Here is a new selection of videos, articles, and news items about space habitats (govt. and commercial), living in space, and space settlement.
=== International Space Station & NASA
** Space to Ground: Crew-9: Oct. 04, 2024 – NASA Johnson
** Docking confirmed! NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 arrives at space station – VideoFromSpace
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 docked with the International Space Station at 5:30pm ET on Sept. 29, 2024. Aboard the Dragon spacecraft were NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Alexsandr Gorbunov
** NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 enters space station after docking – VideoFromSpace
NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Alexsandr Gorbunov completed ingress into the International Space Station a few hours after docking on Sept. 29, 2024.
** NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8: Science, Innovation, and Discovery – NASA
NASA astronauts Michael Barratt, Matthew Dominick, and Jeanette Epps and Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin are returning to Earth after several months aboard the International Space Station conducting scientific experiments and technology demonstrations for the agency’s SpaceX Crew-8 mission.
Here’s a look at some scientific milestones accomplished during their mission: https://go.nasa.gov/3Bmlkv2
** How Do Astronauts Drink Coffee in Space? – NASA Johnson
Sometimes coffee IS out of this world! Whether it’s sipping from the space cup or through a drink bag, learn how astronauts enjoy a cup of joe aboard the International Space Station.
** Additional Views of Hurricane Helene from the International Space Station – Sept. 26, 2024 – NASA Video
Cameras on the International Space Station captured views of Hurricane Helene at 2:25 p.m. EDT September 26 as it approached the Gulf coast of Florida packing winds in excess of 120 miles an hour. The National Hurricane Center forecast called for Helene to continue to strengthen before it makes landfall along the Big Bend region of Florida, then traverses up western Georgia and the Tennessee Valley.
** Live Views of Hurricane Helene from the International Space Station – Thursday, September 26, 2024 – NASA Video
Cameras on the International Space Station captured views of Hurricane Helene at 12:50 p.m. EDT September 26 as it approached the Gulf coast of Florida packing winds in excess of 100 miles an hour. The National Hurricane Center forecast called for Helene to strengthen into a major hurricane before it makes landfall along the Big Bend region of Florida, before moving inland as it traverses up western Georgia and the Tennessee Valley.
** International Space Station: Humanity’s Lab in Space (Narrated by Adam Savage)- NASA
Orbiting more than 200 miles (320 km) above Earth, the International Space Station is a powerhouse of cutting-edge science that is unlocking discoveries not possible on Earth. We’re testing technologies that are critical to our return to the Moon and contributing to medical and social breakthroughs that improve life on our home planet.
After more than two decades of results, we continue to inspire future generations from a platform that is one of the largest international collaborations of our time.
Learn more about the research being conducted on station: https://www.nasa.gov/iss-science
Follow updates on the science conducted aboard the space station: https://x.com/iss_research
=== Commercial space habitats
** Updates on NASA’s program to support commercial space stations:
- NASA is working on a plan to replace its space station, but time is running out | Ars Technica – Oct.3.2024
- Status report on projects (at many of the companies listed below) supported by NASA’s Commercial LEO Development Program (CLDP): CLDP Status to NASA Advisory Council (NAC) HEO Committee | Robyn Gatens/NASA – September 2024 (pdf)
- NASA CLD partners continue to make progress towards design of their future CLD concepts and business case development.
- CLDP continues supporting the CLD partner milestones, providing NASA expertise, and sharing NASA technology, processes, data, and lessons learned on numerous subjects. This ensures the data gathered while developing and operating the ISS is passed on to CLD partners.
- Private Astronaut Mission-3 was successfully completed providing valuable lessons learned to Axiom and NASA in how to operate in a commercial environment on future CLDs.
- NASA is preparing for CLD Phase 2 procurement for future CLD services.
** Axiom Space
— Members of Axiom’s 4th crew mission to the ISS begin training for next year’s flight: Ax-4 Training Underway, Assigned Crew Gears Up for Historic Mission | Axiom Space
In August, Axiom Space welcomed a diverse group of astronauts as they arrived to begin preparations and training for Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4). This mission, set to launch no earlier than spring 2025, marks another significant step in commercial human spaceflight, bringing together astronauts from different corners of the globe to work toward a common goal: advancing human progress in space.
