Man captures moment he speaks to astronaut after making contact with space station using homemade device – UNILAD

A man managed to contact the International Space Station (ISS) using his own radio equipment at home.

Ham radio enthusiast Doug managed to actually speak to the astronauts on the ISS as it passed overhead in July 2023.

Of all the ham radio contacts you could make, it doesn't get much cooler than that.

Doug revealed that he had wanted to talk to an astronaut for some time, and had previously attempted it.

And now he has finally got his wish, speaking to NASA astronaut Woody Hoburg.

In the video, shared to his YouTube page, Doug can be seen saying his call sign: Kilo Bravo 8 Mike, a number of times before he was finally successful.

Hoburg then replies: Kilo Bravo 8 Mike, NA1SS got you loud and clear aboard the Space Station, welcome aboard.

Underneath his video, Doug wrote: "I've made numerous voice and APRS [Automatic Packet Reporting System] contacts over the FM satellites and the ISS repeater.

"But I've always wanted to talk to an astronaut. Over the Memorial Day weekend I finally made that contact. I made contact with the ISS and talked to Woody Hoburg. What a thrill."

Many astronauts on the ISS also have ham radio licences, and often host scheduled contact sessions with people back on Earth.

NASA, ESA, CSA, and Roscosmos all participate in Amateur Radio on the International Space Station, a program which encourages children to reach out to the station to encourage interest in science.

But occasionally amateur operators do manage to make it through and speak to the astronauts using their own equipment.

If you hadn't already guessed, this is no easy feat to carry out. You can't just start spinning the dials on any old radio and hope for the best.

In fact, it's only really possible when the ISS is in certain positions, so even if you have equipment capable of reaching it you'll have to wait for it to pass overhead.

It's no use trying to contact from the US when the ISS is over Australia.

Ham radio operator Matt Payne and his daughter Isabella also managed to contact the ISS, chatting to astronaut Kjell Lindgren in August 2022.

Matt told IFLScience: It's pretty rare to speak to an astronaut outside of a scheduled educational contact. There are several factors that need to align for it to happen.

He added: The ISS must be passing within LOS [Line Of Sight]... at a time that coincides with an astronauts down time, as in they must not be working doing an official scheduled task.

"There must be an astronaut who is actively using the Amateur Radio equipment to make unscheduled contacts."

That's a pretty long shot, but clearly it does sometimes work out!

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Man captures moment he speaks to astronaut after making contact with space station using homemade device - UNILAD

Isro tests futurist fuel cell system that could power space station – IndiaTimes

BENGALURU: Isro Friday said it has successfully tested a futuristic fuel cell based power system that could help power the proposed space station while also holding the potential for significant societal applications. The 100W class Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell based Power System (FCPS) was tested in space on the PSLV Orbital Experimental Module or POEM, launched onboard PSLV-C58 on January 1. Fuel cell is an ideal power source for the Space Station as it provides both power and pure water. The objective of the experiment was to assess Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel cell operation in space and to collect data to facilitate the design of systems for future missions. During the short duration test onboard POEM, 180W power was generated from Hydrogen and Oxygen gases stored onboard in high-pressure vessels, Isro said.

ISRO rings in New Year with successful launch of PSLV-C58 carrying XPoSat and 10 payloads

The ability to produce electricity directly from fuels without any intermediate step renders them very efficient, the space agency said, adding that with water as the only byproduct, they are totally emission free. These features make them ideal candidates for space missions involving humans where electric power, water and heat are essential since a single system can meet multiple requirements in the mission. Fuel Cells also possess significant societal application potential, Isro said. They are also considered to be the most appropriate solution to replace the engines of various type of vehicles in use today and to power standby power systems. Fuel Cells can provide range and fuel recharge time equaling that of todays conventional engine, which gives them a distinct advantage over batteries, and are expected to facilitate emission free transportation. Fuel cell is an ideal power source for the Space Station as it provides both power and pure water, Isro said.

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Isro tests futurist fuel cell system that could power space station - IndiaTimes

NASAs new Dream Chaser sci-fi space plane ready for final tests as supersonic mini space shuttle wil… – The Sun

A GROUNDBREAKING new sci-fi space plane is gearing up for orbit as it undergoes final tests.

NASA and Sierra Space's Dream Chaser - the world's only commercial spacecraft - is slated to head to the International Space Station in the first half of 2024.

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It will take to the skies with a cargo module known as Shooting Star.

Tenacity - the first in the new fleet of Dream Chaser spaceplanes - has been dubbed the "uncrewed spiritual successor to the Space Shuttle".

Unlike traditional ocean landings, the first-ever winged commercial spacecraft will be able to land on runways - just like the Space Shuttle did.

At 30ft long,its roughly a quarter of the length of the space shuttle orbiters - and can be reused up to 15 times.

It was picked by NASA to deliver, return and dispose of cargo for the International Space Station - carrying critical supplies like food, water, and science experiments.

Commercial space firm Sierra Space said it is "ushering in the next era of space exploration with its revolutionary fleet of Dream Chaser spaceplanes".

Tenacity - the firstof the Dream Chaserspaceplanes - will provide a minimum of seven cargo missions to and from the space station.

It was delivered to NASA's Neil Armstrong Test Facility in Sandusky, Ohio for final testing in mid-December.

The space plane will be stacked on top of the Shooting Star cargo module and undergo rigorous environmental testing.

The test will recreate the extreme vibrations and conditions similar to those experienced during both launch and re-entry into Earth's atmosphere, NASA said.

The spacecraft will be carried by a ULA Vulcan Centaur rocket and is scheduled to launch from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

The Dream Chaser spacecrafts will be engineered to be reused - and compatible with a variety of launch vehicles.

Sierra Space CEO Tom Vice said: "At Sierra Space, we are ushering in the next industrial revolution with a business and technology platform that provides our customers with a complete turn-key solution offering space as a service.

