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Russian Node Module arrives
On Friday 26 November, astronauts on board the International Space Station welcomed the final Russian module, Prichal, This Node Module provides additional docking ports for Soyuz and Progress spacecraft. Russian cosmonauts Anton Shkaplerov and Pyotr Dubrov oversaw it's docking to the Russian segment.
ESA astronaut Matthias Maurer, who's currently aboard the International Space Station during his Cosmic Kiss mission, took this picture of the module and shared it on his social media channels.
Credit: ESA/NASA/Roscosmos-M. Maurer / eyevine
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Cosmic pearl
It can be hard to appreciate that a human-made, football-pitch-sized spacecraft is orbiting 400 km above our heads, but there it is.
The jewel of human cooperation and ingenuity that is the International Space Station shines brightly in this image captured by ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet from the SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour.
Crew-2 got these amazing views during a flyaround of the orbiting lab after undocking from the Harmony module on 8 November, before their return to Earth.
Since this image was taken, there has even been a new addition in the form of the Russian Node Module, known as Prichal. The final Russian module planned for the Station, it is a spherical node attached to the Russian segment with six docking ports for future Progress and Soyuz arrivals.
A collaboration between five space agencies, the Station has become a symbol of peaceful international cooperation for 23 years now. It represents the best of our space engineering capabilities as well as humankind’s pursuit of scientific knowledge and exploration.
By any standards, it is an incredible piece of spacecraft engineering. Weighing 420 tonnes, it travels in low-Earth orbit at more than 27 000 km/hour, circling Earth approximately 16 times every day.
Crew members conduct scientific research in microgravity at facilities such as ESA’s Columbus module. Some of these experiments and tests are preparing the way for human exploration of the Moon and beyond. But the Station also provides a unique view of Earth, while its science benefits life on our planet.
Current ESA astronaut in residence is Matthias Maurer, a first-time flier spending around six-months in orbit for his Cosmic Kiss mission. Matthias will continue to support a wide range of European and international science experiments and technological research on the Station before handing off to the next ESA astronaut to fly, Samantha Cristoforetti.
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Dinner for ten
ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet and the rest of the International Space Station crew having dinner.
Thomas shared this image on his social media channels with the caption: "Dinner with everybody. Our new crewmembers Klim and Yulia work all day to shoot scenes for their movie, and our cosmonaut friends help them out a lot. I canÕt wait to see the final product! The tradition of our very special ship is to dine all together at least once a week, and itÕs fun to see new faces and hear new stories after five months in our small family. Kind of a warm-up round for resuming social life on Earth in a few weeks!"
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Space men at work
Space men at work.
If you are spacewalking and you know it, raise your hand.
ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet (left) and JAXA astronaut Aki Hoshide (right) performed a spacewalk on Sunday 12 September to prepare another section of the International Space Station for its solar panel upgrade.
The new solar arrays, called IROSA or ISS Roll-Out Solar Array, are being gradually installed over the existing arrays to boost the International Space StationÕs power system.
Thomas and NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough prepared and installed two IROSA solar panels across three spacewalks in June. The arrays were taken from their storage area outside the Space Station and passed from spacewalker to spacewalker to the worksite. There the rolled arrays were secured, unfolded, connected and then unfurled.
Aki and Thomas prepared the P4 truss for its IROSA installation. This is the same area as where Thomas and Shane installed two IROSAÕs but closer to the main body of the Space Station, in an area called the 4A channel. Only one new solar array will be installed here, on a later spacewalk.
While SundayÕs extravehicular activity or EVA was already the fourth spacewalk during ThomasÕ Alpha mission, it was his first with Aki and the first time a spacewalking pair did not feature a US or Russian astronaut.
Aki and Thomas made good time preparing the 4A channel for the next IROSA and were able to complete a second task to replace a floating potential measurement unit that was faulty. This unit measures the difference between the Space StationÕs conductive structures and the atmospheric plasma.
Thomas and Aki completed their spacewalk in six hours and 54 minutes, which hands Thomas the ESA record for longest time spent spacewalking.
How did he celebrate? With ice cream!
Thomas reminds us that, ÒSpacewalks last seven hours and are like top sport, so we need the calories afterCredit: ESA / eyevine
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ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet feeding tardigrades
Feeding tardigrades.
ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet captured feeding tardigrades in one of the International Space Station experiments.
Thomas shared this image on his social media channels with the caption: "Researchers are investigating the effects of microgravity on these microscopic creatures, also known as water bears, through an experiment called Cell Science 4. Did you know the largest tardigrade species is just over 1mm in length and they're incredibly hardy Ð surviving extreme environments in space and on Earth. In this case, researchers want to characterise the genes that allow tardigrades to survive during short and long periods in space, then assess how the use of these genes changes across generations. Maybe we can harness their secrets!"Credit: ESA / eyevine
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Welcome to the ISS
ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet and NASA astronaut Mark T. Vande Hei are posing here at the entrance of the Cygnus capsule inside the International Space Station.
Thomas shared this image on his social media channels with the caption: "Welcome to the S.S. Ellison Onizuka Ð named after the first Asian American astronaut. Also: three tons of cargo, waiting to be unpacked"
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Cloud swirls
Cloud swirls. ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet snapped this image of clouds over the Mediterranean Sea during his second long-duration mission known as Alpha. He posted it on social media saying: "Nice cloud swirl in the Mediterranean, there are all types of clouds in this picture though, clouds over islands, clouds over mountains, clouds over the Sea. Did I mention I like clouds?"
Thomas was launched to the International Space Station for his second mission, Alpha, on 23 April 2021. He will spend six months living and working on the orbital outpost where he will support more than 200 international experiments in space.Credit: ESA / eyevine
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Pyongyang photo mapping
Pyongyang photo mapping. ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet is spending six months on the International Space Station as part of his second mission "Alpha". In his free time, like many astronauts, he enjoys looking out of the Cupola windows at Earth. This collage of pictures shows Pyongyangm the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), made from around 40 pictures mapped together, digitally rotated and assembled into this large collage. The images were taken on 15 August 2021 at around 00:04 GMT.
Thomas asked to have the series of highly zoomed-in pictures aligned into this collage to show the area in detail. The International Space Station flies at roughly 400 km altitude so Thomas uses the longest lenses available onboard.Credit: ESA / eyevine
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Film and cultures
Film and cultures.
Samples of the Biofilms experiment are headed to the International Space Station on the SpaceX CR23 cargo resupply mission this weekend to help maintain astronaut and material safety in space.
