Category Archives: Transhuman News

When Meir and Morgan set off for their six- and nine-month stays, respectively, novel coronavirus wasn't a threat. Now, it's a pandemic.

NASA already has a protocol in place for returning astronauts that includes a post-landing medical check by flight doctors. The doctors and other NASA teams help the astronauts re-acclimate to Earth's gravity, getting them up and walking soon after landing. In the weeks after, they're monitored to make sure they're healthy.

This time, the protocols will be more extensive.

"NASA will closely adhere to the CDC's recommendations on infection control for the coronavirus as Andrew Morgan and Jessica Meir return to Earth and begin their post-flight medical testing and re-adaptation period," said Courtney Beasley, communications specialist at NASA's Johnson Space Center.

"This includes cleaning of surfaces, social distancing, emphasizing hand hygiene, encouraging NASA team members who are sick to stay home and limiting contact with the crew members."

Upcoming launches

A new crew of astronauts will also launch to the space station on April 9, joining Meir, Morgan and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Skripochka. The crew includes NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy and cosmonauts Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner.

NASA has a long history of quarantining astronauts before they go to space to prevent illnesses, like cold and flu, from happening off planet. It was a concern even in the early days of the agency's astronaut program.

"The health and welfare of the crew is always paramount," Beasley said. "All of our crew must stay in quarantine for two weeks before they launch. This ensures that they aren't sick or incubating an illness when they get to the space station and is called 'health stabilization.' "

Ahead of quarantine, the astronauts are following The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations regarding coronavirus.

NASA and the Russian Space Agency, Roscosmos, are currently planning to maintain the standard quarantine period of two weeks for the crew, Beasley said.

"During quarantine, the astronauts live in their crew quarters -- NASA has crew quarters for this purpose at Kennedy and Johnson Space Centers, and Roscosmos has them in Baikonur," she said. "They don't have direct contact with anyone who has not been pre-cleared by NASA flight surgeons. The time is spent preparing for flight, studying and resting, as well as working out and making video calls to friends and family members."

NASA is also eyeing a May launch date for the manned SpaceX Demo-2 flight test from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This will be the first launch of American astronauts aboard an American rocket and spacecraft, rather than the Russian Soyuz they use now, since the final space shuttle mission in July 2011, according to the agency.

NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken are expected to be on the flight test in SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft. It is the final flight test of the system before SpaceX is certified to carry out operational crew flights to and from the space station for NASA, the agency said.

The agency is monitoring CDC guidance with regards to mission planning, they said. The launch date could be postponed.

On Friday, NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine announced that the agency's Michoud Assembly Facility in Louisiana and Stennis Space Center in Mississippi are moving to mandatory telework after a case was confirmed on the Stennis team and rising numbers of cases in the community around Michoud.

"NASA will temporarily suspend production and testing of Space Launch System and Orion hardware," Bridenstine said. "We realize there will be impacts to NASA missions, but as our teams work to analyze the full picture and reduce risks we understand that our top priority is the health and safety of the NASA workforce."

Those impacts are not yet clear. The Space Launch System and Orion capsule are the agency's next generation of rocket and spacecraft capable of delivering astronauts to the moon.

Science on the space station

And as for science experiments and other items on SpaceX resupply missions to and from the space station, no launches have been rescheduled or canceled tyet, according to Patrick O'Neill, senior manager of marketing and communications for the International Space Station US National Laboratory.

Hundreds of science experiments are currently unfolding on the station, with more planned for the rest of the year.

Payloads typically go through safety certification processes to prevent any harmful microorganisms from finding their way to the space station, O'Neill said.

It's the same when payloads are returned to Earth.

"This has proven to be an extremely effective process, and we have every confidence that it will continue to be so into the future," he said.

Impacts to NASA

Many at NASA bureaus across the country are working from home, especially after an employee at the Ames Research Center in California tested positive for the virus.

Bridenstine acknowledged that coronavirus "will continue to test our agency's ability to bend but not break under stress," he said in a statement on Wednesday.

"We have accomplished so many incredible feats as an agency," Bridenstine said.

