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Signs You Might Be Ready to Apply to be a NASA Astronaut
Have you heard the news? Astronaut applications are opening soon (March 2), and there’s never been a better time to apply then now. Here are a few signs that might mean you’re ready to take to the stars:
1. You Don’t Mind Having Roommates
When you’re an astronaut, you have to work and live with your crew mates for extended periods of time. It’s important to the mission and your safety that everyone can collaborate and work together.
2. You LOVE Space
If the Milky Way, planets and space travel doesn’t excite you then this might not be the perfect job for you. But if you love galaxies, space station research and deep space exploration, then maybe you should take a look at our application.
3. Adventure Doesn’t Scare You
Being an astronaut means that you get to take part in adventures that most people will never experience. Imagine: sitting on the launch pad in the Orion spacecraft, atop a rocket that’s getting ready to launch. You’ll travel farther into space than any other humans have been and help push the boundaries of technology in the proving ground of deep space lunar orbits, leading the way for future missions to Mars.
4. You Want to be on the Cutting Edge of Science
Not only do astronauts get to travel to space, but they also get to conduct really cool research in microgravity. Did you know that right now they’re monitoring veggie growth on the International Space Station? This research could help with our future deep space exploration and could teach us a few things about growing plants on Earth. Learn more about all the awesome research on the space station HERE.
5. You’re Not Afraid of Heights
One of the coolest things about being an astronaut, is that you get to go to SPACE! At the very least, you’ll travel to the International Space Station, which is 250 miles above Earth. Or, you could be one of the first astronauts to travel to a distant asteroid or even Mars!
6. You Like Meeting New People
Space is a place where people from all around the world come together to push the boundaries of human exploration. Whether you’re living on the space station with an international crew, or embarking on Artemis missions to the Moon – you’re sure to make new friendships wherever you go.
7. Pizza is Life
Meal time is family time aboard the space station, and what better way to bond than pizza night! Getting to know your crew mates AND channelling your inner chef is always a win win.
8. World Traveling is on Your Bucket List
The International Space Station orbits Earth 16 times a day, so get ready to rack up those frequent flyer miles! A favorite past time of many astronauts is Earth watching from the station’s cupola observatory. Get lost in the Pacific Ocean’s blue hue, gaze at the Himalayas or photograph your favorite cities all from a bird’s eye view. Get assigned to an Artemis Moon mission? Even better! Have fun expanding your travels to the solar system.
9. You’ve Dreamed of Flying
Perk about the job? Your childhood dreams to fly finally come true. Whether you’re floating around the International Space Station or getting adjusted to our new spaceship, Gateway, your inner superhero will be beaming.
10. You Like Helping Others
Astronauts don’t just push the boundaries of human exploration, they also help pave the way for scientific breakthroughs back at home. Thanks to the microgravity environment of space, discoveries not possible on Earth are able to be unlocked. Investigations into Parkinson’s Disease, cancer and more have been conducted on the orbital lab.
Interested in applying to become an astronaut? You’re in luck, applications are open from March 2- 31! Learn about some common myths about becoming an astronaut HERE.
Get more info on applying to be one of our astronauts HERE.
Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com
Do you listen to music in space? If so, what are you jamming to?
The International Space Station Through the Eyes of Little Earth!
Currently, six humans are living and working on the International Space Station, which orbits 250 miles above our planet at 17,500mph. Accompanying their mission is a zero-g indicator, informally known as “Little Earth”.
Greetings fellow Earthlings! Curious about my first week on the International Space Station? What does a normal day look like when you’re living and working hundreds of miles above Earth? Take a look at some photos from my first week, when I was still learning the ropes from my new roommates!
Welcome Ceremony
Talk about a warm welcome! I arrived on March 3, 2019 when the SpaceX Crew Dragon docked to the Space Station for the first time. This historic mission marked the first time a commercially built American spacecraft intended for human spaceflight docked to the orbital lab. Though un-crewed, Dragon was carrying two very important passengers – my space travel companion Ripley and myself, Astronaut Little Earth. During my three-day introduction to the station, two Expedition 59 astronauts, Anne McClain and David Saint-Jacques, taught me what it takes to be a Space Station crew member!
Earth Watching
First thing’s first – the VIEW. After the traditional hatch opening welcome ceremony, I was off to the Cupola Observational Module. Designed for the observation of operations outside the station, this module’s six side windows also provide spectacular views of our Mother Earth! My roommate Anne McClain introduced me to the beautiful vantage point of space. Clearly, I was a little star-struck.
Space Suit Sizing
Next, it was time to get to work – lending a hand with Anne McClain’s space suit sizing. Did you know you actually grow in zero gravity? Astronaut McClain has grown two inches on her current mission in space. Crew members must account for this change in growth to know if different components need to be switched out of their individual spacesuit for a better fit. When pressurized and filled with oxygen, the spacesuits become stiff objects around the astronauts inside, making it critical they fit comfortably. These spacesuits are essentially mini spacecraft that provide protection and a means of survival for the astronauts as they venture outside the space station and into the harsh environment of space.
Space Coffee!
One Café Latte, please! I was thrilled to find out that even in space, the morning begins with a pick me up. Due to microgravity, liquids tend to get sticky and cling to the wall of cups, making these plastic pouches and straws necessary for consumption. Astronauts in 2015 got an upgrade to their morning cup of joe thanks to SpaceX, Lavazza and the Italian Space Agency. Named the ISSpresso, a microgravity coffee maker has brought authentic Italian espresso with zero-G coffee cups onto the International Space Station.
Emergency Mask Donning
Fueled up and ready for the day, my next agenda item was emergency preparedness practice. There is no 9-1-1 in space, and three events that could pose a dangerous threat to the Space Station include a fire, a depressurization event or an ammonia breakout. Here, Canadian Astronaut David Saint-Jacques and I practiced emergency mask donning in the unlikely event of an ammonia leak into the station’s atmosphere.
Preventative Maintenance
From astronaut to astro-plumber, I traded my mask for goggles with Astronaut Anne McClain during a briefing on plumbing routine maintenance. Because the International Space Station never returns to Earth, the crew is trained to regularly inspect, replace and clean parts inside the station.
Daily Exercise
Talk about staying healthy! After a busy day, Astronaut McClain and I continued to hit the ground running, literally. Crew members are required to work out daily for about two hours to help keep their heart, bones and muscles strong in zero gravity. The harness McClain is wearing is very much like a backpacking harness, designed to evenly distribute weight across her upper body and is attached to a system of bungees and cords. Depending on the tension in these attachments, a specific load of pressure is applied to her body onto the machine.
Strength Training in Zero-G
Watch out, deadlift going on. Running isn’t the only gym exercise they have onboard; strength training is also incorporated into the daily exercise regime.
