Canadian space writer/editor who witnessed astronaut launches to the moon or ISS (shuttle, Soyuz, Artemis). 5x book author. Latin language learner. Ph.D.
Day 120, orbit 1861 — Did you know? My official playlist 🎶 is on @Deezer, and it is regularly updated with new tracks! It’s a deliberately eclectic mix, designed to suit every mood and every moment of the mission: upbeat songs for workouts, softer pieces for admiring Earth through the Cupola windows, tunes that bring back memories… and even a few surprises suggested by friends and family.
🚀 And since it’s the 13th of the month, here’s a little flashback to the three tracks I was listening to on the way to the launch pad, exactly 4 months ago!
1/ I’m Good (Blue) – David Guetta, Bebe Rexha
2/ Happy – Pharrell Williams
3/ Valhalla Calling – VoicePlay, J. None
Tell me in the comments which track is your favourite!
🎥 @esa / @NASA#εpsilon • @Space_Station • @CNES
Our latest shipment from the @Space_Station is heading back to Earth next Tuesday, June 16, aboard an uncrewed @SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. Here's how to watch: go.nasa.gov/3Q2iGCu
ALT A SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, seen close-up in space. Its conical nose cone is open, revealing the docking port beneath. Credit: NASA
The Artemis III crew has already made an impact on our lunar rovers.
Artemis III Commander @AstroKomrade and Mission Specialist Frank Rubio participated in human factor testing of our FLEX rover mockup in 2024. They tested every interaction point on the FLEX mockup in full EVA suits: hatches, controls, handholds, ingress and egress. Their feedback shaped our design.
Media interviews, armchair discussion at the Canada-US Summit, public event with the Ontario Science Centre and ceremonial first pitch with the Blue Jays.
CSA astronaut Jeremy Hansen knows how to end a tour!
ALT Astronaut Jeremy Hansen speaking on stage at the US-Canada Summit.
ALT Astronaut Jeremy Hansen giving a presentation on stage at an event.
ALT Astronaut Jeremy Hansen in a televised interview in a studio with the Toronto skyline in the background.
ALT Astronaut Jeremy Hansen being interviewed on the field at a stadium.
Canadarm2 will get a repair NET June 30 (day before Canada Day) after spacewalkers swap in a spare part already on @Space_Station. Read more about that, and the robot arm series, in my story @SPACEdotcom.
A part of Canadarm2 robotic arm on the ISS broke in May, requiring repairs by spacewalking astronauts no earlier than June 30. A spare is already on the station. space.com/space-exploration/…
As the US military readies for two 2027 missions to test spacecraft maneuvering, a new challenge with orbital warehouses aims to beef up space infrastructure. space.com/space-exploration/…
During their lunar flyby, the Artemis II crew enjoyed the rare opportunity to experience a solar eclipse from their Orion spacecraft.
With the Sun hidden behind the Moon, the astronauts were able to analyze the Sun’s outermost atmosphere, also known as the solar corona.
Have you ever wanted to have your name 'Roman' a million miles away?
Now you can! Send your name along the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, scheduled to launch Aug. 30, 2026!
Sign up here: go.nasa.gov/4ejkRcR
Submissions close July 12.
ALT A person in a head-to-toe white clean room suit holds a large purple "boarding pass" for NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope in Goddard's large cleanroom. The boarding pass includes an image of the 18 detectors, an artist concept image of the telescope, a QR code, and the NASA logo. "Roman Telescope" is written where the name would go.
ALT The plate attached to the Roman telescope, where a memory card containing names will be attached. It's a tall, thin, rectangular silver plate. At the top of the plate is the stylized Nancy Grace Roman name logo. Below is the silhouette of Roman's 18-square detectors in their iconic arch shape. Text below that reads "NASA's first chief astronomer, Nancy Grace Roman, persevered through barriers and made powerful space telescopes a reality. She envisioned a world where everyone had access to, and enthusiasm for, science. This observatory is the continuation of her legacy and dream." Below the text is an illustration of Dr. Roman looking up, next to her name and the years 1925-2018. Below the years is a small box where the memory card will be affixed. The plate is held down with two large bolts at the top and bottom.
ALT The fully assembled Roman telescope in the clean room, standing upright. It's a silver cylinder with solar panels peeking out from behind both sides like wings. The hood is deployed, like a black sun visor on a baseball cap. Orange lifts and people in white cleanroom suits surrounded the telescope, highlighting how large it is. The unfolded lifts only reach about one-quarter of the way up the telescope's body. Instrumentation and cables are visible in a section about one-third of the way up the body. Thousands of tiny squares on the wall behind the telescope are air filters for the clean room.
⏱️100,000 hours - 6,000,000 minutes - 360,000,000 seconds
That is how long the Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) has been operating aboard the @Space_Station!
Learn more about MSG and the many experiments that have been conducted inside it >> go.nasa.gov/4dZhHvX
ALT NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman installs Capillary Channel Flow (CCF) experiment hardware in the Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) aboard the International Space Station. This investigation studied how fluids move through capillaries in the absence of gravity. Capillary systems don’t require pumps or moving parts and can be used in the design of spacecraft systems.
Did you miss the conjunction of Jupiter and Venus last night? You didn't! Not really, because the pair will still appear close together tonight. Look to the western sky after sunset. In this view from June 10th, see if you can spot Mercury near the horizon as well.
ALT Jupiter and Venus appear as a pair of bright "stars" in the late evening sky. Their light is reflected in the waters of a marsh. Photo: NASA/Bill Dunford
Make some paper with us at the Library of Congress!
We make paper at the Library to create a body of reference samples for material science research. This research helps support the preservation of our collections.
Had fun meeting with students from Truro Middle School after visiting the new Mission: Astronaut exhibit at the Discovery Centre, in Halifax.
Thanks to the science centre and Ulnooweg Education Centre for facilitating this!
Big shout-out to the @SPACEdotcom team for extra support on this Artemis 3 article, which only has my byline at top!
@JoshDinner (credited in text) gathered a crucial interview in Houston and staff also did an analysis of crews, all on short deadline. cc @nasa@esa
The four astronauts named to the Artemis 3 crew are all male, but NASA officials emphasized they were selected based on their qualifications and experience. space.com/space-exploration/…
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk outlined more details for his company’s planned data centers in space ahead of a widely anticipated IPO on Thursday (June 11) expected to make him a trillionaire. space.com/space-exploration/…