Category Archives: In Space Infrastructure

In Space Infrastructure, Living in Space, Space Settlement

Space habitat reports – July.1.2025

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

** Ax-4 joins the International Space Station | European Space Agency, ESA

On 26 June 2025 ESA project astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski from Poland and his crewmates arrived to the International Space Station on the Axiom-4 mission (Ax-4).

The Polish project astronaut is the second of a new generation of European astronauts to fly on a commercial human spaceflight opportunity with Axiom Space.

Sponsored by the Polish government and supported by ESA, the Polish Ministry of Economic Development and Technology (MRiT), and the Polish Space Agency (POLSA), the mission will include an ambitious technological and scientific programme with several experiments led by ESA and proposed by the Polish space industry.

Follow Sławosz’s journey to space on the Ignis mission website.

Ignis website: https://www.esa.int/Science_Explorati…

See also Fourth Axiom Space private astronaut mission launched to ISS | SpaceNews – June.25.2025

** JAXA Astronaut Discusses Life Aboard Space Station Students – Wednesday, June 25, 2025 | NASA Video

Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition 73 commander Takuya Onishi of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) discussed living and working in space during an in-flight education interview June 25 with Japanese students. Onishi is in the midst of a long duration science mission living and working aboard the microgravity laboratory to advance scientific knowledge and demonstrate new technologies for future human and robotic exploration missions.

** Astronaut Discusses Life In Space With U.S. Air Force Academy Association – Tuesday, June 17, 2025 | NASA Video

Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition 73 flight engineer Nichole Ayers of NASA discussed life and work aboard the orbital outpost during an in-flight interview June 17 with the U.S. Air Force, Academy Association of Graduates for its podcast. Ayers, a Major in the Air Force is 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 flights as part of NASA’s Moon and Mars exploration approach, including lunar missions through NASA’s Artemis program.

** A visual demo of the length of the ISS:

** ISS crewmember Don Pettit reenacts a scene from 2001: A Space Odyssey:

=== Commercial space habitats

** Blue Origin

— Blue expanding cooperation with Europe on projects such as the Orbital Reef space station:

** Sierra Space

— Sierra is developing techniques for growing vegetables on a space habitat:

** Starlab – Voyager Technologies

— Starlab can host semiconductor research and production:

— Starlab capabilities presented to French industry:

** VAST

— Introducing Vast: The Next Giant Leap | VAST on Youtube

Now is the time to meet NASA’s call to transition its low-Earth orbit presence from the International Space Station (ISS) to a lower-cost commercial option. Vast is ready to deliver for America and our international partners. We will be delivering the world’s first, most affordable, commercial space station in 2026: Haven-1.

Haven-1 will be Vast’s first step toward a long-term commercial presence in orbit.

Purpose-built for scientific research, in-space manufacturing, and human habitation, Haven-1 will ensure humanity’s presence in low-Earth orbit. Backed by a world-class team and built with speed, safety, and efficiency at its core, this marks the next era in human space exploration—not just reaching orbit, but staying there.

Learn more about how we are making it happen.

— Haven-1: The Mission Ahead | VAST on Youtube

he era of commercial space stations begins with Haven-1, launching next year. Whether you’re a sovereign nation, space agency, scientist, company, or private astronaut—the time is now. Join our mission and help pioneer the next giant leap in space exploration.

** Haven-1 Virtual Reality – Available Now for Download | VAST on Youtube

Experience Haven-1, the world’s first commercial space station, in virtual reality (VR): www.vastspace.com/haven-1-vr

Join Andrew Feustel, former NASA Acting Chief Astronaut and Lead Astronaut at Vast, as he narrates the immersive journey through the next-generation space-station, launching in May 2026.

Haven-1 VR is officially available for download from Meta, the App Store, and Steam.

=== Chinese space habitats

** Doing experiments and organizing logistics, Shenzhou 20 crews daily work at Tiangong Space Station | CNSA Watcher – Archives

#SummerSolstice# has arrived, pursue dreams and go!】Experimental schedule full, material organized diligently… What were the new developments in the ‘Space Home’ last week? Let’s follow the daily work of the Shen 20 crew together! #TiangongTVSeason9# Video of manned spaceflight on Weibo

** Crew of Shenzhou-20 spacecraft prepares for second spacewalk from Tiangong space station | CNSA Watcher – Archives

The crew of Shenzhou-20 spacecraft is ready for their second extravehicular activity. The space station is running smoothly and the astronauts have been working in orbit for over two months. They are in good physical and mental condition, fully prepared for the upcoming EVA. (Source: China Manned Space Engineering Office) Sky and space, pursuing dreams.

** Shenzhou-20 astronauts complete second spacewalk | SciNews

According to the China National Space Administration (CNSA), the second extravehicular activity (EVA) of the Shenzhou-20 (神舟二十) mission was completed on 26 June 2025, at 13:29 UTC (21:29 China Standard Time). During the ~6.5 hours spacewalk, astronauts Chen Dong (陈冬, commander) and Chen Zhong Rui (陈中瑞) completed the installation of a debris protection device, the inspection and maintenance of external equipment, as well as installation of new equipment designed to improve the efficiency of astronauts during EVAs. Astronaut Wang Jie (王杰) assisted them from inside the Tianhe Core Module (天和核心舱) by operating the robotic arm of the China Space Station (中国空间站).  Credit: China National Space Administration (CNSA)/China Central Television (CCTV)

=== Lunar habitation

** LUNAR GOLD RUSH – There’s Treasure in Those Poles! |  National Space Society on Youtube

The Moon represent a vast supply of resources critical to space development, particularly the lunar poles. How do we balance competing interests of development and science, and competing interests of various nations and groups?

=== Space habitat technologies, designs, etc

** Training for the Moon and Beyond |  NASA Johnson

The Joint Extravehicular Activity and Human Surface Mobility Test Team (JETT), led out of Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, is a specialized group that develops, integrates, and executes tests and analog missions that enable evaluations of lunar surface systems and operations for Artemis missions.
This field test is the fifth in the series and is the highest fidelity Artemis moonwalk mission simulation to date. The test consists of two integrated teams working together as they practice end-to-end lunar operations with a team of astronauts, NASA engineers, and field experts in the Arizona desert conducting the simulated moonwalks, and a team of flight controllers and scientists at NASA Johnson monitoring and guiding their activities. The test evaluates gaps and challenges associated with lunar South Pole operations, including data collection and communications between the flight control team and science team in Houston for rapid decision-making protocols. The week-long test was conducted in the San Francisco Volcanic Field near Flagstaff, Arizona in May of 2024.

** Surviving Space: Artificial Gravity Will Be Critical To Long Term Space Travel & Settlement |  National Space Society on Youtube

Long-term survival in space won’t just be about food, air, and shielding—it’s about gravity. In this episode, we’ll explore why artificial gravity may be essential for keeping humans healthy on starships and space stations, and how we might create it using rotation, magnetism, or future technologies.

** Cities of the Future – Megacities, Arcologies, and Floating Utopias |  Isaac Arthur on Youtube

In tomorrow’s world, cities may rise into the clouds, dive beneath oceans, or float among the stars—join us as we journey through these radical urban frontiers.

