Astronomers have captured a sequence of images of a star other than the Sun in enough detail to track the motion of bubbling gas on its surface. The images of the star, R Doradus, were obtained with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), a telescope co-owned by ESO, in July and August 2023. This panel shows three of these real images, taken with ALMA on 18 July, 27 July and 2 August 2023. The giant bubbles — 75 times the size of the Sun — seen on the star’s surface are the result of convection motions inside the star. The size of the Earth’s orbit is shown for scale.
For the first time, astronomers have captured images of a star other than the Sun in enough detail to track the motion of bubbling gas on its surface. The images of the star, R Doradus, were obtained with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), a telescope co-owned by the European Southern Observatory (ESO), in July and August 2023. They show giant, hot bubbles of gas, 75 times the size of the Sun, appearing on the surface and sinking back into the star’s interior faster than expected.
“This is the first time the bubbling surface of a real star can be shown in such a way,“[1]
says Wouter Vlemmings, a professor at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, and lead author of the study published today in Nature.
“We had never expected the data to be of such high quality that we could see so many details of the convection on the stellar surface.”
Stars produce energy in their cores through nuclear fusion. This energy can be carried out towards the star’s surface in huge, hot bubbles of gas, which then cool down and sink — like a lava lamp. This mixing motion, known as convection, distributes the heavy elements formed in the core, such as carbon and nitrogen, throughout the star. It is also thought to be responsible for the stellar winds that carry these elements out into the cosmos to build new stars and planets.
Convection motions had never been tracked in detail in stars other than the Sun, until now. By using ALMA, the team were able to obtain high-resolution images of the surface of R Doradus over the course of a month. R Doradus is a red giant star, with a diameter roughly 350 times that of the Sun, located about 180 light-years away from Earth in the constellation Dorado. Its large size and proximity to Earth make it an ideal target for detailed observations. Furthermore, its mass is similar to that of the Sun, meaning R Doradus is likely fairly similar to how our Sun will look like in five billion years, once it becomes a red giant.
“Convection creates the beautiful granular structure seen on the surface of our Sun, but it is hard to see on other stars,”
adds Theo Khouri, a researcher at Chalmers who is a co-author of the study.
“With ALMA, we have now been able to not only directly see convective granules — with a size 75 times the size of our Sun! — but also measure how fast they move for the first time.”
The granules of R Doradus appear to move on a one-month cycle, which is faster than scientists expected based on how convection works in the Sun.
“We don’t yet know what is the reason for the difference. It seems that convection changes as a star gets older in ways that we don’t yet understand,”
says Vlemmings. Observations like those now made of R Doradus are helping us to understand how stars like the Sun behave, even when they grow as cool, big and bubbly as R Doradus is.
“It is spectacular that we can now directly image the details on the surface of stars so far away, and observe physics that until now was mostly only observable in our Sun,”
concludes Behzad Bojnodi Arbab, a PhD student at Chalmers who was also involved in the study.
Check out the night sky this month, September 2024. Here are several videos highlighting the top sights to observe.
** What’s Up: September 2024 Skywatching Tips from NASA – NASA JPL
What are some skywatching highlights in September 2024?
Five planets each make appearances, the Harvest supermoon shows us a partial eclipse, then slices through the Pleiades. Plus International Observe the Moon Night and solar sail sightings!
0:00 Intro 0:18 Sept. planets visibility 1:06 Moon & planet highlights 2:58 Solar sail visibility 3:38 International Observe the Moon Night 4:34 August photo highlights 4:48 September 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….
“Sky chart showing The Moon near Jupiter in the morning sky before sunrise on September 24, along with some of the well-known (Northern Hemisphere) winter stars and constellations.” Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech
In September, Pegasus becomes increasingly prominent in the southeastern sky, allowing stargazers to locate globular star clusters and a nearby double star, Alpha Capricorni. Keep watching for space-based views of densely packed, spherical collections of ancient stars in visible and X-ray light
About this Series … “Tonight’s Sky” is a monthly video of constellations you can observe in the night sky. The series is produced by the Space Telescope Science Institute, home of science operations for the Hubble Space Telescope, in partnership with NASA’s Universe of Learning. This is a recurring show, and you can find more episodes—and other astronomy videos—at https://hubblesite.org/resource-gallery/tonights-sky.
