For 20 years, astronauts have been shooting photos of Earth from the space station. Like everything the astronauts do, they are trained for this job. And like everything they do, there is purpose and intention behind it.

Learn more about astronaut photography and the ESRS team in parts 2 & 3 of the series:
Picturing Earth: Window On The World
Picturing Earth: Behind the Scenes

Transcript/Subtitle file

Writers and producers: Kathryn Hansen and Michael Carlowicz
Footage contributed by Pola Lem
Images: Astronaut photographs are provided by the ISS Crew Earth Observations Facility and the Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, Johnson Space Center. Action video from ISS provided by NASA Johnson Space Center. Visit the EO astronaut photography collection.
Music: “Science Technology Background” by SFRecordsMusic October 20, 2020