The space station has accomplished something for the first time ever.
It only took 25 years!
The docking ports of the space station and the currently docked spacecraft.
NASA
The International Space Station (ISS) has been circling the Earth for 25 years.
However, it was only this week that all eight of its docking ports were occupied simultaneously.
The spacecraft currently at the orbital outpost include: two SpaceX Dragons, a Cygnus XL, JAXA’s (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) HTV-X1, two Russian Soyuz crew spacecraft, and two Russian Progress cargo ships.
The historic event occurred on Monday with the reinstallation of Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus XL cargo spacecraft to the Earth-facing port of the station’s Unity module.
The Cygnus XL first arrived at the station in September but temporarily undocked last month to allow the arrival of a Russian Soyuz spacecraft bringing one NASA astronaut and two Roscosmos cosmonauts.
“Nasa stated in a post on its website that the movement of the Cygnus XL was coordinated among NASA, Northrop Grumman, and Roscosmos to ensure proper clearance for the incoming crewed Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft on November 27.”
Cygnus will remain at the ISS until at least March 2026 when it is scheduled to depart and incinerate in Earth’s atmosphere, disposing of up to 11,000 pounds of waste and unnecessary cargo.
Filling all of the station’s ports for the first time signifies the evolution of the facility into a busy international hub for low-Earth orbit operations, indicating a strong demand for future orbital infrastructure.
This is particularly promising as the ISS is anticipated to conclude its operations around 2030 due to high maintenance costs.
Several U.S.-based companies are already developing commercial alternatives to replace the ISS, while Russia plans to launch its own habitable satellite in the coming years. China has already established a space station operating in low-Earth orbit.
For more insights into how astronauts live and work aboard the ISS, check out these informative videos created by various visitors to the facility over the years.
Not long ago, Trevor transitioned from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
Four volunteers are a month into their ‘life on Mars’
Only 344 days left!
NASA’s Johnson Space Center reminded everyone on Monday that its four volunteers have now spent a whole month inside its Mars simulation habitat, although they still have 344 days remaining before they emerge. Johnson shared a brief video showing the four-member CHAPEA (Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog) crew entering the Mars Dune Alpha habitat on October 19, where they are currently living "like Martian explorers" to assist NASA in preparing for human missions back to the moon and, subsequently, to Mars in the first crewed mission to the distant planet.
Read more
SpaceX dismantles Starship’s Pad 1 in preparation for next-gen missions, as video shows
Shortly after SpaceX conducted the 11th Starship test flight from Pad 1 at its Starbase site in southern Texas just over a month ago, engineers began dismantling the launchpad to upgrade it with a more advanced design. This week, the news outlet NASASpaceflight released footage of a SpaceX excavator at work, demolishing the first of four large legs that were part of the pad’s Orbital Launch Mount (OLM), a heavy steel structure that supports and fuels the Starship at the launchpad. In the video’s center bottom, a person can be seen standing in the frame, providing perspective to the scene.
Read more
Earth has never looked as beautiful as in this breathtaking flyover from the ISS
While they’re not engaged in scientific research, astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) often take time to gaze out of the windows and enjoy a breathtaking view that never becomes dull.
Orbiting at approximately 250 miles above Earth and traveling at a speed of about 17,000 mph, those on the ISS witness 16 sunrises and sunsets daily. Under certain conditions, they can also experience stunning aurora light displays, resulting from solar particles interacting with Earth's magnetic field.
Read more
Other articles
In an unexpected turn of events, the prices for Netflix and HBO Max may decrease.
A bundle deal seems to be in the works that could help you save money as Netflix considers acquiring Warner Bros Discovery.
Samsung acknowledges hearing negative feedback and commits to improving the Galaxy S26 chipset.
The upcoming Exynos 2600 is approaching its launch, but it’s still uncertain which S26 series smartphones will include it.
Reasons why I think Samsung should produce the Galaxy S26 Edge instead of canceling it.
It has been reported that Samsung has shelved the upcoming Edge-series slim phone, but the company could have allowed it another opportunity to succeed.
Observe how AI brings the future of fashion design to life in real-time, powered by AI and accessible right at your fingertips.
With the increasing convergence of technology and fashion, artificial intelligence is slowly changing the fashion design process. Look AI, developed by a technology company in Shenzhen,
The space station has accomplished something for the first time ever.
The International Space Station (ISS) has been circling the Earth for 25 years. However, it was only this week that all eight of its docking ports were occupied simultaneously. Currently docked at the orbital facility are two SpaceX Dragons, a Cygnus XL, and JAXA’s (Japan Aerospace [...].