Pete Lawrence and Paul Abel reveal what’s in the night sky this month, including the planets improving, a partial lunar eclipse on 18 September and Saturn and Jupiter moon events.
Looking to expand your astronomy knowledge even further? The Astronomy Hub is the place to learn everything from what’s in the sky this month, to what gear can help you capture the best celestial images. Learn more here ➡️ https://www.highpointscientific.com/a…
…
#highpointscientific #astronomy #september
Chapters 00:00 – Introduction 00:37 – Nearest Neighbors 02:02 – Saturn & Neptune at Opposition 03:01 – NGC 7000 04:04 – Messier 39 04:30 – Messier 2 04:59 – Messier 15 05:33 – Conclusion
These are the 6 visiting spaceships currently docked to the Space Station. It’s a shell game to make room for new ships as they arrive. Delaying @Boeing Starliner has made it more complicated – final decision tomorrow: https://t.co/hLcFwxgtrV
image: @NASApic.twitter.com/fuhpdblCXK
** Progress 89 Cargo Ship Docking – Saturday, August 17,2024 – NASA Video
The uncrewed Roscosmos ISS Progress 89 cargo spacecraft docked to the Zvezda module August 17 after launching to the International Space Station from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan August 14 on a Soyuz booster rocket. Progress is filled with over three tons of supplies and cargo and will remain docked to the space station for approximately six months.
** NASA’s Northrop Grumman 21st Cargo Resupply Services Rendezvous and Capture- Tuesday, August 6, 2024 – NASA Video
Loaded with food, fuel, and supplies, the unpiloted Northrop Grumman CRS-21 Cygnus cargo craft arrived to the International Space Station August 6 where it was installed to the nadir port of the Unity module. Dubbed the “SS Richard ‘Dick’ Scobee” for the late NASA astronaut who perished during the Challenger accident, Cygnus launched from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on August 4 atop an SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and will remain docked to the space station for approximately six months.
** NASA’s Northrop Grumman 21st Cargo Resupply Services Installation – Tuesday, August 6, 2024 – NASA Video
Loaded with food, fuel, and supplies, the unpiloted Northrop Grumman CRS-21 Cygnus cargo craft arrived to the International Space Station August 6 where it was installed to the nadir port of the Unity module. Dubbed the “SS Richard ‘Dick’ Scobee” for the late NASA astronaut who perished during the Challenger accident, Cygnus launched from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on August 4 atop an SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and will remain docked to the space station for approximately six months.
** Many questions remain with NASA’s plan to deorbit ISS with SpaceX – Laura Forczyk
SpaceX is building a Dragon-modified deorbit vehicle to send the International Space Station into the ocean. But many questions remain, such as the exact timeline, the budget, the salvaged materials, the transition to commercial space stations, and more.
** ISSRDC 2024 Day2 Fireside Chat: Technology Development on the ISS and Future LEO Platforms – ISS National Lab
During this session, launch providers and implementation partners that support the International Space Station Program highlighted the challenges and successes of launching projects to low Earth orbit (LEO), and highlighted some of the recent investigations they supported. This panel discussed the level of detail required behind the scenes to support a project or launch, while showcasing the diversity of experimentation taking place on this space station, and how the work supported now sets the foundation for research on future R&D platforms in LEO.
“In the short term, commercial space stations are an essential next step to fill the void left by the impending decommissioning of the ISS,” said Lauren Andrade, a spokesperson for the Beyond Earth Institute. “Beyond that, commercial space stations offer a flexibility and capital that government-run projects simply do not possess.”
NASA is working with at least three companies that are designing space stations to replace the International Space Station before it de-orbits in 2031.
“NASA can utilize those resources in our exploration of the heavens, back to the moon and on to Mars. Then we can rent space on a commercial space station to do our research, to prepare our astronauts for longer flights out into the cosmos,” NASA administrator Bill Nelson said. “We’ve given them seed money so that they can jump start developing space stations.”
The cost to the U.S. government is a factor, but Nelson believes the investment will pay off.
Axiom Space today announced the transition of CEO Mike Suffredini to a position on the company’s Board of Directors, following eight years of leading the company to significant achievements in the space industry.
