Category Archives: In Space Infrastructure

In Space Infrastructure, Living in Space, Space Settlement

Space habitat reports – Apr.27.2024

April 27, 2024 TopSpacer

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

=== International Space Station & NASA

** Space to Ground: Outside the Hatch: April 26, 2024 – NASA Johnson

** NASA Astronaut Discusses Life in Space with CBS News – NASA Video

Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition 71 Flight Engineer Matt Dominick of NASA discussed life and work aboard the orbital outpost during an in-flight interview April 23 with CBS News Streaming Service. Dominick is in the midst of a long-duration mission aboard the microgravity laboratory to advance scientific knowledge and demonstrate new technologies for future human and robotic exploration flights as part of NASA’s Moon and Mars exploration approach, including lunar missions through NASA’s Artemis program.

** Space Station Crew Prepares Science for Dragon Departure – NASA Johnson

NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick closes out the Dragon spacecraft in preparation for its scheduled departure in late April. Dragon will return to Earth with samples and hardware from several experiments for further study.

Watch the return coverage via NASA+: https://go.nasa.gov/3QFeKon

** Roscosmos spacewalk to be conducted outside Space Station – NASA Johnson

This animation discusses the upcoming spacewalk in which Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub of the Expedition 71 crew will egress the Poisk airlock to complete the deployment of one panel on a synthetic radar system on the Nauka module and install equipment and experiments on the Poisk module to analyze the level of corrosion on station surfaces and modules. It will be the 270th spacewalk in support of station maintenance and upgrades, the seventh for Kononenko and the second for Chub.

=== Commercial space habitats

** Axiom negotiating with NASA for changes in installation sequence of ISS modules:

Also from the NAC HEO meeting: NASA says Axiom Space has requested a modification to its agreement with NASA to change the sequence of modules they plan to add to the ISS to allow them to become a free-flyer after two module launches. pic.twitter.com/4oGmHQJSOW

— Jeff Foust (@jeff_foust) April 25, 2024

** Team Axiom Crew Earth Observations – Axiom Space Youtube – Axiom Space

Happy Earth Day! During a mission, crews conduct multiple experiments aimed at advancing research and innovation #ForEarth, as well as getting some of the best views of our planet. Thanks to Ax-3 Commander Michael López-Alegría, some members of #TeamAxiom received some memorable photos.
— — —

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

** Gravitics wins Space Force grant to develop orbital platforms based on company’s space habitat modules: Gravitics Awarded U.S. Space Force Contract for Tactically Responsive Space Development | Gravitics – Apr.25.2024

Gravitics, Inc. announced today it has been awarded a $1.7M Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Direct-to-Phase II contract from SpaceWERX. In partnership with Space Systems Command’s Space Safari Program Office, this effort will focus on a new mission area for Gravitics, Tactically Responsive Space (TacRS). Under this contract, Gravitics will leverage its commercial space station product architecture to develop orbital platforms that will enable rapid and flexible response options for the United States Space Force. Gravitics’ commercial space station modules can support a wide range of military and civilian applications, including in-space rapid response applications.

“We are looking at all options to meet the mission on tactically relevant timelines. The Gravitics space station module offers an unconventional and potentially game-changing solution for TacRS,” said Lt Col Jason Altenhofen, Space Safari’s Director of Operations. “As we look into the future, the innovative use of commercial technologies will be an important aspect to solving some of our toughest challenges.”

“Developing and manufacturing commercial space station modules will continue to be at the core of our company mission,” said Colin Doughan, CEO of Gravitics. “Gravitics is thrilled to have the opportunity to offer these commercial capabilities to the Department of Defense.

I’ll note that Gravitics is not a contractor in NASA’s commercial space station partnership program. So I’m sure they are eagerly looking for support from other funding sources such as the Space Force.

** Roadmap Artificial Gravity Station – VAST Youtube

VAST releases this animation demonstrating how a multi-module station would provide artificial gravity via spin. The outermost end of a module will become the floor for that volume. Moving outward from the center, a person would experience increasing gravity. This would allow one floor to provide lunar level gravity and another floor farther out to provide Mars gravity.