Robotics Operations: Canadarm2
You can look, just don’t touch they told me. Whoops. This was a definite highlight, my Canadarm 2 briefing. That black nob by my hand is the translational hand controller. It operates the up and down function of the 57.7-foot-long robotic arm. The Canadarm2 lends a literal helping hand with many station functions, using a “hand” known as a Latching End Effector to perform tasks such as in orbit maintenance, moving supplies and performing “cosmic catches”.
Crew Group Dinner
Whew, you work up a big appetite working on the Space Station. Ending the day, I was introduced to a crew favorite, group dinner! Astronauts and cosmonauts from around the world come together on the orbital lab and bring with them a variety of cultures and ... food! Though each country is responsible for feeding its own members, when on board the astronauts can share as they please. A new friend of mine, Paxi from the European Space Agency, welcomed my visit and we split a delicious space-shrimp cocktail.
And that’s a wrap to a busy first week aboard the International Space Station! Learn more about what it means to live and work aboard the International Space Station, and click here to see if you have what it takes to become a NASA Astronaut. Until next time!
Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com
NASA’s Satellite Data Help Save Lives
For the first time, measurements from our Earth-observing satellites are being used to help combat a potential outbreak of life-threatening cholera. Humanitarian teams in Yemen are targeting areas identified by a NASA-supported project that precisely forecasts high-risk regions based on environmental conditions observed from space.
Cholera is caused by consuming food or water contaminated with a bacterium called Vibrio cholerae.
The disease affects millions of people every year and can be deadly. It remains a major threat to global health, especially in developing countries, such as Yemen, where access to clean water is limited.
To calculate the likelihood of an outbreak, scientists run a computer model that takes satellite observations of things like rain and temperatures and combines them with information on local sanitation and clean water infrastructure. In 2017, the model achieved 92 percent accuracy in predicting the regions where cholera was most likely to occur and spread in Yemen. An outbreak that year in Yemen was the world's worst, with more than 1.1 million suspected cases and more than 2,300 deaths, according to the World Health Organization.
International humanitarian organizations took notice. In January 2018, Fergus McBean, a humanitarian adviser with the U.K.'s Department for International Development, read about the NASA-funded team's 2017 results and contacted them with an ambitious challenge: to create and implement a cholera forecasting system for Yemen, in only four months.
“It was a race against the start of rainy season,” McBean said.
The U.S. researchers began working with U.K. Aid, the U.K. Met Office, and UNICEF on the innovative approach to use the model to inform cholera risk reduction in Yemen.
In March, one month ahead of the rainy season, the U.K. international development office began using the model’s forecasts. Early results show the science team’s model predictions, coupled with Met Office weather forecasts, are helping UNICEF and other aid groups target their response to where support is needed most.
Photo Credit: UNICEF
“By joining up international expertise with those working on the ground, we have for the very first time used these sophisticated predictions to help save lives and prevent needless suffering,” said Charlotte Watts, chief scientist for United Kingdom’s Department for International Development.
Read more: go.nasa.gov/2MxKyw4
Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com.
A room with Earth views! 🌎 Earlier this week, astronaut Ricky Arnold captured this spectacular view of our home planet while he was orbiting at a speed of 17,500 miles per hour. If you’re wondering where in the world this video was taken, it starts as the International Space Station is above San Francisco and moving southward through the Americas.
Each day, the station completes 16 orbits of our home planet as the six humans living and working aboard our orbiting laboratory conduct important science and research. Their work will not only benefit life here on Earth, but will help us venture deeper into space than ever before.
Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com
Celebrating the Earth (Off the Earth!)
To find the perfect perch for Earth observation research, just look up – about 240 miles up. The International Space Station serves as an optimal platform for studying our dynamic planet, where spectacular views support science.
With currently active instruments and facilities like High Definition Earth Viewing, Crew Earth Observations, Lightning Imaging Sensor, SAGE-III and Meteor, researchers on the ground are able to use the station’s unique (and useful!) vantage point to track Earth’s weather patterns, obtain images documenting changes on the planet’s surface, understand the origin of meteors falling towards Earth, and better understand the atmosphere.
The space station’s 90-minute orbit allows it to cover 90% of the Earth’s populated surfaces. That means we are able to study A LOT of that big blue marble.
Let’s talk a little about how the space station serves as a platform for Earth observation:
Each day, as the space station passes over regions of the Earth, crew members photograph the area below as a part of the Crew Earth Observations Facility investigation, one of the longest-running experiments on the orbiting laboratory. Crew members are able to photograph large-scale weather events like the recent Hurricane Harvey from the space station’s Cupola. These little science postcards from space can be used by researchers and the public to learn more about our home planet.
Want to see a picture of your hometown from space? Search for it in the Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth (GAPE).
The High Definition Earth Viewing (HDEV) experiment streams live video of Earth for online viewing. This investigation not only provides hours and hours of footage of the Earth below, but also demonstrates how the technology holds up against the harsh environment of space. High school students helped design some of the cameras' components, through the High Schools United with NASA to Create Hardware (HUNCH) program, and student teams perform most of the HDEV operation. (Whoa! Check out HUNCH and STEM on Station for more opportunities for student involvement!)
Useful for weather forecasting, hurricane monitoring, and observations of large-scale climate phenomena such as El Niño, RapidScat used radar pulses reflected off the ocean to measure wind speed and direction over the ocean.
RapidScat completed its successful two-year mission, outlasting its original decommission date before suffering a power loss. Although RapidScat is no longer transmitting data back to Earth, the station hosts many other Earth-observation tools the Cyclone Intensity Measurements from the ISS (CyMISS) an experiment that seeks to develop detailed information on tropical storm structure to better estimate storm intensity, which will help government agencies to better prepare communities for impending natural disasters; and the Cloud-Aerosol Transport System (CATS), a previously-flown lidar instrument which measured atmospheric profiles of aerosols and clouds to better understand their properties and interactions, as well as provided data useful to improving climate change models.
Learn more about RapidScat’s mission conclusion HERE! Take a look at CATS mission data HERE!
Watch more inspiring videos and learn about how we’re capturing the beauty of Earth HERE.
Crew members are able to photograph large-scale weather events like the recent Hurricane Harvey from the space station’s Cupola. These little science postcards from space can be used by researchers and the public to learn more about our home planet.
Plants in space!
Future long-duration missions into the solar system will require a fresh food supply to supplement crew diets, which means growing crops in space. Growing food in such a harsh environment also teaches us a little bit about growing in harsh environments here on Earth.
Here are a few plant-based investigations currently happening aboard the orbiting laboratory:
Veggie is a chamber on the space station that helps scientists grow, harvest and study different space crops. This experiment is called VEG-03D and they’ve been able to grow six rounds of crops so far.
