This includes funding for the final design and construction of the robotics system, which will be utilized on the Gateway space station as part of NASA’s Artemis program. 

鈥淭his contract highlights Canada精东影业 commitment to the next chapter of lunar exploration,鈥� commented Fran莽ois-Philippe Champagne, Canadian Minister of Innovation, Science, and Industry. 鈥淏eyond enhancing Canada精东影业 position of developing and retaining top talents and world-renowned innovators, this initiative supports high-quality jobs and opportunities for growth within the country精东影业 expanding space sector.”

The contract also covers planning and training for on-orbit mission operations. MDA Space will manage the commissioning of Canadarm3 from their new mission control facility in Brampton, Ontario. The project will involve over 200 Canadian companies in MDA Space’s supply chain and is expected to run until March 2030.

Canadarm3精东影业 predecessor, Canadarm2, has been an essential part of the International Space Station (ISS) since its installation in 2001. Also developed by MDA Space and the Canadian Space Agency, it is a 17.6-meter-long, highly flexible, and multi-jointed system capable of performing a variety of tasks in space, including assembling station modules, capturing and docking spacecraft, and assisting astronauts during spacewalks. 

Another similar system, the European Robotic Arm (ERA), was brought into operation by the Russian scientific module Nauka, which docked at the ISS on July 29, 2021. While smaller and not as strong as its Canadian counterparts, the ERA can function completely automatically.

Russian Nauka module accidentally deviates ISS from its orbit

• Space

byClement Charpentreau

2021-08-02

However, music is still an option when orbiting around the Earth in a space station. 

From 2001 to 2002, United States astronaut Carl Walz spent 196 days on the International Space Station (ISS). Before he went up, psychological support staff asked Walz what he wanted to bring with him.  

“I said, ‘Well, a keyboard would be nice.’ And they said, ‘We’ll look into that,'” Walz told NASA during a post-mission interview on September 4, 2003. 

In addition to the keyboard, various other musical instruments have been flown into orbit, including a flute, a guitar, a saxophone, and a didgeridoo.  

According to NASA, a surprising number of astronauts are also musicians.  

But what happens when they attempt to play music in microgravity?  

鈥淛ingle Bells鈥� makes history 

From the early days of space exploration, astronauts seem to have been enthusiastic about the prospects of music beyond the Earth精东影业 atmosphere. The first record, a Russian love song, was played in space for Yuri Gagarin through radio transmission on April 12, 1961.  

The following year, the first song was sung in space on August 12, 1962, by Ukrainian cosmonaut Pavlo Popovych.  

Then, few years later, a harmonica and a set of bells became the first instruments to be sent into space on board United States spaceflight Gemini 6 in December 1965.  

Astronauts Walter Schirra and Tom Stafford used the instruments to deliver a festive joke before the spacecraft re-entered Earth精东影业 atmosphere.    

鈥淭his is Gemini VI. We have an object, that looks like a satellite going from north to south, probably in a polar orbit. He精东影业 in a very low trajectory traveling from north to south and has a very high climbing ratio,鈥� Gemini 6 told ground control. 鈥淟ooks like he may be going to re-enter pretty soon. Stand by one. You might just let me try to pick up that thing.鈥� 

The pair had smuggled the mini set of bells and small harmonica on board as a joke to suggest the astronauts had met Santa Claus on their way back to Earth and used them to deliver a performance of 鈥淛ingle Bells鈥�.   

As a result, this Christmas anthem became the first song to be performed using musical instruments in outer space. 

How to avoid playing a silent tune 

The prank also proved that it is possible to make music in space.  

Air is present on a spacecraft, meaning that sound waves can still travel. Things only get tricky if the astronauts decide to play music during a spacewalk. 

Instruments such as violins and guitars, which rely on the interaction between the strings, need air around them to make the sound. In space, the strings would vibrate but not produce any sound. Brass instruments cannot be used the usual way either. They work by making the air vibrate inside their metal bodies so playing a saxophone outside of a spacecraft would just mean playing a silent tune. 

Nevertheless, performing inside the spacecraft also presents a set of challenges.  

When Walz was granted his request for a keyboard in 2001, he had to keep himself grounded with foot restraints while playing. He also wrapped a bungee cord around the instrument and his legs to ensure the instrument would stay in place. 

In microgravity, the instrument will keep floating if not attached properly, making it not only impossible to play but likely to damage the spacecraft hardware or simply bump someone in the head. 

鈥淵ou don鈥檛 need a guitar strap up there, but what was funny was, I鈥檇 be playing and then all of a sudden, the pick would go out of my hands. Instead of falling, it would float away, and I鈥檇 have to catch it before it got lost,鈥� Walz told NASA. 