"We put Americans on the Moon, landed on Mars (seven times!), launched hundreds of crewed and robotic missions into space, created life-changing technologies, transformed aviation and sustained human presence on a laboratory that flies 250 miles above Earth for nearly 20 years -- just to name a few things that once were thought to be impossible.

"I am convinced that we are uniquely equipped for this time of heightened need to collaborate and communicate," he said. Teams across the agency are well-practiced in responding to mission contingencies and reacting to unforeseen challenges."

Read this article:
Here's how NASA protects astronauts and the International Space Station from coronavirus - CNN

It's a shock--and while we hate to admit it, this could go on for quite some time.

So, what can you do to increase the odds of being happy and productive while working and living in a confined space? Well, let's latch onto that word:"space."

Becausethere's a federal agency that's spent a lot of time studying how a certain group of people can remain happy and productive for long periods of time--all while confined to small spaces.

We call that certain group ofpeople "astronauts." And, it's critical for NASA to put them in the best position to succeed--especially over the past 20 years, as we've had astronauts routinely spend six months or more at the International Space Station.

The agency now touts five skills and behaviors that it trains its astronauts to adopt.

I heard about these first from a Twitter post by astronaut Anne McClain, who was on the space station in 2018 and 2019. (The full thread is at the end of this article.)

Drawing on the work of NASA psychologist Dr. Al Holland and retired astronaut Peggy Whitson, here are the NASA "Expeditionary Behaviors," as summarized by McClain.

Skill 1: Communication

The definition here, according to part of what McClain wrote, is to talk so you are understood, and listen actively so that you understand. That means picking up on non-verbal cues, and looking out for areas where you need to resolve conflict.

It also means sharing information, talking about your intentions, andadmitting when you're wrong.

Skill 2: Leadership and Followership

Here, we're talking about how quickly a team can adapt to new situations. Trust is key between the group's leader and other team members.

How do you achieve that trust? First, you accept responsibility, adjust your style to the environment, and assign tasks and set goals. Then, there's a lot of emphasis on giving direction, feedback, and encouragement.

Skill 3: Self-Care

Oh, this one is right on the nose. NASA believes that your psychological and physical health, "including hygiene, managing time and personal stuff, getting sleep, and maintaining mood" has a direct impact on astronauts' output.

This means assess your strengths and weaknesses, and how you work within your larger group. Also:"Be social. Seek feedback. Balance work, rest, and personal time," McClain writes. "Be organized."

Skill 4: Team Care

This is related to Skill #3 of course, but it's more about how each team member's psychological and physical health affects everyone else.

NASA's advice: "Demonstrate patience and respect. Encourage others. Monitor team for signs of stress or fatigue," McClain writes, and "Encourage participation in team activities ... Share the credit; take the blame."

Skill 5: Group Living

This final skill perhaps applies more to how you're getting along with family (or roommates) while working from home, as opposed to your business team. But it's important.

The advice: "Cooperate rather than compete," McClain writes. "Actively cultivate group culture. ... Take accountability, give praise freely. Work to ensure positive team attitude. Keep calm in conflict."

Here's McClain's original thread. Let us know what you think in the comments.

Published on: Mar 23, 2020

The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

View original post here:
Suddenly Stuck at Home? After 20 Years at the Space Station, NASA Teaches These 5 Success Behaviors to Stay Positive and Be Productive in Small Spaces...

Meteorologists at the Mount Washington Observatory in New Hampshire saw Venus shining bright as the International Space Station sailed across the sky Saturday evening.

Observatory Staff Meteorologist Ryan Knapp caught a glimpse of the International Space Station in motion when he went outside to snap a picture of Venus, according to a tweet from the observatory.

Unfortunately, the cold temperatures drained his battery causing him to miss out taking a long exposure as it streaked through the sky, the observatory said in the tweet. However, after running inside to get a spare battery, he still managed to capture it as it was soaring directly overhead.

Venus is one of the brightest objects in the night sky. Along with Jupiter, it can be seen from the observatory throughout the year, Knapp said.

Right now, Venus is at one of its peak capacities and it will continue to get brighter until mid-to-late April, when it will start dropping below the horizon and get a little dimmer," he said in an interview.

