NASA Releases Video Tour of the ISS

Malvineous writes "Expedition 18 Commander Mike Fincke has recently filmed a high-definition 35-minute video tour aboard the International Space Station. For those who missed the HD broadcast on NASA TV, the video is available on YouTube. Due to YouTube length limits, the tour is split into four separate videos. Here are Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4."

predictions

[retech]

Brittany Spears/NASA Mashup in 3... 2... 1...

Youtube is the cultural paradise you always thought it could be.

What is more interesting is may

[WindBourne]

At that time, the ISS will jump to 6 ppl. It will typically include 2 NASA(America), 2 RSA(Russia), and then the other 2 will be a mix of ESA (EU), CSA(Canada), and JAXA (Japan). At that time, I would like to see the videos of all that is going on. You will have a sardine effect in there. I would not be surprised if one of the countries decides to buy a Bigelow Sundancer in 2010 just to get more space on there. It would be a cheap way to increase the living area and possibly allow new experiments. Say a large centrifuge for testing small life (mice) to varying g's making the ISS really useful?

Re:What is more interesting is may

[TorKlingberg]

There was supposed to be a Centrifuge Accommodations Module [wikipedia.org], but it got canceled.

I am not so sure you could just buy a Bigelow Sundancer and stick it on. Space stations are quite complicated things. It would need at least power supply, a cooling system and good micro-meteorite protection. There might be problems with the air resistance force balance too. Much easier would be to modify one of the Multi-Purpose Logistics Modules [wikipedia.org] for permanent use. They are already made to fit with the ISS.

That said, there are already I think seven big modules and a few more coming. Six people should be able to fit in there.

Re:

[WindBourne]

Yeah, I know about it. It was one of the few items on the ISS that really made sense. Sadly, the module is now junk, sitting outside in Japan.

As to the bigelow and meteorite issue, the is a selfsealing unit. If hit by a micro-meteorite, it is suppose to handle it better than the regular cans. Besides, have you not paid attention to the 2 genesises? They are doing great. And Sundancer is bigger than any of the units on the ISS (with a single ba-330 being close to 1/2 of the volume of the FINAL ISS as cur

Re:

[DerekLyons]

It would be cheaper to build a new module from scratch than the modify a MPLM. (I.E. not cheap at all.) MPLM is designed and built for short stays, and as such basically meets few if any of the ISS module safety standards. Particularly it doesn't meet micrometeorite, [internal] atmosphere control, fire, or [external] thermal control standards for long stay usage.

University Dorm

[andrewbwn]

Looks just like our university's dorm, minus the zero G, but you can solve that with a few beers.

Re:

[enemi]

too bad they can't drink beer. in microgravity the solid liquid contents of the stomach aren't really at the bottom but all mixed up with the gases and when the inevitable burp comes after a bubbly drink, instead of the just the gas, all the mixed stuff comes up too, turning a burp into a vomit

Re:

[ATMD]

This is why I prefer real ale [camra.org.uk]. No bubbles.

Actually that's not true; I prefer it because lager tastes of arse.

Re:

[enemi]

with many pilsner cases around me and many more in the fridge dedicated to beer, i respectfully disagree. i suspect you just haven't tasted The One Beer yet.

Re:

[ATMD]

Oh, some lagers taste less of arse than others, indeed some I would actually pay for if there was no superior alternative.
But give me a pint of Gem or Abbott any day ;)

Suddenly...Thinkpads...

[sznupi]

...everywhere?

Does any sat or cable co have NASA TV HD?

[Joe The Dragon]

Does any sat or cable co have NASA TV HD? or do they not have it as it is very part time and then nasa should make it 24/7 HD.

Re:Does any sat or cable co have NASA TV HD?

[ChrisCampbell47]

Does any sat or cable co have NASA TV HD? or do they not have it as it is very part time and then nasa should make it 24/7 HD.

NASA does not have a 24-7 HD channel that cable/DBS companies could distribute. They (NASA) just put it up on-demand, like for this feed. During the last shuttle mission they had it up for the whole 3 weeks of countdown, mission and landing, and I expect that will continue (next launch is Feb 12th). I'm tracking the status of NASA TV HD here on a nasaspaceflight.com forum [nasaspaceflight.com]. I link here to a specific comment that answers some FAQs, but you should read through the whole thread to get the whole picture.

I wish

[LordKaT]

I wish NASA would do stuff like this more often. I know that they're tasked with doing important scientific work, but I'd love to see more videos of things like "how the Internet works on ISS" and things of that nature, as I think it would help the non-scientific public get behind this type of work.