"Our platform includes Dream Chaser, a revolutionary, highly reusable commercial spaceplane with global runway access, and the first business-ready commercial space station."

He said the design "will exponentially decrease the cost of product development and manufacturing in space".

Dream Chaser can be customised for both domestic and international customers for global operation.

NASA said the Shooting Star cargo module is specifically designed to "support delivery and disposal of pressurised and unpressurised cargo to and from the space station".

"The cargo module can be used only once and is disposed of prior to re-entry," the space agency said.

The 15ft Shooting Star cargo attachment can deliver up to 5,000kg of cargo into orbit.

The spacecraft is scheduled to spend around 45 days at the space station on its first trip.

In readiness for Dream Chaser missions to the space station, multiple NASA astronaut crews have visited Sierra Space facilities for training, Sierra Space said.

A second Dream Chaser is already in production at the companys manufacturing base in Colorado.

It comes after NASA successfully tested a new type of rocket engine that could one day get us to Mars quicker.

The engine - called the Rotating Detonation Rocket Engine (RDRE) - uses a new way of burning fuel to produce thrust.

Instead of burning fuel in a continuous stream, the RDRE detonates it in a series of explosions, as shown in a newvideo.

This is meant to create a more efficient and powerful burn - which could propel spacecraft toMarsin as little as four months.

Typically, it takes current engines around six months to reach theRed Planet.

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NASAs new Dream Chaser sci-fi space plane ready for final tests as supersonic mini space shuttle wil... - The Sun

China releases footage of Earth taken from space station – CGTN

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China Manned Space Agencyreleased footage of the Earth taken from the ChinaSpace Station on January 4. The footage shows the scenery of the planet, including the Caspian Sea and China's Xizang Autonomous Region. The space station features a basic three-module configuration consisting of the core module, Tianhe, and two lab modules, Wentian and Mengtian.

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China releases footage of Earth taken from space station - CGTN

Gravity-Defying Research: Cosmic Coatings and Light-Speed Fibers on the Space Station – SciTechDaily

A set of the International Space Stations main solar arrays, slightly obscuring the smaller roll-out solar arrays, and the Kibo laboratory module with its exposed facility, a research platform that hosts external experiments, are pictured 261 miles above the Pacific Ocean. Credit: NASA

A week of science and station upkeep continued on Friday aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Ahead of their off-duty weekend, the seven Expedition 70 crew members completed an array of tasks to wrap up maintenance activities and resume microgravity research investigations.

On Tuesday, NASA Flight Engineer Jasmin Moghbeli kicked off a multi-day-long study investigating the efficiency of an antimicrobial coating in space. JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) Flight Engineer Satoshi Furukawa took over this work on Friday, continuing the investigation to help researchers better understand how the coating holds up over time.

Four Expedition 70 crewmates join each other inside the International Space Stations Unity module for Christmas Eve festivities. From left are, NASA Flight Engineers Jasmin Moghbeli and Loral OHara; Flight Engineer Koichi Wakata from JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency); and Commander Andreas Mogensen from ESA (European Space Agency). Credit: NASA

Furukawa and Moghbeli then teamed up to inspect and change out cartridges in masks that are used in the unlikely event an emergency were to occur on station. Later on, Furukawa transferred data collected earlier this week during his and NASA Flight Engineer Loral OHaras acoustic monitoring sessions. At the end of the day, OHara configured the Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) for an ongoing fiber optics investigation.

Station Commander Andreas Mogensen of ESA (European Space Agency) spent Friday wrapping up tasks conducted earlier this weekstowing spacesuit hardware and charging the VR Mental Care battery. In the evening, Mogensen performed a VR for Exercise session, which focuses on the use of a virtual reality environment for biking aboard the orbiting laboratory. Not only does this mitigate bone and muscle loss that occurs in low-Earth orbit, but can increase motivation for daily exercise and boost morale.

Australias Norman River leads into the Gulf of Carpentaria in this photograph from the International Space Station as it orbited 262 miles above the province of Queensland. Credit: NASA

The Roscosmos trio split up their duties Friday, carrying out ongoing tasks from the week. Flight Engineer Oleg Kononenko removed and replaced hardware in the Zvezda service module, while Flight Engineer Nikolai Chub completed some orbital plumbing. Meanwhile, Flight Engineer Konstantin Borisov performed an experiment that studies the glow of Earths nighttime atmosphere in near-ultraviolet.

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Gravity-Defying Research: Cosmic Coatings and Light-Speed Fibers on the Space Station - SciTechDaily

Crew Wraps Up Station Upkeep, Conducts Fiber Optics and Antimicrobial Investigations on Friday – NASA Blogs

An aurora and an atmospheric glow crown Earths horizon beneath a starry sky in this photograph from the International Space Station as it orbited 262 miles above the Canadian province of Quebec.

A week of science and station upkeep continued on Friday aboard the International Space Station. Ahead of their off-duty weekend, the seven Expedition 70 crew members completed an array of tasks to wrap up maintenance activities and resume microgravity research investigations.

On Tuesday, NASA Flight Engineer Jasmin Moghbeli kicked off a multi-day-long study investigating the efficiency of an antimicrobial coating in space. JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) Flight Engineer Satoshi Furukawa took over this work on Friday, continuing the investigation to help researchers better understand how the coating holds up over time.

Furukawa and Moghbeli then teamed up to inspect and change out cartridges in masks that are used in the unlikely event an emergency were to occur on station. Later on, Furukawa transferred data collected earlier this week during his and NASA Flight Engineer Loral OHaras acoustic monitoring sessions. At the end of the day, OHara configured the Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) for an ongoing fiber optics investigation.

