trips, the destination was great, but it was the journey - and who you’re traveling with - that made it truly spectacular. I’ve been traveling the journey of life with this guy, and blessedly a few others, for a half-century now. “What a long strange trip it’s been…” Next stops…The Cradle of Aviation Museum, USS Intrepid, and the Rhinebeck Aerodrome! ***Thanks to @lunareplicas for making sure I could dress for the occasion! #spaceflighthistory #nasa #astronaut #astronauts #spacehipsters #projectapollo #projectmercury #projectgemini #spacegeek #collectspace #spaceshuttleprogram #spaceshuttlediscovery #geminiprogram #neilarmstong #moonlanding #rebootthesuit #alanshepard #freedom7 #roadtrip #lifelongfriends #failureisnotanoption @nasa @nasakennedy @nasajohnson @kennedyspacecenter @spacecenterhou @the_cosmosphere @cradleofaviation @dekeslaytonmuseum @spacemuseumbt @msichicago @airandspacemuseum @lunareplicas @spaceandthingspodcast @intrepidmuseum
Here’s a snapshot of ingenuity and ambition: the Apollo Lunar Landing Mission's typical profile. This diagram maps out the path to one of humanity's greatest leaps – from the launch to the triumphant touchdown back on Earth. It's a testament to the meticulous planning and daring spirit that propelled us to the moon and back. 🚀🌕 #ApolloMission #MoonLanding #SpaceExploration #NASA #Astronomy #LunarLegacy #SpacecraftJourney #ToTheMoonAndBack #ScienceVisualized #spaceflighthistory
Corned Beef, Anyone??? Launched 59 years ago #otd (March 23, 1965), Gemini 3 was the first crewed mission of the Gemini Program and was the first time two American astronauts flew together into space. Command Pilot Gus Grissom and Pilot John Young successfully flew three orbits in their spacecraft; which they aptly christened the Molly Brown (“unsinkable” being a tongue in cheek reference to Grissom’s Liberty Bell 7 which sank during recovery operations in 1961). But it’s fondly remembered for the ruckus stirred by a corned beef sandwich. As a “gotcha” from fellow astronaut Wally Schirra, it was arranged for a corned beef sandwich from Wolfie’s in Cocoa Beach to be smuggled aboard with John Young. After training and orchestrating every second of the flight plan for over a year, Grissom found the unscripted gag to be highly amusing. Not so much for NASA management. They each took a few bites before the sandwich was wrapped up and stored. But the crumbs it released could have posed trouble for the spacecraft’s electronics, and they were reprimanded when they returned to Earth. Per Grissom. “After the flight, our superiors at NASA let us know in no uncertain terms that non-man-rated corned beef sandwiches were out for future space missions. But John’s deadpan offer of this strictly non-regulation goodie remains one of the highlights of our flight for me.” “Grissom and Young”, painting by Norman Rockwell, 1965. John Young Interview Video Source: Blaine Baggett’s “Spaceflight”, WETA, 1985. #spaceflighthistory #nasa #astronaut #astronauts #spacehipsters #projectapollo #projectmercury #projectgemini #spacegeek #collectspace #gemini3 #gusgrissom #johnyoungastronaut #spaceshuttleprogram #spaceshuttlecolumbia #wolfies #cornedbeefsandwich #unsinkablemollybrown #libertybell7 #geminiprogram @nasa @nasakennedy @nasajohnson @kennedyspacecenter @spacecenterhou @the_cosmosphere @cradleofaviation @dekeslaytonmuseum @spacemuseumbt @msichicago @airandspacemuseum @spaceandthingspodcast @frequentlyonthemoon
Gettin’ ready to fly…Gemini 3. Gus Grissom and John Young as featured in a few vintage AP wire photos from my collection as they prepare to fly the inaugural mission of Project Gemini. Could there be two cooler cats??? Pure chill. #spaceflighthistory #nasa #astronaut #astronauts #spacehipsters #projectapollo #projectmercury #projectgemini #spacegeek #collectspace #gemini3 #gusgrissom #johnyoungastronaut #spaceshuttleprogram #spaceshuttlecolumbia #wolfies #cornedbeefsandwich #unsinkablemollybrown #libertybell7 #geminiprogram @nasa @nasakennedy @nasajohnson @kennedyspacecenter @spacecenterhou @the_cosmosphere @cradleofaviation @dekeslaytonmuseum @spacemuseumbt @msichicago @airandspacemuseum @spaceandthingspodcast @frequentlyonthemoon
Did you ever wonder who actually accomplished what Amelia Earhart set out to achieve in 1937? The answer is the woman pictured in this vintage wire photo - Geraldine “Jerrie” Mock (1925 - 2014) Today (March 19, 2024) marks the 60th anniversary of her setting off from Columbus Ohio (in her aptly named Cessna 180, the “Spirit of Columbus”) to become the first female pilot to fly solo around the world. She would return to Columbus 29 days later having succeeded in what Earhart (and navigator Fred Noonan) attempted in their twin-engine Lockheed 10E Electra 27 years earlier before they disappeared forever over the Pacific Ocean. While Jerrie Mock’s accomplishment was widely covered in 1964, detailed in her book “Three-Eight Charlie”, and she was even awarded the FAA Gold Medal by President Johnson (just one of a slew of awards for her numerous accomplishments and aviation records), sixty years on her notoriety (unjustly) still pales in comparison to that of Amelia Earhart’s; likely due the unsolved mystery that continues to surround her disappearance 87 years later. Too, by 1964, the world’s attention was more focused on exploits in outer space than they were on new aviation records. Still, what she accomplished was enormous! Especially in 2024 as we celebrate Women’s History Month…on this 60th Anniversary of her flight, we give Jerrie Mock her props (no pun intended). We honor her legacy. And we keep her memory alive! Today, the Spirit of Columbus resides at the Smithsonian’s National Air Space Museum’s Udvar-Hazy Center. I’m planning to pay it a visit in a few days! 😊 #spaceflighthistory #nasa #spacehipsters #astronaut #spacetravel #spacerace #spaceflight #stem #steam #ninetynines #naa #aviationhistory #womenpilot #aviationlovers #planecrazy #girlswhofly @nasa @nasakennedy @nasajohnson @kennedyspacecenter @spacecenterhou @the_cosmosphere @cradleofaviation @dekeslaytonmuseum @spacemuseumbt @msichicago @airandspacemuseum @spaceandthingspodcast @astro_nicole @theninetyninesinc @theplanekate @mace_curran @realmalachowski @neutronwafflewaffles @astroathens @amyshirateitel