Videos: “Space to Ground” & other space habitat reports – Apr.3.2023

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

** Artemis II: Meet the Astronauts Who will Fly Around the Moon – NASA

Four astronauts have been selected for NASA’s Artemis II mission: Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, and mission specialist Christina Koch from NASA, and mission specialist Jeremy Hansen from the Canadian Space Agency.

Artemis II will be NASA’s first crewed flight test of the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft around the Moon to verify today’s capabilities for humans to explore deep space and pave the way for long-term exploration and science on the lunar surface.

More: https://www.nasa.gov/artemis-ii

** Russia’s leaky Soyuz spacecraft undocks from space station for return to Earth – VideoFromSpace

Russia’s Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft that sprung a major coolant leak undocked from the International Space Station on March 28, 2023 at 5:57 a.m. EDT (0957 GMT). It is scheduled to land in Kazakhstan about 2 hours later. Full Story: https://www.space.com/leaky-soyuz-spa…

There was no crew aboard.

** StarMax Space Station Module Pressure Test – Gravitics Inc – YouTube

First ever pressure test of the Gravitics space station prototype was successful

On Wednesday, March 15th, 2023, Gravitics conducted a pressure vessel test of an 8 meter diameter StarMax prototype hull, ahead of building our first StarMax prototype. In the weeks leading up to the test date, the team worked vigorously to build and prepare the test article by joining two 8-meter domes, preparing our data analytics software, and building out a safe test site. The test was a complete success, reaching an internal pressure level of 26.6 PSIG (pounds per square inch gauge) and exceeding the test goal parameters set by the engineering and manufacturing teams.

Reaching and surpassing the goals for this test means Gravitics has proven the space worthiness of our 8 meter StarMax hull. This test represents a key milestone in Gravitics’ drive to expand human life into the solar system and continue to push the boundaries of what humanity will achieve in space. #BuildtheSky

** China’s Shenzhou-15 Astronauts Complete Third Spacewalk – CCTV Video News Agency

The Shenzhou-15 astronauts onboard China’s Tiangong space station completed their third spacewalk on Thursday, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).

** 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