Astronauts, cosmonaut heading to ISS from Kennedy Space Center next month
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — Next month, SpaceX will fly two NASA astronauts, a Russian cosmonaut and a United Arab Emirates astronaut to the International Space Station for a six-month science mission. The Crew-6 team will be arriving at one of the busiest times ever for the space station. The plan is for a quick handover between Crew-5 and Crew-6, before Crew-5 splashes down in early March. READ: SpaceX to launch Falcon 9 rocket tomorrowCrew-6 will now launch to the ISS from the Kennedy Space Center no sooner than Feb. 26, less than a week after the planned launch of an uncrewed Soyuz that will replace a damaged Soyuz docked at the space station. Crew-6 will spend roughly 180 days at the ISS where they’ll conduct some 250 experiments and work on technology development for future exploration.
wftv.comStarliner on track for first crewed flight in April of 2023
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — In just a few months, NASA will launch two astronauts aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft to the International Space Station as part of its Commercial Crew Program.
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First Native American woman in space steps out on spacewalk
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — (AP) — The first Native American woman in space ventured out on a spacewalk Friday to prep the International Space Station for more solar panels. Their job was to install support struts and brackets for new solar panels launching this summer, part of a continuing effort by NASA to expand the space station's power grid. Mann, a Marine colonel and test pilot, rocketed into orbit last fall with SpaceX, becoming the first Native American woman in space. The pair will depart the space station in another month or so. ___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group.
wftv.comNASA sets date for SpaceX Crew-6 launch to International Space Station
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. — NASA has set a date for its next crewed launch to the International Space Station. Four astronauts are set to lift off from the Kennedy Space Center on Feb. 26. This mission will be the first time SpaceX will send a United Arab Emirates astronaut to space. Watch: Space Florida working to bring more aerospace jobs to the stateRussian cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev will serve as the fourth member of Crew-6. Channel 9 will have continuing coverage on of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 mission on Eyewitness News.
wftv.comRussia to retrieve ISS crew with backup capsule after meteoroid damages spacecraft
The Russian space agency announced on Wednesday that it will launch an unmanned space capsule to the International Space Station next month to replace a damaged spacecraft that docked there now, The New York Times is reporting. Officials at the Russian space agency Roscosmos and NASA said they believe the material is coolant. When the meteoroid hit the ship, Roscosmos said the strike caused no immediate threat to the crew -- Russian cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitry Petelin and US astronaut Francisco Rubio. However, there is a concern that the damaged ship could overheat upon reentry, putting the astronauts in jeopardy. https://t.co/eNtppPrRxU — NASA (@NASA) January 11, 2023When the ship reaches the ISS, the spacecraft believed to be damaged by a meteoroid will be returned to earth without passengers.
wftv.comRussia will launch new capsule to return space station crew
MOSCOW — (AP) — Russia will send up a new capsule next month to bring back three space station crew members whose original ride home was damaged, officials said Wednesday. Cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin, and astronaut Frank Rubio were supposed to return in March in the same Soyuz capsule that took them up last September. Sergei Krikalev, head of human spaceflight for the Russian Space Agency, said barring an emergency at the space station, it would be too dangerous for the crew to use that capsule to return to Earth. The new Soyuz capsule will be launched from Kazakhstan on Feb. 20, a month earlier than planned. “Right now, the crew is safe on board space station,” said NASA's space station program manager Joel Montalbano.
wftv.comISS astronaut, cosmonauts find safe ride back to Earth after Soyuz damaged
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — Next month, Russia plans to launch an empty Soyuz to the International Space Station to bring back two cosmonauts and a NASA astronaut who don’t have a safe ride home. The empty Soyuz being used for their rescue was originally supposed to launch with a replacement crew in March. No new crew means those cosmonauts and NASA astronaut Frank Rubio will spend several more months aboard the ISS. RAED: Soyuz astronauts, cosmonauts may need another ride back to Earth after spacecraft springs a leakOfficials said the Soyuz is set to be deployed on Feb. 20. The damaged spacecraft won’t return to Kazakhstan until the new Soyuz arrives because the Soyuz spacecraft and the SpaceX Crew Dragon docked at the space station also serves as lifeboats for the astronauts and cosmonauts living aboard the ISS.
