Don Pettit's banner

Don Pettit

@astro_Pettit • 186,642 subscribers

NASA Astronaut. Photographer. Scientist. Inventor.

Shorts

Dragon cargo number 31 undocked yesterday and returned to planet Earth carrying the spoils from our research.

Dragon cargo number 31 undocked yesterday and returned to planet Earth carrying the spoils from our research.

29,223,917 Aufrufe

Star trails from the ISS! Lots of cool physics to see in these. Stars moving as thin lines in the direction of our orbital path but forming arcs to the left of our velocity vector. Lightning flashes making purple spots into the time history. City lights streak by. A faint red glow is seen as part of our upper atmosphere. Surreal!

Star trails from the ISS! Lots of cool physics to see in these. Stars moving as thin lines in the direction of our orbital path but forming arcs to the left of our velocity vector. Lightning flashes making purple spots into the time history. City lights streak by. A faint red glow is seen as part of our upper atmosphere. Surreal!

435,741 Aufrufe

Timelapse of the ISS Optimal Propellent Maneuver (OPM)! We use this to reorient station's attitude in preparation for docking events. This one occurred over some magnificent Mediterranean city lights!

Timelapse of the ISS Optimal Propellent Maneuver (OPM)! We use this to reorient station's attitude in preparation for docking events. This one occurred over some magnificent Mediterranean city lights!

412,994 Aufrufe

Cosmic fireflies. Actually, these are Starlink satellites momentarily flashing sunlight towards International Space Station.

Cosmic fireflies. Actually, these are Starlink satellites momentarily flashing sunlight towards International Space Station.

4,165,542 Aufrufe

My best sighting of a Starlink satellite "train" from orbit!

My best sighting of a Starlink satellite "train" from orbit!

1,973,764 Aufrufe

Aurora watching into an orbital dawn. This never gets old!

Aurora watching into an orbital dawn. This never gets old!

330,955 Aufrufe

In microgravity, crystals experience "hopper growth," where the outer edges and corners grow at faster rates than the flat faces, creating a step-like appearance. This timelapse records their growth inside a thin water film. Look closely, and you will see the patterns emerge!

In microgravity, crystals experience "hopper growth," where the outer edges and corners grow at faster rates than the flat faces, creating a step-like appearance. This timelapse records their growth inside a thin water film. Look closely, and you will see the patterns emerge!

293,521 Aufrufe

OK; you all asked if this was possible…..

OK; you all asked if this was possible…..

1,028,134 Aufrufe

YouTuber Steve Mould hypothesized that a circular loop of chain would exhibit circumferential waves as it rotated in the absence of external forces, flowing through its own shape. In gravity, this creates the chain fountain effect, popularized with his science videos. Aboard the ISS, I helped test his theory! These loops were made from beaded chain and our EVA French clips used to tie things down during spacewalks. I wore nitrile gloves to prevent the chain from sticking to my fingers. It took many tries to produce this! A full video of our findings is now posted to his channel, which I have linked in the comments.

YouTuber Steve Mould hypothesized that a circular loop of chain would exhibit circumferential waves as it rotated in the absence of external forces, flowing through its own shape. In gravity, this creates the chain fountain effect, popularized with his science videos. Aboard the ISS, I helped test his theory! These loops were made from beaded chain and our EVA French clips used to tie things down during spacewalks. I wore nitrile gloves to prevent the chain from sticking to my fingers. It took many tries to produce this! A full video of our findings is now posted to his channel, which I have linked in the comments.

55,925 Aufrufe

How to change a camera lens……

How to change a camera lens……

813,160 Aufrufe

Gibraltar to Italy. Nothing like learning your geography, not from an atlas but from looking at the real thing.

Gibraltar to Italy. Nothing like learning your geography, not from an atlas but from looking at the real thing.

759,813 Aufrufe

Real-time sunset from orbit. They only last about 8 seconds from start to finish, but seeing 16 per day makes up for it! Timelapses through the transition can be challenging as the exposure overwhelms the camera's dynamic range.

Real-time sunset from orbit. They only last about 8 seconds from start to finish, but seeing 16 per day makes up for it! Timelapses through the transition can be challenging as the exposure overwhelms the camera's dynamic range.

141,348 Aufrufe

Homework problem for engineers, physics students, and various Uber-Geeks: The bright metal object in my hands is a 373.3kg (821.2 lbm) counter weight on @space_station. The facing side is 22.2cm (8.75 inches) wide. Calculate my mass. Post answers in questions.

