Category Archives: Living in Space

Videos: “Space to Ground” & other space habitat reports – Jan.7.2023

Here is the latest episode in NASA’s Space to Ground weekly report on activities related to the International Space Station:

** Science on space station in 2022 – See the best pics!VideoFromSpace

The International Space Station science experiments in 2022 are highlighted in these images. “Hundreds of scientific investigations and technology demonstrations,” were supported by the orbital outpost’s crew during the year, according to NASA.

** Webinar: NLRA 2023-5 Leveraging the ISS for Education and Workforce Development ISS National Lab – YouTube

This webinar – held on January 5, 2023 – provided information of interest to offerors for NLRA 2023-5: Leveraging the ISS National Lab for Education and Workforce Development. The webinar offered details regarding the scope of the NLRA as well as the timeline, processes, and procedures for submitting proposals.

** NASA’s Commercial Crew Program: Leading the Way in Human SpaceflightNASA’s Kennedy Space Center

For more than a decade, NASA’s groundbreaking Commercial Crew Program (CCP) has led the way toward a new era in human spaceflight, impacting the agency and industry in tremendous ways. Together with commercial partners Boeing and SpaceX, CCP is delivering on its goal to provide safe, reliable, and cost-effective human space transportation to and from the International Space Station in low-Earth orbit, enabling NASA to maximize station utilization, and highlighting the benefits of NASA’s commercial model with industry.

** What an astronaut needs to know | Flight control, space weather and debrisEuropean Space Agency, ESA on Youtube

Recently, Andreas Mogensen, now getting ready for his ‘Huginn’ mission to the ISS in 2023, stopped by ESA’s ESOC mission control centre in Darmstadt, Germany, to meet with some of the experts who keep our satellites flying.

Andreas usually works at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston as an ISS ‘capcom’, and we don’t often see him in Europe. A few months back, while returning to Germany for some training at ESA’s Astronaut Centre in Cologne, we seized the opportunity to ask him if he’d like to stop over in Darmstadt for a look behind the scenes at mission control, and he immediately answered, ‘yes’!

Andreas’ studied aeronautical engineering with a focus on ‘guidance, navigation and control of spacecraft’ and we thought he’d be delighted to meet with the teams at mission control doing precisely that sort of work for our robotic missions.

We figured he’d also enjoy meeting colleagues from our Space Safety programme, especially the ones working on space debris and space weather, as these are crucial areas that influence the daily life of astronauts on the ISS.

Andreas met with Bruno Sousa and Julia Schwartz, who help keep Solar Orbiter healthy and on track on its mission to gather the closest-ever images of the Sun, observe the solar wind and our Star’s polar regions, helping unravel the mysteries of the solar cycle.

He also met with Stijn Lemmens, one of the analysts keeping tabs on the space debris situation in orbit, and Melanie Heil, a scientist helping ESA understand how space weather and our active Sun can affect missions in orbit and crucial infrastructure – like power grids – on ground.

We hope you enjoy this lively and informative day at mission control as much as Andreas and the teams at ESOC did!

** Starlab_ Flying TowardNanoracks

Starlab is Voyager’s planned free-flying, multifunctional commercial space station dedicated to conducting advanced research, fostering commercial industrial activity, and ensuring continued U.S. presence and leadership in low-Earth Orbit. Starlab will host the George Washington Carver Science Park, the first in-space science park, and meet existing demand for commercial space activities.

** Starlab- Side View Animation 4k – Nanoracks

** Starlab – Wide View Animation 4k – Nanoracks

** Living on China’s space station – Take a peek inside on New Year’s DayVideoFromSpace

See views inside and outside of the Tiangong space station captured on New Year’s Day 2023. Chinese astronauts open New Year’s presents, exercise and more.

** ISS Live video stream – IBM/ISS HD Earth Viewing Experiment

Currently, live views from the ISS are streaming from an external camera mounted on the ISS module called Node 2. Node 2 is located on the forward part of the ISS. The camera is looking forward at an angle so that the International Docking Adapter 2 (IDA2) is visible. If the Node 2 camera is not available due to operational considerations for a longer period of time, a continuous loop of recorded HDEV imagery will be displayed. The loop will have “Previously Recorded” on the image to distinguish it from the live stream from the Node 2 camera. After HDEV stopped sending any data on July 18, 2019, it was declared, on August 22, 2019, to have reached its end of life. Thank You to all who shared in experiencing and using the HDEV views of Earth from the ISS to make HDEV so much more than a Technology Demonstration Payload!

