How astronauts in orbit honored the victims of the Paris terrorist attacks
In short: While orbiting the Earth, the Expedition 45 crew paused their scientific research to join a grieving world. In a profound moment of connection, the International Space Station residents observed a minute of silence to pay tribute to those lost in the November 13 attacks in Paris.
On November 16, the six-member Expedition 45 crew paused their work to observe a minute of silence. Initiated by spacecraft communicator Hal Getzelman from Mission Control in Houston at 6 a.m. Eastern time (11:00 GMT), the tribute was intended for the crew and all flight control teams globally. During the silence, Flight Engineer Kjell Lindgren bowed his head amidst his ongoing experiments, a moment captured in a NASA video showing him floating in weightlessness. The silence was coordinated through Mission Control in Houston. This pause occurred while the crew was actively conducting scientific investigations.
The tribute addressed the devastating terrorist attacks in Paris on November 13, which resulted in 129 deaths and 352 injuries. Commander Scott Kelly, who was on a one-year mission alongside cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko, expressed that the crew was "shocked and saddened" by the events. To further honor the victims, Kelly shared a view of Paris taken from the station, originally captured on November 1. The commander's message of solidarity was released via a video recording. He also used social media to share imagery of the French capital.
The crew members involved in this mission included Kimiya Yui, Mikhail Kornienko, Oleg Kononenko, and Sergey Volkov, alongside Kelly and Lindgren. At the time of the tribute, the crew was managing various station duties, ranging from the Veggie botany experiment and vision checks to troubleshooting power channel issues and performing routine maintenance like plumbing and battery replacements. This moment served as a bridge between the orbital laboratory and the terrestrial world during a period of global mourning. The mission included a variety of medical studies regarding microgravity's impact on human vision. Additionally, the team performed essential upkeep including cleaning and battery swaps.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Minute of Silence Aboard Space Station for Paris Terrorist Victims
- Also: Crew Observes Moment of Silence for Paris Attack Victims - NASA
- Also: Astronauts in Space Honor Paris Attack Victims (Video)
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