Homework problem for engineers, physics students, and various Uber-Geeks: The bright metal object in my hands is a 373.3kg (821.2 lbm) counter weight on @space_station. The facing side is 22.2cm (8.75 inches) wide. Calculate my mass. Post answers in questions.

674,114 Aufrufe

Green vaporous turbulence; tonight’s show of aurora from International Space Station

Green vaporous turbulence; tonight’s show of aurora from International Space Station

539,043 Aufrufe

Consecutive flashes of Starlink satellites on Earth's horizon, preluding a grand entrance of comet C/2023 A3 at orbital dawn.

Consecutive flashes of Starlink satellites on Earth's horizon, preluding a grand entrance of comet C/2023 A3 at orbital dawn.

34,997 Aufrufe

How to change your camera battery in weightlessness.

How to change your camera battery in weightlessness.

248,323 Aufrufe

How to dispense pistachios when on orbit

How to dispense pistachios when on orbit

479,096 Aufrufe

Mother Earth, I am coming home.

Mother Earth, I am coming home.

298,534 Aufrufe

Aurora seen today from International Space Station while orbit was passing between Australia and Antartrica; photographer Jannicke Mikkelsen now on the private FRAM2 space mission will be having an even better view in their polar orbit.

Aurora seen today from International Space Station while orbit was passing between Australia and Antartrica; photographer Jannicke Mikkelsen now on the private FRAM2 space mission will be having an even better view in their polar orbit.

242,529 Aufrufe

Videos

Anya Rossi

sweetdream.ai

SweetDream.ai•Sponsored•Livecam

Watch Anya Live

Anya is streaming live right now! Join her private show and enjoy exclusive content.

Exclusive private shows

1.2k viewers online

Private Show

Join now for exclusive access

Free preview available • Premium content

Dragon orbiting across Europe into Asia.

Dragon orbiting across Europe into Asia.

64,113,141 Aufrufe • vor 1 Jahr

Orbiting over wavy green auroras! Moments like these are some of the most surreal in spaceflight. What a view!

Orbiting over wavy green auroras! Moments like these are some of the most surreal in spaceflight. What a view!

505,509 Aufrufe • vor 1 Monat

A new spin on orbital video.

A new spin on orbital video.

4,633,246 Aufrufe • vor 1 Jahr

In weightlessness, water can take forms that are not possible under normal gravitational conditions. One example being thin sheets, 500 microns thick, formed in a wire loop like in a soap film but here as pure water with no surfactant.

In weightlessness, water can take forms that are not possible under normal gravitational conditions. One example being thin sheets, 500 microns thick, formed in a wire loop like in a soap film but here as pure water with no surfactant.

873,565 Aufrufe • vor 5 Monaten

Spacewalking! The movie 2001 is one of my favorites, I had to try this as a 2025 tribute.

Spacewalking! The movie 2001 is one of my favorites, I had to try this as a 2025 tribute.

2,054,518 Aufrufe • vor 1 Jahr

The "Dzhanibekov effect", seen in a rotating object where it will flip its axis by 180 degrees, is demonstrated in microgravity with our camera.

The "Dzhanibekov effect", seen in a rotating object where it will flip its axis by 180 degrees, is demonstrated in microgravity with our camera.

934,655 Aufrufe • vor 11 Monaten

Having an Uber Geek moment on orbit; I took a Teflon knitting needle and got charged water drops to orbit around it.

Having an Uber Geek moment on orbit; I took a Teflon knitting needle and got charged water drops to orbit around it.

1,146,524 Aufrufe • vor 1 Jahr

Popping water balloons in space! Without gravity, surface tension pulls the bulk of the water together again into new blobs, even after the energy release from breaking the skin!

Popping water balloons in space! Without gravity, surface tension pulls the bulk of the water together again into new blobs, even after the energy release from breaking the skin!

124,519 Aufrufe • vor 2 Monaten

This was so fascinating. I had a teflon knitting needle on ishaan and charged it by rubbing with my Russian fur boots. Then I directed water droplets from a syringe towards the charged knitting needle and this is the resulting dynamics. The droplets, due to charge forces, go into a crazy orbit around the knitting needle. If planets were cylindrical this would be the orbit of its moons due to gravity. Canon G1 video camera, Expedition 30, 2012.

