Suggested Searches

Blogs

    Key Launch Day Milestones for NASA’s IXPE

    NASA's IXPE spacecraft

    Here is a look at some of the key milestones for today's IXPE launch: Mission Timeline (all times approximate) LAUNCH AND SPACECRAFT DEPLOYMENT Time Events 1 a.m. EST Liftoff T+153 sec First stage main engine cutoff (MECO) T+156 sec First and second stages separate T+164 sec Second stage engine start 1 …

    Read Full Post

    Weather Looking Great for NASA’s IXPE Launch

    NASA's IXPE mission logo

    The weather outlook for today's early morning launch of NASA's Imaging X-Ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) spacecraft from Kennedy Space Center is terrific. Weather officials with Cape Canaveral Space Force Station's 45th Weather Squadron predict a 90% chance of favorable conditions for liftoff, with the cumulus cloud rule serving as the primary weather concern. A collaboration …

    Read Full Post

    What is NASA’s IXPE Mission All About?

    NASA's IXPE spacecraft

    NASA's Imaging X-Ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) mission sounds cool, and even has a catchy name. But what is IXPE's goal and how did the project come about? Here is a more in-depth look at IXPE, NASA's first satellite dedicated to measuring X-ray polarization. IXPE is going to explore some of the most extreme and mysterious …

    Read Full Post

    Welcome to Live Coverage of the IXPE Launch!

    IXPE spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket on launch pad

    Happy late Wednesday evening, and welcome to live coverage of NASA's Imaging X-Ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) spacecraft mission from Florida's Space Coast! Standing tall atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, IXPE is set to lift off from Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39A in just about 90 minutes (1 a.m. EST, Thursday, Dec. 9). The …

    Read Full Post

    Solar Tour Pit Stop #6: L1

    Float with NASA's Fleet at Lagrange Point 1! Greetings from Lagrange Point 1, or L1, the 6th stop on our solar tour! This is a special place between Earth and the Sun where their gravitational forces are balanced. It's a great spot for spacecraft because they'll stay put between the two objects and orbit with …

    Read Full Post

    NASA’s IXPE’s Launch Boosted by Experience

    SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and IXPE spacecraft

    The rocket booster that will power NASA's Imaging X-Ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) spacecraft into the sky from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in just a matter of hours has been there many times before. "This booster has launched eight astronauts, three dragon capsules and one geostationary spacecraft," said Julianna Scheiman, SpaceX's director of civil satellite missions. …

    Read Full Post

    NASA Zeroing in on Path Forward for Lucy Solar Array

    NASA plans to conduct additional ground tests on an engineering model of the Lucy solar array motor and lanyard prior to potentially attempting full deployment of one of the probe's solar arrays. A project team completed an assessment Dec. 1 of the ongoing solar array issue, which did not appear to fully deploy as planned …

    Read Full Post

    IXPE Launch Broadcast Early Thursday, NASA EDGE Show Today

    Falcon 9 rocket and IXPE spacecraft at the launch pad

    Live coverage of NASA's Imaging X-Ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) spacecraft launch from the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida begins at 12:30 a.m. EST on Thursday, Dec. 9. Tune in to NASA Television, the NASA app, or the agency's website for a live broadcast – or stay right here for a live blog to take you through …

    Read Full Post

    Launch Readiness Review Concludes: IXPE a ‘Go’ for Thursday

    SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with NASA's IXPE spacecraft

    Teams from NASA and SpaceX completed a launch readiness review ahead of NASA's Imaging X-Ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) mission. The result: launch teams are a "go" for liftoff of NASA's first satellite dedicated to measuring X-ray polarization. IXPE is scheduled to launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39A on Thursday, Dec. …

    Read Full Post

    Solar Tour Pit Stop #5: Earth’s Magnetosphere

    Earth's Protective Shield Today on our solar tour, we're exploring the magnetosphere – the last stop before heading into space! Earth's magnetosphere is created by our planet's molten core and protects us from the solar wind, the constant stream of radiation and charged particles coming from the Sun! We're not alone (magnetically speaking) Earth isn't …

    Read Full Post