Station Commander Andreas Mogensen of ESA (European Space Agency) spent Friday wrapping up tasks conducted earlier this weekstowing spacesuit hardware and charging the VR Mental Care battery. In the evening, Mogensen performed a VR for Exercise session, which focuses on the use of a virtual reality environment for biking aboard the orbiting laboratory. Not only does this mitigate bone and muscle loss that occurs in low-Earth orbit, but can increase motivation for daily exercise and boost morale.

The Roscosmos trio split up their duties Friday, carrying out ongoing tasks from the week. Flight Engineer Oleg Kononenko removed and replaced hardware in the Zvezda service module, while Flight Engineer Nikolai Chub completed some orbital plumbing. Meanwhile, Flight Engineer Konstantin Borisov performed an experiment that studies the glow of Earths nighttime atmosphere in near-ultraviolet.

Learn more about station activities by following the space station blog, @space_station and @ISS_Research on X, as well as the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts.

Get weekly video highlights at: https://roundupreads.jsc.nasa.gov/videoupdate/

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Crew Wraps Up Station Upkeep, Conducts Fiber Optics and Antimicrobial Investigations on Friday - NASA Blogs

NASA and Russia will keep launching each other’s astronauts to ISS until 2025: report – Space.com

NASA and Russia have agreed to keep launching American astronauts and Russian cosmonauts on each other's spacecraft, media reports suggest.

Roscosmos announced both it and NASA will continue the International Space Station launches with each other's crew members through at least 2025, "to maintain the reliability of the ISS as a whole," according to multiple reports including the Moscow Times.

A NASA spokesperson confirmed the agreement in an email to Space.com. "NASA and Roscosmos have amended the integrated crew agreement to allow for a second set of integrated crew missions in 2024 and one set of integrated crew missions in 2025," the spokesperson wrote. "For continued safe operations of the space station, the integrated crew agreement helps ensure that each crewed spacecraft docked to the station includes an integrated crew with trained crew members in both the Russian and U.S. Operating Segment systems."

NASA and Roscosmos have an existing agreement to launch crew members on each other's spacecraft, to allow for independent launch access for both nations and backup in case of trouble. Right now the manifest includes SpaceX Dragon for NASA missions, and Soyuz for Russia. (When Boeing Starliner is ready, presumably it will be included too for U.S. missions.)

The ISS is manifested to last until at least 2030, as most of the international coalition has agreed to stick with it. Russia will remain until 2028 or so, based on the most recent reports; the country is working on a different set of space plans in the future.

Related: NASA working to get private space stations up and running before ISS retires in 2030

Though NASA and Russia are the chief ISS partners alongside the European Space Agency, Japan and Canada, relations changed in 2022 when Russia invaded Ukraine to the condemnation of most of the world. Most space partnerships were severed with Russia aside from the ISS, which remains for space policy reasons.

Russia and NASA operate different segments of the space station with different operational responsibilities. They also send up cargo ships for resupply missions and interface with the crew in independent mission controls.

Since 2022, Russia has teamed up with China to launch a moon-facing alliance. NASA also has its own group, under the Artemis Accords, a coalition of 30-plus nations that themselves promise peaceful space exploration norms with a subset of countries also participating in moon exploration.

The Artemis Accords aim to put astronauts on the moon no earlier than 2025 with Artemis 3, and have already launched Artemis 1 (uncrewed) in 2022 around the moon. Artemis 2, with four astronauts on board, should launch around the moon in 2024 or so.

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NASA and Russia will keep launching each other's astronauts to ISS until 2025: report - Space.com

STEMonstrations, Station Upkeep, and Hearing Assessments Top Wednesday’s Schedule – NASA Blogs

The suns first rays begin illuminating Earths atmosphere in this photograph from the International Space Station as it orbited 262 miles above the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California.

A STEMonstration, station upkeep, and routine hearing assessments kept the Expedition 70 crew busy on Wednesday. The seven orbital residents split up duties aboard the International Space Station as they continue their microgravity research missions into the new year.

NASA Flight Engineer Jasmin Moghbeli began her day recording a STEMonstration for teachers and students grades 5-8, demonstrating how to use a microscope for cell research aboard the station. To connect with students and teachers around the world, crew members will routinely record short three- to five-minute educational videos that demonstrate popular STEM topics in microgravity. Afterward, Moghbeli moved onto some station and spacesuit upkeep to install restraint straps and stowage bags on spacesuits that will be used for upcoming spacewalks this year, and perform inspections of various modules around the station.

Experiencing 16 sunrises and sunsets per day can affect crew members circadian rhythms while in low-Earth orbit. To counter this, the Circadian Light investigation tests a new lighting system to help astronauts maintain an acceptable circadian rhythm, which could in turn boost cognitive performance. ESA (European Space Agency) Commander Andreas Mogensen began his day performing a Circadian Light assessment before moving into surveying various station segments to send to grounds teams for assessments of station configuration.

JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) Flight Engineer Satoshi Furukawa focused his day on prepping the Life Sciences Glovebox for upcoming research and measuring acoustic levels within the orbiting laboratory.

Near the end of the day, NASA Flight Engineer Loral OHara was joined by cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko, Nikolai Chub, and Konstantin Borisov to complete routine hearing assessments using specially designed space software to measure auditory function while exposed to the microgravity environment.

Kononenko also spent part of his day removing and replacing hardware in the Zvezda service module and running the 3D printer once more, while Borisov picked back up on inventory audits that began yesterday.

Learn more about station activities by following the space station blog, @space_station and @ISS_Research on X, as well as the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts.

Get weekly video highlights at: https://roundupreads.jsc.nasa.gov/videoupdate/

Get the latest from NASA delivered every week. Subscribe here: http://www.nasa.gov/subscribe

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STEMonstrations, Station Upkeep, and Hearing Assessments Top Wednesday's Schedule - NASA Blogs

Mold free: Tomatoes lost for 8 months on space station are missing something in NASA photo – Farmers Advance

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Mold free: Tomatoes lost for 8 months on space station are missing something in NASA photo - Farmers Advance

Experience the Launch of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 Mission – NASA

Digital content creators are invited to register to attend the launch of the eighth SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket that will carry crew to the International Space Station for a science expedition mission. This mission is part of NASAs Commercial Crew Program.