Similarly, US astronaut Ellen Ochoa said that while she was playing the flute during a mission in 1993, she had her 鈥渇eet in foot loops鈥�. While the force of air released by a flute is relatively small, in microgravity it would be enough to move Ochoa around the shuttle. 

Wooden instruments, such as guitars, are flammable and are only allowed on board if astronauts agree to handle them with care and store the items when not in use. The type of casing also makes a difference, as an electronic musical instrument stored in a metal case will often release less electromagnetic radiation than one stored in plastic. 

Jam sessions in a tin can 

However, the challenges have not discouraged astronauts from orbital jam sessions, even if guitar smashing is prohibited.  

Max Q, a US-based rock band made up exclusively of astronauts, was formed in 1987. The band’s rotating line-up often changed due to flight crew assignments, training, and occasional retirement. In 2013, Chris Hadfield, astronaut and Max Q leader at the time, released a cover of David Bowie精东影业 鈥淪pace Oddity鈥�, which was filmed entirely on board the ISS. 

鈥淚 had to get Bowie精东影业 permission and he said it was the most poignant version ever,鈥� Hadfield told in June 2023. 鈥淢illions of people have seen my version and it put laughter and joy in the face of David Bowie in the last couple years of his life. So that changed my life.鈥�  

The guitar used by Hadfield to record the cover was transported to the station in August 2001 and has since been played by astronauts and cosmonauts. Later, in 2015, Hadfield used the same instrument to make, 鈥淪pace Sessions: Songs from a Tin Can鈥�, the first album to be recorded in space. 

Another band, AstroHawaii, was formed during a space 鈥榞uitar jam鈥� in 2018. NASA astronauts Drew Feustel and Scott Tingle played guitars, and Ricky Arnold was on the drums. Two Roscosmos cosmonauts Artemyev and Anton Shkaplerov performed on flutes while the crew’s sixth member Japanese astronaut, Norishige Kanai, was likely to have been behind the camera recording the performance.  

According to a research paper titled 鈥� one of the most significant roles of music is to produce a sense of cohesion or social togetherness. 

鈥淩ecognizably musical activities appear to have been present in every known culture on earth, with ancient roots extending back 250,000 years or more,鈥� the research paper, which was published in 2013, stated. 

The connection keeping astronauts grounded 

Safety is a top priority on board the ISS. So, the fact that astronauts are allowed to play instruments while on board spacecraft highlights the importance of music in their surroundings.  

According to the ), stress factors in space can cause sleep disruption, altered time perception and spatial orientation, while engaging with music has a remarkable ability to stimulate the release of several beneficial hormones related to positive, uplifting feelings.  

鈥淚t’s a link to home,鈥� Walz said. 鈥淲e all know we’re going back to Earth. We know we’re going back to that life.鈥� 

In 2018, the prototype of a musical instrument specifically designed for a microgravity environment called the Telemetron was unveiled. To play this instrument, astronauts just let it tumble around in midair rather than plucking strings or blowing into a reed. 

The idea, according to its inventors, is to 鈥渆xpand expression beyond the limits of earth-based instruments and performers鈥� and 鈥渆xplore how design and creativity might evolve as we begin to do more than merely survive in space.鈥�  

However, it has not yet been deployed to space. Perhaps this could be because the instrument is designed specifically for space and not familiar enough for astronauts looking to be reminded of home. 

Walz described the qualities of music to recreate a place like home during his post-mission interview in 2003: 

 “The strangest thing about playing music in space is that it’s not strange,鈥� he said. 鈥淚n most homes, there’s a musical instrument or two. And I think it’s fitting that in a home in space, you have musical instruments as well. It’s natural. Music makes it seem less like a spaceship, and more like a home.” 

The evolution of space food: from squeezable tubes to cosmic culinary marvels

• Space

byEmilia Stankeviciute

2023-07-20

Alongside Dmitri Petelin, the duo also successfully installed debris shields to the Rassvet mini-research module. 

The ERA is an 11.3-meter-long engineering marvel, reminiscent of a human arm, with features such as elbows and wrists. The robotic arm assists with tasks outside the ISS, from maintenance to hardware installation, reducing the need for risky spacewalks. 

While there are two other robotic arms used on the ISS, ERA differs with its unique ability to ‘walk’ around the space station, moving hand-over-hand, allowing it to reach areas that are difficult to access. 

The ERA was integrated with the ISS as part of the Nauka (Russian for ‘science’) multi-purpose science module in July 2021. It provides Roscosmos cosmonauts with much-needed robotic assistance as no other robotic arm used in ISS can reach the Russian segment. Before its integration, cosmonauts relied on manual spacewalks for many tasks. 

In July 2022, former chief of Roscosmos banned cosmonauts from using the arm following the European Space Agency () withdrawal from the ExoMars mission due to the Russo-Ukrainian war. 

However, the ban was temporary, and ERA was returned to active service in April 2022. It is commonly used for tasks such as relocating equipment, but for the first time it carried a human aboard.

