Investor confidence remained fragile after the downgrades and in light of Greece's rocky negotiations with international creditors to restructure its debt and stave off default.
If it's the sonic equivalent of darkness and what may be lurking there, then Gibson's fragile voice and plaintively strummed guitar soon emerge as a flicker of light.
The blog posts and photos afford readers a glimpse of life on the massive orbiting outpost, and by shining a light on Earth from space, Garan and his colleagues hope to mobilize people to improve the conditions on our fragile planet.