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Zinnia Blooms on ISS — New Post in Josh Universe

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https://www.instagram.com/p/DVou7lQDxn8/

The first flower grown in space was a Zinnia (Zinnia hybrida), which bloomed on the International Space Station (ISS) in January 2016 as part of NASA's Veggie experiment.

Cultivated by astronaut Scott Kelly, these flowers were chosen to test how plants grow in microgravity, providing insights for future long-duration missions to Mars.
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Josh Universe is an analog astronaut, science communicator, biohacker, and CEO of Astrochain. This is the official website of Josh Universe.

Exposed Cranium Nebula: New Instagram Post

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https://www.instagram.com/p/DVYscpSDSS6/

The “Exposed Cranium” Nebula, formally designated PMR 1, lies about 5,000 light-years away in the constellation Vela. It represents a massive star in the final stages of its evolution. As the star exhausts its nuclear fuel, it begins to expel its outer layers into space, forming vast, billowing clouds of gas and dust.

Recent observations in both near- and mid-infrared wavelengths reveal a striking dark channel slicing through the center of the nebula. This feature resembles the longitudinal fissure that divides the human brain into two hemispheres. Astronomers suggest that powerful jets from the dying star may be carving this channel, forcing material outward from the inner regions. While the nebula’s outer shell is composed primarily of simple hydrogen, the inner clouds contain more chemically complex material, reflecting the star’s advanced evolutionary stage. #space #astronomy
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Artemis 2 Delayed to 2026 — SLS Helium Issue

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https://www.instagram.com/p/DVOwezMkaUY/

NASA has delayed the crewed Artemis 2 moon mission to at least April 2026 due to a helium flow issue in the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket’s upper stage.

The rocket is being rolled back to the Vehicle Assembly Building for repairs, pushing back the previous March 6 target date.
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Earth from Saturn Rings — New Instagram Post

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https://www.instagram.com/p/DU9mPL5DeUX/

Seen from a distance of 1.5 billion kilometers, Earth appears as a faint pale blue speck beneath the sweeping rings of Saturn in this image taken by the Cassini spacecraft. From this vantage point in the outer Solar System, our planet is reduced to a tiny point of light suspended in the vastness of space.

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SSI
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Antennae Galaxies Post on Josh Universe

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https://www.instagram.com/p/DU8n58rEcnr/

Shown here are the galaxies NGC 4038 and NGC 4039, together known as the Antennae Galaxies. Located about 60 million light-years from Earth—a relatively short distance in cosmic terms—this pair is among the most closely studied examples of interacting galaxies visible in the night sky.

Roughly a billion years ago, their powerful gravitational pull drew them into an unusually close encounter. While individual stars within the galaxies seldom collide, vast clouds of interstellar gas do crash into one another, triggering intense bursts of new star formation.
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PDS 70 Planet Formation Update

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https://www.instagram.com/p/DU0tlwwDdEu/

Located roughly 400 light-years away, PDS 70 is a youthful stellar system—only about 5.4 million years old—centered on a K-type star. Astronomers have directly observed at least two developing gas giants, PDS 70b and PDS 70c, embedded within a dense circumstellar disk of dust and gas. Because these planets are still accreting material, the system offers a rare snapshot of planetary growth in progress.

Often described as an emerging analogue to a newborn solar system, PDS 70 provides valuable insight into how giant planets form and interact with their natal disks. Observations show the surrounding material actively feeding the planets, helping researchers study the early stages of planetary assembly and system evolution.

Credit: ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO)/Benisty et al.
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Egg Nebula Capture Shared on Josh Universe

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https://www.instagram.com/p/DUyUIPfkSgc/

Captured by NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, this image highlights the Egg Nebula’s striking contrasts of illumination and shadow, created by material recently expelled from its central star. Situated about 1,000 light-years away in the constellation Cygnus, the nebula surrounds a star hidden behind a thick veil of dust—evoking the appearance of a bright core embedded within a darker shell. Hubble’s resolution reveals fine structural details that offer insight into how evolving stars shed matter and shape their surrounding environments.