The International Space Station is also seen frequently throughout the year so long as the conditions are just right. If the station falls too far under the horizon or its cloudy which it is for 60% of the year on Mount Washington it might not be seen for up to a month at a time, Knapp said.

The best time to spot the station from the observatory is just before sunrise or just after sunset, Knapp said.

Knapps pictures showed the International Space Station streaking over Mount Lafayette while Venus illuminated the sky during dusk. Knapp said he saw the station zooming through space on Saturday and Sunday this weekend.

Sometimes it takes the station five or six minutes to pass over the observatory, while other times it takes less than a minute. Knapp said the stations speed depends on its location on the horizon.

The International Space Station moves about five miles per second, so it is a fast moving object that you really have to look out for to catch," Knapp said. "If you dont, it will be gone before you find it.

Caroline Enos can be reached at caroline.enos@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @CarolineEnos.

See more here:
Venus, International Space Station spotted from Mount Washington Observatory - The Boston Globe

The COVID-19 pandemic is worsening by the day and has now spread all over the world with more than 190,000 reported cases. In times like these, it may seem like the virus is inescapable, but there's one place where it most likely will not reach: the International Space Station (ISS).

The space stationwhich orbits the Earth at an altitude of around 250 milesis jointly operated by the space agencies of the U.S., Russia, Japan, Europe and Canada. The Russian space agency Roscosmos leads the preparation for launches of Soyuz, the only spacecraft capable of carrying astronauts to and from the station. But how does the ISS program keep crew members safe from potentially dangerous pathogens?

Before launching astronauts to the ISS, great care is already taken to prevent the crew from bringing potentially dangerous viruses and pathogens on board with them, so the novel coronavirus outbreak is not currently having much of an impact on safety procedures.

"Prior to launching to the International Space Station, the crew is quarantined and observed for any potential symptoms and tested," Luis Zea, a researcher from BioServe Space Technologies at the University of Colorado Boulder, told Newsweek. "This serves as a great filter."

NASA says it applies these quarantine measures to all of its astronauts before they are sent to the space station in the Soyuz capsulewhich is launched from Kazakhstan.

"NASA takes steps to prevent the crew from bringing illnesses like the cold or flu to the International Space Station," Courtney Beasley, a spokesperson for the space agency, told Newsweek. "All of our crew have to stay in quarantine for two weeks before they launch. This makes sure that they aren't sick, or incubating an illness, when they get to the International Space Station and is called 'health stabilization.' It's an important part of protecting crew health."

But the protective measures don't stop there. According to Beasley, the ISS Program also has "very effective" processes in place to prevent disease-causing pathogens from being transported to the station via cargo missions.

"Currently, items that go to Station are cleaned but not necessarily 'sterilized'which is something done for probes going to other planetary bodies to ensure we are not contaminating them with Earth cells or organisms," Zea said. Cleaning and sterilization are related but no the same thing."

"Items that go up to Station are thoroughly cleaned and sometimes, depending on the item itself, may be sterilized. However, a stringent requirement for sterilization exists for spacecraft that will land on other celestial bodies to ensure that, in the future when we 'sniff' more molecules indicative of potential life, we are not sniffing something that a previous spacecraft brought into that planet. In the case of the ISS, microbes travel with the crew, like it or not. In fact, a human has more bacterial cells in and on their body than their own cells, so it doesn't matter where we go, bacteria will accompany us," he said.

Taken together, these quarantine and cleaning measures make it very unlikely that disease-causing pathogens will infect astronauts onboard the ISS, even in the context of the latest outbreak, according to Zea.

"I would say that, regarding coronavirus, the ISS is probably one of the safest places to be at this point," he said. "This comes from the fact that the novel coronavirus can only survive for short periods of time on surfaces and an infected person would likely be screened and diagnosed during the quarantine period astronauts go through prior to launch."

"NASA and our international partners on ISS have made great investments on the Space Station and are very cautious to ensure the safety of the crew and Station. For example, when payload developers such as where I work, BioServe Space Technologies at the University of Colorado Boulder, send hardware or an experiment to Station, we must demonstrate via tests results etcetera, that the crew and Station will be safe at all times," he said. "I think NASA has done a really good job in protecting astronauts and the Space Station."

