Here is the latest episode in NASA’s Space to Ground weekly report on activities related to the International Space Station:

** Expedition 66 Space Station Crew Answers Ohio Student Questions – March 2, 2022 – NASA Video

Aboard the International Space Station, NASA Expedition 66 Flight Engineers Raja Chari and Tom Marshburn of NASA answered pre-recorded questions about life and work on the orbital laboratory during an in-flight event March 2 with the Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio. Chari and Marshburn are in the midst of a planned six-month 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.

** NLRA 2022-6: In-space Production Applications: Advanced Materials and Manufacturing – ISS National Lab – YouTube

On February 28, 2022, the ISS National Lab held a webinar to provide further background on NLRA 2022-6 and to answer any questions.

 

** Episode 58 – Geopolitics, Cooperation and the ISS – Space Thoughts

** Keeping it fluid(ics) | Cosmic Kiss 360°  – European Space Agency, ESA on Youtube

Europe’s Columbus laboratory is a hive of activity in this 360° timelapse as ESA astronaut Matthias Maurer works on an experiment called Fluidics and his @NASA colleague Raja Chari carries out activity in the Veggie plant habitat. Developed by French space agency @CNES and co-funded by @Airbus, the Fluidics experiment investigates how liquids behave in space. It was first run by ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet in 2017 during his Proxima mission. Made up of six small, transparent spheres housed in the black centrifuge seen here, the experiment studies two phenomena. The first is ‘sloshing’ or how liquids move in enclosed spaces. The second is wave turbulence. Understanding the underlying physics of how liquids move in space will help improve the fuel economy of spacecraft and our knowledge of Earth’s oceans. By observing how surface forces behave in reduced gravity and singling out interactions, scientists aim to improve climate models for forecasting sea states and better understand wave formation on Earth. Fluidics is just one of many European and international science experiments Matthias is supporting throughout his six-month Cosmic Kiss mission.

Follow Matthias: https://bit.ly/ESACosmicKiss

See also: Keeping it fluid(ics) | Cosmic Kiss 360° – ESA

** Media Briefing: NASA, Axiom, & SpaceX Officials Discuss 1st Private Astronaut Space Station Mission – Axiom Space

Axiom Space will host a virtual press conference at 11 a.m. EST Monday, Feb. 28, to preview the launch of Ax-1, the first all-private astronaut mission to the International Space Station (ISS). The launch is targeted for Wednesday, March 30 at 2:46 p.m. EDT from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

During the 10-day mission, which includes eight days aboard the space station, the four-person multi-national crew will complete more than 25 research experiments developed for microgravity in collaboration with leading health and science organizations across the globe. Axiom Space, a leader in human spaceflight and space infrastructure, is committed to the commercialization of low Earth orbit.

Briefing participants are:
• Michael Suffredini, President and CEO, Axiom
• Michael López-Alegría, Ax-1 Crew Commander, Axiom
• Christian Maender, Director, In-Space Research and Manufacturing, Axiom
• Kathy Lueders, Associate Administrator, Space Operations, NASA
• Robyn Gatens, Director, International Space Station, NASA
• Phil McAllister, Director, Commercial Spaceflight Division, NASA
• Benjamin Reed, Sr. Director, Human Spaceflight Programs, SpaceX

Ax-1’s crew includes Michael López-Alegría, Axiom vice president and former NASA astronaut, as commander; American entrepreneur and non-profit activist investor Larry Connor as pilot; investor and philanthropist Mark Pathy of Canada as mission specialist; and impact investor and philanthropist Eytan Stibbe of Israel as mission specialist. Axiom Space has contracted SpaceX to launch the Ax-1 crew to the International Space Station aboard a Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft. Ax-1 is the first of several planned Axiom missions to the space station, each a critical step toward Axiom Station, the first private space station. This new method of access to low-Earth orbit is progress toward a next generation platform, which will serve as a center for scientists, innovators, and entrepreneurs to pursue revolutionary breakthroughs in the unique environment of microgravity.

For more information about Axiom Space and the Ax-1 mission, please visit: https://www.axiomspace.com

** ISS Live video stream – IBM/ISS HD Earth Viewing Experiment

Currently, live views from the ISS are streaming from an external camera mounted on the ISS module called Node 2. Node 2 is located on the forward part of the ISS. The camera is looking forward at an angle so that the International Docking Adapter 2 (IDA2) is visible. If the Node 2 camera is not available due to operational considerations for a longer period of time, a continuous loop of recorded HDEV imagery will be displayed. The loop will have “Previously Recorded” on the image to distinguish it from the live stream from the Node 2 camera. After HDEV stopped sending any data on July 18, 2019, it was declared, on August 22, 2019, to have reached its end of life. Thank You to all who shared in experiencing and using the HDEV views of Earth from the ISS to make HDEV so much more than a Technology Demonstration Payload!