Credit: NASA, ESA, Bruce Balick (University of Washington)
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Josh Universe is an analog astronaut, science communicator, biohacker, and CEO of Astrochain. This is the official website of Josh Universe.

New Post: Stars Orbiting Milky Way Black Hole!

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https://www.instagram.com/p/DUqYKz0jczD/

This time-lapse sequence, captured with the NACO instrument on ESO’s Very Large Telescope in Chile, tracks the motion of stars over nearly two decades as they orbit the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way.

Credit: ESO/MPE
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New Water World Exoplanet Discovery

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https://www.instagram.com/p/DUkCHo0DUy4/

Astronomers have discovered the exoplanet TOI-1452 b, about 100 light-years away, that appears to be a strong candidate for a global “water world.” Roughly 70% larger than Earth and orbiting a red dwarf within a binary star system, the planet shows physical characteristics that differ markedly from rocky terrestrial planets. Observations from NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), supported by ground-based follow-ups, indicate a density and atmospheric profile consistent with an extensive, planet-wide ocean rather than exposed continents.

If confirmed, this scenario implies a world where water could extend hundreds of kilometers beneath the surface, reshaping assumptions about planetary diversity and habitability. Such environments are of particular interest because liquid water is central to astrobiology, offering parallels to conditions thought to exist on early Earth. Findings like these expand the scope of the search for life, highlighting that potentially habitable environments may arise in forms far different from familiar terrestrial analogues.
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Asteroid 2023 DW Tracked: Low Impact Risk in 2046

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https://www.instagram.com/p/DUimx6rDZ6P/

NASA is tracking a small asteroid named 2023 DW, roughly 164 feet in diameter, which has a very low (approx. 1-in-770) chance of impacting Earth on February 14, 2046.

It is currently considered a "1" on the Torino scale, indicating an extremely unlikely event with no immediate cause for public concern.
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Saturn's Hexagonal Storm vs USA Size!

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https://www.instagram.com/p/DUe6OZvDQtA/

This is Saturn's hexagonal storm compared to the United States of America. The storm is located around the north pole of Saturn. #space
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First Photo of Electron Orbit in Hydrogen Atom!

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https://www.instagram.com/p/DUeXSN8D3t-/

Scientists have captured the first ever photo of an electron's whizzing orbit within a hydrogen atom, thanks to a unique new microscopy technique.

You are able to see a real probability distribution of an electron cloud of the hydrogen atom. #physics
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See 3000 Stars! New Post from joshtospace

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https://www.instagram.com/p/DUeDXbbDxn-/

In a dark sky location, you can see around 2,500 to 3,000 stars at once with the naked eye, compared to only a few dozen in a city. The Milky Way appears as a distinct, hazy, luminous band stretching across the horizon.

Beyond countless stars, observers can see planets, constellations, the Andromeda Galaxy, the Orion Nebula, and even phenomena like zodiacal light and airglow.
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JWST Finds 13M Light-Year 'Cosmic Vine'

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https://www.instagram.com/p/DUdr6jKkdHB/

The "Cosmic Vine" is a massive, 13-million-light-year-long chain of 20 galaxies discovered by NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) in late 2023, located in the early universe (when the universe was just over 1.5 billion years old).

This ancient structure, existing within a dark matter filament, is crucial for understanding how large galaxies and galaxy clusters form, showing massive, star-formation-stopped (quiescent) galaxies even in the early cosmos, challenging previous theories.

It's a key component of the larger cosmic web, revealing how gravity built the universe's largest structures.
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Josh Universe is an analog astronaut, science communicator, biohacker, and CEO of Astrochain. This is the official website of Josh Universe.

Untethered Space Capture: Dale Gardner's MMU Flight

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https://www.instagram.com/p/DUcbpGdDSc_/

On November 14, 1984, Astronaut Dale Gardner flew untethered to a defective satellite to capture it while hurtling around Earth's orbit.

Gardner utilized a Manned Manuevering Unit (MMU), a mobile jet-powered backpack, to maneuver to the satellite untearhered. #space
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Rolls-Royce Moon Reactor Plans Halted

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https://www.instagram.com/p/DUZQBeBDel9/

Rolls Royces's plans to build nuclear reactors on the Moon in 2029 have been halted, potentially indefinitely, due to expired government contracts and lack of potential partners.

