Space habitat reports – July.17.2024

A selection of videos and news items about space habitats, living in space, and space settlement.

=== International Space Station & NASA

** Space to Ground: Midpoint: July 05, 2024 NASA Johnson

** How Do Astronauts Get Fresh Fruits and Veggies in Space? NASA Johnson

How do astronauts get fresh fruits and veggies in space? While some are shipped to the International Space Station, there’s another option: They can grow them themselves.

In microgravity, crews have successfully grown a variety of plants including mustard greens, kale, and… you guessed it: peppers. Learn how space gardening works and why it helps astronauts.

** Expedition71 NASA Astronaut Matt Dominick Talks With KGTV-TV San Diego – Friday, July 12, 2024 – 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 July 12 with KGTV-TV, San Diego. 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.

=== Commercial space habitats

** Axiom Space

—- Testing of thrusters for Axiom habitats:

—- Pioneering the Future of Commercial Space | Tech.eu Summit London 2024Axiom Space Youtube

Matt Ondler, President @Axiom Space

—- New, improved space suits. An overview of spacesuits in development by Axiom, Collins, and SpaceX: Tomorrow’s spacesuits | Aerospace America – June.2024

For its lunar suit, Axiom chose yet a third method of entry. Instead of the zippers on the Apollo suit, Artemis III astronauts will don their Axiom suits through the rear, via a hatch on the side of the life support systems backpack — similar to the door of a front-loading washing machine. After swinging open the hatch, an astronaut inserts feet, then arms, “and you just kind of fall into it,” Ralston says. Axiom chose a design without a rigid frame, believing this would reduce the chance of astronauts injuring themselves if they contorted their bodies while putting on the suits.

That soft outer pressure garment — made of a material that Axiom is not disclosing — is interspersed with joints at the shoulders, elbows, hips and knees. “We’ve done a lot of testing to iterate the types of basic joints that we use and how we pattern the different soft goods to enable flexibility, like bending your elbow or bending your arm,” Ralston says.

** Look inside the first commercial space station | Hard ResetFreeThink

The international space station is getting an update, and its future iteration is not just a space station – it’s a space factory. Axiom Space is launching the first commercial space station in the next few years, which will open the door to a new era in the space economy.

To become the first commercial space station, Axiom has had to rethink everything about how we live in space. We got a tour of the space station development facility, which is … inside an abandoned retail store?

Axioms’s approach might seem scrappy, but these unassuming ingredients are coming together to make something incredible. With a series of four-week sprints, nimble mock-ups allow experienced astronauts to test out the designs they’ll be relying on in space.

Follow us as we get a preview inside the future of space tech.

0:00: Welcome to Hard Reset: Axiom Space
0:28: Axiom Space is pioneering the first commercial space factory
1:06: What is the potential of manufacturing in space?
4:06: Why implement a fail-fast approach to space?
4:54: Are higher-volume space habitats possible?
8:32: How can we strike a balance of practicality vs. aesthetics in space design?
9:20: How many tools does it take to assemble and disassemble the ISS?
12:10: How can we make space suit improvements for mobility and fit issues?
17:08 : How fast can this tech orbit the earth?
18:12: What is the future of space manufacturing?

** Gravitics

Gravitics will build a habitat module for Axiom‘s commercial space station:

Gravitics, Inc. announced today that it has been awarded a $125-million contract by Axiom Space to provide a pressurized spacecraft that will support Axiom Station operations. The Gravitics spacecraft will play a utility role and will be capable of providing various services while attached to the commercial space station.

“Axiom Space and Gravitics are working together to develop space infrastructure to enable a sustainable global space economy in low-Earth orbit,” said Matt Ondler, President of Axiom Space. “Our next-gen platform, Axiom Station, will provide new pathways to space for traditional space users and non-traditional industries. We are expanding commercial opportunities in space, from in-space manufacturing to technology demonstrations to research and innovative solutions that will advance civilization.”

