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

** Astronauts Show How NASA’s DART Mission Will Change an Asteroid’s Motion in Space – NASA

NASA’s DART spacecraft will intentionally crash into an asteroid to test if impacting an object is a viable way to deflect an asteroid, should a threat ever be discovered in the future. Watch as NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough and European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Pesquet demonstrate how DART’s mission will work. Spoiler alert: it’s like a pillow fight in microgravity. DART is a spacecraft designed to impact an asteroid as a test of technology. DART’s target asteroid is NOT a threat to Earth. This asteroid system is a perfect testing ground to see if intentionally crashing a spacecraft into an asteroid is an effective way to change its course, should an Earth-threatening asteroid be discovered in the future.

** Russian Anti-Satellite Weapon Causes Emergency On Space Station – Scott Manley

Yesterday the Russian military tested a new Anti-Satellite missile on an old, dead Soviet satellite. The test was a success and now there are thousands of pieces of debris crossing the orbit of the Space Station. Space is big, and the chances of an impacts are low, but this particular satellite was relatively close to the altitude of the ISS, rather than low down like recent US and Indian tests meaning the debris will remain in orbit longer and have a long term cost for operations in Low Earth Orbit.

** How To Deorbit The International Space Station Safely – Scott Manley

The International Space Station may one day be forced to return to Earth, so that it safely burns up over the ocean, and this is actually a surprisingly complicated task given the huge mass of the station and the limited propulsion available. The plans aren’t final by any means, but this discusses the problems and one particular option using multiple progress spacecraft to augment the propulsion and propellent available for deorbiting this historic orbital facility….

** Why Commercial Space Stations Are The Future NASA Wants – Scott Manley

In the last month or so we’ve seen a couple of major private space station plans revealed to the world – Orbital Reef lead by Blue Origin and Starlab Lead by Nanoracks. These are likely just the tip of the iceberg as NASA is currently reviewing proposals for the Commercial Low Earth Orbit Destinations project.

** Announcing Orbital Reef – Your Address in Orbit – Blue Origin

Blue Origin and Sierra Space have announced plans for Orbital Reef, a commercially developed, owned, and operated space station to be built in low Earth orbit. The station will open the next chapter of human space exploration and development by facilitating the growth of a vibrant ecosystem and business model for the future. Orbital Reef is backed by space industry leaders and teammates including Boeing, Redwire Space, Genesis Engineering Solutions, and Arizona State University. Designed to open multiple new markets in space, Orbital Reef will provide anyone with the opportunity to establish their own address on orbit. This unique destination will offer research, industrial, international, and commercial customers the cost competitive end-to-end services they need including space transportation and logistics, space habitation, equipment accommodation, and operations including onboard crew. The station will start operating in the second half of this decade. Learn more at OrbitalReef.com

** First spacewalk by a Chinese female astronaut during Shenzhou 13 crew space station mission – South China Morning Post

The crew of China’s Shenzhou 13 mission completed their first spacewalk of their mission on board the Tiangong space station on November 7, 2021. One of the crew members venturing outside was Wang Yaping who became China’s first female astronaut to complete a spacewalk. She joined Zhai Zhigang for what was the first planned activity of China’s longest space flight yet, a six-month mission during which the crew will focus on station expansion. Related story: China’s astronauts complete spacewalk at new Tiangong space station https://sc.mp/dhg5

See also:

• Sierra Space raises $1.4 billion – SpaceNews
• Blue Origin and Sierra Space developing commercial space station – Blue Origin
• Ax-1 ISS research mission opens private LEO era — Axiom Space
• NSS Roadmap to Space Settlement – National Space Society

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

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

**  See SpaceX Crew-2’s view of space station as they depart – VideoFromSpace

NASA’s Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur, JAXA astronaut Akihiko Hoshide and ESA’s Thomas Pesquet are on their way back to Earth after undocking from the space station on Nov. 8, 2021.

** Splashdown! Space Crew-2 astronaut back on Earth – VideoFromSpace

NASA’s Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur, JAXA astronaut Akihiko Hoshide and ESA’s Thomas Pesquet splashed down off the coast of Florida on Nov. 8, 2021.

