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International Space Station 25 Years in Orbit: Crew Q&A


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      An artist’s concept shows a closeup of the Wind spacecraft. NASA Wind launched with two digital tape recorders to record data from all the instruments on the spacecraft and provide reports on the spacecraft’s thermal conditions, orientation, and overall health. Each recorder has two tape decks, A and B, which Wilson affectionately refers to as “fancy eight-tracks.”
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      “They built redundancy into the digital tape recorder system by building two of them, but you can never predict how technology will perform when it’s a million miles away, bathing in ionizing radiation,” said Wilson. “We’re fortunate that after 30 years, we still have two functioning tape decks.”
      Wind launched on Nov. 1, 1994, on a Delta IV rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. NASA Bonus Science
      When Wind launched on Nov. 1, 1994, nobody could have possibly predicted that exactly 30 years later, NASA would be kicking off “Bonus Science” month in the Heliophysics Big Year. Beyond the mission’s incredible track record of mesmerizing discoveries about the solar wind — some detailed on its 25th anniversary — Wind continues to deliver with bonus science abound.
      Opportunity and Collaborative Discovery
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      By Erin Mahoney
      NASA Headquarters, Washington
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      Carlos Fontanot (left) receives the Great Minds in STEM Lifetime Achievement Award from Joel Montelbano, NASA at the Hispanic Engineer National Achievement Award Conference. What does your position entail? 
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      How would you describe your job to family or friends who may not be as familiar with NASA? 
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      I also chair the International Space Station’s Multilateral Imagery Working Group. Our team captures and processes the video and still images on a large server, where they are cataloged, archived, and distributed to our clients. Additionally, we are responsible for the photo and TV hardware aboard the space station and provide training to astronauts on how to use this equipment. 

      Carlos Fontanot with Liam Kennedy at the International Space Station Research and Development Conference. How do you feel the imagery and public affairs teams contribute to the overall mission of NASA? 
      Imagery is critical for communication in today’s visual environment. If people can’t see it, they won’t believe it! Effective communication through multimedia and pointed messaging is essential for securing continued support for NASA missions from both Congress and the public. 

      What was your path to NASA? 
      I was always interested in photography and film, so I studied radio, TV, and film in college. My first job after graduation was with a local TV station, and I also managed a media center for a multinational company. Then, I joined Johnson Space Center’s television and film division, where I managed space shuttle and institutional imagery. 

      Once at Johnson, I worked in the Office of Public Affairs as the audiovisual manager and served for two years as the public affairs officer in Moscow at the start of the International Space Station Program, including the launch of the first station crew. 

      What advice would you give to young individuals aspiring to work in the space industry or at NASA? 
      NASA is not just about astronauts, flight controllers, and engineers—there are countless disciplines and job opportunities here. Take imagery, for example: in today’s digital age, having the highest resolution imagery of our incredible orbiting laboratory environment and our home planet is essential. 

      For those aspiring to join the NASA team, I encourage you be open-minded and a team player. We need well-educated and talented individuals from diverse backgrounds across all disciplines to help us achieve our goals and explore the wonders of space. 

      Is there a space figure you’ve looked up to? 
      The space figure I will always remember and look up to is John Glenn. I had the fortune and privilege to meet him during his training. He was an extraordinary human being with incredibly high goals throughout his career. 

      I was assigned to escort John Glenn and the STS-95 crew on a two-week official visit to several European countries. John was by far the most inspiring and dedicated crew member that I’d ever met. He was always ready and willing to engage with dignitaries, politicians, leaders, journalists, and the public to share the NASA story and promote future programs to gain support from various governments and the public. 

      What do you love sharing about the International Space Station to general audiences? 
      I love sharing the wonders of life in space, especially the unique and breathtaking views of our planet Earth that can only be appreciated from space. I like to tell audiences about the observations and inspiration our astronauts share upon returning from their missions. I emphasize our thin and fragile atmosphere that sustains life as we know it, the beauty of Earth’s deserts, mountains, jungles, and oceans, and most importantly, the absence of borders. There’s always a profound realization that we are all human and that Earth belongs to all of us. 

