Space Shuttle's massive external (orange) fuel tank will join Endeavor

The Spaces Shuttle's external fuel tank will be joining Endeavor at the California Science Center in April, after a complex journey through Los Angeles streets. The last one in existence, ET-94, was donated by NASA last year. Now the Science Center is planning the move.

Read more in the LA Times and watch for details of the journey on March 4th. So glad I'm not planning that party!

Shuttle tank on it's way back to Earth (Wikipedia)

Welcome home Scott!

It's been too busy around here watching Scott Kelly's return to Earth. His speech was an inspiration for us all, but especially for our young people.

My favorite phrase from his speech: "We must lead, we must learn and we must discover"

We can't wait to see all the vital information that will come out of the one-year mission and help us smooth the path to Mars.

Harambee School Gets an ISS-Above

Photo by merin mcdonald - pasadena outlook

Liam joined school Principal Harlan Redmond and "Donate to a School" contributor Brent Whitfield, CEO of DCG at Harambee Preparatory School to meet students, see the ISS-Above installed at the school and answer burning questions from the students. 

Here is the article written by Merin McDonald of the Pasadena Outlook

Scan from the print version of the  Pasadena Outlook 1/28/16. 

Remembering Challenger

As I sit here watching the images on the ISS-Above in my own office, I'm deeply grateful to those who have gone before on whose shoulders we all stand to tackle the next frontier. 

Today we’re really present to the courage it takes to be in the space exploration as we mourn Challenger. And yes, what a thing to give one’s life to. That inspires us in our work with young people and teachers.

Thank you Teacher-in-Space payload specialist Sharon Christa McAuliffe; payload specialist Gregory Jarvis; and astronauts Judith A. Resnik, mission specialist; Francis R. (Dick) Scobee, mission commander; Ronald E. McNair, mission specialist; Mike J. Smith, pilot; and Ellison S. Onizuka, mission specialist.

ISS-Above at the offices of The Planetary Society in Pasadena

There has been an ISS-Above at the offices of The Planetary Society since 2014.   A few months ago they moved to new offices - and their ISS-Above has now been upgraded with the latest version.  It holds pride of place in one of the conference / work rooms which is visible to everyone as soon as you walk through their front door.   

Brandon Shoelz standing beside the ISS-Above / TV

Brandon is The Planetary Society's IT expert and he took great care to setup the ISS-Above - installing it perfectly so it is visible right above the huge TV.   

Close up of the ISS-Above

ISS-Above in situ

The ISS-Above is in the "Work Room" where a lot of the "Work" gets done

The CEO of The Planetary Society, Bill Nye The Science Guy has been a long-term supporter of the ISS-Above.  Bill purchased one back in 2014 and even mentioned it in an interview he gave to The Wall Street Journal.    

We returned the favor (as much as we could) by creating a custom version of the ISS-Above that will track their LightSail when it launches (possibly later this year).  The LightSail-Above was a great success with their recent Kickstarter and helped add $21,500 to the project total.    If you are a Planetary Society member and you own an ISS-Above your device will also be able to track the LightSail!   

In this weeks episode of Planetary Radio you can win an ISS-Above by answering the Trivial Question.  Listen to the 1/19/2016 episode 

Expedition 46 Crew launches to ISS

Tomorrow morning (Dec 15th 2015) at 6:03am ET Expedition 46/47 crew launches to the International Space Station on the Soyuz TMA-19M from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan

Approximately 6 hours later (12:24pm ET) the spacecraft will dock with the ISS.    

ISS-Above Crew Info Panel

This is the crew information panel that will be displayed on the more than 1000 ISS-Above units worldwide when the new crew launches to the ISS

Official Expedition 46 Crew Portrait

Every crew gets to spend some time together before they re-unite on the ISS.  That's when NASA gets to take the official Expedition photo.

Official Soyuz TMA-19M crew photo

In their Flight Suits - not quite as cramped as they will be inside the Soyuz spacecraft

The launch will be broadcast on NASA TV - be sure to get up early to watch the launch 6:03am ET

http://www.ustream.tv/NASAHDTV

Crew launching tomorrow

Yuri Malenchenko - RosCosmos Cosmonaut
Timothy Kopra - NASA Astronaut
Timothy Peake - ESA (UK) Astronaut

All photos from NASA / ESA

ISS makes three close passes over Paris #PrayersForFrance #OrbitalPerspective

The International Space Station makes a bright visible pass over Paris at 6:37am local time and it is visible to all who would look up.   It's a reminder to all who see it that we are one small world.  

Almost 92 minutes later it makes yet another close pass JUST as sunrise breaks over Paris.  May the new day bring hope and possibilities for a world united in peace.  

View fullsize

This shows the passes of the International Space Station over Paris on the morning of November 14 2015

Our thoughts and prayers are with all those who have been impacted by this terrible act of violence.   

Video frame captured from the Hdev live video stream from the international space station (place name added by iss-above)