International Space Station (ISS) Archives

November 18, 2020November 18, 2020 by Ralph Crewe

Earth’s toughest bacteria can survive unprotected in space for at least a year

Credit: Ott, E., Kawaguchi, Y., Kölbl, D. et al.

A remarkable microbe named Deinococcus radiodurans (the name comes from the Greek deinos meaning terrible, kokkos meaning grain or berry, radius meaning radiation, and durare meaning surviving or withstanding) has survived a full year in the harsh environment of outer space aboard (but NOT inside) the International Space Station. This plucky prokaryote is affectionately known by fans as Conan the Bacterium, as seen in this classic 1990s NASA article.

The JAXA (Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency) ISS module Kib? has an unusual feature for spacecraft, a front porch! This exterior portion of the space station is fitted with robotic equipment to complete various experiments in outer space’s brutal conditions. One of these experiments was to expose cells of D. radiodurans for a year and then test the cells to see if they not only would survive but could reproduce effectively afterward. D. radiodurans proved to be up to the challenge, and what a challenge it was!

September 25, 2020September 25, 2020 by Nancy Atkinson

Astronauts are Getting a New Toilet Next Week

The International Space Station in orbit round Earth. Credit: NASA

When astronauts have to go, NASA wants them to boldly go.

A new space toilet is heading to the International Space Station, with official name “Universal Waste Management System” (UWMS). (If it’s NASA, there has to be an acronym). The new toilet is smaller than the current toilets aboard the station, is more user-friendly, and includes 3-D printed titanium parts.

September 22, 2020September 22, 2020 by Nancy Atkinson

This is the View You Get Staring out of the Space Station’s Cupola Module

Clouds trace out the islands of the Caribbean Sea in this photo taken by an astronaut from inside the Cupola on the International Space Station. Credit NASA/NASA Earth Observatory.

Those lucky few who have the incredible opportunity to see the Earth from space often report the view gives them a sense of awe, unity and clarity. This perspective-altering experience has come to be known as the Overview Effect, from a book by the same name published 1987 by space philosopher Frank White.

July 20, 2020July 20, 2020 by Nancy Atkinson

Mount Everest, Seen from Space!

Mount Everest, as seen from the International Space Station. Picture taken by cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev.

One under-appreciated space asset is the photography skills of the Russian cosmonauts on board the International Space Station. They are extremely skillful photographers who don’t get the same recognition as their astronaut counterparts in their Earth observation skills. In particular, they have taken some stunning high-oblique shots of objects close to the horizon, with almost an 3-D effect.

July 4, 2020July 4, 2020 by Nancy Atkinson

One of the Best Pictures Ever Taken of ISS from the Ground. You Can Even See the Canadarm2

Solar transits of the ISS on June 25, showing the SpaceX Crew Dragon and, for the first time, the Canadarm2 robotic arm. Credit and copyright: Thierry Legault. Used by permission.

Astrophotographer Thierry Legault is renowned for his amazing shots of spacecraft transiting the Sun. He’s now outdone even himself.

June 29, 2020June 29, 2020 by Nancy Atkinson

Astronaut Drops a Mirror During a Spacewalk. Now There’s Another Piece of Space Junk

NASA astronaut Bob Behnken during a spacewalk at the International Space Station on June 26, 2020. Credit: NASA.

Oops.

Dropping a mirror on Earth is only minor cause for concern, perhaps about the potential of some upcoming bad luck. Dropping a mirror while on a spacewalk means creating a potentially dangerous new piece of space junk, all while thousands of people watch it happen, streaming live.

April 22, 2020April 22, 2020 by Nancy Atkinson

Crew Dragon Will Be Launching on May 27th

The uncrewed in-flight abort demonstration is targeted for 8 a.m. EST Saturday, Jan. 18, from Launch Complex 39A in Florida. There is a four-hour test window. Credits: SpaceX

NASA and SpaceX are targeting May 27, 2020 for an historic mission: the launch of the first astronauts on the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft, with the destination as the International Space Station (ISS). The crew, NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley, are scheduled to launch on a Falcon 9 rocket at 4:32 pm EDT that day from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39A. If all goes well, the Crew Dragon will autonomously dock with the space station about 24 hours later.

February 6, 2020February 6, 2020 by Nancy Atkinson

Record-Setting Space Travelers Return to Earth

The Soyuz MS-13 spacecraft is seen as it lands in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan with Expedition 61 crew members Christina Koch of NASA, Alexander Skvortsov of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, and Luca Parmitano of ESA (European Space Agency) Thursday, Feb. 6, 2020. Koch returned to Earth after logging 328 days in space --- the longest spaceflight in history by a woman --- as a member of Expeditions 59-60-61 on the International Space Station. Skvortsov and Parmitano returned after 201 days in space where they served as Expedition 60-61 crew members onboard the station. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

A trio of space travelers returned to Earth this morning from the International Space Station, including NASA astronaut Christina Koch, who set a record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman, at 326 straight days. Also coming home was ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano, who has now spent a total of 367 days in space (in two missions), more days than any ESA astronaut in history.

The crew of Expedition 61 also included Russian cosmonaut and Soyuz Commander Alexander Skvortsov, who completed his third mission for a total of 546 days in space, placing him 15th on the all-time time-in-space list.

February 3, 2020February 3, 2020 by Evan Gough

NASA Astronaut Jessica Meir Took a Space Selfie, Capturing her Reflection in the Space Station

NASA astronaut Jessica Meir took this selfie during a spacewalk at the ISS. Image Credit: NASA/Jessica Meir

If there’s an award for “Selfie of the Year” NASA astronaut Jessica Meir just won it.

December 18, 2019December 18, 2019 by Evan Gough

Cool Photo of Canadarm2 With its Dextre Hand. Oh and the Earth. That’s Nice Too.

The Canadarm 2 with the robotic hand Dextre attached riding shotgun on the International Space Station. Image Credit: NASA

Check out this image of the Canadian Space Agency’s (CSA) Canadarm2 on the International Space Station. The CSA’s Dextre is attached to one end of the arm. The Canadarm2 played a vital role in assembling the ISS, while Dextre helps maintain the ISS, freeing astronauts from routine yet dangerous spacewalks, and allowing them to focus on science.