** Crew-3 Launch Day Highlights – NASA Video

Highlights from Crew-3 launch day at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Nov. 10, 2021.

** SpaceX Crew-3 astronauts have on-orbit zero-g fun with food & more – VideoFromSpace

SpaceX Crew-3 astronauts Raja Chari, Tom Marshburn, Kayla Barron, and Matthias Maurer show off their zero-g skills during their journey to the International Space Station on Nov. 11, 2021.

** NASA’s SpaceX Crew-3 Astronauts Arrive at the Space Station – NASA

Watch the SpaceX Crew-3 astronauts arrive at the International Space Station aboard the Crew Dragon Endurance spacecraft. Kayla Barron, Raja Chari, and Thomas Marshburn of NASA, and Matthias Maurer of the European Space Agency will begin a six-month mission aboard the orbiting laboratory. Once aboard, they will join their station crewmates to conduct hundreds of scientific experiments and perform space station maintenance and upgrades. Endurance is scheduled to automatically dock to the space station at 6:32 p.m. EST (23:32 UTC). Crew-3 lifted off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 9:03 p.m. EST on Nov. 10 (02:03 UTC Nov. 11).

** Dragon Endeavour tour [in French with English subtitles] – European Space Agency, ESA on Youtube

ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet is sharing scenes from life on board the International Space Station during his second mission “Alpha”. Here he gives a quick tour of the @SpaceX Cargo Dragon Endeavour that brought him to the Space Station together with @JAXA | 宇宙航空研究開発機構 astronaut Aki Hoshide and @NASA astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur. The same astronauts, Crew-2, will use the spacecraft to return home after undocking with the Station and fly to Earth for a splashdown off the coast of Florida, USA. Over 200 experiments are planned during Thomas’ time in space, with 40 European ones and 12 new experiments led by the French space agency @CNES. Follow Thomas: https://bit.ly/ThomasPesquetBlog

** Throwing a Cosmic Kiss – Matthias Maurer’s journey to the International Space Station – European Space Agency, ESA on Youtube

ESA astronaut Matthias Maurer and @NASA astronauts Raja Chari, Tom Marshburn and Kayla Barron liftoff to the International Space Station in the @SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft “Endurance”. Collectively known as “Crew-3”, the astronauts were launched from launchpad 39A at @NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, USA at 02:03 GMT/03:03 CET Thursday 11 November. The spacecraft docked to the International Space Station at 00:32 CET Friday, 12 November/23:32 GMT Thursday, 11 November, marking the official start of Matthias’s first mission ‘Cosmic Kiss’. Crew-3 will spend around six months living and working aboard the orbital outpost before returning to Earth. It is the first space mission for Matthias, who’s become the 600th human to fly to space. He chose the name “Cosmic Kiss” for his mission as a declaration of love for space. Matthias has a background in materials science and looks forward to supporting a wide range of science and research in orbit. The work he carries out throughout his mission will contribute to the success of future space missions and help enhance life on Earth. Follow Matthias: https://bit.ly/ESACosmicKiss

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

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

** NASA’s SpaceX Crew-2 Astronauts Advance Research in Space – NASA

After more than six months aboard the International Space Station, the astronauts of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-2 mission are returning home. The four crew members — NASA astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Thomas Pesquet — will travel back to Earth inside a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule. These crew members contributed to hundreds of scientific investigations and technology demonstrations while aboard the orbiting laboratory. This valuable scientific research helps to prepare humans for future space exploration missions while generating numerous innovations and benefits for humanity on Earth. Here is a look at some of the scientific milestones accomplished during the Crew-2 mission. [Crew-2’s Scientific Journey on the ISS | NASA]

** Capture confirmed! Russian Progress 79 docks with space station – VideoFromSpace

An uncrewed Russian Soyuz Progress 79 cargo ship docked with the International Space Station’s Zvezda service module on Oct. 29, 2021. Watch it launch: https://www.space.com/russia-progress…

