Videos: “Space to Ground” & other space habitat reports – Sept.26.2023

This week’s selection of videos about space stations and living in space including NASA’s latest Space to Ground report for the International Space Station:

** Vibrant Communities Beyond Earth are Possible – VideoFromSpace

Join the BEYOND EARTH SYMPOSIUM in Washington D.C., November 1-2: https://www.beyondearthsymposium.org The Beyond Earth Institute’s founder and senior staff explain their mission to drive policy and legal frameworks that will economically enable communities beyond Earth. This non-profit “think tank” focuses on catalyzing the technologies, support, and public policies needed to achieve a permanent, sustainable human presence in space. https://beyondearth.org/

** Reinventing the Space Station with LIFE Habitat – Sierra Space

Learn how Sierra Space is driving significant cost savings for operating on-orbit with the LIFE Habitat. This latest successful milestone and the first one in the testing campaign to include a metallic window sub-structure – or blanking plate – now propels Sierra Space into full-scale testing of LIFE by the end of this year. The milestone cements the company’s position as the industry leader in commercial space station development for use in low-Earth orbit (LEO) and deep space.

** The first steps of the Huginn mission – European Space Agency, ESA

ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen has begun his Huginn mission, turning the International Space Station into his home and workplace. After piloting on Crew Dragon Endurance as the first non-US pilot, Andreas has started performing European experiments and technology demonstrations with many more to come throughout the mission.

** Andreas Mogensen becomes the new ISS commander – European Space Agency, ESA

ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen became commander of the International Space Station (ISS) on September 26, 2023, in a traditional ceremony in which the departing commander, Sergey Prokopyev, handed over the symbolic key of the Space Station. Mogensen is the sixth European to take on the role of ISS commander.

Mogensen will serve as commander for the rest of his Huginn mission until early 2024. During his command, he will be responsible for overseeing the crew’s activities and ensuring the safety and operation of the Space Station.

** Shenzhou-16 Astronauts Play Ping Pong with Water Droplet in Space – CCTV Video News Agency

Shenzhou-16 astronauts showed off their table tennis skills during a space lecture on the Tiangong Space Station Thursday playing a game of ping pong using a droplet of water instead of a ball.

** Chinese Astronaut Demonstrates Spherical Flame Experiment During Space Lecture – CCTV Video News Agency

China’s Shenzhou-16 astronauts conducted an experiment on Thursday to show the shape of flame in the unique environment inside the Mengtian Lab module of the Tiangong space station.

** 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