SQuARE archaeological investigation aboard the space station

iss066e114158 (Jan. 15, 2022) --- NASA astronaut and expedition 66 Flight Engineer Kayla Barron snaps pictures of a sample “pit” aboard the International Space Station as part of the SQuARE experiment. This study is adapted from the standard archaeological technique on Earth called the “shovel test pit” and tracks the use and movement of objects in several sample sites throughout the orbiting laboratory. Crew members marked off the sample sites and took pictures at approximately the same every day, and then at randomly selected times. Scientists on the ground will analyze the images to understand how astronauts use objects and spaces over an extended period of time. What we learn could inform design of future space habitats. Credits: International Space Station Archeological Project/NASA