The targeted launch date for the agencys SpaceX Crew-8 mission is no earlier than mid-February from Launch Complex 39A at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The launch will carry NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, commander; Michael Barratt, pilot; and mission specialist Jeanette Epps, as well as Roscosmos cosmonaut mission specialist Alexander Grebenkin, to the International Space Station to conduct a wide range of operational and research activities.

If your passion is to communicate and engage the world online, then this is the event for you! Seize the opportunity to see and share the #Crew8 mission launch.

A maximum of 50 social media users will be selected to attend this three-day event and will be given access similar to news media.

NASA Social participants will have the opportunity to:

NASA Social registration for the Crew-8 launch opens on Friday, Jan. 5, and the deadline to apply is at 3 p.m. EST Tuesday, Jan. 9. All social applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

APPLY NOW

Yes. This event is designed for people who:

Users on all social networks are encouraged to use the hashtag #NASASocial and #Crew8. Updates and information about the event will be shared on X via @NASASocial and @NASAKennedy, and via posts to Facebook and Instagram.

Registration for this event opens Friday, Jan. 5, and closes at 3 p.m. EST on Tuesday, Jan. 9. Registration is for one person only (you) and is non-transferable. Each individual wishing to attend must register separately. Each application will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Because of the security deadlines, registration is limited to U.S. citizens. If you have a valid permanent resident card, you will be processed as a U.S. citizen.

After registrations have been received and processed, an email with confirmation information and additional instructions will be sent to those selected. We expect to send the acceptance notifications on Jan. 17.

All social applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Those chosen must prove through the registration process they meet specific engagement criteria.

If you do not make the registration list for this NASA Social, you still can attend the launch offsite and participate in the conversation online. Find out about ways to experience a launch here.

Registration indicates your intent to travel to NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida and attend the three-day event in person. You are responsible for your own expenses for travel, accommodations, food, and other amenities.

Some events and participants scheduled to appear at the event are subject to change without notice. NASA is not responsible for loss or damage incurred as a result of attending. NASA, moreover, is not responsible for loss or damage incurred if the event is cancelled with limited or no notice. Please plan accordingly.

Kennedy is a government facility. Those who are selected will need to complete an additional registration step to receive clearance to enter the secure areas.

IMPORTANT: To be admitted, you will need to provide two forms of unexpired government-issued identification; one must be a photo ID and match the name provided on the registration. Those without proper identification cannot be admitted.

For a complete list of acceptable forms of ID, please visit: NASA Credentialing Identification Requirements.

All registrants must be at least 18 years old.

Many different factors can cause a scheduled launch date to change multiple times. If the launch date changes, NASA may adjust the date of the NASA Social accordingly to coincide with the new target launch date. NASA will notify registrants of any changes by email.

If the launch is postponed, attendees will be invited to attend a later launch date. NASA cannot accommodate attendees for delays beyond 72 hours.

NASA Social attendees are responsible for any additional costs they incur related to any launch delay. We strongly encourage participants to make travel arrangements that are refundable and/or flexible.

If you cannot come to the Kennedy Space Center and attend in person, you should not register for the NASA Social. You can follow the conversation online using #NASASocial.

You can watch the launch on NASA Television or http://www.nasa.gov/live. NASA will provide regular launch and mission updates on @NASA, @NASAKennedy, and @Commercial_Crew.

If you cannot make this NASA Social, dont worry; NASA is planning many other Socials in the near future at various locations! Check backherefor updates.

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Experience the Launch of NASA's SpaceX Crew-8 Mission - NASA

Spacesuit Loop Scrubs and Routine Station Maintenance for Crew on Thursday – NASA Blogs

NASA astronaut and Expedition 70 Flight Engineer Jasmin Moghbeli configures spacewalking tools inside the International Space Stations Quest airlock.

Another day of station upkeep is underway aboard the International Space Station on Thursday. The Expedition 70 crew spent most of the day on spacesuit and station maintenance, auditing equipment, and wrapping up experiments started earlier this week.

In the morning, NASA Flight Engineer Jasmin Moghbeli was joined by ESA (European Space Agency) Commander Andreas Mogensen to perform a loop scrub on spacesuits that will be used during upcoming spacewalks this year. Moghbeli then reconfigured the hardware to initiate iodination, which is performed to remove contaminants from transfer loops.

Mogensen had a busy rest of the day, completing a VR Mental Care session, which demonstrates the use of virtual reality for mental relaxation. He then moved on to station upkeeprestocking the battery pantry and completing monthly maintenance on the orbital labs treadmillbefore rounding out the day with a hearing assessment.

NASA Flight Engineer Loral OHara began the day setting up a microphone to be worn on her shoulder to take sound measurements around the station and then completed some orbital plumbing tasks, removing and replacing the filter in the waste and hygiene compartment.

Earlier in the week, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) Flight Engineer Satoshi Furukawa hydrated and incubated production packs for the BioNutrients-1 investigation. On Thursday, Furukawa retrieved the samples to inspect and photograph, which will help researchers better understand on-demand production of human nutrients over long-duration missions. He then wrapped up his day installing the Robotics Work Station for upcoming research.

All three cosmonauts aboard the station continued audit and inventory tasks that started earlier this week. Flight Engineer Oleg Kononenko inventoried the Rassvet module, while Flight Engineer Nikolai Chub audited medical kits and Flight Engineer Konstantin Borisov audited light units throughout Roscosmos segments. Borisov also ran a Pilot-T session, an ongoing experiment to practice piloting techniques, while Chub replaced the carbon monoxide sensor in the Zarya module.

