Cosmic Chicago
Chicago's Independent Space News Outlet
Category: Mission Update
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James Webb Space Telescope Releases First Images
After a successful launch and six months of on-orbit testing and calibration, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is fully operational. A report published July 12, 2022, states that “JWST is fully capable of achieving the discoveries for which it was built.” During the six months of testing JWST made approximately 2,300 observations with its…
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PHOTOS: SpaceX Dragon Docks to Space Station, Delivers Science Experiments and Cargo
The Dragon Cargo spacecraft autonomously docked at the International Space Station (ISS) Saturday morning with over 5,800 pounds of cargo and science experiments. On Monday, July 18, astronauts Jessica Watkins and Bob Hines, with assistance from Kjell Lindgren unpacked the cargo Dragon, moving time-critical research experiments into the orbital laboratory of the station. Research includes…
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NOAA Releases First Image from GOES-18 Weather Satellite
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has released the first images from the GOES-18 weather satellite. The images were taken on May 5th and show the capabilities of the GOES Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) 16 channels. The first four are visible and near-infrared, and the next ten are infrared. Data from the ABI is…
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Artemis 1 Wet Dress Rehearsal Underway: What to Know About the Final Test
Now that the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket is on the launchpad, the final test before launch has begun, the Wet Dress Rehearsal (WDR). The WDR began after 4 pm CT or L-45 hours before the targeted test T-0. The WDR will allow the launch team to practice propellant loading operations, conduct a full launch…
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NASA Rolls Out its Mega Moon Rocket for the First Time
Last week, NASA unveiled its new mega Moon rocket when it rolled out to the launch pad for testing and a wet dress rehearsal. When the Shuttle program ended, the focus within the agency became the Space Launch System and the Artemis program. Since 2011 the Vehicle Assembly Building, Mobile Launcher Tower, Crawler-Transporter-2, and launchpad…
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Mission Update: GOES-T Becomes GOES-18
GOES-T successfully launched atop a ULA Atlas V rocket on March 1, 2022. That evening the satellite was deployed into its transfer orbit, and mission managers confirmed that GOES-T was operating under its own power after deploying its solar array. On March 14th, GOES-T performed its final engine burn to place it in its final…
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NASA Ready to Rollout its Artemis Moon Rocket
NASA’s mission managers announced the agency is ready to rollout its Artemis moon rocket to the launch pad this week. The rocket, officially named, Space Launch System (SLS) will undergo testing and a wet dress rehearsal before to launch later this year. Following completion of a test readiness review, Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, the Artemis launch director…
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GOES-T Launches to Orbit for NOAA and NASA
An Atlas V rocket launched the GOES-T weather satellite to space from Cape Canaveral at 3:38 pm CST today March 1st, 2022. The satellite is currently traveling through space on its way to orbit, which is about a three and a half hour mission after launch. Following the successful launch by ULA and NASA’s Launch…
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The Problem with GOES West
The GOES-West weather satellite has had problems ever since it reached orbit and went into operation in 2018. Meant to capture images and data that is critical to meteorologists and researchers, the malfunctions and flawed data have been of huge concern to the engineers and operators responsible for the satellite. Fortunately, the problem was identified,…
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Northrop Grumman Successfully Sends Cygnus Spacecraft to the International Space Station
On Saturday, Northrop Grumman launched the Cygnus Spacecraft SS Piers Sellers to the International Space Station (ISS) for NASA. The resupply mission sent over eight thousand pounds of science investigations, food and supplies, and other cargo to astronauts living and working on Station. The cargo spacecraft launched atop an Antares rocket from the Wallops Flight…
