Latest news with #SpaceStation
NDTV
2 days ago
- Science
- NDTV
How India And Israel Are Reaching For The Stars
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is set for the Axiom 4 mission to the International Space Station (ISS), with Israeli astronaut Eytan Stibbe helping bring the excitement of space to students at the Indian astronaut's school in Uttar Pradesh's Lucknow. The two spacefarers, after an interaction at a gathering in Houston, had envisioned a program that would allow Indian students to experience the thrill of space exploration in real time. "Every year, there's a gathering of astronauts in Houston, where NASA's main human spaceflight centre is based. That's where I met Group Captain Shukla. He told me about his mission, and I shared how we had engaged school children in Israel during my time on the ISS. He immediately suggested we reach out to the City Montessori School in Lucknow," Mr Stibbe said. The City Montessori School is where Mr Shukla studied. Plans are now underway to create a parallel "mission control" experience at the school, allowing students to follow Mr Shukla's journey aboard the ISS, watch live feeds from the station, and participate in interactive educational activities. "The idea is to create programs, materials, and excitement," Mr Stibbe, who was part of the Axiom 1 mission in 2022, said. "We want children to ask questions, to be curious. During the mission, they'll be able to watch Shukla at work on the station-not just during interviews, but through continuous camera feeds that show astronauts floating, working, and living in microgravity. It's super exciting," he said. Mr Stibbe, who funded his private mission to space, is passionate about making space accessible to all. His outreach efforts in Israel reached thousands of students, and he hopes to replicate that success in India. "Whatever we did in Israel, we're now extending a hand of friendship to India," he said. "There's a lot we can learn from each other," Mr Stibbe said. "From the educational system, from the missions, and from the science. We're following India's space program closely and hope for more cooperation." The initiative has the potential to draw attention at the highest levels. "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are great friends," Mr Stibbe said. "If they get the opportunity, I'm sure they would be happy to join in. We'll definitely extend an invitation." For Mr Stibbe, the mission is personal. "Watching the Earth from space, seeing the sunrise and sunset - it changes you. You realise how fragile our planet is. That's why I believe in sustainability and in inspiring the next generation to care for our world," he said. "India and Israel," Mr Stibbe said with a smile, "the friendship goes beyond Earth - and on Earth."
Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Wild camping in Scotland let me find the remote space that I'm used to, says Tim Peake
MAJOR Tim Peake has revealed that being in a remote corner of Scotland reminded him of his historic mission to space. Ten years ago Tim became the first Brit to join the European Astronaut Corps, blasting off from Kazakhstan to spend a total of 185 days onboard the International Space Station. 5 Major Tim Peake is heading to Scotland in September for a series of live dates 5 Tim and his Scots wife Rebecca exploring the great outdoors in Scotland He has been in demand ever since, reading a CBeebies bedtime story from 250 miles above the earth and was even recently quizzed about his time in orbit by Hollywood legend Tom Hanks. But last year he and his Scots wife Rebecca decided to get away from it all when they went 'off grid' while touring the North Coast 500. He says: 'We did kind of like the western part of the NC500. That was brilliant. 'We got this camper that looked like something out of Jurassic Park with this module stuck on the back of a Ford Ranger. 'We went completely off-grid - solar panel, hot water, outdoor shower, all that kind of stuff. And it was just great fun.' When it's pointed out he will be used to being so remote and self-sufficient after his time onboard the Space Station, he added: 'I know, it was brilliant. 'It was wonderful just kind of having that freedom to be able to go everywhere. 