A common piece of advice of the past 18 months has been to make sure you wash your hands thoroughly. This is because microorganisms are easily spread across common surfaces like door handles and light switches, and it is no less true in space. The Space Station is, after all, a lab as well as a home to astronauts. It is especially important to keep this environment safe for the long-term health of astronauts and equipment on board.
Funded by ESA and developed by the Chair of Functional Materials at Saarland University and the Working Group for Aerospace Microbiology at German Aerospace Center DLR, Biofilms will test the antimicrobial properties of laser-structured metal surfaces such as steel, copper and brass under microgravity conditions.
But what is biofilm? When growing on surfaces, bacteria can ooze a mixture of microbial structures such as proteins and lipids. The biofilm is what makes microbes resistant to antibiotics and disinfectants. Left to grow, biofilm can be hard to clean and can erode surfaces, especially metals.
To combat microbial growth, Biofilms will test the growth of bacteria such as human skin-associated bacteria Staphylococcus capitis with a novel approach. The innovation of the experiment lies in the structured surfaces of common metals. Using Direct Laser Interference Patterning (DLIP) to add texture to the surfaces, researchers will study how well microbes grow (or not) on copper, metal and steel. Findings could help prevent microbial contamination in space.
Researchers performed a dry run of the experiment on Earth and all parameters, including hardware provided by Kayser Italia, checked out. The experiment will soon take centeCredit: ESA / eyevine
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Pirs undocking
Pirs undocking.
The Pirs docking compartment left the Space Station after 20 years of service and burned up safely in the atmosphere above the Pacific Ocean on Monday. Its departure made room for the new science module Nauka and the European Robotic Arm.
ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet took this picture of the Progress spacecraft and Pirs module leaving the Station during his Alpha mission. He said: "ItÕs not every day that you see a piece of the Station being taken away. We pitched the International Space Station 90 degrees, and so we flew belly first, to help out with the manoeuvre. Pyotr and myself tried to capture some photos and videos of this important moment in the Station's history. Quite a strange feeling to see a part of your ship fly away. A couple of hours later and we had front row seat to the fireball that was going to be DC1Õs last act." Credit: ESA / eyevine
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Back in the Dragon for a while
Back in the Dragon for a while.
ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet and part of the crew inside the Dragon spacecraft on 21 July 2021.
Thomas shared this image on his social media channels with the caption: "A good day to take our spacecraft for a spin! Just a short trip around the block, to re-dock to the zenith Space Station port and free up the forward parking spot for upcoming spacecraft, yes, thereís a lot of traffic up here! It felt good to put on our spacesuits and leave the International Space StationÖ just for a little while, itís not time to go home just yet."Credit: ESA / eyevine
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ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet and his crew mates held the very first space Olympics as the Olympic Games started in Tokyo.
All the players.
ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet and his crew mates held the very first space Olympics as the Olympic Games started in Tokyo. For crew cohesion and fun, they put together a friendly competition between the Soyuz team and the Dragon team.
Thomas said: "the events ranged from synchronised floating or lack-of-floor routine to (very) long jumps and no-hand ball. We had all flags of the world (yes, every single country) hung up on the ceiling of the lab which gave an inspiring (and colourful) backdrop to our athletic prowess (or lack of)."
Credit: ESA / eyevine
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Dubai palm island Alpha
Dubai palm island Alpha.
Dubai palm island seen from the International Space Station during ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet's second mission, Alpha, 3 June 2021, and to compare the same island (rotated and on a white background) photographed by Thomas in 2017 during his first mission, Proxima.
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Cygnus NG-15 cargo vehicle
On its way...
ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet snapped this image of the Cygnus NG-15 cargo vehicle over Earth during his second long-duration mission known as Alpha. He posted it on social media saying: "So long Cygnus! Thanks for all the supplies you brought up here and thanks for clearing out the trash as you leave. Cygnus NG-15 arrived at the Station long before me on 22 February and has served as an extra module since then. Yesterday we said goodbye but packed it with waste first that will burn up on reentry, clearing some space inside the Space Station. The distinctive solar panels you might have seen in many previous images, they are now gone."
Thomas was launched to the International Space Station for his second mission, Alpha, on 23 April 2021. He will spend six months living and working on the orbital outpost where he will support more than 200 international experiments in space.Credit: ESA / eyevine
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From atoms to planets, the longest-running Space Station experiment
PK-4 parts.
Plasma Kristall parts on the International Space Station.
As Europe celebrates 20 years of ESA astronauts on the International Space Station, a Russian-European experiment has been running quietly in the weightless research centre for just as long: the Plasma Kristall (PK) suite of investigations into fundamental science.
Plasma Kristall takes a plasma and injects fine dust particles in weightlessness, turning the dust into highly charged particles that interact with each other, bouncing off each other as their charge causes the particles to attract or repel. Under the right conditions, the dust particles can arrange themselves over time to form organised structures, or plasma crystals.
These interactions and forming of three-dimensional structures resemble the workings of our world on the atomic scale, a world so small that we cannot see move even with an electron microscope. Add a laser to the mix and the dust particles can be seen and recorded for observation by scientists on Earth for a sneak peak of the world beyond our eyes.
These surrogate atoms are a way for researchers to simulate how materials form on an atomic scale, and to test and visualise theories. The experiment cannot be run on Earth because gravity only makes sagging, flattened recreations possible; if you want to see how a crystal is constituted you need to remove the force pulling downwards – gravity.
On 3 March 2001, “PK-3 Plus” was turned on in the Zvezda module, the first physical experiment to run on the Space Station. Led by the German aerospace centre DLR and Russian space agency Roscosmos the experiment was a success and later followed up by a fourth version, installed in 2014 in ESA’s Columbus laboratory, this time as an ESA-Roscosmos collaboration.Credit: ESA / eyevine
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Thomas and the blue marble
Thomas and the blue marble.
A snap of ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet during the second spacewalk to upgrade the International Space StationÕs power system, taken by NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough.
The duo performed the second extra vehicular activity to bolt in place and unfurl an IROSA, or ISS Roll-Out Solar Array, on Sunday 20 June.
The series of spacewalks last week was not without some challenges. During the first spacewalk on 16 June, Shane experienced a small technical problem in his spacesuit that required him to return to the airlock and restart his Display and Control Module. This module provides astronauts with continuous information on pressure, temperature and other vital data during a spacewalk.