The project would send a nuclear reactor to the Moon to power a permanent lunar settlement.
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Stunning NZ Glowworms Photographed Inside Caves

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https://www.instagram.com/p/DUYclL2kXeU/

These images are part of a series of authentic photographs captured inside some of the most breathtaking cave systems on New Zealand’s North Island.

The glowing blue organisms seen here are Arachnocampa luminosa, commonly known as New Zealand glowworms, a species found nowhere else on Earth. Their distinctive blue bioluminescence is produced through a chemical reaction within their bodies and is used to lure insects into silk strands that hang from cave ceilings like natural traps.

As visitors move through the caves, the glowworms shift position and their brightness subtly fluctuates, creating a dynamic, star-like display that makes the experience visually stunning and immersive.

Photographed by @txmrae
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Frog Blasted by Minotaur V Rocket Launch!

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https://www.instagram.com/p/DUWCzYLETa7/

The image captures a small frog launched high into the air, silhouetted against the intense orange fireball and rolling smoke of a Minotaur V rocket launch. The photograph was taken by one of NASA’s remote, sound-triggered cameras stationed near the launch pad at Wallops Flight Facility.

These cameras are programmed to fire rapid bursts of images the instant they detect the thunderous roar of rocket engines. In one extraordinary frame, the system inadvertently caught the frog mid-flight as the rocket ignited.

NASA later confirmed the photograph is completely authentic and has not been digitally altered. According to experts, the frog was most likely resting in a pool of water from the launch pad’s high-volume deluge system, which is used to reduce acoustic energy and shield the pad from extreme heat. When the rocket engines ignited, the immense pressure wave blasted the amphibian upward into the air.

As for the frog’s fate, NASA released a characteristically dry statement:
“The photo team confirms the frog is real and was captured in a single frame by one of the remote cameras used to photograph the launch.

The condition of the frog, however, is uncertain.”

Later findings show that the frog did not make it, a picture can be found on the second image.

Credit: NASA Wallops Flight Facility / Chris Perry
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Hubble's Mystic Mountain Nebula Revealed

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https://www.instagram.com/p/DUUL-m2DQQr/

This is the Mystic Mountain Nebula. This turbulent cosmic pinnacle lies within a tempestuous stellar nursery called the Carina Nebula, located 7500 light-years away in the southern constellation of Carina. The image marks the 20th anniversary of Hubble's launch and deployment into Earth's orbit.

Streams of charged particles from hot newborn stars in the nebula are shaping and compressing the pillar, causing new stars to form within it. Streamers of hot ionised gas can be seen flowing off the ridges of the structure, and wispy veils of dust, illuminated by starlight, float around its peaks. The pillar is resisting being eroded by radiation.
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Artemis II Launch Delayed to March

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https://www.instagram.com/p/DUTsqfMj9Pm/

‍NASA now says March is the earliest window for a launch of the Artemis II mission after it found a liquid hydrogen leak during a wet dress rehearsal this week.

The space agency had been targeting a February. 8 launch date for the mission, which will send four astronauts on a crewed 10 day journey around the moon.

"To allow teams to review data and conduct a second wet dress rehearsal, NASA now will target March as the earliest possible launch opportunity for the flight test," said NASA.
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6 Potentially Habitable Exoplanets Revealed

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https://www.instagram.com/p/DUTU4P-kdEj/

Here are 6 exoplanets that scientists consider potentially capable of harboring life:

Proxima Centauri b is the closest known exoplanet to Earth at just 4.2 light-years away and orbits within the habitable zone of a red dwarf star. It is roughly Earth-sized and may be capable of supporting liquid water.

TRAPPIST-1e is one of seven Earth-sized planets in the TRAPPIST system located about 40 light-years away and sits firmly in the habitable zone. It is considered one of the most promising candidates for habitability.

Kepler-186f is an Earth-size planet located about 500 light-years away that orbits within the habitable zone of its star. It was the first Earth-sized exoplanet discovered in a habitable region.

LHS 1140 b is a dense super-Earth located about 40 light-years away that orbits within the habitable zone of a red dwarf star. It is one of the best targets for future atmospheric studies.

