Brains On! Science podcast for kids Living Large with the International Space Station
Feb 21, 2016
Learn about living in space, including zero gravity and the view of Earth. Discover the continuous human presence on the ISS and the experiments conducted. Explore the challenges of growing plants in space and the potential for future habitation in space.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
What The ISS Looks Like From Earth
- The ISS orbits ~250 miles above Earth and travels about five miles per second while appearing as a bright moving “star.”
- It’s roughly the size of a football field and powered by large solar panels that make it one of the brightest night-sky objects.
Canadarm2 Assembled The Station
- Canadarm2 is a 57-foot robotic arm that helped assemble ISS modules and can move around the station like an inchworm.
- It grabs payloads from visiting spacecraft, maneuvers them into position, and astronauts hook up cables and systems afterward.
Daily Life Feels Like Living In An Engine Room
- Living on the ISS feels like living inside a ship’s engine room: surrounded by life-support machinery yet weightless.
- Astronauts move by pushing off walls and enjoy unique Earth views that profoundly change perspective.