By Ben Evans, on June 16th, 2019
Dave Griggs, pictured during the Space Shuttle program’s first contingency spacewalk in April 1985, lost his life 30 years ago this month. Photo Credit: NASA
Thirty years ago, America’s Space Shuttle program had risen from the depths of despair—following the calamitous loss of Challenger—to a triumphant return-to-flight and the three surviving orbiters, Columbia, Discovery […]
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By Ben Evans, on March 17th, 2019
Discovery rockets into orbit on STS-29 in March 1989, three decades ago, this month. Photo Credit: NASA
Flying in space, remembered astronaut John Blaha—who made the first of his five missions, 30 years ago, this month—vanished in the flicker of an eye. On 13 March 1989, Blaha and his four crewmates launched aboard […]
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By Ben Evans, on October 28th, 2018
Glorious view of the Home Planet from STS-58, with the SLS-2 Spacelab module clearly visible in Columbia’s payload bay. Photo Credit: NASA
It took three tries to get STS-58 off the ground, 25 years ago, this month.
[…]
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By Ben Evans, on December 24th, 2017
Since December 2000, a multi-national mix of Americans and Russians, Japanese and Italians, Dutchmen and Canadians, a Briton and a Frenchman have celebrated Christmas aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Photo Credit: NASA
As Santa commences his yearly traverse across the world this evening, in search of those whose exploits over the past […]
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By Ben Evans, on January 8th, 2017
The STS-81 and Mir crews gather for a group portrait in the space station’s base block. Front row, from left, are Mike Baker, John Grunsfeld, John Blaha, and Aleksandr Kaleri. Back row, from left, are Jerry Linenger, Valeri Korzun, Marsha Ivins, Jeff Wisoff, and Brent Jett. Photo Credit: NASA, via Joachim Becker/SpaceFacts.de
Twenty […]
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By Ben Evans, on January 7th, 2017
Mir, as viewed from Atlantis on STS-81. The orange-colored Docking Module (DM), at the end of the Kristall module, is visible at the right of the image. Photo Credit: NASA, via Joachim Becker/SpaceFacts.de
Two decades ago, this week, America’s Space Shuttle Program began living up to its billing as a vehicle for delivering […]
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By Ben Evans, on December 31st, 2016
Tonight, six spacefarers from three sovereign nations will observe the transition from 2016 into 2017 from the International Space Station (ISS). Photo Credit: NASA/Scott Kelly/Twitter
With a naval officer in command of the International Space Station (ISS), it might have seemed obvious that New Year’s Day 2001 would carry a corresponding nautical tradition. […]
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By Ben Evans, on December 24th, 2016
With a fire unavailable, the Christmas stockings of consecutive International Space Station (ISS) crews have been hung by the hatch—with care, of course. Photo Credit: NASA
For the first time, a woman will record as many as two Christmases spent away from the Home Planet tomorrow (Sunday), whilst orbiting Earth aboard the International […]
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By Ben Evans, on October 9th, 2016
For the first time on STS-79, a shuttle crew saw Mir in its complete configuration, with six research and habitation modules. This would form John Blaha’s home for four months from September 1996 through January 1997. Photo Credit: NASA
“ … And liftoff of Atlantis on the fourth flight to dock with the […]
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By Ben Evans, on October 8th, 2016
John Blaha gazes through Atlantis’ overhead flight deck windows, shortly after docking with Mir in September 1996. Photo Credit: NASA
Of all the NASA astronauts who have flown long-duration space missions—longer than a month or so—very few have moved from the commander’s or pilot’s seat of a space shuttle and rotated into a […]
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