Learn more about station activities by following the space station blog, @space_station and @ISS_Research on X, as well as the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts.

Get weekly video highlights at: https://roundupreads.jsc.nasa.gov/videoupdate/

Get the latest from NASA delivered every week. Subscribe here: http://www.nasa.gov/subscribe

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Spacesuit Loop Scrubs and Routine Station Maintenance for Crew on Thursday - NASA Blogs

Nasa builds towards new space stations – Electronics Weekly

The US Space Agency highlights the work of its three competing commercial space station partners Axiom Space, Orbital Reef and Starlab for the design and development of possible new orbital destinations.

We are ending the year on a high note with multiple important milestones being completed by our partners, said Angela Hart, manager of the Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program at NASA Johnson Space Center. Over the past few months, we have been able to dig into the details of the specific hardware and processes of these stations and are moving forward to multiple comprehensive design reviews next year.

For example, Axiom Space, which holds a firm-fixed price, indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract with NASA, is on schedule to launch and attach its first module, says the agency. The module is named Axiom Hab One, and is due to attach to the International Space Station in 2026.

Four modules are planned for the Axiom Commercial Segment attached to the station. And after the space stations retirement, the Axiom Commercial Segment will separate and become a free-flying commercial destination, named Axiom Station.

The hatches of the Axiom Hab One module are fabricated and prepared to undergo pressure testing to ensure a strong enough seal to withstand the vacuum of space, writes Nasa. Manufacturing of the Axiom Hab One module is underway, and the critical design review will occur in 2024. During this review, NASA will assess the maturity of the Axiom Space design and provide feedback necessary to ensure safe operations when it is attached to the International Space Station.

The Jeff Bezos-backed Blue Origin, which was awarded a contract by Nasa in 2021 to develop a free-flying space station named Orbital Reef, has also recently completed tests, reports the agency for a window system and a structural demonstration. It writes:

For the structural test, Blue Origin used a prototype of their space stations main module, called the Core, to demonstrate the manufacturing processes required to build the final pressurized modules of the station. The test supports validation of the structural models and analytical tools for the Cores structural design.

The International Space Stations cupola, a room with seven windows overlooking the Earth, is the cornerstone of crewed missions for both research and astronaut morale. Orbital Reef will incorporate multiple windows on its Core, with each window spanning about twice the size of a car windshield. For the window test, Blue Origin evaluated the window integration structure design concept and its performance against the pressures and temperatures the windows will be exposed to while in orbit.

The third example given of progress for a new space station involved Starlab, a station being developed by Voyager Spaces Exploration Segment, in partnership with Airbus and Northrop Grumman.

Voyager Space recently completed three milestones, said the North American agency: a system definition review and the initiation of two pairs of milestones for an optical link demonstration and alternative urine processor demonstration.

Free-space optical, also called laser communications, allows for higher data rates and more energy-efficient communications than radio frequency communication systems. A major goal of the optical communication demonstration is to conduct testing from the International Space Station to the ground to establish the capabilities needed for Starlab. This initial milestone, within the optical link demonstration milestone pair scope, validated the Starlab testing plan. The optical link is planning to be tested next on the International Space Station.

You can read more on the Nasa website.

The ISS is expected to be deorbited by a dedicated NASA spacecraft in 2031.

Image: Axiom Space A hatch of the Axiom Hab One module, which will attach the module to the ISS.

See also: Nasa invites students to rise to 2024 Human Exploration Rover Challenge

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Nasa builds towards new space stations - Electronics Weekly

Dawn Breaks Over Earth: A Spectacular Sunrise Seen From the Space Station – SciTechDaily

Astronaut photograph of the Sun rising above Earths horizon captured from the International Space Station on September 29, 2023.

Astronauts aboard the International Space Station are uniquely positioned to capture striking photos of the Sun and Earth.

As the International Space Station orbited over the southern Indian Ocean, an astronaut looked eastward and captured this photo of the Sun rising above Earths horizon.

This edge-on photo of Earths limb reveals several atmospheric layers. The lowest layer, known as the troposphere, appears orange and red as these wavelengths of light are scattered by particles of dust, smoke, and smog. Directly above the troposphere is the stratosphere. This blue layer is usually cloud-free and extends as much as 50 kilometers (30 miles) above Earths surface. The region directly above the stratosphere is known as the mesosphere.

The Sunthe focal point in this imageis front and center in NASAs Heliophysics Big Year. This big year celebration began with the annular solar eclipse in October 2023 and continues with a total solar eclipse in April 2024. It concludes with the Parker Solar Probes closest approach to the Sun in December 2024.

The total solar eclipse in April 2024 will pass over Mexico, the United States, and Canada. In addition to putting on an impressive show, the eclipse offers research opportunities including the chance for scientists to study the Suns effect on Earths ionosphere. This is the region spanning from about 80600 kilometers (50400 miles) above Earths surface, overlapping with the top of the atmosphere and the beginning of space. It is where the space station and other satellites in low Earth orbit hang out, and where radio and GPS signals bounce around.

During a solar eclipse, astronauts on the space station can sometimes see the Moons shadow passing over Earth. Views of sunrises are much more common, with astronauts witnessing as many as 16 sunrises every 24 hours.

Astronaut photograph ISS070-E-1178 was acquired on September 29, 2023, with a Nikon D5 digital camera using a focal length of 170 millimeters. The image was provided by the ISS Crew Earth Observations Facility and the Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit at Johnson Space Center. The image was taken by a member of the Expedition 70 crew. It has been cropped and enhanced to improve contrast, and lens artifacts have been removed. The International Space Station Program supports the laboratory as part of the ISS National Lab to help astronauts take pictures of Earth that will be of the greatest value to scientists and the public and to make those images freely available on the Internet.