=== Chinese space habitats

— Replay! China’s Shenzhou 18 crew launches to Tiangong space station – VideoFromSpace

A Chinese Long March 2F rocket launched the Shenzhou 18 crew to the Tiangong space station from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on April 25, 2024. Full Story: https://www.space.com/china-launches-…

— China’s Shenzhou-18 Manned Spaceship Docks with Space Station Combination – CCTV Video News Agency

China’s Shenzhou-18 manned spaceship successfully docked with the space station combination on Friday, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).

— Shenzhou-18, Shenzhou-17 Astronauts Meet Inside Space Station – CCTV Video News Agency

The astronauts of the Shenzhou-18 manned spaceship met with their Shenzhou-17 colleagues after arriving at the Tiangong space station in the early hours of Friday (Beijing Time).

— Zebrafish Enter Orbit on China Space Station, In Stable Condition – CCTV Video News Agency

Four zebrafish brought into orbit by the Shenzhou-18 spaceflight mission are in stable condition after being transferred to a lab module aboard the China Space Station on Friday morning, according to an institute responsible for the experiment.

** Lunar habitation:

— Chinese Scientists Unveil Lunar Research Station Prototype – CCTV Video News Agency

Chinese scientists have recently unveiled their groundbreaking prototype for a lunar research station.

Known as the “Moon Pot,” this innovative structure was designed by a team of researchers from Huazhong University of Science and Technology. Resembling an arched structure reminiscent of an eggshell, the Moon Pot aims to provide a living and research space for astronauts on the moon.

** Work to Land Taikonauts on Moon Before 2030 Goes Smoothly – CCTV Video News Agency

Work to land China’s taikonauts on the moon before 2030 is going on smoothly, with component systems under research and development as planned, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) said at a press conference in Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on Wednesday.

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

=== Earth views from ISS

** Highlight: Australia NSW – Canberra – Apr 26, 2024 – 14:09 AEST – ISS Above

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

** Highlight: NorCal – SoCal #BayArea #SaltonSea – Apr 27, 2024 09:54 PDT – ISS Above

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

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

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

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

====

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In Space Infrastructure, Living in Space, Space Settlement

Space habitat reports – Apr.21.2024

April 21, 2024 TopSpacer

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

=== International Space Station & NASA

** Space Station Crew Talks with AccuWeather – Thursday, April 18, 2024 – NASA Video

Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition 70 Flight Engineers Mike Barratt and Tracy Dyson of NASA discussed life and work aboard the orbital outpost during an in-flight interview April 18 with Accuweather. Barratt and Dyson are in the midst of a long-duration mission aboard the microgravity laboratory to advance scientific knowledge and demonstrate new technologies for future human and robotic exploration flights as part of NASA’s Moon and Mars exploration approach, including lunar missions through NASA’s Artemis program.

** Astronaut Matt Dominick Talks with University of San Diego – Friday, April 19, 2024 – NASA Video

Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition 70 Flight Engineer Matthew Dominick of NASA discussed life and work aboard the orbital outpost during an in-flight interview April 19 with San Diego University. Dominick is in the midst of a long-duration mission aboard the microgravity laboratory to advance scientific knowledge and demonstrate new technologies for future human and robotic exploration flights as part of NASA’s Moon and Mars exploration approach, including lunar missions through NASA’s Artemis program.

** Other ISS news, articles, and resources:

** ESA astronaut class of 2022 graduation ceremony (Trailer) – European Space Agency, ESA

As they reach the end of one year of rigorous basic astronaut training, ESA astronaut candidates Sophie Adenot, Rosemary Coogan, Pablo Álvarez Fernández, Raphaël Liégeois, Marco Sieber and Australian Space Agency astronaut candidate Katherine Bennell-Pegg will receive astronaut certification at ESA’s European Astronaut Centre on 22 April 2024.

The group was selected in November 2022 and began their training in April 2023.

