Monthly Archives: April 2021

Last November, Mike Hopkins and Victor (Ike) Glover took a trip to an amazing travel destination. It was 250 miles away ... straight up.

Twenty-seven hours later, their SpaceX capsule docked at the International Space Station.

As Hopkins and Glover near the end of their six-month mission, NASA gave "Sunday Morning" correspondent David Pogue an amazing opportunity: a live video chat with Mike and Ike in space!

"You indicated that there's really no up or down," Pogue said. "So, is there any reason that one of you couldn't turn head-down? The blood's not rushing to your head, Victor?"

"Not at all," laughed Glover. "Not at all. In fact, it doesn't seem weird to me until I look at Hopper and go, 'Why is Hopper upside-down?'"

Glover demonstrated how to get around, by pushing off surfaces with his hands ("and there he goes!").

The Space Station isn't quite as futuristic-looking as movie spaceships. It's about the length of a football field. The U.S., Russia, Canada, Europe, and Japan began building it in 1998, and they've never really stopped.

The bedrooms aren't much bigger than phone booths basically a bag to keep you in place, and a couple of laptops. "We have 'em on the sides, but we also have 'em on the ceiling, and we have 'em on the deck," Hopkins said.

Each astronaut spends two hours a day working out. There's a weight machine (with vacuum tubes instead of weights), a treadmill with bungee cords, and an exercise bike. "Because we're in space, we don't need to sit down when we use this bike, so there's no seat," said Glover.

There's a reason for all that exercise: Zero-gravity life does a real number on your body.

Pogue asked, "Are there any long-term effects that don't return once you've been on Earth for a while?"

"There can be, absolutely," Hopkins replied. "It is hard to prevent having some bone loss. But after my last mission, I lost about 2.5% bone density. And it took years for that to kinda come back."

Hopkins and Glover have also mastered the finer points of dining in space, demonstrating how to make and eat a peanut-butter-and-jelly cracker.

And because your inner second-grader probably wants to know, Hopkins explained: "And so, a couple things about our toilet: You can see there is a can here. And this can, that's where the solid waste is collected. And then the urine is collected in this hose. Because we collect the urine separately, we're able to recycle that urine."

Yes, the astronauts recycle their pee. In space, water is a precious resource.

The station recently celebrated 20 years of being continuously occupied.

When asked what he missed most during his time up there, Glover replied, "I miss my family. I just can't wait to see my kids at the airport or wherever I bump into them first."

Hopkins added, "I will also tell you one of the things I miss most: weather. Up here, it never changes. It's always 70, there's no wind, there's no rain, there's no snow, no humidity. I mean, it's just constantly the same."

"Hearing Hopper say 'rain' reminded me: I miss the shower!" Glover laughed.

On the other hand, former astronaut Peggy Whitson sometimes misses space. She told Pogue, "After my first flight, I returned to Earth and I was laying on the bed, and threw the covers off and just did the lightest push on the bed, and expected to float to the bathroom. And I was like, oh my, it's gonna take a lot more work to get there than that!"

Whitson has spent more time up there than any American, much of it as commander of the space station a grand total of 665 days in space. "That's the equivalent of a flight to Mars, is that right?" asked Pogue.

"Yes," she said. "You could get to Mars and back in 665 days. And so, I'm proof it's doable."

Twenty years of space station science have yielded hundreds of breakthroughs in fields like weather, astronomy, biology, materials, and especially medicine Alzheimer's, cancer, heart disease, and so on.

"Salmonella gives you food poisoning," Whitson said. 'It actually became more virulent in space, and then they were able to actually develop a vaccine for that."

Worms, mice and rats are often on board, too, to help NASA study the long-term effects of zero-gravity. They seem to like it just fine.

"Understanding the physics of how things work without gravity, we sometimes figure out ways to better understand how things work in gravity," Whitson said.

But for the humans on board, seeing our home from space is always spectacular. Whitson said, "You look out the window, and you see planet Earth, And you look at it, and you see how thin this atmosphere is, and how delicate it looks. If you happen to be near a window and you're flying over the Sahara Desert, the whole room will get this golden glow peachy, orangey glow.

The best views from the space station are in what's called the Cupola.

"The Cupola is the window that faces down at the Earth, and it is a pretty incredible view," said Hopkins. "And it really never does get old."

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Story produced by Alan Golds. Editor: Ed Givnish.