The assigned Ax-4 crew consisting of Commander Peggy Whitson, Pilot Shubhanshu Shukla from India, Mission Specialist Sławosz Uznański from Poland, and Mission Specialist Tibor Kapu from Hungary, arrived in Houston with a mix of excitement and determination. Their journey began at Axiom Space headquarters, where they underwent a comprehensive onboarding process. This included familiarization with the mission objectives, safety protocols, state-of-the-art facilities at Axiom Space, and dedicated mission teams who will support them throughout the mission.
During the first month of training, the assigned crew traveled to SpaceX in Hawthorne, Calif., for suit measurements and pressurization tests. They began familiarizing themselves with the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 launch vehicle ahead of additional training they’ll receive that includes orbital mechanics, operating in microgravity, emergency preparedness, spacesuit and spacecraft ingress and egress exercises, as well as partial and full mission simulations. Additionally, the crew visited NASA’s Johnson Space Center to get acquainted with the training facilities where they will spend significant time preparing for their mission.
** Max Space – Expandable Space Habitats
** RedPlanetLive — Kirsten Whittingham – Red Planet Live by the Mars Society – YouTube
Get ready for an exciting episode of Red Planet Live! Tune in on Tuesday, September 3rd (5pm PT / 8pm ET) for an in-depth conversation with Kirsten Whittingham, President of Max Space and a distinguished veteran in the aerospace industry. With her extensive experience and leadership in pioneering space projects, Kirsten will share insights and discuss the innovative advancements at Max Space.
** VAST
**Haven Demo Battery – VAST Youtube
At Vast, we’re designing, manufacturing, and assembling our battery packs in-house for Haven Demo and Haven-1, ensuring every step—from cell screening to pack assembly and testing—meets the highest safety and performance standards. These batteries will power our space station through day/night solar cycles every ~90 minutes in orbit.
Vast’s battery modules are recharged by our Maximum Power Point Trackers (MPPT), which extract energy from our solar arrays very efficiently. Our Battery Management Systems (BMS) give us real-time insight into the battery’s capabilities and allow our systems to make decisions based on the battery’s state.
** Starlab – Voyager Space
— The Bishop Airlock was funded and built by Voyager Space and has been operational on the ISS since 2020:
When it comes to commercial airlocks, no one has more experience than @voyagerspace_. The Bishop Airlock is the first and only commercial airlock on the International Space Station, enabling advanced robotics testing, on-orbit maneuvers, payload transfers, and even efficient and… pic.twitter.com/x4aeXnuJGG
— Starlab (@Starlab_Space) September 25, 2024
=== Chinese space habitats
** Chinese Astronauts Capture Stunning Views of Hometowns from Space – CCTV Video News Agency
The Shenzhou-18 crew members on board China’s orbiting space station Tiangong captured stunning views of their hometowns from space, offering viewers a unique perspective of the nation’s diverse landscapes.
** CNSA’s Lunar Spacesuit – SciNews
The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) unveiled its extravehicular activity suit designed for lunar exploration on 28 September 2024.
More about the lunar suit: China unveils lunar spacesuit for crewed moon mission | SpaceNews – Sept.29.2024
** Shenzhou-18 Crew Share Progress on Self-Sustaining Fish Ecosystem in Space – CCTV Video News Agency
China’s Shenzhou-18 crew have been carefully watching a small aquarium of fish in a novel experiment aboard the country’s space station that the astronauts said is going smoothly.
=== Lunar habitation
** NASA and the Italian Space Agency (ASI) approve next phase in development of the Multi-Purpose Habitation (MPH) module for a lunar base: NASA Greenlights Next Phase of Italian Lunar Habitat Project | European Spaceflight – Sept.20.2024
A NASA review board has given the Italian space agency the green light to move ahead with the development of its MPH lunar surface habitat.
ASI and NASA signed an agreement in 2022 that saw the Italian space agency take the lead on the design of the Multi-Purpose Habitation (MPH) module. MPH is designed to act as a home base on the lunar surface to extend a crewed mission to the Moon or as a refuge in case of emergency.
