Welcome Aboard, Crew 4!

 

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4 Astronauts Arrive at Space Station

NASA astronauts Mission Commander Kjell Lindgren, Pilot Bob Hines, and Mission Specialist Jessica Watkins, as well as ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Mission Specialist Samantha Cristoforetti, are now aboard the International Space Station. NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4 mission lifted off on April 27 at 3:52 a.m. EDT from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The SpaceX Dragon Freedom crew capsule docked to the orbiting complex at 7:37 p.m. while the spacecraft flew about 261 miles above the Pacific Ocean. Watch the launch highlights:

During their six-month stay aboard the space station, Hines, Watkins, Lindgren, and Cristoforetti will conduct new scientific research in areas materials science, health technologies, and plant science to prepare for human exploration beyond low-Earth orbit and to benefit life on Earth. (Lea la versión en español de este artículo.)

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This Week at NASA

Webb in Full Focus – Our super-powerful James Webb Space Telescope got one step closer to unraveling the mysteries of the universe this week. Teams confirmed the alignment of Webb's mirrors to all four of its powerful onboard science instruments, each of which can now capture crisp images. Learn What's Next for Webb

Ax-1 Returns to Earth – The Axiom Mission 1 crew safely splashed down off the coast of Florida on Monday, marking the end of the first private astronaut mission to the International Space Station. Discover what they researched during their 17 days aboard the orbiting laboratory.   Get Up to Speed on Ax-1 Science

Hubble’s 32nd Anniversary – The launch and deployment of our Hubble Space Telescope in April 1990 marked the most significant advance in astronomy since Galileo's telescope. Thanks to five servicing missions and more than 30 years of operation, our view of the universe and our place within it has never been the same. Discover Hubble's Legacy

Astronaut Hand Signals – How can astronauts in space communicate with each other if their communications channels were to go down or become busy? In this video, NASA astronauts Kayla Barron and Raja Chari explain some of the signs and symbols they use while living and working on the space station. Hear From the Astronauts

Houston, We Have a Webby – NASA earned three Webby Awards and five People’s Voice awards in this year’s Webby Awards Competition, recognizing excellence in online communications. We humbly thank all our supporters who liked, followed, and helped us share space with the world this year. View Our Award-Winning Projects

Calling All Teachers – Are you looking to share the excitement of Artemis with your STEM learners? The Artemis I Learning Pathway is a weekly newsletter filled with hand-picked STEM resources and ready-to-use content you can use immediately to engage students of every level. Sign Up for Learning Resources

Changing Your Perspective – In this episode of Down to Earth, veteran astronaut Suni Williams sits down with environmental studies student Adrien Prouty to discuss her previous missions, and what it was like to view our home planet from 250 miles up. Watch the Episode

Planetary Science Exploration – NASA officials and independent experts gave the green light to extend the planetary science missions of eight of our spacecraft due to their potential to deepen our knowledge and understanding of the solar system. More on Planetary Exploration

People Profile

Meet Lashanda Battle, sustainability lead at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. “Through my job communicating and doing outreach, I’m making people aware of how we all can contribute to a more sustainable environment and helping future generations meet their needs.”

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Image Spotlight

Cloud streets sweep over the open water between Labrador, Canada, and southwest Greenland in this image captured with the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite. Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory images by Joshua Stevens, using MODIS data from NASA EOSDIS LANCE and GIBS/Worldview.