…

Chapters
0:00 Intro
1:16 The Growth of Cities
4:05 Urban Challenges & Opportunities
6:09 Vertical Cities & Arcologies
21:15 Space Scrapers & Space Towers
24:19 Subterranean Cities
26:26 Artificial Island Cities
28:05 Underwater Cities
29:29 Cities in the Sky
30:59 Space Habitats
33:56 Cities on Other Worlds

** Worldhouses & Paraterraforming: Building Planets, One Dome at a Time |  Isaac Arthur on Youtube

Why wait centuries to terraform Mars when you could build a habitable world overnight? In this episode, we explore the concept of Worldhouses—planet-spanning domes that let us colonize hostile worlds by enclosing them beneath engineered skies, one dome at a time.

…

Chapters:
0:00 Intro
2:47 The Worldhouse Concept
7:04 How Would a Worldhouse Be Built?
15:19 The Quilt Approach: Expanding a Worldhouse Over Time
20:22 Antimatter Propulsion
21:42 Partial Enclosures: Mega-Domes Over Key Regions
23:56 Enclosing Asteroids: The Micro-Worldhouse
28:07 Earth as a Worldhouse: Could We Enclose Our Own Planet?
30:43 The Future of Worldhouses

** The Von Braun Wheel: A Space Station Dream and the Legacy It Inspired | National Space Society on Youtube

Long before the International Space Station, Wernher von Braun imagined something bolder: a massive, rotating space habitat that used motion to simulate gravity—a wheel in the sky. In this episode, we explore the origins and design of the Von Braun Wheel, its cultural legacy, and how this mid-20th-century vision still shapes the dreams of space settlement today.

We’ll trace its journey from Cold War concept to science fiction icon, revisit its influence on shows like 2001: A Space Odyssey, and examine the very real possibility of building such a station with today’s technology. We’ll also reflect on von Braun’s enduring impact—culminating in the National Space Society’s von Braun Award, presented this year to Jared Isaacman and the Polaris Dawn team.

From dreams to docking hubs, from Disney collaborations to modern-day launch systems, the Von Braun Wheel remains a symbol of humanity’s path to the stars. Join us as we honor its legacy—and explore how we might finally bring it to life.

️ Learn more about the International Space Development Conference: https://isdc.nss.org
Become a part of the future: https://space.nss.org

** How to Build in Space — for Life on Earth | Ariel Ekblaw | TED

Is space the “final frontier” — or the perfect place to revolutionize life on Earth? Space architect Ariel Ekblaw reveals how self-assembling structures could build orbiting real estate in space dedicated to solving humanity’s greatest dilemmas on Earth, leading to scientific and medical breakthroughs only possible in zero gravity. (Recorded at TED2025 on April 11, 2025)

** The Orbital Commons: Building the Highways and Habitats Around Earth | National Space Society on Youtube

Before humanity can spread across the stars, we must first build the foundation—just above our heads. In this episode, we explore the concept of the orbital commons: the shared space around Earth that must become our first true space ecosystem. From fuel depots and tugcraft to habitats, shipyards, and traffic control, the infrastructure of near-Earth space is the key to unlocking a sustainable spacefaring future.

We’ll examine what it takes to turn Earth orbit from a fragile staging area into a thriving zone of commerce, habitation, and exploration. And we’ll look at the legal, logistical, and technological tools we’ll need to protect and expand this new frontier.

The road to Mars and beyond begins here—with the highways, hubs, and habitats of cislunar space.

Become a part of the future: https://space.nss.org

=== Other space habitat and settlement news and articles:

=== Earth views from ISS

** Super high-speed camera on ISS captures high-altitude electrical storms:

** Transitions from earth to aurora to space:

** 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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ISS after undocking of STS-132

=== Amazon Ads ===

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

In Space Infrastructure, Living in Space, Space Settlement

Space habitat reports – May.30.2025

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: Return Items: May 30, 2025 | NASA

**Jonny Kim Discusses Life In Space With Meltwater Summit Attendees – Wednesday, May 7, 2025 | NASA Video

Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition 73 flight engineer Jonny Kim of NASA discussed life and work aboard the orbital outpost during an in-flight interview with attendees at the Meltwater Summit in New York City. Kim, is 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 flights as part of NASA’s Moon and Mars exploration approach, including lunar missions through NASA’s Artemis program.

** Recent parking at the ISS:

** Growing private gardens on the ISS:

=== Commercial space habitats

** Axiom Space

— Designing the habitation module:

** Sierra Space

— NASA Fires Hypervelocity Projectile at Inflatable Space Station | Sierra Space Youtube

Sierra Space recently conducted successful hypervelocity impact trials at NASA’s White Sands Test Facility in Las Cruces, New Mexico, to optimize the structural integrity of Sierra Space’s Large Integrated Flexible Environment (LIFE®) habitat. The goal of this NASA-supported testing was to refine a shield for the company’s expandable, flexible space station structure to make it capable of withstanding impacts from hazards on orbit.

See also Sierra Space Advances Space Station Technology With Hypervelocity Impact Testing at NASA White Sands | Sierra Space – Apr.24.2025

Sierra Space, a leading commercial space company and defense tech prime that is building a platform in space to benefit and protect life on Earth, announced today that it recently conducted successful hypervelocity impact trials at NASA’s White Sands Test Facility in Las Cruces, New Mexico, to optimize the structural integrity of Sierra Space’s Large Integrated Flexible Environment (LIFE®) habitat. The goal of this NASA-supported testing was to refine a shield for the company’s expandable, flexible space station structure to make it capable of withstanding impacts from hazards on orbit.

The LIFE habitat’s shield, constructed from innovative, high-strength, flexible “softgoods” – a chemically-woven fabric material called Vectran® – provides a lightweight yet durable alternative to traditional rigid structures. The Sierra Space and NASA test teams used a two-stage light gas gun to simulate micrometeoroid and orbital debris (MMOD) impacts to LIFE’s outer shield. The testing aimed to select materials and configurations that enhance the habitat’s shielding performance while achieving significant mass savings – critical for space missions. You can view and download video of the test campaign here and photos here.

“Our innovative space station technology drives scientific discovery and fuels a low-Earth orbit economy,” said Shawn Buckley, Vice President, Space Destinations Systems at Sierra Space. “This collaboration with NASA advances our efforts to development a shield that protects against micrometeoroids and space debris, bringing us closer to launching the LIFE habitat into orbit and readying our technology for repeat and long-duration space missions.”

The impact testing, conducted under an unfunded Space Act Agreement called Collaborations for Commercial Space Capabilities (CCSC-2), used NASA’s .50 caliber two-stage light gas gun to replicate MMOD traveling at speeds around seven kilometers per second. Housed in the Remote Hypervelocity Test Laboratory, the gun uses gunpowder (the first stage) and highly compressed hydrogen (the second stage) to accelerate projectiles at high velocities to simulate orbital debris impacts on spacecraft and satellite materials and components. Testing is conducted in a near vacuum chamber to simulate space conditions.

— Growing veggies in space:

— Sierra wins NASA funding to study inflatable modules for lunar shelters: Sierra Space Wins $3.6M NASA Lunar Logistics Contract | Payload – May.29.2025

Sierra Space secured a one-year, $3.6M NASA contract to study how its inflatable space station technology could provide logistical infrastructure for future lunar bases.

The contract—part of NASA’s NextSTEP-2 Appendix R set of studies—tasks Sierra Space with examining how it would upgrade its LEO space station technology to withstand the lunar environment, given the Moon’s sharp regolith and extra gravity.