More at:

** Sierra SpaceAstro Garden project aims for high production of vegetables in space.

** American commercial space stations increasingly international – Laura Forczyk

The US space industry is preparing to transition from the government-run International Space Station to commercial space stations. These private facilities are increasing their ties to non-American companies and governments to expand their customer and user base. Meanwhile, India and Russia have their own sovereign space station plans.

Gravitics to Build Space Infrastructure for Commercial Space Station: https://www.gravitics.com/news/axi4css

Japanese venture seeks to develop commercial space station module: https://spacenews.com/japanese-ventur…

Moon Monday #183 and Indian Space Progress #17: The one where Chandrayaan and Gaganyaan converge: https://jatan.space/moon-monday-issue…

Roscosmos chief approves schedule of creating Russian orbital station through 2033: https://tass.com/science/1811099

Grow your business in space: https://astralytical.com/

=== China

** Second EVA for Shenzhou-18 crew: China Station Crew: 2nd Spacewalk, Installation of Space Debris Protection Devices (Video) | Leonard David – July.5.2024

—- Shenzhou-18 Crew Complete Multiple Tasks in Second SpacewalkCCTV Video News Agency

The Shenzhou-18 crew aboard China’s orbiting space station successfully completed multiple tasks in their second spacewalk on Wednesday, according to the China Manned Space Agency.

—- China’s Shenzhou-18 crew preps for 2nd spacewalk, conducts experimentsVideoFromSpace – July.3.2024

Astronauts Ye Guangfu, Li Cong and Li Guangsu are preparing for a 2nd spacewalk aboard the Tiangong space station. They’ve also been conducting and maintaining combustion experiments. Full Story: https://www.space.com/china-shenzhou-…

** New Discoveries Made on Zirconium Alloy at China’s Space Station CCTV Video News Agency

Chinese researchers have conducted in-orbit solidification experiments on zirconium alloy materials in the microgravity environment at China’s Tiangong space station, making important discoveries.

=== Lunar habitation

** Lunar tech initiative: How the Applied Physics Laboratory is tackling Artemis moon exploration | SpaceNews – July.2.2024

The APL is home to a Lunar Surface Innovation Consortium, funded by NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD). That consortium is tackling an array of issues for STMD’s Lunar Surface Innovation Initiative, each important to solve before humanity can spend an extended stay on the moon.

** Radar from LRO satellite shows evidence of a lunar cave promising as a shelter for Moon base:

Abstract of Nature paper:

Several potential subsurface openings have been observed on the surface of the Moon. These lunar pits are interesting in terms of science and for potential future habitation. However, it remains uncertain whether such pits provide access to cave conduits with extensive underground volumes. Here we analyse radar images of the Mare Tranquillitatis pit (MTP), an elliptical skylight with vertical or overhanging walls and a sloping pit floor that seems to extend further underground. The images were obtained by the Mini-RF instrument onboard the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter in 2010. We find that a portion of the radar reflections originating from the MTP can be attributed to a subsurface cave conduit tens of metres long, suggesting that the MTP leads to an accessible cave conduit beneath the Moon’s surface. This discovery suggests that the MTP is a promising site for a lunar base, as it offers shelter from the harsh surface environment and could support long-term human exploration of the Moon.

A view from orbit of the Mare Tranquillitatis pit crater.
Credits: NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University

=== Space habitat technology

** Broadcast 4227 Joe Carroll | The Space Show – July.9.2024

Joe addressed artificial gravity via different methods, companies working on some type of spin gravity space station, what we need to know before humans leave LEO for long duration flights, challenges, Artemis, Mars and much more

** Microgravity biology research:

— Using microgravity to understand osteoarthritis:

Astronauts Struggle To Eat Their Space Food and Scientists Want to Know Why | Universe Today – July.16.2024

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

=== Earth views from ISS

** Highlight: NorCal #BAYAREA to SoCal – Jul 3, 2024 – 07:26 PDTISS 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

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ISS after undocking of STS-132

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Outpost in Orbit:
A Pictorial & Verbal History of the Space Station