In Space Infrastructure, Living in Space, Space Settlement

Space habitat reports – May.30.2025

Here is a new selection of videos, articles, and news items about space habitats (govt and commercial), living in space, and space settlement.

=== International Space Station & NASA

** Space to Ground: Return Items: May 30, 2025 | NASA

**Jonny Kim Discusses Life In Space With Meltwater Summit Attendees – Wednesday, May 7, 2025 | NASA Video

Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition 73 flight engineer Jonny Kim of NASA discussed life and work aboard the orbital outpost during an in-flight interview with attendees at the Meltwater Summit in New York City. Kim, is 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 flights as part of NASA’s Moon and Mars exploration approach, including lunar missions through NASA’s Artemis program.

** Recent parking at the ISS:

** Growing private gardens on the ISS:

=== Commercial space habitats

** Axiom Space

— Designing the habitation module:

** Sierra Space

— NASA Fires Hypervelocity Projectile at Inflatable Space Station | Sierra Space Youtube

Sierra Space recently conducted successful hypervelocity impact trials at NASA’s White Sands Test Facility in Las Cruces, New Mexico, to optimize the structural integrity of Sierra Space’s Large Integrated Flexible Environment (LIFE®) habitat. The goal of this NASA-supported testing was to refine a shield for the company’s expandable, flexible space station structure to make it capable of withstanding impacts from hazards on orbit.

See also Sierra Space Advances Space Station Technology With Hypervelocity Impact Testing at NASA White Sands | Sierra Space – Apr.24.2025

Sierra Space, a leading commercial space company and defense tech prime that is building a platform in space to benefit and protect life on Earth, announced today that it recently conducted successful hypervelocity impact trials at NASA’s White Sands Test Facility in Las Cruces, New Mexico, to optimize the structural integrity of Sierra Space’s Large Integrated Flexible Environment (LIFE®) habitat. The goal of this NASA-supported testing was to refine a shield for the company’s expandable, flexible space station structure to make it capable of withstanding impacts from hazards on orbit.

The LIFE habitat’s shield, constructed from innovative, high-strength, flexible “softgoods” – a chemically-woven fabric material called Vectran® – provides a lightweight yet durable alternative to traditional rigid structures. The Sierra Space and NASA test teams used a two-stage light gas gun to simulate micrometeoroid and orbital debris (MMOD) impacts to LIFE’s outer shield. The testing aimed to select materials and configurations that enhance the habitat’s shielding performance while achieving significant mass savings – critical for space missions. You can view and download video of the test campaign here and photos here.

“Our innovative space station technology drives scientific discovery and fuels a low-Earth orbit economy,” said Shawn Buckley, Vice President, Space Destinations Systems at Sierra Space. “This collaboration with NASA advances our efforts to development a shield that protects against micrometeoroids and space debris, bringing us closer to launching the LIFE habitat into orbit and readying our technology for repeat and long-duration space missions.”

The impact testing, conducted under an unfunded Space Act Agreement called Collaborations for Commercial Space Capabilities (CCSC-2), used NASA’s .50 caliber two-stage light gas gun to replicate MMOD traveling at speeds around seven kilometers per second. Housed in the Remote Hypervelocity Test Laboratory, the gun uses gunpowder (the first stage) and highly compressed hydrogen (the second stage) to accelerate projectiles at high velocities to simulate orbital debris impacts on spacecraft and satellite materials and components. Testing is conducted in a near vacuum chamber to simulate space conditions.

— Growing veggies in space:

— Sierra wins NASA funding to study inflatable modules for lunar shelters: Sierra Space Wins $3.6M NASA Lunar Logistics Contract | Payload – May.29.2025

Sierra Space secured a one-year, $3.6M NASA contract to study how its inflatable space station technology could provide logistical infrastructure for future lunar bases.

The contract—part of NASA’s NextSTEP-2 Appendix R set of studies—tasks Sierra Space with examining how it would upgrade its LEO space station technology to withstand the lunar environment, given the Moon’s sharp regolith and extra gravity.

** Starlab – Voyager Technologies

— Vision research in microgravity: Starlab Space and Balance Ophthalmics Partner to Address Astronaut Vision Loss | Starlab – May.12.2025

Starlab Space LLC and Balance Ophthalmics have partnered to find a solution for Spaceflight-Associated Neuro-Ocular Syndrome, a condition that describes functional changes to the eyes of astronauts. One in three astronauts on long-duration International Space Station missions experiences symptoms of SANS, including hyperopic shifts, globe flattening, choroidal/retinal folds and cotton wool spots. If not addressed, prolonged microgravity exposure, including during missions to the Moon or Mars, could cause complete and irreversible vision loss for astronauts.

This partnership demonstrates Starlab’s commitment to scientific research and to safe and repeatable space flight experiences. The company aims to enhance astronauts’ way of life today on the International Space Station, while also setting a baseline for further improvement and future use on Starlab. Dual-use technologies are key to this effort, jumpstarting discoveries that can transform humanity both on Earth and in space.

Balance Ophthalmics has developed the first and only non-invasive, non-pharmaceutical way to treat eye pressure. The FYSX™ Ocular Pressure Adjusting Pump features a quiet, compact, portable pump combined with innovative pressure sensing goggles. The device has been granted FDA DeNovo Classification and shown to lower pressure in every patient at every visit while worn.

