Here is this week’s selection of videos and news items about space habitats including the International Space Station and about living in space and space settlement.

** The past two Space to Ground reports from NASA Johnson

** NASA Artemis Lunar Terrain Vehicle (Official NASA Trailer) – NASA

NASA hosted a news conference from the Johnson Space Center in Houston April 3, 2024, to announce the companies selected to move forward in the development of the Lunar Terrain Vehicle under the LTVS (Lunar Terrain Vehicle Services) contract. The award leverages NASA’s expertise in developing and operating these next generation “Moon buggies” to build commercial capabilities that support scientific discovery and long-term human exploration on the Moon. NASA intends to begin using the LTV for crewed operations during the Artemis V mission on the surface of the Moon.

** NASA News Conference on Lunar Terrain Vehicle for Artemis Missions – NASA

Live from Johnson Space Center in Houston, we’ll announce the company, or companies, selected to move forward in developing the LTV (Lunar Terrain Vehicle).

The LTV will help future Artemis astronauts search for water, ice, and other resources on the lunar surface, helping humanity establish a long-term presence on another planetary body for the first time.

Hear from:

• Vanessa Wyche, director, NASA Johnson
• Jacob Bleacher, chief exploration scientist, NASA Headquarters
• Lara Kearney, manager, Extravehicular Activity and Human Surface Mobility Program, NASA Johnson

For more information, see: NASA Selects Companies to Advance Moon Mobility for Artemis Missions | NASA – Apr.3.2024.

** Axiom Space Welcomes CNES – Axiom Space Youtube

Axiom Space welcomed the President of the National Centre for Space Studies (@CnesFrance), Philippe Baptiste, for an in-depth look at our progress in commercial space and discuss economic partnerships. #BuildingOpportunity

** Blue Origin publishes paper on Orbital Reef in Nature journal: Orbital Reef and commercial low Earth orbit destinations—upcoming space research opportunities | npj Microgravity – Mar.2024

As the International Space Station comes to the end of a transformative era of in-space research, NASA’s Commercial Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Destinations (CLD) Program aims to catalyze a new generation of platforms with co-investment from the private sector, preventing a potential gap in research performed in LEO, while building a robust LEO economy. In this paper, we provide insight into the CLD Program focusing on Orbital Reef, describing its operational and technical characteristics as well as new opportunities it may enable. Achieving about a third of the pressurized volume of the ISS with the launch of a single pressurized module and growing to support hundreds of Middeck Locker Equivalents (MLE) in passive and active payloads internally and externally, Orbital Reef will enable government, academic, and commercial institutions to continue and expand upon research and development (R&D) efforts currently performed on ISS. Additionally, it will enable nascent markets to establish their operations in space, by initiating new lines of research and technology development and the implementation of new ventures and visions. Using Blue Origin’s New Glenn heavy launch system, Sierra Space’s cargo and crew Dream Chaser® vehicles, and Boeing’s Starliner crew vehicle, and expertise from Amazon/Amazon Supply Chain, Arizona State University, Genesis Engineering, and Redwire, Orbital Reef is being designed to address ISS-era transportation logistics challenges. Finally, this manuscript describes some of the expected challenges from the ISS-to-CLD transition, and provides guidance on how researchers in academia and industry can shape the future of commercial destinations and work performed in LEO.

 

**  VAST

Check out our @vast facility in Long Beach, CA where we started building Haven-1. Design, analysis, software, avionics, machining, quality, supply chain/inventory/logistics, fabrication, primary structure welding, vibe/thermal/pressure testing, integration and more— all under one… pic.twitter.com/3LnZWYx0Sk

— Max Haot (@maxhaot) April 5, 2024

** Starlab – – Mitsubishi Corporation Joins Starlab Space as Strategic Partner, Equity Owner in Joint Venture | Starlab – Apr.5.2024

Starlab Space LLC (Starlab Space), the joint venture between Voyager Space and Airbus, today welcomed Mitsubishi Corporation as a strategic partner and equity owner in Starlab Space. This partnership expands Starlab Space’s reach beyond a transatlantic partnership and transforms the joint venture into a global organization.

