All articles tagged with #international space station
Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus XL cargo spacecraft, named S.S. Steven R. Nagel, undocked from the International Space Station (ISS) on October 9, 2026, after a six-month stay. The vehicle, which delivered 11,000 pounds of supplies and science equipment, is now carrying thousands of pounds of waste for a destructive re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere. This marks the 24th Cygnus resupply mission to the station.
Four astronauts returned to Earth on October 8 after 237 days on the International Space Station. The crew, which included NASA’s Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, ESA’s Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos’ Andrey Fedyaev, splashed down in the Pacific off Los Angeles. Their mission replaced a previous crew sent home early due to a medical emergency, marking NASA’s first medical evacuation in 65 years.
SpaceX successfully returned the Crew-12 astronauts to Earth on October 8, 2026, after a 237-day mission aboard the International Space Station. The crew, comprising NASA’s Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, ESA’s Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos’ Andrey Fedyaev, splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off Los Angeles. The mission concluded a period of intensive scientific research and spacewalks, with Adenot setting a new European record for the longest single spaceflight. A post-flight briefing is scheduled for October 15 at NASA’s Johnson Space Center.
Four astronauts returned to Earth on October 8, 2026, after a 237-day mission aboard the International Space Station. The crew, consisting of Jessica Meir, Jack Hathaway, Sophie Adenot, and Andrey Fedyaev, splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off Los Angeles. Their mission included significant scientific research and multiple spacewalks, concluding a period that began with an emergency medical evacuation.
SpaceX’s Crew 13 successfully docked with the International Space Station (ISS) on October 1, 2026, completing a record-breaking transit of 7 hours and 55 minutes. The four-person crew, led by NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins, replaced the outgoing Expedition 75 team. A key highlight is Canadian astronaut Joshua Kutryk, who will miss the birth of his third child, expected around Thanksgiving, while stationed in orbit. The mission marks the first U.S. crewed launch in six months and the first time a Black woman has commanded a crew to orbit.
SpaceX Crew 12 undocked from the International Space Station on October 7, 2026, concluding a 237-day mission. The four astronauts, including Jessica Meir and Sophie Adenot, are scheduled to splash down off California on October 8. They are being replaced by Crew 13, who arrived on October 1, while a third crew remains on the station for an extended stay.
A Pikachu plush that spent 67 days on the International Space Station has returned to Earth, triggering a limited-time collaboration between the European Space Agency (ESA) and The Pokémon Company. Players can now catch 'Astronaut Pikachu' in Pokémon GO at specific European science and space museums until October 10, 2026. The event includes one-star raids and timed research tasks, with potential Shiny variants. This initiative is part of a broader World Space Week 2026 campaign featuring exhibitions across Europe through April 2027.
SpaceX’s Crew-13 mission successfully launched on October 1, 2026, setting a new U.S. record for the fastest transit to the International Space Station at 7 hours and 55 minutes. The four-person crew, led by NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins, docked with the ISS after a three-week delay caused by a fuel leak. This mission marks the first time a Black woman has commanded a crew to orbit and the first U.S. crewed launch in six months.
SpaceX completed a record-setting week by executing three consecutive launches, including the Crew-13 mission to the International Space Station. The crew, led by Jessica Watkins, set a US speed record for reaching the station, while the company also deployed a classified payload and a satellite rideshare.
Engineers from the University of Glasgow and Japanese partners are preparing to launch a cubesat named 'Space Puffin' in 2028 to test how Scotch whisky ages in orbit. The five-year mission will expose liquid samples to extreme temperature fluctuations, potentially accelerating the maturation process and yielding bold, complex flavors. While the satellite will not be recovered, the experiment aims to validate orbital manufacturing techniques for pharmaceuticals and other chemicals.
NASA has committed an additional $359 million to Boeing to repair Starliner’s thrusters and certify the Vulcan Centaur rocket for crewed missions. Following a disastrous 2024 test flight that stranded astronauts for nine months, NASA plans an uncrewed Starliner-1 test in late 2026 or early 2027, with a crewed return targeted for 2028. This move secures a backup option as SpaceX prepares to retire its Crew Dragon capsule in the 2030s, though concerns remain about Starliner’s reliability and the impending retirement of the ISS.
Astronauts arrived at the International Space Station just eight hours after launching, marking a notably rapid transit to the orbital outpost.
NASA astronaut Anil Menon shared a long-duration image from the International Space Station showing star trails above the Banda Sea. The photo, taken on September 20, 2026, highlights the contrast between celestial motion and the static lights of Indonesian cities and fishing boats below.
NASA and SpaceX successfully launched the Crew-13 mission on October 1, 2026, from Kennedy Space Center. The four-person crew, led by Jessica Watkins, is on track to reach the International Space Station in a record-breaking transit of less than eight hours. The mission follows a delay caused by a spacecraft leak and marks the first U.S. crewed launch in six months.
NASA and SpaceX have cleared the Crew-13 mission for launch on October 1 at 11:10 a.m. EDT from Cape Canaveral. The four-person crew, led by Jessica Watkins, will travel to the International Space Station in a record-breaking transit of under nine hours. The mission follows a previous delay caused by a spacecraft leak and marks the first U.S. crewed launch in six months.