August 18, 2020 - Cape Canaveral, Florida, United States - A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying 58 satellites for SpaceX's Starlink broadband internet network and three SkySat earth-imaging satellites launches at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on August 18, 2020 in Cape Canaveral, Florida.  (Photo by Paul Hennessy/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

August 18, 2020 - Cape Canaveral, Florida, United States - A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying 58 satellites for SpaceX's Starlink broadband internet network and three SkySat earth-imaging satellites launches at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on August 18, 2020 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. (Photo by Paul Hennessy/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Photo by: NurPhoto/Getty

NurPhoto/Getty

September: What's New In Space Exploration This Month?

Below are some exciting space exploration highlights!

August 31, 2020

1. NASA's Artemis Mission will launch via a SpaceX rocket

It was just announced that SpaceX's rocket will launch a lunar lander bound for the moon's South Pole in late 2022.

SHELTON, WA - AUGUST 29: The moon rises over the Skyline Drive In on August 29, 2020 in Shelton, WA . Due to ongoing coronavirus social distancing restrictions, the one-night drive-in Metallica concert event at over 300 drive-ins throughout the country is broadcasting two separate performances on large LCD screens with sound played through car radios. (Photo by Jim Bennett/Getty Images)

SHELTON, WA - AUGUST 29: The moon rises over the Skyline Drive In on August 29, 2020 in Shelton, WA . Due to ongoing coronavirus social distancing restrictions, the one-night drive-in Metallica concert event at over 300 drive-ins throughout the country is broadcasting two separate performances on large LCD screens with sound played through car radios. (Photo by Jim Bennett/Getty Images)

Photo by: Jim Bennett/Getty

Jim Bennett/Getty

2. NASA astronaut, Jeanette Epps, has been assigned to next year's Boeing Starliner launch

Boeing's first operational crewed flight, known as Starliner 1, will launch NASA astronauts Jeanette Epps, Sunita Williams, and Josh Cassada to the International Space Station in 2021.

NASA Astronaut Jeanette Epps Will Make History with Her Next Mission

It was announced this week that Astronaut Jeanette Epps will be added to NASA's Boeing Starliner-1 mission to the international Space Station. She will be the first Black astronaut to live on the ISS.

3. SpaceX fired up their SN6 Starship rocket prototype in preparation for a hop test

SpaceX is developing a reusable transportation system for spaceflight to the Moon, Mars, and beyond our wildest space dreams. According to SpaceX, SN6's hop test will be happening this month and similar to SN5's.

Photo by: SpaceX

SpaceX

4. SpaceX's recent onshore landing of a Falcon 9 rocket was a success

SpaceX landed its Falcon 9 rocket on Landing Zone 1 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station last night, August 30, instead of a drone ship after a successful launch of a SAOCOM 1B mission.

5. SpaceX is preparing to launch its 12th batch of Starlink satellites this week

SpaceX is scheduled to launch another batch of Starlink satellites this week followed by two additional batches towards the end of the month. When you go outside, look up and you just might see the "largest satellite fleet" in space pass by!

VLADIVOSTOK, RUSSIA - APRIL 27, 2020: 60 of the Starlink Internet communication satellites of Elon Musk's SpaceX private spaceflight company seen in the night sky. On April 22, 2020, SpaceX successfully launched 60 Starlink satellites into orbit on the Falcon 9 rocket from NASA's Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral. The Starlink project is aimed at providing low-cost internet to remote locations; SpaceX is planning to launch into orbit about 30,000 satellites. Following the launch of the first batch of the Starlink satellites, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) and the US National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) expressed concerns about the satellites being too bright and forming a 'megaconstellation' and thus causing serious problems for astronomers.  Yuri Smityuk/TASS (Photo by Yuri Smityuk\TASS via Getty Images)

VLADIVOSTOK, RUSSIA - APRIL 27, 2020: 60 of the Starlink Internet communication satellites of Elon Musk's SpaceX private spaceflight company seen in the night sky. On April 22, 2020, SpaceX successfully launched 60 Starlink satellites into orbit on the Falcon 9 rocket from NASA's Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral. The Starlink project is aimed at providing low-cost internet to remote locations; SpaceX is planning to launch into orbit about 30,000 satellites. Following the launch of the first batch of the Starlink satellites, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) and the US National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) expressed concerns about the satellites being too bright and forming a 'megaconstellation' and thus causing serious problems for astronomers. Yuri Smityuk/TASS (Photo by Yuri Smityuk\TASS via Getty Images)

Photo by: Yuri Smityuk/TASS/Getty

Yuri Smityuk/TASS/Getty

Next Up

This All-Civilian Space Mission Wants to Achieve the Highest Human Orbit Ever

Last year marked a fascinating turning point in the history of spaceflight. For the first time ever, more civilians went into space than professional ones. The private companies Virgin Galactic, Blue Origins, and SpaceX all offer seats for sale, with missions as brief as just a few minutes to as long as a few days.

William Shatner Becomes Oldest Man to Travel to Space After Successful Blue Origin Space Flight

On the morning of October 13, William Shatner joined the crew of New Shepard for its second crewed flight, NS-18. Due to a few holds, the scheduled 10A liftoff was delayed by about 50 minutes from Blue Origin's Launch Site One in Texas. Despite the delays, liftoff and touchdown went off without a hitch, making Star Trek star William Shatner the oldest man to go to space.

Check Out NASA’s DART Mission

It’s like “Armageddon” but in real life.

NASA Has a New Supersonic Jet and It’s Super-Quiet

There’s more to NASA than space. The agency’s full acronym stands for National Aeronautics and Space Administration. I’ve covered plenty of interesting stories in the space sector, so it’s time to the aeronautics side some love too.

Liftoff of NASA and SpaceX Crew-2!

The NASA and SpaceX Crew-2 mission launched on Friday, April 23 at 5:49A ET from the NASA Launch Complex 39A. This historic milestone marks the second operational mission of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon. Onboard was NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough, NASA astronaut Megan McArthur, ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet, and JAXA astronaut Akihiko Hoshide. After a 23-hour journey, Crew-2 successfully docked with the International Space Station (ISS) on April 24 at 5:08A ET. Here's everything that happened from launch day to the Crew-2's arrival at the ISS. (Updated April 24, 2021)

Countdown to Launch: NASA and SpaceX Crew-2 Mission

Liftoff set for Friday, April 23, at 5:49A EDT marks the second operational flight of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon. Four space explorers are heading to the International Space Station for a six-month stay. It will take them 23 hours to reach their destination.

NASA's New Rocket is Taller than the Statue of Liberty

The massive space launch system was unveiled last week. Following successful completion of upcoming simulation tests, NASA will set a date for the first of the Artemis II lunar missions.

Watch Out! Meteorite Crashes Into a Woman's Bed

Insert “Did you feel the Earth move?” joke here.What weighs 2.3 pounds, is made of rocks, and plummets into your bed from outer space? Oh, it’s not a riddle; it’s just a meteorite.

25 Years In the Making, the James Webb Telescope Is Coming to Science Channel

The world’s most powerful observatory - the James Webb Space Telescope – is set for launch later this month after more than 25 years of development and construction. Science Channel, the leader of all things space, will take viewers inside this incredible feat of technology and its launch with two specials airing Tuesday, December 21 at 10 PM ET/PT with a Post-Launch Special to air Sunday, December 26 at 10 PM ET/PT.

6 Months in Space Permanently Ages Bones by 10 Years

Astronauts on long-term space missions can experience bone loss equivalent to two decades of aging. New research suggests more weight-bearing exercises in space could help offset that decline.

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