Though the restart was successful and Shane was in no danger, it delayed the duoÕs work, preventing them from completing installation of the first new solar array as planned.
The duo succeeded in taking the IROSA panel out of its storage area outside the Space Station and passed from spacewalker to spacewalker to the worksite. There the rolled arrays were secured. The spacewalk lasted 7 hours and 15 minutes.
During the second spacewalk, the duo unfolded, bolted and connected the wires. Then they hung out while the panels were unfurled, a sequence that lasted about 10 minutes.
Shane and Thomas then got ahead of the next spacewalk by preparing the next IROSA for installation before cleaning up the worksite and heading back to the airlock. This spacewalk lasted 6 hours and 28 minutes, with only a minor technical snag. ShaneÕs helmet lights and camera partially detached from his helmet but Thomas used some wire to reattach them as a temporary fix.
Mission planners are working on a third spacewalk on Friday June 25 to install the second pair of new solar arrays. This will go on the P6 trussÕ 4B power channel, opposite the first new solar array.
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New solar arrays for the International Space Station
New solar arrays for the International Space Station.
New solar arrays before installation on the farthest port side of the International Space Station as seen by HD cameras outside the orbital complex. These arrays, called iROSA for ISS Roll-Out Solar Array, are rolled up into tubes for transport.
These panels are smaller but more efficient than the existing solar arrays, which are showing signs of degradation after years of continuous work in outer space. The combination of the old and new arrays will increase the power generation to a total of 215 kilowatts.
ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet and NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough performed three spacewalks in the span of 10 days to install new solar arrays that will generate between 20 and 30% more electricity on the International Space Station.
The duo took them from their storage area outside the Space Station to the worksite. There the spacewalkers secured the rolled arrays for them to be unfolded, connected and finally unfurled over the existing arrays.Credit: ESA / eyevine
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Thomas with spacesuit
Thomas with spacesuit.
ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet looks through his spacesuit during a check to see if the equipment is ready for a first spacewalk of his Alpha mission.
Two spacewalks are fast approaching for ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet, and NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough who are preparing to exit the International Space Station and upgrade the StationÕs power supply.
As EV1, Thomas will wear a spacesuit with red stripes. Shane, as EV2, will wear a spacesuit with no stripes.
The duo will be aided by NASA astronauts Megan McArthur and Mark Vande Hei inside the Space Station who will help them in and out of their spacesuits, and operate the 17-m-long robotic arm that will move Thomas and Shane to their worksites.
During these spacewalks, Thomas and Shane will install the first two of six new solar arrays that will unfurl in space. The panels, dubbed ISS Roll-Out Solar Arrays (iROSAs) arrived at the Station on the SpaceX CRS-22 supply mission, and were moved into position by robotic arm on 10 June.
The current solar arrays work well but are reaching the end of their 15-year lifespan.
The first pair of the Space StationÕs original solar arrays have been in use since 2000 and have been powering the station for more than 20 years. The new solar arrays will not replace the current ones, but will be positioned in front of six of the current arrays, increasing the StationÕs total available power from 160 kilowatts to a maximum of 215 kilowatts.
The same solar array design will be used to power elements of the lunar Gateway Ð a new Space Station in cislunar orbit to be launched by International Space Station partners.Credit: ESA / eyevine
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Dubai palm island Alpha
Dubai palm island Alpha.
Dubai palm island seen from the International Space Station during ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet's second mission, Alpha, 3 June 2021, and to compare the same island (rotated and on a white background) photographed by Thomas in 2017 during his first mission, Proxima.
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Can you spot Pyotr?
Can you spot Pyotr?
ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet captured this image of fellow cosmonaut Pyotr Dubrov during a spacewalk on 2 June 2021.
Thomas recently shared this image on his social media channels saying:"Anybody who thinks that spacewalks are a walk in the park are wrong! When I took these photos Pyotr was balanced on the end of the Strela Ð a telescopic crane Ð operated by Oleg. Our Russian colleagues got up in the early hours for this spacewalk preparing for a new module arrival. They returned inside in the afternoon Ð a hard day's work!"Credit: ESA / eyevine
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To the Moon!
To the Moon!
The Moon seen from the International Space Station by ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet on 30 May 2021.
Thomas commented on the photo: "The Cupola windows have scratch panes on the inside, that protect the windows from camera lenses bumping into it... but they are quite scratched over the years and it makes it very difficult to take pictures with the big lensesÉ only one window has a bump shield that slides open. I was only too happy to see the Moon frame itself perfectly in that window. Serendipity! The Moon is symbolically getting closer all the time with new programmes and humans set to land on our natural satellite in the next few years, brought there by the European Service Module for NASA's Orion spacecraft..."Credit: ESA / eyevine
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Bike and photographer
Bike and photographer.
ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet is here working out while his crew mate NASA astronaut, Shane Kimbrough, takes pictures of Earth.
Thomas recently shared this image on his social media channels saying:"A typical view on the International Space Station's NASA Destiny laboratory. The legs sticking out are Shane's who was opening the shutters to admire the view after an exercise session. The window he is looking out looks straight down at Earth and when we fly over Europe it is often my legs sticking out :)"
Credit: ESA / eyevine
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Near Burro Peak
Near Burro Peak.
ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet snapped this image of the Tyrone Mine, USA during his second long-duration mission known as Alpha. He posted it on social media saying: "An early morning pass over USA. The most vivid and contrasted colours are obtained in the middle of the day, but I like the shadows and pastel tones of the early morning. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!"
Thomas was launched to the International Space Station for his second mission, Alpha, on 23 April 2021. He will spend six months living and working on the orbital outpost where he will support more than 200 international experiments in space.Credit: ESA / eyevine
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MELFI
MELFI.
Thomas recently shared this image on his social media channels saying:"Some days start very early on the International Space Station, often we have to do blood draws or take other samples before eating so we wake up around 06:00 to help our colleagues or take the samples ourselves. I prefer sticking myself because if I miss I can only blame myself, but a colleague helping with managing the tubes and other instruments is very helpful. Often the experiment protocol requires we store the samples immediately in our freezers. We have three on the Space Station and they conserve experiment samples at Ð80¡C. They are called MELFI, after their very descriptive acronym: Minus Eighty-Degree Laboratory Freezer for ISS. They were made in France for ESA and just work really well for over a decade Ð which is incredible considering the constraints of making an extremely small freezer in space and only electricity to make it work. As the technology behind it is so maintenance-free it is used on Earth to minimise waste when transporting gas."
