Videos: Space habitat reports – Jan.13.2024

Here is this week’s selection of videos and news items about space habitats, living in space, and space settlement. Starts with NASA’s latest Space to Ground report for the International Space Station:

** Centrifuge TrainingAxiom Space

To prepare for the gravitational forces experienced on the journey to space, the #Ax3 crew had to take a spin in the centrifuge. This training helps ready the crew for the G-forces felt during launch and landing.

— — —

Axiom Space is guided by the vision of a thriving home in space that benefits every human, everywhere. The leader in providing space infrastructure as a service, Axiom offers end-to-end missions to the International Space Station today while privately developing its successor – a permanent commercial destination in Earth’s orbit that will sustain human growth off the planet and bring untold benefits back home. More information about Axiom can be found at www.axiomspace.com.

** Ax-3 Mission | Crew Countdown to Launch Axiom Space

Axiom Space is building for beyond, guided by the vision of a thriving home in space that benefits every human, everywhere. The leading provider of human spaceflight services and developer of human-rated space infrastructure, Axiom Space operates end-to-end missions to the International Space Station today while developing its successor, Axiom Station – the world’s first commercial space station in low-Earth orbit, which will sustain human growth off the planet and bring untold benefits back home. For more information about Axiom Space, visit www.axiomspace.com..

** China’s Tianzhou-6 Cargo Craft Separates from Space Station CombinationCCTV Video News Agency

The Tianzhou-6 cargo craft, tasked with carrying supplies for China’s space station Tiangong in orbit, separated from the station combination on Friday, according to the China Manned Space Agency.

** Meet the students using radio waves to contact the ISS – Today

A high school club in Pennsylvania is making waves — radio waves, that is — by making contact with the International Space Station. Reporting for TODAY, NBC’s Harry Smith meets some of the students who are becoming licensed amateur radio operators.

** S01E07 “Artificial Gravity and More” – featuring Angie Bukley and Jeff GreasonAbove Space

Dr. Angie Bukley, and OAC advisor Jeff Greason join us in this week’s episode. Both have long careers in space and share their insights on artificial gravity and more. 

** A selection of news reports and articles on space habitats and living in space:

** Highlight: NIGHT Rome Italy – Jan 12, 2024 – 20:25 CET –   ISS Above

NASA EHDC6 Live views of the Earth from the International Space Station

** Highlight: Night – Visible pass over Miami FL – Jan 12, 2024 – 18:57 EST ISS Above

** Live Video from the International Space Station (Official NASA Stream) – NASA

Watch live video from the International Space Station, including inside views when the crew aboard the space station is on duty. Views of Earth are also streamed from an external camera located outside of the space station. During periods of signal loss due to handover between communications satellites, a blue screen is displayed.

The space station orbits Earth about 250 miles (425 kilometers) above the surface. An international partnership of five space agencies from 15 countries operates the station, and it has been continuously occupied since November 2000. It’s a microgravity laboratory where science, research, and human innovation make way for new technologies and research breakthroughs not possible on Earth. More: https://go.nasa.gov/3CkVtC8

Did you know you can spot the station without a telescope? It looks like a fast-moving star, but you have to know when to look up. Sign up for text messages or email alerts to let you know when (and where) to spot the station and wave to the crew: https://spotthestation.nasa.gov

====

ISS after undocking of STS-132

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

ESO: Observation of supernova producing compact object (black hole or neutron star)

A new report from the European Southern Observatory (ESO):

Missing link found:
Supernovae give rise to black holes or neutron stars

This artist’s impression is based on the aftermath of a supernova explosion as seen by two teams of astronomers with both ESO’s Very Large Telescope (VLT) and ESO’s New Technology Telescope (NTT). The supernova observed, SN 2022jli, occurred when a massive star died in a fiery explosion, leaving behind a compact object — a neutron star or a black hole. This dying star, however, had a companion which was able to survive this violent event. The periodic interactions between the compact object and its companion left periodic signals in the data, which revealed that the supernova explosion had indeed resulted in a compact object.

Astronomers have found a direct link between the explosive deaths of massive stars and the formation of the most compact and enigmatic objects in the Universe — black holes and neutron stars. With the help of the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope (ESO’s VLT) and ESO’s New Technology Telescope (NTT), two teams were able to observe the aftermath of a supernova explosion in a nearby galaxy, finding evidence for the mysterious compact object it left behind.

When massive stars reach the end of their lives, they collapse under their own gravity so rapidly that a violent explosion known as a supernova ensues. Astronomers believe that, after all the excitement of the explosion, what is left is the ultra-dense core, or compact remnant, of the star. Depending on how massive the star is, the compact remnant will be either a neutron star — an object so dense that a teaspoon of its material would weigh around a trillion kilograms here on Earth — or a black hole — an object from which nothing, not even light, can escape.