SpaceX's 13th Commercial Resupply vehicle carried many valuable items to the orbiting laboratory, including Plant Gravity Perception, an investigation that uses the European Modular Cultivation System (EMCS) to simulate gravity to help plants grow its roots downward, and shoots upwards. The shoots need to face upwards, towards the light, so they can absorb sunlight and nutrients. Without this, plants wouldn’t know which way to grow. Yikes!
Learn more about Plant Gravity Perception HERE!
The Advanced Plant Habitat is a large chamber that supports commercial and fundamental plant research for at least one year of continuous use. A great feature to this habitat is that the astronauts can view the plant’s progress through a window on the door.
Whether astronauts are taking pictures of the planet or growing crops in space, all science aboard the space station plants seeds for a better life on Earth. Biology investigations directly grow our knowledge of agricultural techniques for harsh environments and imagery from space can give us a clearer idea of our planet’s health and emerging weather patterns.
Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com.
Science-Heavy SpaceX Dragon Headed to Space Station
Heads up: a new batch of science is headed to the International Space Station aboard the SpaceX Dragon on April 2, 2018. Launching from Florida's Cape Canaveral Air Force Station atop a Falcon 9 rocket, this fire breathing (well, kinda…) spacecraft will deliver science that studies thunderstorms on Earth, space gardening, potential pathogens in space, new ways to patch up wounds and more.
Let's break down some of that super cool science heading 250 miles above Earth to the orbiting laboratory:
Sprites and Elves in Space
Atmosphere-Space Interactions Monitor (ASIM) experiment will survey severe thunderstorms in Earth's atmosphere and upper-atmospheric lightning, or transient luminous events.
These include sprites, flashes caused by electrical break-down in the mesosphere; the blue jet, a discharge from cloud tops upward into the stratosphere; and ELVES, concentric rings of emissions caused by an electromagnetic pulse in the ionosphere.
Here's a graphic showing the layers of the atmosphere for reference:
Metal Powder Fabrication
Our Sample Cartridge Assembly (MSL SCA-GEDS-German) experiment will determine underlying scientific principles for a fabrication process known as liquid phase sintering, in microgravity and Earth-gravity conditions.
Science term of the day: Liquid phase sintering works like building a sandcastle with just-wet-enough sand; heating a powder forms interparticle bonds and formation of a liquid phase accelerates this solidification, creating a rigid structure. But in microgravity, settling of powder grains does not occur and larger pores form, creating more porous and distorted samples than Earth-based sintering.
Sintering has many applications on Earth, including metal cutting tools, automotive engine connecting rods, and self-lubricating bearings. It has potential as a way to perform in-space fabrication and repair, such as building structures on the moon or creating replacement parts during extraterrestrial exploration.
Plants in space! It's l[a]unch time!
Understanding how plants respond to microgravity and demonstrating reliable vegetable production in space represent important steps toward the goal of growing food for future long-duration missions. The Veggie Passive Orbital Nutrient Delivery System (Veggie PONDS) experiment will test a passive nutrient delivery system in the station's Veggie plant growth facility by cultivating lettuce and mizuna greens for harvest and consumption on orbit.
The PONDS design features low mass and low maintenance, requires no additional energy, and interfaces with the Veggie hardware, accommodating a variety of plant types and growth media.
Quick Science Tip: Download the Plant Growth App to grow your own veggies in space! Apple users can download the app HERE! Android users click HERE!
Testing Materials in Space
The Materials ISS Experiment Flight Facility (MISSE-FF) experiment will provide a unique platform for testing how materials, coatings and components react in the harsh environment of space.
A continuation of a previous experiment, this version's new design eliminates the need for astronauts to perform spacewalks for these investigations. New technology includes power and data collection options and the ability to take pictures of each sample on a monthly basis, or more often if required. The testing benefits a variety of industries, including automotive, aeronautics, energy, space, and transportation.
New Ways to Develop Drugs in Space
Microgravity affects movement and effectiveness of drugs in unique ways. Microgravity studies already have resulted in innovative medicines to treat cancer, for example. The Metabolic Tracking investigation determines the possibility of developing improved drugs in microgravity, using a new method to test the metabolic impacts of drug compounds. This could lead to more effective, less expensive drugs.
Follow @ISS_Research on Twitter for your daily dose of nerdy, spacey goodness.
Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com.
Astronaut Candidates Report for Duty
Fourteen new Astronaut Candidates have reported to our Johnson Space Center in Houston for duty on Monday, Aug. 21! Two astronauts from the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), along with our 12 new astronaut candidates arrived for their first day of work. We selected these 12 individuals from a record number of more than 18,000 applicants.
This excited group of outstanding individuals will begin 2 years of training, along with 2 Canadian astronauts, in 5 key areas before being assigned to a mission.
What 5 areas? Let’s take a look...
1. Operate in T-38 Jets
Astronauts must be able to safely operate in the T-38 jets as either a pilot or back seater.
2. Operate + Maintain the International Space Station
Astronauts learn to operate and maintain the complex systems aboard the International Space Station. Did you know they recycle their water there? Today’s coffee is...well, tomorrow’s coffee too.
3. Learn How to Spacewalk
Or should we say waterwalk? Astronauts demonstrate the skills to complete complex spacewalk tasks in our Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory. This 6.2 million gallon pool contains a mockup of the space station and is a close simulation to microgravity.
4. Learn to Operate a Robot
Astronauts train in Canada for 2 weeks to learn how to capture visiting vehicles and more with the space station’s Canadarm 2 robotic arm.
5. Learn a Foreign Language
Astronauts must be fluent in both English and Russian, the two official languages on the International Space Station.
But before they begin all this training...they had to report for duty...
This group reported for Johnson Space Center on eclipse day and was sworn in as NASA’s Astronaut Candidate Class of 2017.
They even got to experience the partial solar eclipse together, what a great first day!
Follow their training journey online by following @NASA_Astronauts on Twitter.
Get to know them better and watch their individual interviews here: go.nasa.gov/NewAstronauts.
Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com
Expedition 52 Begins Aboard Space Station
When humans launch to the International Space Station, they are members of expeditions. An expedition is long duration stay on the space station. The first expedition started when the crew docked to the station on Nov. 2, 2000.
Expedition 52 began in June 2017 aboard the orbiting laboratory and will end in September 2017.
FUN FACT: Each Expedition begins with the undocking of the spacecraft carrying the departing crew from the previous Expedition. So Expedition 52 began with the undocking of the Soyuz MS-03 spacecraft that brought Expedition 51 crew members Oleg Novitskiy and Thomas Pesquet back to Earth, leaving NASA astronauts Peggy Whitson and Jack Fischer and Roscosmos cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin aboard the station to await the arrival of the rest of the Expedition 52 crew in July.
This expedition includes dozens of out of this world science investigations and a crew that takes #SquadGoals to a whole new level.
Take a look below to get to know the crew members and some of the science that will occur during the space station’s 52nd expedition.
Crew
Fyodor Yurchikhin (Roscosmos) – Commander
Born: Batumi, Adjar ASSR, Georgian SSR Interests: collecting stamps and space logos, sports, history of cosmonautics and reading Spaceflights: STS-112, Exps. 15, 24/25, 36/37, 51 Bio: https://go.nasa.gov/2o9PO9F
Jack Fischer (NASA) – Flight Engineer
Born: Louisville, Colorado. Interests: spending time with my family, flying, camping, traveling and construction Spaceflights: Expedition 51 Twitter: @Astro2Fish Bio: https://go.nasa.gov/2o9FY7o
Peggy Whitson (NASA) – Flight Engineer
Born: Mount Ayr, Iowa Interests: weightlifting, biking, basketball and water skiing Spaceflights: STS-111, STS – 113, Exps. 5, 16, 50, 51, 52 Twitter: @AstroPeggy Bio: https://go.nasa.gov/2rpL58x
Randolph Bresnik (NASA) – Flight Engineer
Born: Fort Knox, Kentucky Interests: travel, music, photography, weight training, sports, scuba diving, motorcycling, and flying warbirds Spaceflights: STS-129 and STS-135 Twitter: @AstroKomrade Bio: https://go.nasa.gov/2rq5Ssm
Sergey Ryazanskiy (Roscosmos) – Flight Engineer
Born: Moscow, Soviet Union Interests: Numismatics, playing the guitar, tourism, sport games Spaceflights: Exps. 37/38 Twitter: @Ryazanskiy_ISS Bio: https://go.nasa.gov/2rpXfOK
Paolo Nespoli (ESA) – Flight Engineer
Born: Milan, Italy Interests: scuba diving, piloting aircraft, assembling computer hardware, electronic equipment and computer software Spaceflights: STS-120, Exps. 26/27 Bio: https://go.nasa.gov/2rq0tlk
What will the crew be doing during Expedition 52?
In addition to one tentatively planned spacewalk, crew members will conduct scientific investigations that will demonstrate more efficient solar arrays, study the physics of neutron stars, study a new drug to fight osteoporosis and study the adverse effects of prolonged exposure to microgravity on the heart.
Roll-Out Solar Array (ROSA)
Solar panels are an efficient way to generate power, but they can be delicate and large when used to power a spacecraft or satellites. They are often tightly stowed for launch and then must be unfolded when the spacecraft reaches orbit.
The Roll-Out Solar Array (ROSA), is a solar panel concept that is lighter and stores more compactly for launch than the rigid solar panels currently in use. ROSA has solar cells on a flexible blanket and a framework that rolls out like a tape measure.
Neutron Star Interior Composition Explored (NICER)
Neutron stars, the glowing cinders left behind when massive stars explode as supernovas, are the densest objects in the universe, and contain exotic states of matter that are impossible to replicate in any ground lab.
The Neutron Star Interior Composition Explored (NICER) payload, affixed to the exterior of the space station, studies the physics of these stars, providing new insight into their nature and behavior.
Systemic Therapy of NELL-1 for Osteoporosis (Rodent Research-5)
When people and animals spend extended periods of time in space, they experience bone density loss. The Systemic Therapy of NELL-1 for osteoporosis (Rodent Research-5) investigation tests a new drug that can both rebuild bone and block further bone loss, improving health for crew members.
Fruit Fly Lab-02
Exposure to reduced gravity environments can result in cardiovascular changes such as fluid shifts, changes in total blood volume, heartbeat and heart rhythm irregularities, and diminished aerobic capacity. The Fruit Fly Lab-02 study will use the fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) to better understand the underlying mechanisms responsible for the adverse effects of prolonged exposure to microgravity on the heart.
Watch their progress HERE!
Expedition 52 Mission Patch
Our planet is shown surrounded by an imaginary constellation shaped like a house, depicting the theme of the patch: “The Earth is our home.” It is our precious cradle, to be preserved for all future generations. The house of stars just touches the Moon, acknowledging the first steps we have already taken there, while Mars is not far away, just beyond the International Space Station, symbolized by the Roman numeral “LII,” signifying the expedition number.
The planets Saturn and Jupiter, seen orbiting farther away, symbolize humanity’s exploration of deeper space, which will begin soon. A small Sputnik is seen circling the Earth on the same orbit with the space station, bridging the beginning of our cosmic quest till now: Expedition 52 will launch in 2017, sixty years after that first satellite. Two groups of crew names signify the pair of Soyuz vehicles that will launch the astronauts of Expedition 52 to the Station.
Click here for more details about the expedition and follow @ISS_Research on Twitter to stay up to date on the science happening aboard YOUR orbiting laboratory!
Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com
What You Should Know About Scott Kelly’s #YearInSpace
1. It’s Actually More Like a Three-Year Mission
NASA astronaut Scott Kelly and Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko may have had a year-long stay in space, but the science of their mission will span more than three years. One year before they left Earth, Kelly and Kornienko began participating in a suite of investigations aimed at better understanding how the human body responds to long-duration spaceflight. Samples of their blood, urine, saliva, and more all make up the data set scientists will study. The same kinds of samples continued to be taken throughout their stay in space, and will continue for a year or more once they return.
2. What We Learn is Helping Us Get to Mars
One of the biggest hurdles of getting to Mars is ensuring humans are “go” for a long-duration mission and that crew members will maintain their health and full capabilities for the duration of a Mars mission and after their return to Earth. Scientists have solid data about how bodies respond to living in microgravity for six months, but significant data beyond that timeframe had not been collected…until now. A mission to Mars will likely last about three years, about half the time coming and going to Mars and about half the time on Mars. We need to understand how human systems like vision and bone health are affected by the 12 to 16 months living on a spacecraft in microgravity and what countermeasures can be taken to reduce or mitigate risks to crew members during the flight to and from Mars. Understanding the challenges facing humans is just one of the ways research aboard the space station helps our journey to Mars.
3. The Science Will Take Some Time
While scientists will begin analyzing data from Kelly and Kornienko as soon as they return to Earth, it could be anywhere from six months to six years before we see published results from the research. The scientific process takes time, and processing the data from all the investigations tied to the one-year mission will be no easy task. Additionally, some blood, urine and saliva samples from Kelly and Kornienko will still be stored in the space station freezers until they can be returned on the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. Early on in the analytical process scientists may see indications of what we can expect, but final results will come long after Kelly and Kornienko land.
4. This Isn’t the First Time Someone Has Spent a Year in Space
This is the first time that extensive research using exciting new techniques like genetic studies has been conducted on very long-duration crew members. Astronaut Scott Kelly is the first American to complete a continuous, year-long mission in space and is now the American who has spent the most cumulative time in space, but it’s not the first time humans have reached this goal. Previously, only four humans have spent a year or more in orbit on a single mission, all aboard the Russian Mir Space Station. They all participated in significant research proving that humans are capable of living and working in space for a year or more.
