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Behold—the space station of the future! (…from 1973)
This artist’s concept gives a cutaway view of the Skylab orbital workshop, which launched 50 years ago on May 14, 1973. Established in 1970, the Skylab Program's goals were to enrich our scientific knowledge of Earth, the sun, the stars, and cosmic space; to study the effects of weightlessness on living organisms; to study the effects of the processing and manufacturing of materials in the absence of gravity; and to conduct Earth-resource observations.
Three crews visited Skylab and carried out 270 scientific and technical investigations in the fields of physics, astronomy, and biological sciences. They also proved that humans could live and work in outer space for extended periods of time, laying the groundwork for the International Space Station.
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Meet the Four Artemis Astronauts Who Will Fly Around the Moon
Today, we revealed the four astronauts who will fly around the Moon during the Artemis II mission, scheduled to launch in 2024. Get to know them:
Christina Koch
Meet the first member of our Artemis II crew: mission specialist Christina Koch. Koch visited the International Space Station in 2019, where she participated in the first all-woman spacewalk with Jessica Meir. She began her NASA career as an electrical engineer at Goddard Space Flight Center.
Jeremy Hansen
Representing the Canadian Space Agency is Jeremy Hansen from London, Ontario. Col. Hansen was a fighter pilot with Canadian Armed Forces before joining the Canadian Space Agency, and currently works with NASA on astronaut training and mission operations. This will be Col. Hansen’s first mission in space.
Victor Glover
Victor Glover is our Artemis II pilot. Glover is part of our 2013 class of NASA astronauts and was the pilot for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-1 mission. He’s logged 3,000 flight hours in more than 40 different aircraft.
Reid Wiseman
...and rounding out our Artemis II crew: mission commander Reid Wiseman. Wiseman lived and worked aboard the International Space Station as a flight engineer in 2014. He also commanded the undersea research mission NEEMO21, and most recently served as Chief of the NASA astronauts.
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Thank you for joining! It’s time to find out how YOU can get involved with NASA as a student or send your experiments to the International Space Station.
One of our experts today is Hannah Johnson, the team lead of a student group sending their experiment to the space station! She is joined by Becky Kamas, our lead for STEM on Station activities for students.
Between 12-1 p.m. EDT today, our experts will talk about about designing an experiment for microgravity, working with NASA to launch it to space, how you can join this initiative, and more!
View all answers HERE.
Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com.
Stars, Sea, and Smoke from the ISS: Tournament Earth 2021
We started Tournament Earth with 32 photos taken by astronauts from the Interantional Space Station and now we are down to 8. All of the #1 seeds are gone. Two #8 seeds are dominating their groups. Who will win? Let's take a closer look at the competitors still in the game. Then remember to vote for your favorites. The champion will be announced on April 13, 2021.
Stars in Motion vs. Cleveland Volcano
This matchup pits smoke against stars, but both have interesting stories.
The International Space Station (ISS) is constantly in motion. For astronaut photographers on board, that motion has consequences. For one, it makes it challenging to take photos. The same motion makes it possible to shoot spectacular photos like the one above. The image is compiled from a series of photographs taken by astronaut Don Pettit while he was onboard the ISS in April 2012. This composite was made from more than 72 individual long-exposure photographs taken over several minutes as the ISS traveled over the Caribbean Sea, across South America, and over the South Atlantic Ocean.
Astronaut Jeff Williams was the first to witness activity at the Cleveland Volcano on May 3, 2006. The Cleveland Volcano is one of the most active in the Aleutian Islands, which extend west-southwest from the Alaska mainland. It is a stratovolcano composed of alternating layers of hardened lava, compacted volcanic ash, and volcanic rocks. The event proved to be short-lived; two hours later, the plume had completely detached from the volcano. The ash cloud height could have been as high as 6,000 meters (20,000 feet) above sea level.
Stargazing from the ISS vs. Cruising Past the Aurora Borealis
This is the most stellar matchup of the tournament, literally. Two beloved star pictures face off in what will be one of the most difficult choices of the tournament.
