Cosmic Chicago

Category: News

How to See the Total Lunar Eclipse in Chicago

Tomorrow evening, May 15th, there will be a total lunar eclipse visible from Chicago. We haven’t been able to view a total lunar eclipse from the city in three years, so it’s definitely an exciting event worth staying up late for. The eclipse will begin just after 9:30 pm and end at 1:55 am, but... Read more »

By Sophie Sanchez,
May 14, 2022 at 10:42 pm •

NOAA Releases First Image from GOES-18 Weather Satellite

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has released the first images from the GOES-18 weather satellite. The images were taken on May 5th and show the capabilities of the GOES Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) 16 channels. This GOES-18 image shows the US observed by GOES-18’s ABI’s 16 channels on May 5, 2022. Credit: NESDIS/NOAA... Read more »

By Michael Galindo,
May 12, 2022 at 7:12 pm •

NASA's Fourth Crew Rotation Heads to Station: How to Watch the Crew-4 Launch

The fourth crew of NASA’s Commercial Crew program is ready to head to the Space Station. Launching on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, Crew 4 will begin their mission in space to conduct microgravity research, test student hardware, and carry out medical research. Crew 4 is scheduled for an early morning liftoff from Launch Complex 39A... Read more »

By Sophie Sanchez,
April 26, 2022 at 9:20 pm •

The First All Private Astronaut Crew to the ISS: How to Watch the Axiom-1 Launch

SpaceX is preparing to launch the first all-private astronaut crew to the ISS for Axiom Space. Ax-1 includes an international crew of four private astronauts on a ten-day mission to space where they will live and work aboard the International Space Station for eight days. Ax-1 is currently scheduled for liftoff from Launch Complex 39A... Read more »

By Sophie Sanchez,
April 7, 2022 at 9:39 pm •

Artemis 1 Wet Dress Rehearsal Underway: What to Know About the Final Test

Now that the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket is on the launchpad, the final test before launch has begun, the Wet Dress Rehearsal (WDR). The WDR began after 4 pm CT or L-45 hours before the targeted test T-0. The WDR will allow the launch team to practice propellant loading operations, conduct a full launch... Read more »

By Michael Galindo,
April 2, 2022 at 9:47 am •

NASA Rolls Out its Mega Moon Rocket for the First Time

Last week, NASA unveiled its new mega Moon rocket when it rolled out to the launch pad for testing and a wet dress rehearsal. When the Shuttle program ended, the focus within the agency became the Space Launch System and the Artemis program. Since 2011 the Vehicle Assembly Building, Mobile Launcher Tower, Crawler-Transporter-2, and launchpad... Read more »

By Sophie Sanchez,
March 31, 2022 at 12:39 am •

Mission Update: GOES-T Becomes GOES-18

GOES-T successfully launched atop a ULA Atlas V rocket on March 1, 2022. That evening the satellite was deployed into its transfer orbit, and mission managers confirmed that GOES-T was operating under its own power after deploying its solar array. The launch of GOES-T on an Atlas V rocket. Credit: Michael Galindo On March 14th,... Read more »

By Michael Galindo,
March 27, 2022 at 6:48 pm •

PHOTOS: SLS Rolls to the Launch Pad for Dress Rehearsal

NASA’s new rocket, the Space Launch System (SLS), made its way to Launch Pad 39B last Thursday evening for final testing before launching the Artemis I mission to the Moon. The journey began at the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB), where the SLS rocket was assembled and “stacked” atop the Mobile Launch Platform (MLP). The Crawler... Read more »

By Michael Galindo,
March 23, 2022 at 10:51 am •

NASA Ready to Rollout its Artemis Moon Rocket

NASA’s mission managers announced the agency is ready to rollout its Artemis moon rocket to the launch pad this week. The rocket, officially named, Space Launch System (SLS) will undergo testing and a wet dress rehearsal before to launch later this year. Following completion of a test readiness review, Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, the Artemis launch director... Read more »

By Sophie Sanchez,
March 15, 2022 at 10:45 pm •