Brutkey

AkaSci 🛰🛰️
@AkaSci@fosstodon.org
Crawler-transporter #2 beginning a road test on 21 December 2004 after replacement of the shoes on its caterpillar tracks. This replacement is part of the "Return to Flight" program, and Crawler #2 was used to transport Space Shuttle Discovery to the launch pad for the STS-114 mission. The Vehicle Assembly Building is just visible at upper right. fdbf4b61ae3a4c57.png Pic of the NASA’s crawler-transporter 2 near the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. Photo credit: NASA/Ben Smegelsky https://www.flickr.com/photos/nasakennedy/55041637063/in/album-72157700246421144/ b0899804c11b88a6.jpg Illustration of the L1 point, the halo orbits of the new spacecraft and a list of 5 other spacecraft currently around L1. 52adeaebf2db4fa4.png Pic of the rollout of the Artemis I Space Launch System rocket in Aug 2022. Image credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett 083020d79788c889.png 1. NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket is seen inside High Bay 3 of the Vehicle Assembly Building as teams await the arrival of Artemis II crewmembers to board their Orion spacecraft on top of the rocket as part of the Artemis II countdown demonstration test, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA/Joel Kowsky https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis/artemis-2/final-steps-underway-for-nasas-first-crewed-artemis-moon-mission/ 2. Diagram showing the trajectory and planned objectives of the Artemis II mission. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artemis_II df46d317f2872f76.png Post by E. Michael Fincke As many of you have heard, our crew will be coming home just a few weeks earlier than planned due to an unexpected medical issue. First and foremost, we are all OK. Everyone on board is stable, safe, and well cared for. This was a deliberate decision to allow the right medical evaluations to happen on the ground, where the full range of diagnostic capability exists. It’s the right call, even if it’s a bit bittersweet. This photo was taken as we prepared our space suits for return—a normal, methodical step in getting ready to come home, and a reminder that this decision was made calmly and carefully, with people at the center. What stands out most to me is how clearly NASA cares about its people. Flight surgeons, engineers, managers, and support teams came together quickly and professionally to chart the best path forward. The ground teams—across mission control centers and partner organizations around the world—have been extraordinary. We’re proud of the joint work we’ve done and the camaraderie we’ve shared, including some great songs and more than a few dad jokes. ... We’re leaving the ISS in great hands. The 3 crewmates who arrived in November will continue the mission, and they’ll be joined by Crew-12 in just a few weeks. Explore 74! We’re grateful for the teamwork, proud of the mission, and looking forward to coming home soon—back to our loved ones and to resolving any medical questions with the best care available. — Ad Astra per Aspera! 89ebcb878c6e5b0f.png Graphic for spacewalk 94 from NASA with pics of Station Commander Mike Fincke and Flight Engineer Zena Cardman. 014f8ab9f27d5d5a.png Screencap of the top of the article with the title and a graphic a SpaceX satellite with Earth below it. 40fc1d5f30480510.png My graphic illustrating the elevation of the moon at midnight close to the solstices. In winter, it is high in the sky in the northern hemisphere, due to the axial tilt of earth. 26bf537f3a7cd743.png Exaggerated illustration of Earth's elliptical orbit around the Sun, marking that the orbital extreme points (apoapsis and periapsis) are not the same as the four seasonal extreme points (equinox and solstice). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth%27s_orbit#/media/File:Seasons1.svg f72eb31e6f893dfb.png