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Dragon at night
Dragon at night.
ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet snapped this image of the Crew-1 Dragon capsule reentering the atmosphere during his second long-duration mission known as Alpha. He posted it on social media saying "Night sky, city lights, thunderstorms, the thin glow of the atmosphereÉ and a Dragon reentry igniting the sky like a shooting star over Mexico, in the bottom right corner. Perfect view!"
Thomas was launched to the International Space Station for his second mission, Alpha, on 23 April 2021. He will spend six months living and working on the orbital outpost where he will support more than 200 international experiments in space.Credit: ESA / eyevine
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20 years of Europeans on the Space Station
20 years of Europeans on the Space Station. The International Space Station has been orbiting Earth for over two decades, and the first European astronaut to arrive was Umberto Guidoni on 21 April 2001. This month ESA celebrates 20 years of ESA astronauts on the International Space Station. The next to be launched, ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet, is scheduled to ride to the Station on a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft on 22 April 2021 under NASA’s commercial crew programme.
Umberto flew to the Space Station on the US Space Shuttle STS-100 mission that was launched on 19 April 2001. This picture shows him in the Russian Zvezda Service Module after opening the hatch on 23 April between the Space Shuttle Endeavour and the International Space Station. The Dragon spacecraft that will fly Thomas to space almost exactly 20 years later is also called Endeavour and leaves from the same launch facility at Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA. It will be the first ESA launch from the USA in over a decade.
The 11-day STS-100 mission was the 9th Shuttle visit to the International Space Station and included two spacewalks. The main payloads were the Italian-built Raffaello multi-purpose pressurised logistics module and Canada's giant robotic arm, that went on to help build the International Space Station to the football-field-sized outpost it is today, with three laboratory modules, an airlock and more.
Since Umberto’s mission, there have been 26 further ESA astronaut missions to the International Space Station, with astronauts flying to Station on either the Russian Soyuz or US Space Shuttle spacecraft.
Thomas’ mission will be the 28th mission for ESA, with ESA astronaut Matthias Maurer already lined up for his first flight later this year, and ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti scheduled for the 30th ESA International Space Station mission in 2022.
Umberto went on to become a member of the European Parliament after his historic flight.Credit: ESA / eyevine
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Thomas Pesquet with GRIP experiment
Thomas Pesquet with GRIP experiment.
ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet configures equipment for an experiment called GRIP that studies astronauts' perception of mass and movement and how they interface with the human body and change in microgravity.
Thomas recently shared this image on his social media channels saying: "An old friend of mine: the ESA GRIP experiment! On my first parabolic flight in 2010, we took part in a safety analysis of the hardware, then during my first flight in 2017 I performed the on-orbit commissioning. It has been going strong since with 6 subjects (including ESA astronauts @astro_alex_esa and @astro_luca), and I should be one of the last ones! It is complex, with lots of cablesÖ always hard to manage when youíre free-floating. The experiment is under the responsibility of CADMOS, the French User Operations Centre based in Toulouse. They do an excellent job of sorting out the cables and telling us what goes where."
Credit: ESA / eyevine
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Cable management
Cable management.
ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet configures equipment for an experiment called GRIP that studies astronauts' perception of mass and movement and how they interface with the human body and change in microgravity.
Thomas recently shared this image on his social media channels saying:"An old friend of mine: the ESA GRIP experiment! On my first parabolic flight in 2010, we took part in a safety analysis of the hardware, then during my first flight in 2017 I performed the on-orbit commissioning. It has been going strong since with 6 subjects (including ESA astronauts @astro_alex_esa and @astro_luca), and I should be one of the last ones! It is complex, with lots of cablesÉ always hard to manage when youÕre free-floating. The experiment is under the responsibility of CADMOS, the French User Operations Centre based in Toulouse. They do an excellent job of sorting out the cables and telling us what goes where."Credit: ESA / eyevine
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ISS Group photo
Group photo.
JAXA astronaut Soichi Noguchi snapped this image of the full ISS crew after the arrival of Thomas Pesquet and his Crew-2. Thomas shared this image on his social media platforms saying: "It is good to be back! We just called our friends and families to reassure them we arrived in good health, the smiles on our faces (no masks up here!) speak volumes. It is a great feeling to be weightless again in the Space Station. It feels familiar in a way, but also very special. The space is less tidy than last time, but this is simply because there is more equipment We now have a few hours to install our sleeping bags, toiletries, sport gear and so on, afterwardsÉ to work!"
Thomas was launched to the International Space Station for his second mission, Alpha, on 23 April 2021. He will spend six months living and working on the orbital outpost where he will support more than 200 international experiments in space.Credit: ESA / eyevine
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Samantha in command. Quiet please, future International Space Station commander in training.
Samantha in command.
Quiet please, future International Space Station commander in training. ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti prepares for her upcoming mission to the International Space Station at NASAÕs Johnson Space Center in Texas, USA.
Samantha is a member of Crew-4 and will launch with NASA astronauts Kjell Lindgren and Bob Hines to the Station from Florida, USA, on a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft in 2022.
This will be SamanthaÕs second mission in space after Futura in 2015 and she is expected to serve as Space Station commander for Expedition 68a, a first for her. Her experience will stand her in good stead as EuropeÕs first female in command of an International Space Station expedition.
Samantha said ÒI am humbled by my appointment to the position of commander and look forward to drawing on the experience IÕve gained in space and on Earth to lead a very capable team in orbit.Ó
She will be ESAÕs fifth International Space Station commander and the fourth from ESAÕs astronaut class of 2009.
Her nomination comes at a significant moment for European nationals of all genders, as ESA issues a rare call for new astronauts. The deadline for applications to ESAÕs astronaut selection has just been extended to 18 June 2021, to accommodate the addition of Lithuania as an ESA Associate Member. For more information about ESAÕs astronaut selection visit esa.int/yourwaytospace.
In the meantime, Samantha will continue training with all International Space Station partners in a programme that includes Space Station refreshers, science briefings, and Crew-4 launch preparation.
Watch a replay of a recent chat between Samantha and ESA Director of Human and Robotic Exploration, David Parker, in which the pair answer some questions concerning her upcoming mission.
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Mission Alpha liftoff
Mission Alpha liftoff.