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Outpost in Orbit:
A Pictorial & Verbal History of the Space Station

Videos: “Space to Ground” & other space habitat reports – Dec.30.2022

The latest episode in NASA’s Space to Ground weekly report looks back on activities on the International Space Station during 2022:

2022 was another transformational year on the International Space Station. We broke some records, welcomed new space travelers, and took a major step at expanding the space fleet! Thanks to everyone around the world that makes the work done on the Space Station possible.

** Best Space Station Science Images of 2022 NASA Johnson

The International Space Station continues its scientific journey orbiting over 200 miles above the Earth’s surface. This past year, spacecraft carried crew from around the world to and from the space station, where they participated in and supported hundreds of scientific investigations and technology demonstrations. From deploying CubeSats to studying fluid dynamics in space, the orbiting lab expanded its legacy of science and discovery for the benefit of humanity. Look back at some of the best photos of breakthrough science the crew members conducted in 2022: https://go.nasa.gov/3FVGTlX

** Expedition 68 Astronaut Josh Cassada Talks with NPR’s Shortwave Podcast – Dec. 29, 2022 – NASA Video

Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition 68 Flight Engineer Josh Cassada of NASA discussed life and work aboard the orbital outpost during an in-flight event December 29 with NPR’s “Shortwave” podcast. Cassada is in the midst of a science mission aboard the microgravity laboratory. The goal of his mission is to advance scientific knowledge and demonstrate new technologies for future human and robotic exploration missions as part of NASA’s Moon and Mars exploration approach, including lunar missions through NASA’s Artemis program.

** Sierra Space’s LIFE Habitat Successfully Completes Second Ultimate Burst Pressure Test – Sierra Space

Sierra Space conducted a successful Ultimate Burst Pressure (UBP) test on a sub-scale version of the company’s LIFE™ habitat at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. LIFE, or Large Integrated Flexible Environment, is an inflatable habitation module developed by Sierra Space for use on Orbital Reef, the world’s first commercial space station. A full-scale LIFE habitat expands to the size of a three-story apartment building in space, where astronauts can live and work comfortably for long periods of time. The test exceeded NASA certification requirements for inflatable habitation modules and further establishes Sierra Space as the leader in commercial space station development. Sierra Space is the only active commercial space company to meet multiple successful UBP trials. https://www.sierraspace.com/newsroom/…

** Watch an inflatable habitat prototype burst in Lockheed Martin testVideoFromSpace

The inflatable habitat prototype burst at “285 psi, 6x the max operating pressure,” according to its producer Lockheed Martin. They are developing habitats for deep space exploration. Full Story: https://www.space.com/lockheed-martin…

**  Chinese space station beams down amazing views of EarthVideoFromSpace

Several cameras aboard the Chinese space station have captured new views of Earth. China recently completed the T-shaped Tiangong space station by moving the Mengtian module: https://www.space.com/china-completes…

** Work, Life Go Smoothly One Month After Shenzhou-15 Crew Enter China’s Space StationCCTV Video News Agency (Chinese govt.)

The three astronauts for China’s Shenzhou-15 spaceflight mission have been working and living in orbit one month after they arrived at the space station Tiangong, and the space station combination is operating stably.

** Shenzhou-15 Crew Conduct Blood Drawing, Test in SpaceCCTV Video News Agency (Chinese govt.)

Chinese astronauts from the Shenzhou-15 manned space mission recently underwent blood tests to monitor their health in orbit on the Chinese Space Station, according to a video released by the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).

