Jump to content
Join the Alien Search, login or register FREE on Aliens and Space Forum
Members Can Post Anonymously On This Site

Unity in Orbit: Astronauts Soar with Pride Aboard Station 

NASA

By NASA
in NASA

 Share

Recommended Posts

  • Publishers
NASA Mentor

NASA

Posted
  • Publishers
Posted

A powerful symbol of pride waved high above Earth aboard the International Space Station in December 2021, reflecting NASA’s commitment to a collaborative and inclusive environment in human spaceflight. The Pride flag was unveiled by NASA astronauts to celebrate our identities and unite in our commitment to equality and acceptance for all individuals. 

At NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, leveraging diverse talents is key to achieving the ambitious goals of space exploration.  

Johnson supports its employees by standing in solidarity and providing resources such as the Out & Allied Employee Resource Group that recognize the unique strengths of the LGBTQI+ workforce and encourage individuals to bring their authentic selves to the workplace. That support extends all the way to low Earth orbit and beyond. 

A rainbow flag is displayed inside the cupola aboard the International Space Station, with Earth visible through the windows in the background.
The Pride flag flows aboard the International Space Station inside the cupola during Expedition 66.
Credit: NASA/Raja Chari

NASA astronaut Raja Chari, as a flight engineer for Expedition 66, captured a monumental image of the Pride flag flowing freely aboard the orbiting laboratory inside the Cupola. 

“As government astronauts, we explore on behalf of all humankind,” said Chari. “Whether it’s on the International Space Station or developing the Artemis vehicles that will take us back to the Moon, it’s NASA’s goal to make space accessible to everyone.” 

Reflecting on his experiences aboard the space station, Chari expressed gratitude for the global support network that supported him along the way. “Nothing I did in space would have been possible without leveraging the diversity of thought that makes human spaceflight possible,” he said. 

At Johnson, the Progress Pride flag was proudly flown in front of building 1 in June 2022, symbolizing the center’s commitment to embracing and recognizing the unique talents of all its employees. 

jsc2022e061700.jpg?w=1365
The Progress Pride flag, bottom right, flows at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
Credit: NASA/Norah Moran

Chari also stressed the importance of diverse perspectives in overcoming the technical challenges of space exploration. “Every day I’m in meetings and testing events where we are tasked with the very real technical challenges of sustaining humans on the Moon and eventually Mars,” he said. “There is no way we will solve the problems on or off our planet if we don’t take advantage of having the most diverse team we can to ensure we don’t overlook a possible solution.” 

“Being in the Cupola with the Pride flag was a way to thank and encourage people to be proud of who they are, and bring their whole selves to work, because we’ll need all of them to get back to the Moon.” 

