A few weeks ago the Soyuz capsule departed from the International Space Station and European Space Agency astronaut Paolo Nespoli took flyabout images of the station with the space shuttle Endeavour “docked at the gate.” Today, those images started showing up on the NASA Spaceflight Gallery. Take a look at just one of these beauties!
This image of the International Space Station and the docked Space Shuttle Endeavour, flying at an altitude of approximately 220 miles, was taken by Expedition 27 crew member Paolo Nespoli from the Soyuz TMA-20 following its undocking on May 23, 2011 (USA time). It is the first-ever image of a space shuttle docked to the International Space Station. Onboard the Soyuz were Russian cosmonaut and Expedition 27 commander Dmitry Kondratyev; Nespoli, a European Space Agency astronaut; and NASA astronaut Cady Coleman. Coleman and Nespoli were both flight engineers. The three landed in Kazakhstan later that day, completing 159 days in space. Courtesy NASA/ESA. Click to enlarge.
There are several more images at the link above, and (I hope) more to come. It was an ideal chance to get a full view of the space station and Endeavour’s last visit. Enjoy!
A press shot of the crew of the ISS in monochrom's ISS.
What randy band of improv artists based in Vienna has as their show motto: “In space no one can hear you complain about your job”? Why, the folks at monochrom’s ISS show, a funny, irreverant and sometimes NSFW (a little profanity now and again, so if such offends you, don’t watch) improvisation-based show on the Web depicting life on the International Space Station.
This is a ten-part show that is part improv, part reality-sitcom showing how the fictional crew of the station must come up with strategies to deal with surprise situations in their space-bound habitat. it’s humorous and smart, and puts a very human face on the ups and downs of living in space.
The show’s producers/directors, Johannes Grenzfurthner and Roland Gratzer, have relied on material from NASA and ESA to create the scenarios their actors work through. The show’s acting troupe includes Jeff Ricketts (Star Trek: Enterprise, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly), Maciej Salamon (Musicals: Barbarella, Tanz der Vampire, Sweeney Todd), Claire Tudela (Carmen, Musical: The Producers), Geoff Pinfield (Aoterroroa, Lovepuke).
Check out this inventive group’s Web page for past episodes and news about the next production. You can see all their episodes at monochrom’s ISS.