— Fourth Axiom mission to the ISS on a SpaceX Dragon space ship to feature multi-national crew:
Axiom Space has announced that it is partnering with India, through the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Poland, with European Space Agency (ESA) support and Hungary to send three national astronauts to the International Space Station on Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), the company’s next commercial human spaceflight mission to the orbiting laboratory.
— The critical design review is the key final step before starting construction of the operational hardware:
Hab-1 reaches CDR! During Critical Design Review, Axiom Space updates NASA on its module design, soliciting Agency feedback & moving Axiom Station one step closer to LEO. pic.twitter.com/GkhEa26ill
Axiom Space has partnered with Nokia to integrate advanced 4G/LTE communication capabilities into the next-generation spacesuits that will be used for the Artemis III lunar mission.
Together, Nokia and Axiom Space will incorporate high-speed cellular-network capabilities in the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU), supporting HD video, telemetry data and voice transmission over multiple kilometers on the Moon. This advancement will enable Artemis III crewmembers to capture real-time video and communicate with mission controllers on Earth while they explore the lunar surface.
In some cases, spacecraft operate in relative isolation, devoid of direct human interaction and decision-making. However, by integrating virtual assistants, we can revolutionize a spacecraft’s architecture and functionality. As humanity ventures farther from Earth, our reliance on artificial intelligence (AI) assistants will inevitably grow. Axiom Space, in collaboration with Amazon and Amazon Web Services (AWS), envisions a future where spacecraft interact with humans as seamlessly as humans interact with each other. A significant step in this direction occurred during Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3), where Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant underwent a technology demonstration. During Ax-3, Axiom Space tested Alexa on an Amazon Echo device on the ground before flying it to the International Space Station (ISS) for evaluation. This milestone represents a crucial step toward creating “Earth-independent” AI assistants capable of supporting astronauts during future Mars missions.
— Space Station Foundations, with Colin Doughan (Gravitics) – Payload
This week’s Pathfinder features Colin Doughan, CEO of Gravitics, a Seattle-based startup that specializes in the development of modular space infrastructure to support the expansion of stations and orbital platforms. Their primary product is the StarMax module, which can be customized in various sizes to accommodate different launch vehicles and mission requirements. Colin shares his journey into the aerospace industry and his vision for building real estate platforms in space. With a background that includes nearly 20 years at Lockheed Martin and founding Altius Space Machines (acquired by Voyager), Colin brings a considerable amount of experience in infrastructure development.
We explore: – The approach Gravitics takes in developing scalable station modules – The market potential for free-flying stations and the impact of new launch vehicle capabilities – Operator vs builder model in space stations – Challenges in scaling manufacturing and testing for space environments – The future of artificial gravity and its importance for long-term space habitation
And much more…
• Chapters • 00:00 – Intro & Epsilon ad 02:04 – Colin’s background 03:23 – Colin’s first business venture 04:02 – Why start a space station business? 05:25 – Evolution of the Gravitics’s vision 06:57 – Zero G modules 07:36 – Business model 08:26 – Why not operate modules? 10:04 – How do you perceive the market opportunity for free-flying space stations? 18:19 – Design decisions 22:25 – Turning a competitor into a customer 25:02 – Gravitics’s approach vs existing providers 26:14 – Is there enough capital and investors to sustain this market? 30:26 – Countries creating their own launch capabilities 33:24 – StarMax 35:44 – Insourcing vs outsourcing 36:52 – Scaling manufacturing 40:05 – Testing 42:50 – Technical challengers that keep Colin up at night 44:42 – Commercial and government traction 48:34 – Long-term view 50:09 – ETA for Elysium? 50:35 – Who’s going to play Colin in the future movie about Gravitics?
that its expandable space station technology successfully passed a seventh key validation test, and second full-scale structural test, at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. The results herald a giant leap towards building the world’s first end-to-end business and technology platform in Low Earth Orbit, enabling humanity to find the answers to some of the toughest problems faced on Earth.
Completion of the successful Ultimate Burst Pressure test, which occurred on June 18 in collaboration with ILC Dover (an Ingersoll Rand Business) and NASA, accelerates Sierra Space’s revolutionary softgoods technology towards on-orbit operations. Planned for an initial stand-alone pathfinder mission before the end of the decade, the technology will also feature as a key element of the Orbital Reef commercial space station. The test will close out Milestone #8 for Orbital Reef with Blue Origin under NASA’s Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program.