Liftoff of the Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft with ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet, NASA astronauts Megan McArthur and Shane Kimbrough, and Japanese astronaut Aki Hoshide. The Crew-2 spend around 24 hours travelling to the International Space Station. The rocket lifted off at 11:49 on 23 April 2021 from Launchpad 39A in Cape Canaveral at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, USA.
Thomas is the first ESA astronaut to fly in space in a vehicle other than the Russian Soyuz or the US Space Shuttle, and the first ESA astronaut to leave Earth from Florida, USA, in over a decade. This is his second flight, his first mission called Proxima saw Thomas fly to the Space Station on a Soyuz from Baikonur in Kazakhstan and his Expedition broke records for amount of hours spent on research at the time.
Thomas’ second mission to the International Space Station is called Alpha. This is after Alpha Centauri, the closest stellar system to Earth, following the French tradition to name space missions after stars or constellations.
Over 200 experiments are planned during Thomas’s time in space, with 40 European ones and 12 new experiments led by France’s space agency CNES.Credit: ESA / eyevine
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Looking out the window
Looking out the window.
ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet returned to the International Space Station on 24 April 2021 taking a new ride to space, the SpaceX Crew Dragon launching from Florida. The trip took 23 hours and Thomas took a series of images from the capsule and shared them on his social media channels.
Commenting on this image, he said: "Admiring the view, but when you launch from Cape Canaveral, you mustn't forget the sunscreen... I didn't have this problem in Baikonur!"
Thomas was launched to the International Space Station for his second mission, Alpha, on 23 April 2021. He will spend six months living and working on the orbital outpost where he will support more than 200 international experiments in space.Credit: ESA / eyevine
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Mission Alpha liftoff
Mission Alpha liftoff.
Liftoff of the Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft with ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet, NASA astronauts Megan McArthur and Shane Kimbrough, and Japanese astronaut Aki Hoshide. The Crew-2 spend around 24 hours travelling to the International Space Station. The rocket lifted off at 11:49 on 23 April 2021 from Launchpad 39A in Cape Canaveral at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, USA.
Thomas is the first ESA astronaut to fly in space in a vehicle other than the Russian Soyuz or the US Space Shuttle, and the first ESA astronaut to leave Earth from Florida, USA, in over a decade. This is his second flight, his first mission called Proxima saw Thomas fly to the Space Station on a Soyuz from Baikonur in Kazakhstan and his Expedition broke records for amount of hours spent on research at the time.
Thomas’ second mission to the International Space Station is called Alpha. This is after Alpha Centauri, the closest stellar system to Earth, following the French tradition to name space missions after stars or constellations.
Over 200 experiments are planned during Thomas’s time in space, with 40 European ones and 12 new experiments led by France’s space agency CNES.Credit: ESA / eyevine
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Falcon 9 Crew Dragon getting readied for the launch of Crew-2.
Falcon 9 Crew Dragon getting readied for the launch of Crew-2.
A Falcon 9 Crew Dragon getting readied for the launch of Crew-2 on launch pad 39A on 22 April 2021 at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. French ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet is returning to the International Space Station on his second spaceflight.
The mission, which is called Alpha, will see the first European to launch on a US spacecraft in over a decade. Thomas is flying on the Crew Dragon, alongside NASA astronauts Megan MacArthur and Shane Kimbrough, and Japanese astronaut Aki Hoshide.
After a delay due to difficult weather the launch is now planned for 23 April 2021 05:49 EDT / 11:49 CEST.
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The International Space Station has been orbiting Earth for over two decades
Time keeping.
The International Space Station has been orbiting Earth for over two decades, and the first European astronaut to arrive was Umberto Guidoni on 21 April 2001. Time is one of the Space StationÕs main assets for running experiments in micro-gravity, as it is the only laboratory that can offer long-term exposure to a weightless world. But how do astronauts themselves perceive time when in space, and could this influence their operational ability when docking spacecraft or controlling robotic arms far from home?
This picture shows NASA astronaut Victor Glover as test subject for ESAÕs Time experiment on 26 March 2021. This experiment uses virtual reality to chart whether our perception of time changes when living on the International Space Station.
Since perceptions of time and space are believed to share the same neural processes, and research on depth perception in weightlessness has shown that astronauts often underestimate distance, scientists speculate that, for astronauts, time also flies in space.
The Time experiment on the International Space Station investigates the claim that time subjectively speeds up in microgravity.
Astronauts gauge how long a visual target appears on a laptop screen and their reaction times to these prompts are recorded to measure speed of response and any changes over time.
Scientists are collecting more than just data on the neurological mechanisms at work here. The relativity of time, after all, implies that it is all in your head. As much as we can objectively measure and plot time, how individual humans perceive it is not just neurological but also psychological.
Time flies, and flying at 28 800 km/h time actually slows down according the theory of relativity. This month is a bumper month of celebrations for ESA and international spaceflight as we celebrate 20 years of Europeans on the International Space StatioCredit: ESA / eyevine
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European Robotic Arm installation on Nauka
European Robotic Arm installation on Nauka.
The European Robotic Arm (ERA) during installation on top of the the Russian Multipurpose Laboratory Module at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, in Kazakhstan, in May 2021.
The European Robotic Arm is the first robot that can ÔwalkÕ around the Russian part of the International Space Station.
ERA has a length of over 11 m, and can anchor itself to the Station in multiple locations, moving backwards and forwards around the Russian segment with a large range of motion. Its home base will be the Multipurpose Laboratory Module, also called ÔNaukaÕ.
Astronauts will find in the European Robotic Arm a most valuable ally Ð it will save them precious time to do other work in space.
The crew in space can control ERA from both inside and outside the Space Station, a feature that no other robotic arm has offered before.
100% made-in-Europe, this intelligent robotic arm consists of two end effectors, two wrists, two limbs and one elbow joint together with electronics and cameras. Both ends act as either a 'hand' for the robot.
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Sardinia, Italy
Sardinia, Italy.
Sardinia, the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, is featured in this false-colour image captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission.
Zoom in to see this image at its full 20 m resolution or click on the circles to learn more about the features in this image.
Sardinia (also known as Sardegna) is situated between the Mediterranean Sea to the west and south and the Tyrrhenian Sea to the east. The island sits 200 km west of the Italian Peninsula, 200 km north of Tunisia and around 12 km south of the French island of Corsica, partially visible in the top of the image.
This image, which uses data from 11 October to 14 October 2019, has been processed using the shortwave infrared band and the near infrared band to highlight dense vegetation. Crops and vegetation appear in bright green in the image, while bare soil can be seen in various shades of orange and brown.