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Dawn Breaks Over Earth: A Spectacular Sunrise Seen From the Space Station - SciTechDaily

Space Station Crew Members Kick-Start New Year With Advanced Science – SciTechDaily

Four Expedition 70 crew members share New Years remarks. From left, Commander Andreas Mogensen of ESA, Flight Engineer Jasmin Moghbeli of NASA, Flight Engineer Satoshi Furukawa of JAXA, and Flight Engineer Loral OHara of NASA. Credit: NASA

The seven-member Expedition 70 crew was back to work after Monday saw an off-duty day for the International Space Station residents. A variety of activities took place in orbit on Tuesday, while some members conducted cleaning activities and others picked back up on scientific research to kick-start the new year.

Flight Engineer Loral OHara of NASA spent part of her day unstowing materials in the Combustion Integrated Rack to prep for the SoFIE-GEL investigation. As part of ongoing science, crew members study burning in microgravity to determine how material flammability is affected by fuel temperatures. To continue this research, OHara swapped out a used manifold gas bottle in the experiment with a new one. In the evening, she donned the Actiwatch to monitor sleep-wake patterns throughout the night.

Expedition 70 Flight Engineers (from left) Jasmin Moghbeli and Loral OHara, both from NASA, pose for a portrait inside the Destiny laboratory module. Credit: NASA

Flight Engineer Jasmin Moghbeli of NASA cleaned up in the Harmony module in the morning, then set out to replenish the water supply in the distribution and recovery reservoirs of Plant Habitat-06an investigation that studies the physiological and genetic responses to defense activation in wild-type tomatoes. Afterward, Moghbeli began an experiment to test the efficiency of an antimicrobial coating in space.

Commander Andreas Mogensen of ESA (European Space Agency) began the day swapping out the heart rate monitor on CEVIS, the stations bicycle. He then completed a robotics training session, practicing the capture of a cargo craft, reviewing how to control free-flying assistants, and operating the robotic arm. After lunch, Mogensen deployed the Life Sciences Glovebox that will be used for ongoing science activities this week, then analyzed water from the stations water processor assembly.

ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut and Expedition 70 Commander Andreas Mogensen gets ready for the Christmas season and poses for a fun portrait wearing a Santa Claus hat. Credit: NASA

Meanwhile, Satoshi Furukawa of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) hydrated and incubated production packs for the BioNutrients-1 investigation which uses technology for on-demand production of human nutrients over long-duration missions.

The three cosmonauts aboard the orbiting laboratoryOleg Kononenko, Nikolai Chub, and Konstantin Borisovsplit up maintenance duties on Tuesday. Kononenko ran the 3D printer in Zvezda and audited cargo in the Prichal module, while Chub conducted maintenance on the water management system and Borisov inventoried accessories of the Roscosmos docking system.

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Space Station Crew Members Kick-Start New Year With Advanced Science - SciTechDaily

From Spacesuit Loop Scrubs to VR Therapy: Decoding a Day of Science Aboard the ISS – SciTechDaily

Expedition 70 Flight Engineers (from left) Loral OHara and Jasmin Moghbeli, both NASA astronauts, pose for a portrait while installing helmet lights on spacesuits and checking the functionality of their spacesuits components. Credit: NASA

Thursday marked another day of station upkeep aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The Expedition 70 crew spent most of the day on spacesuit and station maintenance, auditing equipment, and wrapping up experiments started earlier this week.

In the morning, NASA Flight Engineer Jasmin Moghbeli was joined by ESA (European Space Agency) Commander Andreas Mogensen to perform a loop scrub on spacesuits that will be used during upcoming spacewalks this year. Moghbeli then reconfigured the hardware to initiate iodination, which is performed to remove contaminants from transfer loops.

ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut and Expedition 70 Commander Andreas Mogensen replaces computer hardware inside the Advanced Space Experiment Processor-2 (ADSEP-2) that can house and process samples for a variety of biological and physical science experiments. Credit: NASA

Mogensen had a busy rest of the day, completing a VR Mental Care session, which demonstrates the use of virtual reality for mental relaxation. He then moved on to station upkeeprestocking the battery pantry and completing monthly maintenance on the orbital labs treadmillbefore rounding out the day with a hearing assessment.

NASA Flight Engineer Loral OHara began the day setting up a microphone to be worn on her shoulder to take sound measurements around the station and then completed some orbital plumbing tasks, removing and replacing the filter in the waste and hygiene compartment.

JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut and Expedition 70 Flight Engineer Satoshi Furukawa poses for a portrait next to the Cell Biology Experiment Facility Incubator Unit inside the International Space Stations Kibo laboratory module. Credit: NASA

Earlier in the week, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) Flight Engineer Satoshi Furukawa hydrated and incubated production packs for the BioNutrients-1 investigation. On Thursday, Furukawa retrieved the samples to inspect and photograph, which will help researchers better understand on-demand production of human nutrients over long-duration missions. He then wrapped up his day installing the Robotics Work Station for upcoming research.

All three cosmonauts aboard the station continued audit and inventory tasks that started earlier this week. Flight Engineer Oleg Kononenko inventoried the Rassvet module, while Flight Engineer Nikolai Chub audited medical kits and Flight Engineer Konstantin Borisov audited light units throughout Roscosmos segments. Borisov also ran a Pilot-T session, an ongoing experiment to practice piloting techniques, while Chub replaced the carbon monoxide sensor in the Zarya module.

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From Spacesuit Loop Scrubs to VR Therapy: Decoding a Day of Science Aboard the ISS - SciTechDaily

In space, no one can hear you scream … at the alien-infested space station you’re cleaning – Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Its the holidays, and theres no better time to gather around a console for some couch games.

