As the world watches the activities of NASA's SpaceX Crew-10 what is life like, aboard the International Space Station?

NASA Astronaut and retired U.S. Navy Captain Stephen G. Bowen can certainly answer that question.

Steve has flown four separate missions aboard the International Space Station. Most recently, he served as commander aboard NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 mission to the ISS, in 2023. Over the course of his career, he has conducted 10 spacewalks. In all, he's logged a cumulative total of 227 days in space.

And the best part of it, he says, is getting to work with his fellow astronauts towards the goals of each mission.

"There is no better feeling you'll have in life, than achieving something or succeeding as a team," he says.

In fact, those achievements included rebuilding parts of the ISS!

Steve says that his first three flights on the International Space Station included bringing up the galley for the U.S. side, a module for the Russian side and a new stowage module for equipment.

In addition, Steve and his crew members were involved in some very exciting research projects, from around the world, that could have some exciting implications for medical science in the future.

"What we learn on orbit really informs how we understand the world," he explains.

In this interview, recorded in early 2024, Steve talked about his background, offered a look at life aboard the International Space Station and explained some of the ways astronauts’ work in space can improve life on Earth.