K2-18b is an exoplanet about 124 light-years away that orbits within the habitable zone of its star and has water vapor detected in its atmosphere. It is likely a sub-Neptune rather than a rocky planet.

Gliese 12 b is a Venus-size exoplanet located about 40 light-years away that orbits near the inner edge of the habitable zone. It is a key target for studying whether Earth-sized planets can retain their atmospheres.
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2026 Meteor Shower Calendar Revealed!

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https://www.instagram.com/p/DUSCkWhDaM2/

2026 will be a spectacular year for meteor showers - here's when to look up!

Meteor showers occur when debris from comets and asteroid pass through Earth's atmosphere, making visible meteor showers from the ground. Meteor showers tend to follow the orbit of the respective comets and asteroids, meaning they are highly predictable.

The Lyrids meteor shower will occur from April 22nd to the 23rd. From May 5th through the 6th, the Eta Aquariids will appear. The Perseids meteor showers will be on the 12th and 13th of August. Following that, the Origins will be from October 22nd to the 23rd. Furthermore, the Leonids will happen the night on November 17th into the 18th. Finally, 2026 will wrap up with the Geminids from December 13th to the 14th.
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First Image of Young Star with Two Exoplanets!

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https://www.instagram.com/p/DUQgqbAjSsr/

The European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope (ESO’s VLT) has taken the first ever image of a young, Sun-like star accompanied by two giant exoplanets.

Images of systems with multiple exoplanets are extremely rare, and astronomers had never directly observed more than one planet orbiting a star similar to the Sun.

The observations can help astronomers understand how planets formed and evolved around our own Sun.

astronomy

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Norway Northern Lights Heart Photo Shared!

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https://www.instagram.com/p/DUO1LfLD0NC/

This photograph was captured in Norway by Kristoffer Vangen, showing a heart-shaped formation in the northern lights. #astrophotography #astronomy
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Wow! Signal Mystery: New Flare Theory Explained

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https://www.instagram.com/p/DUOvrabj-I8/

In 1977, astronomers detected the Wow! Signal, a mysterious 72-second radio burst from deep space, in the Sagittarius constellation, that has never been heard again.

A new explanation for the signal suggests it was a chance detection of a furious flare crashing into a hydrogen cloud.
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Join Josh Universe as a Server Curator!

We're looking for people to help curate our server! If you're an active member and interested in becoming a @Helper then submit an application here: https://joshuniverse.framer.ai/discord-moderator-application !

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Josh Universe is an analog astronaut, science communicator, biohacker, and CEO of Astrochain. This is the official website of Josh Universe.

Artemis 2 Launch Countdown: 8 Days to Moon Mission!

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https://www.instagram.com/p/DUG7gxIkm9_/

In only 8 days, the first launch window of the Artemis 2 mission will open. If the launch happens on February 6th, it will start a 10 day expedition around the Moon.

The Astronauts will test deep-space, navigation, and life support systems in preparation for a crewed landing on Artemis 3. #space
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Artemis 2 Launch Window Update & SLS Test

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https://www.instagram.com/p/DUEnD09Evf1/

9 days marks the first available launch window for Artemis 2, February 6th. The mission will take humans around the Moon to test deep-space systems in preparation for a crewed landing in Artemis 3.

If the Space Launch System (SLS) fails the wet dress rehearsel (WDR) test on February 6th, or cannot launch for any other reason, further launch windows include mid March and early April.
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Moon Landing Denial Stats & Alien Beliefs

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https://www.instagram.com/p/DT-7vlWj9Vo/

The results were revealed in a survey conducted by Gallup in 1999. The results are likely more significant in 2026 with the rebirth of psuedoscience information going around on social media networks.

The survey results showed that around 18% of Americans aged 18-34 do not believe in the Moon landing, compared to just 8% aged 35-54 and 3% aged over 54.

The top reasons that the surveyed Moon landing deniers point to several claims. 41% of those believe the waving flag was evidence the Moon landing was staged. Furthermore, 14% believe there was not enough moisture on the Moon to create a footprint. 12% believe the radiation from the Van Allen belts would have killed the Astronauts. Another 10% believe that shadows from studio lights are visible.