View the full article

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Similar Topics

    • NASA
      NASA to Provide Coverage of Axiom Mission 4 Departure from Station
      By NASA
      The Axiom Mission 4 and Expedition 73 crews join together for a group portrait inside the International Space Station’s Harmony module. In the front row (from left) are Ax-4 crewmates Tibor Kapu, Peggy Whitson, Shubhanshu Shukla, and Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski with Expedition 73 crewmates Anne McClain and Takuya Onishi. In the rear are, Expedition 73 crewmates Alexey Zubritskiy, Kirill Peskov, Sergey Ryzhikov, Jonny Kim, and Nichole Ayers.Credit: NASA NASA will provide live coverage of the undocking and departure of the Axiom Mission 4 private astronaut mission from the International Space Station.
      The four-member astronaut crew is scheduled to undock from the space-facing port of the station’s Harmony module aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft at approximately 7:05 a.m. EDT Monday, July 14, pending weather, to begin their return to Earth and splashdown off the coast of California.
      Coverage of departure operations will begin with hatch closing at 4:30 a.m. on NASA+. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms, including social media.
      Peggy Whitson, former NASA astronaut and director of human spaceflight at Axiom Space, ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization) astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, ESA (European Space Agency) project astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski of Poland, and HUNOR (Hungarian to Orbit) astronaut Tibor Kapu of Hungary, will have spent about two weeks in space at the conclusion of their mission.
      The Dragon spacecraft will return with more than 580 pounds of cargo, including NASA hardware and data from over 60 experiments conducted throughout the mission.
      NASA’s coverage is as follows (all times Eastern and subject to change based on real-time operations):
      Monday, July 14
      4:30 a.m. – Hatch closing coverage begins on NASA+.
      4:55 a.m. – Crew enters spacecraft followed by hatch closing.
      6:45 a.m. – Undocking coverage begins on NASA+, Axiom Space, and SpaceX channels.
      7:05 a.m. – Undocking
      NASA’s coverage ends approximately 30 minutes after undocking when space station joint operations with Axiom Space and SpaceX conclude. Axiom Space will resume coverage of Dragon’s re-entry and splashdown on the company’s website.
      A collaboration between NASA and ISRO allowed Axiom Mission 4 to deliver on a commitment highlighted by President Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to send the first ISRO astronaut to the station. The space agencies participated in five joint science investigations and two in-orbit science, technology, engineering, and mathematics demonstrations. NASA and ISRO have a long-standing relationship built on a shared vision to advance scientific knowledge and expand space collaboration.
      The private mission also carried the first astronauts from Poland and Hungary to stay aboard the space station.
      The International Space Station is a springboard for developing a low Earth orbit economy. NASA’s goal is to achieve a strong economy off the Earth where the agency can purchase services as one of many customers to meet its science and research objectives in microgravity. NASA’s commercial strategy for low Earth orbit provides the government with reliable and safe services at a lower cost, enabling the agency to focus on Artemis missions to the Moon in preparation for Mars while also continuing to use low Earth orbit as a training and proving ground for those deep space missions.
      Learn more about NASA’s commercial space strategy at:
      https://www.nasa.gov/commercial-space
      -end-
      Claire O’Shea
      Headquarters, Washington
      202-358-1100
      claire.a.o’shea@nasa.gov
      Anna Schneider
      Johnson Space Center, Houston
      281-483-5111
      anna.c.schneider@nasa.gov
      Share
      Details
      Last Updated Jul 11, 2025 LocationNASA Headquarters Related Terms
      International Space Station (ISS) Commercial Crew Commercial Space Commercial Space Programs Humans in Space ISS Research Johnson Space Center Space Operations Mission Directorate View the full article
    • Amazing Space
      MUSK Says It's Time To Scarp the Space Station - Why He's Wrong!
      By Amazing Space
      MUSK Says It's Time To Scarp the Space Station - Why He's Wrong!
    • NASA
      NASA, International Astronauts Answer Questions from Florida Students
      By NASA
      The seven-member Expedition 73 crew poses for a portrait inside the International Space Station’s Zvezda service module.Credit: NASA Students in Big Pine Key, Florida, will have the chance to have NASA astronauts aboard the International Space Station answer their prerecorded questions.
      At 10:05 a.m. EDT on Monday, July 14, NASA astronaut Nicole Ayers and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Takuya Onishi will answer questions submitted by students.
      Watch the 20-minute Earth-to-space call on NASA STEM’s YouTube Channel.
      The event is hosted by the Seacamp Association of Big Pine Key, Florida, which provides immersive science lessons for youth interested in discovering the sea. The event will be attended by local Monroe County students, as well as national and international campers ages 10-17 years old. The goal of the event is to help students make connections between astronauts training in space and scientists working in the sea.  
      Media interested in covering the event must RSVP by 5 p.m. EDT, Friday, July 11, to Judy Gregoire at: 305-872-2331 or email at: info@seacamp.org.
      For nearly 25 years, astronauts have continuously lived and worked aboard the space station, testing technologies, performing science, and developing skills needed to explore farther from Earth. Astronauts aboard the orbiting laboratory communicate with NASA’s Mission Control Center in Houston 24 hours a day through SCaN’s (Space Communications and Navigation) Near Space Network.
      Important research and technology investigations taking place aboard the space station benefit people on Earth and lay the groundwork for other agency missions. As part of NASA’s Artemis campaign, the agency will send astronauts to the Moon to prepare for future human exploration of Mars; inspiring Golden Age explorers and ensuring the United States continues to lead in space exploration and discovery.
      See videos of astronauts aboard the space station at:
      https://www.nasa.gov/stemonstation
      -end-
      Gerelle Dodson
      Headquarters, Washington
      202-358-1600
      gerelle.q.dodson@nasa.gov
      Sandra Jones
      Johnson Space Center, Houston
      281-483-5111
      sandra.p.jones@nasa.gov
      Share
      Details
      Last Updated Jul 09, 2025 LocationNASA Headquarters Related Terms
      Humans in Space In-flight Education Downlinks International Space Station (ISS) Johnson Space Center Learning Resources NASA Headquarters View the full article
    • USH
      Space Station caught rare lightning phenomenon in space
      By USH
      NASA astronaut Nichole Ayers captured a stunning image of a rare red lightning phenomenon known as a “sprite” from the International Space Station on July 3. The jellyfish-shaped electrical burst was seen rising above a massive thunderstorm over Mexico and the southern U.S., including parts of California and Texas. 

      Sprites are large-scale electrical discharges that occur high in the mesosphere, triggered by positive lightning strikes. 

      Part of a group of upper-atmosphere events called Transient Luminous Events (TLEs), sprites are still not fully understood, despite decades of research.View the full article
    • NASA
      NASA Astronauts Send Fourth of July Wishes From the International Space Station
      By NASA
      NASA Astronauts Send Fourth of July Wishes From the International Space Station

  • Check out these Videos

×
×
  • Create New...