“While our issues are reversed in space – we need to increase pressure on the eyes rather than lower it – the technology behind Balance Ophthalmics can be a game changer for future space missions and improve our customer experience on Starlab. I’m looking forward to partnering with Balance, addressing this critical concern and exploring the many other benefits of the technology, so that our astronauts can clearly and completely focus on their best work,” said Tim Kopra, Starlab CEO.

— Starlab in Europe:

** VAST

—- Haven-1 habitat construction ahead of schedule: Vast to complete Haven-1 primary structure in July 2025, ahead of target May 2026 launch date | SpaceflightNow – May.7.2025

— Testing of primary structure:

—- Vast to launch Haven-1, the world’s first commercial  space station, in May 2026 | Spaceflight Now on YouTube

The International Space Station, a beacon of research and technological advancements in a low Earth orbit, microgravity environment, is nearing the end of its operational life. Vast, a commercial space station company based in Long Beach, California, is working on its bid to replace the ISS as part of NASA’s Commercial LEO Development (CLD) program.

As part of its proof of concept, Vast plans to launch the single-module, Haven-1 space station into LEO no earlier than May 2026. It will be followed by the first crewed mission to this new orbiting laboratory no earlier than late June 2026.

Spaceflight Now Reporter Will Robinson-Smith toured Vast’s Haven-1 Experience at the 40th Space Symposium with Vast CEO Max Haot and spoke with Lead Astronaut Andrew Feustel to learn about the design, manufacturing and vision for Vast’s first foray into creating a commercial space station. Haven-1 is designed to pave the way for the multi-module Haven-2, which is Vast’s entrant to become the successor to the ISS.

Chapters:
00:00 – Introduction
00:34 – Our tour begins…
00:58 – Haven-1 overview
02:46 – Lead Astronaut Drew Feustel
03:53 – Science partners
06:51 – Vast and CLD development
08:36 – Glimpse of Haven-2
08:56 – Haven-1 hatch and SpaceX partnership
12:40 – Crew quarters and Vast Haven-1 sleep system
14:49 – Hardware progress on Haven-1
19:14 – Working towards Haven-2

—- Inside Vast Headquarters: Where Next Generation Space Stations Are Built | VAST Youtube

— More touring of Vast’s facilities:

— Testing the domed window:

— NASA assists Vast with development of air filtration systems for station modules: NASA Helps with Progress on Vast’s Haven-1 Commercial Space Station | NASA – May.29.2025

NASA-supported commercial space station, Vast’s Haven-1, recently completed a test of a critical air filter system for keeping future astronauts healthy in orbit. Testing confirmed the system can maintain a safe and healthy atmosphere for all planned Haven-1 mission phases.

Testing of the trace contaminant control system was completed at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, as part of a reimbursable Space Act Agreement. Vast also holds an unfunded Space Act Agreement with NASA as part of the second Collaborations for Commercial Space Capabilities initiative.

The subsystem of the environmental control and life support system is comprised of various filters designed to scrub hazardous chemicals produced by both humans and materials on the commercial station. During the test, a representative chemical environment was injected into a sealed environmental chamber, and the filtration system was turned on to verify the trace contaminant control system could maintain a healthy atmosphere.

“Testing of environmental control systems and subsystems is critical to ensure the health and safety of future commercial space station crews,” said Angela Hart, program manager for NASA’s Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. “Through NASA’s agreements with Vast and our other industry partners, the agency is contributing technical expertise, technologies, services, and facilities to support companies in the development of commercial stations while providing NASA important insight into the development and readiness to support future agency needs and services in low Earth orbit.”

Experts used the same environmental chamber at Marshall to test the International Space Station environmental control and life support system.

The knowledge and data gained during the recent testing will help validate Vast’s Haven-1 and support future Haven-2 development.

=== Chinese space habitats

** Shenzhou-20 astronauts complete successful 8-hour spacewalk | CNSA Watcher – Archives

08:50 to 16:49, extravehicular activities lasted a total of 7 hours and 59 minutes
【Shenzhou-20 astronauts successfully completed their first extravehicular activity】At 16:49 today, after about 8 hours of extravehicular activities, Shenzhou-20 astronauts Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui, and Wang Jie closely cooperated with ground research personnel and successfully completed their first extravehicular task. At 08:50, astronaut Chen Dong opened the hatch of the core module and was the first to exit. After Chen Dong boarded the robotic arm, with the coordination of astronaut Chen Zhongrui … full text

Source: https://m.weibo.cn/status/Pt70Zzzxd

** Chinese astronauts conduct spacewalk to add space debris protection on Tiangong space station | VideoFromSpace

Shenzhou-20 astronauts Chen Dong and Chen Zhongrui conducted a spacewalk outside the Tiangong space station on May 22, 2025. The “complete multiple tasks, including the installation of space debris protection devices,” according to China Central Television.

** Shenzhou-20 Crew Thriving in Space Station Orbit | CNSA Watcher – Archives

The Shenzhou-20 crew has been busy in orbit for half a month since arriving at the Chinese space station on April 25. Astronauts Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui, and Wang Jie have quickly adapted to the microgravity environment and smoothly started their “business trip to space.” Let’s take a look!

=== Mars habitation

** Elon Musk gives his latest update on the SpaceX plan for a Mars settlement:

— A discussion of the SpaceX plan:

— See also:

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

=== Earth views from ISS

** ISS astronaut Nichole “Vapor” Ayers posts views of Earth:

** 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