** ISS Live video stream – IBM/ISS HD Earth Viewing Experiment

Currently, live views from the ISS are streaming from an external camera mounted on the ISS module called Node 2. Node 2 is located on the forward part of the ISS. The camera is looking forward at an angle so that the International Docking Adapter 2 (IDA2) is visible. If the Node 2 camera is not available due to operational considerations for a longer period of time, a continuous loop of recorded HDEV imagery will be displayed. The loop will have “Previously Recorded” on the image to distinguish it from the live stream from the Node 2 camera. After HDEV stopped sending any data on July 18, 2019, it was declared, on August 22, 2019, to have reached its end of life. Thank You to all who shared in experiencing and using the HDEV views of Earth from the ISS to make HDEV so much more than a Technology Demonstration Payload!

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Outpost in Orbit:
A Pictorial & Verbal History of the Space Station

Videos: “Space to Ground” & other space habitat reports – Dec.16.2022

Here is the latest episode in NASA’s Space to Ground weekly report on activities related to the International Space Station:

** Charlevoix Middle High School Students Discuss Life In Space With Space Station Astronaut – NASA Video

Aboard the International Space Station, NASA Expedition 68 Flight Engineer Josh Cassada answered pre-recorded questions about life and work on the orbiting laboratory during an in-flight event Dec. 12 with students attending the Charlevoix Middle High School in Charlevoix, Michigan. Cassada is in the midst of a science mission living and working aboard the microgravity laboratory to advance scientific knowledge and demonstrate new technologies for future human and robotic exploration missions as part of NASA’s Moon and Mars exploration approach, including lunar missions through NASA’s Artemis program.

** Soyuz spacecraft at space station leaking ‘particles’ into space – VideoFromSpace

“A stream of particles” is leaking out of a Soyuz spacecraft that is docked to the International Space Station on Dec. 14, 2022. NASA PAO commentator Rob Navias explains. Full Story: https://www.space.com/russian-cosmona…

** Soyuz spacecraft still leaking on space station, 3 hours after detection – VideoFromSpace

A Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft that is currently docked to the International space station is spewing coolant. Full Story: https://www.space.com/soyuz-spacecraf…

The cause of this leak [is] not known at this time,” NASA spokesperson Rob Navias said during live commentary. “Russian specialists are continuing to look at the data and discussing what may have triggered the leak.”

The leak was first detected at 7:45 p.m. EST (0045 Dec. 15 GMT) as cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin were preparing to exit the space station for a 7-hour spacewalk outside the station.

** Will Leaking Russian Spaceship Leave The Crew Stranded In Space?Scott Manley

As a spacewalk was being planned to move a radiator onto a new module on the space station a cooling system on the Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft was seen leaking into space. This resulted in the space walk being cancelled and the crew investigating this problem while trying to limit effects on the station’s scientific experiments.

See also: Here’s what we know, and what we don’t, about the damaged Soyuz spacecraft | Ars Technica.

** Life Inside China’s New Space Station! (Tiangong)The Space Race

** ISS Live video stream – IBM/ISS HD Earth Viewing Experiment

Currently, live views from the ISS are streaming from an external camera mounted on the ISS module called Node 2. Node 2 is located on the forward part of the ISS. The camera is looking forward at an angle so that the International Docking Adapter 2 (IDA2) is visible. If the Node 2 camera is not available due to operational considerations for a longer period of time, a continuous loop of recorded HDEV imagery will be displayed. The loop will have “Previously Recorded” on the image to distinguish it from the live stream from the Node 2 camera. After HDEV stopped sending any data on July 18, 2019, it was declared, on August 22, 2019, to have reached its end of life. Thank You to all who shared in experiencing and using the HDEV views of Earth from the ISS to make HDEV so much more than a Technology Demonstration Payload!

====

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Outpost in Orbit:
A Pictorial & Verbal History of the Space Station

Videos: “Space to Ground” & other space habitat reports – Dec.9.2022

Here is the latest episode in NASA’s Space to Ground weekly report on activities related to the International Space Station:

** Spacewalkers install rollout solar array outside space station – VideoFromSpace

NASA astronauts Josh Cassada and Frank Rubio installed a roll-out solar array outside the International Space Station on Dec. 3, 2022.