However, Moon landing deniers are favorable with regard to the existance of alien life. Around 75% of those surveyed believe that aliens have visited Earth, compared to 43% if believers.
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Artemis 2: Farthest, Fastest Human Spaceflight!

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https://www.instagram.com/p/DT-yzSIkUUk/

Artemis 2 will be the farthest ever human spaceflight in history. Artemis 2 will be flying over 6000 miles past the far side of the Moon, surpassing Apollo 13's distance of 158 miles beyond the Moon.

Furthermore, Artemis 2 will be the fastest spaceflight ever recorded in human history. During re-entry into Earth's atmosphere, the Orion capsule will reach speeds up to 25,000 miles per hour.

Additionally, Artemis 2 will be the longest crewed flight test in human history. Artemis 2 will take 10 days to go around the Moon and back, compared with Apollo 8's 6 days.
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Young Adults Believe Earth is Flat? New Survey!

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https://www.instagram.com/p/DT9ihBHDY8F/

The results from a 2018 survey published by YouGov polled 8,215 US adults. Approximately 18% of adults aged 18-24 years have some belief in a flat, or otherwise shaped, Earth. This is staggering considering that only 4% of adults aged 55 or older believe in a flat, or otherwise shaped, Earth.

Of those aged 18-24, around 2% have always believed in a flat Earth, and an additional 2% believe the Earth is flat with doubts. 5% prescribe to a sphetical-shaped Earth, but have doubts in the scientifically-established model.

The remaining 84% of adults aged 18-24 have always believed that the Earth is round, compared to 94% of those aged 55 and older.
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Artemis 2 Crew Enters Lunar Mission Quarantine

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https://www.instagram.com/p/DT812g1DzGv/

The Artemis 2 crew has entered official quarantine ahead of their historic 10-day journey around the Moon. The Artemis 2 mission marks the first time humans will return to the lunar vicinity in over 50 years.

The quarantine period limits close contact with the public and reduces the chance of infections that could delay the mission. NASA refers to the process as health stabilisation rather than strict isolation. Crew members can still see family, friends and colleagues who follow the same guidelines outlined by NASA.
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Artemis 2 Moon Mission Launch Window News

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https://www.instagram.com/p/DT8D3hjDfxI/

Artemis 2 will take four Astronauts around the Moon for around 10 days. The first launch window for the Artemis 2 missions opens on February 6th, with a launch targeted between 9:41PM and 11:41PM EST.
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ISS Views: New Post from joshtospace!

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https://www.instagram.com/p/DT6WvbxDzL4/

The International Space Station is over 254 miles above Earth's surface, allowing Astronauts to witness stunning views of our home planet.
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Artemis 2 & SLS: Space Shuttle Heritage

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https://www.instagram.com/p/DT5kP6jEQ-e/

The Artemis 2 mission will send 4 Astronauts around the Moon to test deep-space and life support systems in preparation for an Artemis 3 crewed landing.

The Space Launch System (SLS) is actually built upon some of the hardware of the Space Shuttle, a spacecraft used to help build the International Space Station and flew from 1981 to 2011.

Engineers replaced the winged orbiter with Orion, while stretching the shuttle’s orange external tank into the rocket’s core stage. Four former shuttle main engines power that core.
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Join Josh Universe as a Server Curator!

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Josh Universe is an analog astronaut, science communicator, biohacker, and CEO of Astrochain. This is the official website of Josh Universe.

Black Hole Fall Simulation from NASA Goddard

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https://www.instagram.com/p/DT3vTWFEgKV/

NASA Goddard simulation of falling into a black hole. This simulation was generated in a supercomputer.
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Artemis I Mission Update: Lunar Flyby Details

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https://www.instagram.com/p/DT27pqZDdgU/

The four-person crew will launch from Florida on the SLS rocket and fly aboard the Orion spacecraft, testing all of its life-support, navigation, and other systems in deep space to make sure everything works properly in preparation for future missions.

They will venture beyond the far side of the Moon before completing a lunar flyby. After travelling for nearly 10 days and over 1 million kilometres, Orion will splash down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego.
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Antarctica Coverup & Sun Model Debate!