Mitsubishi Corporation, renowned for its innovative endeavors across diverse industries, brings extensive expertise and resources to this global partnership. Mitsubishi Corporation is expected to leverage its capabilities to significantly increase the value of Starlab, using space research to enhance and accelerate terrestrial product development in multiple industries and expand access to space-based technologies globally

** A Home for Astronauts around the Moon – NASA

The primary structure of the Gateway space station’s HALO (Habitation and Logistics Outpost) module is one step closer to launch following welding completion in Turin, Italy. HALO is one of four Gateway modules where astronauts will live, conduct science, and prepare for lunar surface missions. NASA is partnering with Northrop Grumman and their subcontractor Thales Alenia Space to develop HALO.
Image Credit: Northrop Grumman/Thales Alenia Space

** Collins Aerospace tests new astronaut spacesuits onboard Zero-G flight – Spaceflight Now

After working with the same spacesuits for nearly 40 years, NASA is looking to introduce the next generation of suits for astronauts working on the International Space Station and beyond. Collins Aerospace was one of two companies chosen to develop a new Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) for the ISS and is also preparing a follow-on version that will be available for Artemis missions to the Moon.

Danny Olivas, chief test astronaut for Collins, recently spoke with Spaceflight Now’s Will Robinson-Smith about one of the latest chapters in their test campaign: flying inside the suits onboard a Zero G plane, which can simulate microgravity through parabolic arcs.

Olivas walks us through this latest round of testing, what it was like being in the suit in that environment and what’s left before NASA astronaut can don these new spacesuits out in low Earth orbit.

** Other news, articles, op-eds, etc:

• Calendar:
  • Webinar: What It Will Take To Build Communities In Space | Beyond Earth Institute, Thurs. 1:00-2:30 pm EST, April 25, 2024
• Trash from the International Space Station may have hit a house in Florida | Ars Technica – April.2.2024
• Vast Space hires former Voyager Space executive | SpaceNews –  Mar.29.2024
• Crew Keeps Up Space Health Research Before Next Trio Departs | Space Station/NASA – Mar.29.2024
• The impact of the Gravity Prescription on the future of space settlement | Space Settlement Progress – Mar.29.2024
• What Is Space For? Why we gaze and why we should go | William Boyce/The New Atlantis – Winter 2024

** Highlight: Eye of the Sahara – Mauritania – Mar 26, 2024 23:57 UTC – ISS Above

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

** Highlight: Florida – Sunglint – From Gulf to Atlantic over KSC – Feb 28, 2024 13:48 EDT – 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

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

** Expedition 70 NASA’s SpaceX 30th Commercial Resupply Services Docking Part 2 – March 23, 2024 – NASA Video

Loaded with scientific experiments and supplies, an unpiloted SpaceX Dragon cargo ship automatically docked to the International Space Station’s space-facing port of the Harmony module March 23. The SpaceX resupply craft launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida March 21 as part of the company’s 30th commercial resupply mission for the agency and will remain at the station for one month.

** Expedition 70/71Soyuz MS-25 Launch, Docking Highlights – March 25, 2024 – NASA Video

NASA astronaut Tracy Dyson, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy, and Belarus spaceflight participant Marina Vasileyskaya launched on the Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft atop a Soyuz 2.1a rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on March 23. Following a thirty-four orbit rendezvous, the trio docked to the Prichal module of the International Space Station, opened up the hatch of the Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft and floated aboard the International Space Station March 25.

** First Belarusian in space and crewmates enter space station after Soyuz docking – VideoFromSpace

Belarusian astronaut Marina Vasilevskaya, NASA’s Tracy C. Dyson and Roscomos’ Oleg Novitskiy completed ingress on the International Space Station shortly after docking on March 25, 2024.

** Expedition 70 Astronaut Mike Barratt Talks with KGW TV Portland Oregon – NASA Video

Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition 70 Flight Engineer Mike Barratt of NASA discussed life and work aboard the orbital outpost during an in-flight interview March 26 with KGW-TV, Portland. Barratt 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.

** Expedition 70 Station Crew Talks with Women in Aerospace Engineering Conference – March 28, 2024 – NASA Video

Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition 70 Flight Engineers Jeanette Epps and Tracy Dyson of NASA discussed life and work aboard the orbital outpost during an in-flight interview March 28 with attendees of the Women in Aerospace Engineering Conference at Georgia Tech University. Epps and Dyson are in the midst of a long-duration mission living and working aboard the microgravity laboratory to advance scientific knowledge and demonstrate new technologies for future human and robotic exploration flights as part of NASA’s Moon and Mars exploration approach, including lunar missions through NASA’s Artemis program.

