NASA Releases Music Video Shot by Astronauts Aboard International Space Station
The video features vocals from Expedition 56 Commander Drew Feustel, who just happens to be more accomplished than anyone reading this.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration has posted a new video to its Youtube channel, combining high-def footage shot in space with original music about, y'know, being an astronaut. The music video starts with airy synthesizers and piano playing over views of the International Space Station. The instrumentation is then joined by vocals and guitar work from astronaut Drew Feustel, who has been living on the ISS since March of 2018.
According to the Youtube description, the song is an original piece created as a collaboration between Feustel and his friend Gord Sinclair, who formerly served as bass player of the Canadian rock band The Tragically Hip. The lyrics start out about the loneliness of travelling in space, and Feustel sings them as he stares down at the Earth through a small window. Halfway through the seven-minute song, the tone changes, and the singer comes to the conclusion that love from the people of Earth is "all around" those traveling in space.
Construction of the ISS began in 1998. Since 2000, it's been constantly occupied, and 230 astronauts from 18 different countries have spent time working on the station. For the past 20 years, the station has seen many expansions and upgrades, providing the crew with everything they need to live and perform effective experiments.
Drew Feustel serves as the commander for ISS Expedition 56, overseeing five other astronauts as they perform scientific exercises on board the orbiting vessel. A recent release from NASA states that Feustel's crew is making preparations to return home. They are currently swapping places with a new research team, Expedition 57. On Oct. 4, the astronauts will end their 197 days in space using a Soyuz spacecraft to depart the ISS and land in Kazakhstan.
Along with the music video, Feustel released an accompanying statement on Twitter, saying, "Special thanks to the crew of Expedition 55 and 56 for their support and participation in our human space exploration mission. I am ever thankful for the support of my family, friends, and colleagues."