Some data for the test:
Company’s second Ultimate Burst Pressure test of a full-size, inflatable space station structure occurred on June 18
Test unit stood over 20’ tall and was comparable in size to an average family home
The article was 300 m³ in volume, or 1/3rd the volume of the International Space Station
Test results exceeded NASA’s recommended x4 safety levels by 22%
Two 4-ft x 4-ft steel blanking plates were integrated into the highest loaded cylinder section of the article; both were 50 lbs. lighter than the ones used in the first full-scale test and accommodate larger windows
The test article in the company’s historic first full-scale burst test last December peaked at 77 psi, which well exceeded (+27%) NASA’s recommended level of 60.8 psi (maximum operating pressure of 15.2 psi multiplied by a safety factor of four). This most recent test in June showed similar results – within five percent of the pressure loading of December’s test article – with this one reaching 74 psi, exceeding NASA’s 4x safety factor by 22 percent. These back-to-back test results accelerate Sierra Space’s path to flight certification, verifying scalability for 10 cubic-meter and up to 1,400 cubic-meter structures based on the company’s current softgoods inflatable architecture. Sierra Space is currently gearing up for a first test of its 500 cubic-meter space station technology next year.
— Advancing Next-Gen Space Station Tech with Sierra Space and NASA – Sierra Space Youtube
At Vast’s Vibe Test Lab, we’re rigorously testing Haven Demo and Haven-1 components for launch dynamics to LEO. Our in-house setup means quick design iterations, faster timelines, seamless integration, and enhanced quality. pic.twitter.com/vj4DKXWfHD
— Starlab: the most international commercial space station – Laura Forczyk
Among the current commercial space station players, Starlab is the most intentionally international, forming partnerships all over the world. Will this help the small upcoming space station become profitable and sustainable? Other commercial space station companies should take note.
Innovating Space with Expandable Architecture: An Interview with Max Space”s Aaron Kemmer and Maxim de Jong
Join Torsten Kriening, Publisher at SpaceWatch.Global, in an enlightening conversation with Maxim de Jong and Aaron Kemmer from Max Space. Delve into the groundbreaking technologies behind expandable and inflatable space structures, their applications, and the future of real estate in space. Learn about Max Space’s mission to maximize usable space in orbit, from initial small modules to potentially vast habitats in space and on the Moon. This episode explores the challenges and innovations in creating habitable volumes for long-term human presence beyond Earth.
— Outline of the Max Space plan:
Max Space: Expandable Habitats for Space Commercialization
Key Points:
1. Launching in 2026: New expandable space habitat technology
2. Innovation: Larger, stronger, cheaper than current options
3. Founded by space industry veterans Aaron Kemmer and Maxim de Jong
While the US and its partners are planning to carry out the Artemis Program in the coming decade, China is preparing the competing “ILRS”, aka the International Lunar Research Station. In this episode, we do a deep dive into China’s permanent lunar base project and its scientific and political ramifications. …
00:00 Artemis and the ILRS (introduction) 00:43 China’s Moon Program: Early Beginnings 01:58 Chang’e 1 to Chang’e 6 02:35 First Mention of the ILRS 03:21 Private Internet Access 05:14 The ILRS Becomes a Sino-Russian Project 06:02 ILRS Phase 1 – Moon Base “Basic Model” 06:57 ILRS Phase 2 – Moon Base “Construction Phase” 10:09 How China plans to launch the ILRS hardware 11:20 Can the ILRS become international?
Science fiction is becoming reality. The Artemis program is taking us back to the Moon, and this time we’ll establish a presence that will eventually take us farther into space than ever before. The building blocks of space infrastructure required to carry humanity on this journey are in development today.
Dive into our vision of a water-based lunar architecture on the Moon that demonstrates our commitment to sustainable space exploration. This journey to the Moon is not just for knowledge, but securing our future, enabling Mars exploration, permanent bases and returning valuable resources to Earth.
Jump in our rover and take a tour of the lunar south pole to see the infrastructure needed to maintain a permanent presence on the Moon. Some of the highlights include: Transportation: technology like the Orion spacecraft to transport humans to and from the Moon. Mobility: vehicles to explore the Moon’s surface. Power: a grid providing continuous power regardless of the Sun’s position. Habitation: reliable, lightweight and spacious shelters made of inflatable softgoods technology. Space Resources: water ice harvesting and regolith mining to support life on the Moon.