Grasslands and croplands with a higher moisture content appear more vibrant in the image. As water is a strong absorber of infrared, inland water bodies are delineated and can be easily spotted in black. Much of the SardiniaÕs arable land is devoted to cereal cultivation and fruit growing.
Sardinia is a mainly mountainous region, with its highest point Mount La Marmora in the Gennargentu massif visible in the centre-right of the image. With over 1800 km of coastline, Sardinia is internally renowned for its beaches including those along the Emerald Coast, or Costa Smeralda, Alghero and Villasimius. The coasts, particularly in the east, are high and rocky, with long stretches of coastline with bays, inlets and various smaller islands located off the coast.
The archipelago of La Maddalena, including the renowned islands of La Maddalena, Caprera and Santo Stefano, can be seen in the top-right of the image. Its islands are known for their pristine beaches and wild beauty. CagliarCredit: ESA / eyevine
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North Frisian Islands
North Frisian Islands.
Part of the Frisian Islands, a low-lying archipelago just off the coast of northern Europe, is visible in this image captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission.
Zoom in to see this image at its full 10 m resolution or click on the circles to learn more about the features in it.
The Frisian Islands stretch from the northwest of the Netherlands through Germany to the west of Denmark. Although they are considered a single physical feature, they are divided into West, East and North Frisian Islands – with the North Frisian Islands visible here.
The North Frisian Islands are split between Germany and Denmark. There are four larger islands that make up the archipelago: Sylt, Föhr, Amrum, and Pellworm.
Sylt, the largest of the archipelago, is around 100 sq km and is known for its distinctive shape of its shoreline. Sylt extends in length more than 35 km and, in some places, is only 1 km wide. A sandy beach stretches across the islands’ west coast, however it has begun to erode owing to storm tides. The northernmost island of Germany, it is connected to the mainland by the Hindenburgdamm, an 11 km-long causeway.
The Wadden Sea on the islands’ east side, between Sylt and the mainland, is part of the Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea National Park and has been a nature reserve and bird sanctuary since 1935.
The islands of Föhr and Amrum are visible southeast of Sylt. The larger Föhr is called the ‘Green Island’ due to it being sheltered from the storms of the North Sea by its neighbouring islands. The island of Amrum features an extended beach area along its west coast, which faces the open North Sea. The east coast borders to mud flats and tidal creeks of the Wadden Sea.
The three white islands visible below Amrum are the North Frisian Barrier Islands. These sand banks, or shoals, act as a natural breakwater for the smaller islands cloCredit: ESA / eyevine
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NASA astronaut Victor Glover installs the Fluid Dynamics in Space experiment, or Fluidics for short.
Keeping it fluid.
NASA astronaut Victor Glover installs the Fluid Dynamics in Space experiment, or Fluidics for short. Fluidics is the black cylinder pictured in the foreground of the European Columbus module of the International Space Station.
Developed by French space agency CNES and co-funded by Airbus, the Fluidics experiment is probing how fluids behave in weightlessness.
The experiment is made up of six small, transparent spheres housed in the black centrifuge seen here and is studying two phenomena.
The first is ÔsloshingÕ or how liquids move inside closed spaces, which is hard to predict both with and without gravity. Think how frustrating it can be to get the last drop out of a packet of orange juice, then imagine the challenge for engineers designing satellites to use every drop of fuel in weightlessness, or designing rockets with fuel tanks that must deliver fuel to the engines under extreme loads. Insights can help industry design better satellite fuel-systems to increase their life and make them less expensive.
A second part of the experiment looks at wave turbulence in liquids. On Earth, gravity and surface tension influence how energy dissipates in waves or ripples. In space, scientists can observe how surface forces behave without gravity and single out interactions. This could help us improve climate models forecasting the sea states and better understand wave formation on Earth, like rogue waves for example.
The centrifuge contains two spheres with water for wave-turbulence research and four spheres dedicated to ÔsloshingÕ, of which two hold a special liquid with low viscosity and little surface tension for optimum sloshing.
The experiment was first run on the Station by ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet during his Proxima mission in May 2017, with the most recent session completed by NASA astronaut Victor Glover in the European laboratory Credit: ESA / eyevine
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Rad dishes in space
Rad dishes in space. NASA astronaut Kate Rubins poses next to a thriving radish crop growing inside the Advanced Plant Habitat in the International Space Station.
Located in EuropeÕs Columbus module, the NASA experiment is the latest in the study of plants growing in microgravity.
With plans to visit the Moon and Mars, future astronauts will need a regular, fresh source of food as they take on these missions farther away from home. In addition to providing much-needed vitamins and minerals, growing plants in space contributes to sustainability and adds homey touch to exploration.
Growing plants in the microgravity conditions of the International Space Station has allowed researchers to fine tune the approach: European research showed plants respond best to red and blue light, giving the Columbus module a disco feel.
Because plants no longer have gravity to root them to soil, the seeds are grown in ÔpillowsÕ that help evenly distribute fertilizer and water to the roots.
Radishes were chosen because it is a model plant; they have a short cultivation period and are genetically similar to the plant most frequently studied in space, Arabidopsis. Radishes are also edible and nutritious, with this batch ready for harvest any day now. Samples will be sent back to Earth for study.
The Advanced Plant Habitat is a self-contained growth chamber requiring very little intervention from astronauts. It is equipped with LED lights, porous clay, over 180 sensors and cameras regulated by researchers at NASAÕs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, USA. From there, plant growth is monitored and conditions adjusted as necessary to better distribute water and fertilizer and control moisture and temperature levels.
The next ESA astronaut to launch to the Station is Thomas Pesquet for mission Alpha. Slated to arrive in Spring 2021, perhaps Thomas will get to try another batch ofCredit: ESA / eyevine
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In a spin on the ISS
In a spin.
If the orientation of this image is a little disorienting, then you know how astronauts feel in their first few hours in space. in weightlessness, the human body loses its cues for up and down and requires adjustments in over to move and manipulate objects.
Researchers are studying extent of this adjustment through the Grip experiment, being set up in this image by NASA astronaut Mike Hopkins on board the International Space Station. ESA KidsÕ mascot Paxi is on standby to help.
When you lift a cup of coffee, you are moving it against gravity. The amount of force you use to lift that cup or move any other object is something you learn as a child but, in the weightlessness of space, it is something astronauts must relearn.