Nevertheless, all astronauts undergo medical emergency training and maintain regular contact with a team of doctors on the ground who closely monitor their health. And in the event that a medical emergency does occur, the crew have processes in place to deal with the situation.

"There are always enough 'lifeboats' [Russian Soyuz spacecraft] docked to the ISS to ensure all of the crew could promptly evacuate should there be a need to do so," Zea said. "There are protocols in place for what to do should an astronaut fall ill on Station, which includes them boarding a Russian Soyuz spacecraft and returning to Earth, landing in Kazakhstan."

Read the original here:
The Safest Place to Hide From the Coronavirus: Space? - Newsweek

You can also practice an instrument (I just bought a digital guitar trainer online), try a craft, or make some art. Astronauts take time for all of these while in space. (Remember Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfields famous cover of David Bowies Space Oddity?)

Keep a journal

NASA has been studying the effects of isolation on humans for decades, and one surprising finding they have made is the value of keeping a journal. Throughout my yearlong mission, I took the time to write about my experiences almost every day. If you find yourself just chronicling the days events (which, under the circumstances, might get repetitive) instead try describing what you are experiencing through your five senses or write about memories. Even if you dont wind up writing a book based on your journal like I did, writing about your days will help put your experiences in perspective and let you look back later on what this unique time in history has meant.

Take time to connect

Even with all the responsibilities of serving as commander of a space station, I never missed the chance to have a videoconference with family and friends. Scientists have found that isolation is damaging not only to our mental health, but to our physical health as well, especially our immune systems. Technology makes it easier than ever to keep in touch, so its worth making time to connect with someone every day it might actually help you fight off viruses.

Listen to experts

Ive found that most problems arent rocket science, but when they are rocket science, you should ask a rocket scientist. Living in space taught me a lot about the importance of trusting the advice of people who knew more than I did about their subjects, whether it was science, engineering, medicine, or the design of the incredibly complex space station that was keeping me alive.

Especially in a challenging moment like the one we are living through now, we have to seek out knowledge from those who know the most about it and listen to them. Social media and other poorly vetted sources can be transmitters of misinformation just as handshakes transmit viruses, so we have to make a point of seeking out reputable sources of facts, like the World Health Organization and the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center.

We are all connected

Seen from space, the Earth has no borders. The spread of the coronavirus is showing us that what we share is much more powerful than what keeps us apart, for better or for worse. All people are inescapably interconnected, and the more we can come together to solve our problems, the better off we will all be.

One of the side effects of seeing Earth from the perspective of space, at least for me, is feeling more compassion for others. As helpless as we may feel stuck inside our homes, there are always things we can do Ive seen people reading to children via videoconference, donating their time and dollars to charities online, and running errands for elderly or immuno-compromised neighbors. The benefits for the volunteer are just as great as for those helped.

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I Spent a Year in Space, and I Have Tips on Isolation to Share - The New York Times

Keeping our distance from each other for an extended period of time is the most effective way to reduce Covid-19s reach. But the prospect of prolonged social isolation is uncharted territory for many.

To get some perspective on how we all might navigate lives of temporary separation, MIT News checked in with three MIT alumni who have spent months at a time living quite literally away from the rest of the world, on humanitys only outpost in space. Cady Coleman 83, Mike Fincke 89, and Greg Chamitoff 92 have all served long-duration missions aboard the International Space Station (ISS) as NASA astronauts. While orbiting some 250 miles above Earth, they lived and worked in quarters about the size of a large house, with only the occasional opportunity to step outside of that house, on spacewalks to repair or maintain the station.

Even as they were physically isolated from the rest of the planet for months at a time, the astronauts found ways to bridge the distance with family and friends, over the phone, and through video chats. Just as importantly, they also made sure to find time for themselves, and embrace their isolation. Coleman, Fincke, and Chamitoff shared some of the lessons they learned from living in space, and how we can all commit to a mission to live, at least for now, at a distance.

Q: What was it like for you to be isolated from the rest of the world for long durations, even with the ability to email and video-chat with people on the ground?

