Cosmic Chicago

16/11/2023

One year ago today, NASA launched SLS and the Orion spacecraft to the Moon as part of the first mission for the Artemis program. The next launch will send a crew of astronauts to the Moon and back in Orion.
Until then though, relive the launch through the photos we took that night.

The Artemis I mission began with the launch of SLS rising into the Florida sky. Liftoff occurred at 12:47 a.m. CST on November 16th, 2022.

15/11/2023

SpaceX is targeting Friday, November 17th for the second flight test of Starship. You can watch the Livestream here:

SpaceX designs, manufactures and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft.

14/11/2023

Heads up, Chicago readers!

Cernan Earth and Space Center is hosting the upcoming meeting of the Chicago Astronomical Society. Details below...

14/11/2023

Scientists using NASA's James Webb Space Telescope just made a breakthrough discovery in revealing how planets are made. By observing water v***r in

13/11/2023

If you had the opportunity to go to space, what would you take with you?

When astronaut John Herrington made his voyage to space aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour's STS-113 mission, he became the first Native American in space.

11/11/2023

Last night SpaceX released a new video as they prepare for the second Starship flight test.

Starship is once more preparing for launch. The second flight test of a fully integrated Starship will debut several upgrades to the vehicle and ground infra...

10/11/2023

Frank Borman, who explored the frontiers of space as one of the first three astronauts to orbit the Moon almost 55 years ago on Apollo 8.

"Exploration is really the essence of the human spirit." –Frank Borman (1928–2023)

We have lost a legend. https://go.nasa.gov/40tBX0l

10/11/2023

Following a successful launch of NASA’s SpaceX 29th commercial resupply mission, scientific experiments and technology demonstrations, including studies of

09/11/2023

🚀 GO for launch!

Teams with NASA and SpaceX have confirmed the target launch time for the company’s mission to the International Space Station for 8:28pm ET on Thursday, Nov 9: http://go.nasa.gov/3QQzlX4

Tune in at 4pm today, Nov. 8, to hear from NASA and SpaceX officials during a prelaunch teleconference: http://nasa.gov/live

08/11/2023

On Oct. 5, 2022, Nicole Mann made history as the first Indigenous woman to go to space.

As part of we are celebrating our Native American employees for their accomplishments and contributions. Learn more about Nicole’s career here: https://go.nasa.gov/3sn0eZo

06/11/2023

Have you ever seen the International Space Station fly overhead in the night sky?

Our new app makes it easier than ever to spot the Station. Follow its location in real-time, get notified when it's passing over your town—and read the latest news and updates about life on this orbiting laboratory.

Get the details: https://go.nasa.gov/3MmMkgI

02/11/2023

Chicago born Apollo astronaut Thomas Ken Mattingly passed away on October 31st. Removed from the crew of Apollo 13 days before launch for exposure to measles, Mattingly would go on to fly on Apollo 16 and then the Space Shuttle.

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson reflects on Mattingly's contribution to space exploration below:

The following is a statement from NASA Administrator Bill Nelson on the passing of former NASA astronaut Rear Adm. (ret.) Thomas K. (TK) Mattingly II.

01/11/2023

NASA Astronauts Moghbeli and O’Hara conduct their first spacewalk this morning. You can watch here: https://www.nasa.gov/nasatv/

Final preparations are underway as the Expedition 70 crew gets ready for a maintenance spacewalk on Wednesday.

30/10/2023

ULA has announced it is ready for the maiden launch of its Vulcan rocket, scheduled for no earlier than December, 24th 2023.

24/10/2023

NASA is performing a test of the sound suppression water system at the Artemis launch pad in preparation for the Artemis II launch.

The sound suppression system helps protect the launch pad and the rocket from the extreme sound and vibration produced by the main engines and solid rocket boosters.

24/10/2023

20/10/2023

Heads Up, east coast readers!

NASA Langley is hosting a free, open house this weekend. NASA Astronaut Vic Glover will be in attendance.

Just 2 days to go until the NASA Langley open house!

Have you planned your visit yet? Check out our open house website and get info on

✅ registration
✅ parking
✅ the entry process & prohibited items

and more: openhouse.larc.nasa.gov

14/10/2023

Even though the weather is not good for eclipse viewing in Chicago today, you can still see an awesome view of the annular solar eclipse. NASA is live broadcasting the event here:

On Oct. 14, 2023, an annular solar eclipse will cross North, Central, and South America. Visible in parts of the United States, Mexico, and many countries in South and Central America, millions of people in the Western Hemisphere can experience this eclipse. During an annular eclipse, it is never sa...

13/10/2023

Launch alert! NASA and SpaceX are preparing to launch the Psyche spacecraft aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy this morning.

NASA is launching a spacecraft through space to the metal-rich asteroid, Psyche to learn more about the origins of our Solar System.

11/10/2023

We are a half hour away from the OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample reveal.

The first asteroid sample collected in space by a U.S. spacecraft and brought to Earth is unveiled to the world at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston on ...