** Starlab – Voyager Technologies

— Vision research in microgravity: Starlab Space and Balance Ophthalmics Partner to Address Astronaut Vision Loss | Starlab – May.12.2025

Starlab Space LLC and Balance Ophthalmics have partnered to find a solution for Spaceflight-Associated Neuro-Ocular Syndrome, a condition that describes functional changes to the eyes of astronauts. One in three astronauts on long-duration International Space Station missions experiences symptoms of SANS, including hyperopic shifts, globe flattening, choroidal/retinal folds and cotton wool spots. If not addressed, prolonged microgravity exposure, including during missions to the Moon or Mars, could cause complete and irreversible vision loss for astronauts.

This partnership demonstrates Starlab’s commitment to scientific research and to safe and repeatable space flight experiences. The company aims to enhance astronauts’ way of life today on the International Space Station, while also setting a baseline for further improvement and future use on Starlab. Dual-use technologies are key to this effort, jumpstarting discoveries that can transform humanity both on Earth and in space.

Balance Ophthalmics has developed the first and only non-invasive, non-pharmaceutical way to treat eye pressure. The FYSX™ Ocular Pressure Adjusting Pump features a quiet, compact, portable pump combined with innovative pressure sensing goggles. The device has been granted FDA DeNovo Classification and shown to lower pressure in every patient at every visit while worn.

“While our issues are reversed in space – we need to increase pressure on the eyes rather than lower it – the technology behind Balance Ophthalmics can be a game changer for future space missions and improve our customer experience on Starlab. I’m looking forward to partnering with Balance, addressing this critical concern and exploring the many other benefits of the technology, so that our astronauts can clearly and completely focus on their best work,” said Tim Kopra, Starlab CEO.

— Starlab in Europe:

** VAST

—- Haven-1 habitat construction ahead of schedule: Vast to complete Haven-1 primary structure in July 2025, ahead of target May 2026 launch date | SpaceflightNow – May.7.2025

— Testing of primary structure:

—- Vast to launch Haven-1, the world’s first commercial  space station, in May 2026 | Spaceflight Now on YouTube

The International Space Station, a beacon of research and technological advancements in a low Earth orbit, microgravity environment, is nearing the end of its operational life. Vast, a commercial space station company based in Long Beach, California, is working on its bid to replace the ISS as part of NASA’s Commercial LEO Development (CLD) program.

As part of its proof of concept, Vast plans to launch the single-module, Haven-1 space station into LEO no earlier than May 2026. It will be followed by the first crewed mission to this new orbiting laboratory no earlier than late June 2026.

Spaceflight Now Reporter Will Robinson-Smith toured Vast’s Haven-1 Experience at the 40th Space Symposium with Vast CEO Max Haot and spoke with Lead Astronaut Andrew Feustel to learn about the design, manufacturing and vision for Vast’s first foray into creating a commercial space station. Haven-1 is designed to pave the way for the multi-module Haven-2, which is Vast’s entrant to become the successor to the ISS.

Chapters:
00:00 – Introduction
00:34 – Our tour begins…
00:58 – Haven-1 overview
02:46 – Lead Astronaut Drew Feustel
03:53 – Science partners
06:51 – Vast and CLD development
08:36 – Glimpse of Haven-2
08:56 – Haven-1 hatch and SpaceX partnership
12:40 – Crew quarters and Vast Haven-1 sleep system
14:49 – Hardware progress on Haven-1
19:14 – Working towards Haven-2

—- Inside Vast Headquarters: Where Next Generation Space Stations Are Built | VAST Youtube

— More touring of Vast’s facilities:

— Testing the domed window:

— NASA assists Vast with development of air filtration systems for station modules: NASA Helps with Progress on Vast’s Haven-1 Commercial Space Station | NASA – May.29.2025

NASA-supported commercial space station, Vast’s Haven-1, recently completed a test of a critical air filter system for keeping future astronauts healthy in orbit. Testing confirmed the system can maintain a safe and healthy atmosphere for all planned Haven-1 mission phases.

Testing of the trace contaminant control system was completed at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, as part of a reimbursable Space Act Agreement. Vast also holds an unfunded Space Act Agreement with NASA as part of the second Collaborations for Commercial Space Capabilities initiative.

The subsystem of the environmental control and life support system is comprised of various filters designed to scrub hazardous chemicals produced by both humans and materials on the commercial station. During the test, a representative chemical environment was injected into a sealed environmental chamber, and the filtration system was turned on to verify the trace contaminant control system could maintain a healthy atmosphere.

“Testing of environmental control systems and subsystems is critical to ensure the health and safety of future commercial space station crews,” said Angela Hart, program manager for NASA’s Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. “Through NASA’s agreements with Vast and our other industry partners, the agency is contributing technical expertise, technologies, services, and facilities to support companies in the development of commercial stations while providing NASA important insight into the development and readiness to support future agency needs and services in low Earth orbit.”

Experts used the same environmental chamber at Marshall to test the International Space Station environmental control and life support system.

The knowledge and data gained during the recent testing will help validate Vast’s Haven-1 and support future Haven-2 development.

=== Chinese space habitats

** Shenzhou-20 astronauts complete successful 8-hour spacewalk | CNSA Watcher – Archives

08:50 to 16:49, extravehicular activities lasted a total of 7 hours and 59 minutes
【Shenzhou-20 astronauts successfully completed their first extravehicular activity】At 16:49 today, after about 8 hours of extravehicular activities, Shenzhou-20 astronauts Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui, and Wang Jie closely cooperated with ground research personnel and successfully completed their first extravehicular task. At 08:50, astronaut Chen Dong opened the hatch of the core module and was the first to exit. After Chen Dong boarded the robotic arm, with the coordination of astronaut Chen Zhongrui … full text

Source: https://m.weibo.cn/status/Pt70Zzzxd

** Chinese astronauts conduct spacewalk to add space debris protection on Tiangong space station | VideoFromSpace

Shenzhou-20 astronauts Chen Dong and Chen Zhongrui conducted a spacewalk outside the Tiangong space station on May 22, 2025. The “complete multiple tasks, including the installation of space debris protection devices,” according to China Central Television.

** Shenzhou-20 Crew Thriving in Space Station Orbit | CNSA Watcher – Archives

The Shenzhou-20 crew has been busy in orbit for half a month since arriving at the Chinese space station on April 25. Astronauts Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui, and Wang Jie have quickly adapted to the microgravity environment and smoothly started their “business trip to space.” Let’s take a look!

=== Mars habitation

** Elon Musk gives his latest update on the SpaceX plan for a Mars settlement:

— A discussion of the SpaceX plan:

— See also:

=== Other space habitat and settlement news and articles:

=== Earth views from ISS

** ISS astronaut Nichole “Vapor” Ayers posts views of Earth:

** 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
Toy Blocks, Present, Space, Boys, Girls, Ages 16 and Up

====

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

In Space Infrastructure, Living in Space, Space Settlement

Space habitat reports – Apr.24.2025

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: One in a Million: April 18,2025 |  NASA Johnson

NASA’s Space to Ground is your weekly update on what’s happening aboard the International Space Station.

** NASA Astronaut Don Pettit Soyuz MS-26 Undocking [Apr.19.2025] | NASA

Watch as NASA astronaut Don Pettit, along with Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner, undock from the International Space Station and begin their voyage back to Earth.

The Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft is set to undock from the space station at 5:57 p.m. EDT (2157 UTC), heading for a parachute-assisted landing at 9:20 p.m. EDT (0120 UTC or 6:20 a.m. Kazakhstan time, Sunday, April 20) on the steppes of Kazakhstan, southeast of the town of Dzhezkazgan. Landing will occur on Pettit’s 70th birthday.

** Watch Soyuz approach and dock to the ISS [Apr.8.2025]:

** NASA Astronaut Don Pettit Turns the Camera on Science | NASA

NASA astronaut Don Pettit is scheduled to return home in mid-April 2025 after a seven-month mission aboard the International Space Station as part of Expedition 72. Throughout his stay, Pettit contributed to research that benefits humanity and future space missions, and delighted photography enthusiasts around the world with his unique point of view.

Pettit also shared what he calls his “science of opportunity” to demonstrate how experimenting with our surroundings can help gain a better understanding of how things work. This understanding is enhanced when art, science, and microgravity come together.

More: https://go.nasa.gov/3RmKPB9

** Between a Rocket & A Hard Space: Episode 2 with NASA Astronaut Jonny Kim | ISS National Lab

The ISS National Lab’s official podcast, Between a Rocket and a Hard Space, is back with an out-of-this-world second episode. Hear from NASA astronaut Jonny Kim in his first one-on-one downlink conversation since arriving onboard the ISS last week.

** How Do Astronauts Practice Self-Care in Space?  |  NASA Johnson

Everyone needs a little self-care. But what’s that look like for astronauts orbiting 250 miles above Earth? See how crew members may turn to music, movies, and more to unwind and recharge.

Learn more about the ongoing research exploring human health in space at NASA’s Human Research Program: www.nasa.gov/hrp

** A Cislunar Fizz, Please: Social Drinking in Space | National Space Society on Youtube

As more humans venture into orbit and beyond, even happy hour will need a space suit. In this episode, we explore the science, risks, and social dynamics of drinking alcohol in zero gravity—from altered metabolism to waste management and evolving spaceflight etiquette. What does responsible consumption look like off-Earth, and how might it shape the culture of future space habitats?

ISDC 2025: https://isdc.nss.org
Check out Ad Astra Magazine: https://nss.org/ad-astra-the-magazine…

** Japanese astronaut takes command of space station in on-orbit ceremony | VideoFromSpace

JAXA (Japan Aerospace Agency) astronaut Takuya Onishi was handed the key to the International Space Station by Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin in a change of command ceremony on April 18, 2025.

** SpaceX CRS-32 Dragon cargo spacecraft approaches ISS in time-lapse | VideoFromSpace

The SpaceX CRS-32 Dragon cargo capsule docked with the International Space Station (ISS) on April 22, 2025. See it approach the orbital outpost in this time-lapse.

** The ‘riskiest period’ of the ISS’ existence | SpaceNews

=== Commercial space habitats

** Axiom Space

— Axiom Mission 4 to the ISS is set for May:

** Blue Origin

— Orbital Reef mockups used to test station components and operations: NASA Sees Progress on Blue Origin’s Orbital Reef Design Development | NASA – Apr.16.2025

A NASA-supported commercial space station, Blue Origin’s Orbital Reef, recently completed a human-in-the-loop testing milestone as the agency works toward developing commercial space stations in low Earth orbit.

The human-in-the-loop test scenarios utilized individual participants or small groups to perform day-in-the-life walkthroughs in life-sized mockups of major station components. Participants provided feedback while simulating microgravity operations, including cargo transfer, trash transfer, stowage, and worksite assessments.

— On Earth Day 2025, Blue highlights the benefits of space for the home planet:

** Sierra Space

— Sierra offers expertise in growing plants in space:

** VAST

— Space Symposium attendees could tour the full-scale Haven-1 mockup:

Several photos included in this post: Vast at the 40th Annual Space Symposium | VAST – Apr.15.2025.

— Vast signing up payloads for Haven-1 mission: Vast Announces Three Additional Payload Partners for the Haven-1 Lab: JAMSS, Interstellar Lab, and Exobiosphere | VAST – Apr.8.2025

Vast, the pioneering space habitation technology company, announced today Japan Manned Space Systems Corporation (JAMSS), Interstellar Lab, and Exobiosphere as the latest payload partners for its Haven-1 Lab, the world’s first commercial crewed microgravity research and manufacturing facility in space—unlocking a new era of orbital innovation through a fully commercial platform. Launching inside Haven-1, the world’s first commercial space station, the lab is on track for deployment in May 2026 and is already nearing full capacity.

The three companies—leaders in space systems, biotechnology, and pharmaceutical research—join existing Haven-1 Lab partners Redwire and Yuri, reinforcing Vast’s mission to enable international collaboration in low-Earth orbit (LEO) and accelerate scientific breakthroughs that benefit humanity and support long-term space habitation. The new partners will leverage the microgravity environment of the Haven-1 Lab by installing payloads focused in the areas of advanced materials development, biotechnology, and pharmaceutical development.

See also Vast signs three more payload partners for Haven-1 | SpaceNews – Apr.10.2025

— Vast and NASA’s ISS National Lab sign cooperation agreement: Vast Signs Agreement to Leverage International Space Station (ISS) National Lab | VAST – Apr.10.2025

Vast, a pioneering company in space habitation technology, has signed a strategic agreement with the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space® (CASIS) to support scientific research through the International Space Station (ISS) National Laboratory. This milestone partnership reinforces Vast’s commitment to advancing space-based research and strengthens its position as a key player in NASA’s private astronaut missions (PAM) to the ISS.

CASIS, manager of the ISS National Lab, awarded the partnership based on Vast’s innovative spacecraft designs and its forward-thinking technical and commercial approach—elements that are poised to enhance in-orbit service technologies, expand access to the ISS for new user groups, and benefit life for humanity through space-based research.

Under the agreement, CASIS will collaborate on initiatives proposed by Vast designed to accelerate advancements in scientific discovery, commercial applications, and space station technology. The agreement also supports Vast’s plans to conduct research proposed by astronauts and agencies collaborating on future NASA private astronaut missions.

** Haven-1’s Journey Continues – March 2025 Update | VAST Youtube

We’re making steady progress toward the launch of Haven-1, documenting key hardware milestones and development updates along the way. Explore our most recent accomplishments as we track toward our targeted launch in May 2026 of the world’s first commercial space station.

=== Chinese space habitats

** Shenzhou-19 crew’s space mission countdown: Astronauts conduct experiments and prepare for return | CNSA Watcher – Archives

【#TiangongTV# | “Space business trip” enters countdown!】Shenzhou-19 crew’s “space business trip” enters countdown! Last week, three astronauts conducted various space science experiments while progressing with preparations for the return as planned. Let’s see what projects are on their “to-do list”! (Source: China Manned Space Engineering Office) Space dream’s Weibo video

Source: https://m.weibo.cn/status/Po7CMBUIQ

** Shenzhou 19 Crew on Tiangong Space Station for Over 150 Days, Returning Soon | CNSA Watcher – Archives

The Shenzhou 19 crew has been on the Chinese space station for over 150 days. Astronauts Cai Xuzhe, Song Lingdong, Wang Haoze are in good physical and mental condition, making progress in space science experiments and test tasks. According to the plan, they will return to Earth around May 1st.