Astronomers have found many clues hinting at this chain of events in the past, such as finding a neutron star within the Crab Nebula, the gas cloud left behind when a star exploded nearly a thousand years ago. But they had never before seen this process happen in real time, meaning that direct evidence of a supernova leaving behind a compact remnant has remained elusive.

In our work, we establish such a direct link

says Ping Chen, a researcher at the Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel, and lead author of a study published today in Nature and presented at the 243rd American Astronomical Society meeting in New Orleans, USA.

The researchers’ lucky break came in May 2022, when South African amateur astronomer Berto Monard discovered the supernova SN 2022jli in the spiral arm of the nearby galaxy NGC 157, located 75 million light-years away. Two separate teams turned their attention to the aftermath of this explosion and found it to have a unique behaviour.

This artist’s impression shows the process by which a massive star within a binary system becomes a supernova. This series of events occurred in the supernova SN 2022jli, and was revealed to researchers through observations with ESO’s Very Large Telescope (VLT) and New Technology Telescope (NTT). After a massive star exploded as a supernova, it left behind a compact object — a neutron star or a black hole. The companion star survived the explosion, but its atmosphere became puffier as a result. The compact object and its companion star continued to orbit one another, with the compact object regularly stealing matter from the other’s puffy atmosphere. This accretion of matter was seen in the researchers’ data as regular fluctuations of brightness, as well as periodic movements of hydrogen gas.

After the explosion, the brightness of most supernovae simply fades away with time; astronomers see a smooth, gradual decline in the explosion’s ‘light curve’. But SN 2022jli’s behaviour is very peculiar: as the overall brightness declines, it doesn’t do so smoothly, but instead oscillates up and down every 12 days or so.

In SN 2022jli’s data we see a repeating sequence of brightening and fading

says Thomas Moore, a doctoral student at Queen’s University Belfast, Northern Ireland, who led a study of the supernova published late last year in the Astrophysical Journal. Moore noted in his paper.

This is the first time that repeated periodic oscillations, over many cycles, have been detected in a supernova light curve

Both the Moore and Chen teams believe that the presence of more than one star in the SN 2022jli system could explain this behaviour. In fact, it’s not unusual for massive stars to be in orbit with a companion star in what is known as a binary system, and the star that caused SN 2022jli was no exception. What is remarkable about this system, however, is that the companion star appears to have survived the violent death of its partner and the two objects, the compact remnant and the companion, likely kept orbiting each other.

The data collected by the Moore team, which included observations with ESO’s NTT in Chile’s Atacama Desert, did not allow them to pin down exactly how the interaction between the two objects caused the highs and lows in the light curve. But the Chen team had additional observations. They found the same regular fluctuations in the system’s visible brightness that the Moore team had detected, and they also spotted periodic movements of hydrogen gas and bursts of gamma rays in the system. Their observations were made possible thanks to a fleet of instruments on the ground and in space, including X-shooter on ESO’s VLT, also located in Chile.

Putting all the clues together, the two teams generally agree that when the companion star interacted with the material thrown out during the supernova explosion, its hydrogen-rich atmosphere became puffier than usual. Then, as the compact object left behind after the explosion zipped through the companion’s atmosphere on its orbit, it would steal hydrogen gas, forming a hot disc of matter around itself. This periodic stealing of matter, or accretion, released lots of energy that was picked up as regular changes of brightness in the observations.

Even though the teams could not observe light coming from the compact object itself, they concluded that this energetic stealing can only be due to an unseen neutron star, or possibly a black hole, attracting matter from the companion star’s puffy atmosphere.

Our research is like solving a puzzle by gathering all possible evidence,” Chen says. “All these pieces lining up lead to the truth.

With the presence of a black hole or neutron star confirmed, there is still plenty to unravel about this enigmatic system, including the exact nature of the compact object or what end could await this binary system. Next-generation telescopes such as ESO’s Extremely Large Telescope, scheduled to begin operation later this decade, will help with this, allowing astronomers to reveal unprecedented details of this unique system.

Links

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For the Love of Mars:
A Human History of the Red Planet

Space habitat reports – Jan.5.2024

Here is this week’s selection of videos and news items about space habitats, living in space, and space settlement.

** Space to Ground: 2023 NASA Johnson

** Best Station Science Images of 2023 – NASA Video

Ensuring U.S. leadership of in-space manufacturing in low Earth orbit by enabling the use of the ISS National Laboratory to demonstrate the production of advanced materials Hundreds of experiments flew aboard the International Space Station in 2023, covering a wide range of scientific topics, including biology, human research, and Earth science. Take a glimpse back at a year of science in space.