Russian cosmonaut Valery Polyakov spent 438 days aboard Mir between January 1994 and March 1995 and holds the all-time record for the most continuous days spent in space.
Cosmonaut Sergei Avdeyev spent 380 days on Mir between August 1998 and August 1999.
Cosmonauts Vladimir Titov and Musa Manarov completed a 366-day mission from December 1987 to December 1988.
5. International Collaboration is Key
The International Space Station is just that: international. The one-year mission embodies the spirit of collaboration across countries in the effort to mitigate as many risks as possible for humans on long-duration missions. Data collected on both Kelly and Kornienko will be shared between the United States and Russia, and international partners. These kinds of collaborations help increase more rapidly the biomedical knowledge necessary for human exploration, reduce costs, improve processes and procedures, and improve efficiency on future space station missions.
6. So Much Science!
During Kelly’s year-long mission aboard the orbiting laboratory, his participation in science wasn’t limited to the one-year mission investigations. In all, he worked on close to 400 science studies that help us reach for new heights, reveal the unknown, and benefit all of humanity. His time aboard the station included blood draws, urine collection, saliva samples, computer tests, journaling, caring for two crops in the Veggie plant growth facility, ocular scans, ultrasounds, using the space cup, performing runs with the SPHERES robotic satellites, measuring sound, assisting in configuring cubesats to be deployed, measuring radiation, participating in fluid shifts testing in the Russian CHIBIS pants, logging his sleep and much, much more. All of this was in addition to regular duties of station maintenance, including three spacewalks!
7. No More Food in Pouches
After months of eating food from pouches and cans and drinking through straws, Kelly and Kornienko will be able to celebrate their return to Earth with food of their choice. While aboard the space station, their food intake is closely monitored and designed to provide exactly the nutrients they need. Crew members do have a say in their on-orbit menus but often miss their favorite meals from back home. Once they return, they won’t face the same menu limitations as they did in space. As soon as they land on Earth and exit the space capsule, they are usually given a piece of fruit or a cucumber to eat as they begin their initial health checks. After Kelly makes the long flight home to Houston, he will no doubt greatly savor those first meals.
8. After the Return Comes Reconditioning
You’ve likely heard the phrase, “Use it or lose it.” The same thing can be said for astronauts’ muscles and bones. Muscles and bones can atrophy in microgravity. While in space, astronauts have a hearty exercise regimen to fight these effects, and they continue strength training and reconditioning once they return to Earth. They will also participate in Field Tests immediately after landing. Once they are back at our Johnson Space Center, Functional Task Tests will assess how the human body responds to living in microgravity for such a long time. Understanding how astronauts recover after long-duration spaceflight is a critical piece in planning for missions to deep space.
9. Twins Studies Have Researchers Seeing Double
One of the unique aspects of Kelly’s participation in the one-year mission is that he has an identical twin brother, Mark, who is a former astronaut. The pair have taken part in a suite of studies that use Mark as a human control on the ground during Scott’s year-long stay in space. The Twins Study is comprised of 10 different investigations coordinating together and sharing all data and analysis as one large, integrated research team. The investigations focus on human physiology, behavioral health, microbiology/microbiome and molecular/omics. The Twins Study is multi-faceted national cooperation between investigations at universities, corporations, and government laboratories.
10. This Mission Will Help Determine What Comes Next
The completion of the one-year mission and its studies will help guide the next steps in planning for long-duration deep space missions that will be necessary as humans move farther into the solar system. Kelly and Kornienko’s mission will inform future decisions and planning for other long-duration missions, whether they are aboard the space station, a deep space habitat in lunar orbit, or a mission to Mars.
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Thailand’s Holiday Appeal: Why 9-in-10 Hotel Guests Will Arrive from Overseas This December
Discover why Thailand leads the world in international hotel arrivals this December, with record-breaking bookings, longer stays, and increased traveler confidence. Continue reading Thailand’s Holiday Appeal: Why 9-in-10 Hotel Guests Will Arrive from Overseas This December
How The U.S. Stole the Middle East
What caused the Rwandan Genocide? - Susanne Buckley-Zistel
NASA’s Satellite Data Help Save Lives
For the first time, measurements from our Earth-observing satellites are being used to help combat a potential outbreak of life-threatening cholera. Humanitarian teams in Yemen are targeting areas identified by a NASA-supported project that precisely forecasts high-risk regions based on environmental conditions observed from space.
Cholera is caused by consuming food or water contaminated with a bacterium called Vibrio cholerae.
The disease affects millions of people every year and can be deadly. It remains a major threat to global health, especially in developing countries, such as Yemen, where access to clean water is limited.
To calculate the likelihood of an outbreak, scientists run a computer model that takes satellite observations of things like rain and temperatures and combines them with information on local sanitation and clean water infrastructure. In 2017, the model achieved 92 percent accuracy in predicting the regions where cholera was most likely to occur and spread in Yemen. An outbreak that year in Yemen was the world’s worst, with more than 1.1 million suspected cases and more than 2,300 deaths, according to the World Health Organization.
International humanitarian organizations took notice. In January 2018, Fergus McBean, a humanitarian adviser with the U.K.’s Department for International Development, read about the NASA-funded team’s 2017 results and contacted them with an ambitious challenge: to create and implement a cholera forecasting system for Yemen, in only four months.
“It was a race against the start of rainy season,” McBean said.
The U.S. researchers began working with U.K. Aid, the U.K. Met Office, and UNICEF on the innovative approach to use the model to inform cholera risk reduction in Yemen.
In March, one month ahead of the rainy season, the U.K. international development office began using the model’s forecasts. Early results show the science team’s model predictions, coupled with Met Office weather forecasts, are helping UNICEF and other aid groups target their response to where support is needed most.
Photo Credit: UNICEF
“By joining up international expertise with those working on the ground, we have for the very first time used these sophisticated predictions to help save lives and prevent needless suffering,” said Charlotte Watts, chief scientist for United Kingdom’s Department for International Development.
Read more: go.nasa.gov/2MxKyw4
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It is our pleasure to welcome the employees of the American International Industries into the Empire Workforce Solutions family. Without the hard work and dedication of the employees, the successful partnership with American International Industries would not be possible. Our goal for employees is to make sure that their work environment is safe, enjoyable, and rewarding.
Empire Workforce Solutions is the right partner of choice when it comes to providing employers and employees with safe and meaningful opportunities.
