Live Viewing: Space Station Expedition 69 Passes Over Hurricane Idalia

On Tuesday, August 29, 2023, at 11:35 a.m. EDT, the International Space Station's external cameras captured striking visuals of Hurricane Idalia gaining strength. The station was soaring 260 miles above, and at that moment, Idalia was positioned over the eastern Gulf of Mexico, southwest of Florida. It held the status of a Category 1 storm with wind speeds reaching 85 miles per hour. As the station passed overhead, Idalia was on a northern trajectory, heading towards an anticipated landfall around Florida's Big Bend area on August 30. The National Hurricane Center warned that by that time, Idalia might have escalated to a Category 3 hurricane or even stronger. This intensification could lead to the formation of a highly dangerous storm surge, posing a significant threat to life and safety.