      How has the technology for capturing images and video in space evolved over the years? 
      There was no digital imagery when I started my professional career. Photographs were taken on film that had to be processed in a dark room using chemicals to produce images. Video was recorded on two-inch magnetic tape at low resolution. We even flew film on our spacecraft that had to be brought back and processed on the ground. 
      Today, in the digital world, images can be streamed directly from our spacecraft and almost instantaneously shared with the entire globe. The evolution of technology has truly transformed how we capture and share the wonders of space! 
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      During my time at NASA, I co-led the High Definition Earth Viewing (HDEV) project, which deployed four Earth-viewing cameras on the International Space Station, reaching over 318 million viewers globally. I also contributed to designing Johnson’s new PAO studio, collaborated on upgrading the space station’s downlink system from four standard-definition to eight high-definition channels, and advanced television technology, including the first HD and later UHD live downlinks from the station. These projects have allowed me to enhance NASA’s capacity for sharing space imagery with the world. 

      What are your plans for retirement, and how do you hope to stay connected to the space community? 
      I plan to travel across the U.S. in a travel trailer with my wife and dog and enjoying my hobbies I will now have time for, such as photography and spending quality time with my family.

      Carlos and Pat Fontanot at the Grand Canyon South Rim in Arizona.  How do you believe NASA’s imagery can continue to inspire future generations? 
      Astronaut John Young would come to the photo lab after every shuttle mission to review the film shot onboard. He would say, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” What can inspire more than a breathtaking image of a sunset captured from space or the aurora borealis over the polar regions? 

      What legacy do you hope to leave behind after your time at NASA? 
      I hope to leave behind a legacy of passion and dedication to acquiring and making pristine, high-resolution imagery from space available for the public to enjoy. 

      If you could have dinner with any astronaut, past or present, who would it be? 
      I would choose John Young. He flew during both the Apollo and shuttle eras, was an imagery expert, and had a deep understanding of the space station. 

      Favorite space movie? 
      Interstellar   
      NASA Worm or Meatball logo? 
      Worm   
      *** 
      Every day we are conducting exciting research aboard our orbiting laboratory that will help us explore farther into space and bring benefits back to people on Earth. You can keep up with the latest news, videos, and pictures about space station science on the Station Research & Technology news page. It is a curated hub of space station research and digital media from Johnson and other centers and space agencies. 

      Sign up for our weekly email newsletter to get the updates delivered directly to you. 

      Follow updates on social media at @ISS_Research on X, and on the space station accounts on Facebook and Instagram. 
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      NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Pictured left to right, Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin, NASA astronauts Michael Barratt, Matthew Dominick, and Jeanette Epps.Credit: SpaceX After spending 235 days in space, NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 astronauts will discuss their science mission aboard the International Space Station during a post-flight news conference at 3:15 p.m. EST Friday, Nov. 8, from the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
      NASA astronauts Michael Barratt, Matthew Dominick, and Jeanette Epps will answer questions about their mission. The three crew members, along with Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin, returned to Earth on Oct. 25. Grebenkin will not participate because of his travel schedule.
      NASA will provide live coverage on NASA+ and the agency’s website. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of additional platforms, including social media.
      Media are invited to attend in-person or virtually. For in-person attendance, media must contact the NASA Johnson newsroom no later than 5 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 7 at: jsccommu@mail.nasa.gov or 281-483-5111. Media participating by phone must dial into the news conference no later than 10 minutes prior to the start of the event to ask questions. Questions also may be submitted on social media using #AskNASA. A copy of NASA’s media accreditation policy is available on the agency’s website.
      The crew spent more than seven months in space, including 232 days aboard the orbiting laboratory, traveling nearly 100 million miles, and completing 3,760 orbits around Earth. While living and working aboard station, the crew completed hundreds of science experiments and technology demonstrations.
      Get the latest NASA space station news, images, and features on Instagram, Facebook, and X.
      Learn more about NASA’s Commercial Crew Program at:
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      -end-
      Jimi Russell / Claire O’Shea
      Headquarters, Washington
      202-358-1100
      james.j.russell@nasa.gov / claire.a.o’shea@nasa.gov
      Raegan Scharfetter
      Johnson Space Center, Houston
      281-910-4989
      raegan.r.scharfetter@nasa.gov
      Share
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      Last Updated Nov 01, 2024 LocationNASA Headquarters Related Terms
      Commercial Crew Astronauts Humans in Space International Space Station (ISS) ISS Research Jeanette J. Epps Johnson Space Center Matthew Dominick Michael R. Barratt View the full article
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