Background info:
- Italy’s Lunar Surface Habitat Passes Key Milestone | European Spaceflight – July.26.2024
- ASI Awards Contract to Continue Development of Moon Base | European Spaceflight – Nov.24.2023
** Mega Scale Prop Production, with Saurav Shroff (CEO of Starpath) – Payload
The cost to build a mass scale propellant production system on the Moon? Much less than $100M according to Starpath cofounder and CEO Saurav Shroff. The LA-based startup is developing the infrastructure for lunar resource extraction—including a power plant, a fleet of rovers, and a processing plant.
In this episode, Saurav breaks down Starpath’s approach to off-planet fuel production and how it can enable cost-effective and reusable space travel. He also shares his thoughts on the future of lunar and Martian colonization and how propellant production plays a pivotal role in making interplanetary travel economically viable.
We also discuss:
– The technical hurdles of producing propellant on the Moon and Mars
– The impact of propellant production on reducing the cost of space travel
– The potential customers and business models
– How Starpath’s approach complements the vision of companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin
– The long-term vision for a human presence on the Moon and Mars, and what it will take to get there
And much more…
Chapters
00:00 – Intro
01:25 – What is Startpath?
04:11 – How was Starpath founded?
07:28 – The team
08:55 – Starpath with and without SpaceX
13:20 – Mega scale propellant production
16:30 – What type of propellant is Starpath making?
20:15 – What is Starpath building?
24:56 – Why build this power system yourself and why not nuclear?
28:56 – Plant & Rover
35:35 – Plan for success
39:59 – Speculation on SpaceX’s propellant production
43:49 – Who else is a potential customer?
45:49 – Revenue model
48:27 – Investors and common misconceptions
50:26 – Capital needs
51:43 – Competitors? China?
54:37 – First fuel production prediction
56:03 – 10-year vision
58:16 – Other businesses Saurav is excited about
1:00:17 – Which celebrity will play Saurav?
=== Mars habitation
** SpaceX aims for missions to Mars starting with uncrewed Starship flights in 2026:
By the way, our commercial Starlink program is the primary source of funding for Starship (NASA is helping too).
So thank for buying Starlink and supporting humanity’s future in space.
If you look closely at your Starlink router, you will notice that it has an illustration of…
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 22, 2024
**Jared Issacman comments on response to Elon Musk’s Mars plan:
It’s fascinating to see the reactions to @elonmusk recent Mars timeline. Like so many things, it sparks fierce debate from echo chambers—those who either cling to every word, believing he’s infallible, and those who focus only on the negative in everything he or @SpaceX has ever…
— Jared Isaacman (@rookisaacman) September 22, 2024
=== Other space habitat and settlement news and articles:
- Calendar:
- ISS:
- NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 Concludes Space Station Scientific Mission | NASA – Oct.1.2024
- NASA IG Worries About Lack of Redundancy for ISS Operations, Longer Term Issues | SpacePolicyOnline.com – Sept.30.2024
- NASA confirms space station cracking a “highest” risk and consequence problem | Ars Technica – Sept.27.2024
- Crew Rotation Preps Continue Amidst Human Research on Station | Space Station/NASA Blogs – Sept.16.2024
- Amateur Radio on ISS (ARISS)
- Europe:
- General topics:
- Why Settle Space? | Space Settlement Progress – Oct.2.2024
- NASA inspector general: Air leak in Zvezda module on ISS increased significantly in 2024 | Behind The Black – Sept.26.2024
- Rocket Lab Completes Second Spacecraft for Varda Space Industries, Advancing In-Space Manufacturing | Rocket Lab – Sept.26.2024
- Varda Announces Collaboration with SSPC to Improve Fundamental Understanding of Microgravity Crystallization | Varda Space – Sept.11.2024
- Book Review: Creature Comforts in Space | Douglas Messier – Sept.26.2024
- There’s Water All Over the Moon | Universe Today – Sept.20.2024
- Sources of Water and Hydroxyl are Widespread on the Moon | Planetary Science Institute – Sept.16.2024
- Resources:
=== Earth views from ISS
** Highlight: San Diego CA Tijuana MX – Las Vegas NV – Grand Canyon – Sep 25 2024 14:40 PDT – 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
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Outpost in Orbit:
A Pictorial & Verbal History of the Space Station