bTeam In this week’s NASA update:
1. **Rubio Sets New U.S. Spaceflight Record**: On September 11, NASA astronaut Frank Rubio accomplished an astounding feat, concluding his 355th day aboard the International Space Station. This achievement surpasses the previous record for the longest single spaceflight by a U.S. astronaut, held by NASA’s Mark Vande Hei. During a congratulatory call from agency leadership, Rubio’s remarkable journey was celebrated. By the time he returns to Earth on September 27, he will have spent approximately 371 days in space.
2. **NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 Mission Returns Home**: The crew of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 mission has safely returned home after a six-month stint on the space station. On September 12, a select group of crew members, including NASA astronauts Steve Bowen and Woody Hoburg, shared insights about their mission during a news conference at the Johnson Space Center. The mission’s highlights included Bowen’s impressive 10th career spacewalk, tying a U.S. record.
3. **OSIRIS-REx Adjusts Course for Sample Capsule’s Landing**: NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft recently executed a critical course correction to optimize its position for the release of a capsule carrying samples collected from asteroid Bennu. The capsule is scheduled to make a parachute-assisted landing in the Utah desert on September 24, marking the first U.S. mission to collect material from an asteroid.
4. **NASA Announces Record-High Summer Temperatures**: NASA’s Goddard Institute of Space Studies reported that the summer of 2023 has been the hottest on record since global temperature records began in 1880. June through August registered temperatures 0.41 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than any previous summer in NASA’s dataset. This record-breaking heat has contributed to severe weather, devastating wildfires, and scorching heatwaves across the globe.
These are the noteworthy updates from NASA for this week. Stay tuned for more exciting developments in space exploration.