CHAMITOFF: Living on the International Space Station is very much like being stuck in your house with a few people for a very long period of time. The ISS has about as much living space as a six-bedroom house. And hopefully you like your roommates and have established mechanisms for getting along even when there are disagreements. In space you feel separated from the rest of society you are the only ones off the entire planet!

I expected to feel lonely during my six months in space, but it was quite the opposite. Having a daily sense of purpose, countless tasks and experiments to perform, and communication with people all over the world provided so much engagement with the world that loneliness was not a factor. There are some lessons here, perhaps, for everyone who now has to stay at home during this crisis.

COLEMAN: I think what makes everything work is the mission. As an astronaut, I was on the forward edge of exploration, representing the many people who make the ISS mission and experiments happen. Right now our mission is to keep each other safe here on Earth. I think keeping that mission in mind makes it easier to wash your hands that one more time when you really dont feel like it, and to tell friends who are more casual about social distancing things like, No, I really dont think its safe to do that together for now.

FINCKE: Were such social creatures that it is going to be a challenge for a lot of people to be a little homebound and not go out. For astronauts its something were used to it comes with the territory.

Q: What do you remember of some of your more challenging times of isolation in space? How did you work through it, mentally or physically?

FINCKE: My first long-duration mission was during a time when the space shuttle was grounded because of an accident, and there were only two of us aboard the ISS for six months, with no visitors. When youre in a confined space with someone else, you really have to make an extra effort to get along. We probably are all hard to live with. Some things Ive learned in space Ive taken back to the ground, for instance to tell my wife I appreciate her that much more, and things like that. You really learn to value relationships.

COLEMAN: We had one crew member whose mom passed away fairly unexpectedly while we were in space. We established wed have our own memorial service at the same time as the funeral back home. And I looked at the world map and realized we were going to be passing over his hometown at the time of the funeral. So the six of us were there in the cupola together, and we had a few moments of silence, and I really felt we were together with all the family on the ground. When the mission youve chosen forces you to be isolated, you find a way to be the best you can.

CHAMITOFF: Hurricane Ike struck Houston during my long-duration mission. Johnson Space Center shut down and people were evacuating the city. Operations on the ISS came to a near standstill. For almost a week onboard, we were much more isolated than usual, and were determined to get useful things done. We had a task list of unscheduled activities, and if we could do them without ground support, we did. Admittedly, we watched more movies, did more exercise, slept more, and spent longer periods together talking at meals. We were worried about our loved ones on the ground, but the slower pace was good for our morale and camaraderie onboard.

Q: Are there any tips that you can share to help people get through and perhaps even embrace this social-distancing period?

FINCKE: Maintaining a schedule, things to look forward to, and things to do and check off your list, can be a tool to help us all. Onboard the space station, as the mission progressed, we had things to look forward to, like the next cargo ship that came to give us new food, or a spacewalk, which is a really big deal. Same thing here: Just because I dont have to go into work doesnt mean I shouldnt get up and be showered and dressed just like I would. Going to the grocery store tomorrow, even if its a little thing, is something to look forward to.

Also, find out what your motivators are. For me, I read science fiction, and at one point, NASA was able to give me an e-reader and I read about 50-60 books when I was up there. That was my thing. It can be a little lonely. So you need to know what your own motivators are.

CHAMITOFF: Engage with people using FaceTime, Zoom, Skype, or whatever tools you like. Make virtual plans with people. Spend time outside. I believe that when this is all over, we will have stronger and closer relationships because of it. Talk to your family and friends perhaps more than you usually do. In space, I spoke to a friend or family member every night. It was a highlight of my day.

COLEMAN: One of the things you have to do is figure out how to have some ways you have your space, whether mental or physical. If theres someone in the house coming up to you every time they see a new notice about the coronavirus, you may have trouble having a straight thought about what were trying to do. So maybe say, lets read those things twice a day. There are a lot of things we cant control now. What are the things we can? We can control the things we learn. Im thinking I may take some Skype lessons for playing the flute, and learning Chinese has always been on my list, as well as practicing my Russian. There are projects I have on my list, from finishing my website to cleaning out my attic, and right now it feels like I may, in a joyful and not so joyful way, get them all done.