** Spacewalk with NASA Astronauts Josh Cassada and Frank RubioNASA

NASA astronauts Josh Cassada and Frank Rubio are conducting a spacewalk on Saturday, Dec. 3, to install an International Space Station Roll-Out Solar Array (iROSA) to augment power generation on the station’s starboard truss structure. This spacewalk is the first of a pair of spacewalks this month set to prepare the future deployment of additional solar arrays for the station. The spacewalk is scheduled to begin at 7:25 a.m. EST (12:25 UTC) and last about seven hours.

Cassada (wearing the suit with red stripes) and Rubio (wearing the unmarked suit) are part of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-5 mission, which arrived at the station on Oct. 6, 2022. This is the second spacewalk for both astronauts.

** Ground Control Team Ready for One Spacecraft’s Return After Two Spaceships Dock at Space Station – CCTV Video News Agency

China’s space flight control team is ready for addressing technical challenges in the return of Shenzhou-14 mission crew posed by two spaceships docked at the space station at the same time, according to the team.

** China’s Shenzhou-14 Manned Spaceship Separates from Space Station Combination – CCTV Video News Agency

The Shenzhou-14 crew left China’s space station core module Tianhe on Sunday for their journey back to Earth and the spacecraft successfully separated from the core module at 11:01 Beijing Time, according to the China Manned Space Agency.

** Shenzhou-14 Manned Space Mission Completed with Astronauts Returning Safely – CCTV Video News Agency

The Shenzhou-14 manned space mission has been successfully completed after the return capsule of the spacecraft landed safely at the designated site in north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on Sunday.

** China’s Third & Final Space Station Module – Dongfang Hour – YouTube [Posted in October]

In this episode, we get into the details of the Mengtian module’s capabilities. Mengtian is the third and final component of China’s 60-ton space station. It will launch on October 31 2022, an event that I will be covering with a live stream.

** The New Space Race: China vs USA in Space Construction – Gateway Spaceport LLC

If you want to join our effort to build structures in orbit or work in space then please join our Crew membership at the following address.
https://gatewayspaceport.com/the-foun…

** ISS Live video stream – IBM/ISS HD Earth Viewing Experiment

Currently, live views from the ISS are streaming from an external camera mounted on the ISS module called Node 2. Node 2 is located on the forward part of the ISS. The camera is looking forward at an angle so that the International Docking Adapter 2 (IDA2) is visible. If the Node 2 camera is not available due to operational considerations for a longer period of time, a continuous loop of recorded HDEV imagery will be displayed. The loop will have “Previously Recorded” on the image to distinguish it from the live stream from the Node 2 camera. After HDEV stopped sending any data on July 18, 2019, it was declared, on August 22, 2019, to have reached its end of life. Thank You to all who shared in experiencing and using the HDEV views of Earth from the ISS to make HDEV so much more than a Technology Demonstration Payload!

====

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Outpost in Orbit:
A Pictorial & Verbal History of the Space Station

Videos: “Space to Ground” & other space habitat reports – Dec.3.2022

Here is the latest episode in NASA’s Space to Ground weekly report on activities related to the International Space Station:

** U.S. Spacewalk 82 Animation – Dec. 3, 2022 – NASA Video

On Saturday, December 3rd, Expedition 68 Flight Engineers Josh Cassada and Frank Rubio of NASA will conduct a spacewalk to install an ISS Roll-Out Solar Array (iROSA) to augment power generation for the 3A power channel on the station’s starboard four truss. This will be the 256th spacewalk in support of space station assembly, upgrades, and maintenance, and the second for both Cassada and Rubio. This computer-generated animation of the spacewalk is narrated by ISS Expedition 68 Spacewalk Officer Chris Mundy.

** Russian Spacewalk 56 – Nov. 23, 2022 NASA Johnson

Outside the International Space Station, Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin of the Expedition 68 crew conducted a spacewalk on November 25 to relocate a radiator from the Rassvet module to Nauka. It was the 256th spacewalk in support of station maintenance and upgrades, the fourth for Prokopyev and the second for Petelin.

