Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections My Thanksgiving Family Traditions By Ismaela Andre Volume 2 Issue 2 November 19, 2021 Image provided by DOGO News Thanksgiving is a meaningful holiday for my family and me. We have many traditions. One is to eat dinner with each other. We all sit in the dining room and enjoy the delicious homemade food. Another family tradition is to give thanks. Before we eat the food, we sit down and go around the table to say what we're thankful for. I love sharing what I am grateful for every year, and most times, what I am thankful for does not change. Our last tradition is pie. Every year we get multiple pies like pecan, apple, shoefly -- a Pennsylvanian pie that is made with mostly molasses and sugar -- pumpkin, and many others. It is like a pie buffet! I love all our Thanksgiving family traditions; however, this year is going to be totally different. This year, my birthday is the same day as Thanksgiving! I am so excited and can't wait to celebrate it. My birthday is always near Thanksgiving, so I am extra excited for this year. One thing I look forward to the most this year is to continue our family traditions. I hope you and your families enjoy the holidays and create some traditions for yourself as well! BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles News Back to Sections P.S. I Love You Week By Everton Prospere Volume 2 Issue 4 February 10, 2022 Image provided by P.S. I Love You Day The Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) and the Wellness Center are working side-by-side to host Valley Stream North’s first P.S. I Love You Week, a time that brings awareness to mental health and bullying. Traditionally a single day, both organizations agreed to extend the celebration to an entire week from February 7th through the 11th. With a pandemic that has brought many extra hardships for students, the week seeks to bring love and joy to the entire North community. On April 23rd, 2010, the DiPalma family faced devastating news. The father of the family, Joseph DiPalma, committed suicide. This tragedy left a gaping hole within those who knew Joseph, particularly within Brooke DiPalma, his daughter. Rather than letting such a horrific event happen again, Brooke took action and worked with her family, school, and peers to annually designate February 11th as a day to ensure that no one ever feels alone. As the organization’s website states, “Tragedy should not be the force for togetherness; togetherness should be the force that ends tragedies.” P.S. I Love You Day is a day of togetherness, a day that will unite North and spread love to all. The SADD club and Wellness Center have planned several activities for the days leading up to February 11th in order to promote the event throughout the entire school: 1. The TikTok Challenge - This creative competition requires participation from all Spartans. Ending on February 9th, Spartans are encouraged to make creative videos on TikTok that bring awareness to mental health and bullying. The videos can include dances, pieces of art, or any creative media that promotes P.S. I Love You Week. The TikToks, which the administration will judge, can be made alone or in groups, with the winner receiving a $25 gift card. 2. Grade Level Purple Clothing Challenge - On February 11th, all the grades will compete against each other based on purple clothing. To participate, students should wear a purple article of clothing on the 11th to show support to P.S. I Love You Week. The grade level that collectively wears the most purple articles will receive recognition and a special award to their grade council. 3. Supportive Post-it Note Messages - Various clubs will come together on February 10th after school to make post-it notes with supportive messages. Every single locker will receive a personalized note, so all students are encouraged to visit their lockers on February 11th. The SADD club and Wellness Center hope that the North community comes together for this important cause with these events. This will, hopefully, be the start of an annual tradition at Valley Stream North. Mark your calendars for the first P.S. I Love You Week, from February 7th to the 11th! BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Entertainment & Media Back to Sections America Chavez: The First Openly LGBTQ+ Woman of Color in the MCU By Megan McDermott Volume 2 Issue 7 June 13, 2022 Image provided by Marvel Note: This will contain many Multiverse of Madness Spoilers America Chavez, portrayed by Xochitl Gomez, made her Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in the latest movie, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, on May 6, 2022. Many fans, including myself, had very high hopes for this newfound representation after 2021’s Eternals featuring Phastos, the first openly gay superhero, who even having an onscreen husband and son. Phastos and his husband also kiss onscreen, which is an enormous step in the direction of representation, especially for such a big corporation as Disney and Marvel. Chavez is fourteen years old - the youngest in the movie and one of the youngest in the MCU. I attempted not to get my hopes up for full representation upon learning her age, but I was pleasantly surprised upon seeing the movie. Many