Q: What about the experience of being isolated for so long was surprising or unexpected for you?

COLEMAN: I think about the things I wish I did when I was up on the space station. One is get enough sleep. Probably my whole life Ive never gotten enough sleep, especially at MIT, right? So taking care of yourself is a really good thing prioritize that. And also, some kind of journaling or recording: Jot a few notes, capture this time for yourself, whether you plan to share it with anyone or not. Take pictures that help people realize what it was like for you. Because your experiences may be valuable to others in the future.

FINCKE: Having been more isolated, its times like these, where an outside forcing function is bringing us together, that I value this time with my family even more. Take this time to focus on the human relationships reach out, send an email, call someone, because theres a little more opportunity now.

CHAMITOFF: Life will be a bit different, but you will adapt to it quickly. We are an incredibly adaptable species. We live in all sorts of extreme environments, including zero-gravity. One thing we do need, however, is each other. We cant do this alone. Consider reaching out to others if you know they are alone. As long as we have family and friends to share this experience with, we will be okay.

Read more from the original source:
A message from MIT astronauts: Accept the mission and find your motivators - MIT News

There wasnt much to get excited about last night as news of the coronavirus-prompted UK lockdown broke but those who looked up at the sky over Gloucestershire had a treat.

These pictures from budding astronomer Susan Snow capture the moment the International Space Station went over Bishops Cleeve, near Cheltenham.

She tweeted the images, saying Venus and the star clusters Pleiades, Hyades and Orion could also be seen.

The clarity of the pictures were no doubt helped by the sustained period of high pressure we have over the UK at the moment.

It means there are few clouds, plenty of sunshine and clear skies at night so the stars can be seen relatively easily.

Venus is the second planet from the Sun. It is named after the Roman goddess of love and beauty and is the second-brightest natural object in the night sky after the Moon.

The International Space Station is a space station in low Earth orbit. It is a joint project between five participating space agencies: NASA, Roscosmos, JAXA, ESA, and CSA.

The ownership and use of the space station is established by intergovernmental treaties and agreements.

For the latest on the coronavirus UK lockdown, visit our blog

See the article here:
Feast your eyes on these treats in the night sky, with ISS, Venus and the constellations - Gloucestershire Live

The International Space Station (ISS) is a habitable artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. A joint effort by participating space agencies, ISS serves as a space environment research laboratory. In terms of design, the ISS belongs to the third generation that allows modules to be added or removed from the existing structure, thereby allowing for greater flexibility.

The first generation of space stations such as Soviet Unions Salyut 1 and the U.S. Skylab had monolithic designs that consisted of one module with no resupply capability. The second generation of space stations, such as Soviet Unions Salyut 6 and Salyut 7, consisted of a monolithic station, but with ports to allow resupply cargo spacecraft. The third generation, which are called modular space stations and now includes the ISS, correspond to those with more than one primary spacecraft that are launched independently and docked in space.

Soviet Unions Mir space station marked the beginning of the third generation of space station design. The name Mir can be translated from Russian to mean peace, world or village an apt choice for a space station that hosted people of various nationalities.

On February 20, 1986, the assembly process began with the launch of Mirs core module into orbit. Kvant 1 (1987), an astrophysics laboratory; Kvant 2 (1989), an augmentation module containing supplementary life-support equipment; Kristall (1990), a technology module that served as a materials-sciences lab; Spektr (1995), a power module that also allowed for remote observation of Earths environment; a docking module (1995); and Priroda (1996), Earth sensing module for experimenting with remote sensing; were the different modules launched and added to Mir over a decade.

Mir, however, started hosting humans even as more and more modules were added to it. Starting from March 1986, when the first crew docked with Mir, up until June 2000, when the last occupants left the space station, Mir received crew members from a number of expeditions. During its 15-year space flight, Mir played host to over 100 people from 12 different countries.

When the Mir space station was designed and launched, it was built for a five-year life span. The Soviet Union broke down and Mir was operated by the new Russian Federal Space Agency after 1991, but it endured for almost another decade.

