# @nasa on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/CqbQzjyJK3S
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/5226558-nasa-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/28dfb0ccb2.jpg
- **Posted:** 2023-03-30T20:10:22.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** NASA (@NASA) — https://gondola.cc/NASA

## Caption

Please let this be a normal field trip.
With #Crew4? No way!

During their homecoming tour of DC this week, the astronauts of our Crew-4 mission to the iss had a chance to take a field trip to the airandspacemuseum There, they checked out a replica of the Space Station’s cupola.

While in orbit about 250 miles (402 km) above Earth, the crew spent many days peering out of the windows of the real cupola—arguably the best view on, or off, Earth. However, the cupola isn’t designed for just jaw-dropping views: this windowed section of the Space Station is also used by the crew when they’re controlling the robotic arms on the exterior of the station or when assisting in docking an approaching spacecraft. 

The Earth-facing windows also provide a valuable perspective to catalog our changing planet. Since the 1960s, astronauts have taken over 1.5 million images of Earth, recording how the planet is changing over time.

Image description 1: The Crew-4 astronauts Kjell Lindgren, left, Jessica Watkins, center, and Bob Hines, right, take in the view from the interactive recreation of the ISS cupola in the One World Connected gallery at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum. This artificial recreation of the cupola features a screen showing orbital Earth imagery imitating the real views of the ISS. Credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky
 
Image description 2: Astronaut Jessica Watkins floats in the real cupola aboard the ISS. Outside the window, the solar panels of resupply spacecraft are visible as well as the Earth’s reflection. Loose wiring and electronics are visible along the sides of the image. Credit: NASA
 
Image description 3: Astronauts Bob Hines and Jessica Watkins smile from inside the cupola. The perspective of this image was captured by an approaching spacecraft; the white protective exterior of the cupola is visible, with its window covers open. Credit: NASA
 
#NASA #Space #SpaceStation #Museum #ISS #Orbit #Earth #MagicSchoolBus #Astronaut

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## Tags

spacestation, earth, nasa, iss, space, orbit, crew4, astronaut, museum, magicschoolbus

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