** Expedition 68 Astronaut Nicole Mann Talks with Time Magazine, CNN This Morning – Dec. 1, 2022 – NASA Video

Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition 68 Flight Engineer Nicole Mann of NASA discussed life and work aboard the orbital outpost during an in-flight event Dec. 1 with TIME magazine and CNN “This Morning.” Mann is in the midst of a science mission living and working aboard the microgravity laboratory. The goal of her mission is to advance scientific knowledge and demonstrate new technologies for future human and robotic exploration missions as part of NASA’s Moon and Mars exploration approach, including lunar missions through NASA’s Artemis program.

** Expedition 68 – Space Station Crew Answers Maryland Student Questions – Nov. 21, 2022 – NASA Video

Aboard the International Space Station, NASA Expedition 68 Flight Engineers Nicole Mann and Frank Rubio answered pre-recorded questions about life and work on the orbiting laboratory during an in-flight event Nov. 21 with students attending the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland. Rubio is a graduate of the school. Mann and Rubio are in the midst of a science mission living and working aboard the microgravity laboratory to advance scientific knowledge and demonstrate new technologies for future human and robotic exploration missions. Such research benefits people on Earth and lays the groundwork for future human exploration through the agency’s Artemis missions, which will send astronauts to the Moon to prepare for future expeditions to Mars.

** SpaceX launches Cargo Dragon to space station – See deployment & landing too!VideoFromSpace

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket launched the CRS-26 mission to the International Space Station from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Nov. 26, 2022. Full Story: https://www.space.com/spacex-launch-c… The rocket’s first stage landed on the “Just Read the Instructions” droneship in the Atlantic Ocean just under eight minutes after launch and the Dragon spacecraft was deployed shortly thereafter.

**  SpaceX CRS-26 Dragon dockingSciNews

The SpaceX Dragon CRS-26 cargo spacecraft autonomously docked to the International Space Station, on 27 November 2022, at 12:39 UTC (07:39 EST). The CRS-26 Dragon spacecraft delivers more than 2630 kg (5800 pounds) of research, crew supplies and hardware; having previously supported the CRS-21 and CRS-23 missions. Credit: NASA/SpaceX Music: Blue Danube by Strauss courtesy of YouTube Audio Library

** ESA Astronaut Class of 2022European Space Agency, ESA on Youtube

Get to know the ESA Astronaut Class of 2022 as they answer the following questions: – Why did you apply to become an astronaut? – Tell us about your background – How did you feel when you found out you would be part of ESA’s Astronaut Class of 2022? – What excites you most about human exploration, and how do you see yourself as part of this challenge? – What message do you have for young people today who are passionate about space and science?

** Shenzhou-15 docking – SciNews

The Shenzhou-15 (神舟十五) crew spacecraft autonomously docked to the front port of the Tianhe Core Module (天和核心舱), the first and main component of the China Space Station (中国空间站), on 29 November 2022, at 21:42 UTC (30 November, at 05:42 China Standard Time). Shenzhou-15 (神舟十五) is the fourth crew of three astronauts, Junlong Fei (费俊龙, commander), Qingming Deng (邓清明) and Lu Zhang (张陆), on a mission to the China Space Station (中国空间站).

** Shenzhou 15 crew enters Chinese space station after docking – VideoFromSpace

Shenzhou 15 astronauts Fei Junlong (commander), Deng Qingming and Zhang Lu completed ingress into the Tiangong space station on Nov. 29, 2022 (Nov. 30 – Beijing time) shortly after docking. See them launch: https://www.space.com/china-launches-…

** ISS Live video stream – IBM/ISS HD Earth Viewing Experiment

Currently, live views from the ISS are streaming from an external camera mounted on the ISS module called Node 2. Node 2 is located on the forward part of the ISS. The camera is looking forward at an angle so that the International Docking Adapter 2 (IDA2) is visible. If the Node 2 camera is not available due to operational considerations for a longer period of time, a continuous loop of recorded HDEV imagery will be displayed. The loop will have “Previously Recorded” on the image to distinguish it from the live stream from the Node 2 camera. After HDEV stopped sending any data on July 18, 2019, it was declared, on August 22, 2019, to have reached its end of life. Thank You to all who shared in experiencing and using the HDEV views of Earth from the ISS to make HDEV so much more than a Technology Demonstration Payload!

====

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Adult Set for Display,
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Outpost in Orbit:
A Pictorial & Verbal History of the Space Station