NASA and ESA release 8K video to commemorate 18 years of life and science on the ISS

2 November 2018 marked eighteen years since the last day there was no human in space. Once the International Space Station (ISS) was up and running by mid-2000s, the NASA mission Expedition-1 on 2 November 2000 carried the first astronauts that would live on the space station. Since then, the ISS facilitated a permanent human presence in space — with regular shuttle missions to carry out experiments, repairs and upgrades aboard the station. To commemorate the occasion, NASA released its first 8K ultra high-definition video with footage of the astronauts as they work and carry out experiments — all in 8192 x 4320-pixel glory.

Today marks the 18th anniversary of humanity’s permanent presence in space! Ever since Nov. 2, 2000, the @Space_Station has always had a crew. The station was only a couple of modules back then, but it has grown tremendously in size! Take a look: https://t.co/DOB7s0zZck pic.twitter.com/PcMuDHxszC

— NASA (@NASA) November 2, 2018

The video was a collaborative project between NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) to give space enthusiasts a feel of life on the ISS.

Among the cool experiments featured is the BCAT-CS — a quartz/clay system to study molecular forces between particles that cluster together. Another recent addition to the ISS — the Advanced Plant Habitat — is an experiment in how plants grown in space are different from those grown on Earth, is introduced in brilliant, 8K resolution. Also making an appearance is former commander of the ISS, NASA astronaut Drew Feustal, who works on the Atomisation experiment to study how jets of water can improve the combustion process in engines.

“Get closer to the in-space experience and see how the international partnership-powered human spaceflight is improving lives on Earth while enabling humanity to explore the universe,” NASA proclaimed in a press release. NASA added that the video was filmed with a Helium 8K camera from RED, the same firm that made the 4K shoot in space possible. “This new footage showcases the story of human spaceflight in more vivid detail than ever before,” Dylan Mathis, communications manager for the ISS Program at NASA, told the press.