Surprising Science — April 28, 2014

A Spacesuit Floats Free

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

In 2006, a lone spacesuit left the International Space Station and took a trip:

NASA explains:

A spacesuit floated away from the International Space Station eight years ago, but no investigation was conducted. Everyone knew that it was pushed by the space station crew. Dubbed Suitsat-1, the unneeded Russian Orlan spacesuit filled mostly with old clothes was fitted with a faint radio transmitter and released to orbit the Earth. The suit circled the Earth twice before its radio signal became unexpectedly weak. Suitsat-1 continued to orbit every 90 minutes until it burned up in the Earth’s atmosphere after a few weeks. Pictured above, the lifeless spacesuit was photographed in 2006 just as it drifted away from space station.

Image credit: NASA

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

A rocket launches into the sky against a sunset backdrop, with "T-MINUS" text overlay in bold letters.

The Future

T-Minus: 10 milestones in commercial spaceflight

Reusable rockets, moon landers, civilian astronauts, and more.

A vivid cosmic scene reveals colorful nebulae and stardust in vibrant shades of blue, purple, and orange, set against a backdrop of space. NASA observatories capture this celestial beauty, unveiling hidden holes in the vast tapestry of the universe.

Starts With A Bang

The biggest holes in NASA’s suite of observatories

NASA’s space telescopes and observatories bring humanity unrivaled science images and scientific discoveries. Here’s what should be next.

Silhouette of NASA's Europa Clipper spacecraft with antennas poised against a colorful planetary surface, sparking dreams of alien life.

Starts With A Bang

How NASA’s Europa Clipper helps the hunt for alien life

Could life be widespread throughout the cosmos, in the subsurface oceans of ice-covered worlds? NASA’s Europa Clipper mission investigates.

A clock face with moon phases as numbers, set against a blue sky with scattered clouds, creates a whimsical portrayal of lunar time.

Hard Science

Moon time is a thing now—here’s why it matters

Physicists recently created Coordinated Lunar Time, a time zone for our Moon.

A large telescope observatory under construction at dusk with a visible moon and stars in the sky. Cranes and construction equipment are present around the structure.

Starts With A Bang

How to see the comet of the century from all over the world

Comet A3, also known as Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, has sprung to life since 2024’s last equinox. Here’s how to catch the show for yourself.

Up Next

Starts With A Bang

Weekend Diversion: LEGOs for those with a little Curiosity

The most advanced Martian rover can be yours… in LEGO form! “Earth as an ecosystem stands out in the all of the universe. There’s no place that we know about that […]