wftv.comRussia will launch new capsule to return space station crew
MOSCOW — (AP) — Russia will send up a new capsule next month to bring back three space station crew members whose original ride home was damaged, officials said Wednesday. Cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Demitri Petelin, and astronaut Frank Rubio were supposed to return in March in the same Soyuz capsule that took them up last September. Sergei Krikalev, head of human spaceflight for the Russian Space Agency, said barring an emergency at the space station, it would be too dangerous for the crew to use that capsule to return to Earth. The new Soyuz capsule will be launched from Kazakhstan on Feb. 20, a month earlier than planned. “Right now, the crew is safe on board space station,” said NASA's space station program manager Joel Montalbano.
wftv.comRussia to launch new capsule to return space station crew
MOSCOW — (AP) — Russian space corporation Roscosmos said Wednesday that it will launch a new spacecraft to take some of the International Space Station's crew back to Earth after their capsule was damaged and leaked coolant. Russian cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin and NASA astronaut Frank Rubio arrived at the station in September on board a Soyuz MS-22 and planned to use the capsule to return to Earth. He added that the Soyuz MS-23 will also ferry some supplies to the International Space Station. In case of an emergency on the International Space Station that would require the evacuation of the entire crew before the new capsule arrives, space officials will consider whether the Soyuz MS-22 could be used safely, Borisov said. He said that the Soyuz MS-22 eventually would be sent back to Earth without a crew.
wftv.comSpaceX Dragon spacecraft to splashdown off Florida’s coast after undocking from ISS
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. — An uncrewed SpaceX Dragon spacecraft is on its way back to Earth. The capsule was undocked from the International Space Station on Monday following a resupply mission. Watch: SpaceX successfully launches OneWeb Launch 16 mission aboard Falcon 9 rocketThe spacecraft left Florida’s coast in November on board a Falcon 9 rocket. Watch: SpaceX launches 1st rocket of 2023, lands booster at Florida’s Space CoastIt was stuffed with 4,400 pounds of scientific tests and supplies for the station. Read: Here are 9 space stories that made history in 2022The spacecraft will use parachutes to land off the coast of Florida on Wednesday.
wftv.comHere are 9 space stories that made history in 2022
ORLANDO, Fla. — A commercial crew headed into the orbits of space, and a space telescope made history. (WFTV)Read: SpaceX launches Axiom Space’s 1st all-private mission to the Space StationGateway at Kennedy Space Center Visitor ComplexA new experience launched at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in July. See more photos in the gallery below:Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 15 Gateway: The Deep Space Launch Complex lands at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Center Gateway: The Deep Space Launch Complex lands at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Center (Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex/Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex)Read: Gateway: The Deep Space Launch Complex lands at Kennedy Space Center Visitor ComplexJames Webb Space TelescopeThe JWST launched in December 2021, but the telescope gave the space community a dazzling set of solar system images in August, ones that scientists have only scratched the surface of discovering. Watch the launch in the video below:Video: NASA, SpaceX launches Crew-5 mission to International Space Station NASA and SpaceX launched a crewed mission to the International Space Station on Wednesday. WATCH: NASA, SpaceX launch Crew-5 mission to International Space StationFalcon Heavy launchThe Falcon Heavy rocket has not blasted off from Florida’s space coast since 2019, but in November, it successfully launched several satellites for the U.S. Space Force.
wftv.comSoyuz astronauts, cosmonauts may need another ride back to Earth after spacecraft springs a leak
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — NASA astronauts Frank Rubio and two Russian cosmonauts may need another ride home after their Soyuz spacecraft sprang a leak. During a teleconference Thursday, NASA and Roscosmos said the agencies are still working to determine what’s next. The Soyuz MS-22 carried two cosmonauts and an astronaut to the ISS, but it’s unclear if it will not be able to bring them home. “But, if it’s decided that it’s an uncrewed Soyuz, Roscosmos would plan the return of the current Soyuz on orbit and collect data so they can use that for future evaluations.”Officials said the coolant burned off quickly and there are no contamination concerns. READ: Florida repair tech accused of saving copy of explicit video from customer’s phoneVideo: NASA cancels spacewalk after leak discovered from docked Russian spacecraft NASA is investigating after a leak was detected on a spacecraft docket at the International Space Station.
wftv.comNASA calls off most spacewalks after water found in another astronaut’s helmet
NASA officials said Tuesday that non-emergency spacewalks at the International Space Station using aging shuttle-era spacesuits are “no go” pending review of another close call where an astronaut found water entering their helmet during an excursion.