'A Clockwork Not of Earthly Pace': Celebrating the New Year in Space (Part 1)

By Ben Evans, on December 31st, 2016

Tonight, six spacefarers from three sovereign nations will observe the transition from 2016 into 2017 from the International Space Station (ISS). Photo Credit: NASA/Scott Kelly/Twitter

With a naval officer in command of the International Space Station (ISS), it might have seemed obvious that New Year’s Day 2001 would carry a corresponding nautical tradition. […]

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Five Decades of Celebrating Christmas in Space (Part 1)

By Ben Evans, on December 26th, 2015

Truly the voyage of Apollo 8 over the Christmas period in 1968 carried with it the most profound message of the Greatest Story Ever Told: a message of peace, goodwill and harmony to the inhabitants of Planet Earth. Photo Credit: NASA

For the first time, an American citizen recorded as many as three […]

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Operational EVAs: The First 50 Years of Spacewalking (Part 3)

By Ben Evans, on March 21st, 2015

The final Skylab mission marked the first occasion on which a spacewalk was conducted on Christmas Day. Photo Credit: NASA

Three weeks have now passed since a trio of Extravehicular Activities (EVAs) took place outside the International Space Station (ISS) to prepare the orbital outpost for a significant period of expansion and hardware […]

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Alexei Gubarev, Commander of First International Mission to Space Station, Dies Aged 83

By Ben Evans, on February 25th, 2015

 

The first “international” crew aboard the Salyut 6 space station in March 1978 consisted of (from left) Vladimir Remek, Alexei Gubarev, Georgi Grechko, and Yuri Romanenko. Gubarev and Grechko had previously flown together to Salyut 4 in early 1975. Photo Credit: Joachim Becker/SpaceFacts.de

Former cosmonaut Alexei Gubarev—who commanded a month-long mission to […]

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'Fifteen Midnights': Celebrating the New Year in Space (Part 1)

By Ben Evans, on December 27th, 2014

Bill Shepherd (center) and his Expedition 1 crewmates, Yuri Gidzenko (left) and Sergei Krikalev, juggle oranges during their time aboard the International Space Station. They celebrated both Christmas and the dawn of 2001 in orbit. Photo Credit: NASA

With a naval officer in command of the International Space Station, it might have seemed […]

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Valeri Kubasov, Veteran ASTP Cosmonaut, Dies Aged 79

By Ben Evans, on February 20th, 2014

Pictured during the joint U.S.-Soviet Apollo-Soyuz Test Project (ASTP) mission in July 1975, Valeri Kubasov enjoyed a career highlighted by three space missions. Photo Credit: NASA

Veteran cosmonaut Valeri Kubasov, who flew three space missions and participated as a crew member in the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project (ASTP) joint venture in July 1975, died […]

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Five Astro-Dads Ready to Celebrate Father's Day Aboard the ISS

By Ben Evans, on June 15th, 2013

The Expedition 36 crew includes five dads who will undoubtedly chat to their children tomorrow. Photo Credit: NASA

As fathers across the world receive greetings cards and gifts of electronics, tools, gadgets, shirts, and aftershave tomorrow, spare a thought for five dads who will spend Father’s Day away from their children, aboard the […]

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