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https://www.instagram.com/p/DT2uFTODSzf/

Besides a 24-hour Sun going against their models, some believe that no one can visit Antartica due to being part of a coverup.
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Apollo & Artemis: Surviving Van Allen Belts

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https://www.instagram.com/p/DT1Irv2j9Bn/

The Astronauts will survive the Van Allen radiation belts the same way the Apollo Astronauts did.

During the Apollo missions, the Astronauts survived the Van Allen radiation belts through the spacecraft's trajectory being designed to go through the thinner areas of the upper and lower belts; this resulted in the Apollo astronauts only being in the belts for around an hour.

Furthermore the Apollo command module had a highly-protective aluminum structute to protect against the high intensity radiation.

Artemis will be able to take advantage of the data collected by the Van Allen Probes (RBSP) to further minimize the radiation that crew members incur.
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Artemis 2 Crew Revealed: Meet the Astronauts

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https://www.instagram.com/p/DT0fjl1kXL3/

The Artemis 2 crew consists of four Astronauts and thousands of engineers, technicians, mission controllers, support staff, and partners cross several organizations.

Reid Wiseman is a NASA Astronaut and the commander of the Artemis 2 mission. Wiseman was selected in 2009 to be a NASA Astronaut, and served as a flight engineer aboard the the International Space Station Expedition 41 mission.

Victor Glover is a NASA Astronaut and and the pilot of the Artemis 2 mission. Glover was selected as a NASA Astronaut in 2013 and has served as the pilot of the Crew-1 mission to the International Space Station.

Christina Koch is a NASA Astronaut and a mission specialist for the Artemis 2 mission. Koch was selected to be a NASA Astronaut in 2013 and has served as a flight engineer on the International Space Station as part of the Expedition 59, 60, and 61 missions.

Jeremy Hansen is a Canadian Space Agency (CSA) Astronaut and a mission specialist. Hansen was selected to be an ESA Astronaut in 2009 and has served in several analog missions, including NEMO and CAVES, and has trained NASA Astronauts.
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Why No Stars in Moon Landing Photos?

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https://www.instagram.com/p/DTzI5XAjX11/

The Moon landing photos do not show stars because the cameras were set to photograph very bright subjects. The Moon’s surface and the astronauts’ white suits reflect strong sunlight, so the cameras used fast shutter speeds and low sensitivity. These settings made faint objects like stars too dim to appear in the pictures.

The astronauts used specially modified Hasselblad cameras with exposure settings similar to taking photos on a sunny day on Earth. When you take a daytime photo, the sky often looks empty even though stars are still there. The same thing happened on the Moon—the stars were present but the camera could not capture them.

If you take one of the Moon landing photos and increase the brightness or contrast, some stars can be seen in certain images. This works because a small amount of starlight was captured, just not enough to be visible at normal settings. The lack of stars in the original photos is a normal result of how cameras work, not anything unusual.
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Nixon's Moon Call: How Apollo 11 Communicated

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https://www.instagram.com/p/DTyl2fwDWL3/

President Richard Nixon spoke from the Oval Office using a standard telephone connected to NASA’s communication network. His voice was converted into radio signals, transmitted via communications satellites, and routed to NASA’s Mission Control in Houston. From there, the signal was sent through the Deep Space Network (DSN), a global system of large radio antennas in California, Spain, and Australia designed to communicate with spacecraft far beyond Earth orbit.

The message was received by Apollo 11’s Lunar Module, Eagle, using its S-band communication system, which handled voice, telemetry, and television signals. Inside the module, astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin heard Nixon through their headsets connected to the onboard communications panel. Armstrong spoke into the microphone while Aldrin listened, with a noticeable but manageable delay due to the vast distance and speed of radio waves.

When Armstrong replied, his voice traveled back through Eagle’s S-band transmitter to Earth. The signal was picked up by the Deep Space Network, routed to Mission Control in Houston, and then sent through terrestrial communication lines back to the White House. Nixon heard the astronauts’ voices only seconds after they spoke, completing the first two-way conversation between Earth and the Moon.
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