The Grip experiment studies how the central nervous system controls movement and the force astronauts use to manipulate objects with their hands.
Commissioned by ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet in 2016, Grip was performed by both Alexander Gerst (2018) and Luca Parmitano (2019) during their Horizons and Beyond missions. Mike and his fellow NASA astronaut Victor Glover are next to participate.
During each session, Mike and Victor will hold an object equipped with measuring instruments between their right thumb and index finger and carry out a range of prescribed movements.
Prior to running on the Space Station, the Grip experiment flew on 20 parabolic flight campaigns. Results indicate that short-term exposure to microgravity induces subtle changes in how the forces used in gripping an object are coordinated. Our brains anticipate the effects of EarthÕs gravity even when it is not there. On the Space Station, researchers can now observe the long-term effects.
The results will help researchers understand potential hazards for astronauts as they move between different gravitational environments and improve the design of haptic interfacCredit: ESA / eyevine
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Laizhou Bay, China
Laizhou Bay, China.
The Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission takes us over the sediment-stained waters in Laizhou Bay, located on the southern shores of the Bohai Sea, on the east coast of mainland China.
Zoom in to see this image at its full 10 m resolution or click on the circles to learn more about the features in it.
The bay is the smallest of three main bays of the Bohai Sea, and is named after the city of Laizhou, visible to the east. Large quantities of sediment carried by the Yellow River, visible in the left of the image, discolour the waters of the bay and appear turquoise. This sediment can be seen throughout the waters in this image, even far from the coast.
The Yellow River is China’s second longest river, with a length of over 5400 km, and is surpassed only by the Yangtze River. The river rises in the Bayan Har Mountains in Western China and flows through nine provinces before emptying into the Laizhou Bay. Its drainage basin is the third largest in the country, with an area of around 750 000 sq km.
The river is estimated to carry 1.6 billion tonnes of silt annually, carrying the majority to the sea. Owing to this heavy load of silt, the Yellow River deposits soil in stretches, ultimately elevating the river bed. Excessive sediment deposits have raised the river bed several metres above the surrounding ground, sometimes causing damaging floods.
On the southern coast of Laizhou Bay, in the bottom of the image, flooded fields are visible and are most likely artificial fish farms. The city of Dongying, home to the second largest oilfield in China, is visible in the left of the image.
This image was processed in a way that included the near-infrared channel, which makes vegetation appear bright red. The lush vegetation can be distinguished from the brown fields in the image, which are unharvested or not yet fully grown.
Copernicus Sentinel-2 is a two-satellite mission. Each satellite carries a high-resolution camera that images Earth’s surfa
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Hidden science. Dotted around the International Space Station, these orange pouches collect information on radiation levels using a device called a dosimeter.
Hidden science.
The Soyuz MS-17 spacecraft arrived to the International Space Station just three hours after launch on 14 October, with Roscosmos astronauts Sergei Ryzhikov and Sergei Kud-Sverchkov and NASA astronaut Kate Rubins on board.
Aside from the human cargo, the Soyuz had space for some science, including one of ESAÕs longest-running experiments, Dosis-3D.
Dotted around the International Space Station, these orange pouches collect information on radiation levels using a device called a dosimeter. The experiment, in different forms, has been monitoring radiation levels since 2009 and the current pouches are changed after each six-month crew rotation. This pouch has been placed on the left side on the Utility Interface Panel next to the Vacuum Connector on ESAÕs Human Research Facility in ESAÕs science laboratory Columbus.
Radiation levels in space can be 15 times higher than on Earth. As soon as humans leave the protective shield that is EarthÕs atmosphere, space radiation becomes a serious concern. As we explore farther and head towards the Moon and even Mars on longer flights, defending ourselves against radiation becomes ever more important.
Dosis-3D helps researchers understand space radiation and how it penetrates the Space Station walls. Active and passive radiation detectors are used to map radiation in all modules, and will help designers and engineers make future spacecraft more resistant to radiation, such as the modules for the lunar Gateway.
Experiments like Dosis-3D often go overlooked as they sit passively in the corner, but as we approach the anniversary of 20 years of continuous habitation of the International Space Station, they are great examples of the kind of science that occurs on humankindÕs outpost in space, and helps prepare for the future of human exploration.
The orange-wrapped dosimeters are about the size of a pack oCredit: ESA / eyevine
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Keep this surface dirty
Keep this surface dirty.
A Ôdo not touchÕ directive applies to both a Matisse painting and this Matiss experiment on board the International Space Station.
Designed to test the antibacterial properties of hydrophobic (or water-repelling) surfaces on the Station, the sample holders of the upgraded Matiss-2.5 experiment have done their work for roughly a year on board and are now back on Earth for analysis.
Bacteria are a big problem in space as they tend to build up in the constantly-recycled atmosphere of the Space Station. For the six astronauts living in humanityÕs habitat in space, keeping the Station clean is an important part of their life to avoid bacteria and fungus. Every Saturday is cleaning day, when the whole crew wipe surfaces, vacuum and collect waste.
Matiss or Microbial Aerosol Tethering on Innovative Surfaces in the international Space Station, driven by French space agency CNES, in collaboration ENS de Lyon and CEA-Leti, and commissioned in 2016 by ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet, examines the performance of five advanced materials in preventing illness-causing microorganisms from settling and growing in microgravity.
The experiment consists of plaques each containing the five materials to be tested plus a glass control surface. The units are open on the sides to let air flow naturally through and collect any bacteria floating past.
The first set of the Matiss experiment, known as Matiss-1, provided some baseline data points for researchers. Four sample holders were set up in three different locations within the European Columbus laboratory, where they remained for six months.
Once these samples were returned to Earth, researchers characterised the deposits formed on each surface and used the control material to establish a reference for the level and type of contamination expected over half a year.
A continuation of the experiment, knoCredit: ESA / eyevine
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European space laboratory
European space laboratory.
The European space laboratory that is part of the International Space Station, August 2020.
While much of Europe was on holidays in August, it was business as usual on the International Space Station. European science continued to collect data on a range of topics looking to enhance space exploration and life on Earth. Credit: ESA / eyevine
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A panorama of the International Space Station
This panorama of the International Space Station is a wider view of what ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano was capturing on camera during the first of a series of historic spacewalks that took place in November 2019.
Author, journalist and researcher Lee Brandon-Cremer created this photo by stitching together three images taken by Luca as he made his way to the worksite during the first Extravehicular Activity or EVA to service the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS), the StationÕs dark matter detector.