An astronaut took this broad, short-lens photograph of Earth’s night lights while looking out over the remote reaches of the central equatorial Pacific Ocean. The ISS was passing over the island nation of Kiribati at the time, about 2600 kilometers (1,600 miles) south of Hawaii. Scientists identified the pattern of stars in the photo as our Milky Way galaxy (looking toward its center). The dark patches are dense dust clouds in an inner spiral arm of our galaxy; such clouds can block our view of stars toward the center. The curvature of the Earth crosses the center of the image and is illuminated by a variety of airglow layers in orange, green, and red.
Commonly known as the northern lights, these colorful ribbons of light appear to dance in the sky over the planet’s high latitudes, attracting sky chasers and photographers. Astronaut Randy “Komrade” Bresnik shot this photograph on September 15, 2017, as the space station passed over Ontario, Canada. Curtains of green—the most familiar color of auroras—dominate the light show, with hints of purple and red.
Rolling Through the Appalachians vs. Castellanus Cloud Tower
The Susquehanna River cuts through the folds of the Valley-and-Ridge province of the Appalachian Mountains in this photograph taken from the International Space Station by astronaut Christina Koch. The Valley-and-Ridge province is a section of the larger Appalachian Mountain Belt between the Appalachian Plateau and the Blue Ridge physiographic provinces. The northeast-southwest trending ridges are composed of Early Paleozoic sedimentary rocks. The valleys between them were made of softer rocks (limestone and shales) that were more susceptible to erosion; they are now occupied by farms.
An astronaut aboard the International Space Station took this photograph of a massive vertical cloud formation—known to meteorologists as cumulus castellanus—above Andros Island. The cloud name castellanus comes from the similarity to the crenellated towers or turrets of medieval castles. These clouds develop due to strong vertical air movement typically associated with thunderstorms.
Lake Van, Turkey vs. Typhoon Maysak from the Space Station
While orbiting on the International Space Station, astronaut Kate Rubins shot this photograph of part of Lake Van in Turkey, the largest soda or alkaline lake on Earth. Generally, soda lakes are distinguished by high concentrations of carbonate species. Lake Van is an endorheic lake—it has no outlet, so its water disappears by evaporation—with a pH of 10 and high salinity levels.
This photograph of super typhoon Maysak was taken by European Space Agency astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti as the International Space Station passed near the storm on March 31, 2015. The category 4 typhoon was headed for a possible landfall in the Philippines by the end of the week. It was unusual for the western Pacific to see such a strong storm so early in the year.
See all of the images and vote HERE. Follow @NASAEarth on social media for updates.
Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com
Vote for Your Favorite Astronaut Picture: Tournament Earth 2021
It is that time of year again…Tournament Earth is back! This year, NASA Earth Observatory has chosen a new theme for the tournament: astronaut photography. Choose your favorite image here.
For more than 20 years, astronauts have been shooting photos of Earth from the International Space Station that highlight the planet’s beauty, complexity, and vulnerabilities. So which are the most unforgettable ones? Over the next five weeks (March 8-April 13), you can help decide.
How can you get involved? It's easy as 1…2…3!
1. Read and Vote.
Not sure which image to vote for because they are ALL so captivating? Read the intriguing stories behind the images to help you decide! You can access the stories by clicking on the image headlines on the voting page: https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/tournament-earth
For instance, the Stars in Motion image is actually a compilation of 72 photographs. And some of the night lights around Bangkok, Thailand, actually show fishing boats as well as city lights.
2. Fill out your bracket.
Think you know which photo will win it all? Fill out a #TournamentEarth bracket with your predictions and challenge friends! Then share your predictions with NASAEarth on our blog, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or right here on Tumblr!
We can't offer a trip to the Moon, but bragging rights are forever if you can pick the champion. Download a more print-friendly version of the bracket here.
3. View the results…and vote again!
Tournament Earth will have five rounds, and round one is currently underway. Voting for the following rounds begins on Tuesdays and will be open for six days. We will update our social media channels (including right here on Tumblr!) with the newest matchups. Check this space to see how your favorite images did. Then vote until we crown a champion on April 13, 2021.
See all of the images and vote HERE. Follow @NASAEarth on social media for updates.
Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com
It Takes a Nation to #LaunchAmerica!
Image Credit: NASA/Roscosmos
As we celebrate 20 years of humans living and working on the International Space Station, we’re also getting ready for another space milestone: Crew-1, this weekend’s trip to the ISS aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon Resilience and the first certified crew rotation flight to the International Space Station.
Crew-1 is scheduled to lift off Saturday at 7:49 PM EST, from our Kennedy Space Center—but across the United States, teams from NASA and SpaceX will be hard at work sending our astronauts into orbit!
Image Credit: NASA/Fred Deaton
At Marshall Space Flight Center’s Huntsville Operations Support Center (HOSC), for example, engineers with our Commercial Crew Program have been helping review the design and oversee safety standards for SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, making sure it’s ready to carry humans to the Space Station.
This Saturday, they’ll be in the HOSC to monitor launch conditions and watch the data as Crew-1 blasts off, helping future commercially-operated missions to the ISS run even more smoothly.
Image Credit: NASA/Emmett Given
Long before Crew-1, though, Marshall has been keeping things active on board the ISS. For decades, the Payload Operations and Integration Center, also located in the HOSC, has been “science central” for the Space Station, coordinating and keeping track of the scientific experiments taking place—24/7, 365 days a year.
With the Space Station’s population soon to jump from three to seven, our ISS crew will be able to spend up to 70 hours a week on science, helping us learn how to live in space while making life better on Earth!
Image Credit: NASA/Fred Deaton
Want to learn more about how America is coming together to launch Crew-1? Join us this afternoon (1 p.m. EST, Thursday, November 12) for a Reddit “Ask Me Anything” with experts from across the nation—then follow along on November 14 as we #LaunchAmerica!
Live coverage on NASA TV and social media starts at 3:30 PM EST. See you then!
Image Credit: NASA/Emmett Given
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🚀 A New Era of Human Spaceflight
Our Commercial Crew Program has worked with several American aerospace industry companies to facilitate the development of U.S. human spaceflight systems since 2010. The goal is to have safe, reliable and cost-effective access to and from the International Space Station and foster commercial access to other potential low-Earth orbit destinations.
We selected Boeing and SpaceX in September 2014 to transport crew to the International Space Station from the United States. These integrated spacecraft, rockets and associated systems will carry up to four astronauts on NASA missions, maintaining a space station crew of seven to maximize time dedicated to scientific research on the orbiting laboratory
We begin a new era of human spaceflight as American astronauts will once again launch on an American spacecraft and rocket from American soil to the International Space Station.
As part of our Commercial Crew Program, NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley will fly on SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft for an extended stay at the space station for the Demo-2 mission. Launch is scheduled for 4:33 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, May 27.
Demo-2 will be SpaceX’s final test flight to validate its crew transportation system, including the Crew Dragon spacecraft, Falcon 9 rocket, launch pad and operations capabilities. While docked to the space station, the crew will run tests to ensure the Crew Dragon is capable of remaining connected to the station for up to 210 days on future missions.
Our Commercial Crew Program is working with the American aerospace industry as companies develop and operate a new generation of spacecraft and launch systems capable of carrying crews to low-Earth orbit and the International Space Station. Commercial transportation to and from the station will provide expanded utility, additional research time and broader opportunities for discovery on the orbiting laboratory.
The station is a critical testbed for us to understand and overcome the challenges of long-duration spaceflight. As commercial companies focus on providing human transportation services to and from low-Earth orbit, we are freed up to focus on building spacecraft and rockets for deep space missions.
Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com.
Sit Back and Space Out
Peer out on the depths of universe from the cupola windows,
Meander through the hallways of space,
Float in the home office of the star sailors.
Allow yourself to - space out - and imagine life through the eyes of NASA Astronauts on the International Space Station.
Check out other ways to enjoy #NASAatHome, HERE. We've curated videos, activities and fun in one out-of-this world place.
Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com.
On Top of The World – Literally
What’s one perk about applying to #BeAnAstronaut? You’re one step closer to being on top of the world.
