Watch: a sunrise from space the way the astronauts at the ISS see it
Eat your heart out: they get sixteen of these every day.
Good Morning! Sunrise bursting on the scene followed by beautiful ocean sun glint. We get 16 of these every day!https://t.co/UKanwP0Bv8
— Jeff Williams (@Astro_Jeff) May 13, 2016
American astronaut Jeff Williams, who is currently on board the International Space Station (ISS), as part of Expedition 47, recently tweeted a video of a sunrise in space. The expedition has six astronauts on board and began in March and will conclude in June.
Williams is currently on his fourth space flight and has spent 362 days in space. NASA expects him to break the American record for most cumulative days in orbit by the time he completes Expedition 48 by September 2016. Williams's twitter account is filled with gorgeous photographs of Earth as seen from the space station. Here are a few.
You know what a mouth of a river is, but take a look at the mouths of the Irrawaddy Delta. pic.twitter.com/IhwGquxMu6
— Jeff Williams (@Astro_Jeff) May 14, 2016
Potidea Canal. Coastal currents and erosion over 2000 years appear to have displaced the two sides of this isthmus. pic.twitter.com/zx50ZtEO3R
— Jeff Williams (@Astro_Jeff) May 13, 2016
From the red sand dunes in southern Saudi Arabia and Oman… pic.twitter.com/SyM23xG9j8
— Jeff Williams (@Astro_Jeff) May 15, 2016
…up to the amazing array of white peaks on the Himalaya Mountains … pic.twitter.com/fZciQuPHB1
— Jeff Williams (@Astro_Jeff) May 15, 2016
…and down to the incredibly beautiful blue Mozambique coral reefs in the Indian Ocean. pic.twitter.com/KCjqh5DBRY
— Jeff Williams (@Astro_Jeff) May 15, 2016
According to the mission statement, during the expedition,"Researchers will investigate spaceflight’s effect on the musculoskeletal system, the ability of tablets to dissolve in microgravity and how robotics can make exercise equipment smaller to minimise space dedicated to equipment and leave more room for crew during a long-duration mission."
Also on board is British astronaut Tim Peake, who last month became the first man to run a marathon from space. He completed the 42km run in three hours and thirty five minutes. Apart from his work on board, he has showed us how to play 'water ping pong', brew coffee and take a shower in space and shared this amazing time lapse video of lightning striking the Earth.
Amazing how much lightning can strike our planet in a short time #Principia #timelapsehttps://t.co/XijV5E1pI0
— Tim Peake (@astro_timpeake) February 9, 2016
And to know what it feels like to be on the space station, here is an interview with Commander Timothy Kopra before his crew joined him on board. When asked what he did if something went wrong and the person with the ability to fix it was back on Earth, Kopra said, "Over the last week and a half, I think I have worked half-way to a degree in plumbing and electrician work."