'We spoke to a few farmers who were very kind and just said, 'Yeah, you can go out on our land and find a spot and camp up.' However one thing Tim - who brings his live show Astronauts: The Quest To Explore to Scotland in September - wasn't plagued by in space were any pesky invaders like he experienced on his camping trip. He laughs: 'Most of the time when I go to Scotland, the midges are not a problem. Katy Perry kisses the ground after all-female Blue Origin mission – as Bezos's fiancee moved to tears by power of space 'But actually, last summer, they were quite bad, I have to admit. It was head nets on at least three nights.' Tim from Chichester, Sussex, attended Sandhurst in 1990, becoming a fully qualified helicopter pilot in 1994. But it was while posted to Germany he met his wife-to-be Rebecca, from Comrie, Perthshire - the couple married 27 years ago and went on to have two sons. He says: 'Rebecca she was in the Royal Logistics Corps and I was in the Army Air Corps. We were both based out there, met there, and got married in St Andrews.' But Tim's career really took off when he made the most of his time in space, conducting a crucial space walk to help carry out repairs to the ISS and even remotely running the London marathon. That's why he had absolutely 'no concerns' when his NASA astronauts pals Suni Williams and Barry 'Butch' Wilmore ended up stranded on the station for nine months instead of just an eight day mission. 5 Katy Perry faced international ridicule for her antics during an 11 minute space flight 5 Tim played a track by Scots singer Amy Macdonald while he was in space He says: 'Once they kind of made that mental adjustment to think, 'Okay we're up here for the long haul' then they would have absolutely loved it. 'I mean they both got to do spacewalks. They mucked in as an ordinary space station crew. They did so much science and maintenance. And as astronauts, that's what you train for.' However, Tim is dubious about the benefits of space tourism, which in April saw Katy Perry and an all-female crew blast off in the Blue Horizon spacecraft owned by Amazon boss Jeff Bezos. The pop star faced international ridicule when she kissed the ground following her 11-minute space flight. But can Katy officially call herself an astronaut? Tim says: 'Yes, because she's passed the Kármán line, which is a hundred kilometres away and that's the official boundary of space. 'But I think we're kind of approaching an era of career astronauts, who have trained for years to do what they do. 'Then you have a tourist spaceflight participant, with the bare minimum of training, who are just like passengers on an aircraft.' He adds: 'I think every mission to space should be grounded in having some benefit for humanity. 'So right now, there's not a huge amount of benefit (to space tourism).' Tim, 53, even got to spend Christmas Day in space, talking to his wife Rebecca and sons Thomas and Oliver back on earth. He says: 'It was nice. I was kind of keeping an eye on them from up there.' And he has been delighted to recount his experiences in space to thousands of schoolkids and space enthusiasts since returning to earth, including to Tom Hanks, 68, when they appeared on a Radio 2 show together. He says: 'Tom wanted to know if the stars were brighter in space. They weren't actually but they don't twinkle up there. It's our atmosphere that makes them do that. So they are steady stars 'And of course there is zero light pollution up there so the Milky Way is amazing.' Tim also took an extensive playlist into space including Amy Macdonald's 2007 single This is th Life. He beams: 'That is a brilliant track. It's just got so much energy. It's one to be on the treadmill to or the bike machine. 'She's just an amazing artist and I love her music. I haven't met her but my playlist is out there. So maybe she knows that her track's been into space.' But when he's not working, Tim and his activity-mad family are regular visitors to the Cairngorms in The Highlands where they take part in 'hill climbing, cycling and kayaking'. However one thing he was unable to deliver during his months in space was a cloudless snap of Rebecca's home country. He says: 'I got quite a few pictures of Scotland, actually. It is pretty difficult to photograph in the winter months, I'll grant you that. 'I was trying to get a nice picture of the whole of the UK cloudless. I don't think I ever achieved that.' *Tim's live show Astronauts: The Quest To Explore Space will be at Eden Court, Inverness on Sept 1 and 2, Aberdeen's Music Hall Sept 3 and Dunfermline's Alhambra Theatre on Sept 4. For more info visit:
NDTV
3 days ago
- Science
- NDTV
From Tel Aviv To Lucknow: How Space Is Uniting India And Israel
As India prepares to send Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard the Axiom 4 mission, a unique collaboration is unfolding - one that transcends borders, cultures, and orbits. Israeli astronaut Eytan Stibbe, who flew on the Axiom 1 mission in 2022, is now extending a hand of friendship to India, helping bring the excitement of space to school children in Lucknow, the hometown of the Indian astronaut. At the heart of this initiative is the City Montessori School (CMS), where Mr Shukla studied. Inspired by his interaction with Mr Stibbe at an astronaut gathering in Houston, the two spacefarers envisioned a program that would allow Indian students to experience the thrill of space exploration in real time. The Axiom-1 Mission: A Personal Journey Eytan Stibbe's journey to space was unique in many ways. As Israel's second astronaut, he followed in the footsteps of Ilan Ramon, who tragically lost his life in the