Since childhood, Derrick Bailey always had an early fascination with aeronautics. Military fighter jet pilots were his childhood heroes, and he dreamed of joining the aerospace industry. This passion was a springboard into his 17-year career at NASA, where Bailey plays an important role in enabling successful rocket launches. Bailey is the Launch Vehicle Certification […]
Category: Space Operations Mission Directorate
NASA to Gather In-Flight Imagery of Commercial Test Capsule Re-Entry
A NASA team specializing in collecting imagery-based engineering datasets from spacecraft during launch and reentry is supporting a European aerospace company’s upcoming mission to return a subscale demonstration capsule from space. NASA’s Scientifically Calibrated In-Flight Imagery (SCIFLI) team supports a broad range of mission needs across the agency, including Artemis, science missions like OSIRIS-REx (Origins, […]
NASA to Gather In-Flight Imagery of Commercial Test Capsule Re-Entry
A NASA team specializing in collecting imagery-based engineering datasets from spacecraft during launch and reentry is supporting a European aerospace company’s upcoming mission to return a subscale demonstration capsule from space. NASA’s Scientifically Calibrated In-Flight Imagery (SCIFLI) team supports a broad range of mission needs across the agency, including Artemis, science missions like OSIRIS-REx (Origins, […]
Meet the Space Ops Team: Christine Braden
Christine Braden values new experiences that broaden her perspective; a mindset that has guided her 26-year career at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, where she currently serves as a senior systems engineer in the Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program. In her role, Braden works with engineering teams to develop commercial space stations that […]
NASA Awards Launch Service Task Order for Aspera’s Galaxy Mission
NASA has selected Rocket Lab USA Inc. of Long Beach, California, to launch the agency’s Aspera mission, a SmallSat to study galaxy formation and evolution, providing new insights into how the universe works. The selection is part of NASA’s Venture-Class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare (VADR) launch services contract. This contract allows the agency to […]
Meet the Space Ops Team: Becky Brocato
As an adventurous individual, Becky Brocato, Ph.D., has a deep curiosity for understanding the conditions of the human body, especially as it pertains to spaceflight. This passion directly translates to her role at NASA, where Brocato serves as the Element Scientist in the Human Health Countermeasures division and oversees research that seeks to reduce medical risks that […]
NASA Sets Coverage for Crew Launch to Join Station Expedition 72/73
NASA astronaut Jonny Kim will launch aboard the Roscosmos Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft to the International Space Station, accompanied by cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky, where they will join the Expedition 72/73 crew in advancing scientific research. Kim, Ryzhikov, and Zubritsky will lift off at 1:47 a.m. EDT Tuesday, April 8 (10:47 a.m. Baikonur time) […]
NASA Awards Launch Services Contract for SpaceX Starship
NASA has awarded SpaceX of Starbase, Texas, a modification under the NASA Launch Services (NLS) II contract to add Starship to their existing Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launch service offerings. The NLS II contracts provide a broad range of commercial launch services for NASA’s planetary, Earth-observing, exploration, and scientific satellites. These high-priority, low and […]
NASA Shares SpaceX Crew-11 Assignments for Space Station Mission
As part of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission, four crew members from three space agencies will launch in the coming months to the International Space Station for a long-duration science expedition aboard the orbiting laboratory. NASA astronauts Commander Zena Cardman and Pilot Mike Fincke, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Mission Specialist Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos […]
Meet the Space Ops Team: Anum Ashraf
For Anum Ashraf, Ph.D., the interconnectedness of NASA’s workforce presents the exciting opportunity to collaborate with a multitude of people and teams. With more than 11 years at the agency, Ashraf has played a fundamental role in leading efforts that actively bridge these connections and support NASA’s mission. Ashraf serves as the mission commitment lead […]