Supervisor Elham AbolFateh
Editor in Chief Mohamed Wadie

Astronaut Captures Stunning Pyramids Photo on Last Day at ISS


Thu 04 Apr 2024 | 10:36 AM
Israa Farhan

Recently, American astronaut Terry Virts, during his tenure aboard the International Space Station (ISS), seized a breathtaking view of the pyramids of Giza.

Astronauts, privileged to explore the vast expanse of space, offer a unique perspective of our world.

While NASA often shares mesmerizing images of celestial wonders, glimpses of man-made marvels from space remain rare.

This remarkable feat, reported by IFL Science, captured the essence of human ingenuity against the cosmic backdrop.

Virts, utilizing the X platform, shared a captivating snapshot of the pyramids accompanied by a caption, "It took me until my last day in space to get a good picture of these!"

This moment held special significance for Virts, who had endeavored for six months to capture this specific image while residing and working on the ISS. Remarkably, his aspiration was realized on the final day of his space journey.

In 2015, Virts, as part of the Soyuz TMA-15M mission, assumed command for Expedition 43, embarking on a Russian Soyuz spacecraft that docked at the ISS. Spending 200 days in space conducting scientific experiments and spacewalks, he returned safely to Earth, landing in Kazakhstan.

Throughout his seven-month mission, Virts demonstrated remarkable productivity, capturing over 319,275 aerial photos of Earth and life aboard the orbiting laboratory, setting a record for the most images taken in space, as reported by Greenville Journal.

His book, "View From Above: An Astronaut Photographs the World," showcases stunning visuals, including lightning storms over the Himalayan Mountains, the ice fields of Patagonia, and the pyramids of Egypt, offering a unique perspective of Earth's natural beauty.

In an interview with Greenville Journal, Virts emphasized the significance of space photography, stating, "Most people will never get a chance to visit space, so my goal with this book was to share the experience as best as I could through words and photos."

Retiring from NASA in 2016, Virts concluded his illustrious career, leaving behind a legacy of contributions that significantly advanced human spaceflight and NASA's mission success.