Prokopyev ventured to the edge of the ERA as the space station orbited about 260 miles above Africa. His mission was to assess the durability and sturdiness of a portable workstation attached to the robotic arm. 

Cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev operated the ERA from inside the Nauka module, while Petelin accompanied Prokopyev on the spacewalk, monitoring and recording the historic event. 

The successful 40-minute operation showcased the ERA’s potential in transporting astronauts during future spacewalks. 

Riding the robotic arm provides precise positioning, especially in areas difficult to access manually and reach specific locations safely, eliminating the need for lengthy spacewalks. 

Prior to this advancement, Roscosmos cosmonauts on extravehicular activities (EVAs) had to rely on the manually operated ‘Strela’ booms to reach further distances around the ISS.  

The evolution of space food: from squeezable tubes to cosmic culinary marvels

• Space

byEmilia Stankeviciute

2023-07-20

The history of aviation is full of projects that lead to the question: what were they thinking? 

Their eight-and-a-half-hour descent from the International Space Station was made possible by the same SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, the Endeavour, that took them on board the station on April 23, 2021.

The capsule was slowed down by parachutes. Once in the water, it was hoisted with a crane onto a ship. The astronauts were then removed one by one and placed on stretchers.

The crew members must follow a long physical rehabilitation period before they can readapt to Earth精东影业 gravity once again. During the next three weeks, the crew will be observed in a study into the effects of weightlessness on the human body.

Bittersweet feeling to leave . A magical place in the sky that grants superpowers like floating and seeingin a glance. to the people that built it, for everyone’s benefit. It gives me hope that humans can achieve anything, with good intentions, when we want to.

鈥� Thomas Pesquet (@Thom_astro)

Their six-month mission was nothing short of eventful, and the crew had to deal with its fair share of challenges. 

During a routine inspection on May 12, 2021, a small hole was found on the Canadarm2 robotic arm attributed to an impact with either a micrometeorite or space debris. 

Then, during three spacewalks on June 16, 20, and 25, 2021, astronauts Thomas Pesquet and Shane Kimbrough completed the installation of new solar panels, providing a 34% upgrade in energy generation to the ISS.

On July 29, 2021, about two hours after docking to the ISS, the new Russian scientific module Nauka inadvertently fired its thrusters, causing the entire station to deviate from its orbit.

On October 5, 2021, the ISS crew received Russian actress Yulia Peresild and director Klim Shipenko, on a short visit to shoot the world精东影业 first feature film in orbit.

The three astronauts still on the ISS, Russians Anton Shkaplerov and Pyotr Dubrov, and American Mark Vande Hei, will soon be joined by three more NASA astronauts, Raja Chari, Kayla Barron, and Tom Marshburn, as well as ESA精东影业 Matthias Maurer. The takeoff is scheduled for November 10, 2021.

The new hub was more than four years in the making, for an investment of $1.5 billion, and will ensure rapid transportation of parcels across the United States, Amazon says. The retail giant plans to create more than 2,000 jobs at the site, which will process millions of packages a week.  

The 800,000 square foot sorting station features technology such as robotic arms and mobile drive units to move and sort packages. Amazon also intends to install solar panels on the roof of the building, which will provide electricity to the local grid. 

鈥淲e鈥檙e excited to get rolling in Northern Kentucky, and we鈥檙e thrilled to employ thousands of fantastic people from the area in this next-generation, highly sophisticated facility that will connect our air cargo network for years to come,鈥� commented Sarah Rhoads, Vice President of Amazon Global Air. 

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said it would make Kentucky the 鈥渦ndisputed national leader in air cargo.鈥�

Amazon is rapidly investing in expanding its own air freight operations. In January 2021, it announced plans to buy 11 Boeing 767-300 jets and in March purchased a minority stake in American air cargo operator Air Transport Services Group.

In 2020, it also opened its European air hub in Leipzig, Germany.

Amazon spends $131 million for stake in American air cargo operator

• Air Cargo

byGabriele Petrauskaite

2021-03-09

Zvezda is the main module of the Russian Orbital Segment of the International Space Station. It comprises most of the station’s life support systems and houses living quarters for two crew members. However, the transition chamber affected by the pressure drop is isolated from the rest of the station, according to Roscosmos.

鈥淚n this chamber, the pressure is maintained at the level of 150-200 millimeters of mercury [Hg],鈥� the agency said. 鈥淟ast night [on July 20, 2021], the crew […] reported to ground control that the pressure in the chamber was 154 mm Hg.鈥�

The pressure was later raised to reach 200 mm Hg. A slight oxygen leak was detected onboard the ISS as early as September 2019. After its speed increased fivefold in August 2020, the crew of the ISS was forced twice to check the module hatches for airtightness.

