Archivo de la etiqueta: International Space Station

Crew Observes Quiet Monday, Prepares for Upcoming Cargo Operations

All seven Expedition 67 crew members are enjoying a quiet Monday on station as the four astronauts and three cosmonauts relaxed for a three-day weekend. However, science is always ongoing on the International Space Station as researchers continuously explore how to stay healthy and work effectively in microgravity.

The septet will get back to a full work day on Tuesday and spend the rest of the week maintaining space station systems and conducting an array of advanced space research, including robotics and botany. However, NASA Flight Engineer Bob Hines did spend an hour-and-a-half on Monday tending to mizuna greens and radishes growing for the XROOTS space gardening study. Commander Oleg Artemyev from Roscosmos retrieved a set of nanosatellites from the Progress 81 resupply ship for assembly and future deployment.

Cargo craft operations will soon be keeping the crew busy as it plans for the departure of Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus space freighter slated to leave the station’s Unity module next week. Cygnus will be completing a four-month stay at the orbital lab when the Canadarm2 robotic arm releases the resupply ship from Unity for a fiery, but safe atmospheric reentry above the Pacific Ocean.

NASA and SpaceX officials met today to discuss the initial findings from additional inspections and testing of the Dragon spacecraft after teams measured elevated vapor readings of mono-methyl hydrazine (MMH) in an isolated region of the Dragon propulsion system. After offloading propellant from that region, SpaceX was able to narrow down the source of the issue to a Draco thruster valve inlet joint. Teams will now remove the specific hardware to replace it ahead of flight. NASA and SpaceX are now targeting no earlier than July 11 for launch of the CRS-25 cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station.

NASA TV will broadcast the Cygnus and Dragon mission events live on the agency’s app and its website after official dates and times are announced.

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Mark Garcia

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BEAM Work, Space Gardening, Free-Flying Robots End Crew Week

The Expedition 67 crew opened up BEAM, the International Space Station’s expandable module, today and conducted sensor checks and organized hardware. The orbital residents also continued their space botany and automated robotics research as well as ongoing cargo operations.

NASA Flight Engineers Jessica Watkins and Bob Hines partnered together inside the BEAM module today for systems checks after six years attached to the station’s Tranquility module. Watkins opened up BEAM on Friday morning then replaced batteries inside sensors that can detect impacts on the module. Hines retrieved cargo and cleaned vents inside BEAM.

Watkins started her day servicing laptop computers and replacing ethernet cables throughout the station’s U.S. and Russian modules. Hines worked in the Columbus laboratory module recirculating fluids and nourishing radishes and mizuna greens growing for the XROOTS botany study. The advanced space gardening experiment explores hydroponics and aeroponics growing techniques in microgravity.

NASA Flight Engineer Kjell Lindgren swapped experiment samples inside the Mochii electron microscope that is used to rapidly identify potentially harmful particles that could impact vehicles on space station as part of a study related to spacecraft engineering and safety. Astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti of ESA (European Space Agency) activated the Astrobee robotic free-flyers for a test of their ability to conduct automated science maneuvers using the smartphone video guidance sensor.

Cosmonauts Denis Matveev and Sergey Korsakov partnered together at the end of the week offloading new cargo delivered inside the Progress 81 resupply ship docked to the rear port of the Zvezda service module. Matveev earlier installed a camera that monitors the effects of natural and man-made Earth disasters while Korsakov replaced station fire extinguishers. Commander Oleg Artemyev inspected Russian Orlan spacesuit helmets then wrapped up his day working on computer and life support systems.

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.

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Mark Garcia

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Crew Works on Space Biology Gear, Practices Emergency Drill

The Expedition 67 crew spent Thursday servicing a variety of advanced space biology and human research hardware to learn how different organisms adapt to long-term microgravity.

NASA Flight Engineer Kjell Lindgren kicked off Thursday morning swapping centrifuges inside the Kibo laboratory module’s Cell Biology Experiment Facility (CBEF). The CBEF is an incubator that can house cells and plants while generating artificial gravity between 0.1 and 2.0 G during gravity contrast experiments. The life science research device is part of the Saibo Experiment Rack that houses science, power, and data transmission facilities.