** NLRA 2024-6: In-space Production Applications: Advanced Materials and Manufacturing  – ISS National Lab

On March 21, 2024, the ISS National Lab held a webinar to discuss ISS National Lab Research Announcement (NLRA) 2024-6 soliciting proposals focused on flight investigations that seek to demonstrate space-based manufacturing and advanced materials activities on the ISS.

** Gateway – Lunar Space Station Trailer – NASA Johnson

The Gateway space station will be humanity’s first space station to orbit the Moon in support of the Artemis missions to return humans to the lunar surface for scientific discovery and chart a path for the first human missions to Mars and beyond.

** Blue Origin – Orbital Reef project: NASA Sees Progress on Blue Origin’s Orbital Reef Life Support System | NASA – Mar.20.2024

A @NASA-funded commercial space station, @blueorigin‘s Orbital Reef, recently completed testing milestones for its critical life support system as part of the agency’s efforts for new destinations in low Earth orbit. The four milestones are part of a NASA Space Act Agreement… pic.twitter.com/bCypsQE78P

— NASA Space Operations (@NASASpaceOps) March 20, 2024

** Introducing our Haven-1 aluminum primary structure, made in . – VAST –  VAST

Our Haven-1 aluminum primary structure manufacturing is underway. Designed, manufactured, and tested in house in the .

** The Space Café Podcast #103: Building for New Frontiers: How Space Architecture Shapes Our Future in the Cosmos with space architect Georgi Petrov – SpaceWatch.Global

Space Architecture is not just about creating structures; it’s about envisioning a sustainable future for humanity in space. In the latest #SpaceCafePodcast, Markus dives into a thought-provoking conversation with Georgi Petrov, a visionary at the forefront of designing habitats beyond Earth.

** Every Space Station Size Comparison | The Evolution of Space Station 3D – REAL SPACE(Hat tip Bob Zimmerman)

** TIMELAPSE: Retrieval of ETCS PM : External Thermal Control System Pump Module from SpX-30 trunk – ISS Above

20x TIMELAPSE: Retrieval of ETCS PM : External Thermal Control System Pump Module from SpX-30 trunk

** Other news and articles:

• NASA Astronaut Loral O’Hara, Expedition 70 Science Highlights | NASA – Mar.28.2024
• Station Crew Expands to Ten, Begins Working Together | Space Station/NASA – Mar.26.2024
• Drilling for water ice on Mars: How close are we to making it happen? | Space.com – Mar.24.2024
• What We Can Create on Mars | Robert Zubrin/Quillette – Mar.19.2024

** Highlight: Quebec – Newfoundland Sea Ice – Mar 25, 2024 17:05 EDT – ISS Above

** Highlight: LA – AL – TN – Mar 24, 2024 – 18:58 CDT – 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

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

** Expedition 71 Space Station Crew’s Soyuz Rolls to the Pad – NASA Video

At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the Soyuz 2.1a rocket that will launch the Soyuz MS-25 crew to the International Space Station rolled out from its integration building to the launch pad for final preparations. While that took place, NASA astronaut Tracy Dyson, Soyuz commander Oleg Novitskiy of Roscosmos and spaceflight participant Marina Vasilevskaya of Belarus completed their training for their launch aboard the Soyuz to the orbital outpost

**  NASA’s SpaceX CRS-30 Mission: National Stem Cell Foundation – ISS National Lab

The National Stem Cell Foundation will launch its 6th investigation to the space station evaluating the mechanisms behind neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease and Multiple Sclerosis. Learn more about this project launching on NASA’s SpaceX CRS-30 mission to the orbiting outpost.

** Axiom Space news: Axiom Space Partners with Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine on National Science Foundation Regional Innovation Engines | Axiom Space – Mar.6.2024

Axiom Space has partnered with the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, recipient of an inaugural U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Engines grant. The NSF Engines grant allows user-inspired technical challenges to be addressed in collaboration with partnered institutions, including Axiom Space, through Innovation, Translation, and Education Cores (ITECs), each focused on a broad area of unmet need.

The ITECs will focus on Development and Manufacturing, Biomaterials, Cell Biology, In-Space Manufacturing, and Workforce Development and will be located with Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine (WFIRM), North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (N.C. A&T), Winston-Salem State University (WSSU), the RegenMed Development Organization (ReMDO), and Forsyth Technical Community College (FTCC), respectively. In partnership with Axiom Space the In-Space ITEC will explore a new frontier for tissue and organ regeneration in microgravity, adding significant forward-thinking engagement and workforce development through the In-Space ITEC….

