Space habitat reports – Dec.22.2023 | Space-for-All at HobbySpace

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:

** Happy Holidays from the Expedition 70 Crew – NASA Johnson

Aboard the International Space Station, NASA astronauts Jasmin Moghbeli and Loral O’Hara along with ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Andreas Mogensen and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Satoshi Furukawa offered their thoughts and well wishes while in orbit this holiday season in a message downlinked on Dec. 18, 2023.

** Expedition 70 SpaceX Dragon CRS-29 Cargo Ship Departs International Space Station – Dec. 21, 2023 – NASA Video

Loaded with scientific experiments and supplies, the unpiloted SpaceX Dragon spacecraft undocked from the International Space Station Dec. 21, completing a month-long mission to the outpost for the company’s 29th commercial resupply services mission for NASA. The spacecraft undocked from the forward port of the Harmony module, headed for a splashdown off the coast of Florida Dec. 22 to complete its flight that delivered several tons of experiments and hardware to the station.

** Expedition 70 Northrop Grumman CRS-19 Cygnus Cargo Craft Departs Space Station – Dec. 22, 2023 – NASA Video

The unpiloted Northrop Grumman Cygnus cargo spacecraft for the company’s 19th commercial resupply services mission for NASA was released from the International Space Station’s Canadarm2 robotic arm Dec. 22 by flight controllers on the ground in Houston, Texas. Cygnus launched on Aug. 1 on an Antares rocket from the Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, beginning its flight to the International Space Station. Following an early Jan. deorbit engine firing, Cygnus will begin a destructive re-entry in which the spacecraft, filled with trash, will burn up in Earth’s atmosphere.

** Expedition 70 Space Station Crew Talks with NBC Morning News Now – Dec. 18, 2023 – NASA Video

Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition 70 Flight Engineer Jasmin Moghbeli of NASA and current space station Commander Andy Mogensen of ESA (European Space Agency) discussed life and work aboard the orbital outpost during an in-flight interview Dec. 18 with NBC’s Morning News Now. Moghbeli and Mogensen 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 missions. Such research benefits people on Earth and lays the groundwork for future human exploration through the agency’s Artemis missions, which will send astronauts to the Moon to prepare for future expeditions to Mars.

** Major Milestones Achieved Through the ISS National Lab in 2023 – ISS National Lab

As 2023 comes to a close, the International Space Station (ISS) National Laboratory wraps up a banner year supporting research and technology development (R&D) in low Earth orbit (LEO). The ISS National Lab and NASA work in unison to utilize the orbiting outpost to its fullest capacity, and the achievements from this year demonstrate the increasing demand for access to space for R&D among researchers from diverse fields.

** NASA’s Commercial Crew Program 2023 – NASA’s Kennedy Space Center

NASA’s Commercial Crew Program worked with industry partners Boeing and SpaceX to launch crews to the International Space Station aboard SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and work on critical development elements for Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft as it prepares for a flight test with astronauts aboard. The work of 2023 will continue to provide a reliable basis in 2024 for crew rotation missions and for spacecraft development.

** High-pressure instruction of altitude training – Axiom Space

Thanks to our training partner @KBRincorporated for delivering the high-pressure instruction of altitude training. The #Ax3 crew are all experienced pilots, but they still need to be aware of their responses to changes in atmospheric pressure.

** World’s First Commercial Space Station Burst Test Teaser – Sierra Space

Our team has completed the first ever, full-scale ultimate burst pressure test for our commercial space station. The test was conducted at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center with a full-scale test article that included two metallic blanking plates to support windows that are specifically designed for maximum performance. We look forward to sharing more in January 2024.

** Vast 2023 Year in Review – VAST

2023 was a pivotal year for Vast. In our second year since founding, we:

️Announced our first space station, Haven-1, scheduled to be the world’s first commercial space station when it launches no earlier than August 2025
Revealed our SpaceX launch partnership to launch both Haven-1 and the first crewed expedition, Vast-1
Grew our team from 31 to 285 team members
️ Acquired the space startup Launcher and a test facility at the Mojave Air and Space Port
Moved our headquarters to Long Beach, CA
‍ Grew our esteemed list of advisors to include two veteran NASA astronauts — Dr. Andrew J. Feustel and Dr. Garrett Reisman — and Peter Russell-Clarke, a renowned Apple Industrial Designer

Now 20 months out from the launch of Haven-1, we are making significant progress on its design, development, and build. Stay tuned for what’s to come in 2024.

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Learn more about Haven-1 and our first crewed expedition, Vast-1: www.vastspace.com

** Designer on Extravehicular Maintenance to Space Station – CCTV Video News Agency

The extravehicular maintenance is of vital importance to the long-term operation of a space station, said deputy chief designer of China’s manned space program on Thursday.

** Shenzhou-17 Crew Completes First Spacewalk – CCTV Video News Agency

The Shenzhou-17 crew on board China’s orbiting space station completed their first spacewalk at 21:35 (Beijing Time) on Thursday [Dec.21.2023], according to the China Manned Space Agency.

** Haircut in space! Chinese astronauts show how it’s done on Tiangong space station – VideoFromSpace

Chinese astronaut demonstrate hair cuts and more aboard the Tiangong space station.

** Other news and articles:

** Highlight: ND – Fargo – MN – Winter – Dec 18, 2023 – 11:46 CST – ISS Above

NASA EHDC6 Live views of the Earth from the International 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