Basic astronaut training provides the candidates with an overall familiarisation and training in various areas, such as spacecraft systems, spacewalking, flight engineering, robotics and life support systems, as well as survival and medical training.

Following certification, the new astronauts will move on to the next phases of pre-assignment and mission-specific training, paving the way for future missions to the International Space Station and beyond.

Join us for the graduation ceremony live on ESA Web TV on Monday 22 April from 10:00 – 11:30 CEST.

=== Commercial space habitats

** 2024 February – North Houston Space Society – Megan Yang – Building Axiom Station – Axiom Space Youtube – Axiom Space

Megan Yang, an engineer at Axiom, gate a talk in February about the design and construction of the Axiom commercial space station.

** Solenoid valves assembly – VAST Youtube – VAST

Our solenoid valves are designed, manufactured, assembled, and tested in our Long Beach facility. These valves control gaseous oxygen and nitrox flow into Haven-1’s habitable space.

** Starlab – Voyager Space

This article about using space activities to market goods and services discusses a collaboration between Starlab and Hilton: Brands in Space: What’s behind the rush to advertise in the final frontier? | Marketplace – Apr.10.2024

NASA is assisting private companies in building commercial space stations like Voyager Space’s Starlab — a low-Earth orbital designed for astronauts to conduct scientific research in place of the ISS after its shutdown — which will be launched in 2028 at the earliest. Hilton partnered with Voyager Space to design the interior of the space station in hopes to make a more comfortable zero gravity environment.

“We’re looking at this through the lens of space tourism,” Hilton Senior Vice President of Global Design Larry Traxler said. “How do we elevate the stay?”

This isn’t the first time Hilton and Voyager Space partnered for a space stunt. In late 2019, the global hospitality company Nanoracks — most of which was acquired by Voyager Space the following year — and Zero G Kitchen, a food development company creating products for space, teamed up to bake a batch of the famous Doubletree cookies in the ISS.

=== Other space habitat and settlement news, articles, events, etc:

** EarthSpace 2024 – EarthLight Foundation – A streamed event for Earth Day: April 22, 2024 3:00 PM – 5:30 PM Eastern

Join some of the planet’s top experts as we discuss topics vital to both saving the Earth and expanding life into the cosmos. EarthSpace 2024 is a unique event, built on the idea that opening the High Frontier must be done differently than any frontier in the past.

Contrary to some who cast the space revolution as a wasteful escapist extravaganza, EarthSpace helps begin a new conversation. A conversation about how we not only can open the High Frontier responsibly and sustainably, but that we must, to help save the MotherWorld of Earth.

Starting with a new philosophy – that this time, for the first time, as humans move into a new frontier, we do so based on an ethos that comes from our love of life and respect for our environment, rather than leaving a path of destruction and waste in our wake.

Calendar:
- Webinar: What It Will Take To Build Communities In Space | Beyond Earth Institute, April 25, 2024, 1:00-2:30 pm
- ISDC | International Space Development Conference, Los Angeles, CA, Thursday, May 23rd to Sunday, May 26th, 2024
- 13th annual International Space Station Research and Development Conference (ISSRDC 2024) – July 30-August 1, 2024, Boston.
Resources:

** NSS Gerard K. O’Neill Space Settlement Contest

The National Space Society’s

annual space settlement contest invites students to design an orbital space habitat. The contest, open for 6-12th grade students, was sponsored by the NASA Ames Research Center from 1994-2018 in conjunction with the National Space Society and since then is being sponsored by NSS. The single highest scoring team or individual attending ISDC will receive the Herman Rubin Award for $5,000.

The contest this year received 5,200 entries from over 29,000 students, whoc came from 28 countries. The 2024 contest winners and finalists are listed here.

Here is a video from 2022 about the contest:

=== Earth views from ISS

** Highlight: USA KY NC ARISS – Apr 18 2024 13:53 EDT – ISS Above

During this pass, NASA Astonaut Jeanette Epps was speaking with Mountain View Elementary Murietta GA students via a direct ARISS ham radio downlink event.