Our approach for a responsible and effective path forward is water-based, nuclear-enabled and commercially-invested. To learn more about our vision for humanity’s future in space, visit: https://lmt.co/3YqBr48
To download our novella white paper to see our vision for how this future will play out, visit: https://lmt.co/3YtDAvZ
Tesla’s Cybertruck may look ungainly on Earth, but a pressurized version of the vehicle might be just the thing for gathering up samples of Martian rock and soil for return to Earth. That’s one of the way-out concepts that was discussed in Seattle during the past week’s convention of the Mars Society, a nonprofit advocacy group.
Robotically controlled Cybertrucks could be part of a Mars exploration system that also includes SpaceX’s Starship super-rocket as well as spaceworthy versions of all-terrain vehicles and humanoid robots built by Tesla, according to mission plans suggested by Mars Society co-founder Robert Zubrin, retired NASA engineer Tony Muscatello and business analyst Kent Nebergall.
Zubrin said the Starship-based concept could even accelerate progress toward crewed missions to Mars.
In this episode of the Space Café Podcast, host Markus discusses the intricacies of space habitation with Dr. Barbara Imhof, a prominent space architect from Liquifer. They explore the challenges and innovations in making off-Earth living comfortable and sustainable, including construction methods on the Moon, dealing with lunar dust, and creating multifunctional spaces. They also touch on the importance of cooperation for space missions and the influence of seeing Earth from space on human perspective. Barbara shares insights into upcoming projects and discusses ongoing efforts to develop near-future space habitats.
We welcomed attorney Camisha Simmons to the program to discuss private party and commercial space property rights and asteroid mining legal concerns for space development. Ms. Simmons is a speaker on these issues at conferences including ISDC [National Space Society‘s International Space Development Conference].
** Moonshot for Life: Smithsonian’s Lunar Biodiversity Preservation Project – SpaceWatch.Global TV
In episode 113 of the Space Cafe Podcast, host Markus explores a groundbreaking concept with Dr. Mary Hagedorn, a distinguished researcher at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute. The discussion centers on the ambitious idea of creating a backup of Earth’s biodiversity on the Moon.Key Topics:
• The critical state of coral reefs and the impact of climate change • The concept of a lunar biorepository for safeguarding genetic material • Technical, logistical, and ethical aspects of the project • Implications for conservation, space exploration, and Earth’s future
Episode Breakdown: 00:00 Introduction to the Space Cafe Podcast 00:43 Exploring the concept of “Planet B” 01:48 Meet Dr. Mary Hagedorn 03:44 Current state of coral reefs 04:45 The ecological significance of corals 06:46 Conservation challenges and efforts 09:43 Cryopreservation (https://www.nature.com/articles/s4159…) and biorepositories 19:58 The Moon as a potential biorepository 29:36 Strategic selection of key species for preservation 30:38 Challenges in genetic diversity and permitting 31:24 Sampling and preservation techniques 38:16 Citizen science (https://www.nationalgeographic.org/en…) and global collaboration 43:25 Philosophical and practical considerations for space colonization 46:45 Technical challenges and future prospects 01:02:34 Inspirational vision and call to action
This episode offers a fascinating look at the intersection of conservation biology and space exploration, presenting innovative solutions to preserve Earth’s biodiversity for future generations.
Participants: Jim Crisafulli, Henk Rogers, Tom Matula, Jerry Stone, Susan Jewell, Dinis Afonso Ribeiro, Gary Barnhard, Werner Grandl, Joe Pelton, Madhu Tangavelu, Adriano V. Autino
=== Other space habitat and settlement news and articles:
** Highlight: California – Eureka – Sacramento – Central Valley – Wildfire smoke – Aug 18, 2024 12:55 PM – 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
Check out the night sky this month, August 2024. Here are videos highlighting the top sights to observe.
** What’s Up: August 2024 Skywatching Tips from NASA – NASA JPL
What are some skywatching highlights in August 2024? Mars and Jupiter have a super close meetup, the conditions look good for the Perseid meteors, and how to observe a stellar nursery – the Lagoon Nebula.