** New Lunar Soil Brick Machine for Moon Building | CNSA Watcher Archives

This should be one of the devices that Chang’e 8 will take to the lunar surface. How to make bricks on the moon? How to build houses? Reporters recently visited the Deep Space Exploration Laboratory in Hefei, Anhui Province, and visited the principle prototype of the “Lunar Soil Brick Machine” independently developed by Chinese researchers – the lunar soil in-situ 3D printing system. The “Lunar Soil Brick Machine” is mainly composed of an optical focusing module and a forming manufacturing module. Its working principle is through… full text.

Source: https://m.weibo.cn/status/PoAApiRHt

=== Lunar habitation

** Space Symposium 2025 | Inside Lockheed Martin’s Expandable Moon Habitat with Uy Doung | SpaceWatch.Global TV

On the final day of the 40th Space Symposium, Yvette Gonzalez had the pleasure of stepping inside Lockheed Martin’s expandable lunar habitat module and speaking with Uy Doung, Chief Engineer for Commercial Civil Space at Lockheed Martin.

What’s inside this next-gen module?
Rather than traditional metallic structures, this design features multi-layered soft goods, offering:
• 4x the safety factor of metallic modules (compared to the 2x standard)
• Up to 50% mass savings
• Ability to compress to 1/5 of its expanded volume to fit within standard launch fairings

Uy’s team is building on NASA’s early TransHab concepts and evolving them into a decoupled architecture, delivering more predictable performance and greater strength in extreme conditions.

Why it matters:
As we move toward permanent lunar infrastructure, lightweight, compact, and robust structures like this one will be game-changers for the mass, cost, and versatility of missions.

“This technology could truly transform the lunar landscape,” We said. After seeing it in person, I agree — it’s practical, visionary, and real.

This was Yvette’s first Space Symposium and she is leaving inspired by the innovation, energy, and dedication to building the future of off-world living.

=== Space settlement

** John Bachelor Show – Hotel Mars: Laura Montgomery, Atty. | The Space Show

John Batchelor and Dr. David Livingston interviewed space law expert Laura Montgomery on April 16th:

Laura Montgomery, Atty, was back with us to stress the importance of establishing space property rights for the commercial industry and future plans for space development. She went over laws, regulations, policies and treaties and made a very strong case for property rights. In addition, she suggested how to accomplish with space development and was U.S. laws would be to use as models, precedent and planning.

And a longer interview with Montgomery was done on The Space Show on March 19th:

** An interesting overview of Moon and Mars development in light of SpaceX Starship capabilities: Space policy: The Moon and Mars simultaneously | The Space Review – Apr.12.2025

In a nutshell, this article proposes that America’s human spaceflight (HSF) policy be directed to go both to the Moon and Mars simultaneously for exploration and the development of permanent bases. This is based upon accepting the likelihood of the emergence of multiple heavy-lift commercial transportation systems that will be far more cost-effective than NASA’s current plans. The idea that we cannot go to Mars without establishing a base on the Moon is not obviously true and something that SpaceX certainly does not believe.

A discussion of the article on the Space Frontier Foundation Youtube channel:

** Children of the Sky: Raising Kids In Space | SpaceRip

The coming generation of larger, much less expensive rockets (from SpaceX, Blue Origin and others) is propelling dreams of permanent settlements beyond Earth. But can a space community truly be said to exist before the first child is born there? Can Mars ever really be a good place to raise kids? What are the risks around pregnancy and childbirth off-planet? Who should get to decide if space is safe enough for children? Would you edit your child’s genome to permanently adapt them to a different world? Can a child raised in space ever return to Earth? Might the children of the Solar System someday strike out for the stars? Six renown experts help us explore these and other challenging questions, as we witness kids in amazing situations far beyond the world of our species’ birth. A “Children of the Sky” documentary.

=== Other space habitat and settlement news and articles:

=== Earth views from ISS

** Sunshine on Earth – NASA

The Sun’s glint beams off a partly cloudy Atlantic Ocean just after sunrise as the International Space Station orbited 263 miles above on March 5, 2025. The space station serves as a unique platform for observing Earth with both hands-on and automated equipment. Station crew members have produced hundreds of thousands of images, recording phenomena such as storms in real time, observing natural events such as volcanic eruptions as they happen, and providing input to ground personnel for programming automated Earth-sensing systems.

“The sun’s glint beams off a partly cloudy Atlantic Ocean just after sunrise as the International Space Station orbited 263 miles above on March 5, 2025.” Image Credit: NASA

** 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
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====

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

In Space Infrastructure, Living in Space, Space Settlement

Space habitat reports – Apr.4.2025

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: Preboarding for Spaceflight: April 04, 2025 | NASA Johnson

** Space to Ground: Transitional Period: March 28, 2025 | NASA Johnson

** NASA Astronaut Don Pettit Talks with Neil deGrasse Tyson’s “Star Talk” – Thursday, April 3, 2025 | NASA Video

Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition 72 flight Don Pettit of NASA discussed life and work aboard the orbital outpost during an in-flight interview April 3 with Neil deGrasse Tyson’s “Star Talk” Program. Pettit is 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 flights as part of NASA’s Moon and Mars exploration approach, including lunar missions through NASA’s Artemis program.

** NASA’s Northrop Grumman Cargo Resupply Services-21 Departure – Friday, March 28, 2025  | NASA Video

The unpiloted Northrop Grumman Cygnus cargo spacecraft for the company’s 22nd commercial resupply services mission for NASA was released from the nadir port of the Unity Module of the International Space Station March 28 by flight controllers on the ground in Houston, Texas. Cygnus launched on Aug. 4 from the Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Following a deorbit engine firing on March 30, Cygnus will begin a destructive re-entry in which the spacecraft, filled with trash, will burn up in Earth’s atmosphere.

See also: Cygnus Departs Station After Release from Robotic Arm | NASA – Mar.28.2025

** NASA’s Suni Williams hands over command of ISS to Russian crewmate in ceremony | VideoFromSpace

NASA astronaut Suni Williams gave the key to the International Space Station to Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin during a change of command ceremony on March 7, 2025.

** Microbes and the Microbial “Situation on Station.”  | ISS National Lab

In this bonus clip from the 1st episode of “Between A Rocket & A Hard Space,” a podcast from the International Space Station (ISS) National Laboratory, host Patrick O’Neill and Dr. Michael Roberts, Chief Scientific Officer of the ISS National Lab, discuss Dr. Mike’s passion: microbes in a closed environment.

*About the Podcast*: Join your host, Patrick O’Neill, Public Affairs lead at the International Space Station National Laboratory, for “Between A Rocket and A Hard Space,” a podcast that explores space-based research with visionaries from academia, government, and private businesses who have launched their R&D to the ISS. People just like you are addressing those pesky hard spaces created by research limitations here on the ground and putting their research on a rocket to test what’s possible in space.

Between a Rocket and a Hard Space is brought to you by the International Space Station National Laboratory, managed by the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space.

** The ISS Cupola observation module:

** In Defense Of The Space Station | TMRO

In this video, members of the TMRO crew explain why we shouldn’t retire the ISS early in 2027, what benefits it serves, and a reminder that SpaceX might not exist without it.

** MISSION UPDATE – SpaceX Fram2 Human Polar Mission | The Launch Pad

A glimpse into the activities of the SpaceX Fram 2 crew; the first human spaceflight to fly over Earth’s polar regions from low-Earth orbit.