Ginni Rometty, C.E.O. International Business Machines Corporation {IBM}, CC: Michael Bloomberg, Ownership New York Stock Exchange {NYSE}
Ginni, Is it true that you showed up with a 308 handcannon to shoot me when I was partying for the first time in upstate New York? My second time partying, ever, all time, this generation I was in upstate New York celebrating my Sister Samantha’s College Graduation. It snowed Memorial Day Weekend that year. I was driving a blue Geo Metro with a window that would not wind up. I partied through the night in the bouncy house. Yes, This is a Hostile Takeover. I desire to keep you, as I do not believe you are the problem at this time, you are the conduit of confusion to protect people like _________ from bionengineering hazards sites that have fraudulent site permits for operation.
While away on assignment I requested corporate training from WalMart; I have reached out to them before to assist with career advancement for some of my people. I am a long way from holding the position and title you now possess. And I believe, and hope, and pray that you are emotionally and metaphysically prepared for this transition at IBM. I cannot capture what we have done. I can map what is happening with TabletOne, and that means I am about twenty years from coming into the office with my intellectual property mapping device ready to work as CEO, IBM.
What Planet Earth Needs Right Now is #IBMLEADERSHIP. This product will takeover most of the leases Apple Corporation has with Best Buy Consumer Retail Electronics. This expands IBM Employment into the retail sector. And yes, I always have my eye on boutique airport consumer retail electronics storefronts. The product is called Platform Transition. BLOOMBERG innovated in this business sector with the BLOOMBERG Terminal. We are going to provide any consumer that agrees to pay for one year of digital cloud and digital footprint tracking by IBM a massive User Interface Overhaul on their one year anniversary working with #IBMRESEARCH on location inside of Best Buy Retail Locations. Upfront we will offer a few cute tricks like a slick memes generator for selfies. This does not violate the Windows Microsoft End User License Agreement. And now you are in charge. right? Signed, ALways ALexander
🇮🇹 Buongiorno miei cari!😘 Ecco a voi la ricetta completa della mia pasta fillo. Un paio di giorni fa vi avevo mostrato tutte le fasi da seguire per poterla realizzare. La ricetta comprende, inoltre, gli ingredienti e le modalità di preparazione di un piatto di fama internazionale: il brick tunisino. Se amate i fritti non potete non cucinare questo!! 😉😋 Buon appetito!
🇬🇧 Hello my dear! 😘 Here you are the complete recipe of my filo pastry. I showed you all the steps to follow to be able to prepare it two days ago. Also the recipe includes ingredients and methods of cooking an international famous dish: the Tunisian brick. If you love fried food, you should try it! 😉😋 Enjoy your meal!
Happy International Womens Day! http://internationalwomensday.com =^.^= #FreePussyRiot!
Britney and a Boy by John Webster
[via Chateau Thombeau]
Commercial Space & Ocean Worlds: NASA Co-Op #3 Week 14
Did you know that at least one human has inhabited the International Space Station over 16 years?!
NASA even has a Cumulative Crew Time on Orbit clock. Frequent flyers of this blog are familiar with the giant space lab orbiting the Earth every 90 minutes, however, even some of the public within a 20 mile radius of Johnson Space Center think NASA has shut down! It's up to myself, NASA full-timers, NASA interns and the science enthused to educate the public about the continuing efforts in space exploration.
International Space Station (ISS) Program Manager Kirk Shireman hosted an all hands for NASA employees to share about achievements and future goals. NASA is leading the commercialization of space by. The media often portrays NASA as fretting space commercialization when in reality NASA is fueling it. NASA has contracted SpaceX and Orbital ATK to deliver cargo to ISS every couple of months as commercial resuppliers. Launch of ATK April 18th 9:30am-10:30am CT. Boeing and SpaceX are being contracted by NASA to develop the Commercial Crew Vehicles to transport astronauts from Earth to ISS and back. The Commercial Crew Program enables manned launches from American soil. Additionally ISS is working toward attaching station nodes built by private space companies that deploy CubeSats. NASA thinks of the private and public space company research and device developers as customers. NASA is working on making space more accessible to its "customers".
Graduate School Advice
A Co-Op student leader coordinated a graduate panel with folks with NASA experience that also completed grad school. These are some helpful anonymous quotes from the panel...
“So when you roll into my office and say you want to be an astronaut I need a PhD, remember these are seven to eight years of your life”.
“How long it takes depends on how long it takes to do new science”.
“How many papers does it take to graduate? Okay. Spit in your hand and shake”.
Student: I want to get a degree in something very different than undergrad.
Panel member: “You can do anything”.
“Most people are human.”
“The answers aren’t in the back of the book once you start full-time.”
Ocean Worlds in Our Solar System
Evidence of giant water plumes observed on one of Saturn's moon Enceladus and one of Jupiter's Europa has been found. This exploration started in the 1990s when Galileo space craft orbited Jupiter and its moons. The magnetic signature detected on Europa suggests ocean like currents underneath its icy shell. During a 2005 Cassini performed an Enceladus fly by and spotted huge plumes were observed. Recently data from these mission have been analyzed and conclusions have been reached.
Terrestrial oceans have hydro thermal activity feeding life deep 1000s of meters below the ocean. Plumes spotted on extraterrestrial worlds are believed to produce "300 pizzas per hour of energy" in calories. "The statistics tell us that plumes are real by full sigma results". However, Hubble has reached its max to detect these plumes on Europa so scientists cannot be certain yet. Bill Sparks from Goddard expanded on the uncertain of Europa's plumes, "It's not completely unequivocally but in my mind the pendulum has swung from cation to optimism. The evidence is growing. The fact we have saw a repeated the exact same location. That's one of the gold standards for dealing with a repeat phenomenon. It's not proof because we are right at the limit of what Hubble can do." He shared it is evidence rather than proof because spectrometer readings, movies and maps have been taken of Enceladus is high definition compared to the smudge of low resolution observation made by Hubble's max capacity.
WAYS TO GET INVOLVED
More reading on these ocean worlds!...
Full press conference by NASA scientists about the water plumes: https://youtu.be/3n-0CSCcJuQ
https://www.nasa.gov/topics/solarsystem/index.html
https://www.nasa.gov/specials/ocean-worlds/
This week at NASA.
NASA commercial cargo provider Orbital ATK is targeting its seventh commercial resupply services mission to the ISS for 10:11 a.m. CDT Tuesday, April 18. Coverage of the launch begins at 9 a.m. on NASA TV.
Big Day In Space: NASA Co-Op #3 Week 12
Spacewalk
An International Space Station spacewalk with a runaway micrometeorite shield and SpaceX landing of a rocket which has already flown in space marks a busy week in space exploration.
American NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson conducted her eight spacewalk March 30th, 2017. Logging an accumulative 59 spacewalk hours, Peggy has surpassed the current record of female spacewalk hours. Peggy is now the third most experience spacewalker behind Anatoly Solovyev (68 hours) and former astronaut Mike Lopez-Alegria (67 hours). Accompanying Peggy on the spacewalk was current Space Station commander Shane Kimbrough.