Web extra:

Watch David Pogue's complete conversation with astronauts Victor Glover and Mike Hopkins:

Excerpt from:
Life aboard the International Space Station - CBS News

Expedition 64 to the International Space Station began in October 2020 with only three crewmembers onboard the orbiting laboratory. By the end of the six-month mission, 10 crewmembers were living and working together at the space station.

The original three crewmembers NASA astronaut Kate Rubins and two Russian cosmonauts, Sergey Ryzhikov and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov arrived at the space station in their Soyuz MS-17 spacecraft on Oct. 14, 2020. The trio spent one week working as members of Expedition 63 before the Soyuz MS-16 crew departed and returned to Earth, marking the official start of Expedition 64. Ryzhikov took over command from NASA astronaut and Expedition 63 Cmdr. Chris Cassidy.

Four additional Expedition 64 crewmembers arrived Nov. 17, 2020, with SpaceX's Crew-1 mission the first operational flight of a Crew Dragon spacecraft with astronauts on board. Arriving in the Crew Dragon "Resilience" were NASA astronauts Mike Hopkins, Victor Glover and Shannon Walker, and JAXA astronaut Soichi Noguchi.

Another three crewmembers NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei and Russian cosmonauts Oleg Novitsky and Pyotr Dubrov joined Expedition 64 with the arrival of the Soyuz MS-18 spacecraft, on April 9, 2021.

Expedition 64 officially ends April 16, when the Soyuz MS-17 crew spacecraft will return to Earth with Rubins, Ryzhikov and Kud-Sverchkov. Walker temporarily assumed command of the space station on April 15; she is scheduled to return to Earth along with the rest of the Crew-1 astronauts on April 28, 2021.

See the Expedition 64 astronauts and cosmonauts in action in these photos from their mission to space.

The seven-member Expedition 64 crew poses for a portrait inside the International Space Station's Kibo laboratory, on Jan. 6, 2021 (before the arrival of the Soyuz MS-18 brought the number of crewmembers up to 10.

In the bottom row from left are NASA astronaut Kate Rubins and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Sergey Kud Sverchkov. In the top row are JAXA astronaut Soichi Noguchi and NASA astronauts Michael Hopkins, Victor Glover and Shannon Walker.

Soyuz MS-18 commander Oleg Novitskiy (at bottom) and flight engineers Mark Vande Hei (center) and Pyotr Dubrov wave from the launch pad prior to boarding their spacecraft at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on April 9, 2021.

The newly-expanded 10-member station crew gathers in the Zvezda service module for a welcoming ceremony with family members and mission officials on Earth, on April 9, 2021.

Related: Soyuz MS-18 crew launches to space station 60 years after first human spaceflight

Soichi Noguchi and Kate Rubins work to configure a radiation shield for temporary sleeping quarters, which NASA calls the Crew Alternate Sleep Accommodation (CASA).

A typical space station expedition involves six crewmembers living and working in space at a time, but this NASA expects to soon have 11 people at the orbiting lab when SpaceX's Crew-2 mission arrives with another four passengers.

On April 5, the four-person crew of SpaceX's Crew Dragon "Resilience" hopped into their spacecraft and rode along as it robotically maneuvered from its docking port to another port on the International Space Station to prepare for upcoming Crew Dragon missions.

Full story: Astronauts move SpaceX capsule to new docking port for 1st time ahead of space station crew arrivals

NASA astronaut Mike Hopkins smells plants growing aboard the International Space Station.

JAXA astronaut Soichi Noguchi is pictured inside the Cupola observatory of the International Space Station, on March 29, 2021.

On Feb. 17, 2021, Russia's Progress 77 supply ship approaches the International Space Station as seen from the SpaceX Crew Dragon vehicle.

On Feb. 9, 2021, Commander Sergey Ryzhikov of Roscosmos uses the tele-robotically operated rendezvous unit (TORU). The TORU maneuvers Russian spacecraft to the docking port.

Working on the hydroponics components for the Plant Water Management study, Michael Hopkins, NASA astronaut and Expedition 64 Flight Engineer, explores sustaining plants in microgravity.

Expedition 64 Flight Engineer Kate Rubins works on the Advanced Combustion in Microgravity Experiments (ACME). Rubins removes research hardware and replaces gear to support fuel efficiency, pollution and fire safety studies in ACME.

Soichi Noguchi, JAXA astronaut, performs maintenance on U.S. spacesuit gear in the Quest airlock, on Feb. 3, 2021.