Columbia disaster in 2003. Mr Stibbe's mission was not just about scientific exploration, it was about reigniting the Israeli public's interest in space. "We, as a first private astronaut mission, were determined to prove that it is possible, it is beneficial, and we should open the way for future private missions," Mr Stibbe said. He added, "It was a challenge because I had to build the whole mission for myself. I had to make the combination of science, education, of art, and build the whole work plan. I had no space agency supporting me, which was an exciting venture." Mr Stibbe's mission included a diverse array of activities, from scientific experiments to educational outreach. "We got ideas from children, from scientists, from philosophers, and assembled a great mission that many, many people in Israel, maybe the whole public was involved in a space mission," he said. A Tribute to Ilan Ramon Mr Stibbe's mission was also a tribute to his friend Ilan Ramon. "Ilan Ramon, the first Israeli astronaut, was on the Columbia STS-107 mission. He was a good friend of mine. We are still in a very close relationship with his family," Mr Stibbe said. "In 2003, they launched in the shuttle Columbia for 14 days in space together with Ms Chawla, an Indian-American, Kalpana Chawla. Yes, and they did a lot of science and educational missions. Unfortunately, they did not come back," he said. The loss of Mr Ramon and his crew left a lasting impact on the Israeli public. "So the Israeli public sentiment toward human space flight was always very delicate. My intention in my mission was to change that sentiment and open again the excitement, the curiosity about space, the amazing possibilities of children and scientists to take part in this International Space Station," Mr Stibbe said. Mr Stibbe's journey to space was driven by a deep personal commitment. "The motivation was really to change the sentiment of the public, to create excitement about space, because space is unknown. It's endless. We are just a small part of space," he said. One of the most profound moments for Mr Stibbe was seeing Earth from space. "Once we are in the station and look back to Earth, I think the most exciting part is to see the atmosphere, the slim strip of 100 kilometers that without this atmosphere, life would not exist on Earth. All life and vegetation exists in these 200 kilometers of oxygen and life," he said. Mr Stibbe's mission was entirely self-funded, a testament to his belief in the value of space exploration. When asked on why he decided to pay from his pocket, Mr Stibbe said, "Because I believe it's worthwhile. It's like a donation. All the industries, the academies, the hospitals, they all benefited from the opportunity to send science to space," he said. The Outreach Mr Stibbe said, "Every year, there's an astronaut gathering in Houston, where NASA's main human spaceflight center is based. That's where I met Group Captain Shukla. He told me about his mission, and I shared how we had engaged schoolchildren in Israel during my time on the ISS. He immediately suggested we reach out to CMS in Lucknow." The idea took off. The CMS management embraced the proposal with enthusiasm, and plans are now underway to create a parallel "mission control" experience at the school. The goal is to allow students to follow Group Captain Shukla's journey aboard the ISS, watch live feeds from the station, and participate in interactive educational activities. "The idea is to create programs, materials, and excitement," said Mr Stibbe. "We want children to ask questions, to be curious. During the mission, they'll be able to watch Shukla at work on the station-not just during interviews, but through continuous camera feeds that show astronauts floating, working, and living in microgravity. It's super exciting," he said. Mr Stibbe is passionate about making space accessible to all. His outreach efforts in Israel reached thousands of students, and he hopes to replicate that success in India. "Whatever we did in Israel, we're now extending a hand of friendship to India," he said. The collaboration is more than just educational - it's deeply symbolic of the growing ties between India and Israel. "There's a lot we can learn from each other," Mr Stibbe noted. "From the educational system, from the missions, and from the science. We're following India's space program closely and hope for more cooperation," he said. The initiative has the potential to draw attention at the highest levels. "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are great friends. If they get the opportunity, I'm sure they would be happy to join in. We'll definitely extend an invitation," Mr Stibbe said. For Mr Stibbe, the mission is personal. "Watching the Earth from space, seeing the sunrise and sunset - it changes you. You realize how fragile our planet is. That's why I believe in sustainability and in inspiring the next generation to care for our world," he said.