But if youve been playing Overcooked, then you might know all too well that theres a fine line between laughing together and everyone questioning their friendships and relationships. Sure, the first few levels seem like an episode of The Three Stooges where everyone is laughing at the silly onscreen antics but things quickly morph into what seems like an elaborate heist movie, where precise timing and teamwork are needed to beat the harder levels.

Ive had friends who need to take a minute after having their dish accidentally slapped out of their hands by a dashing teammate, spoiling the entire level. Mercifully, no controllers have been thrown.

If youre not entirely burned by the experience and are still interested in couch cooperative games, then I would suggest taking a look at Out of Space, a 2020 release where, this time, you and a team of up to five friends are tasked with cleaning out a derelict space station. It still has the same goofy art style and welcoming approach of Overcooked, but it offers more manageable leaps in difficulty.

You and your friends will take on the role of astronaut roommates moving into a spaceship where the previous renters must have forfeited their deposit, failing to clean up an alien infestation. Youll work together, moving from room to room to clean up the goop and clear out the aliens with a broom, a refillable water bucket and a grinder to turn the trash into money.

In addition to clearing out rooms, youll need to manage your characters energy and food levels, which plays out with you building out the rooms as you move through the station. In rooms newly freed from the alien goop, youll be building simple bedrooms, kitchens and other utilities that will help you stay on your feet and equipped for the challenges.

It still requires teamwork and coordination with players, but the pace is friendlier. Beyond your hunger and sleepiness, theres no ticking time clock on the game, and you can clear rooms at your own pace.

In our playthroughs this holiday, wed work methodically through the ships by doublechecking everything for specks of infestation before moving onto the next room, us all gathered around the airlock with brooms, buckets, and a sink installed nearby. In it, theres a pleasant rhythm of housebuilding management and panicked action when an alien slipped past our defenses and laid eggs in the kitchen.

Those moments of panic when the alien infestation gets out of hand when an alien has slipped past or snuck in through an air vent are some of the best. If you let your guard down, it doesnt take much to get overwhelmed, but a bit of quick thinking and teamwork can usually stabilize the situation. You might have lost access to the bedroom, but you can work together to figure out a solution, even if its as basic as splashing water on your sleepy teammates.

In many ways, Out of Space is what I wanted Overcooked to be.

The slower pace and more manageable challenge means that you get to spend more time digging into the roleplaying elements of a management simulator. Instead of each level feeling like you were getting set in the blocks of a sprint, each new level of Out of Space feels like an opportunity to try something new and have fun with friends.

Theres still plenty of failure and frustration to be found in Out of Space you can definitely mess things up by opening a door before everyones ready, just ask me how but it seems like you always have a chance to dig yourself out of the tailspin and emerge a stronger team ... as long as you dont go opening the airlock too early.

Rating: Four of five stars

Platforms: PC (reviewed), MacOS, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PlayStation 4

Release Date: Feb. 26, 2020

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In space, no one can hear you scream ... at the alien-infested space station you're cleaning - Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

SPACE STATION Satellite details 1998-067A NORAD 25544 – N2YO.com

Track SPACE STATION now!10-day predictions The ISS Notification Tool HD Live streaming from Space Station SPACE STATION is classified as:

Uplink (MHz): 145.825Downlink (MHz): 145.825Beacon (MHz): Mode: 1200bps AFSKCall sign: RS0ISS ARISSStatus: Active

Uplink (MHz): 145.990Downlink (MHz): 437.800Beacon (MHz): Mode: FM tone 67.0Hz 9k6 FSKCall sign: NA1SSStatus: Active

Uplink (MHz): 145.990Downlink (MHz): 145.800Beacon (MHz): Mode: SSTVCall sign: Status: Unknown

Uplink (MHz): 145.200Downlink (MHz): 145.800Beacon (MHz): Mode: Voice(Reg 1)Call sign: NA1SSStatus: Inactive

Uplink (MHz): 144.490Downlink (MHz): 145.800Beacon (MHz): Mode: Voice(Reg 2 3)Call sign: NA1SSStatus: Inactive

Uplink (MHz): 435.050Downlink (MHz): 145.800Beacon (MHz): Mode: FM tone 67.0HzCall sign: Status: Inactive

Uplink (MHz): 437.550Downlink (MHz): 437.550Beacon (MHz): Mode: 1200bps AFSKCall sign: RS0ISS-4 11Status: Inactive

The International Space Station (ISS) is a joint project of five space agencies: the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (United States), the Russian Federal Space Agency (Russian Federation), the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (Japan), the Canadian Space Agency (Canada) and the European Space Agency (Europe). It is serviced primarily by the Soyuz, Progress spacecraft units and possible private missions in near future. Last Space Shuttle mission that serviced the Space Station ended in July 2011 (Atlantis, STS-135). The ISS is expected to remain in operation until at least 2020, and potentially to 2028.

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SPACE STATION Satellite details 1998-067A NORAD 25544 - N2YO.com

Methane ‘super-emitters’ on Earth spotted by space station experiment …

A powerful eye in the sky is helping scientists spy "super-emitters" of methane, a greenhouse gas about 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide.

That observer is NASA's Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation instrument, or EMIT for short. EMIT has been mapping the chemical composition of dust throughout Earth's desert regions since being installed on the exterior of the International Space Station (ISS) in July, helping researchers understand how airborne dust affects climate.

That's the main goal of EMIT's mission. But it's making another, less expected contribution to climate studies as well, NASA officials announced on Tuesday (Oct. 25). The instrument is identifying huge plumes of heat-trapping methane gas around the world more than 50 of them already, in fact.

Related: Climate change: Causes and effects

"Reining in methane emissions is key to limiting global warming. This exciting new development will not only help researchers better pinpoint where methane leaks are coming from, but also provide insight on how they can be addressed quickly," NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in a statement (opens in new tab).