This was so fascinating. I had a teflon knitting needle on ishaan and charged it by rubbing with my Russian fur boots. Then I directed water droplets from a syringe towards the charged knitting needle and this is the resulting dynamics. The droplets, due to charge forces, go into a crazy orbit around the knitting needle. If planets were cylindrical this would be the orbit of its moons due to gravity. Canon G1 video camera, Expedition 30, 2012.

810,958 Aufrufe • vor 2 Jahren

In the weightlessness on International Space Station I placed a sphere of water with an air bubble on a speaker cone, then drove it with acoustical waves from the speaker. This created a series of standing nodes and anti-nodes that responded to the frequency and amplitude. A zero gravity Lava Lamp! Will post what happens when I drove this with some of my favorite rock and roll! From Expedition 31, 2012.

In the weightlessness on International Space Station I placed a sphere of water with an air bubble on a speaker cone, then drove it with acoustical waves from the speaker. This created a series of standing nodes and anti-nodes that responded to the frequency and amplitude. A zero gravity Lava Lamp! Will post what happens when I drove this with some of my favorite rock and roll! From Expedition 31, 2012.

876,513 Aufrufe • vor 2 Jahren

How to make planet Jupiter: 1) be on the International Space Station 2) make a thin film sphere of water 3) add food coloring 4) blow on the edge to create swirls This is way cool!

How to make planet Jupiter: 1) be on the International Space Station 2) make a thin film sphere of water 3) add food coloring 4) blow on the edge to create swirls This is way cool!

218,623 Aufrufe • vor 7 Monaten

POV of the space shuttle pitch maneuver! I filmed this from Endeavour on STS-126. The RPM was standard safety procedure to expose the heat shield to ISS for inspection. My commander was gracious enough to let me put a camera on the window to get this, now one of few such videos!

POV of the space shuttle pitch maneuver! I filmed this from Endeavour on STS-126. The RPM was standard safety procedure to expose the heat shield to ISS for inspection. My commander was gracious enough to let me put a camera on the window to get this, now one of few such videos!

101,288 Aufrufe • vor 3 Monaten

High speed frame by frame video of popping water balloons in 0g. It only takes 1-2 frames for the balloon skin to contract leaving the body of water to residual forces without the effects of gravity. Original movie shot at 420 frames per second and each frame sequentially shown for 1/2 second.

High speed frame by frame video of popping water balloons in 0g. It only takes 1-2 frames for the balloon skin to contract leaving the body of water to residual forces without the effects of gravity. Original movie shot at 420 frames per second and each frame sequentially shown for 1/2 second.

56,449 Aufrufe • vor 2 Monaten

Hello Mother Earth

Hello Mother Earth

288,528 Aufrufe • vor 1 Jahr

This is how I make my star trails. Sequences of still images assembled until the beauty of Earth from International Space Station reshapes into a new form by the forces of time, nature, and physics. Thanks to Christopher Malin for making this video clip from my Expedition 30 photographs.

This is how I make my star trails. Sequences of still images assembled until the beauty of Earth from International Space Station reshapes into a new form by the forces of time, nature, and physics. Thanks to Christopher Malin for making this video clip from my Expedition 30 photographs.

299,919 Aufrufe • vor 2 Jahren

Orbital motion of the ISS, visualized by sequentially adding the still frames of my star trails. Seen are stacking golden streaks of city lights and straight-line stars in our orbital direction. A surreal perspective of our Earth!

Orbital motion of the ISS, visualized by sequentially adding the still frames of my star trails. Seen are stacking golden streaks of city lights and straight-line stars in our orbital direction. A surreal perspective of our Earth!

109,553 Aufrufe • vor 9 Monaten

I am not the best "Yo-Yoer" on Earth. But in space, I have no competition!

I am not the best "Yo-Yoer" on Earth. But in space, I have no competition!

95,607 Aufrufe • vor 8 Monaten

Free flying propeller on ISS. Video is running at real speed. In weightlessness the propeller can slowly move through the cabin atmosphere.

Free flying propeller on ISS. Video is running at real speed. In weightlessness the propeller can slowly move through the cabin atmosphere.

150,099 Aufrufe • vor 1 Jahr

Orbital star trails showing satellites flashing white marks into the time history of arcing stars. When viewed up close, they remind me of scratches on a vinyl record!

Orbital star trails showing satellites flashing white marks into the time history of arcing stars. When viewed up close, they remind me of scratches on a vinyl record!

82,849 Aufrufe • vor 8 Monaten