Jump to content

Unity in Orbit: Astronauts Soar with Pride Aboard Station 


NASA

Recommended Posts

  • Publishers

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

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

  • Similar Topics

    • By NASA
      Pictured (clockwise) from bottom left are astronauts Charles O. Hobaugh, commander; Mike Foreman, Leland Melvin, Robert L. Satcher Jr. and Randy Bresnik, all mission specialists; along with Barry E. “Butch” Wilmore, pilot; and Nicole Stott, mission specialist.NASA The STS-129 crew members pose for a portrait following a joint news conference with the Expedition 21 crew members on Nov. 24, 2009. Astronauts Charles O. Hobaugh, Mike Foreman, Leland Melvin, Robert L. Satcher Jr., Randy Bresnik, Butch Wilmore, and Nicole Stott launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Nov. 16, 2009, aboard the space shuttle Atlantis. Traveling with them was nearly 30,000 pounds of replacement parts and equipment that would keep the orbital outpost supplied for several years to come.
      The Atlantis crew performed three demanding but successful spacewalks – and enjoyed a surprise Thanksgiving dinner on the station, courtesy of the Expedition 21 crew.
      Image credit: NASA
      View the full article
    • By Space Force
      In an era defined by rapid technology advancements and with a worldwide platform saturated with Great Power Competition, the Distributed Mission Operations Center on Kirtland Air Force Base, hosted its Virtual Flag: Coalition exercise, Oct. 21 - Nov. 4.

      View the full article
    • By NASA
      The unpiloted Roscosmos Progress spacecraft pictured on Feb. 7, 2023, from the International Space Station.Credit: NASA NASA will provide live launch and docking coverage of a Roscosmos cargo spacecraft delivering nearly three tons of food, fuel, and supplies to the Expedition 72 crew aboard the International Space Station.
      The unpiloted Progress 90 spacecraft is scheduled to launch at 7:22 a.m. EST (5:22 p.m. Baikonur time) Thursday, Nov. 21, on a Soyuz rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
      Live launch coverage will begin at 7 a.m. on NASA+ and the agency’s website. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms, including social media.
      After a two-day in-orbit journey to the station, the spacecraft will dock autonomously to the space-facing port of the orbiting laboratory’s Poisk module at 9:35 a.m., Saturday, Nov. 23. NASA’s coverage of rendezvous and docking will begin at 8:45 a.m. on NASA+ and the agency’s website.
      The Progress 88 spacecraft will undock from the Poisk module on Tuesday, Nov. 19. NASA will not stream undocking.
      The spacecraft will remain docked at the station for approximately six months before departing for a re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere to dispose of trash loaded by the crew.

      The International Space Station is a convergence of science, technology, and human innovation that enables research not possible on Earth. For more than 24 years, NASA has supported a continuous U.S. human presence aboard the orbiting laboratory, through which astronauts have learned to live and work in space for extended periods of time. The space station is a springboard for developing a low Earth economy and NASA’s next great leaps in exploration, including missions to the Moon under Artemis and, ultimately, human exploration of Mars.

      Get breaking news, images and features from the space station on Instagram, Facebook, and X.
      Learn more about the International Space Station, its research, and its crew, at:
      https://www.nasa.gov/station
      -end-
      Claire O’Shea / Josh Finch
      Headquarters, Washington
      202-358-1100
      claire.a.o’shea@nasa.gov / joshua.a.finch@nasa.gov
      Sandra Jones
      Johnson Space Center, Houston
      281-483-5111
      sandra.p.jones@nasa.gov
      Share
      Details
      Last Updated Nov 18, 2024 EditorJessica TaveauLocationNASA Headquarters Related Terms
      International Space Station (ISS) Humans in Space ISS Research Johnson Space Center View the full article
    • By NASA
      Anthocyanins protect seeds in space

      After exposure to space outside the International Space Station, purple-pigmented rice seeds rich in anthocyanin had higher germination rates than non-pigmented white rice seeds. This result suggests that anthocyanin, a flavonoid known to protect plants from UV irradiation, could help preserve seed viability on future space missions.

      Plants are key components for systems being designed to produce nutrients and recycle carbon for future sustained space habitation, but space has been shown to reduce seed viability. Tanpopo-3, part of a series of investigations from JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), examined the role of anthocyanins in maintaining seed viability. Results of this and previous experiments suggest that solar light in space is more detrimental to seeds than radiation.
      Preflight image of the Tanpopo panel used to expose seeds and other samples to space. Tanpopo-3 team Low-cost, autonomous technology validated for space research

      Researchers verified a pair of devices for conducting experiments in space that have multi-step reactions and require automatic mixing of solutions. This type of low-cost, autonomous technology expands the possibilities for space-based research, including work by commercial entities.

      Ice Cubes #6- Kirara, an investigation from ESA (European Space Agency) developed by the Japan Manned Space Systems Corporation, used a temperature-controlled incubator to crystallize proteins in microgravity. The Kirara facility also enables production of polymers, including cellulose, which have different uses than protein crystals. This experiment synthesized and decomposed cellulose.
      The Kirara incubator used for experiments in microgravity. United Arab Emirates/Sultan Alneyadi Insights from observations of an X-ray binary star

      Researchers used Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) to observe the timing of 15 X-ray bursts from 4U 1820–30, an ultracompact X-ray binary (UCXB) star. An X-ray binary is a neutron star orbiting a companion from which it takes matter. If confirmed with future observations, this result makes 4U 1820–30 the fastest-spinning neutron star known in an X-ray binary system and provides insights into the physics of neutron stars.

      NICER makes high-precision measurements of neutron stars (the ultra-dense matter created when massive stars explode as supernovas) and other phenomena to increase our understanding of the universe. NICER has monitored 4U 1820–30 since its launch in June 2017. A short orbital period indicates a relatively small binary system, and 4U 1820–30 has the shortest known orbital period among low-mass X-ray binaries.

      Animated image of a binary star system,NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/Chris SmithView the full article
    • By NASA
      Live High-Definition Views from the International Space Station (Official NASA Stream)
  • Check out these Videos

×
×
  • Create New...