**  Gravitics adapts modules to various launch providers:

We currently have 4-meter, 6-meter, and 8-meter class space station modules in development that are designed to get to orbit on Falcon 9, Vulcan, New Glenn, and Starship. These modules and their components will be the ultimate building blocks for human and robotic activity in… pic.twitter.com/7Xdwdwa4qj

— Gravitics (@GraviticsInc) March 14, 2024

** Blue Origin completes life support system milestones: NASA Sees Progress on Blue Origin’s Orbital Reef Life Support System | NASA – Mar.20.2024.

The Blue Origin Orbital Reef project completes four milestones that are part of the NASA Space Act Agreement awarded to Blue in 2021:

“These milestones are critical to ensuring that a commercial destination can support human life so NASA astronauts can continue to have access to low Earth orbit to conduct important scientific research in the unique microgravity environment,” said Angela Hart, manager of NASA’s Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program. “Additionally, each milestone that is completed allows NASA to gain insight into our partner’s progress on station design and development.”

Humans living and working in space do so in a closed environment that must be monitored and controlled. On the International Space Station, components for the environmental control and life support system maintain clean air and water for astronauts. The regenerative system recycles and reclaims most of the water and oxygen produced by normal human activities. This significantly reduces the amount of mass that would have to be launched to the orbiting laboratory for these functions.

Orbital Reef will have a similar system in place. All four milestones tested different parts of the system, including a trace contaminant control test, water contaminant oxidation test, urine water recovery test, and water tank test.

** World’s First Commercial Space Station Design and Testing Questions Answered | LIFE Habitat Tech – Sierra Space

Our full scale burst test film prompted a number of questions on the design and function of our LIFE habitat technology. We asked Shawn Buckley – Senior Director, Engineering and Beth Licavoli – Softgoods Certification Lead, to answer your most popular questions along with a few favorites.

Learn more about this technology as we continue to develop the world’s first commercial space station: https://sierraspace.com/space-destina…

** Chinese Space Station Retrieves over 400 Material Samples After Space Exposure – CCTV Video News Agency

A robotic arm on China’s Tiangong space station successfully transferred an extravehicular experiment facility alongside with 407 material samples from outside the station’s Wentian lab module to the station interior on Thursday night.

** Private space stations overview – Interview with Lauren Andrade on The Space Show

[Lauren Andrade] from Beyond Earth Institute was with us to discuss her report on commercial space stations. We discussed all aspects of private space stations including liability, centralized regs with the Dept. of Commerce and more. Please read the full summary of this program at www.thespaceshow.com for this date, Sunday, March 17, 2024.

See also Andrade’s report: 2023 Commercial Habitats Working Group Report | BEI (pdf)

** Other news and articles:

• Sierra Space tests upcoming in-space habitat as other commercial space stations continue development | NASASpaceFlight.com – Mar.16.2024 – Includes brief updates on other commercial space habitat companies as well.
• Immunology Studies and Robotics for Orbital Residents as Crew and Cargo Craft Count Down to Launch | Space Station/NASA – Mar.20.2024
• SpaceX and NASA prepare for 30th ISS resupply mission | Teslarati – Mar.20.2024
• The US government seems serious about developing a lunar economy | Ars Technica – Mar.19.2024
• Crew Ends Week Closing Out Health Investigations and Completing Training | Space Station/NASA – Mar.15.2024
• Varda Hopes New Research Draws More Drugmakers to Space Factories | WSJ – Mar.13.2024
  • Return of the Ritonavir: A Study on the Stability of Pharmaceuticals Processed in Orbit | Biological and Medicinal Chemistry | ChemRxiv 

** Two orbital views of earth via NASA’s EHDC6 live views imaging system on the ISS – ISS Above

—- Highlight: FL – KSC – Mar 17, 2023 – 18:31 EDT 

—- Highlight: Melbourne Australia – Mar 17, 2024 14:34 AEDT

** 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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Lego Ideas International Space Station
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====

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

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

** Expedition 70 NASA’s SpaceX Crew-7 Farewell Remarks, Station Change of Command March 10, 2024 – NASA Video

Aboard the International Space Station, Crew-7 which includes NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Andy Mogensen, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Satoshi Furukawa and Roscosmos cosmonaut Konstantin Borisov provided farewell remarks on March 10 ahead of their upcoming departure from the space station. Joining Crew-7 for the farewell remarks were NASA astronauts Matthew Dominik, Mike Barrett, Jeanette Epps, and Loral O’Hara as well as Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub. Following the farewell remarks, a change of command ceremony took place in which Mogensen handed over command of the space station to Kononenko as Mogensen prepares to head home with his Crew-7 crewmates. Crew-7 is slated to undock on March TBD and splashdown off the coast of Florida March TBD after completing a six-month mission

