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Space blog

Original articles on the latest in spaceflight, based on real news from specialist sources (NASA, ESA, SpaceNews, Space.com and more), always written in our own words and linking directly to the original source of each story.

Sophie Adenot's Three Spacewalks: What Happens Outside the ISS

Sophie Adenot's Three Spacewalks: What Happens Outside the ISS

Sophie Adenot completes three ISS spacewalks. Discover what this milestone means and how to spot the station right now at 418 km altitude.

Crew-12 Prepares for Return: What Changes on the ISS and How to Spot It

Crew-12 Prepares for Return: What Changes on the ISS and How to Spot It

Crew-12 is wrapping up its stay on the ISS. Discover what changes on board and how to spot the space station in the night sky over the coming days.

Europe Plans Its Own Space Station: What It Means for the ISS

NASASpaceflight

Europe Plans Its Own Space Station: What It Means for the ISS

ESA is studying crewed spacecraft and its own space station. Learn what will happen to the ISS and how to spot it in the sky tonight with our tracker.

New Crew Launches to the ISS: Mission Guide and How to Spot the Handover

Spaceflight Now

New Crew Launches to the ISS: Mission Guide and How to Spot the Handover

Jessica Watkins and three astronauts head to the ISS. Discover what this handover means and how to track the station at 429 km.

Sophie Adenot Completes Her Spacewalks: How to Spot the ISS This Month

Sophie Adenot Completes Her Spacewalks: How to Spot the ISS This Month

Sophie Adenot completes her 3rd ISS spacewalk. Discover what this orbital milestone means and how to spot the station in your night sky today.

Crew-13 Launch: Four Astronauts Head to the ISS and What to See in the Sky

Spaceflight Now

Crew-13 Launch: Four Astronauts Head to the ISS and What to See in the Sky

SpaceX's Crew-13 is chasing the ISS. Find out what changes on board and how to spot both spacecraft crossing your night sky live.

Crew-13 Mission: The ISS's Next Crew Rotation Seen from Earth

Crew-13 Mission: The ISS's Next Crew Rotation Seen from Earth

NASA details SpaceX Crew-13. Discover how this handover affects life aboard the ISS and how to spot the station live in your night sky.

The Future of Starliner: What Changes for the ISS and How to Spot It in the Sky

The Future of Starliner: What Changes for the ISS and How to Spot It in the Sky

NASA and Boeing redefine Starliner's roadmap. Discover what this means for the ISS and how it impacts your skywatching observations from Earth.

Starliner's Path to the ISS: What It Means for Station Visits

NASASpaceflight

Starliner's Path to the ISS: What It Means for Station Visits

NASA and Boeing redesign Starliner's return to the ISS. Here is what this timeline means for crew rotations and spotting passes in the night sky.

Starliner Defines Its Future: What NASA's Update Means for the ISS

Starliner Defines Its Future: What NASA's Update Means for the ISS

NASA and Boeing detail the future of Starliner. Here is how it impacts the current ISS crew and what to look for when spotting the station.

Heart Bubbles and Spacewalks: The Medical Challenge NASA Is Reviewing on the ISS

Heart Bubbles and Spacewalks: The Medical Challenge NASA Is Reviewing on the ISS

NASA updates medical protocols on decompression and blood clots for astronauts. Discover what ISS missions reveal before heading to the Moon.

A New Cargo Ship Docks at the ISS: What Changes When You Spot It Passing By

Spaceflight Now

A New Cargo Ship Docks at the ISS: What Changes When You Spot It Passing By

A Progress cargo ship has docked at the ISS. Discover what supplies it brings and how it affects viewing the station from your city.

Pikachu in the ISS Cupola: Science, Pop Culture, and the Window to Earth

Pikachu in the ISS Cupola: Science, Pop Culture, and the Window to Earth

ESA and Pokémon team up in the ISS Cupola. Discover what this initiative means and how to spot the station passing over your city.

The Space Station's Future at Stake: Earthbound Budgets and Life in Orbit

SpacePolicyOnline.com

The Space Station's Future at Stake: Earthbound Budgets and Life in Orbit

Budget debates shape the future of the ISS. Discover what these decisions mean for spotting the space station from your city.