The leak was eventually traced back to cracks located in the middle chamber of the Zvezda module. Despite an attempt from two cosmonauts to seal the crack, the leak remained.

The new drop in pressure is unrelated to the new Russian scientific module Nauka which docked to the International Space Station on July 29, 2021. Hours after docking, Nauka inadvertently fired its thrusters, causing the entire station to move 45 degrees out of position. Astronauts were forced to use the thrusters of the Russian segment of the ISS to readjust the attitude of the station. According to Roscosmos, the incident was due to a software glitch, coupled with a lapse of attention.

Two days after the Nauka module docked with the ISS, the cosmonauts Oleg Novitsky and Pyotr Dubrov opened the hatch and filmed their first visit.

The Nauka space laboratory replaces the much smaller Pirs module, which was detached from the station on July 26, 2021, and burnt down in Earth精东影业 atmosphere. Additionally to the working place, Nauka brings extra crew quarters, a new bathroom, and will increase the station精东影业 capacity to generate oxygen and drinking water. It will also operate the European Robotic Arm. While smaller and not as strong as the current Canadarm 2, the new arm is able to function completely automatically.

Russian Nauka module accidentally deviates ISS from its orbit

• Space

byClement Charpentreau

2021-08-02

Contact and capture, docking confirmed. At 9:29am ET, the Nauka science module arrived at the Earth-facing side of the ‘s Russian segment:

鈥� NASA (@NASA)

However, celebrations were short-lived. About two hours after docking, Nauka inadvertently fired its thrusters, causing the entire station to move 45 degrees out of position. The SpaceX Dragon freighter was put on standby in case the crew had to evacuate. Fortunately, astronauts turned on the thrusters of the Russian segment of the ISS to compensate and managed to readjust the attitude of the station. More fear than harm.

The new space laboratory will replace the much smaller Pirs module, which was detached from the station on July 26, 2021, and burnt down in Earth精东影业 atmosphere. Additionally to the working place, Nauka brings extra crew quarters, a new bathroom, and will increase the station精东影业 capacity to generate oxygen and drinking water. It will also operate the European Robotic Arm. While smaller and not as strong as the current Canadarm 2, the new arm is able to function completely automatically.

As a consequence of the incident, the test launch of the unmanned Boeing Starliner spacecraft to the international station has been postponed while an investigation is carried out. The launch should take place on August 3, 2021, earliest.

What does the future have in store for the International Space Station?

• Space

byClement Charpentreau

2021-05-10

At that position Nauka had only approximately 30 stable orbits before 鈥� if no course corrections were taken 鈥� risking falling back to Earth. Roscosmos鈥� scientists initiated a series of tests trying to find the solution to the problem, and managed to perform necessary course corrections, putting the module into a safer orbit.

They still have to find a way to bring the main engine online though, as without it the costly segment will not be able to reach the ISS and dock with it. 

update: Mission control plans new corrections of the module’s orbit today to reduce a potentially fatal orbital plane drift, works to bring main engines back online… so here’s my newly minted & hopeful pic of Nauka approaching . DETAILS:

鈥� Anatoly Zak (@RussianSpaceWeb)

Nauka is supposed to be the last module of the ISS, completing the multinational space laboratory before its probable retirement in the late-2020s. Initially planned to launch in 2007, and in the works since the 1990s, Nauka was beset by all kinds of problems through the years.

What does the future have in store for the International Space Station?

• Space

byClement Charpentreau

2021-05-10

The module is intended to supply the ISS with an auxiliary power station, new docking unit, and become the station’s most modern laboratory. 

Along with Nauka, the European Robotic Arm manipulator was launched, designed to serve as the new main manipulator in the Russian part of the ISS. The arm is able to move multi-tonne payloads along the station精东影业 surface and provide help to the crew on their spacewalks.

In early 2021 Russia planned to turn Nauka into the core stage of its new national space station, ROSS. The plan was abandoned, leading to the module精东影业 launch on July 21.

鈥淩esults of the ongoing analysis indicate that the arm’s performance remains unaffected,鈥� the CSA reported. 鈥淭he damage is limited to a small section of the arm boom and thermal blanket.鈥�

The 5-millimeter hole was attributed to an impact with either a micrometeorite or space debris that the ISS encountered during its orbit around the Earth. The incident was defined as a 鈥渓ucky strike鈥� by the agency, given the arm is only 35 centimeters (13 inches) wide. 

Even though the impact should not have any consequence for the operation of the ISS, it raises the question of orbital pollution and the potential need for mitigating solutions. The European Space Agency estimates that around 900,000 objects larger than 1 centimeter are currently orbiting the Earth. While small, an impact at the speed of 7 kilometers per second, the ISS鈥� orbiting speed, could have dramatic consequences.

Space junk: have we averted crisis?

• Space

by精东影业 Team

2021-05-28