John Young is the First Big Death of 2018
John Young, the “astronaut’s astronaut” who flew on six different NASA missions over 18 years, has died at age 87. Complications from pneumonia was the cause of death. With apologies to …..
Posts tagged: NASA
Christa McAuliffe and the Challenger: It Was 30 Years Ago Today
WIFE MOTHER TEACHER PIONEER WOMAN So reads the gravestone of Christa McAuliffe, the New Hampshire teacher who was killed in the explosion of the space shuttle Challenger 30 …..
Thrill Ride: What It’s Like to Have Your Spy Plane Disintegrate Around You at 78,000 Feet
A test pilot recalls what it’s like to have a high-performance spy plane disintegrate around you at 78,000 feet and 2400 miles per hour.
Sally Ride Honored at the Kennedy Center
Sally Ride, America’s first woman in space (and the youngest) will receive a Presidential Medal of Freedom this year. Ride died last year of cancer, at the age of 61.
Neil Armstrong’s EKG Can Be Yours for $200, Maybe
When Neil Armstrong first set foot on the moon, NASA had his heart wired up. You can start the bidding for the EKG at $200.
Death to Punxsutawney Phil?
The beloved groundhog has been sentenced to death in Ohio for falsely predicting an early spring.
Jeff Bezos Finds Apollo Parts in the Ocean
Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos and his team have recovered discarded rocket engine parts from the bottom of the ocean.
Sunita Williams Gives You A Tour of the International Space Station
The former commander takes you on a spin around the floating space platform.
Free NASA Photos
From the Flickr pages for NASA on the Commons, we have a photo gallery from the history of American space exploration.
Neil Armstrong Buried at Sea: Photos
The remains of the great astronaut have been committed to the Atlantic Ocean.
More Photos of Neil Armstrong
You should see this photo gallery of “the Armstrong the public didn’t always get to see.”
Neil Armstrong, The Man You Could Trust With Your Rocket Ship
Reflections on Neil Armstrong, the moon and 1969.
A Collection of Neil Armstrong Videos
The first man to step on the moon has died. Famously publicity shy, Neil Armstrong was hard to figure out. Watch him on video over the last four decades.
A Sally Ride Biography in Photos
An daring life, seen in nine good photos.
Wow: Sally Ride is Dead
The first American woman in space was only 61 years old.
Did Neil Amstrong Say ‘One Small Step for A Man’?
The final word from the audio experts: no ‘A.’
Black History Month: Mae C. Jemison
Mae Jemison is not exactly a famous name. But she was the first black woman in outer space. Think about how tough you have to be for that.
The End of the Gemini Space Program
On this day in 1966 the Gemini XII spacecraft landed safely, marking the end of the Gemini program and paving the way for Apollo and what followed. What did Gemini XII accomplish?
Happy 81st Birthday to the Coolest Cucumber of Them All
The great NEIL ARMSTRONG was born on this day in 1930.
Another Apollo 11 Anniversary
Today is the anniversary of the first manned moon landing. Neil Armstrong set foot on the lunar surface on this day in 1969. Then Buzz Aldrin hopped down, followed by paparazzi.
Astronaut Michael Collins waited in the car and started honking the horn after only about 15 minutes.
It was a simpler time, as you can tell by this fantastic graphic that describes the Apollo 11 mission:
Sally Ride: A Biography in Photos for Her 60th Birthday
Dr. Sally Ride turns 60 today, and you have to love this amazing photo of her on the flight deck of the space shuttle Challenger 28 years ago. The year is 1983, and she has just become the first American woman in space.
Apollo 13 Drama in 1970
On this day back in 1970, Americans were sitting around their televisions and radios wondering what was going to happen to the astronauts aboard Apollo 13.
The day before, on April 13th, an explosion aboard the spacecraft threw everything off. As we now know (because of reality and the 1995 Ron Howard film), the astronauts made it home safely, thanks to the power in the lunar module, some duct tape and the smarts of them fellers what could still worry a slide rule.
King Hussein, the Ham Radio Operator Known As JY-1
Jordan’s King Hussein died on this day in 1999, after being in power for 47 years.
King Hussein was proclaimed King of Jordan in 1952, and only 18 when he took the throne in 1953. He died of cancer at the age of 63.
King Hussein was an amateur radio enthusiast. As a ham radio operator, King Hussein was known as JY-1.
Happy Anniversary, Ham the Chimp!
On this day 50 years ago, Ham the Chimp blasted off in a Mercury rocket and flew 157 miles in space, just to see if it would be safe to send less hairy apes into orbit.
It was, pretty much.
LIFE magazine has a feature today where you can see rare photos of Ham the Chimp, called “In Praise of Ham the Chimp.”
Go see them.
The Challenger Commission and the 25th Anniversary
Today is the 25th anniversary of the space shuttle Challenger exploding after takeoff and killing all seven astronauts on board.
The most famous crew member at the time was probably Christa McAuliffe. She was a high school teacher from New Hampshire, the first of what was called the Teacher in Space Program from NASA.
Also on board: Commander Francis R. Scobee, Pilot Michael J. Smith, Mission Specialists Judith A. Resnik, Ellison S. Onizuka and Ronald E. McNair, and Payload Specialist Gregory B. Jarvis.