=== Commercial space habitats

** Axiom Space

— Free floating station configuration now possible as early as 2028:

** Gravitics

–— Gravitics wins grant from the US Space Force to demonstrate use of their orbital carrier modules for military applications:

** Starlab – Voyager Technologies

–— Starlab aims for 2028 launch of the first station module: Private Starlab space station moves into ‘full-scale development’ ahead of 2028 launch | Space.com – Mar.18.2025

The completion of the PDR (see previous Habitat Report) raises the company’s confidence in meeting the launch date goal.

** VAST

— Vast to use NASA vacuum facility: Vast Secures Agreement with NASA to test Haven-1 Flight Vehicle at Armstrong Test Facility | VAST – Apr.3.2025

Vast and NASA have signed an agreement to allow Vast to perform the final environmental test campaign of the Haven-1 flight-ready station at NASA’s Glenn Research Center at Neil Armstrong Test Facility in Sandusky, Ohio. Haven-1 testing will occur at the Neil Armstrong Test Facility’s Space Environments Complex, home to some of the world’s largest and most capable space simulation test facilities. Scheduled to begin in early 2026, Haven-1 will undergo rigorous testing to verify its performance and reliability when exposed to environments it will experience during launch and on-orbit operations, including acoustics, vibration, electromagnetic interference, and thermal vacuum.

See also Vast signs agreement to test Haven-1 at NASA facility | SpaceNews – Apr.3.2025.

— Update on Haven-1 flight module construction:

— Solar panel deployment testing:

=== Chinese space habitats

** China’s Shenzhou-19 Crew Completes Multiple Tasks in Third Spacewalk – CCTV Video News Agency

Members of the Shenzhou-19 crew aboard China’s orbiting space station Tiangong completed their mission’s third series of extravehicular activities (EVAs) at 20:50 (Beijing Time) on Friday, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).

** Riveting View of Earth Captured from China’s Space Station – CCTV Video News Agency

Video footages shot recently through a window of China’s Tiangong space station in orbit offered breathtaking views of the Earth spinning in space like a shimmering blue gem.

** An in-space snapshot of the Chinese space station:

=== Space Settlement

** Broadcast 4352 John Jossy | The Space Show – David Livingston interviewed John Jossy who runs the Space Settlement Progress blog.

John returned to The Space Show to discuss his having used four AI programs to look at the Musk-SpaceX plans for launching supply and humans to Mars between 2030-2050. John wanted to know how many launch sites would be required for the plans Musk has announced to date. During this program, John went through his questions for AI, his assumptions and he he evolved his model. We also disected each of the AI responses. With listener emails and phone calls, this was a thorough discussion but specific to the question John asked the AI with the assumptions he made. All of this was made very transparent on this program.

** Relying on technology to sustain our lives in space is nothing unusual – Dr. Phil Metzger, director of the Stephen W. Hawking Center for Microgravity Research & Education at Univ. of Central Florida:

** Space Habitats Living in Space CTEEs Meeting…  |  Space Renaissance

Participants: Jerry Stone, Thomas Matula, Werner Grandl, Marie-Luise Heuser, Mary Kuiper, Adriano V. Autino

** US Military Wants to Grow Biological Structures in Space | Sabine Hossenfelder

Last month, DARPA published a call for proposals on how to “grow” massive biological structures in space. It’s not as crazy as it sounds: The space race is heating up outside of the weird space biology sector. Some startups are building self-assembling space habitats, others are working on spaceports, and the ISS’s successor is in development. Let’s take a look.

The DARPA Call: https://sam.gov/opp/426e5868fcf74dd4a…

=== Lunar habitation

** Lunar resources:

— Open Space 68: Dangers and Rewards of Moon Mining with Dr. Phil Metzger | Fraser Cain

Today I’m joined by Dr. Phil Metzger, a planetary physicist with the Planetary Science faculty at the University of Central Florida. Phil specializes in economic planetary science, helping humanity learn to prosper in space.

— Moon versus Mars or Moon and Mars: Is the Moon in America’s future? Unpacking the strategic debate | The Space Review – Mar.17.2025

Mars-direct advocates argue that modern technology has made lunar steppingstones unnecessary and potentially counterproductive. Why spend precious years and billions of dollars developing lunar infrastructure when we could invest those resources in reaching Mars sooner? The Red Planet, they contend, offers humanity’s best chance for a self-sustaining civilization beyond Earth.

Moon-first proponents counter that skipping lunar development would be dangerously premature. They argue that establishing lunar operations would accelerate, not delay, humanity’s path to Mars. Beyond the Mars debate, they contend that the Moon presents compelling opportunities in its own right. Commercial interests see potential for profitable ventures from tourism to resource extraction. National security experts view lunar presence as essential for preventing strategic competitors from dominating space. The choice between these approaches will determine not just where humans next land, but how quickly and safely we can establish a permanent presence beyond Earth.

=== Mars habitation

** LIVING IN MARTIAN MUSHROOMS: An Alternative Building Material for Space Habitats | National Space Society on Youtube

As humanity prepares for long-term habitation on Mars and the Moon, the need for sustainable and lightweight building materials has never been greater. Traditional construction methods rely on heavy payloads from Earth, but what if we could grow our habitats instead? In this episode, we explore the groundbreaking work of Dr. Lynne Rothschild and NASA’s research into fungal mycelium-based architecture. Discover how synthetic biology and mycotecture could revolutionize space habitation, offering self-growing, durable, and adaptive structures for off-world colonies. Could Martian mushrooms be the key to our interplanetary future?

From Ad Astra Magazine
Written & Read by Rod Pyle

** No City on Mars? | National Space Society on Youtube

A review on the book “A City on Mars” by NSS COO Dale Skran
https://nss.org/critique-of-a-city-on…

No City On Mars
A Review By Dale Skran
From Ad Astra 2024Q2
Written & Read by Dale Skran
Produced by Isaac Arthur / SFIA 2025

=== Other space habitat and settlement news and articles:

=== Earth views from ISS

** See SpaceX Fram2 crew’s amazing views of Earth’s poles from orbit | VideoFromSpace

A camera mounted on the SpaceX Fram2 mission’s Dragon spacecraft captured views of Earth’s poles. Full Story: https://www.space.com/space-explorati…

** 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
Toy Blocks, Present, Space, Boys, Girls, Ages 16 and Up

====

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

In Space Infrastructure, Living in Space, Space Settlement

Space habitat reports – Mar.10.2025

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: On the Station, On the Moon: March 07, 2025 – NASA Johnson

NASA’s Space to Ground is your weekly update on what’s happening aboard the International Space Station.

** Space to Ground: The Power of 10: Feb. 28, 2025 – NASA Johnson

** Space to Ground: Hailing Frequencies: Feb. 07, 2025 – NASA Johnson

** NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 Pre-Departure News Conference – Tuesday, March 4, 2025 – NASA Video

Aboard the International Space Station NASA astronauts Nick Hague, Suni Williams, and Butch Wilmore gave remarks about their mission during a news conference March 4. The Crew-9 astronauts will return to Earth via a parachute assisted splashdown later this month. The four crew members have been living and working 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.

** Progress MS-30 docking – SciNews

The Progress MS-30 spacecraft autonomously docked to the aft port of the Zvezda service module, on the International Space Station, on 1 March 2025, at 23:02 UTC (18:02 EST). Progress MS-30 (ISS Progress 91 mission) delivers approximately three tons of food, fuel, and supplies for the crew aboard the International Space Station.
Credit: NASA/Roscosmos
Music: “Waltz of the Flowers by Tchaikovsky” courtesy of YouTube Audio Library

** What if the ISS was retired early? – Laura Forczyk

Elon Musk is calling for the International Space Station to be deorbited earlier than the currently planned 2030, even as early as 2027. How would that work with SpaceX’s US Deorbit Vehicle and NASA’s international partners? What would happen with the ongoing microgravity research?