Metro
3 days ago
- Health
- Metro
Major health update on astronauts who were stranded in space for nine months
A pair of NASA astronauts who were stranded on the International Space Station (ISS) last year have completed a gruelling 45-day rehab course to readapt to Earth's atmosphere. Butch Wilmore, 62, and Sunita Williams, 59, lost significants amoutn of muscle mass and bone density after spending nine months on the ISS. This left them suffering extreme fatigue, with Ms Williams struggling to get out of bed for weeks after their return in March. Mr Wilmore, who suffered neck and back issues before the flight, said he immediately started suffering problems after landing back on Earth. 'We're still floating in the capsule in the ocean, and my neck starts hurting, while we still hadn't even been extracted yet,' he told the Reuters news agency. Ms Williams added: 'Gravity stinks for a period, and that period varies for different people, but eventually you get over those neurovestibular balance type of issues. 'It's been a little bit of a whirlwind. Because we also have obligations to all of the folks that we worked with.' The pair spent at least two hours a day working with NASA's strength and reconditioning experts on top of their regular workload. They set off last June for what was supposed to be an eight-day test flight for the Boeing Starliner transport craft. It turned into a nine-month stay on the ISS after their space capsule suffered technical issues and had to return to Earth crewless. The pair did not comment on the ins and outs of their problems, but previous comments by astronauts shed some insight onto what they may have experienced. 'After six months to a year, you gradually lose the thick, calloused skin on your feet,' retired Nasa astronaut, Leroy Chiao, told NewsNation Prime in March. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Once the harder skin peels off, the feet are usually left soft and tender he said, adding: 'You kind of have baby feet when you come back.' Until the feet build up hard skin again, which can take from weeks to months, walking can be uncomfortable and even agonising. Another Nasa veteran, Terry Virtz, said he felt 'really dizzy' on landing and struggled with his sense of balance for some time. An astronaut's heart can shrink slightly because the body needs to make less effort to pump blood around. More Trending Their vision can be affected due to fluid shifting around differently and putting pressure on the optic nerve. Psychological effects such as anxiety and depression can also persist. Mr Wilmore said he backed calls for Nasa to fly the Starliner crewless again before its next manned flight. Nasa officials said results from testing planned over the summer will determine the decision. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Six asteroids 'dangerous to Earth' discovered – but could they really hit us? MORE: Twist in search for mysterious 'Planet Nine' in the dark depths of our solar system MORE: The Milky Way will be most visible until this date in the US – here's how to see it
The Age
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Age
This astronaut says space is not the lonely place we see in science fiction
Chris Hadfield was nine when Neil Armstrong took his one small step for (a) man. Watching the astronauts from his small town in southern Ontario, he decided what to do with the rest of his life. But where many starry-eyed youngsters harbour similarly grandiose ambitions, little Chris got to work. 'I started making decisions when I was nine years old to try and turn myself into an adult that could do those things. I learned to swim. I thought about what food I ate. I made sure I kept my body in shape. I joined the Air Cadets so they would teach me how to fly. I studied so I could go to university.' There were significant obstacles along the way, not least the fact that Canada didn't have a space program. But Hadfield emphasises that he didn't hope to become an astronaut. ''I want to' or 'I dream to,' that's not nearly enough. You have to decide to. I dream of winning an Olympic gold medal, but obviously I haven't decided to because I never really worked at it. I'm not going to win an Olympic gold medal unless they give one for laziness and procrastination.' He's speaking from his cottage on an island not 200 metres from where he made the decision that would define the course of his life. Yes, he might have spent 165 days in space and travelled all over the world in the most literal sense, but these days he has returned to the place where it all began. Not that he doesn't travel. He's about to tour Australia with a new live show in which he recalls his adventures in space, answers audience questions and performs music live. In 2013 Hadfield became the friendly face of off-earth travel when his cover of David Bowie's Space Oddity – performed onboard the International Space Station – became a viral hit the world over. The novelty of the music video doesn't reflect his serious accomplishments, however. He was the first Canadian commander of the ISS, and notched up a total of 14 hours and 50 minutes of extravehicular activity (that's spacewalking to us earthbound types). He retired in 2013 but has maintained an active role as a writer, speaker and adviser. The young Hadfield decided to become a space traveller, but the 65-year-old today notes that he never made the achievement of that goal a measure of self-worth or success. 'I thought, there's a lot of forces beyond my control. Most of them. But I'm going to work really hard on the ones I can control. If I do my part right, and I get some luck, then I will have a chance of flying in space ... I got to fly in space three times. If I hadn't flown in space, I never would have thought of myself as a failure or as somehow cheated. It just helped me make all of the little decisions on a daily basis as to what to do next. ' That meant following in the footsteps of his heroes. Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Mike Collins were all engineers, so he earned an engineering degree. They were pilots, so he became one too, and then he climbed the ranks to fighter pilot and test pilot. 'Neil and Mike and Buzz were all test pilots. That's like a PhD in flying. I could have been a test pilot for the rest of my life.' Hadfield speaks with the confidence and conviction you'd expect of someone who possesses the right stuff to make it to space. During his first spacewalk, a visor malfunction temporarily blinded him. Most of us would probably panic if things went wrong 400 kilometres above the Earth with just a few centimetres of plastic between you and the void. It's hard to imagine Hadfield losing his cool. TAKE 7: THE ANSWERS ACCORDING TO CHRIS HADFIELD Worst habit? Not knowing the difference between work and play. Greatest fear? The untimely death of my children or grandchildren. The line that stayed with you? When I did my third space flight, my dad said: 'Trust yourself. You've done the work. You're going to have to make decisions without being able to ask anybody else, that have life or death consequences. But you're not doing it frivolously. You've built yourself the capability and right to do those things, so trust yourself.' Biggest regret? I don't live a life of regret. I spend life looking forwards, and I try and forgive myself and other people as often as I can. Favourite book? Carrying the Fire, by Mike Collins. He was the guy who orbited the moon while Neil and Buzz walked on the surface. The artwork/song you wish was yours? Almost every song I hear. Especially the simple ones, right? It's like, 'How come I didn't write that?' If you could time travel, where would you choose to go? If I could truly time travel, I would be a frequent flyer. I don't want to just go live somewhere else. But I would love to go back to some of the great significant moments in history. Wouldn't it be great to spend a day at the Colosseum in Rome? Just put on the toga, and somehow materialise and go to an event for the day, and then come back to 2025. 'Panic is like extreme fear. There's a hyena in front of you with its jaws open? You need to get adrenaline into your veins, and you need to run faster than you've ever run in your life. I try to avoid that ever happening. In my life as a fighter pilot and test pilot there were all kinds of hyenas with their jaws open, figuratively. All kinds of dangers that reared their head instantaneously, but most of them are foreseeable. I'm going to use the quiet times to prepare myself so that I don't have to be afraid, and I sure don't want to panic.' That mindset is something that astronauts share. 'You choose people that have quite a large skill set, but also the right mentality and the right sense of humility and purposefulness. The filter that chooses astronauts tends to spit out the same type of person, no matter what country they're from. There's a great commonality when you get together as a group of astronauts.' It's reassuring to hear that the pettiness of politics is mostly confined to our planet. When you're travelling at 28,000km/h with people from all over the world, it brings you up to speed on what we have in common. 'You're over Ukraine, and you can look down at the worst of human behaviour, of violence and death and murder sanctioned at the national scale. But 10 minutes later, you're over farmers' fields ... You come around the world, and it puts things into perspective for you, that there are wicked things happening, but the vast majority of what's happening is just people living their lives. And they want the same things, no matter what country they're in.' Our earthly laws don't even apply in space. The ISS follows the International Crew Code of Conduct, designed to ensure that the squabbles and resentments of nations don't make it past the airlock. 'I think there's a real beauty in that. It's not just technical exploration or scientific experiment. It's also a geopolitical experiment.' It's an experiment that Hadfield thinks will only grow in importance as more nations launch their own space programs and private corporations do the same. 'As we start settling on the moon, whose laws will apply? Will we take the International Crew Code of Conduct and make that the law of the land? Or will we import a little China and a little America and a little India and just transplant that onto the moon?' It's apparent that Hadfield doesn't have much time for the 'incredibly stupid stuff' that can take place on Earth. But his time among the stars also reminded him that 'we're incredibly imperfect, yet we've still carved the Venus de Milo and built Angkor Wat and we revere Uluru. We built a space station where we've been working peacefully for 25 years.' There's an irony to the song that first brought Hadfield into many of our lives. Where Bowie lamented that 'planet Earth is blue, and there's nothing I can do,' Hadfield says that floating in a tin-can is the antithesis of a bummer. Loading 'The biggest misconception is that people think it's lonely. It's often a metaphor for loneliness. If you watch movies like First Man or Ad Astra, those movies are so sad and grim, and everybody's glum. Or the series that Sean Penn was in, The First, everybody's just so unhappy,' he says. 'But it's completely the opposite. It's magnificent. You're weightless. You have a superpower. You can fly. It's the coolest. And the whole world is pouring by out your window.'
