In Space Infrastructure, Living in Space, SpaceCasts

Videos: “Space to Ground” + Other ISS reports – Sept.24.2021

Here is the latest episode in NASA’s Space to Ground weekly report on activities related to the International Space Station:

** Spacewalk season timelapse, episode 4 – European Space Agency, ESA

Timelapse video made during ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet’s second mission to the International Space Station, “Alpha”. ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet and JAXA astronaut Akihiko Hoshide performed a spacewalk on 12 September 2021 to prepare for the installation of a new solar array on the International Space Station. The new solar arrays, called IROSA or ISS Roll-Out Solar Array, are being gradually installed over the existing arrays to boost the International Space Station’s power system. Thomas and NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough prepared and installed two IROSA solar panels across three spacewalk in June. The arrays were taken from their storage area outside the Space Station and passed from spacewalker to spacewalker to the worksite. There the rolled arrays were secured, unfolded, connected and then unfurled. …

** Node 1 | Space Station 360 (in French with English subtitles available) – ESA – European Space Agency, ESA

ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet takes you on a tour of the International Space Station like no other. Filmed with a 360 camera, the Space Station 360 series lets you explore for yourself alongside Thomas’s explanation – episode five is NASA’s Node-1, also known as Unity.

Unity is the module that connects the Russian segment of the International Space Station to the other modules. Launched on 4 December 1998 inside Space Shuttle Endeavour, it was joined to the Russian Zarya module two days later, forming the basis of the International Space Station. The cylindrical module has six docking ports to connect visiting spacecraft and other modules. 

Follow Thomas: https://blogs.esa.int/exploration/it/category/astronauts/thomas-pesquet/

** Destiny laboratory – a day in the life of Thomas Pesquet – European Space Agency, ESA

ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet is sharing scenes from life on board the International Space Station during his second mission “Alpha”. He shared this video moving through NASA’s Destiny laboratory, detailing the elements of a normal day in the research module. From the exercise bike to the robotics workstation and all the research facilities, Thomas shows how astronauts work in the US space laboratory. Over 200 experiments are planned during Thomas’ time in space, with 40 European ones and 12 new experiments led by the French space agency #CNES. …

** See the Inspiration4 crew peer through the SpaceX Crew Dragon cupola window for 1st time – VideoFromSpace

The crew of SpaceX’s Inspiration4 mission were amazed as they opened the hatch of the new Cupola window on the Crew Dragon Resilience. Full Story: [https://www.space.com/spacex-inspiration4-unveil-cupola-window-video]

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Activism, Roundup, SpaceCasts

Space policy roundup – Sept.21.2021

A sampling of links to recent space policy, politics, and government (US and international) related space news and resource items that I found of interest (find previous space policy roundups here):

International space

Webcasts:

** Tour of NASA Moon Rover South Pole Landing Site – NASA

In 2023, NASA’s Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, or VIPER, will land near the western edge of the Nobile Crater at the Moon’s South Pole to map and explore the region’s surface and subsurface for water and other resources. Learn more: https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/na…

** The Space Show – Tuesday, Sept.14.2021 – Dr. Thomas Matula discussed “his two papers and ideas on space settlement and the benefits for Earth from space settlement“.

** Shenzhou-12 Taikonauts Safely Return to Earth, More News on China’s Mars UAV, Weekly Launch Update – Dongfang Hour – YouTube

Hello and welcome to another episode of the Dongfang Hour China Space News Roundup! A kind reminder that we cover many more stories every week in our Newsletter (newsletter.dongfanghour.com).

This week, we discuss:
00:00 Introduction
01:00 The Shenzhou 12 crew de-orbits and returns safely to Earth
06:29 Major launch update including Space Transportation and Orienspace
18:10 Updates on China’s Mars UAV

See also the show summary at Dongfang Hour China Aerospace News Roundup 13 – 19 September 2021 – SpaceWatch.Global.

** A new fleet of Moon landers will set sail next year, backed by private companies – Science/AAAS

Who knew outsourcing could extend to outer space? In some ways, that’s the aim of NASA’s $2.6-billion initiative meant to galvanize the private sector’s development of Moon landers and rovers.

** Space Café WebTalk – Law Breakfast 4 – 22. July 2021 – spacewatch. global – News Room – YouTube

In the latest Space Café “Law Breakfast with Steven Freeland”, Steven Freeland and Torsten Kriening welcomed Elina Morozova and Andrzej Misztal at the wonderful ‘Coffee-Desk’ Café in Warsaw.

** Space Policy Edition: The cultural rituals of space advocacy, with Linda Billings – Planetary Radio/Planetary Society

Communication is culture, says Dr. Linda Billings, an expert in social science and space outreach. So what culture is summed by the types of space advocacy that call for pioneering, colonization and conquest of nature? Linda talks about the importance of language and context when advocating for space, and how we should consider other cultural values and frameworks for effective public engagement.

** September 17, 2021 Zimmerman/Batchelor podcast – Behind The Black/Robert Zimmerman

** September 14, 2021 Zimmerman/Batchelor podcast – Behind The Black/Robert Zimmerman

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Activism, Space Policy, SpaceCasts

The Space Show this week – Sept.21.2021

The guests and topics of discussion on The Space Show this week:

1. Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2021; 7 pm PDT (9 pm CDT, 10 pm EDT): We welcome back Dan Adamo to discuss orbital debris mitigation, Starlink, Inspiration 4 and much more.

2. Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2021 – 1:00 pm PDT (3 pm CDT, 4 pm EDT): Hotel Mars – Robert (Rob) Godwin will talk about his book on 2001: A Space Odyssey [Amazon link] and the heritage legacy of Kubrick movie.

3. Friday, Sept.24, 2021; 9:30-11 am PDT (11:30 am-1 pm CDT, 12:30-2 pm EDT): We welcome back Jose Ocasio-Christian news and updates for Caleus and The Community In Space LLC.

4. Sunday, Sept.26, 2021; 12-1:30 pm PDT (3-4:30 pm EDT, 2-3:30 pm CDT): We welcome back Open Lines. All calls welcome. Call toll free 1-866-687-7223. We want to hear from you.

Some recent shows:

** Tuesday, Sept.14.2021 – Dr. Thomas Matula discussed “his two papers and ideas on space settlement and the benefits for Earth from space settlement“.

** Friday, Sept.17.2021 – Thomas A. Olson and Walt Anderson described “their communications platform company with HQ in the UK and their nearing operations“.

** Sunday, Sept.19.2021 – Professor Madhu Thangavelu reviewed

his 30+ years of teaching his space architecture design and critical thinking course. He talked about then and now, students over times and more.

** See also:
* The Space Show Archives
* The Space Show Newsletter
* The Space Show Shop

The Space Show is a project of the One Giant Leap Foundation.

The Space Show - David Livingston
The Space Show – Dr. David Livingston

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Future space, Solar Sci-Fi

Books: “Going Interstellar” edited by Les Johnson & Jack McDevitt

Baen Books tells me of the release of a second edition of Going Interstellar in trade paperback:

Essays by space scientists and engineers on the coolest ways and means to get humanity to the stars along with stories by an all-star assortment of talespinners abounding with Hugo and Nebula award winners: Ben Bova, Mike Resnick, Jack McDevitt, Michael Bishop, Sarah A. Hoyt and more.

Some humans may be content staying in one place, but many of us are curious about what’s beyond the next village, the next ocean, the next horizon. Are there others like us out there? How will we reach them?

Wonderful questions. Now get ready for some highly informative and entertaining answers.

Download the comprehensive Teacher’s Guide here.

A sampling of the stories is available.

Going InterstellarCo-editor Les Johnson is a NASA physicist and author.  Check out the list of his books at Baen.

And the other co-editor Jack McDevitt is the Nebula Award–winning author of The Academy [Amazon link] series, including The Long Sunset [Amazon link]. McDevitt posted about the new release of the book in paperback:  Blog #80

As co-editor, I am of course not objective about the collection. Nevertheless I can’t avoid mentioning that the fiction is compelling. What might it really be like to board an interstellar vehicle on a mission to a nearby star that will take years or decades? That some of us would realize, going out, that we would not live long enough to return? And what would it feel like to actually visit another star?

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Education, Rockets, Space Systems

Geared Up for Launch – Immortal Data & NM Tech

An update from Immortal Data on the partnership with students at the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology on a sub-orbital rocket project:

Geared Up for Launch:
Four Years of Space Engineering Takes Flight

August, 30, 2021 (New Mexico) – Innovation works hard behind the scenes, often for years, before its accomplishments see the light of day. This year marks an exciting one for Immortal Data and the students of the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, as their industrial partnership is finally set to take off, with all their hard work on board. Since 2017, IDI and NM Tech students have toiled long hours, developing the payload mounting and attaching system for sub-orbital flight, using extremely strict weight and volume guidelines. Their combined efforts have resulted in a payload that not only holds IDI’s data acquisition and logging system “microDAQ and ShipsStore,” but also includes structural health monitoring capabilities.

Structural Health Monitoring is an important technology that improves flight safety and reduces operation cost of future space systems. By monitoring structural conditions in real time, information on changes and damage can be reported immediately to the support team, which allows fast decisions to be made.

According to Dr. Andrei Zagrai,

“We believe that structural health monitoring will be one of key components in re-usability of future space vehicles. We are very excited to demonstrate its feasibility and integration with the blackbox system developed by Immortal Data. It is a great opportunity to test our ideas during sub-orbital space flight.”

This partnership has been a great opportunity for not only Immortal Data, but also for their partners at NMT. Students have been able to participate in a project that will reshape the future of space safety standards.

“This project is also an excellent example of collaboration between the institute and a commercial company as it has both educational and research objectives. We have an undergraduate student team which helped to design and fabricate payload and gained much experience interacting with space engineers at Immortal Data. A graduate student and a former New Mexico Tech graduate were involved in design, implementation and validation of SHM experiment further advancing research and engineering solutions for space vehicles. We hope that our joint work will help to make spaceflight safer and affordable to everyone.”

Through blended endeavors of passion and drive, NM Tech students and IDI have crafted a piece of technology that will impact the future of space engineering for years to come. IDI ShipStore’s patented solution to accumulate, store, and share sensor data in real time, combined with the enclosure designed by NMT to withstand the rigorous stress of a space launch, is a huge achievement for both parties involved. Immortal Data will be delivering the payload this month in anticipation of the sub-orbital flight scheduled to take place in November. They continue to prove their commitment to safety in space and to the space community.About Immortal Data: Immortal Data is an affordable solution to the data collection and recovery demands of the burgeoning and budget-minded private space craft industry.

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