700 Falcon Flights and a Crowded Sky: What It Means for ISS Spotting

700 Falcon Flights and a Crowded Sky: What It Means for ISS Spotting

SpaceX hits 700 Falcon launches while the ISS orbits at 435 km. Discover how orbital traffic impacts station passes and how to spot it tonight.

New Eyes on Earth: Vega C’s Return and Orbital Monitoring from the ISS

NASASpaceflight

New Eyes on Earth: Vega C’s Return and Orbital Monitoring from the ISS

Europe preps Vega C with Sentinel-3C and FLEX as the ISS monitors Earth from 435 km. Discover how our view of the night sky is evolving.

Daily Life at 400 km: What Zero-G Hair Teaches Us About the ISS

Daily Life at 400 km: What Zero-G Hair Teaches Us About the ISS

Discover the daily challenges of zero-g life aboard the ISS and learn how to spot the space station flying over your city.

Living Confined: From Sci-Fi Bunkers to Reality on the Space Station

Living Confined: From Sci-Fi Bunkers to Reality on the Space Station

Sci-fi explores underground bunkers, but 423 km above Earth, an ISS crew lives in humanity’s most extreme real-world technological confinement.

Cape Canaveral Record and the Accelerating Traffic Above Our Heads

Spaceflight Now

Cape Canaveral Record and the Accelerating Traffic Above Our Heads

SpaceX hits an SLC-40 milestone as Europe and lunar AI advance. Here's what surging orbital traffic means for spotting the ISS in our skies.

The US Space Academy Is Born: Who Takes the Baton in Low Earth Orbit

SpacePolicyOnline.com

The US Space Academy Is Born: Who Takes the Baton in Low Earth Orbit

NASA begins the site search for the new US Space Academy. We examine what this technical talent pipeline means for low Earth orbit and the ISS.

Blue Origin Expands at Cape Canaveral: What It Means for Low Earth Orbit

NASASpaceflight

Blue Origin Expands at Cape Canaveral: What It Means for Low Earth Orbit

Blue Origin expands its Cape Canaveral facilities as the ISS orbits above. We examine what this new heavy-lift presence means for low Earth orbit.

NASA Funding Secured: What It Means for the ISS Flying Over You

SpacePolicyOnline.com

NASA Funding Secured: What It Means for the ISS Flying Over You

US Congress secures NASA funding. Find out what this deal means for the International Space Station and how to spot it live in your night sky.

Is It the ISS or an Airplane? How to Tell in Five Seconds

Is It the ISS or an Airplane? How to Tell in Five Seconds

Blinking, sound, trajectory, and sudden disappearance: how to tell whether you're seeing the ISS or an airplane in seconds without any special gear.

How to Set ISS Pass Alerts: Reminders That Actually Work

How to Set ISS Pass Alerts: Reminders That Actually Work

Passes last five minutes and shift earlier each night. Here are 3 ways to set alerts, how early to prepare, and what details your reminder must include.

How Long Does the ISS Take to Orbit the Earth?

How Long Does the ISS Take to Orbit the Earth?

92 minutes per orbit, 16 laps a day, and 16 sunrises for the crew. Why the ISS never repeats the same ground track and what it means for spotting it.

ISS Transits: When the Station Crosses the Sun or the Moon

ISS Transits: When the Station Crosses the Sun or the Moon

The station's silhouette against the Sun or Moon lasts under a second. How to predict it, why the path is so narrow, and how to photograph it safely.

What Is the ISS and What Is It For?

What Is the ISS and What Is It For?

The most expensive lab in history, continuously inhabited since 2000. What it is, what it investigates, how long it will last, and how to spot it from home.

Apps and Websites to Spot the ISS: What to Use and What to Avoid

Apps and Websites to Spot the ISS: What to Use and What to Avoid

All tools use the same public data. Discover the four criteria that set good ISS trackers apart, along with red flags to avoid when choosing one.

How Many Times a Day Does the ISS Fly Over Your House?

How Many Times a Day Does the ISS Fly Over Your House?