close-ups of her pride pin on her denim jacket were featured, and this “controversial” scene: Chavez has two moms, and the twelve-second clip of them led to attempted censorship in places such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Qatar. This scene consists of Chavez learning about her ability to jump through the multiverses and depicts her mothers getting lost in the multiverse after Chavez accidentally opens a portal. Due to the bans on gay content in the countries mentioned above, they requested Disney and Marvel cut the scene, but the studios refused because they want inclusion and representation to increase in their films. That news filled me with hope for Marvel to introduce more LGBTQ+ characters into their films. Many of the characters are canonically LGBTQ+ in the comics, such as Loki, Yelena Belova, and Wiccan (who translates into the MCU as Wanda Maximoff’s son, Billy Maximoff). I am very optimistic about her future in the MCU. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Editorial Back to Sections OPERATION GREEN LIGHT JUST AHEAD! Chris Cavaliere Volume 5 Issue 2 November 25, 2024 Image Provided by Turner Publishing, Inc. Valley Stram North Spartans proudly wear green, their school color. Green is the color of hope. We wear it to show school spirit for our sport teams, clubs and for the pride we have for our school community. How about we shine green for our veterans this month? Did you know that November is National Veterans and Military Families Month? Veterans Day is November 11th. Respecting veterans and their families on a day or a month needs more recognition. Greenlight a Vet is a campaign of recognition, support and appreciation for our veterans and their families. It’s simple: change one lightbulb at your home to green. Just think of driving through our community at night during the month and seeing homes with green lightbulbs shining bright. We could start a great conversation and message of gratitude. Lightbulbs symbolize ideas. We can plan assemblies and share ideas on how to continue honoring veterans though our Student Council, National Honor Society, students and teachers. We can expand appreciation by participation at Wreaths Across America. It happens in December and May for remembrance during the holidays and for Memorial Day. I have placed wreaths at veterans’ gravesites at this event and it gave me a feeling of pride. I was also lucky enough to participate in a wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Solider at Arlington Cemetery. Veterans should never be forgotten. Do you know the significance of folding the American flag and how it should never touch the ground? Do you know how to retire a flag? I am a Boy Scout, and I’ve learned many protocols that symbolize respecting veterans. Let’s learn and honor our veterans together. Participation in Operation Green Light will continue the Spartan spirit in a way that has never been done before. Think of this, one night a veteran or a family member of a veteran drives through the Valley Stream community and sees streets of homes with green lights shining! I have had one in the front of my house for many years. This will be an incredible “Thank You” for them all to receive, so let’s start the conversation and let’s make it happen. Sources: https://www.nysac.org/issues/veterans-affairs/operation-green-light/ https://www.militaryonesource.mil/media/toolkits/service-provider/national-veterans-military-families-month/ https://www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/ https://www.va.gov/opa/publications/celebrate/flagdisplay.pdf BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Gender and Sex: The Misunderstandings and Differences By Rachel Ezeadichie Volume 1 Issue 8 June 8, 2021 Image provided by Cosmopolitan With Pride Month already here, and more and more people experimenting and discovering their gender identities, we should try to understand the differences between sex and gender. It is a common mistake to mix the two up, or not understand them, which is where their definitions come in and why they are separate. Sex is something you are assigned at birth by a doctor. The assigning of your sex includes many factors like chromosomes, hormones and genitalia. Most people are assigned male or female, which is put on your birth certificate. Some others may be intersex , which means that their anatomy doesn’t fit on the male or female anatomy categories. Some may figure this out when they hit puberty, or they may never figure it out at all. This can happen when chromosomes aren’t XY (male chromosome) or XX (female chromosomes). Gender is normally shown as male and female. This is not the case though, because it is a spectrum. There are male and female, but there is also non-binary. Non-binary is the term used for people who don’t generally agree with the male or female terms as the only two choices. There are other gender terms as well like bigender , which means that they identify with both man and woman at different points or agender which just means they don’t identify with any gender at all. People who don’t identify with the gender they were born with are transgender, while people who do are cis gender. People can use pronouns that help them feel more comfortable with their gender. Pronouns like she/her or he/him are what many people use, but others exist too. The singular pronouns they/them are what most non-binary people like to use. So, for this Pride Month, think about your gender and consider how you or others might feel about identifying terms. Gender is something that can be experimented with like trying different labels and seeing which feel comfortable for you, or asking others to try out different pronouns on you. Everyone can like and feel different things, so see what you are comfortable with. Happy Pride Month! BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles News Back to Sections Goodbye DeBlasio: How the 2021 NYC Mayoral Election is Turning Out By Logan Balsan Volume 1 Issue 8 June 8, 2021 Image provided by the New York Post Republican, turned Independent New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg was term limited and couldn’t run for re-election in 2013. Traditionally a Democratic city, after nearly 20 years of Republican control in the Mayor’s office, the Democrats gained the office back, electing Bill DeBlasio. He would be the first Democrat since David Dinkins, Mayor from 1990-1994, to be elected. Now, it’s a clean slate in 2021, and with what’s currently transpiring in the city, will the Republicans be able to take the Mayor’s Office back? Mayor Bill DeBlasio has been one of the least popular statewide politicians since the beginning of his second term in office, and the piling crises and problems have kept that approval rating on the decline. DeBlasio has tried to deal with a homelessness crisis, an increase in crime rates, and economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of those residing in the city have disapproved of his response to many of these problems. For example, according to Rolling Stone , 52 percent disapproved of DeBlasio’s response to the homelessness crisis while only 35 percent approved. The Republican and Democratic Party Primaries are heavily contested. In the Republican Primary, only two candidates are running: Curtis Sliwa, founder of the Guardian Angels, and Fernando Mateo, Founder of the New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers. In a hotly contested debate, they went back and forth on stage hosted by WABC. In the Democratic Primary, a slew of candidates are running. Major candidates include former 2020 Presidential Candidate Andrew Yang, Brooklyn Borough President Eric McAdams, and Former Commissioner of the NYC Department of Sanitation Kathryn Garcia. Polling indicates that it is a heated race, as Yang and McAdams are nearly tied in polling. New York City is a traditionally Democratic city, but the Republicans held the Office from 1994 until 2014, from Rudy Giuliani to Mike Bloomberg, and possibly again this November. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections Nostalgic for Sentience’s Absence  By William Mullin Volume 2 Issue 2 November 19, 2021 Original photography from William Mullin Remember when you were little? And when you were happy, you laughed And when you were sad, you cried Why don’t you do that anymore? Just because of arbitrary self-restrictions Or other’s expectations, I suppose Remember what it felt like? To be free of self-consciousness Unknown to the crowd Why don’t you think like that anymore? Too aware now and I’m a mess Imbued with “social anxiety” Unfortunate that now you can’t even be free with yourself Simplicity dies, and overwhelming thought takes over Each choice, no matter how small, needs contemplation Each conversation requires active consideration A shame that nothing can be simply what it is A pity that everything will never be how it was I miss it. Both for you and for me. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections 3/14: A Commemoration of “Pi” By Christina Ossa Volume 2 Issue 5 March 28, 2022 Original image by Christina Ossa March 14th is a date that ironically celebrates the math notion Pi (or π), but some of you may ask: “Why exactly 3/14”? Well, as many of you know, π is an irrational number that begins with the three numbers 3.14. So, since π’s first three numbers are 3.14, it only makes sense that the commemoration of the numerical symbol would be 3/14. While there won’t be much discussion about how the pies themselves are made, the mathematical aspects of the pies will be reviewed, but if you’d like to recreate these pies, the recipes will be at the bottom. So, to celebrate this valued symbol, let’s take a look at a few different pie recipes and their areas, circumferences, radii, and diameters! Also, let’s discuss the various formulas that go into calculating such a simple-looking symbol like π because calculating it may be more complicated than expected. What is Pi (π)?: Put simply, pi (or π) is C (circumference) / D (diameter). Now, you may be wondering what that exactly implicates, and well, the answer is more complicated than expected. Pi (π) has been studied across multiple different areas of the world, from the Middle East, Europe, China to the United States. Its studies show information revealing the true meaning of π but also a rich history of mathematics throughout time. A more shocking discovery in π’s research was the method of exhaustion, which explored the idea that if different shapes with multiple different sides (ex: pentagons, hexagons, and so on) were drawn inside of a circle, this would lead to an increasingly more accurate calculation of π. But, this obviously was not optimal since π repeats forever, and the highest value of any mathematician (Archimedes) was a 96 sided shape known as an enneacontakaihexagon. However, even this shape did not lead to an exact calculation of π. But, the main takeaway from thousands of years of research on π is that the symbol is more deceiving than it seems since it has infinite numbers calculations and continues indefinitely. Since a circle continues indefinitely, that means π will as well, which is why π constitutes an irrational number. While it may be common knowledge that circles have infinitely many sides, that’s not exactly the case, and that’s not the exact reason for π having infinitely many digits. A circle is essentially a type of polygon with infinitely many sides, but since you clearly can't tell these same sides from the circle itself, that means every point you take on a circle is aside. So, that means π will always be an irrational number that continues forever, containing infinite digits related to the “infinite” sides of a circle. But, what is the relevance of π? Well, that can be explained using actual, real-life pie... Apple “Pi”: This dessert is perfect for family or friendly get-togethers, it only takes a few elements to put together and make, but the more amusing part is how this pie, like the others, happens to be circular. This means we’ll be able to see the dimensional aspects that make up this pie using π to calculate them! Radius: 4.5 in Surface Area: 63.617 in^2 or 20.25π^2 Diameter: 9 in Circumference: 28.274 in or 9π in Original Photography by Christina Ossa The “Pi” is not only sweet but contains rich dimensional elements! The radius of this “pi” is 4.5 inches, and the diameter is 9 inches, so from there, we can calculate the circumference and surface area. If you don’t remember, the formula for calculating circumference is either 2πr or πd (d standing for diameter), and for the purposes of this “pi,” we’ll be using both. Utilizing both formulas, we get that the circumference of this apple “pi” is about 28.274 inches or 9π inches. Now, we can use the radius of our “pi” here to calculate the area of it, which will let us know exactly how much filling can fit into our “pi.” Using the formula πr^2 to calculate the area of a circle (our “pi”), we can infer that the surface area will be about 63.617 in^2 or 20.25π in ^2. That means we would be able to fill this “pi” with 63.617 inches of filling, which could feed at least five or six people per about 12-13 inches! These calculations allow bakers to see the exact amount of filling appropriate for a pie dish. While many (including myself) would not calculate like this, it’s interesting to figure out step by step the dimensional, mathematical aspects of pie that include the use of π. Blueberry and Pumpkin “Pi”: This is a pie I’ve talked about before, and you would think that this pie would be the same size as the last one, but surprisingly it’s not. Pie pans can vary by a slim margin, a fact that not many bakers take into account since the essential part of a dish is mostly the ingredients. But that shouldn’t mean anyone should undermine the relevance of the pan! Also, since these pies were baked with the same pan (albeit at different times), their dimensions should be roughly the same, and we should be able to draw similar conclusions from calculating solely one! Radius: 5 in Surface Area: 78.540 in^2 or 25π^2 Diameter: 10 in Circumference: 31.416 in or 10π in Original Photography by Christina Ossa The diameter of these “pi’s” turned out to be 10 inches instead of 9 inches. That would mean the radius would be 5 inches, and from here, we can use our circumference formulas! From the formulas, we would get that this “pi” has a circumference of about 31.416 inches or 10π inches, which gives us the exact value of the outside/crimping of this pie. Now, we would want to figure out how much this “pi” dish could be filled with apple filling, so we’d switch to our surface area formula (πr^2). Using the formula, we would end up with an area of about 78.540 in^2 or 25π in^2, telling us that this pie dish would feed at least 6-7 if they took 11-12 inches of pie per piece. This is helpful information since this delectable dessert could be served and shared amongst guests fairly, and we know the optimal dimensions for filling this pie. Also, this shows us how this pie dish is superior to our pie dish in the apple “pi” since it could supply more and, as a result, feed more people. Not only did the more profound and mathematical background to the “pi” help us figure out the optimal dish to use so that we could feed the maximum amount of people! As you can see, the relevance of π in pies is more interesting and complex than it might appear on the surface. Even though circumference, surface area, diameter, radius, and π may not be the end all be all to baking a simple pie, it could give you insight into the physics of how baking truly works and explain the mathematical aspects of baking that allow a pie to be constituted as a pie. So, next time you think π is useless or has no real-world applications, think back to actual pies and how without π, there would be no pie! Apple “Pi”: Ingredients: Crust: Refer to either “Pi” article listed below! Filling: -5 lbs apples -1 cup brown sugar -½ tsp salt -2 tsp ground cinnamon -½ a lemon, squeezed -1 tbsp + ¾ tsp cornstarch Glaze: -3 tbsp water -1 tbsp + ¾ tsp cornstarch -3 ½ tbsp unsalted butter Directions: Peel and thinly slice apples into a large bowl Add brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, lemon, and the 1 tbsp and ¾ tsp cornstarch to the apples; make sure to combine the ingredients thoroughly into the apples (use your hands if you have to!) Add the apples to a colander and leave over the large bowl to drain the excess liquid for about 30-45 minutes Once drained, add the collected liquid to a medium-sized saucepan and add the apples back into the bowl Keep the saucepan over medium to medium-low heat until it begins thickening Once the mixture slightly thickens, add the remaining cornstarch to the water to make what’s called a slurry Once combined, add the slurry to the saucepan mixture and allow to thicken for 1-3 minutes; after thickened, add the butter and let melt After the “glaze” is done, allow it to cool for at least 15 minutes and begin prepping the crust or pre-made dough into a pie dish Add the glaze once cooled back into the apples, and once combined add this apple mixture evenly into the pie dish Place either a lattice or cover (slicing thin lines on top of the top piece of dough) on top of the apple mixture onto the pie dish (refer to blueberry or pumpkin pie recipes for detailed explanations!) Bake at 400°F for 40-45 minutes, let cool for at least 15-30 minutes, and enjoy! Blueberry “Pi”: Refer to this article!: https://www.vsnorthstar.com/articles/holiday-sweets Pumpkin “Pi”: Refer to this article!: https://www.vsnorthstar.com/articles/fresh-pumpkin-pie-vs.-canned-pumpkin-pie%3A-is-it-worth-the-time%3F- BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections Dulcetta By Nora Chery Volume 1 Issue 6 March 18, 2021 Image provided by the Food Network Sophia let out an exhale when she plumped down on her chair. She sat there, quickly gathering as much oxygen as she could, then releasing it inside the small space of her kitchen. She used her left forearm to wipe the sweat from her forehead, though the rest of her body was coated with it, staining the red baggy shirt she was wearing. When her session of heavy breathing had somewhat dampened, she shot out a huff of annoyance. She was, once again, disappointed with herself; a minuscule time of eight minutes and she already felt like she was running a 24-hour long marathon. “It’s such a challenge to lose even a pound”, she thought to herself, making a trip to the refrigerator. She reached down, her hand passing the chocolate pudding and the left-over butterscotch cinnamon pie for the container spinach-kale salad. Grabbing a plastic fork, she sat down on her chair and sunk the fork into the salad. She took small bites and munches; the salad tasted decent enough, but it didn’t compare to the sweet smell that caught her attention. Sophia immediately froze when she noticed who the smell belonged to. So, she’s still here . The heels of her shoes clicked across the tiled floor, making their way towards the backside of Sophia. No doubt it was her - Dulcetta. Her soft chest leaned on the space of Sophia’s back, her chin resting on her shoulders. A long slow exhale through the nose let out cinnamon sugar scent. It had nearly made her betray her promise, to herself, of keeping a calm composure. “Are you forgetting someone, Sophia?” Her breathy honeyed voice asked, sinking her weight. Sophia kept her focus on the salad, gulping slowly. Dulcetta was brightly gorgeous with soft lips, people of any preference, would dream of kissing. Her body in a beautifully designed dress with unconscious elegance, Sophia knew why she had come. “No” Sophia had replied lowly, “I don’t — I don’t think so.” “Cleary... you’ve forgotten about me,” she soothed. Dulcetta placed her thin pointer and thumb under Sophia’s plump chin, giving a somewhat stern squeeze. Just as Sophia’s body did not do any sort of action, her salad abandoned. She was once again relentlessly breathing hard, as she tried to make herself uncomfortable under the sweet woman’s grip. Dulcetta barely noticed or even cared. “You’ve always started and continued the day with me,” she said calmly “I’m a bit hurt.” Sophia’s stomach churned, as she gulped, the smell was becoming more and more intoxicating; Dulcetta smirked. “Not now... not anymore,” uttered Sophia “I’m-I’m going to change, and I can’t have you waltzing around in my life, ruining it.” Dulcetta’s grip on Sophia’s chin grew tighter. “Oh, darling no — darling c’mon, you don’t mean that,” Dulcetta stated sweetly. “You don’t want to change, you don’t want that salad, you want me. And I want you because you’re my little piggy.” Sophia said nothing. She only looked down at her spinach-kale salad, her large chunky body shifted. The salad didn’t seem all at that decent. She felt her pudgy face turn towards Dulcetta’s smiling face. “Who’s my little piggy?” Dulcetta asked as she leaned over for a kiss. “I am.” Sophia muttered ---- Sophia leaned down to take a bite of her butterscotch cinnamon pie. It’s such a challenge to lose even a pound , she told herself, cutting