** Space Station tour with your guide Thomas Pesquet | 4K [in French with English subtitles available] – European Space Agency, ESA on Youtube

Join ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet on a tour of the International Space Station. On his second space mission Alpha, Thomas flew to space from Florida, USA, as part of Crew-2 in the @SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour together with @NASA astronauts Megan McArthur, Shane Kimbrough and @JAXA | 宇宙航空研究開発機構 astronaut Aki Hoshide In this guided tour, a first shot in 4K, Thomas takes you through the modules of the International Space Station including the Dragon. Recorded in October 2021 the Space Station had just seen the departure of Soyuz MS-18 and the relocation of a Progress supply spacecraft. On board where also NASA astronaut Mark VandeHei and Russian cosmonauts Anton Shkaplerov and Pyotr Dubrov. Over 200 investigations are planned during Thomas’ time in space, with 40 European ones and 12 new experiments led by the French space agency @CNES. Follow Thomas: http://bit.ly/ThomasPesquetBlog

 

** NLRA 2022-3: In Space Production Applications Tissue Engineering and Biomanufacturing – ISS National Lab

On November 1, 2021, the ISS National Lab held a webinar to provide further background on NLRA [National Lab Research Announcements] 2022-3 and to answer any questions.

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

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

** Know Your Crew…Three! – NASA Johnson

The astronauts flying on NASA’s SpaceX Crew-3 mission have been working together for months and months now to prepare for their launch, and then six months together on the International Space Station. You’d think they’ve gotten to know each other pretty well by now. Watch as Raja Chari, Tom Marshburn, Kayla Barron, and Matthias Maurer declare who on the crew is the funniest, who has an annoying habit, and who is the clear front-runner to beat the others in a race. Also, which crew member is the most perspicacious and what type of “smorgasbord” are they planning? Let’s find out!

**  Quick Questions with Crew-3 – NASA Johnson

Astronauts are public figures and much of their history is well known, but not all of it. We “grilled” the astronauts flying to the International Space Station on NASA’s SpaceX Crew-3 mission – Raja Chari, Tom Marshburn, Kayla Barron, and Matthias Maurer – with a dizzying series of rapid-fire questions to discover the truth about their favorite foods, guilty pleasures, and what these explorers would do with a free day on the Moon. Be on the lookout for the one thing that all four of them unanimously agree on!

** Expedition 66 inflight with Seeker.com – October 25, 2021 – NASA Video

Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition 66 Commander Thomas Pesquet of ESA (European Space Agency) and NASA Flight Engineer Shane Kimbrough discussed life and work aboard the orbital outpost during an in-flight event October 25 with Seeker.com. Pesquet and Kimbrough are in the midst of long duration missions 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.

** Announcing Orbital Reef – Your Address in Orbit – Blue Origin – Possible commercial successor to the ISS. – Orbital Reef press release (pdf)

Blue Origin and Sierra Space have announced plans for Orbital Reef, a commercially developed, owned, and operated space station to be built in low Earth orbit. The station will open the next chapter of human space exploration and development by facilitating the growth of a vibrant ecosystem and business model for the future. Orbital Reef is backed by space industry leaders and teammates including Boeing, Redwire Space, Genesis Engineering Solutions, and Arizona State University. Designed to open multiple new markets in space, Orbital Reef will provide anyone with the opportunity to establish their own address on orbit. This unique destination will offer research, industrial, international, and commercial customers the cost competitive end-to-end services they need including space transportation and logistics, space habitation, equipment accommodation, and operations including onboard crew. The station will start operating in the second half of this decade. Learn more at OrbitalReef.com

**Starlab: The first free-flying, continuously crewed commercial space station. – Starlab – The Starlab is a commercial space station project led by Nanoracks, Voyager Space, and Lockheed-Martin. The goal is to be in orbit by 2027. See announcement: Nanoracks, Voyager Space, and Lockheed Martin Teaming to Develop Commercial Space Station – Nanoracks.

** Axiom Rewind September 2021 – Axiom Space – Brief update on the projects by Axiom Space, which is developing commercial space habitat modules, which initially will attach to the ISS and then form an Axiom free-floating station.