0:00 Intro 0:14 Moon & planet highlights 1:14 Perseid meteor shower peaks 1:51 Observing the Lagoon Nebula (M8) 3:59 August 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….
The Perseids meteors will peak during the night of August 13 but be visible throughout the middle of the month. This image shows a time-lapse of meteors from the August 2009 shower. Credits NASA/JPL
In August, a flock of star-studded figures soars overhead. Look for the Vega and Lyra constellations, which point to Epsilon Lyrae and the Ring Nebula. You can also spot three bright summer stars: Vega, Deneb, and Altair, which form the Summer Triangle. Keep watching for space-based views of these and other stars and nebulas.
About this Series … “Tonight’s Sky” is a monthly video of constellations you can observe in the night sky. The series is produced by the Space Telescope Science Institute, home of science operations for the Hubble Space Telescope, in partnership with NASA’s Universe of Learning. This is a recurring show, and you can find more episodes—and other astronomy videos—at https://hubblesite.org/resource-gallery/tonights-sky.
What’s in the night sky tonight? Pete Lawrence and Paul Abel discuss August 2024’s astronomy and stargazing highlights, including a lunar occultation of Saturn, the Perseid meteor shower and the glorious sights of the Summer Milky Way.
00:00 Intro 00:15 Inner planets 03:22 Outer planets 09:37 Jupiter and Saturn moon events 11:22 Perseid meteor shower 12:22 Saturn moon events 13:43 Moon conjunctions 14:24 Jupiter occults a star 15:33 Moon near the Beehive 15:45 Summer Milky Way sights
** Space to Ground: Midpoint: July 05, 2024 – NASA Johnson
** How Do Astronauts Get Fresh Fruits and Veggies in Space? – NASA Johnson
How do astronauts get fresh fruits and veggies in space? While some are shipped to the International Space Station, there’s another option: They can grow them themselves.
In microgravity, crews have successfully grown a variety of plants including mustard greens, kale, and… you guessed it: peppers. Learn how space gardening works and why it helps astronauts.
** Expedition71 NASA Astronaut Matt Dominick Talks With KGTV-TV San Diego – Friday, July 12, 2024 – NASA Video
Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition 71 Flight Engineer Matt Dominick of NASA discussed life and work aboard the orbital outpost during an in-flight interview July 12 with KGTV-TV, San Diego. Dominick is in the midst of a long-duration mission aboard the microgravity laboratory to advance scientific knowledge and demonstrate new technologies for future human and robotic exploration flights as part of NASA’s Moon and Mars exploration approach, including lunar missions through NASA’s Artemis program.
And the rockets’ (blue) glare! Axiom Space’s Propulsion Team conducted a Thruster Vacuum Test – over 600 starts on the thruster with the longest continuous burn time at 3 minutes. This test validates design, function, and performance. Vacuum testing is important because it… pic.twitter.com/bZlHcIZizx
For its lunar suit, Axiom chose yet a third method of entry. Instead of the zippers on the Apollo suit, Artemis III astronauts will don their Axiom suits through the rear, via a hatch on the side of the life support systems backpack — similar to the door of a front-loading washing machine. After swinging open the hatch, an astronaut inserts feet, then arms, “and you just kind of fall into it,” Ralston says. Axiom chose a design without a rigid frame, believing this would reduce the chance of astronauts injuring themselves if they contorted their bodies while putting on the suits.
That soft outer pressure garment — made of a material that Axiom is not disclosing — is interspersed with joints at the shoulders, elbows, hips and knees. “We’ve done a lot of testing to iterate the types of basic joints that we use and how we pattern the different soft goods to enable flexibility, like bending your elbow or bending your arm,” Ralston says.
** Look inside the first commercial space station | Hard Reset – FreeThink
The international space station is getting an update, and its future iteration is not just a space station – it’s a space factory. Axiom Space is launching the first commercial space station in the next few years, which will open the door to a new era in the space economy.
To become the first commercial space station, Axiom has had to rethink everything about how we live in space. We got a tour of the space station development facility, which is … inside an abandoned retail store?
Axioms’s approach might seem scrappy, but these unassuming ingredients are coming together to make something incredible. With a series of four-week sprints, nimble mock-ups allow experienced astronauts to test out the designs they’ll be relying on in space.
