--- title: "No, These Aren’t Weird Visitors on the Outside of the Space Station" description: "Honestly, Kinda Cute Ever feel like you're being watched? ISS Cosmonaut Sergey Korsakav did during the undocking of Roscosmos spacecraft Progress MS-18, tweeting a photo of what appeared to be a pair of \"stowaways\" gripping to the side of the un-crewed freighter. Korsakav has a knack for sharing fascinating imagery taken from the International Space Station, […]" date: "2022-06-06" modified: "2022-06-06" authors: - name: "Maggie Harrison Dupré" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/mharrison" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/cosmonaut-photo-progress-18" categories: - "Off-World" - "Space" tags: - "cosmonaut" - "interational space station" - "SETI" - "the digest" --- # No, These Aren’t Weird Visitors on the Outside of the Space Station ![During the undocking of Roscosmos spacecraft Progress MS-18, ISS Cosmonaut Sergey Korsakav discovered "stowaways" gripping the un-crewed freighter.]() *\Image: Serg Korsakov\* ## Honestly, Kinda Cute Ever feel like you're being watched? ISS Cosmonaut Sergey Korsakov did during the undocking of Roscosmos spacecraft Progress MS-18, [tweeting a photo]() of what appeared to be a pair of "stowaways" gripping to the side of the un-crewed freighter. https://twitter.com/SergKorsakov/status/1531993133835239425 Korsakov has a knack for sharing fascinating imagery taken from the International Space Station, including a beautiful — [and puzzling]() — snapshot of a Moon-shaped ice crystal discovered on an ISS window. Twitter users chimed in with quips about who the endearing eyes might belong to. Daleks from "Doctor Who" and R2-D2 from "Star Wars" seemed to be the most popular answers, among a slew of other fictional characters. Gremlins [also got a mention](), which we don't totally see, but to each their own. ## Drama! Thankfully, these [surprising little space barnacles]() are really just lights captured at the right time, not spies from any [evil alien civilizations]() lurking in the Milky Way. Probably. An alien run-in at ISS right now, it's worth pointing out, would be terrible timing. The space travel community [hasn't exactly been drama-free]() lately, due in large part to the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, as well as [China's recent (and potentially sabotaged) efforts]() to expand its own space station. But despite some reportedly [awkward movie nights]() and [false marooning rumors](), relations between astronauts onboard the US-and-Russia controlled space station have remained [birthday party-level]() peaceful. Which is encouraging, given the tension here on the ground. We could all use a laugh — and a moment of wonder — at a great photo by a space traveler. **More ISS news:** [*NASA Astronauts Spotted Eating Nasty Looking Pizza on Space Station*]() ## Author At Futurism, I've reported extensively on the rise of AI as a cultural and business force shaping the media industry, and more broadly how those dynamics are changing how we all consume and share information and relate to one another. I'm also fascinated by public health policy and ethics, the role of emerging tech in politics and governance — and the powerful people and forces at those intersections — climate change, and the environment. My investigation on Sports Illustrated's use of AI-generated authors with fictional biographies won a 2024 Mirror Award for "Best Story on Media Coverage of Artificial Intelligence in Journalism and the Media" from Syracuse University's SI Newhouse School, I contributed to Niemen Lab's 2025 Predictions for Journalism series, and I've discussed my work for Futurism during appearances on NPR, CNN, the BBC, the CBC, and more. I grew up in rural Pennsylvania and attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where I played Division I field hockey for the Minutewomen as a midfielder. Since then, I've lived in New Orleans, Louisiana and Manhattan, New York. I spend my free time running, reading, perusing archival fashion, and searching for the world’s best negroni. I also have a debonair tuxedo cat, Westley, who's named after "The Princess Bride." ### Author social links [Bluesky]()