Part of the job of a NASA astronaut is a task called spacewalking. Spacewalking refers to any time an astronaut gets out of a vehicle while in space; it is performed for many reasons such as completing repairs outside the International Space Station, conducting science experiments and testing new equipment.
Spacewalking can last anywhere from five to eight hours, and for that reason, astronauts’ spacesuits are more like mini-spacecraft than uniforms! Inside spacesuits, astronauts have the oxygen they need to breathe, water to drink and a bathroom!
Spacesuits also protect astronauts from the extreme environment of space. In Earth orbit, conditions can be as cold as minus 250 degrees Fahrenheit. In the sunlight, they can be as hot as 250 degrees. A spacesuit protects astronauts from those extreme temperatures.
To stay safe during spacewalks, astronauts are tethered to the International Space Station. The tethers, like ropes, are hooked to the astronaut and the space station – ensuring the astronaut does not float away into space.
Spacewalking can be a demanding task. Astronauts can burn anywhere from ~1500-2500 calories during one full assignment. That’s about equal to running 2/3 of a marathon.
Does spacewalking sound like something you’d be interested in? If so, you might want to APPLY to #BeAnAstronaut! Applications are open until March 31. Don’t miss your chance to!
Want to learn more about what it takes to be an astronaut? Or, maybe you just want more epic images. Either way, check out nasa.gov/astronauts for all your NASA astronaut needs!
Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com
All aboard for the International Space Station!
Before research can get on a rocket to head to space, it is carefully prepared at Kennedy Space Center.
Scientists sometimes spend days, or even weeks, doing all of the last-minute preparations to get their investigation ready for microgravity.
This week on NASA Explorers, we follow a team of researchers in the final days before their experiment gets loaded into a SpaceX Dragon capsule that will carry their research to the space station.
Watch episode 4 here!
Follow NASA Explorers on Facebook to catch new episodes of season 4 every Wednesday!
Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com
You Don’t Have to be a Rocket Scientist to Conduct Research in Microgravity
Putting your life’s work on top of a rocket may seem like a daunting task, but that’s exactly what scientists have been doing for decades as they launch their research to the International Space Station.
This season on #NASAExplorers, we’re exploring why we send science to space, and what it takes to get it there!
Watch this week’s episode to meet a team of researchers who are launching an experiment to space for the first time.
Follow NASA Explorers on Facebook to catch new episodes of season 4 every Wednesday!
Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com
You’ve seen things floating in space, but why does that happen and how does it affect science being conducted aboard the International Space Station?
Sure, floating looks like fun, but it could also unlock new scientific discoveries!
Microgravity makes the International Space Station the perfect place to perform research that is changing the lives of people on Earth, and preparing us to go deeper into space. This season on our series NASA Explorers, we are following science into low-Earth orbit and seeing what it takes to do research aboard the space station.
Follow NASA Explorers on Facebook to catch new episodes of season 4 every Wednesday. https://www.facebook.com/NASAExplorersSeries/
What is the best and worst thing about being in a zero gravity environment?
That’s a wrap! Thank you for all the great questions.
Keep up with Nick’s journey on and off the station by following him on Twitter at @AstroHague. Follow NASA on Tumblr for your regular dose of space!
From an astronauts perspective, what is your opinion on movies like Interstellar and Gravity?
What kind of things are you looking forward to as NASA gets closer to the Artemis and Gateway missions? Do you plan to be a part of them?
How did your launch abort affect your future space flights?
Which is scarier? Launch VS re-entry?
What can you see from the space station? Can you see stars, the moon and sun, and Earth weather like lightening storms?
How does it feel to take a walk in space?
How had your background in the US Air Force as a flight test engineer prepare you for the challenges and demands of being an astronaut?
What is a typical day in the international space station like?? I cant help but express my admiration for you.
Hopefully not a total dumb question but, YOUR ultimate goal as an astronaut?
What is some advice that really helped you get to where you are now?
As astronauts, do you have control over which experiments you conduct aboard the ISS? Which ones have been your personal favorites?
What is the best and worst thing about being in a zero gravity environment?
What was your reaction to getting selected for the Air Force Fellows program?
What’s it like launching into space?