A series of problems, both technical and structural, caught up with Mir as years went on. Despite these failures and some accidents, it remained in operation. It was only in November 2000 that the Russian government decided to decommission the space station.

On January 24, 2001, a Russian Progress cargo ship carrying double the normal amount of fuel rendezvoused with Mir. Once the docking took place, Progress fired its thrusters to push the station into a controlled descent, thereby utilising the extra fuel.

On March 23, 2001, Mir ceased to exist as it broke up in the Earths atmosphere upon re-entry. Airlines rerouted their Pacific flights and ships were warned ahead as a safety precaution. It proved to be unnecessary as the debris that did not burn up crashed into the south Pacific Ocean at the planned target zone, causing no harm to anyone.

On March 23, 1996, U.S. astronaut Shannon Lucid transferred to Mir from the space shuttle Atlantis for a planned five-month stay.

The first American woman to live in a space station, Lucid was also the first U.S. astronaut on an extended stay on the Mir.

As a biochemist, Lucid carried out a number of scientific experiments aboard Mir during her stay.

Her return was delayed owing to a number of reasons. She eventually made her return flight, again on Atlantis, and was back on Earth on September 26, 1996.

Her 188-day sojourn in space was a record then for time spent in space, both for women and Americans.

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Mir, the first modular space station - The Hindu

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. A NASA astronaut whos about to leave the planet for six months will blast off without any family or fanfare because of the coronavirus.

Chris Cassidy said Thursday that he wont have any guests at his April 9 launch from Kazakhstan. He expects to say goodbye in Russia to his wife, Julie, on Friday, three weeks earlier than planned.

Because of the coronavirus outbreak, shes going back home to Houston. One of their three children, meanwhile, is trying to get back to the U.S. from New Zealand.

There will be a smaller team than usual at the launch pad, too.

It really is going to be strange, Cassidy told The Associated Press from cosmonaut headquarters in Star City, Russia.

He said hes already in quarantine ahead of his launch to the International Space Station.

The things that are stressing the rest of the world and the rest of America, are the same things that are stressing me right now, said Cassidy.

Its not like any other time in our lives as a generation, really, right? said the 50-year-old Navy captain and former Navy SEAL. Ill have my own interesting story to tell in years to come.

Cassidy is also dealing with a rare late-in-the-game crew switch. Hell spend 6 months on the space station with two Russians assigned to the flight just a month ago, after one of the original cosmonauts suffered an eye injury.

While training together to catch up, Cassidy, Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner have been taking precautions to stay germ free, frequently washing their hands and keeping a safe distance from others.

The space station crew will drop from six to three a week after his arrival. It will remain at three people until SpaceX launches two NASA astronauts, as early as May, or another crew arrives on a Russian Soyuz capsule in the fall.

With only three people on board, it promises to be extraordinarily busy.

That doesnt bother me at all, Cassidy told the AP. In fact, Im excited. Bring it on.

Cassidy, Ivanishin and Vagner leave Tuesday for the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. They will be isolated there in a special hotel for astronauts, as is customary. But on launch day, there wont be the usual cheering, back-slapping throngs of well-wishers or journalists either.

Their families, bosses and dozens of others normally jam a special room behind a glass wall while the astronauts put on their spacesuits before liftoff.

Not this time.

Well be looking through the glass at maybe one video camera or something like this and then well get on the bus to go to a launch pad with a minimal team there, Cassidy said.

As for the Feb. 19 crew switch, Cassidy, from York, Maine, initially was crushed by the news. The former chief of NASAs astronaut corps and two-time space flier, Cassidy already knew the backup cosmonauts..

So no issues there, he said. However, my heart hurt for my two friends who thought they were so close to a rocket launch and were not going to get one, he told the AP.

Invanishin, like Cassidy an experienced spaceman, said earlier this week that hes surprised to be suddenly rocketing away, but life happens. He said the crew swap could have occurred even closer to launch and so the three have had some time for the news to settle in.

Cassidy acknowledges his stress level is higher than usual right now from worrying about his loved ones.

Were only human, he said, and well work through it and be fine.

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NASA astronaut to head to space station without fanfare - Las Vegas Review-Journal