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

** Highlight: NM -ABQ – Apr 4, 2024 – 11:46 MDT – ISS Above

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

====

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In Space Infrastructure, Living in Space, Space Settlement

Space habitat reports – April.13.2024

April 13, 2024 TopSpacer

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

=== International Space Station & NASA

** Space to Ground: Above the Umbra: April 12, 2024 – NASA Johnson

NASA’s Space to Ground is your weekly update on what’s happening aboard the International Space Station.
Got a question or comment? …

Learn more about the important research being operated on Station:
https://www.nasa.gov/iss-science

For more information about STEM on Station:
https://www.nasa.gov/stemonstation

** A tour of the International Space Station with Andreas Mogensen – European Space Agency, ESA

On the last day of his Huginn mission, ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen takes us on a tour of the place he called home for 6 months: the International Space Station. From the beautiful views of Cupola to the kitchen in Node 1 filled with food and friends and all the way to the science of Columbus, the Space Station is the work and living place for astronauts as they help push science forward.

** Soyuz MS-24 Space Station Farewells and Hatch Closing – Friday, April 5, 2024 – NASA Video

NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy, and Belarus spaceflight participant Marina Vasilevskaya closed the hatch of the Soyuz MS-24 spacecraft on April 6 ahead of their landing later that day. Following hatch closure, the vehicle undocked from the International Space Station’s Rassvet module, returning to Earth a few hours later for a parachute-assisted landing on the steppe of Kazakhstan. During her mission, O’Hara spent 204 days in space 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.

** Soyuz MS-24 Space Station Undocking – Friday, April 5, 2024 – NASA Video

** Soyuz MS-24 Landing Day Highlights – Saturday, April 6, 2024 – NASA Video

=== Commercial space habitats

** “An Unlikely Astronaut” by Susan Kilrain – Axiom Space Youtube – Axiom Space

The diverse backgrounds and experiences of each astronaut make them truly exceptional. Celebrate International Day of Human Space Flight with @Commandeer_MLA as he reads the children’s book “An Unlikely Astronaut” by @Astro_Susan in space.

** Max Space – Designing very large inflatable space habitats

Max Space announces plans for inflatable space station modules | SpaceNews – Apr.9.2024

Max Space offers scalable modules for in-space habitation, manufacturing, research labs, farms, tourism, sports and entertainment. pic.twitter.com/zJWsfY8sAf

— Max Space (@getmaxspace) April 8, 2024

** Sierra Space – Debut flight nears for Dream Chaser missions to ISS

In anticipation of our inaugural launch later this year, we are proud to reveal our first mission patch.

Store: https://t.co/VACKwK8XRv pic.twitter.com/RDd2vr5zEJ

— Sierra Space (@SierraSpaceCo) April 11, 2024

** VAST – Starlink to keep station continually connected

— Vast’s Haven-1 to be World’s First Commercial Space Station Connected by SpaceX Starlink | VAST – Apr.9.2024

Today, we are announcing that Vast’s Haven-1, scheduled to be the world’s first commercial space station, will be equipped with SpaceX’s Starlink laser terminal providing Gigabit/s speed, low latency connectivity to its crew users, internal payload racks, external cameras and instruments.

“If you need to provide high-speed, low-latency, continuous internet connectivity on a space station in orbit in 2025, SpaceX Starlink is the only option,” said Max Haot, Vast’s CEO. “We expect their network and technology leading position to continue and accelerate over time, which is why we are excited to have the chance to partner with SpaceX on deploying their first laser connectivity for a space station.”

The Haven-1 crew will be able to connect their personal devices via Wi-Fi to the Starlink network and have unprecedentedly better internet connectivity on orbit to host outreach video calls and perform experiments and science with full, high-speed internet access. Even during crew rest time, they will be able to use high-speed internet.

“High-speed, low-latency connectivity on orbit for crew and critical scientific research is critical to any space station experience,” said Stephanie Bednarek, SpaceX’s Senior Director of Commercial Sales. “We are excited for Vast’s Haven-1 to be the first commercial space station to stay connected with Starlink.”

