New Mexico Museum of Space History

06/16/2026

Ever wonder where astronauts on the ISS get their oxygen? Aerospace technician Craig Tretheway at NASA's Kennedy Space Center packages essential oxygen payloads sent to space. Learn how his skills as a former motorcycle technician prepared him for this unique role!

Have you ever wondered where astronauts on the International Space ...

06/15/2026

Triple Shockwave from Sun Crossing Rocket (APOD: 2026 Jun 15)
Image Credit & Copyright: John Winkopp (WAI Media)
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260615.html

Explanation: What's happening to this Sun-crossing rocket? The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, visible on the upper left, launched only about one minute before this amazing image was captured. As it rose to low Earth orbit from Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA, in late May, the rocket became supersonic before it crossed the disk of the distant Sun -- from the perspective of the well-placed photographer. The spacecraft's high speed caused bow-shaped compressed-air shockwaves to form across leading surfaces, with at least three visible even outside the Sun's disk because they refract sunlight. The trailing exhaust caused turbulence visible on the lower right. None of this was damaging to the robotic Starlink 10-53 mission, which delivered 29 communications satellites to low Earth orbit as planned. And if that isn't amazing enough - the Sun had spots!

https://x.com/John_Winkopp
https://www.whataboutit.space/crew

Starship Asterisk* • APOD Discussion Page
https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=260615

06/12/2026

Zero gravity, 100% hilarity: Galactic Laffs!

06/07/2026

The New Mexico Museum of Space History is hiring a Senior Instructional Coordinator (DCA #4880) to design curriculum, deliver live and virtual programs, and operate our digital planetarium and giant screen systems—help us bring aviation, space, and science to life; learn more and submit your application on the State of New Mexico Careers site.

06/03/2026

Celebrate National Dinosaur Day with our dino-sized observatory! 🦖 Roman is both roughly as long and as massive as a T. rex. Prior to launch, the team will load it up with about 62 velociraptors worth of fuel (~2,500 pounds). Learn more about some of the components that bring Roman to T. rex proportions here: https://go.nasa.gov/4dYVqx4

Bonus fact: Did you know that a galactic year (the amount of time it takes for the Sun to orbit the center of the Milky Way galaxy) is about 230 million years? The last time Earth was in its current location, the first dinosaurs were just beginning to emerge on the supercontinent Pangea!

06/03/2026

Before Neil Armstrong could take his historic first steps on the Moon, NASA first had to master the techniques that would let an astronaut safely exit a spacecraft in space.

On this day in 1965, Gemini IV pilot Ed White made that first step with the first American spacewalk.

06/03/2026

06/03/2026

June is packed with incredible sights in the night sky 🌌

From a rare Venus–Jupiter conjunction to the Moon passing in front of Venus, this month is full of celestial events you can watch with your own eyes.

✨ Highlights:

🔭 June 9 — Venus & Jupiter conjunction
🌙 June 17 — Moon and Venus close pairing
☀️ June 21 — Summer solstice
⭐ Summer Triangle returns to the evening sky

Look west after sunset for the best views this month.