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Return of the GEDI: Space Station Instrument Returns to Forest Monitoring

That’s no moon, that’s a space station!

The return of NASA’s GEDI (Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation) is underway, as the agency’s very own “lightsaber” will soon be back to measuring forests in three dimensions after it was reinstalled on the International Space Station April 22.

Measuring distances with similar principles as sonar, a lidar instrument uses light instead of sound. Rather than working on a forest moon in a galaxy far, far away, the instrument works much closer to home: measuring Earth’s forest structure including the height of the canopy, density of vegetation, and the distribution of branches and leaves.

As an instrument of the light side, GEDI is readying for its second mission aboard the space station.

After completing its extended mission in March 2023, a robotic arm was used to move GEDI temporarily to an exterior storage site on the space station for hibernation. Soon after reinstallation, teams began testing it for any forms of hibernation sickness and expect it will begin gathering data again this summer.

The force is strong with this one

Scientists used GEDI data to map Earth’s biomass and track how forests respond to climate change and land use impacts. Data from GEDI has helped to measure the height of forests across the globe in greater detail than ever before, and also to quantify the impact of protected areas on carbon sequestration.

Learn more about NASA’s GEDI master: https://nasa.gov/GEDI

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Sarah Loff

NASA Astronaut Continues Legacy of Discovery, Adventure with Starliner Calypso

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams will be the first to fly aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft to the International Space Station, and the name of the spacecraft ferrying them to the orbiting laboratory holds a special place in Williams’ heart.

Williams named the crew capsule Calypso in 2019 to pay tribute to the explorer Jacques Cousteau, who sailed across the world on his own ship named bearing the same name. Cousteau’s goal was to learn about the ocean and teach others about the wonders of the sea. Williams believes Starliner can do the same for space.

The Starliner spacecraft, with a diameter of 15 feet (4.56 meters), can carry up to four astronauts, or a mix of crew and cargo, for NASA missions to low Earth orbit for the agency’s Commercial Crew Program.

The spacecraft, on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket, is scheduled for liftoff at 10:34 p.m. EDT Monday, May 6, from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

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Elyna Niles-Carnes

NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test Rolls to Pad

NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test mission to send two of the agency’s astronauts to the International Space Station is in the final stages of prelaunch operations. 

Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, stacked on a ULA (United Launch Alliance) Atlas V rocket, rolled from ULA’s Vertical Integration Facility to the launch pad at Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on May 4, in preparation for launch. 

The 45th Weather Squadron predicts a 95% chance of favorable weather conditions for launch, with the cumulus cloud rule being the primary weather concern.   

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are the first to launch aboard Starliner to the International Space Station as part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program. Liftoff is scheduled for 10:34 p.m. EDT Monday, May 6. The astronauts will spend about a week at the orbiting laboratory before returning to Earth and making a parachute and airbag-assisted landing in the southwestern United States. 

After successful completion of the mission, NASA will begin the final process of certifying Starliner and its systems for crewed rotation missions to the space station. The Starliner capsule, with a diameter of 15 feet (4.56m) and the capability to steer automatically or manually, will carry four astronauts, or a mix of crew and cargo, for NASA missions to low Earth orbit. 

NASA will provide live coverage of the launch, beginning at 6:30 p.m. on May 6, on NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app, YouTube, and the agency’s website. Learn how to stream NASA TV through a variety of platforms including social media. 

Learn more about NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test by following the mission blog, the commercial crew blog, @commercial_crew on X, and commercial crew on Facebook.  

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Elyna Niles-Carnes

NASA and Boeing ‘Go’ for Crew Flight Test Mission

NASA, Boeing, and ULA (United Launch Alliance) officials discussed final prelaunch details to send two astronauts aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft to the International Space Station as the first crewed flight for Starliner. The prelaunch news conference finished at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. 

“We are going to have a whole new adventure. This is very much a part of our exploration of space and what I call the ‘golden age of space exploration,’” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “It’s a historical day. It’s a wonderful day.”

Officials provided updates to the countdown of the 10:34 p.m. EDT Monday, May 6, launch of NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore, commander, and Suni Williams, pilot, on the Starliner spacecraft as part of NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test mission. The crew is set to dock at the space station on Wednesday, May 8, for about a week-long stay before returning to Earth with a parachute and airbag-assisted landing in the southwestern United States. 

“It’s exciting to bring Starliner and a United launch Alliance Atlas vehicle online,” said Steve Stich, manager, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. “We have been striving for commercial crew to have two independent space transportation systems. That’s been our goal from commercial crew since its inception, and we’re very close to reaching that goal with the launch on Monday.”

Brian Cizek, launch weather officer with the 45th Weather Squadron, predicts a 95% chance of favorable weather conditions for launch, with the cumulus cloud rule being the primary weather concern.  

“I couldn’t be more proud of this team. We’re at peak performance right now and we are really excited to execute this launch. We’re ready to go,” said Mark Nappi, vice president and program manager, Commercial Crew Program, Boeing.

At 3:30 p.m., NASA will host a social media briefing with the following participants:

• NASA Associate Administrator Jim Free
• Ian Kappes, deputy launch vehicle office manager, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program 
• Amy Comeau Denker, Starliner associate chief engineer, Boeing 
• Caleb Weiss, system engineering and test leader, ULA 
• Jennifer Buchli, chief scientist, NASA’s International Space Station Program

NASA will provide coverage of the social media briefing on Kennedy’s Facebook, X, and YouTube accounts.  

On Saturday, May 4, the ULA Atlas V rocket and Starliner spacecraft will roll out to the pad at Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Launch is scheduled for 10:34 p.m. Monday, May 6.  

Here is a list of other upcoming events leading up to the mission.

Learn more about NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test by following the mission blog, the commercial crew blog, @commercial_crew on X, and commercial crew on Facebook. 

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Elyna Niles-Carnes