"The International Space Station and NASA's more than two dozen satellites and instruments in space have long been invaluable in determining changes to the Earth's climate," Nelson added. "EMIT is proving to be a critical tool in our toolbox to measure this potent greenhouse gas and stop it at the source."

EMIT is an imaging spectrometer designed to identify the chemical fingerprints of a variety of minerals on Earth's surface. The ability to spot methane as well is a sort of happy accident.

"It turns out that methane also has a spectral signature in the same wavelength range, and that's what has allowed us to be sensitive to methane," EMIT principal investigator Robert Green, of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Southern California, said during a press conference on Tuesday afternoon.

Green and other EMIT team members gave some examples of the instrument's sensitivity during the Tuesday media call. For example, the instrument detected a plume of methane also known as natural gas at least 3 miles (4.8 kilometers) long in the sky above an Iranian landfill. This newfound super-emitter is pumping about 18,700 pounds (8,500 kilograms) of methane into the air every hour, the researchers said.

That's a lot, but it pales in comparison to a cluster of 12 super-emitters EMIT spotted in Turkmenistan, all of them associated with oil and gas infrastructure. Some of those plumes are up to 20 miles (32 km) long, and, together, they're adding about 111,000 pounds (50,400 kg) of methane to Earth's atmosphere per hour.

That's comparable to the peak rates of the Aliso Canyon leak, one of the largest methane releases in U.S. history. (The Aliso Canyon event, which occurred at a Southern California methane storage facility, was first noticed in October 2015 and wasn't fully plugged until February 2016.)

EMIT spotted all of these super-emitters very early, during the instrument's checkout phase. So it should make even greater contributions as it gets fully up and running, and as scientists gain more familiarity with the instrument's capabilities, team members said.

"We are really only scratching the surface of EMIT's potential for mapping greenhouse gases," Andrew Thorpe, a research technologist at JPL, said during Tuesday's press conference. "We're really excited about EMIT's potential for reducing emissions from human activity by pinpointing these emission sources."

Mike Wall is the author of "Out There (opens in new tab)" (Grand Central Publishing, 2018; illustrated by Karl Tate), a book about the search for alien life. Follow him on Twitter @michaeldwall (opens in new tab). Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom (opens in new tab) or on Facebook (opens in new tab).

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Methane 'super-emitters' on Earth spotted by space station experiment ...

China rolls out rocket to launch final space station module | Space

China is nearly ready to launch the third and final piece of its modular crewed space station.

A Long March 5B heavy-lift rocket rolled out to the pad at Wenchang spaceport on Hainan island early Tuesday (Oct. 25), Chinas human spaceflight agency (CMSA) announced.

The Mengtian space station module is encapsulated in a 67-foot-long (20.5 meters) payload fairing on top of the 187-million-pound (849,000 kilograms) Long March 5B. The rocket and module were transported to the pad in a vertical position, covering roughly 9,200 feet (2,800 meters) in under three hours.

Related: The latest news about China's space program

CMSA did not reveal a launch date for Mengtian, but previous launches and earlier statements by Chinese space officials point to a liftoff around Oct. 31 Beijing time.

Mengtian ("Dreaming of the Heavens") is a 58.7-foot-long (17.9 m) and roughly 48,500-pound (22 metric tons) spacecraft designed mainly to host an array of science racks and experiments.

The new module will join the already orbiting Tianhe core module, launched in April 2021, and Wentian, which launched in July. Together the three modules will complete Chinas Tiangong space station.

Three Shenzhou 14 mission astronauts are currently aboard Tiangong awaiting the arrival of the new module.

China plans to operate Tiangong for at least a decade and will conduct its first crew handover as soon as next month, when the Shenzhou 14 astronauts welcome aboard the crew of Shenzhou 15, who will launch from Jiuquan in the Gobi Desert.

Notably, the huge first stages of the three previously launched Long March 5B rockets have entered orbit and made high-profile uncontrolled reentries around a week after launch. The fiery first stage reentry from the Wentian module launch in July was spotted by onlookers in Malaysia and Indonesia.

Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom (opens in new tab) or on Facebook (opens in new tab).

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China rolls out rocket to launch final space station module | Space

International Space Station shines in glamour shots from SpaceX … – CNET

1 of 10 NASA/ESA/Thomas Pesquet

2 of 10 NASA/ESA/Thomas Pesquet

During the Crew-2 return journey to Earth in early November, the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft took a trip around the ISS. That gave ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet an opportunity to photograph the station from a variety of angles.

3 of 10 NASA/ESA/Thomas Pesquet

The ISS stands out against the darkness of space in this image from November 2021.

4 of 10 NASA/ESA/Thomas Pesquet

The International Space Station is made up a of series of modules that are used for science experiments, spacecraft docking, and areas for the crew.

5 of 10 NASA/ESA/Thomas Pesquet

This close-up of the ISS from early November 2021 gives a good view of some of the station's solar panels. The sets of darker-brown panels are roll-out solar arrays that were added to boost the station's power.

6 of 10 NASA/ESA/Thomas Pesquet

This view of the ISS shows a peeled-back section of the station's radiator system. It's an old bit of damage that doesn't affect the station's operations.

7 of 10 NASA/ESA/Thomas Pesquet

The International Space Station's radiators are on show in a photo snapped from a SpaceX Crew Dragon during the return of the Crew-2 mission to Earth.

8 of 10 NASA/ESA/Thomas Pesquet

The ISS is a truly international project, featuring components from the US, Russia, Japan, Canada and Europe.

9 of 10 NASA/ESA/Thomas Pesquet

The International Space Station sparkles in a glorious photo taken by ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet on his way home to Earth in November 2021 as part of the SpaceX Crew-2 mission.

10 of 10 NASA/ESA/Thomas Pesquet

Fluffy white clouds provide an elegant backdrop for a new image of the International Space Station, taken in early November 2021.

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International Space Station shines in glamour shots from SpaceX ... - CNET