====

=== Amazon Ads ===

LEGO Ideas International Space Station Building Kit,
Adult Set for Display,
Makes a Great Birthday Present
(864 Pieces)

====

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

Here is the latest episode in NASA’s Space to Ground weekly report on activities related to the International Space Station:

** Expedition 66 Northrop Grumman Cygnus Cargo Craft Arrives at Space Station – Feb. 21, 2022 – NASA Video

Loaded with food, fuel, and supplies, the unpiloted Northrop Grumman CRS-17 Cygnus cargo craft arrived to the International Space Station February 21 where it was installed to the nadir port of the Unity module. Dubbed the “SS Piers Sellers” for the late NASA astronaut for his contributions as a climate scientist and his assistance in assembling the International Space Station, Cygnus launched from the Wallops Flight Facility on February 19 atop an Antares rocket and will remain docked to the space station for approximately two months.

** Expedition 66 Northrop Grumman Cygnus Cargo Craft Space Station Installation – Feb. 21, 2022 – NASA Video

** ISS National Lab Research Overview – Northrop Grumman CRS-17 – ISS National Lab – YouTube

Northrop Grumman will launch a variety of critical research and supplies on its upcoming 17th Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) mission to the International Space Station (ISS). The launch, which take place at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, is scheduled for no earlier than February 19 at 12:40 p.m. ET. The ISS National Laboratory is sponsoring more than 15 research and technology development payloads as part of this mission. These payloads, which represent diverse fields of study, intend to bring value to our nation through space-based research and enable a robust and sustainable market in low Earth orbit. This video highlights some of the ISS National Lab-sponsored investigations launching on Northrop Grumman CRS-17.

** Watch an astronaut degas a water bag in space – VideoFromSpace

Prior to being added to the International Space Station’s storage system, water bags are degassed to reduce clogging.

** John Glenn’s historic 1962 spaceflight honored by space station crew – VideoFromSpace

NASA astronauts aboard the International Space Station talk about John Glenn’s historic launch to become the first American to orbit Earth.

** Columbus, Kibo and a Dragon | Cosmic Kiss 360° – European Space Agency, ESA on Youtube

Join ESA astronaut Matthias Maurer on a 360° fly-through of Europe’s Columbus laboratory, @JAXA | 宇宙航空研究開発機構‘s Kibo Module and the Crew Dragon capsule on the International Space Station. Matthias has been living and working on the International Space Station for around 100 days, following the launch of Crew-3 from @NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on 11 November 2021. He will spend approximately six months in orbit for his Cosmic Kiss mission. Much of this time is being spent inside the Columbus lab supporting European and international science. Columbus is ESA’s single largest contribution to the International Space Station and was also the first permanent European research facility in space. In this video you can see the different experiment racks in the module as he flies through, including NASA’s Veggie greenhouses omitting a pink light. Follow Matthias: https://bit.ly/ESACosmicKiss

** Health, food, and climate | We explore. You benefit. – European Space Agency, ESA on Youtube

ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet shows how space technologies and research onboard the International Space Station are used for the benefit of people on Earth. Thomas explains how space research is relevant to three of the United Nation’s goals: Health (SDG3), Zero hunger and food security (SDG2), and Climate action (SDG13). The Sustainable Development Goals are the world’s to-do list for people and the planet by 2030.

Learn more about the European space laboratory, the Columbus module, and four examples of how space exploration supports sustainable development in Europe and in Africa. This video is Part 2 of a 2-part series that describes how space exploration supports the sustainable development on Earth today. Here’s part 1: https://youtu.be/LItgF_o0kbc

Read more about benefits of European space exploration: http://youbenefit.spaceflight.esa.int

** The Next Big Upgrade to the Chinese Space Station? – Dongfang Hour

** ISS Live video stream – IBM/ISS HD Earth Viewing Experiment

Currently, live views from the ISS are streaming from an external camera mounted on the ISS module called Node 2. Node 2 is located on the forward part of the ISS. The camera is looking forward at an angle so that the International Docking Adapter 2 (IDA2) is visible. If the Node 2 camera is not available due to operational considerations for a longer period of time, a continuous loop of recorded HDEV imagery will be displayed. The loop will have “Previously Recorded” on the image to distinguish it from the live stream from the Node 2 camera. After HDEV stopped sending any data on July 18, 2019, it was declared, on August 22, 2019, to have reached its end of life. Thank You to all who shared in experiencing and using the HDEV views of Earth from the ISS to make HDEV so much more than a Technology Demonstration Payload!

====

=== Amazon Ads ===

LEGO Ideas International Space Station Building Kit,
Adult Set for Display,
Makes a Great Birthday Present
(864 Pieces)

====

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

Here is the latest episode in NASA’s Space to Ground weekly report on activities related to the International Space Station:

** STEMonstrations: Vestibular System – NASA Johnson

NASA Astronauts Mark Vande Hei and Shane Kimbrough demonstrate the effects of the weightless-simulated environment on their perception of motion, spatial orientation, and balance aboard the International Space Station. Watch as NASA astronaut Megan McArthur and JAXA astronaut Aki Hoshide discuss the vestibular system and learn how the human body relies on external cues to provide us with important information about our environment. Be sure to check out https://www.nasa.gov/stemonstrations for more videos like this, along with their corresponding Classroom Connection lesson plans.