** Expedition 70 Astronaut Loral O’Hara Talks with Purdue University Students – Jan. 3, 2024 – NASA Video

Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition 70 Flight Engineer Loral O’Hara discussed life and work aboard the orbital outpost during an in-flight interview Jan. 3 with students at Purdue University. O’Hara, who received a master’s degree from Purdue University, is in midst of a long-duration 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.

** Expedition 70 Space Station Crew Talks with KCTV, Kansas City, Missouri – Dec. 27, 2023 – NASA Video

Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition 70 Flight Engineers Jasmin Moghbeli and Loral O’Hara of NASA discussed life and work aboard the orbital outpost during an in-flight interview Dec. 27 with KCTV-TV in Kansas City. Moghbeli and O’Hara 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. 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.

** Major Milestones Achieved Through the ISS National Lab in 2023 ISS National Lab

As 2023 comes to a close, the International Space Station (ISS) National Laboratory wraps up a banner year supporting research and technology development (R&D) in low Earth orbit (LEO). The ISS National Lab and NASA work in unison to utilize the orbiting outpost to its fullest capacity, and the achievements from this year demonstrate the increasing demand for access to space for R&D among researchers from diverse fields.

** Ax-3 Crew Send Off – Axiom Space

Prior to entering quarantine, Axiom Space employees came together to celebrate the #Ax3 crew. Crew Send-off is a tradition that pays tribute to the dedication and tireless efforts of #TeamAxiom leading into a human spaceflight mission. God Speed #Ax3!

** Camera TrainingAxiom Space

Taking pictures isn’t as easy as you think! The #Ax3 crew trained on very sophisticated cameras to make sure they have a record of their historic journey!

** Harnessing Space Resources for Sustainable PresenceBlue Origin

Our team is developing technologies to harness space resources to make robotic and human presence on the Moon sustainable. Explore how this technology will support missions to the Moon and beyond with the potential to revolutionize how we produce power and materials on Earth.

** Building Modern Space Stations – Gravitics Inc

From demolishing walls to building dreams: Gravitics soared in 2023, fueled by an incredible team and audacious vision. Here’s to the space station enabled future we’re creating, module by module, milestone by milestone!

** Chinese Astronauts Enjoy Space-grown Vegetables to Greet New YearCCTV Video News Agency

China’s Shenzhou-17 astronauts enjoyed an abundant meal with space-grown vegetables to celebrate the first day of 2024.

** Newly Released Video Shows Shenzhou-17 Crew’s Spacewalk, Featuring Crucial Solar Wing Repair TestCCTV Video News Agency

In a recently unveiled video footage, the Shenzhou-17 crew members, currently aboard China’s orbiting space station, were seen accomplishing their first-ever spacewalk, marking a historic moment in the nation’s space exploration endeavors.

** Other news and articles:

** Highlight: Gigantic iceberg – South Atlantic Ocean – Jan 2, 2024 – 17:26 UTC – ISS Above

North / East of South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands.

NASA EHDC6 Live views of the Earth from the International Space Station

** Highlight: Alpenglow over the Alps. Dec 27, 2023 07:33 UTC – ISS Above

** Highlight: Miami FL – Bahamas – Dec 27, 2023 10:25 EST – ISS Above

** Live Video from the International Space Station (Official NASA Stream) – NASA

Watch live video from the International Space Station, including inside views when the crew aboard the space station is on duty. Views of Earth are also streamed from an external camera located outside of the space station. During periods of signal loss due to handover between communications satellites, a blue screen is displayed.

The space station orbits Earth about 250 miles (425 kilometers) above the surface. An international partnership of five space agencies from 15 countries operates the station, and it has been continuously occupied since November 2000. It’s a microgravity laboratory where science, research, and human innovation make way for new technologies and research breakthroughs not possible on Earth. More: https://go.nasa.gov/3CkVtC8

Did you know you can spot the station without a telescope? It looks like a fast-moving star, but you have to know when to look up. Sign up for text messages or email alerts to let you know when (and where) to spot the station and wave to the crew: https://spotthestation.nasa.gov

====

ISS after undocking of STS-132

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

Night sky highlights for January 2024

Check out the night sky this month, January 2024. Here are videos highlighting the top sights to observe.

** What’s Up: January 2024 Skywatching Tips from NASA – NASA JPL

What are some skywatching highlights in January 2024?
The year kicks off with the Quadrantid meteors, and some great Moon-planet pairings. Plus, did you know the stars shift in the sky by four minutes each day?