Between two and five daily flyovers, but far fewer visible passes. Flying over vs. being visible, viewing cycles, and choosing the week’s best pass.

How High and How Fast Does the ISS Fly?

How High and How Fast Does the ISS Fly?

400 km and 27,600 km/h: why altitude and speed are linked, why orbit decays, and what it truly means that the space station is in permanent free fall.

How Many People Are in Space Right Now?

How Many People Are in Space Right Now?

Between seven and fifteen, split between the ISS and Tiangong. Why numbers surge during handovers, how long stays last, and what they really do up there.

Where Is the ISS Right Now: How to Read the Live Tracking Map

Where Is the ISS Right Now: How to Read the Live Tracking Map

What the map's dot really marks, why the path forms a wave, where coordinates come from, and why passing overhead doesn't mean you can see it.

Starbase and Starship’s Pad 1: What They Mean for Low Earth Orbit

Starbase and Starship’s Pad 1: What They Mean for Low Earth Orbit

What Starbase is, why Pad 1 was a turning point, and how cheaper space access shapes the ISS's successor and what you'll see in the night sky.

The Best Months and Times of Year to See the ISS

The Best Months and Times of Year to See the ISS

ISS visibility follows a 9-week cycle and seasonal shifts. Discover when to watch, why summer is best, and the prime hours for spotting the station.

ISS or Tiangong: How to Tell the Two Space Stations Apart in the Sky

ISS or Tiangong: How to Tell the Two Space Stations Apart in the Sky

Two crewed space stations are visible to the naked eye. Brightness, orbit, and timing: here is how to tell which one you are seeing in the sky.

Why Every ISS Tracker Shows a Different Position: TLEs Explained

Why Every ISS Tracker Shows a Different Position: TLEs Explained

No tracker measures the ISS in real time: they all calculate it. What TLEs are, why orbital predictions degrade, and how big the error really is.

How to Photograph the ISS with a Smartphone or DSLR

How to Photograph the ISS with a Smartphone or DSLR

Camera settings, exposure times, stacking, and composition: your complete guide to photographing the ISS and capturing its light trail on night one.

24/7 ISS Live Stream: What You’re Actually Seeing on the Cameras

24/7 ISS Live Stream: What You’re Actually Seeing on the Cameras

Why the screen goes black, why it's sometimes all blue, and how to track which country the ISS is passing over by pairing the live feed with the map.

How to Read an ISS Pass: Magnitude, Elevation, Azimuth, and Duration

How to Read an ISS Pass: Magnitude, Elevation, Azimuth, and Duration

The four numbers in any pass prediction explained, plus a quick rule of thumb to decide in ten seconds whether it's worth stepping outside tonight.

Why the ISS Suddenly Disappears in the Middle of the Sky

Why the ISS Suddenly Disappears in the Middle of the Sky

Not a forecast glitch or your eyes: the ISS enters Earth's shadow and stops reflecting sunlight. What an orbital eclipse is and how to predict it.

When the ISS Passes Over Latin America: Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Brazil & Southern Cone

When the ISS Passes Over Latin America: Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Brazil & Southern Cone

Regional guide to spotting the ISS from Latin America: short tropical twilights, inverted seasons in the south, and how to get accurate local pass times.

When the ISS Passes Over Spain: How to Find the Exact Time for Your City

When the ISS Passes Over Spain: How to Find the Exact Time for Your City

The ISS flies over Spain several times a day. Learn when it is actually visible, the 3 conditions needed, and how to read a pass's elevation and azimuth.

In-Orbit Space Surveillance: How the ISS Will Be Protected from Space Debris

In-Orbit Space Surveillance: How the ISS Will Be Protected from Space Debris

A Chinese startup is deploying space surveillance satellites. Discover how it impacts ISS safety and real-time tracking.

The Future of Starliner: How Boeing's Next Flight Impacts the ISS

The Future of Starliner: How Boeing's Next Flight Impacts the ISS

Boeing and NASA consider a cargo flight for Starliner. Discover how it impacts ISS traffic and your night-sky observations.

