Earthrise from Apollo 8 on Christmas Eve

Taken aboard Apollo 8 by Bill Anders, this iconic picture shows Earth peeking out from beyond the lunar surface as the first crewed spacecraft circumnavigated the Moon, with astronauts Anders, Frank Borman, and Jim Lovell aboard on Christmas Eve on Dec. 24, 1968. Credit: NASA/Apollo 8/Bill Anders For SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM TITUSVILLE, FL –  Earthrise!! on Christmas Eve!! On the

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays Well Wishes from Astronauts Aboard the International Space Station

For SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM TITUSVILLE, FL –  Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays well wishes abound from the astronauts and cosmonauts living and working aboard the International Space Station to all the people of Earth! “Astronauts and cosmonauts who happen to be in space during the holidays have found their own unique ways to celebrate the occasions. In the early years

SpaceX Dazzles with Record Setting Launch of Clandestine NROL-108 National Security Spy Satellite for the NRO: Photos

For SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL –  SpaceX dazzled to the end with the beautiful and spectacular breakfast time Saturday launch of the clandestine NROL-108  national security spy satellite payload for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) on a five time recycled Falcon 9 booster, just in time to shirk away looming dark clouds overtaking the Florida Space Coast

SpaceX Scrubs Falcon 9 Launch to Check 2nd Stage Sensor, Resets Liftoff to Dec. 19: Photos/Watch Live

For SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL –  SpaceX scrubbed Thursday mornings, Dec. 17,  Falcon 9 launch attempt of a clandestine NRO spysat in the final minute of the countdown when a second stage sensor indicated slightly high pressure in the liquid Oxygen (LOX) tank – under truly gloomy weather conditions at Florida’s Spaceport that completely obscured the view

Japanese Scientists Gleeful to Confirm Pristine Asteroid Samples Collected in Hayabusa 2 Return Capsule

For SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM CAPE CANAVERAL, FL – Japanese space scientists are positively gleeful as they have now confirmed that their ambitious Hayabusa 2 spacecraft successfully collected over 5 grams of pristine black as coal soil and rock samples gathered from the ancient near earth asteroid Ryugu in a re-entry capsule that parachuted safely to Earth earlier this month after a

China Chang’e-5 Moon Probe Brings Back 1st Lunar Rock Samples to Earth in 4 Decades

For SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM CAPE CANAVERAL, FL – China’s daring Chang’e-5 moon probe successfully brought back the first lunar soil and rock samples gathered from the surface in over four decades following a safe soft landing of the return capsule in a remote, snow covered region of Inner Mongolia, in northern China on Wednesday, Dec 16 – demonstrating a spectacular

SpaceX Targets Dec. 17 Launch of NRO Spysat on Reused Falcon 9 Booster from KSC: Photos/Watch Live

For SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL –  After raising the Falcon 9 rocket from vertical to horizontal this afternoon, Wednesday, Dec. 16, SpaceX is targeting Thursday morning, Dec.17 for the breakfast time launch of the clandestine NROL-108 mission spy satellite payload for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) from the Florida Space Coast. And the weather outlook is rather

SiriusXM SXM-7 Digital Radio Satellite Soars to Orbit on SpaceX Falcon 9: Photos

For SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM CAPE CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE STATION, FL – The Sirius SXM-7 digital audio radio satellite aimed to deliver entertainment broadcast and data services broadcasts to tens of millions of subscribers across North America soared to geostationary orbit from the Florida Space Coast at lunchtime Sunday, Dec. 13 atop a ‘flight-proven’ SpaceX Falcon 9 –  that counts as