The goals of the spacewalk included reconnecting cables and electrical connections to PMA3 on the Harmony node. Peggy and Shane also installed an upgraded computer relay box on Space Station's truss and installed shields to PMA3 and common berthing mechanism.
During the spacewalk, one of the shields was inadvertently lost. Fortunately, the shield floated away safely and does not pose a threat to Space Station nor the crew. However, the device missing a shield still needed to be protected. Mission Control engineers jumped into action with an Apollo 13-esque energy to solve how to replace the cover. They devised a plan for the astronauts to finish covering the port with the PMA-3 cover Whitson removed earlier in the day.
Leading this effort from the ground included light Director Emily Nelson and Capsule Communicator (CAPCOM)/Astronaut Anne McClain. Below you can see circled in green CAPCOM McClain & circled in purple Flight Director Nelson.
SpaceX Reusable Rocket
Falcon 9 rocket will delivered a commercial communications satellite to a Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO). SpaceX is on the road to full and rapid reusability as the world’s first reflight of an orbital class rocket, whereas NASA's Shuttle was a human transport between Earth and Space Station. Falcon 9’s first stage was previously supported a mission in April of 2016.
Rewatch the launch and landing broadcast here.
WAYS TO GET INVOLVED
Science Friday featured NASA Robotics and exploring the galaxy
Apply to be a NASA Intern
Accomplishments this week at NASA
NASA panelists at a Women History Month event
Launch your Aerospace Career
More pictures from the spacewalk...
Space Walks & Garbage: NASA Co-Op #3 Week One
Space Garbage
Familiarized myself with the Inventory and Stowage Officer (ISO) team this week. They are a console position Mission Control that is in charge of managing the inventory and stowage of all US items on board the International Space Station (ISS). ISO prepares products for upcoming real-time operations and coordinates with other consoles regarding stowage plans. ISO is responsible for directing the crew to consolidate, relocate, audit, and unload a visiting vehicle. ISO as well as the Mission Control consoles’ mantra is to distill all information and procedures to make astronaut’s life easier. This is critical because astronauts have to navigate a lot of factors folks on ground don’t have to like; CO2 clustering around their face due to lack of gravity causing drowsiness, homesickness, isolation and general aggregations of communication challenges.
This week we focused on double checking the list of garbage that will burn up in Earth’s atmosphere in Japanese JAXA’s HTV6 cargo ship. Tediously we reviewed each item so nothing got thrown away that shouldn’t and items that would stink up the station were not missed.
Spacewalk
Conducted on the job training in Mission Control's support room called MPSR (Multi-Purpose Support Room, pronounced "mipser") during the Friday the Thirteenth spacewalk. With an official Mission Control headset I followed along the astronauts tasks. Astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Thomas Pesquet spacewalked outside of ISS to update power systems. Upgrading power system of ISS was the overall goal of this month’s suite of Extra Vehicular Activities. Three 428lb Lithium-Ion batteries replaced nickel hydrogen batteries to store power for ISS during this spacewalk. Before the conclusion of the spacewalk engineers in mission control confirmed the batteries’ integration and initial power storage operations.
MPSRs usually use multi-view video with six images of ISS’ exterior and the crew to observe tasks being completed. They listen in on live loops to the Flight Director’s final calls, CAPCOM’s instructions and astronaut’s questions. If necessary MPSR operators can relay to their counterparts in front room Mission Control (FCR-1) information that can be filtered and relayed to Flight.
During the spacewalk there are many glove checks to check for leaks and anomalies. These gloves are impressively engineered to be thick enough to pressurize protect you from space yet gentle enough to allow you to feel space station through them. Astronauts could confirm with Mission Control that batteries were correctly mounted into place by describing drill rotations, torque and light sensor reading on the hand tool.
WAYS TO GET INVOLVED
Intern at NASA, year round, summer, spring or fall semesters.
Co-Op at NASA (Pathways Internship) and get sworn in as a Civil Servant.
Full-time employment at NASA opportunities!
This week's NASA achievements.
Everything about Mission Control from a Flight Director
Comfortably Inconclusive: NASA Co-Op #2 Week 10 & 11
This is the first internship I have completed without a definite finished product to hand over and it truly bothers me. Trials were performed with the small business made humidity sensor with three levels of humidity in order to gather different data points. From these trials a >10% difference between the humidity sensor and NASA known sensors was found. This was primarily because the sensors available to me were not calibrated so errors in the thermodynamic equations could propagate. In conclusion the trials were inconclusive. However, I left a trial rig that can be used with calibrated sensors and known humidity levels, explanation of equations used to gather data and ample documentation on how to run trials with my fluid system and data collection program. My exit presentation pictured above went really well, I was so glad the Director of Engineering Propulsion could attend my presentation!
Before my departure International Space Station astronauts gave a debrief on missions 46 and 47. British astronaut Tim Kopra and American astronaut Tim Peake narrated a video showing images from the missions and scientific experiments they performed. Kopra explained astronauts are experiments themselves and they draw blood, perform ultrasound and exercises to help advance medical science and understand how humans are affected by space travel.
I really enjoyed the multi-disipline challenges I faced this summer running trials on the humidity sensor. Right before I left my Dad and I caught Kate Rubins and Jeff Williams installing the Commercial Crew Docking Adapter outside of Space Station live! This fall I am back at the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) continuing my studies in electrical engineering and computer science. While at UMD I work in the career center editing resumes, giving presentations and writing career tip posts like this: https://umdcareers.wordpress.com/2016/08/17/internships-beyond-your-project/
In the spring I will return to Johnson to Co-Op in Mission Control's ISO (Inventory and Stowage Officer) group.
WAYS TO GET INVOLVED
See what NASA was up to this week.
Read about the astronauts on space station right now!
Apply for a NASA Co-Op
Apply for a NASA Internship
Best Moments from a Year in Space
Creepily enough I have not meet Astronaut Scott Kelly in person, yet through my experience as a NASA Johnson Space intern I have followed his whole journey. While sitting in Mission Control I would see Kelly float through the International Space Station (ISS) to his next experiment, struggle with space food and occasionally pull a space prank. After a record breaking year in space Kelly will return to Earth March 1st and you can watch here 9:15pmCT. He has had many great moments and below are my personal favorites...
Extra Terrestrial Lettuce
Scott Kelly taking a selfie with space lettuce - NASA
Astronauts consumed a space grown harvest for the first time! Kelly, Kjell Lindgren, and Kimiya Yui tried crisp red romaine lettuce, first plain and then with vinaigrette. NASA was testing the effectiveness of a plant growth facility, Veggie, using rooting "pillows," which contain the seeds. Providing fresh food for astronauts, NASA plans to grow food on spacecrafts and on other planets in the future.