Smoke Over Oregon: How Wildfires Affect Your ISS Sightings

Smoke Over Oregon: How Wildfires Affect Your ISS Sightings

Discover how ISS astronauts see Oregon's wildfires from 439 km altitude and how drifting smoke affects night sky visibility for ground observers.

Ariane 6 Lifts Off: What Europe's New Rocket Means for the ISS and Space

Ariane 6 Lifts Off: What Europe's New Rocket Means for the ISS and Space

Europe debuts Ariane 6 after a successful maiden flight. What this milestone means for space autonomy and science on the International Space Station.

Five Launches in Seven Days: What Orbital Traffic Means for Spotting the ISS

NASASpaceflight

Five Launches in Seven Days: What Orbital Traffic Means for Spotting the ISS

SpaceX and China total 5 launches in a week. Discover how this traffic affects the ISS and how to spot the space station in the night sky from home.

Three Spacewalks to Upgrade the ISS: Key to Its Power and Brightness

Three Spacewalks to Upgrade the ISS: Key to Its Power and Brightness

NASA plans three spacewalks to upgrade the ISS. Discover how this will impact the station's power and your sightings from Earth.

Cebreros Resumes Operations: Why Ávila Wildfires Threaten Deep Space Tracking

European Spaceflight

Cebreros Resumes Operations: Why Ávila Wildfires Threaten Deep Space Tracking

ESA's Cebreros antenna is back online after wildfires. We explore the impact on space missions and the vital link to orbital tracking.

The Future of the ISS Runs Through Europe: How Startups Shape Life in Orbit

The Future of the ISS Runs Through Europe: How Startups Shape Life in Orbit

Discover how ESA's Industry Space Days boost Europe's New Space ecosystem and the commercial future of low Earth orbit.

How to Experience the ISS Without Leaving Your City

How to Experience the ISS Without Leaving Your City

Discover how to experience life on the ISS from Earth and track its path across the night sky with real-time data.

Back to Earth After 8 Months on the ISS: How It Affects Your Views

Back to Earth After 8 Months on the ISS: How It Affects Your Views

Chris Williams and his crew have landed after 8 months in space. Discover what changes on the ISS and how to spot it tonight over your city.

Is the Space Station at Risk? What the US Senate Is Debating and How It Affects You

SpacePolicyOnline.com

Is the Space Station at Risk? What the US Senate Is Debating and How It Affects You

Discover what the US Senate budget debates mean for the future of the ISS and your night sky sightings.

Soyuz MS-28 Return: What It Means for the ISS and Your Sighting Passes

SpacePolicyOnline.com

Soyuz MS-28 Return: What It Means for the ISS and Your Sighting Passes

The Soyuz MS-28 return wraps up an 8-month ISS mission. Discover what changes on the orbital lab and how to spot it crossing your night sky.

Spain Wildfires and NASA Antennas: Safeguarding ISS Tracking

Spain Wildfires and NASA Antennas: Safeguarding ISS Tracking

NASA and ESA antennas in Spain escape wildfires. Discover how these critical ground facilities safeguard live ISS tracking and space communications.

Starship Flight 13: Record Splashdown and the Future of ISS in LEO

Starship Flight 13: Record Splashdown and the Future of ISS in LEO

Explore Starship Flight 13's record soft splashdown, Starlink deployment, and what this SpaceX milestone means for the International Space Station.

Space Station Crew Swap: Soyuz Returns Home, Changing Life on Board

Space Station Crew Swap: Soyuz Returns Home, Changing Life on Board

As a Soyuz spacecraft prepares to return to Earth, discover how this space crew rotation affects ISS spotting opportunities from your city.

SpaceX Launches 24 Starlink Satellites from California: Spotting Them vs the ISS

Spaceflight Now

SpaceX Launches 24 Starlink Satellites from California: Spotting Them vs the ISS

New SpaceX launch from California. Discover how it affects ISS orbital traffic and how to spot the Starlink train alongside the station in the sky.

From the Mir Disaster to the ISS: The Crisis That Changed How You Look at the Sky

From the Mir Disaster to the ISS: The Crisis That Changed How You Look at the Sky

Discover how the 1997 Mir collision saved the ISS and what it means today as you watch the orbital laboratory pass over your city.