"For every spacewalk there are thousands of images taken. Sometimes a few images jump out at me,Ó he explains. ÒOne day I realised I could stitch these images together to expand the scene and show what the astronaut sees in a broader sense.Ó
To create this view, Lee first went looking for images with common points. This proved tricky: of the 1000 or so images he scanned, he found three that could be worked into two expanded photos of the Space Station.
He then joined and lightly edited the images to create a smooth photograph, a technique referred to as ÒstitchingÓ.
In the final image you can see the white panel radiators that keep the Space Station cool. The spacecraft on the left is a Soyuz. On the right is the Kibo module, with Japanese flag visible. The Space Station is flying to the right in this picture.
Nowadays we are spoiled for space imagery. From satellites circling the Earth and spacecraft taking selfies to astronaut snaps from the International Space Station, there is no shortage of photographs at which to marvel Ð and they are easy to access.
Aside from the critical role these images play in aiding scientific studies of Earth, the Solar System and outer space, they are important tools for science communication and public engagement.
One advantage of space imagery made public is how it engages citizen scientists and Credit: ESA / eyevine
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Southern Ukraine
Southern Ukraine.
Southern Ukraine is featured in this false-colour image captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission. This image was processed in a way that included the near-infrared channel, which makes vegetation appear bright red.
Owing to Ukraineís climate and arable land, agriculture plays a large role in the countryís economy. In this image, captured on 26 June 2019, a patchwork of agricultural fields dominate the landscape. Ukraineís main grain crops are winter wheat, spring barley and corn.
Circular shapes in the image are an example of centre-pivot irrigation systems, where equipment rotates around a central pivot and crops are watered with sprinklers.
The bright red contrasts with the black waters of the Kakhovka Reservoir on the Dnieper River, visible at the top of the image. Canals are visible as thin, black lines cutting through the agricultural fields, and are mostly used for water supply and irrigation of the surrounding farmlands.
In the far left of the image, the oval-shaped Oleshky Sands is visible. Covering an area of around 160 sq km., this large expanse of sand is considered a small desert in Ukraine. The grassy plains that used to cover the area are said to have died off hundreds of years ago owing to sheep farming ñ initiating the areaís desertification.
In the bottom-right of the image, a colourful network of salty lagoons lie along the northern border of the Crimean Peninsula. These shallow, marshy inlets are known as Syvash (also Sivash or Sivaö). During summer months, the warmer marsh waters leave unpleasant odours ñ earning the region the nicknames ëPutrid Seaí and ëRotten Sea.í
Copernicus Sentinel-2 is a two-satellite mission. Each satellite carries a high-resolution camera that images Earthís surface in 13 spectral bands. The mission is mostly used to track changes in the way land is being used and to monCredit: ESA / eyevine
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Victoria Falls
Victoria Falls.
The Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission takes us over Victoria Falls Ð one of the worldÕs greatest natural wonders.
Victoria Falls, known locally as Mosi-oa Tunya or Ôthe smoke that thunders,Õ lies along the course of the Zambezi River, on the border between Zambia to the north and Zimbabwe to the south. The Zambezi River flows for around 3500 km from its source on the Central African Plateau and empties into the Indian Ocean.
In this image, captured on 22 February 2019, the river cuts from left to right in the image before plunging over Victoria Falls Ð visible as a white line in the image. While it is neither the highest nor the widest waterfall in the world, Victoria Falls has a width of around 1700 m and a height of over 100 m which classifies it as the worldÕs largest sheet of falling water.
The spray from the falls normally rises to a height of over 400 m and is sometimes visible from up to 40 km away. The water from the Zambezi River then continues and enters a narrow, zigzagging series of gorges, visible in the bottom right of the image.
Despite recent reports of Victoria Falls drying up, the Zambezi River is subject to large seasonal fluctuations Ð with water levels rising and dropping dramatically throughout the year. According to the Zambezi River Authority, the lowest recorded water flows recorded were during the 1995Ñ96 season, which had an annual mean flow of around 390 cubic metres per second, compared to the long-term mean annual flow of around 1100 cubic metres per second.
The town of Victoria Falls, in Zimbabwe, can be seen west of the falls, while the town of Livingstone Ð named after the famous Scottish explorer Ð is visible just north of the falls, in Zambia. The Harry Mwanga Nkumbula airport can be seen west of the town.
The circular shapes in the image are an example of an irrigation method called pivot irrCredit: ESA / eyevine
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Qarman CubeSat deployed from ISS
Qarman CubeSat deployed from ISS.
The moment ESA's latest mission left the International Space Station: the Qarman reentry CubeSat developed with Belgium's Von Karman Institute was deployed by NASA astronaut Andrew 'Drew' Morgan via a Nanoracks dispenser on 19 February 2020. Qarman will now fall gradually to Earth, to eventually gather valuable data on atmospheric reentry physics.Credit: ESA / eyevine
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Suited up for gravity
Suited up for gravity. When it comes to grasping an object, our eyes, ears and hands are intimately connected. Our brain draws information from different senses, such as sight, sound and touch, to coordinate hand movements.
Researchers think that, on Earth, gravity is also part of the equation Ð it provides a set of anchoring cues for the central nervous system. Human evolution has balanced its way across millenia with visual references, self-orientation and the help of the vestibular system.
ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano got a handle on how microgravity affects our ability to grab and manipulate objects in space with the Gravitational References for Sensimotor Performance (Grasp) experiment.
To get an idea of the differences in how our brains work both with and without gravityÕs pull, the Grasp experiment is also conducted back on Earth. Following his 201-day mission in space, Luca is continuing to work with researchers to collect scientific data while he undertakes a comprehensive rehabilitation programme.
During Grasp, LucaÕs eyes, ears and hands are suited up with a set of sensors Ð including a virtual reality headset Ð that gather information about his actions as he carries out a range of tasks. Rotating his hand to align with a visual object is the main activity, couched in a sort of video-game target practice.
By analysing patterns in the way Luca aligns his hands to the target, researchers seek to better understand how the central nervous system integrates the role of gravity in the neural processes underlying eye-hand coordination.
Armed with an enhanced understanding of the physiology behind eye-hand coordination, researchers hope to better understand and treat disorders relating to vertigo and dizziness, balance, spatial orientation and other aspects of the vestibular system. It will also be helpful in guiding astronauts during spacewalks anCredit: ESA / eyevine
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