I agree

[WindBourne]

They should release it on History channel or Discover as well. In fact, I think that the entire space industry could learn a LOT from Musk and SpaceX. Bigelow Aerospace WANTs publicity, but is doing little for it. In particular, they should be releasing information about the progress on the Sundancer including designs. They do not have to release it all. But they need a real following amongst teens and adults up to about age 40. In 5-7 years is when Bigelow is going to come into their own and they NEED the

Re:I wish

[buchner.johannes]

Best quote by Mike Fincke -

We are not in a hurry. Even though we go at high speed.

Re:

[Anonymous Coward]

"how the Internet works on ISS" Well - I can tell you how the internal net works... There is the LRDL - Low Rate Data Link, that uses MILbus-1553, developed for jet fighters ages ago - and is horrible complex to work with. This is primarily used for Health and Status transmission, though file transfer is possible using the PLMDM. There is also a LAN interface, called MRDL, Medium Rate Data Link. This uses standard Ethernet. TCP/IP is not used in US modules, but special MRDL-frames is used for communicatin

Awesome.

[Skiron]

Thanks for this - great stuff.

Re:

[dotwaffle]

I'd like to add my thanks too - I'm absolutely awestruck by this, I'm incredibly envious of those that get to visit the ISS, and I truly hope that one day we'll get to do the same.

Humbling, it truly is!

Better link

[Media Tracker]

Here's a much better link: (ASF format, 313MB, 640x480px)

http://files.filefront.com/Tour+2009+zip/;13005092;/fileinfo.html [filefront.com]

(Link taken from here [eu.org])

HD version?

[wilsoniya]

Anyone have a link to the HD footage? The YouTube "Watch in high quality" version isn't hi def enough to read all the scary warning labels :)

Re:

[wilsoniya]

Thanks!

Living conditions?

[ZankerH]

Wow, that was a lot smaller than I'd imagined. This kind of demonstration really makes me appreciate the work the cosmo/astronauts are doing, stuck in there for months, having to put up with cramped space, the noise of life support systems, clutter everywhere and motion sickness inducing orientation with modules left,right,up and down, not to mention next to zero privacy.

I still wouldn't mind a free ticket for the one week ride the space tourists (pardon, "private spaceflight participants") get, though.

download options?

[enemi]

can I download this is in high resolution (like a streamrip of the original broadcast or something)?

Re:

[GotenXiao]

All these worlds are yours except Europa. Attempt no landings there.

Re:Yawn.

[TheKidWho]

Why does everything have to be flashy??

Were you expecting some of the latest hollywood explosions to go off?

It's a research lab not a movie studio set, so what if it *looks* slightly boring. It is anything but.

wide lens

[f1vlad]

I enjoyed it, very cool. I only wish they used wide/fisheye lens (if it's possible) so we could see wider perspective.

10 minute limit exemption

[hack slash]

I've seen a few rare instances of the 10 minute limit exemption, usually universities & individuals who create their own mini documentaries/documentation of procedures to build/demonstrate something, so why hasn't YouTube granted NASA the ability to upload videos longer than 10 minutes? or hasn't anyone at NASA thought to ask?

HD Version?

[Orphaze]

Anyone have a link to an HD copy? Not that I don't enjoy the utter lack of quality that comprises your typical YouTube video....

Another one from last year.

[antdude]

VideoSift [videosift.com] shares a YouTube [youtube.com] video playlist (seven videos) showing a tour: "A day in the life of a space station astronaut, follows Garrett Reisman [nasa.gov], as he goes about his day to day tasks onboard the International Space Station (ISS) [nasa.gov]."

Fron AQFL [aqfl.net].

This is great educational outreach material

[ThePeices]

This is great outreach material for the general public, something that most people would actually find interesting if it was used by the media. If they haven't already, this stuff should be in the public domain, perfect for Broadcasters and Doco people.

Bring it on, I say...

Don't you see

[Prune]

It's their tourism promotional marketing!

Time for a new ISS inspired sig

[hack slash]

Downloaded the ASF and had a quick watch, wonderful video, will have to watch it again only on my 800x600 res LCD glasses to try and get a better 'immersive' effect. Have to agree to one of the other posters, someone get that man a very wide angle lens to do another tour.

Oh, and I've updated my sig.

Wifi on the ISS

[chrome]

So, here's a challenge. Someone build the mother-of-all pringles can antennas and try and see if they can get a signal from the ISS wifi access point! :D