** Blastoff! Progress 79 cargo spacecraft launches to space station – VideoFromSpace

A Russian Soyuz rocket launched the Progress 79 cargo resupply spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan to the International Space Station on Oct. 27, 2021 (Oct. 28 local time).

** Soyuz MS-18 departure timelapse – European Space Agency, ESA on Youtube

Timelapse video made during ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet’s second mission to the International Space Station, “Alpha”. On 17 October 2021 at 01:14 GMT the Soyuz MS-18 undocked from the Space Station to return to Earth, inside were @Roscosmos Media cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy (who had spent 191 days in space) and actress Yulia Peresild and Russian producer-director Klim Shipenko (who both spent 11 days in space). The trio landed on Earth just over three hours later. The camera for this timelapse was setup to take pictures at intervals of two a second, and the pictures are then edited into this video that plays at 25 pictures a second. The video is around 12 times faster than real speed. …

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

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

** Expedition 66 Inflight with Space.com – October 21, 2021 – NASA Video

Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition 65 Flight Engineers Mark Vande Hei and Megan McArthur of NASA discussed life and work aboard the orbital outpost during a question and answer session with Space.com on October 21. Vande Hei and McArthur are in the midst of long duration missions 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.

** Video File: Russian Trio Returns To Earth From The International Space Station – NASA Video

Russian cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy of Roscosmos and Russian spaceflight participants Yulia Peresild and Klim Shipenko undocked from the International Space Station’s Nauka Multipurpose Laboratory Module in their Soyuz MS-18 spacecraft October 16, returning to Earth a few hours later for a parachute-assisted landing on the steppe of Kazakhstan Oct. 17. Peresild, a Russian actress and Shipenko, her producer-director, spent 12 days on the station filming scenes for a movie title “Challenge” under an arrangement between Roscosmos and Moscow-based media entities. Novitskiy returned after spending 191 days in space on a flight which spanned almost 81 million miles. Novitskiy has now logged 531 days in space on his three missions.

** Spacewalk scenes with Thomas and Aki – 8K! – European Space Agency, ESA on Youtube

ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet and @JAXA | 宇宙航空研究開発機構 astronaut Akihiko Hoshide performed a spacewalk on 12 September 2021 to prepare for the installation of a new solar array on the International Space Station. The new solar arrays, called IROSA or ISS Roll-Out Solar Array, are being gradually installed over the existing arrays to boost the International Space Station’s power system. Thomas and @NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough prepared and installed two IROSA solar panels across three spacewalk in June. The arrays were taken from their storage area outside the Space Station and passed from spacewalker to spacewalker to the worksite. There the rolled arrays were secured, unfolded, connected and then unfurled. Aki and Thomas prepared the P4 truss for its IROSA installation. This is the same area as where Thomas and Shane installed two IROSA’s but closer to the main body of the Space Station, in an area called the 4A channel. Only one new solar array will be installed here, on a later spacewalk. While the extravehicular activity or EVA was already the fourth spacewalk during Thomas’ Alpha mission, it was his first with Aki and the first time a spacewalking pair did not feature a US or Russian astronaut. …

** Space food | Mission Alpha [in French with English subtitles] – European Space Agency, ESA on Youtube

ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet is on his second mission to the International Space Station called Alpha. In this video Thomas talks about his crew preference food that arrived on @SpaceX CRS-22 supply spacecraft, the video was recorded on 19 June 2021 in the Zvezda module of the Space Station. Astronauts’ full space menu comprise of a range of food designed to meet nutritional and operational requirements on board. Because of the two hours of exercise they perform every day on the Station and a full schedule of science and operations, astronauts are expected to consume approximately 3000 calories per day in space. For ESA astronauts such as Thomas, two thirds of this calorie intake come from the basic food supply that is preselected and prepacked by @NASA for the entire space mission. The final third of their calories comes from ‘crew choice meals’ – food that the astronauts choose for themselves, either from the US menu or a range of European, Russian and Japanese options. …

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Outpost in Orbit:
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