Space habitat reports – Mar.6.2024 | 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:

** NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 Flight Day 2 Highlights – NASA Video

NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin arrived at the International Space Station when their Dragon spacecraft autonomously docked to the forward-facing port of the Harmony module at 2:28 a.m. Eastern Standard Time on March 5 following a launch on March 3 on the Endeavour spacecraft aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Following docking, the quartet opened the hatch and floated onboard the orbital outpost before providing welcoming remarks as its mission aboard the space station began. The four crew members will conduct a long-duration science 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.

** Space Station Crew Talks with WUSA-TV, Washington D.C., University of Maryland – March 6, 2024 – NASA Video

Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition 70 Flight Engineers Michael Barratt and Jeanette Epps discussed life and work aboard the orbital outpost during an in-flight interview March 6 with WUSA-TV in Washington, D.C. and the University of Maryland. Barratt and Epps are the midst of long-duration missions 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.

** Uncovering the Secrets of the International Space Station (Full Episode) | Superstructures – National Geographic

The International Space Station is taken apart to uncover its engineering secrets.

** Expedition 70 Space Station Crew Talks with NPR’s Short Wave Podcast – March 4, 2024 – NASA Video

Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition 70 Flight Engineer Loral O’Hara of NASA discussed life and work aboard the orbital outpost during an in-flight interview March with NPR’s “Short Wave” podcast. O’Hara is in the midst of 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.

** Virtual Reality for body and mind – European Space Agency, ESA

ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen explains how two experiments involving virtual reality makes on International Space Station. The first is Virtual Assistance Mental Balance (VAMB) where Andreas gets to enjoy a calm setting in nature that helps him relax. The second one is VR for Exercise, where he cycles on the Space Station’s exercise bike and through different bike routes in Denmark on the VR headset, which has quickly become a favourite for Andreas.

Timestaps of the video:
00:00 – 00:09 Intro
00:10 – 02:13 First experiment
02:14 – 04:48 Second experiment
04:49 – 05:09 Outro

** Sierra Space:

Crew-8 are on their way to the @Space_Station. Members of the crew visited Sierra Space last August to train Dream Chaser, Tenacity. During the crew’s stay, Tenacity is scheduled to make its maiden voyage to deliver cargo to the ISS.

Link: https://t.co/qjH33Nly1M pic.twitter.com/GaP5yd9lO8

— Sierra Space (@SierraSpaceCo) March 4, 2024

** Shenzhou-17 Crew Complete 2nd Extravehicular Mission – CCTV Video News Agency

The Shenzhou-17 crew members, who are currently on board China’s space station, have completed their second extravehicular mission at 13:32 Beijing time on Saturday, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).

** Other news and articles:

** Space settlement

—- Why This Startup is Mining Asteroids – Spiral

Embark on an adventure about the future of space colonization with Joel Sercel, the founder of TransAstra, a startup working on mining asteroids to potentially build cities in space. This film explores the history of homo sapiens, our sustainability troubles here on earth, why we must move to space, and how now is the perfect time to start.

Learn more about TransAstra: https://transastra.com/

** Views from space stations

—- Highlight: Crew8 on approach – Mar 5 2024 – 06:40 utc – ISS Above

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

—- Highlight: Night – Phoenix AZ – Mar 3, 2024 – 23:26 MST – 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