0:00 Intro
0:15 Quadrantid meteor shower
0:54 Moon & planet highlights
2:12 4-minute-per-day rule
3:46 January Moon phases

Additional information about topics covered in this episode of What’s Up, along with still images from the video, and the video transcript, are available at https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/skywatch….

** Tonight’s Sky: January 2024 – Space Telescope Science InstituteTonight’s Sky

In January, the northern hemisphere features beautiful views of Capella, a pair of giant yellow stars; Aldebaran, a red giant star; and two star clusters—the Hyades and the Pleiades. Keep watching for the awe-inspiring space-based views of the Crab Nebula, the remains of a star that exploded as a supernova.

** What to see in the night sky: January 2024BBC Sky at Night Magazine

Pete Lawrence and Paul Abel reveal the top things to see in the night sky this month, including the planets of the Solar System, clair obscur effects on the Moon, Comet 144P/Kushia and Orion.

00:00 Intro
00:16 – Mercury
01:17 – Venus
02:57 – Jupiter
06:23 – Saturn
07:02 – Uranus and Neptune
09:16 – Comet 144P/Kushida
10:42 – Quadrantid meteor shower
11:09 – Clair obscur effects
11:49 – Galilean moons
12:14 – Mare Orientale
14:20 – Dione transits Saturn
17:37 – Sirius
20:40 – Orion
24:35 – Monoceros
25:54 – Rosette Nebula

** Sky & Telescope’s Sky Tour Podcast – January | The Quadrantid Meteor Shower and Spotting Planets – Sky & Telescope Youtube

Our monthly Sky Tour #astronomy #podcast provides an informative and entertaining 10-minute guided tour of the nighttime sky. Listen to the January episode and watch one of the year’s better #meteor showers, then take up the challenge of spotting five #planets; size up a celestial queen with an ego problem; and learn about a celestial hunter who, uh, also has an ego problem. So bundle up, grab your curiosity, and come along on this month’s Sky Tour.

See also

** What’s in the Night Sky January 2024 – Quadrantid Meteor Shower | Mercury-Mars ConjunctionAlyn Wallace

00:00 Intro
00:36 Quadrantids
01:35 Northern Hemisphere Sky
02:31 Southern Hemisphere Sky
03:20 Planets and Moon
04:34 #WITNS Winners

*** 2024 Unmissable Night Sky Events!Alyn Wallace

00:00 2023
00:34 Aurora Boost
01:30 January
02:40 February
02:53 March
03:40 April
06:01 May
06:35 June
07:12 July
07:25 August
07:57 September
08:25 October
10:22 December

** Night Sky Notebook January 2024Peter Detterline

** See also:

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Stellaris: People of the Stars

Space habitat reports – Dec.22.2023

Here is this week’s selection of videos and news items about space habitats, living in space, and space settlement. Starts with NASA’s latest Space to Ground report for the International Space Station:

** Happy Holidays from the Expedition 70 Crew NASA Johnson

Aboard the International Space Station, NASA astronauts Jasmin Moghbeli and Loral O’Hara along with ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Andreas Mogensen and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Satoshi Furukawa offered their thoughts and well wishes while in orbit this holiday season in a message downlinked on Dec. 18, 2023.

** Expedition 70 SpaceX Dragon CRS-29 Cargo Ship Departs International Space Station – Dec. 21, 2023 – NASA Video

Loaded with scientific experiments and supplies, the unpiloted SpaceX Dragon spacecraft undocked from the International Space Station Dec. 21, completing a month-long mission to the outpost for the company’s 29th commercial resupply services mission for NASA. The spacecraft undocked from the forward port of the Harmony module, headed for a splashdown off the coast of Florida Dec. 22 to complete its flight that delivered several tons of experiments and hardware to the station.

** Expedition 70 Northrop Grumman CRS-19 Cygnus Cargo Craft Departs Space Station – Dec. 22, 2023 NASA Video

The unpiloted Northrop Grumman Cygnus cargo spacecraft for the company’s 19th commercial resupply services mission for NASA was released from the International Space Station’s Canadarm2 robotic arm Dec. 22 by flight controllers on the ground in Houston, Texas. Cygnus launched on Aug. 1 on an Antares rocket from the Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, beginning its flight to the International Space Station. Following an early Jan. deorbit engine firing, Cygnus will begin a destructive re-entry in which the spacecraft, filled with trash, will burn up in Earth’s atmosphere.