None of the commercial space stations will be ready in time for long-term habitation, and alternatives ideas such as using Starship as a space station aren’t guaranteed to happen in time, either. How much would China benefit from having the Tiangong, the only low-Earth orbit destination? Congress is going to push back on any proposal by the Trump Administration to “abandon LEO” in favor of sending astronauts to Mars, but how this plays out is to be seen.

** Visualizing the scale of the ISS:

** ISS crewmember Matthew Dominick, with the assistance of Don Pettit, demonstrates the basics of propellant transfer in micro-gravity and have fun doing it:

** NASA Astronaut Suni Williams Talks with the U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association- February 25, 2025 – NASA Video

Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition 72 commander Suni Williams of NASA discussed life and work aboard the orbital outpost during an in-flight interview Feb. 25 with the U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association. Williams, a graduate of the academy, is 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 flights as part of NASA’s Moon and Mars exploration approach, including lunar missions through NASA’s Artemis program.

=== Commercial space habitats

** Axiom Space

— Axiom and Red Hat to demonstrate orbital data center on the ISS in 2025: Red Hat Teams Up with Axiom Space to Launch, Optimize the Space Company’s Data Center Unit-1 On Orbit | Red Hat – Mar.6.2025

Red Hat, Inc., the world’s leading provider of open source solutions and Axiom Space, leading provider of in-space infrastructure, will collaborate on Axiom Space’s Data Center Unit-1 (AxDCU-1), targeted to launch in spring 2025 to the International Space Station. Powered by Red Hat Device Edge, the data processing prototype will conduct tests on the space station and demonstrate initial Orbital Data Center (ODC) capabilities. 

The prototype will test applications in cloud computing, artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML), data fusion and space cybersecurity. AxDCU-1 is part of Axiom Space’s ongoing work to develop era-defining space infrastructure.

Red Hat Device Edge combines an enterprise-ready and supported distribution of the Red Hat-led open source community project MicroShift, a lightweight Kubernetes distribution derived from the edge capabilities of Red Hat OpenShift, along with Red Hat Enterprise Linux and Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform. Red Hat Device Edge will enable Axiom Space to host hybrid cloud applications and cloud-native workloads on-orbit. 

Axiom Space’s ODCs are designed to bring tangible benefits to humanity on Earth and reduce delays traditionally associated with orbital data processing and analysis. By utilizing Earth-independent cloud storage and edge processing infrastructure, Axiom Space ODCs will enable data to be processed closer to its source, spacecraft or satellites, bypassing the need for terrestrial-based data centers. This architecture alleviates reliance on costly, slow, intermittent or contested network connections, creating more secure and quicker decision-making in space.

The goal is to allow Axiom Space and its partners to have access to real-time processing capabilities, laying the foundation for increased reliability and improved space cybersecurity with extensive applications. Use cases for ODCs include but are not limited to supporting Earth observation satellites with in-space and lower latency data storage and processing, AI/ML training on-orbit, multi-factor authentication and cyber intrusion detection and response, supervised autonomy, in-situ space weather analytics and off-planet backup & disaster recovery for critical infrastructure on Earth. 

** Gravitics

— Preliminary design review completed for the first module of the Gravitics station module:

** Sierra Space

— Sierra Space highlights research projects to be carried to the ISS on the Dream Chaser spaceplane:  Sierra Space to Advance Cancer Research on Inaugural Dream Chaser® Spaceplane Mission to the International Space Station | Sierra Space – Feb.28.2025

Among the research initiatives being undertaken in collaboration with Merck is the investigation of experimental formulations of monoclonal antibody therapies for cancer. This research aims to leverage the effects of microgravity to develop high-concentration amorphous suspensions, paving the way for improved therapeutic drug delivery methods. For instance, new formulations could allow for injections administered subcutaneously rather than through intravenous transfusion. Additional potential benefits include the creation of therapies with greater stability, potentially enabling storage without the need for refrigeration.

All of this will be made possible in the Merck Formulation Research Platform that will ride aboard Dream Chaser. The Merck Formulation Research Platform was developed in collaboration with the Merck 3D Printing Department and Sierra Space.

This is the first announcement of a commercial contact partner for Sierra Space’s upcoming Dream Chaser mission, highlighting payload “rideshare” capabilities of the spaceplane. Cargo will also include NASA supplies for astronauts currently aboard the space station.

— Tour an Inflatable Space Habitat! – NOVA Education

Join NOVA Education for a tour of a new generation of inflatable space habitats that are being designed to allow humans to live and work in space and eventually on Mars.

Featured in NOVA’s “Building Stuff” series, Sierra Space is an aerospace company working with NASA to create an inflatable space habitat called LIFE, Large Integrated Flexible Environment. In this virtual field trip, Sierra Space engineer and program manager Beth Licavoli will walk us through the production of the inflatable habitat, explain how they test the structure of the habitat, and give us a tour inside a fully inflated habitat.

— Gardening in space:  Madison’s Sierra Space is figuring out how to grow veggies at zero-g | captimes.com – Feb.21.2025

** Starlab – Voyager Technologies

— A big step made in development of the Starlab station: Starlab Advances to Full Development After Successfully Completing Key NASA Milestone | Voyager – Mar.3.2025

Over the next year, Starlab aims to:

Establish a System Integration Lab to serve as the central hub for avionics, computing, sensors and software testing.
Procure long lead materials for critical subsystems.
Develop a high-fidelity mock-up to support astronaut training and systems testing, with full assembly at NASA’s Johnson Space Center this summer.
Advance key life support technologies, including an Advanced Urine Processor.
Continue progress on the Optical Link Demo Mission, enhancing future deep-space communication capabilities.
Begin construction of Engineering Design Units and Protoflight hardware.

— Starlab wins Texas space grant: Starlab Space Awarded $15 Million for Commercial Space Station | Starlab – Feb.10.2025

Starlab Space LLC was awarded $15 million, the highest amount awarded to a commercial space company to date, by the Texas Space Commission as part of their Space Exploration and Aeronautics Research Fund grant program. The intent of the SEARF program is to strengthen the space industry in Texas. The grant to Starlab not only supports a Houston-based business but will also help grow Starlab’s ecosystem of suppliers and customers across the state.

“Starlab is setting the stage for life beyond the ISS and a low-Earth orbit environment where a crew with a continuous presence can thrive and accelerate innovative research and development,” said Starlab CEO Tim Kopra. “To ensure the success of our future space missions, we are starting with state-of-the-art testing facilities that will include the closest approximation to the flight environment as possible and allow us to verify requirements and validate the design of the Starlab space station.”

The Systems Integration Lab will include two labs, the main SIL and a Software Verification Facility. The SIL will house flight-like hardware for testing. In this environment, engineers and astronauts can check systems designed for the Starlab space station, catching any potential issues in advance and ensuring efficient and effective operations in space. The SVF will contain a simulated station environment with flight computers and serve as the primary software integration and requirements verification facility.

This award is in addition to the $217.5 million Starlab received from NASA through the Commercial LEO Destinations Phase 1 program to transition activity from the International Space Station to commercial destinations.

