NASA astronaut Don Pettit is preparing for his fourth space mission, set to launch on September 11 aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft. Joining him will be cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner, with the crew departing from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
Pettit, now 69 years old, will spend six months in space, adding to his impressive total of 370 days in orbit. Reflecting on his passion for space, Pettit shared, “Some people are born to be cowboys and ride a horse. I’m born to ride a rocket and be in space.”
Known for his inventive nature in space, Pettit has earned the nickname “Space MacGyver.” One of his most famous creations is the Capillary Beverage, or Space Cup, which uses surface tension and container shape to allow astronauts to drink without a straw, mimicking gravity’s role in drinking on Earth. His curiosity extends to everyday items as well; he once demonstrated how charged water droplets could orbit a knitting needle, showing electrostatic behavior similar to charged particles in Earth’s magnetic field. These kinds of observations may aid in the design of future spacecraft systems.
Pettit’s creative side also shows in his photography, where he enjoys capturing nighttime imagery and light trails from the International Space Station (ISS). With new camera equipment on board, he’s excited to push his photography to the next level.
Since his last mission in 2013, Pettit has remained active, keeping his photography skills sharp. He regularly uses NASA’s professional-level cameras to maintain expertise, saying, “You need to use it, at least for me, every week.” Now, as he readies for this next chapter in his space career, Pettit is eager to continue exploring, tinkering, and capturing the beauty of Earth from above.