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Painted Lady, Flight, Food feeder, 11-18-09, BioServe’s “Butterflies in Space” Experiment

A clip from the International Space Station where the “Butterflies in Space” experiment is being conducted. This experiment was made possible through the generous and on-going support of the National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI) and the Baylor College of Medicine (BCM). This video is of some Painted lady larvae from Clearwater Butterflies in Florida feeding, floating, and exploring their new habitat. The larva at the center of the screen is free-floating and appears to be in the middle of molting. The larva may be trying the chew off its old skin. A disadvantage of zero-gravity for these little guys, they have to hang on to something to help rid themselves of their old skin. This one seems to be struggling as it is unable to reach the sides. It will have to wait for the slightest of bump or movement of the ISS for it to reach a wall. We are all pulling for him/her here on the ground. Check out tomorrows video to see if it has made any progress.

Track the International Space Station

see where it is, when to look for it, and the current crew on it.

The International Space Station (ISS) is the largest human-made object ever to orbit the Earth. The ISS is so large that it can be seen drifting overhead with the unaided eye, and is frequentlyimaged from the ground in picturesque fashion. Last month, the station was visited again by space shuttle, which resupplied the station and added a new module. The ISS is currently operated by theExpedition 22 crew, now consisting five astronauts including two supplied by USA’s NASA, two by Russia’s RKA, and one by Japan’s JAXA. After departing the ISS, the crew of the space shuttle Endeavour captured the above spectacular vista of the orbiting space city high above the clouds, waters, and lands of Earth. Visible components include modules, trusses, and expansive solar arrays that gather sunlight that is turned into needed electricity. Share

The International Space Station (ISS) is the largest human-made object ever to orbit the Earth. The ISS is so large that it can be seen drifting overhead with the unaided eye, and is frequentlyimaged from the ground in picturesque fashion. Last month, the station was visited again by space shuttle, which resupplied the station and added a new module. The ISS is currently operated by theExpedition 22 crew, now consisting five astronauts including two supplied by USA’s NASA, two by Russia’s RKA, and one by Japan’s JAXA. After departing the ISS, the crew of the space shuttle Endeavour captured the above spectacular vista of the orbiting space city high above the clouds, waters, and lands of Earth. Visible components include modules, trusses, and expansive solar arrays that gather sunlight that is turned into needed electricity.

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The Soyuz TMA-16 spacecraft is seen as it lands with Expedition 22 Commander Jeff Williams and Flight Engineer Maxim Suraev near the town of Arkalyk, Kazakhstan on Thursday, March 18, 2010. NASA Astronaut Jeff Williams and Russian Cosmonaut Maxim Suraev are returning from six months onboard the International Space Station where they served as members of the Expedition 21 and 22 crews.

The Soyuz TMA-16 spacecraft is seen as it lands with Expedition 22 Commander Jeff Williams and Flight Engineer Maxim Suraev near the town of Arkalyk, Kazakhstan on Thursday, March 18, 2010. NASA Astronaut Jeff Williams and Russian Cosmonaut Maxim Suraev are returning from six months onboard the International Space Station where they served as members of the Expedition 21 and 22 crews.

The International Space Station is the largest object ever constructed by humans in space. The station perimeter now extends over roughly the area of a football field, although only a small fraction of this is composed of modules habitable by humans. The station is so large that it could not be launched all at once — it is being built piecemeal with large sections added continually by flights of theSpace Shuttle. To function, the ISS needs huge trusses, some over 15 meters long and with masses over 10,000 kilograms, to keep it rigid and to route electricity and liquid coolants. Pictured above, part of the immense space station was photographed out of a window by a member of the visiting Space Shuttle Discovery STS-131 crew. Visible in the foreground is Japan’s Kibo research module, while a largetruss is visible toward the left. On the far right, a crescent Earth slices through the blackness of space.

The International Space Station is the largest object ever constructed by humans in space. The station perimeter now extends over roughly the area of a football field, although only a small fraction of this is composed of modules habitable by humans. The station is so large that it could not be launched all at once — it is being built piecemeal with large sections added continually by flights of theSpace Shuttle. To function, the ISS needs huge trusses, some over 15 meters long and with masses over 10,000 kilograms, to keep it rigid and to route electricity and liquid coolants. Pictured above, part of the immense space station was photographed out of a window by a member of the visiting Space Shuttle Discovery STS-131 crew. Visible in the foreground is Japan’s Kibo research module, while a largetruss is visible toward the left. On the far right, a crescent Earth slices through the blackness of space.

This image features the Atlantis’ cabin and forward cargo bay and a section of the International Space Station while the two spacecraft remain docked, photographed during the STS-132 mission’s first spacewalk.

This image features the Atlantis’ cabin and forward cargo bay and a section of the International Space Station while the two spacecraft remain docked, photographed during the STS-132 mission’s first spacewalk.

Sunset from the International Space Station 

Sunset from the International Space Station 

from a vantage point about 350 kilometers above the southern Indian Ocean, astronauts onboard the International Space Station watched this enormous, green ribbon shimmering below. Known as aurora australis or southern lights, the shifting, luminous bands are commonly seen at high northern latitudes as well, there known as the aurora borealis or northern lights.North or south their cause is the same though, as energetic charged particles from the magnetosphere pile into the atmosphere near the Earth’s poles. To produce the characteristic greenish glow, the energetic particles excite oxygen atoms at altitudes of 100 kilometers or more. Aurora on May 29 were likely triggered by the interaction of the magnetosphere with a coronal mass ejection erupting from the Sun on May 24.

from a vantage point about 350 kilometers above the southern Indian Ocean, astronauts onboard the International Space Station watched this enormous, green ribbon shimmering below. Known as aurora australis or southern lights, the shifting, luminous bands are commonly seen at high northern latitudes as well, there known as the aurora borealis or northern lights.North or south their cause is the same though, as energetic charged particles from the magnetosphere pile into the atmosphere near the Earth’s poles. To produce the characteristic greenish glow, the energetic particles excite oxygen atoms at altitudes of 100 kilometers or more. Aurora on May 29 were likely triggered by the interaction of the magnetosphere with a coronal mass ejection erupting from the Sun on May 24.