Follow us as we get a preview inside the future of space tech.
0:00: Welcome to Hard Reset: Axiom Space 0:28: Axiom Space is pioneering the first commercial space factory 1:06: What is the potential of manufacturing in space? 4:06: Why implement a fail-fast approach to space? 4:54: Are higher-volume space habitats possible? 8:32: How can we strike a balance of practicality vs. aesthetics in space design? 9:20: How many tools does it take to assemble and disassemble the ISS? 12:10: How can we make space suit improvements for mobility and fit issues? 17:08 : How fast can this tech orbit the earth? 18:12: What is the future of space manufacturing?
Gravitics will build a habitat module for Axiom‘s commercial space station:
Gravitics, Inc. announced today that it has been awarded a $125-million contract by Axiom Space to provide a pressurized spacecraft that will support Axiom Station operations. The Gravitics spacecraft will play a utility role and will be capable of providing various services while attached to the commercial space station.
“Axiom Space and Gravitics are working together to develop space infrastructure to enable a sustainable global space economy in low-Earth orbit,” said Matt Ondler, President of Axiom Space. “Our next-gen platform, Axiom Station, will provide new pathways to space for traditional space users and non-traditional industries. We are expanding commercial opportunities in space, from in-space manufacturing to technology demonstrations to research and innovative solutions that will advance civilization.”
Astro Garden is a large-scale vegetable production system that offers a sustainable means of producing fresh food for crew while also augmenting life support functions.
** American commercial space stations increasingly international –Laura Forczyk
The US space industry is preparing to transition from the government-run International Space Station to commercial space stations. These private facilities are increasing their ties to non-American companies and governments to expand their customer and user base. Meanwhile, India and Russia have their own sovereign space station plans.
—- Shenzhou-18 Crew Complete Multiple Tasks in Second Spacewalk – CCTV Video News Agency
The Shenzhou-18 crew aboard China’s orbiting space station successfully completed multiple tasks in their second spacewalk on Wednesday, according to the China Manned Space Agency.
Astronauts Ye Guangfu, Li Cong and Li Guangsu are preparing for a 2nd spacewalk aboard the Tiangong space station. They’ve also been conducting and maintaining combustion experiments. Full Story: https://www.space.com/china-shenzhou-…
** New Discoveries Made on Zirconium Alloy at China’s Space Station – CCTV Video News Agency
Chinese researchers have conducted in-orbit solidification experiments on zirconium alloy materials in the microgravity environment at China’s Tiangong space station, making important discoveries.
The APL is home to a Lunar Surface Innovation Consortium, funded by NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD). That consortium is tackling an array of issues for STMD’s Lunar Surface Innovation Initiative, each important to solve before humanity can spend an extended stay on the moon.
** Radar from LRO satellite shows evidence of a lunar cave promising as a shelter for Moon base:
Several potential subsurface openings have been observed on the surface of the Moon. These lunar pits are interesting in terms of science and for potential future habitation. However, it remains uncertain whether such pits provide access to cave conduits with extensive underground volumes. Here we analyse radar images of the Mare Tranquillitatis pit (MTP), an elliptical skylight with vertical or overhanging walls and a sloping pit floor that seems to extend further underground. The images were obtained by the Mini-RF instrument onboard the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter in 2010. We find that a portion of the radar reflections originating from the MTP can be attributed to a subsurface cave conduit tens of metres long, suggesting that the MTP leads to an accessible cave conduit beneath the Moon’s surface. This discovery suggests that the MTP is a promising site for a lunar base, as it offers shelter from the harsh surface environment and could support long-term human exploration of the Moon.
A view from orbit of the Mare Tranquillitatis pit crater. Credits: NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University
Joe addressed artificial gravity via different methods, companies working on some type of spin gravity space station, what we need to know before humans leave LEO for long duration flights, challenges, Artemis, Mars and much more
** Microgravity biology research:
— Using microgravity to understand osteoarthritis:
Early-onset #osteoarthritis is an “epidemic among young women playing sports like soccer in high school and college.” Researchers from @MIT are looking to the microgravity environment of space for answers. #womenshealth
Details: https://t.co/LA2MdWnuEw
** Highlight: NorCal #BAYAREA to SoCal – Jul 3, 2024 – 07:26 PDT – 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
