Robotics Workstation in the International Space Station’s Cupola

At the robotics workstation in the International Space Station's Cupola, NASA astronaut Karen Nyberg, Expedition 36 flight engineer, participates in onboard training activity in preparation for the grapple and berthing of the Japanese "Kounotori" H2 Transfer Vehicle-4 (HTV-4) set for August 9, 2013. 

Nyberg and NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy will use Canadarm2, the station's Canadian Space Agency-provided robotic arm, to reach out and capture the vehicle for its installation on the Earth-facing port of the Harmony node. 

Image Credit: NASA

Original Source

Before the leak

Luca Parmitano and Chris Cassidy took these photographs of each other during their spacewalk. Shortly afterwards Luca reported water floating behind his head inside his helmet and NASA Mission Control decided to end the spacewalk early.

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Astronaut Chris Cassidy Takes a Photo

NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy, Expedition 36 flight engineer, uses a digital still camera during a session of extravehicular activity (EVA) as work continues on the International Space Station. 

Spacewalk ends early

Luca Parmitano and Chris Cassidy ended their spacewalk after only 1 h 32 min. NASA's Flight Director terminated the sortie after Luca reported water in his helmet

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Second Spacewalk

Watch the second spacewalk of Luca Parmitano and Chris Cassidy on 16 July. Streaming (courtesy NASA) starts at 11:00 GMT (13:00 CEST)

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Station Astronauts Prep for U.S. Spacewalk

ISS036-E-014724 (3 July 2013) --- NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy (left) and European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano, both Expedition 36 flight engineers, attired in their Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) spacesuits, participate in a "dry run" in the International Space Station's Quest airlock in preparation for the first of two sessions of extravehicular (EVA) scheduled for July 9 and July 16. 

NASA astronaut Karen Nyberg, flight engineer, assists Cassidy and Parmitano.

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Kansas Students to Speak Live With Space Station NASA Astronauts

Kansas Students to Speak Live With Space Station NASA Astronauts

06/18/2013 12:00 AM EDT

Expedition 36 crew members and NASA astronauts Chris Cassidy and Karen Nyberg, currently orbiting aboard the International Space Station, will speak with students gathered at the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center at 9:40 a.m. CDT (10:40 a.m. EDT), Wednesday, June 19.

European Space Agency Flickr Update

Sicily, as seen from the ISS by Luca Parmitano

10-06-2013 03:25 PM CEST

ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano has been settling into life onboard the ISS, but still finding the time to tweet some of the amazing sights he is seeing from the orbital outpost.

Most recently, Luca spotted the island of Sicily in the Mediterranean sea. In this image, North is to the right, with the tip of Italy's 'boot', Calabria, visible in the bottom right.

For much more from Luca during his stay on the ISS, be sure to follow @astro_luca on Twitter, and check out the dedicated Flickr photostream for his mission Volare.

Credits: ESA/NASA

M101

10-06-2013 02:02 PM CEST

The face-on spiral galaxy M101, or the Pinwheel Galaxy, is seen at ultraviolet and optical wavelengths in this image taken by ESA's XMM-Newton space telescope.

The picture is composed of images taken by XMM-Newton's optical telescope using different filters: red (200–400 nm), green (200–300 nm) and blue (175–275 nm).

Credits: ESA/XMM & R. Willatt

A very bright contortionist

10-06-2013 10:10 AM CEST

The contorted object captured by Hubble in this picture is IRAS 22491-1808, also known as the South America Galaxy. It is an ultraluminous infrared galaxy (ULIRG) that emits a huge amount of light at infrared wavelengths.

The reason for this intense infrared emission lies in an episode of strong star formation activity, which was set off by a collision between two interacting galaxies. In this image the twisted shape hides a number of features.

In the central region, which is very complex and disturbed, scientists have been able to distinguish two nuclei, remains of the two different galaxies that are currently colliding to form a new one. IRAS 22491-1808 is amongst the most luminous of these types of galaxies, and is considered to be mid-way through its merging stage.

The centre of this appealing object also shows several intense star-forming knots which, as seen in the picture, actually outshine the nuclei in optical wavelengths. To pick out the two merging nuclei in IRAS 22491-1808, scientists have had to observe it in infrared wavelengths, where they are more distinct. Other traces of the galactic collision are the three very noticeable tails in the image — two linear and one circular.
The tail extending towards the bottom of the image from the main body exhibits a red clump of star formation at its base.

Credits: ESA/Hubble, NASA

Targeting Earth Photographs From Orbit

Targeting Earth Photographs From Orbit

06/10/2013 12:00 AM EDT

Inside the Cupola, NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy, an Expedition 36 flight engineer, uses a 400mm lens on a digital still camera to photograph a target of opportunity on Earth some 250 miles below him and the International Space Station. 

