Astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) get to conduct some exceptionally interesting and amazing space experiments. NASA astronaut Randy Bresnik shared an amazing video showing off how fidget spinners work in zero-gravity, which according to Randy Bresnik a "an enormously great way to experiment Newton's famous laws of motion".
The video features astronauts Mark T Vande Hei, Joseph Acaba, Randy Bresnik, and Paolo Nespoli, all of whom are currently aboard the space station, as well as a NASA branded fidget spinner. In the video, not only the fidget spinner but the astronauts also take a turn at spinning, giving us a glimpse of how much fun the scientists have in space.
"Allowing the fidget spinner to float reduces the bearing friction by permitting the rate of the central ring and outer spinner to equalise, and the whole thing spins as a unit," Bresnik wrote in a tweet. Bresnik also posted a tweet, sharing a space selfie, explaining that it’s "harder than you'd think" to take a photo of yourself in space. "Put on some oven mitts and try finding the shutter button," Bresnik said.
Astronauts aboard the space station perform multiple experiments throughout their stay. In July, the ISS crew welcomed a new member, a tiny floating camera-bot called Int-Ball, to help them with work on experiments. Space station astronauts also perform spacewalks to carry out repairs on the ISS and conduct further experiments. For instance, in August, astronauts performing a six-hour-long spacewalk deployed five mini satellites into space.
Watch the video below: