48 years of spaceflight pictured

This year, NASA is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Inspired to make his own contribution, astronomer Ralf Vandebergh recorded images of some historic spacecraft in Earth orbit -- captured with his own modest equipment and a 10-inch, Newtonian reflecting telescope. From a 1960 launch, on the left is the TIROS 2 satellite, one of the first successful weather satellites. While this TIROS (Television InfraRed Observation System) satellite stopped functioning in 1961, Vandeberg notes that if we could visit it now, we would still find video cameras and magnetic tape recorders. On the right, of course, is the ISS (International Space Station) including its recent addition, the Progress M-65 cargo vehicle, launched to the ISS the last month. It will be a great year for de NASA and all their investigations.