international space station

The sun’s last rays illuminate Earth’s atmosphere and refract in the camera lense in this photograph of an orbital sunset from the International Space Station as it soared 261 miles above the Pacific Ocean off the northern coast of Japan. Credit: NASAA cargo craft loaded with nearly three tons of food, fuel, and supplies is currently in orbit heading to the International Space Station, targeting early Saturday for docking. As the Expedition 70 crew members await the arrival of Progress 87, stem cell science, heart rate…

The U.S. is at risk of losing leadership in low Earth orbit to China if commercial space stations do not come to fruition before the International Space Station plunges into the sea, two industry officials told lawmakers on Wednesday.BackgroundThe ISS is set to be decommissioned in 2030 and commercial providers are preparing to pick up the mantle of hosting people and experiments aboard commercial low Earth orbit (LEO) destinations. At the hearing, officials from two companies building commercial space stations worried…

A two-pound cyborg surgeon performed its first simulated procedure in space, dissecting rubber bands that resemble elastic tissue to prepare for medical procedures to be carried out remotely in the microgravity environment.Uh Oh, Amazon Bought Your Favorite Robot CompanyOn Saturday, spaceMIRA (Miniaturized In-vivo Robotic Assistant) carried out a demonstration whereby a human surgeon on Earth controlled the robot’s arms to cut through simulated human tissue on board the International Space Station (ISS), CNN reported. The…

The ISS Progress 81 resupply ship from Roscosmos is pictured 266 miles above the Pacific Ocean off the coast of the Kuril Islands- after undocking from the Zvezda service module’s rear port. Credit: NASAThe Expedition 70 crew is counting down to the arrival of new cargo as Progress nears its launch on Wednesday. Aboard the International Space Station, scientific hardware replacements and cargo audits topped the schedule for the seven orbital residents.The Progress 87 cargo craft launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in…

The Progress 87 cargo craft launches to the International Space Station from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on February 14, 2024. Credit: NASA TVThe unpiloted Roscosmos Progress 87 is safely in orbit headed for the International Space Station following the launch at 10:25 p.m. EST Wednesday, February 14 (8:25 a.m. Baikonur time Thursday, February 15) from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.The resupply ship reached preliminary orbit, and deployed its solar arrays and navigational antennas as planned, on its way…

GITAI’s 1.5-meter-long autonomous dual robotic arm system (S2). The S2 will be mounted external to the International Space Station (ISS) on the Nanoracks Bishop Airlock and perform on-orbit services, including maintenance, inspection, and life-extension operations for satellites. Credit: GITAIEquipment installs and station maintenance topped the in-orbit schedule aboard the International Space Station (ISS) on Tuesday, February 13. The Expedition 70 crew members expanded on work that began yesterday while completing some…

The Expedition 70 crew at the International Space Station embarked on a busy week filled with stem cell research and preparations for the arrival of the Progress 87 cargo craft.A busy week of science and prep for an upcoming cargo delivery kicked off aboard the International Space Station on Monday as the Expedition 70 crew set its sights on new stem cell research and orbital training.Preparation for Cargo DeliveryTwo cosmonauts, Flight Engineers Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub, are gearing up to be on duty monitoring the…

A SpaceX Dragon spacecraft carrying the Ax-3 crew splashed down off the coast of Daytona, FL on February 9. Credit: Axiom SpaceAx-3’s splashdown off the Florida coast concludes the first all-European commercial space mission, showcasing international collaboration and advancements in space exploration, with Axiom Space at the forefront of developing the world’s first commercial space station.After undocking from the International Space Station (ISS) on Wednesday, February 7, the Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3) crew safely splashed…

A SpaceX Dragon spacecraft carrying the Ax-3 crew splashed down off the coast of Daytona, FL on February 9. Credit: Axiom SpaceAx-3’s successful return from the International Space Station marks a key milestone in NASA’s plan to foster a commercial space economy, emphasizing the growing accessibility and commercial potential of low Earth orbit.The third private astronaut mission to the International Space Station successfully completed its journey as part of NASA efforts to create commercial opportunities in space. Axiom…

Children gathered at First Nations University of Canada in Regina Thursday watched in awe as astronaut Jeremy Hansen unveiled the patch, designed by an Indigenous artist, that he will wear as the first Canadian to fly to the moon.Hansen, who is from London, Ont., is one of four crew members set to travel around the moon during the Artemis ll mission, which is expected to embark as soon as September 2025.He spoke at Thursday's event about how time he has spent with Indigenous elders has shaped his beliefs and…