Solar Cycle 25 has begun. During a media event on Tuesday, experts from NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) discussed their analysis and predictions about the new solar cycle – and how the coming upswing in space weather will impact our lives and technology on Earth, as well as astronauts in space.
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Dr. Frank Rubio was selected by NASA to join the 2017 Astronaut Candidate Class. He reported for duty in August 2017 and having completed the initial astronaut candidate training is now eligible for a mission assignment.
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The Expedition 63 crew started the workweek checking out hardware supporting life science, combustion research and ongoing Earth observations. A Russian cargo craft docked to the International Space Station is also being packed with old gear for disposal toward the end of the year.
The multitude of microgravity research that takes place every day on the orbiting lab, requires regular maintenance and monitoring by the crew or scientists on the ground. The ongoing research supports innovative applications and insights benefitting Earth and space industries.
Today, Commander Chris Cassidy serviced an advanced space microscope and swapped components supporting safe combustion investigations. Cassidy first configured the Light Microscopy Module, part of the Fluids Integrated Rack, which supports basic physics and biology research. Next, the veteran NASA astronaut replaced a burner and igniter tip inside the Combustion Integrated Rack that supports fuel and flame research.
On the Russian side of the space station, two cosmonauts focused on their slate of space research and lab maintenance.
Veteran Roscosmos Flight Engineer Anatoly Ivanishin tested battery temperatures and connections then took a 90-minute fitness test on the Zvezda service module’s treadmill. During the afternoon, Ivanishin changed out dust filters before activating hardware that measures the Earth’s nighttime atmosphere in near-ultraviolet wavelengths.
Cosmonaut Ivan Vagner, five weeks away from ending his first long-term space mission, joined Ivanishin for the morning battery inspections. Afterward, the first-time space flyer packed Russia’s Progress 75 cargo craft, docked to Zvezda’s rear port, with old and discarded station gear for disposal at the beginning of December.
Learn more about station activities by following the space station blog, @space_station and @ISS_Research on Twitter, as well as the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts.
Mark Garcia
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NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement is kicking off the new school year with Join Artemis Week, today through Sept. 18, with resources and opportunities to inspire and engage students of all ages in the future of space exploration.
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During her first mission to space and to the International Space Station, Kate Rubins became the first person to sequence DNA in space.
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