** ISS National Lab Research Overview – Northrop Grumman CRS-17  – ISS National Lab – YouTube

Northrop Grumman will launch a variety of critical research and supplies on its upcoming 17th Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) mission to the International Space Station (ISS). The launch, which take place at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, is scheduled for no earlier than February 19 at 12:40 p.m. ET. The ISS National Laboratory is sponsoring more than 15 research and technology development payloads as part of this mission. These payloads, which represent diverse fields of study, intend to bring value to our nation through space-based research and enable a robust and sustainable market in low Earth orbit. This video highlights some of the ISS National Lab-sponsored investigations launching on Northrop Grumman CRS-17.

** Expedition 66 Astronaut Mark Vande Hei Talks with KARE 11, KNSI Radio, Minnesota – Feb. 17, 2022 – NASA Video

Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition 66 Flight Engineer Mark Vande Hei of NASA discussed life and work aboard the orbital outpost during an in-flight event February 17 with KARE-TV in Minneapolis, Minnesota and KNSI Radio in St. Cloud, Minnesota. Vande Hei is in the midst of a long duration mission in which he will break the record for longest single spaceflight by an American astronaut living and working aboard the microgravity laboratory. The goal of his mission is 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.

** Russia launches 80th Space Station cargo run atop Soyuz rocket – VideoFromSpace

The Progress MS-19 cargo spacecraft was launched to the International Space Station atop a Soyuz 2.1a rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Feb. 14, 2022 (Feb. 15 local time).

** Expedition 66 Progress 80 Cargo Ship Docks to International Space Station – Feb. 17, 2022 – NASA Video

Loaded with supplies and cargo, the uncrewed Russian ISS Progress 80 cargo vehicle docked to the Poisk docking compartment of the International Space Station February 17 two days after launching from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on a Soyuz booster. The resupply vehicle will remain docked to the space station until early next year.

** See the Chinese space station’s robotic arm in action – VideoFromSpace

The Chinese space station’s 10.2-meter-long mechanical arm on the Tianhe core module was recently used to grab a docking port. See footage of the activity. Full Story: https://www.space.com/china-space-sta… Credit: China Central Television (CCTV)

** Chinese astronaut Wang Yaping plays the guzheng in space – VideoFromSpace

Watch astronaut Wang Yaping play the Chinese folk song “Jasmine Flower” on the guzheng for the China Media Group Lantern Festival Gala. Yaping is currently aboard the Tiangong space station Credit: Space.com | footage courtesy: China Central Television (CCTV)

** 100 days of Cosmic Kiss – European Space Agency, ESA on Youtube

On 11 November 2021, ESA astronaut Matthias Maurer was launched to the International Space Station for his first mission, Cosmic Kiss. Around 100 days later, we reflect on some highlights from space. Matthias flew to the Station on a @SpaceX Crew Dragon alongside @NASA astronauts and fellow first-time fliers Kayla Barron and Raja Chari, and NASA spaceflight veteran Tom Marshburn. Collectively known as Crew-3, they were welcomed as members of Expedition 66 by Commander Anton Shkaplerov, cosmonaut Pyotr Dubrov and NASA’s Mark Vande Hei. While in orbit, Matthias is supporting over 35 European and many more international experiments. The outcomes of these experiments will advance our knowledge in areas ranging from human health to materials science, physics, Earth observation, technology development and more. Matthias is expected to spend approximately six months in orbit and there are many more highlights to come.

** Space stowage in 360° | Cosmic Kiss – European Space Agency, ESA on Youtube

Tour the Italian-built Permanent Multipurpose Module (PMM) of the International Space Station in 360° with ESA astronaut Matthias Maurer. Attached to Node 3, PMM is a large, reusable, pressurised element that was originally used to ferry cargo to and from the Station. It can hold up to 16 racks of equipment, experiments and supplies and has an end-cone with additional storage space for cargo bags, trash and other items. The only thing PMM has no room for is a fear of enclosed spaces. Watch as Matthias maneuvers between the boxes and bags in this vital module in orbit. Matthias is currently living and working aboard the International Space Station for his first mission, Cosmic Kiss. Find out more about Matthias and his ESA mission on the Cosmic Kiss mission webpage. Follow Matthias: https://bit.ly/ESACosmicKiss

** ISS Live video stream – IBM/ISS HD Earth Viewing Experiment

Currently, live views from the ISS are streaming from an external camera mounted on the ISS module called Node 2. Node 2 is located on the forward part of the ISS. The camera is looking forward at an angle so that the International Docking Adapter 2 (IDA2) is visible. If the Node 2 camera is not available due to operational considerations for a longer period of time, a continuous loop of recorded HDEV imagery will be displayed. The loop will have “Previously Recorded” on the image to distinguish it from the live stream from the Node 2 camera. After HDEV stopped sending any data on July 18, 2019, it was declared, on August 22, 2019, to have reached its end of life. Thank You to all who shared in experiencing and using the HDEV views of Earth from the ISS to make HDEV so much more than a Technology Demonstration Payload!

====

=== Amazon Ads ===

LEGO Ideas International Space Station Building Kit,
Adult Set for Display,
Makes a Great Birthday Present
(864 Pieces)

====

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