11/10/2023

NASA is live broadcasting the OSIRIS-REx asteroid reveal today at 10 am CDT. Info below: https://facebook.com/events/s/revealing-the-osiris-rex-aster/999840931284213/

10/10/2023

On Oct. 11, 1968, NASA launched Apollo 7, the first manned Apollo flight. The three astronauts on Apollo 7 were Walter Schirra, Jr., Donn Eisele, and Walter Cunningham. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, they spent 10 days, 20 hours, 9 minutes, and 3 seconds in space. Apollo 7 completed 163 orbits around Earth, traveling 4,546,918.3 miles. NASA photo of Apollo 7 crew: Donn Eisele, Wally Schirra and Walt Cunningham.

09/10/2023

NASA's mission to the asteroid Psyche is scheduled later this week. Check out our guide to watching the launch and how to sign up for NASA's virtual guest passport to collect a launch stamp.

NASA is launching a spacecraft through space to the metal-rich asteroid, Psyche to learn more about the origins of our Solar System.

08/10/2023

The first-ever mission to study a metal-rich asteroid, Psyche aims to help scientists learn more about the formation of rocky bodies in our solar system.

07/10/2023

06/10/2023

Ingenuity has reached new heights on Mars, flying at a record breaking altitude of 79 ft. Ingenuity was originally meant to fly just five times in order for the engineering team to test the technology, but it has made an additional 56 flights for a total of 61 flights on Mars.

The Mars Helicopter is a technology demonstration to test powered flight on another planet for the first time.

05/10/2023

Chicago readers: A new space themed Mold-A-Rama is available at the Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago! It's called Space Shuttle Over Earth and comes in NASA blue.

Touchdown! 🚀 🌍 Space Shuttle Over Earth has landed at MSI in its Mold-A-Rama™ form.

The Space Shuttle was the world’s first reusable spacecraft. A glimpse into its impressive resume:
⭐Launching the Hubble Space Telescope
⭐Dozens of missions to build the International Space Station
⭐Conducting science experiments in orbit

Get your little token of space history at Mold-A-Rama™: Molded for the Future!

04/10/2023

On October 4, 1957, "one small ball in the air" was launched into space from the former Soviet Union.

This small ball was Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite in history. Sputnik's launch came as a surprise to the United States, ushering in the Space Age.

Learn more: https://go.nasa.gov/48AnhAa

04/10/2023

When scientists opened the science canister lid for NASA's asteroid sample of Bennu they found more material inside than expected. This means the team is running a little behind in collecting and processing the material for study.

Right now, a special team is doing a quick analysis of the material while other scientists continue with material collection.

Initial Curation of NASA’s OSIRIS-REx Sample The initial curation process for NASA’s OSIRIS-REx sample of asteroid Bennu is moving slower than anticipated, but for the best reason: the sample runneth over. The abundance of material found when the science canister lid was removed earlier this wee...

03/10/2023

Happy Anniversary, NASA!

We're celebrating NASA’s 65th orbit around the Sun!

We’ve seen a lot since we opened for business on Oct. 1, 1958, and there are so many more inspiring discoveries and benefits for humanity yet to come.

01/10/2023

Launch update:
The launch of Psyche has slipped a week and is now expected to launch no earlier than October 12th.

We are psyched about Psyche!

On this week’s , hear from Psyche’s principal investigator Lindy Elkins-Tanton ahead of the mission to a metal-rich asteroid. go.nasa.gov/46rXurY

30/09/2023

😎 On Oct. 14, 2023, an annular solar eclipse will cross North, Central, and South America. This eclipse will be visible for millions of people in the Western Hemisphere.

So, find out how you can prepare, what to except, and MORE >> https://go.nasa.gov/3thAWfq

28/09/2023

The OSIRIS-REx mission samples from Bennu have arrived at Johnson Space Center in Houston and we are being treated to photos of the capsule in the newly designed clean room where scientists will study the asteroid regolith.

If you haven't seen it yet, we put together a photo gallery from the launch of the OSIRIS-REX mission seven years ago that you can view here:

NASA scientists, launch managers, and spacecraft engineers gathered at Kennedy Space Center to witness the launch of OSIRIS-REx.

27/09/2023

Early this morning NASA Astronaut, Frank Rubio and his crew mates arrived safely back on Earth after a yearlong mission to the International Space Station. Rewatch their landing here:

Watch live as NASA astronaut Frank Rubio, the new record holder for the longest single U.S. spaceflight, returns home from the International Space Station. T...

27/09/2023

26/09/2023

NASA's OSIRIS-REx capsule arrived at Johnson Space Center in Houston today. The sample material will be taken to a lab at JSC to be studied and analyzed.

This is the most important part of the mission because it will teach us more about the origins of the Solar System. Learn more about the OSIRIS-REx mission here:

OSIRIS-REx is integral to learning more about the origins of our solar system, and this is what you need to know about the mission.

25/09/2023

From launch to landing, the OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample mission went on a journey to Bennu and back.

Today's asteroid sample return capsule landing was an incredible moment for NASA and the hundreds of scientists and engineers that worked on all aspects of this mission. Seven years ago we watched the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft launch from Kennedy Space Center to start a journey to space.

These are just a couple of our favorite photos captured during the mission and a look at how and why we went to Bennu to begin with: https://cosmicchicago.com/osiris-rex-explained-nasas-asteroid-sample-return-mission-2/

24/09/2023

NASA's live broadcast of the OSIRIS-REx sample return has begun. Tune in now to catch sight of the capsule as it returns to Earth.

Watch a spacecraft deliver an asteroid sample to Earth! Our OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security–Regolith Expl...