Space habitat reports – Apr.27.2024 | Space-for-All at HobbySpace

Here is this week’s selection of videos, news items, and articles about space habitats, living in space, and space settlement.

=== International Space Station & NASA

** Space to Ground: Outside the Hatch: April 26, 2024 – NASA Johnson

** NASA Astronaut Discusses Life in Space with CBS News – NASA Video

Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition 71 Flight Engineer Matt Dominick of NASA discussed life and work aboard the orbital outpost during an in-flight interview April 23 with CBS News Streaming Service. Dominick is in the midst of a long-duration mission aboard the microgravity laboratory to advance scientific knowledge and demonstrate new technologies for future human and robotic exploration flights as part of NASA’s Moon and Mars exploration approach, including lunar missions through NASA’s Artemis program.

** Space Station Crew Prepares Science for Dragon Departure – NASA Johnson

NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick closes out the Dragon spacecraft in preparation for its scheduled departure in late April. Dragon will return to Earth with samples and hardware from several experiments for further study.

Watch the return coverage via NASA+: https://go.nasa.gov/3QFeKon

** Roscosmos spacewalk to be conducted outside Space Station – NASA Johnson

This animation discusses the upcoming spacewalk in which Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub of the Expedition 71 crew will egress the Poisk airlock to complete the deployment of one panel on a synthetic radar system on the Nauka module and install equipment and experiments on the Poisk module to analyze the level of corrosion on station surfaces and modules. It will be the 270th spacewalk in support of station maintenance and upgrades, the seventh for Kononenko and the second for Chub.

=== Commercial space habitats

** Axiom negotiating with NASA for changes in installation sequence of ISS modules:

Also from the NAC HEO meeting: NASA says Axiom Space has requested a modification to its agreement with NASA to change the sequence of modules they plan to add to the ISS to allow them to become a free-flyer after two module launches. pic.twitter.com/4oGmHQJSOW

— Jeff Foust (@jeff_foust) April 25, 2024

** Team Axiom Crew Earth Observations – Axiom Space Youtube – Axiom Space

Happy Earth Day! During a mission, crews conduct multiple experiments aimed at advancing research and innovation #ForEarth, as well as getting some of the best views of our planet. Thanks to Ax-3 Commander Michael López-Alegría, some members of #TeamAxiom received some memorable photos.
— — —

Axiom Space is building for beyond, guided by the vision of a thriving home in space that benefits every human, everywhere. The leading provider of human spaceflight services and developer of human-rated space infrastructure, Axiom Space operates end-to-end missions to the International Space Station today while developing its successor, Axiom Station – the world’s first commercial space station in low-Earth orbit, which will sustain human growth off the planet and bring untold benefits back home. For more information about Axiom Space, visit www.axiomspace.com.

** Gravitics wins Space Force grant to develop orbital platforms based on company’s space habitat modules: Gravitics Awarded U.S. Space Force Contract for Tactically Responsive Space Development | Gravitics – Apr.25.2024

Gravitics, Inc. announced today it has been awarded a $1.7M Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Direct-to-Phase II contract from SpaceWERX. In partnership with Space Systems Command’s Space Safari Program Office, this effort will focus on a new mission area for Gravitics, Tactically Responsive Space (TacRS). Under this contract, Gravitics will leverage its commercial space station product architecture to develop orbital platforms that will enable rapid and flexible response options for the United States Space Force. Gravitics’ commercial space station modules can support a wide range of military and civilian applications, including in-space rapid response applications.

“We are looking at all options to meet the mission on tactically relevant timelines. The Gravitics space station module offers an unconventional and potentially game-changing solution for TacRS,” said Lt Col Jason Altenhofen, Space Safari’s Director of Operations. “As we look into the future, the innovative use of commercial technologies will be an important aspect to solving some of our toughest challenges.”

“Developing and manufacturing commercial space station modules will continue to be at the core of our company mission,” said Colin Doughan, CEO of Gravitics. “Gravitics is thrilled to have the opportunity to offer these commercial capabilities to the Department of Defense.

I’ll note that Gravitics is not a contractor in NASA’s commercial space station partnership program. So I’m sure they are eagerly looking for support from other funding sources such as the Space Force.

** Roadmap Artificial Gravity Station – VAST Youtube

VAST releases this animation demonstrating how a multi-module station would provide artificial gravity via spin. The outermost end of a module will become the floor for that volume. Moving outward from the center, a person would experience increasing gravity. This would allow one floor to provide lunar level gravity and another floor farther out to provide Mars gravity.

=== Chinese space habitats

— Replay! China’s Shenzhou 18 crew launches to Tiangong space station – VideoFromSpace

A Chinese Long March 2F rocket launched the Shenzhou 18 crew to the Tiangong space station from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on April 25, 2024. Full Story: https://www.space.com/china-launches-…

— China’s Shenzhou-18 Manned Spaceship Docks with Space Station Combination – CCTV Video News Agency

China’s Shenzhou-18 manned spaceship successfully docked with the space station combination on Friday, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).

— Shenzhou-18, Shenzhou-17 Astronauts Meet Inside Space Station – CCTV Video News Agency

The astronauts of the Shenzhou-18 manned spaceship met with their Shenzhou-17 colleagues after arriving at the Tiangong space station in the early hours of Friday (Beijing Time).

— Zebrafish Enter Orbit on China Space Station, In Stable Condition – CCTV Video News Agency

Four zebrafish brought into orbit by the Shenzhou-18 spaceflight mission are in stable condition after being transferred to a lab module aboard the China Space Station on Friday morning, according to an institute responsible for the experiment.

** Lunar habitation:

— Chinese Scientists Unveil Lunar Research Station Prototype – CCTV Video News Agency

Chinese scientists have recently unveiled their groundbreaking prototype for a lunar research station.

Known as the “Moon Pot,” this innovative structure was designed by a team of researchers from Huazhong University of Science and Technology. Resembling an arched structure reminiscent of an eggshell, the Moon Pot aims to provide a living and research space for astronauts on the moon.

** Work to Land Taikonauts on Moon Before 2030 Goes Smoothly – CCTV Video News Agency

Work to land China’s taikonauts on the moon before 2030 is going on smoothly, with component systems under research and development as planned, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) said at a press conference in Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on Wednesday.

=== Other space habitat and settlement news and articles:

=== Earth views from ISS

** Highlight: Australia NSW – Canberra – Apr 26, 2024 – 14:09 AEST – ISS Above

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

** Highlight: NorCal – SoCal #BayArea #SaltonSea – Apr 27, 2024 09:54 PDT – 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