Space flowers, zinnia, were also grown in the Veggie during Kelly's mission blooming with oddly curled petals. NASA ground support treated Kelly like an autonomous gardener with only a one page flower care guide. These zinnia were not the first flowers to bloom on the ISS, in 2012 Astronaut Don Pettit grew a sunflower, broccoli and zucchini plant for a personal experiment. The zucchini bloomed a yellow flower but did not produce a full zucchini with the time allotted. Pettit wrote a "Diary of a Space Zucchini" from the perspective of the orbiting zucchini plant. The first flower to bloom in space was a Arabidopsis flown on board the then Soviet Union’s Salyut-7 space station in 1982.
Space Selfies
Scott Kelly taking a selfie during his first space walk Oct 28th, 2015 - NASA
Selfie during Kelly's space walk December 21st, 2015 - NASA
While there is a lot of science to get excited about in space sometimes its acceptable to take a moment to appreciate a good space selfie. Kelly was pretty selfie happy religiously posting to Twitter and sneaking in a few selfies during down time on space walks. In addition to selfies Kelly has taken thousands of stunning photos of Earth from his extraterrestrial perspective. During his over 5,000 orbits around the Earth Scott Kelly has taken thousands upon thousands of photos documenting Earth's beauty and fluid environment. He has captured Northern Lights, illuminated cities, painted deserts, reaching rivers and looming storms. All of these photos that make Earth look like an unknown planet can be found on his Instagram and Twitter. For the record Buzz Aldrin the took first space selfie in 1966.
Green Goo
Scott Kelly observing a tablet fizzing in water - NASA
Unfortunately this is not a slime ball alien. Scott Kelly dissolved a fizzing tablet and food coloring in a floating ball of water. This bubbling phenomenon was captured using a camera ultra high-definition cameras. NASA explains that higher resolution images and higher frame rate videos can reveal more information when used on science investigations. The floating sphere's form was disturbed by its internal popping and bubbling. Personally I thought this experiment was the most hypnotic.
Watch this odd ball I deem to be better than a lava lamp.
Halfway There
Scott Kelly admiring fresh fruit delivered halfway into his yearlong mission - NASA
Woah, livin' on a prayer!
Seriously though, a year in space takes some serious endurance. A sane completion of half a year in space is well worth a celebration. On board the crew received a delivery of fresh fruit in late August on the H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV4) Kounotori, a Japanese cargo ship. On ground, Mission Control celebrated with cupcakes and Skyped with Kelly. Kounotori was one of nine cargo ships Kelly welcomed to ISS. The successful docking of a cargo ship is critical as they carry needed food, experiments, tools and replacement equipment.
15 Years of the International Space Station
Expedition 45 Crew celebrates ISS' 15th birthday - NASA
Scott Kelly celebrated the International Space Station's 15th birthday on November 2nd, 2015 celebrating the first crew's docking back in 2000. Over 1,760 research investigations have been conducted on board including Kelly's Twin Study.
Read about all that has been accomplished on ISS.
Jitters In Orbit
Scott Kelly's set up for Space Cup test - NASA
Liquid in Earth Gravity (right) and low gravity (Left) - NASA
Poor Scott Kelly had to sip coffee for hours to observe patterns of liquid tension in the new Space Cup. It was amusing to hear Kelly claim he took the longest sip of coffee in history. Although bags of coffee are already used on ISS, drinking a cup off coffee is more natural like back on Earth boosting astronaut moral. These Space Cups are engineered to accommodate to liquid's behavior in low gravity. Liquid is very "sticky" in space desiring to adhere to surfaces and pooling. This phenomenon became a hazard when coolant leaked in astronaut Luca Parmitano's space suit during an EVA (Extra Vehicular Activity/ Space Walk) in 2013. By studying the tendencies of liquid in space we can better understand chemical and biological processes in space.
Extra Vehicular Activity
Scott Kelly’s second space walk - NASA
Myself logging during Kelly's second EVA - NASA
During Scott Kelly's second ever space walk I got to follow along with their procedure and log when they successfully completed tasks. Honestly the procedure book is full of engineering jargon that the astronauts may not complete int he desired order, I never had a dull moment trying to keep up! I can't imagine the focus space walkers must have following the procedure, fixing parts on the ISS, staying safe all for many hours without a bathroom and a granola bar. Kelly and Kjell Lindgren spent 7 hours and 48 minutes working outside the International Space Station. They fixed ISS' ammonia cooling system. Scott Kelly performed three EVAs during his year in space.
Scott Kelly taking a selfie with the Earth - NASA
Fragile Exploration
The whole point of Scott Kelly's year long mission is to observe the long term effects of space on a human's body and mind. Humans are the most fragile thing we send up to space. Unfortunately we are not a robot society because by now we would have personally explored each planet in our solar system. To explore, humans have to leave Earth, exist in low gravity and land on other planets SAFELY. Scott Kelly's year in space is a huge step in the right direction to identify our boundaries and expand them. With Scott Kelly on board and his twin brother Mark Kelly as the control on Earth we have a unique look at the effects of zero gravity. Once Scott Kelly lands the science has just begun! Scientists will evaluate the effects on the body in low gravity, observe how Scott Kelly adjusts to Earth's gravity, and observe other changes Scott Kelly has experienced. It is so neat we get to watch this scientific exploration unfold!
WAYS TO GET INVOLVED
Time Inc. produced a net video series called "A Year In Space" about Scott Kelly's mission.
PBS and Time Inc. will team up to produce a two part series about the mission too.
Launch your career in aerospace.
Watch Scott Kelly's Year In Space wrap up coverage on NASA TV here is the schedule:
While adorned in Christmas decorations Mission Control is working fast to instruct astronauts on an unexpected space walk. Year in space astronaut Scott Kelly and newly arrived Tim Kopra are performing an Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA) while first time astronaut Tim Peake is declared the commander of Space Station. Kelly and Kopra are assisting in moving the Mobile Transporter rail car a few inches to a worksite on the station’s truss where it can be latched in place. The rail car was stuck and needed to be moved so a Russian ships could be captured this week. In addition they are checking off items from previous EVA Honey Do list. From the perspective of someone who has developed astronaut training, this last minute EVA is extremely impressive! It takes months to develop an EVA's schedule, hours of training in the largest pool in the world with station mock ups - Neutral Buoyancy Lab, and development of hours of training videos. It takes a whole day just to get the suit on! My mentor said who ever pulled this space walk planning off is going to get a big award. WATCH LIVE NOW: www.ustream.tv/NASAHDTV
Accidentally met NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden! (Barely pictured far left.) I was watching the Space Station cargo ship launch (which unfortunately didn't) from the viewing room and all these important people walked in. After the scrub Bolden came up to me and asked who I was. I responded that I was just an intern and we talked about astronaut training and what was on board the ship.