Japanese Astronaut Observes Two Typhoons from Space Station
On October 9, 2025, Kimiya Yui, a Japanese astronaut aboard the International Space Station (ISS), provided a unique perspective on two powerful typhoons. His observations come as routine updates from the ISS have been disrupted due to the ongoing U.S. government shutdown. Yui, who serves as a flight engineer for Expedition 73, documented the storms on social media, sharing critical insights from his vantage point in orbit.
Observations from Orbit
Yui reported on both Typhoon 22 and Typhoon 23, describing the changing conditions of the storms. He noted that the eye of Typhoon 22 appeared to be less distinct but remained intense. “The eye of Typhoon 22 has become somewhat unclear, but it still appears to be maintaining its strong intensity as before,” he wrote. He also remarked on Typhoon 23, stating, “It is swirling with thick rain clouds on its southern side.” His posts emphasized the importance of safety, urging those affected to keep updated on the latest information regarding the storms.
Typhoons, which are equivalent to hurricanes in the Atlantic, are classified as tropical cyclones. Observing such phenomena from space offers scientists valuable data on storm behavior and development.
International Space Station Activities
In addition to monitoring weather patterns, Yui has been engaged in various maintenance tasks aboard the ISS. He collaborated with his crew and ground controllers to prepare the Canadarm2, the station’s robotic arm, for upcoming missions. This week’s focus included checking out the PROX device, which will assist in the approach of Japan’s next-generation cargo vehicle, the HTV-X.
Yui expressed enthusiasm about his role in the upcoming mission, stating, “Preparations to welcome HTV-X to the ISS are steadily progressing. Just like with Kounotori-kun, I’ve been assigned to operate the arm and grasp it this time as well. The responsibility is significant, but I’ll cooperate with everyone to reliably carry out the mission!”
As of October 10, 2025, the ISS is home to seven crew members, including Yui, who is joined by Sergey Ryzhikov, Alexey Zubritsky, and Oleg Platonov from Roscosmos, as well as NASA astronauts Jonny Kim, Zena Cardman, and Mike Fincke.
The station currently has two docked crew spacecraft: SpaceX’s Dragon “Endeavour” and Roscosmos’ Soyuz MS-27. Additionally, there are four cargo spacecraft attached, including two Progress vehicles from Roscosmos and vessels from SpaceX and Northrop Grumman. The ISS has been continuously crewed for an impressive 24 years, 11 months, and 8 days, marking a significant milestone in human space exploration.
Yui’s observations and updates not only highlight the ongoing scientific work aboard the ISS but also provide a glimpse into the powerful forces of nature as seen from space, reinforcing the importance of monitoring such phenomena for both scientific and safety purposes.