** Expedition 70 Space Station Crew Talks with NBC Morning News Now – Dec. 18, 2023NASA Video

Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition 70 Flight Engineer Jasmin Moghbeli of NASA and current space station Commander Andy Mogensen of ESA (European Space Agency) discussed life and work aboard the orbital outpost during an in-flight interview Dec. 18 with NBC’s Morning News Now. Moghbeli and Mogensen are in the midst of a long-duration 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.

** Major Milestones Achieved Through the ISS National Lab in 2023 ISS National Lab

As 2023 comes to a close, the International Space Station (ISS) National Laboratory wraps up a banner year supporting research and technology development (R&D) in low Earth orbit (LEO). The ISS National Lab and NASA work in unison to utilize the orbiting outpost to its fullest capacity, and the achievements from this year demonstrate the increasing demand for access to space for R&D among researchers from diverse fields.

See also: ISS National Lab Science Highlights for 2023 | ISS Nat. Lab – Dec.19.2023

** NASA’s Commercial Crew Program 2023 – NASA’s Kennedy Space Center

NASA’s Commercial Crew Program worked with industry partners Boeing and SpaceX to launch crews to the International Space Station aboard SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and work on critical development elements for Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft as it prepares for a flight test with astronauts aboard. The work of 2023 will continue to provide a reliable basis in 2024 for crew rotation missions and for spacecraft development.

** High-pressure instruction of altitude trainingAxiom Space

Thanks to our training partner @KBRincorporated for delivering the high-pressure instruction of altitude training. The #Ax3 crew are all experienced pilots, but they still need to be aware of their responses to changes in atmospheric pressure.

** World’s First Commercial Space Station Burst Test TeaserSierra Space

Our team has completed the first ever, full-scale ultimate burst pressure test for our commercial space station. The test was conducted at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center with a full-scale test article that included two metallic blanking plates to support windows that are specifically designed for maximum performance. We look forward to sharing more in January 2024.

** Vast 2023 Year in ReviewVAST

2023 was a pivotal year for Vast. In our second year since founding, we:

️Announced our first space station, Haven-1, scheduled to be the world’s first commercial space station when it launches no earlier than August 2025
Revealed our SpaceX launch partnership to launch both Haven-1 and the first crewed expedition, Vast-1
Grew our team from 31 to 285 team members
️ Acquired the space startup Launcher and a test facility at the Mojave Air and Space Port
Moved our headquarters to Long Beach, CA
‍ Grew our esteemed list of advisors to include two veteran NASA astronauts — Dr. Andrew J. Feustel and Dr. Garrett Reisman — and Peter Russell-Clarke, a renowned Apple Industrial Designer

Now 20 months out from the launch of Haven-1, we are making significant progress on its design, development, and build. Stay tuned for what’s to come in 2024.

—-
Learn more about Haven-1 and our first crewed expedition, Vast-1: www.vastspace.com

** Designer on Extravehicular Maintenance to Space Station CCTV Video News Agency

The extravehicular maintenance is of vital importance to the long-term operation of a space station, said deputy chief designer of China’s manned space program on Thursday.

** Shenzhou-17 Crew Completes First Spacewalk CCTV Video News Agency

The Shenzhou-17 crew on board China’s orbiting space station completed their first spacewalk at 21:35 (Beijing Time) on Thursday [Dec.21.2023], according to the China Manned Space Agency.

** Haircut in space! Chinese astronauts show how it’s done on Tiangong space station – VideoFromSpace

Chinese astronaut demonstrate hair cuts and more aboard the Tiangong space station.

** Other news and articles:

** Highlight: ND – Fargo – MN – Winter – Dec 18, 2023 – 11:46 CST ISS Above

NASA EHDC6 Live views of the Earth from the International Space Station

** Live Video from the International Space Station (Official NASA Stream) – NASA

Watch live video from the International Space Station, including inside views when the crew aboard the space station is on duty. Views of Earth are also streamed from an external camera located outside of the space station. During periods of signal loss due to handover between communications satellites, a blue screen is displayed.

The space station orbits Earth about 250 miles (425 kilometers) above the surface. An international partnership of five space agencies from 15 countries operates the station, and it has been continuously occupied since November 2000. It’s a microgravity laboratory where science, research, and human innovation make way for new technologies and research breakthroughs not possible on Earth. More: https://go.nasa.gov/3CkVtC8

Did you know you can spot the station without a telescope? It looks like a fast-moving star, but you have to know when to look up. Sign up for text messages or email alerts to let you know when (and where) to spot the station and wave to the crew: https://spotthestation.nasa.gov

====

ISS after undocking of STS-132

=== Amazon Ads ===

Lego Ideas International Space Station
21321 Toy Blocks, Present, Space, Boys, Girls, Ages 16 and Up

====

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

Everyone can participate in space