Latest news with #Ayers'
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
NASA Astronaut Snaps Knockout Views of Flower Moon in Full Bloom
Spring is popping in the northern hemisphere and the full flower moon joined in on the seasonal celebrations on May 12. Skywatchers on the ground were treated to a glowing disk of light. NASA astronaut Nichole Ayers enjoyed the view from a different vantage point -- way up on the International Space Station. Ayers shared three images of the moon at full strength. "I'm still in awe of our view of the world and beyond," she said on X. "Today was the flower moon and it did not disappoint!" The first image features our blue planet dappled with clouds. The moon hovers in the corner with the dark maria (Latin for "seas") impact basins stretching like shadows across its surface. It's a poetic image highlighting the close relationship between Earth and its only natural satellite. Ayers' next image tells a different story. The moon is a tiny dot below an upside-down Earth riddled with clouds. Parts of the space station poke out from the bottom of the view. It goes to show how direction doesn't matter much on the ISS. Earth can be either above or below you depending on your chosen perspective in orbit. The final shot is an ode to distance. The moon orbits at an average of about 239,000 miles from Earth. It looks every bit that far away in the photo. Our planet is a watery, cloudy hulk with the dainty full moon shining like a remote beacon. Ayers is part of the SpaceX Crew-10 mission that arrived at the ISS in March to relieve the so-called "stranded astronauts" Sunita "Suni" Williams and Barry "Butch" Wilmore. This is Ayers' first visit to the ISS. Ayers has been dedicating some of her public outreach efforts to astrophotography. The moon photos show off her artistic eye. "These were shot from a few different lenses for perspective," she said. "I love how you can see the texture in the clouds and on the moon itself." The May full moon is known by the "flower moon" nickname. "Many cultures refer to May's full moon as the flower moon thanks to the abundant blooming that occurs as spring gets going properly," the Royal Museums Greenwich said in an explainer. "Other names include the hare moon, the corn planting moon and the milk moon." Ayers' views of the full moon bring the astronaut's perspective on the celestial show to us on Earth. It's a beauty whether you're down on the ground or up in orbit.
Yahoo
08-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
From Divide to the stars: Major Nichole Ayers heads to space on SpaceX Crew-10 mission
(COLORADO) — U.S. Air Force Major Nichole Ayers, a graduate of both the U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA) and Woodland Park High School, is preparing for the launch of a lifetime. After being selected as one of just 10 astronaut candidates from over 12,000 applicants in 2021, Ayers is about to make her childhood dream of traveling to space a reality. 'I think for me, I'm excited about the view, getting to see the world from that perspective,' Ayers explained. 'I'm excited to share this experience with this team, but also to see the team we are on the ground, there are no borders, you can't see borders from the space station.' On Wednesday, March 12, Ayers will blast off aboard the SpaceX Crew-10 mission, heading to the International Space Station. The launch is set for 5:48 p.m. local time, and Woodland Park couldn't be prouder. The City of Woodland Park celebrated the exciting news with a post on their Facebook page, asking the community to wish Ayers 'safe travels and a successful mission!' 'I love to highlight Colorado, it's one of my favorite places,' Ayers said. 'As a child, I always had an affinity for the sky, and flying, and for space and then growing up right there in Colorado, next to the Air Force Academy during the shuttle era when I learned you could fly the shuttle, I was like, 'that's what I want to do.' There are plenty of opportunities in Colorado, both outside and inside the school system and it really set me up for success to get where I am today.' Ayers' journey to space began in December 2021, when NASA Administrator Bill Nelson announced her selection for NASA's astronaut class. For Ayers, it was the culmination of years of hard work, dedication, and a bit of that Southern Colorado grit. After her selection, Ayers dove into two intense years of astronaut training, which covered everything from operating and maintaining the International Space Station's complex systems, to mastering spacewalks, to learning Russian and perfecting her skills on the T-38 training jet. No detail was too small, as Ayers was preparing for one of the most challenging—and exciting—missions of her life. Ayers' academic and athletic background is just as impressive as her space training. She graduated from the Air Force Academy in 2011 with a degree in mathematics and a minor in Russian, and, fun fact, she also played Division I volleyball during her time there. She later earned a master's degree in computational and applied mathematics from Rice University in Houston, all while competing internationally on the USA Armed Forces Team. Before being selected by NASA, Ayers was serving as the assistant director of operations at the 90th Fighter Squadron at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska. She's no stranger to flying high—she's an experienced instructor in both the T-38A and F-22 Raptor, with missions flown around the globe. Now, as she prepares for her first spaceflight, Ayers will serve as the pilot for NASA's SpaceX Crew-10 mission. It's a historic moment, not just for Ayers, but for everyone back home in Woodland Park, who will cheer her on as she embarks on this incredible adventure. 'I always say, 'be a good teammate, be a good human, and work hard and you'll get anywhere you want in life,'' Ayers said. So, mark your calendars and send a wave of good luck to Major Nichole Ayers as she takes off next week. It's a major milestone for her, and for Woodland Park, it's proof that dreams really can take you to the stars. For anyone interested, the full NASA SpaceX Crew-10 flight crew news conference can be viewed in the video player above. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