** VAST

— Construction underway for flight version of the Haven-1 single-module space station:

— NASASpaceFlight visits Vast and reports on the progress of their space station program: Vast space station qualification article passes major milestone | NASASpaceFlight.com – Feb,11,2025

Vast is one step closer to launching its first private commercial space station. The company recently completed testing of its Haven-1 qualification article in Mojave, California, and reported that it successfully passed its tests. The company’s current goal is to launch the flight article aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket no earlier than May 2026.

During a tour of Vast’s facilities in Long Beach, California, with NSF’s John Galloway and D Wise, Vast gave insights into their plans to eventually win a NASA contract to allow their larger space station, Haven-2, to act as a replacement following the deorbiting of the International Space Station (ISS), which is currently scheduled for 2030.

“None of us are actual space station companies,” Vast CEO Max Haot said. “I don’t have a space station in orbit. I cannot have a crew go to it and come back. Neither have any of our competitors… so if we want to create this amazing future, we need to exist. To exist, we need to be profitable. So, to be profitable, we believe we need NASA as an anchor customer.”

— The Race to Replace the ISS | VAST’s American-Made Space Station | NASASpaceFlight on Youtube

The International Space Station has inspired generations, but its time is running out. So who’s building the next space station? We take you inside VAST’s Long Beach factory to see the cutting-edge technology behind their upcoming Haven-1 space station!

Join us for an exclusive tour with VAST CEO Max Haot, and their bold mission to become America’s next space station provider.

Discover:
✔️ VAST’s plan for an artificial gravity space station
✔️ Haven-1: The first commercial space station launching on Falcon 9
✔️ Exclusive look at space station hardware & technology ️
✔️ The Race to replace the ISS | VAST’s Commercial Space Station

Check out VAST: https://www.vastspace.com/
VAST Careers Page: https://www.vastspace.com/careers

NSF would like to thank VAST and Max Haot for the incredible all access pass to their facilities.

— Update on the testing of qualification version of the Haven-1 habitat module:

— Lengthy review of the company’s progress and plans: Vast Passes Critical Haven-1 Test Milestone | VAST – Feb.6.2025

We are proud to report that Haven-1 successfully passed its primary structure qualification proof test on the first attempt—a critical milestone in our journey.

This achievement demonstrates:

The full proof qualification of a space station pressure vessel
A space station structure designed, built, and tested entirely in-house by Vast
A record timeline—completed in just 15 months from zero aluminum work to a proof tested structure

This is just the beginning of Vast’s vehicle operations. Our team is incredibly proud of this milestone and remains focused on what’s next.

Over the coming weeks, we will complete the full qualification test campaign, which involves:

Applying simulated launch and on-orbit forces using hydraulic actuators
Conducting structural load tests under pressure
Replicating the flight conditions the vehicle will experience in orbit

Stay tuned for updates on our social media and a full blog post once the campaign is complete.

In the meantime, our core team remains focused on our critical path—building the Haven-1 flight primary structure.

Here is their latest timeline for the Haven-1 project:

Vast schedule for Haven-1construction, launch, and initiation of operations. Credits: Vast

The company says,

This is an ambitious timeline, especially for a program of this scale within the crewed systems and space station industry.

We announced Haven-1 in May 2023 with no facilities and a team of fewer than 140 people. Today, we have over 700 team members, nearly 200,000 square feet of operational space, and 16 acres dedicated to manufacturing, integration, testing, and training.

If all goes as planned, we will have designed, built, and launched the world’s first commercial space station in three years—a pace never before achieved in human spaceflight.

=== Overviews of commercial space station projects

** Michael Sheetz on X: “My newsletter readers technically saw this announcement first last week | Michael Sheetz on  X – Feb.10.2025

… I reached out to each of these companies this week to get the most up-to-date timelines for their projects. All but Blue Origin responded, so here’s the latest rundown of when those launches are planned:

    • Vast Haven-1 – 2026 Q2
    • Gravitics Demonstration – 2026
    • Axiom Payload Power Thermal Module (PPTM) – 2027
    • Blue Origin Orbital Reef – 2027*
    • Axiom Hab-1 – 2028
    • Vast Haven-2 – Late 2028
    • Voyager Starlab – mid-2029

* Orbital Reef info not confirmed and may be out of date.

=== Chinese space habitats

** Shenzhou-19 Crew Advances Space Experiments Four Months into Mission – CCTV Video News Agency

China’s Shenzhou-19 astronauts aboard the country’s Tiangong space station have now spent four months in orbit, successfully conducting a series of scientific experiments while maintaining good physical and mental health, according to China’s Manned Space Agency (CMSA).

** Shenzhou-19 Crew Continues Scientific Exploration, Space Station Maintenance – CCTV Video News Agency

China’s Shenzhou-19 astronauts have been conducting multi-disciplinary experiments and technical verifications in their four-month stay in the Tiangong space station, thereby gathering essential data and experience for future missions, according to China’s Manned Space Agency (CMSA).

=== Lunar habitation

** How Gateway Will Support NASA’s Artemis Campaign and Pave the Way for Future Mars Missions – NASA Johnson

“We know how to live and work in low Earth orbit. Now, it’s time to go further.” Gateway, humanity’s first lunar space station, will advance science and exploration on and around the Moon as part of NASA’s Artemis campaign. Gateway will also help NASA and its partners test the technologies and operations essential for a sustained presence in deep space, laying the groundwork for the first human mission to Mars. This video brings together insights from the “Houston We Have a Podcast” miniseries on Gateway, “Lunar Space Station 101,” where NASA leaders and astronauts discuss how Gateway will shape the future of space exploration.

Voices featured: NASA astronaut Randy Bresnik, deputy director for NASA’s Exploration Operations Office Stephanie Dudley, ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano, and NASA’s Lunar Architecture Lead Shatel Bhakta.

=== Mars habitation

** The New Case for Mars – SpaceNews

In this week’s episode of Space Minds, meet Mars Society president Robert Zubrin, who reflects on his lifelong fascination with Mars, the nature of future martian settlements, and humanity’s fate as a multiplanetary species.

And don’t miss our co-hosts Space Take on important stories before we close the Space Loop this week with trivia and feedback from you.

=== Other space habitat and settlement news and articles:

=== Earth views from ISS

** ISS crewmember Don Pettit posts some imagery from the station:

** Live video from ISS via SEN camera: Sen: capturing Earth’s beauty from space in 4K | NASASpaceFlight.com – Feb.19.2025

Sen is on a mission to democratize space through the use of high-quality video from space. The cameras it has launched into space so far include a free 4K video livestream from the International Space Station (ISS). NSF recently spoke with the company’s CEO, Charles Black, who hopes these views will be accessed by billions of people to inspire, educate, inform, and ultimately benefit humanity.

“If you look at Earth from space, you see things differently,” says Black, the founder of the London-based company. “I’m driven by this idea that there’s eight billion people on the planet, and everyone should see that reality of our existence, in the same way astronauts do if you were looking out of the window of the Space Station. Everyone should have that perspective.”

** Earth from space in 4K with music | 2 hours | January 2025 – SEN on Youtube

Experience nearly two hours of breathtaking footage of Earth from space, accompanied by music. All footage was captured by Sen’s 4K cameras aboard the International Space Station thoughout January 2025.

** 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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ISS after undocking of STS-132

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