Cassidy has been aboard the orbital outpost since late March and will continue his stay into September.

Image Credit: NASA

Massachusetts Students Speak With Space Station Astronauts

Massachusetts Students Speak With Space Station Astronauts

06/06/2013 12:00 AM EDT

Expedition 36 crew members Chris Cassidy, Luca Parmitano, and Karen Nyberg will speak from the International Space Station to students at Douglas Public Schools in Massachusetts at 11:35 a.m. EDT, Monday, June 10.

Massachusetts Students Speak With Space Station Astronauts

Massachusetts Students Speak With Space Station Astronauts

06/06/2013 12:00 AM EDT

Expedition 36 crew members Chris Cassidy, Luca Parmitano, and Karen Nyberg will speak from the International Space Station to students at Douglas Public Schools in Massachusetts at 11:35 a.m. EDT, Monday, June 10.

Week In Images

Week In Images

30-05-2013 09:23 AM CEST

Our week through the lens:
27-31 May 2013

European Space Agency YouTube Update

Final steps before launch

28-05-2013 07:19 PM CEST

ESA astronauts Luca and his crewmates, cosmonaut commander Fyodor Yurchikhin and NASA astronaut Karen Nyberg, spent the last few weeks before launch in Moscow, Russia passing their final exams for flying the Soyuz spacecraft that will fly them to the International Space Station. They received their official tickets to the orbital outpost on 10 May when the Soyuz examination board declared them qualified to fly. The crew left for the Baikonur launch facility on 16 May. The crew stayed at the traditional Cosmonaut Hotel for the last days before launch. Luca, Fyodor and Karen are quarantined to make sure they do not take any unwanted bacteria or viruses to the Space Station. Family and support personnel such as flight surgeons are the only people allowed to stay with them. Cosmonauts Pavel Vinogradov, Alexander Misurkin and NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy are already on the Station and will welcome the new Expedition when the Soyuz docks on 29 May. Luca's Volare mission is provided through an agreement with Italy's ASI space agency. His busy schedule of science and maintenance involves two spacewalks to install new equipment and retrieve experiments.

SpaceUp Paris part 2 day 1

28-05-2013 05:07 PM CEST

First SpaceUp in France, a two-day event hosted by ESA at its Headquarters in Paris and organised by SpaceUp Paris volunteers. The event was attended by 150 people from all over the world, not only engineers, entrepreneurs and scientists, but also developers, students, graphists, journalists... all passionate about space and committed to promoting of space exploration.

SpaceUp Paris part 1 day 2

28-05-2013 04:57 PM CEST

First SpaceUp in France, a two-day event hosted by ESA at its Headquarters in Paris and organised by SpaceUp Paris volunteers. The event was attended by 150 people from all over the world, not only engineers, entrepreneurs and scientists, but also developers, students, graphists, journalists... all passionate about space and committed to promoting of space exploration.

SpaceUp Paris part 2 day 2

28-05-2013 04:25 PM CEST

First SpaceUp in France, a two-day event hosted by ESA at its Headquarters in Paris and organised by SpaceUp Paris volunteers. The event was attended by 150 people from all over the world, not only engineers, entrepreneurs and scientists, but also developers, students, graphists, journalists... all passionate about space and committed to promoting of space exploration.

SpaceUp Paris part 3 day 1

28-05-2013 04:10 PM CEST

First SpaceUp in France, a two-day event hosted by ESA at its Headquarters in Paris and organised by SpaceUp Paris volunteers. The event was attended by 150 people from all over the world, not only engineers, entrepreneurs and scientists, but also developers, students, graphists, journalists... all passionate about space and committed to promoting of space exploration.

SpaceUp Paris part 1 day 1

28-05-2013 03:50 PM CEST

First SpaceUp in France, a two-day event hosted by ESA at its Headquarters in Paris and organised by SpaceUp Paris volunteers. The event was attended by 150 people from all over the world, not only engineers, entrepreneurs and scientists, but also developers, students, graphists, journalists... all passionate about space and committed to promoting of space exploration.

Massachusetts Students Speak Live With Orbiting NASA Astronaut

Massachusetts Students Speak Live With Orbiting NASA Astronaut

05/21/2013 12:00 AM EDT

NASA Expedition 35 astronaut and flight engineer Chris Cassidy will speak live from the International Space Station with students at Talbot Innovation Middle School in Fall River, Mass., at 10:05 a.m. EDT, Thursday, May 23.