Spot The Space Station Over Your Backyard With New NASA Service

Nov. 2, 2012

Rachel Kraft
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1100
rachel.h.kraft@nasa.gov

Josh Byerly
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
josh.byerly@nasa.gov


RELEASE: 12-384

SPOT THE SPACE STATION OVER YOUR BACKYARD WITH NEW NASA SERVICE

WASHINGTON -- On the 12th anniversary of crews continuously living and
working aboard the International Space Station, NASA announced Friday
a new service to help people see the orbiting laboratory when it
passes overhead. "Spot the Station" will send an email or text
message to those who sign up for the service a few hours before they
will be able to see the space station.

"It's really remarkable to see the space station fly overhead and to
realize humans built an orbital complex that can be spotted from
Earth by almost anyone looking up at just the right moment," said
William Gerstenmaier, NASA's associate administrator for human
exploration and operations. "We're accomplishing science on the space
station that is helping to improve life on Earth and paving the way
for future exploration of deep space."

When the space station is visible -- typically at dawn and dusk -- it
is the brightest object in the night sky, other than the moon. On a
clear night, the station is visible as a fast moving point of light,
similar in size and brightness to the planet Venus. "Spot the
Station" users will have the options to receive alerts about morning,
evening or both types of sightings.

The International Space Station's trajectory passes over more than 90
percent of Earth's population. The service is designed to only notify
users of passes that are high enough in the sky to be easily visible
over trees, buildings and other objects on the horizon. NASA's
Johnson Space Center calculates the sighting information several
times a week for more than 4,600 locations worldwide, all of which
are available on "Spot the Station."

Nov. 2 marks 12 years of continuous human habitation of the space
station.

To sign up for "Spot the Station," visit:

http://spotthestation.nasa.gov

For information about the International Space Station and a full list
of sightings, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/station


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