Important Innovations

Launching US Astronauts from Florida Source:  NASA 1st Human Spaceflight from US Since 2011 After nearly a decade of absence, human spaceflights will launch from US soil on May 27, 2020. SpaceX,  founded by entrepreneur  Elon Musk, will launch its CrewDragon rocket with two US astronauts onboard and crewing the space vehicle.  Their destination is the International Space Station.  This mission is a series of historic firsts in space. Space Firsts This is the first crewed mission for SpaceX since CEO Elon Musk founded the company in 2002. And, it's the first time a rocket will carry  astronauts into orbit from US soil  since 2011.  That's when NASA retired its space shuttle program. And there's yet another first. The public cannot attend the launch. History Being Made Because of COVID-19, the public cannot attend the  launch at Cape Canaveral, Florida. The launch is historic for several more

Lunar Mission Chang 4 Source:  China National Space Administration Historic Lunar Exploration This is a global first in space.  China has blasted off a rocket, carrying a rover probe, headed for a soft landing on the far side of the moon.  Other spacecraft have examined the far side of the moon from afar.  But this will be the first soft landing for detailed study of the other side of the moon. January Touchdown The mission - Chang 4 - is expected to land on the moon in early January.  There are some big challenges.  For instance, the moon blocks direct communication between the probe and Chinese researchers on earth.  To get around that, China launched a satellite in May that keeps the probe in contact with the China National Space Administration. Goals Chang 4' rover is going to survey the lunar terrain, determine mineral composition and study the lunar environment.  If the mission is a success, China plans to launch Chang 5 to collect samples of the moon's surf