Vast and SpaceX have reached an agreement for SpaceX to provide Starlink connectivity to future Vast platforms beyond Haven 1, including connectivity for Vast’s next space station, which the company plans to bid for in NASA’s upcoming commercial Low Earth Orbit destinations (CLDs) competition.

In May 2023, Vast announced that SpaceX will launch Haven-1, followed by two human spaceflight missions to the Haven-1 space station.

This new partnership between Vast and SpaceX will continue to create and accelerate greater accessibility to space and more opportunities for exploration on the road to making humanity multiplanetary.

** Starlab – Voyager Space – Bishop airlock in action on the ISS

A video of recent activity on Voyager Space’s Bishop Airlock: Making Moves: Gambit Payload Relocates on the Bishop Airlock | Voyager Space – Mar.11.2024.

Still thinking about yesterday’s #eclipse? So are we! Check out this cool video captured from the #Gambit payload on the #BishopAirlock. What a unique view of the eclipse from the @Space_Station! Learn more about Gambit in our latest blog: https://t.co/9UzZph3wTn pic.twitter.com/gNaTRyrZ5y

— Voyager Space (@voyagerspace_) April 9, 2024

=== Chinese space habitats

** Shenzhou-17 Crew Use Special Tools to Keep Space Station Clean, Tidy – CCTV Video News Agency

The three Chinese astronauts aboard the country’s Tiangong space station are using special tools to keep their living quarters clean and tidy.

=== Space habitat architectures, history, etc.

** The Early History of Rotating Space Habitats – Dr. Marie-Luise Hauser – Space Renaissance

The Early History of Rotating Space Habitats – Fantastic Possibility and Futuristic Reality

=== Lunar habitation

** ICON: 3D printing of structures with lunar materials

ICON, a leader in advanced construction technologies and large-scale 3D printing, announced that it has received a contract awarded under Phase III of NASA’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. The nearly $60 million contract builds upon previous NASA and Department of Defense funding for ICON’s Project Olympus to research and develop space-based construction systems to support planned exploration of the Moon and beyond. ICON’s Olympus system is intended to be a multi-purpose construction system primarily using local Lunar and Martian resources as building materials to further the efforts of NASA as well as commercial organizations to establish a sustained lunar presence.

“To change the space exploration paradigm from ‘there and back again’ to ‘there to stay,’ we’re going to need robust, resilient, and broadly capable systems that can use the local resources of the Moon and other planetary bodies. We’re pleased that our research and engineering to-date has demonstrated that such systems are indeed possible, and we look forward to now making that possibility a reality,” said Jason Ballard, ICON co-founder and CEO. “The final deliverable of this contract will be humanity’s first construction on another world, and that is going to be a pretty special achievement.”

=== Mars habitation

** SpaceX Starship – Latest on plans for using Starship for Mars settlement and a lunar base

What we’re building today will enable sending around a million people and several million tonnes to the Martian surface in the years to come → https://t.co/F8OOgqMFfh pic.twitter.com/FRrIJg6DXY

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) April 6, 2024

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

=== Earth views from ISS

** Highlight: Canberra – Sydney – Australia – Mar 25, 2024 11:28 AEDT – ISS Above

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

** Highlight: Aotearoa NZ S to N – Mar 27, 2024 – 10:17 NZDT – ISS Above

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

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In Space Infrastructure, Living in Space, Space Settlement

Space habitat reports – Apr.5.2024

April 5, 2024 TopSpacer

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.

A cross-sectional diagram of the Orbital Reef commercial space station. Credits: Blue Origin/Nature Microgravity

** 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

The Gateway space station’s HALO (Habitation and Logistics Outpost) module under construction in Turin, Italy. Image credits: 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:

** 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

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In Space Infrastructure, Living in Space, Space Settlement

Space habitat reports – Mar.28.2024

March 28, 2024 TopSpacer

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.