out another piece. But I can always start another day . BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Science & Technology Back to Sections The SpaceX Dragon Crew Missions: How They’re Changing History By Elyas Layachi Volume 1 Issue 2 November 24, 2020 Image provided by SpaceX Space exploration is an ever-changing process. The dawn of space exploration really began during the Space Race, from 1955 till 1991. Occurring during the Cold War, this was a competition in which the winner wanted to land astronauts on the moon first and return them back to Earth safely. In the Space Race, the Soviet Union eventually had the upper hand when they launched the first astronaut into low-earth orbit, but the United States eventually caught up and outdid them with them being the first to land astronauts on the moon through the Apollo Moon Landings. Winning the Space Race, America gained a reputation of prestige and intellectuality. Losing the Space Race, the Soviet Union was devastated, and their reputation was damaged. The Apollo Moon Landings were primarily politically driven, and after the Space Race, the United States did not continue sending astronauts to the moon. Instead, they constructed, along with other nations around the world, the International Space Station, a space laboratory currently in low-earth orbit where astronauts and scientists conduct experiments and perform maintenance on satellites. In 1981, the first space shuttles were launched in conjunction with the International Space Station. They helped assemble it in low-earth orbit! Known as the Space Shuttle Era, this was a period during which NASA focused solely on sending spacecraft to low-earth orbit, with no goal of sending humans back to the Moon or even Mars. Now, today, the space shuttle era is long over, and the “Artemis era” has begun. Launches are taking place over the next four years to send humans to the Moon, and for the first time, private space companies are taking part in this historical movement. Companies such as SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Virgin Galactic are partnered with NASA through the Flight Opportunities program and are taking the next steps to send humans back to the Moon. Flight Opportunities Program According to NASA, the Flight Opportunities Program “facilitates rapid demonstration of promising technologies for space exploration, discovery, and the expansion of space commerce through suborbital testing with industry flight providers.” In short, the program is designed to have private industry develop technologies to be used by government agencies in future space missions, and they are given the task of conducting experiments in low-earth orbit for these agencies. Through this program, for example, SpaceX constructs rockets and delivers a payload, and now astronauts, to the International Space Station and back. With this partnership, instead of NASA focusing on sending astronauts to the International Space Station, they can now focus on sending humans to the Moon and developing spacecraft and technologies to do so. Furthermore, another example of this partnership is between NASA and Blue Origin, in which Blue Origin conducts suborbital experiments with NASA technologies and facilitates their overall development. SpaceX The private company that facilitated the development of the technology used in the Crew Dragon mission on November 15th was SpaceX. The company was founded on May 6th, 2002 by Elon Musk, who is also the CEO of Tesla, the futuristic car company. The company designs, manufactures, and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft for NASA. It joined the Flight Opportunities program, along with other companies, and has flown various spacecraft for NASA, including its crew Dragon, and it is the first company to successfully construct a rocket that is completely reusable, meaning its fuel stages are reusable, along with the capsule. Furthermore, the rockets can land themselves after detachment, which is quite remarkable, considering that such a concept is almost futuristic. The company now has the task of launching astronauts to the International Space Station, and this is the first time a private company has launched astronauts into space for a government agency. SpaceX Dragon Crew launches to the ISS On November 15th, 2020, the first mission to the International Space Station aboard the Crew Dragon took place. The spacecraft represented a new era of space exploration, with an advanced interface and futuristic look and feel. This mission was known as the Crew-1 mission, since the astronauts were going to the International Space Station for a long duration of time rather than for a stop. They will conduct many microgravity experiments, including growing radishes in space and looking at astronauts’ brains! The launch proved successful, and the landing module was able to dock with the International Space Station successfully. The astronauts aboard, Shannon Walker, Victor Glover (the first African American astronaut in space for an extended-stay mission), Mike Hopkins, and Soichi Noguchi make up the Crew-1 mission. This mission is historic since it is the first one solely fueled by the innovations of private companies under the influence of NASA, a governmental space agency. BACK TO TOP