** NASA’s SpaceX Crew-7 Space Station Hatch Closure March 11, 2024 – NASA Video

Aboard the International Space Station, NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Andy Mogensen, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Satoshi Furukawa and Roscosmos cosmonaut Konstantin Borisov prepared to depart the space station following the closing of the hatch to the SpaceX Crew Dragon Endurance on March 11 ahead of their undocking from the space station. Crew-7 completed a 6-month science mission living and working aboard the microgravity laboratory to advance scientific knowledge and demonstrate new technologies for future human and robotic exploration missions as part of NASA’s Moon and Mars exploration approach, including lunar missions through NASA’s Artemis program.

** NASA’s SpaceX Crew-7 Flight Day 4 Highlights – NASA Video

NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Andreas Mogensen, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Satoshi Furukawa, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Konstantin Borisov returned to Earth for a parachute-assisted splashdown off the coast of Florida at 5:47 a.m. EDT Tuesday, March 12, completing their six-month 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 SpaceX CRS-30 Prelaunch Science Webinar – ISS National Lab

On Friday, March 8, 2024, members of the media attended a science-focused prelaunch webinar for NASA’s SpaceX CRS-30 mission to hear from NASA and ISS National Lab officials as well as researchers who discussed a few of the projects flying on this cargo resupply mission.

** Gravitics

Astronauts are now using Virtual Reality headsets to enhance their experience aboard the International Space Station. The integration of VR technology with an updated stationary bike allows the crew to cycle through their favorite routes on Earth while working out in low Earth… pic.twitter.com/YVmoPPfkjn

— Gravitics (@GraviticsInc) March 9, 2024

** Gambit sensor platform relocated on ISS – Starlab – Voyager Space

—- Making Moves: Gambit Payload Relocates on the Bishop Airlock | Voyager Space – Mar.11.2024

It’s one small step for #Gambit, and one giant leap for payload operations. Our self-built payload Gambit’s first transfer on the Bishop Airlock aboard the @Space_Station was completed. Learn more about how we’re making (space) moves: https://t.co/kzHY3tcrPw pic.twitter.com/dMTkgl83c3

— Voyager Space (@voyagerspace_) March 11, 2024

** Other news and articles:

• Mining helium-3 on the Moon has been talked about forever—now a company will try | Ars Technica – Mar.13.2024
• Zero-Boil-Off Tank Experiments to Enable Long-Duration Space Exploration | NASA – Mar.12.2024
• Splashdown! NASA’s SpaceX Crew-7 Finishes Mission, Returns to Earth | NASA – Mar.12.2024
• Where Did Those Old Space Station Batteries Reenter? | Leonard David – Mar.10.2024
• Reentry of International Space Station (ISS) batteries into Earth’s atmosphere | ESA – Mar.8.2024
• Station Goes into Final Handovers Before Next Crew Departs | Space Station/NASA – Mar.8.2024
• Rockwell Space Station: 1982 | The Unwanted Blog – Mar.7.2024

** 40 years since the founding of the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS)  program:

—- ARISS Celebration at KSC. Interview with Randy Berger – HAM Radio Fun With KO4PDI

Join us as we celebrate the ARISS 40-year event at Kennedy Space Center, featuring an interview with Randy Berger, the ISS HAM radio developer. Learn about the technology behind ISS HAM radio and the impact it has on communication in space. Don’t miss this exclusive interview at the ARISS 40-year Celebration!
Get a look at the actual radio used on the ISS to make contacts and work as a cross-band repeater. The radio, Antennas, and power supply. Randy Berger talks about what it takes to make the contacts we do on the ISS as HAM operators.

—- A school contact with ISS astronauts: #AlcarazISS – ARISS Contact | Contacto con la Estación Espacial Internacional –
Studio21 Alcaraz

** Highlight: Aotearoa NZ S to N – Mar 11, 2024 – 16:34 NZDT – ISS Above

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

—- Highlight: Buenos Aires Argentina – Mar 6, 2024 – 18:30 ART – 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

====

=== Amazon Ads ===

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

====

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