NASA astronaut Victor Glover as seen during a spacewalk on Jan. 27, 2021. In all, the Expedition 64 astronauts completed a total of six spacewalks to perform maintenance and upgrades at the space station, including new solar arrays.

On Feb. 4, 2021, inside the Japanese Kibo laboratory module, NASA's Kate Rubins poses with two AstroBee robotic assistants. The AstroBees are being tested to autonomously navigate and maneuver inside the orbiting lab.

On Feb. 4, 20201, Shannon Walker, Flight Engineer for Expedition 64, conducts research for the Capillary Structures technology. The research explores fluid and gas mixtures and could lead to lightweight, more reliable life support systems for future missions.

The astronauts living and working on the International Space Station posed for a festive photo to ring in the new year as 2020 became 2021. NASA astronaut Victor Glover shared the photo on Twitter with the caption "God bless you and this new year! I pray for renewed strength, compassion, and truth and that we can all be surrounded by family and friends..."

Miles above the South China Sea, The Dongsha Atoll National Park, in the Republic of China glows brightly in this image from the ISS taken on Jan. 26, 2021.

Sunrise on Earth's horizon offers a breathtaking view from the International Space Station on Feb. 3, 2021. The ISS was off the coast of Southern Chile about 271 miles above the Pacific Ocean.

On Feb. 1, 2021, the aurora above the North Atlantic coast near Newfoundland and Labrador offers a stunning green glow, as seen from the International Space Station.

Aboard the ISS on Feb. 1, 2021, Expedition 64 crewmatesSoichi Noguchi, Michael Hopkins, Shannon Walker and Victor Gloverprepare for the next spacewalk with pre-breathing protocols. The exercise is a prevention for the "bends."

NASA astronauts Michael Hopkins (out of frame) and Victor Glover prepare for a spacewalk. Glover attaches safety tethers and hardware.

On Jan. 28, 2021, Shannon Walker and Michael Hopkins, NASA astronauts on Expedition 64, examine leaf samples growing inside the European Columbus laboratory and the all important key to future human missions: space agriculture.

From over 250 miles above Atlanta Georgia, the waxing gibbous moon hovers just below the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft. The spacecraft is docked to the Harmony module on Jan. 26, 2021.

Inside the Quest airlock a pair of U.S. spacesuits sit awaiting the next spacewalk. The suits are surrounded by a variety of hardware on Dec. 28, 2020.

As the team prepares for the first spacewalk of 2021, NASA's Victor Glover and Michael Hopkins, in suits and NASA's Kate Rubins and Soichi Noguchi of JAXA, pose for a photo.

In preparation for the first spacewalk of 2021, Roscosmos' Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergey Rhzhikov join NASA's Victor Glover and Michael Hopkins for a photo on Jan. 27, 2021.

Read the original here:
In photos: The Expedition 64 mission to the International Space Station - Space.com

NASAs SpaceX Crew-2 is pictured during a training session at SpaceX headquarters. Photo: SpaceX

An international crew of four is launching this week to the International Space Station from Kennedy Space Center. Once on station,theyll conduct more than 200 experiments during their six-month stay.

NASAsShane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur along with European Space Agencys Thomas Pesquet and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agencys Akihiko Hosidewill make up Crew-2, heading to the station Thursday on SpaceXs Crew Dragon capsule.

While there, the crew will work on hundreds of science experiments, including new medical research. The science will help biomedical researchers here on Earth fight disease and help prepare future astronauts for deep-space missions.

The collaboration allows people to work together efficiently and avoid duplication so that we can all get more done together, said Julie Robinson, NASAs chief scientists for human exploration and operations.

Experiments include testing a new tissue chip. Biomedical researchers created small systems of cells and tissues on a tiny chip that mimic the action of those cells when inside the human body and have great potential for biomedical breakthroughs.

The crew will also test a new portable ultrasound device designed to help astronauts on long-duration missions to places like the moon and Mars.

SpaceX is launching the astronauts to the station. The private company is working with NASA to ferry astronauts into low-Earth orbit, ending a nearly decade-long reliance on the Russians after the end of the Space Shuttle program in 2011.

Transportation of that crew on commercial vehicles so that we can maintain a full crew of seven on the ISS is the backbone of getting the most research done on the platform, said Robinson.

NASA and SpaceX are targeting a launch from Kennedy Space Center Thursday at 6:11 a.m. ET.The crew will remain on the station for about six months before returning to Earth in the Dragon capsule.

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New International Space Station Crew To Conduct Hundreds Of Space Experiments - WMFE