NASA Flight Engineers Bob Hines and Jessica Watkins worked throughout Thursday on cargo operations inside the Cygnus space freighter ahead of its departure targeted for the end of June. Lindgren finalized the day’s cargo work in the afternoon before cleaning and inspecting hatch mechanisms in the station’s U.S. segment. Watkins also wrapped up her test session with the AstroRad radiation protection vest and completed a survey to document the specialized vest’s comfort and mobility.

ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti logged her food and beverage intake in a database in the morning for the NutrISS study that monitors an astronaut’s body composition in weightlessness. She later trained for Astrobee operations before joining Watkins to audit systems inside the Tranquility module. At the end of the day, she participated in the U.S. hatch inspections with Lindgren.

The orbiting lab’s three cosmonauts spent Thursday morning practicing an emergency evacuation drill on a computer. Commander Oleg Artemyev joined Flight Engineers Denis Matveev and Sergey Korsakov and simulated an unlikely emergency scenario that would require the threesome to quickly enter the Soyuz MS-21 crew ship, undock from the station, and descend toward Earth for a landing. The trio then split up in the afternoon and worked on an array of communications and life support systems.

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Mark Garcia

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Daylong Robotics as Crew Tests Advanced Attire aboard Station

Wednesday saw daylong automated robotics activities as the crew tested advanced attire while working aboard the International Space Station. The Expedition 67 crew also ensured communications and life support systems continued operating in tip-top shape today.

The Kibo laboratory module from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is the site of a pair of robotics free-flyers, known as Astrobees, autonomously navigating and performing maneuvering techniques today. NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins cleared Kibo of obstacles in the morning then activated the Astrobees for a day full of automated robotics operations.

The toaster-sized, cube-shaped devices are using uplinked command algorithms while downlinking video so scientists can monitor their automated abilities in real-time from the ground. Researchers are testing the robotic assistants for their ability to aid astronauts with routine tasks and monitor station systems, thus increasing mission effectiveness in space.

Watkins also continued testing the comfort and mobility of wearing a specialized radiation protection vest while working aboard the orbiting lab. She then serviced hardware supporting advanced combustion and physics experiments.

ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti tested another experimental garment today that monitors crew health. She wore a smart-shirt that is integrated with sensors and wirelessly transmits data about the performance of a crew member’s cardiovascular system in microgravity.

NASA Flight Engineers Kjell Lindgren and Bob Hines worked throughout Wednesday on a variety of station maintenance activities. Lindgren replaced components on the advanced resistive exercise device before inspecting hatch seals in the station’s U.S. segment. Hines measured airflows throughout the station then installed a scratch pane on a window inside the cupola.

Cosmonauts Oleg Artemyev and Sergey Korsakov were back on exercise research duty today studying ways to maximize the effectiveness of a workout in microgravity. Artemyev then set up Earth observation hardware while Korsakov checked out life support gear inside the Nauka multipurpose laboratory module. Flight Engineer Denis Matveev tested different methods of communicating with students on Earth then worked on ventilation systems and video recording hardware.

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Mark Garcia

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Crew Checks Station Sound Levels, Tests Radiation Protection Vest

A variety of research operations were on the schedule for the Expedition 67 crew today including hearing checks, radiation protection, and space botany. The four astronauts and three cosmonauts also focused on cargo operations and International Space Station maintenance throughout the day.

NASA and SpaceX now are targeting no earlier than June 28 for the launch of the cargo Dragon spacecraft flight, designated CRS-25, to the International Space Station, pending variables, including availability on the Eastern Range and space station scheduling. The joint teams stood down from a launch attempt this week after elevated vapor readings were measured during propellant loading of the Dragon.

Flight Engineers Samantha Cristoforetti of ESA (European Space Agency) and Kjell Lindgren of NASA took turns monitoring the noise levels they are exposed to while working on the orbiting lab. Cristoforetti attached the Acoustic Diagnostics device to herself in the morning capturing and recording sound level data. She then handed over the audio hardware to Lindgren in the afternoon so he could begin his acoustic monitoring session.

NASA Flight Engineer Jessica Watkins tried on the AstroRad radiation protection vest Tuesday morning. The specialized vest is being tested for its ability to protect against solar particle events while providing comfort during normal station activities.

NASA Flight Engineer Bob Hines was back on gardening duty as he replaced seed cartridges and tended to radishes and mizuna greens growing for the XROOTS space botany study. Hines and Watkins then partnered together in the afternoon for packing activities inside the Cygnus space freighter ahead of its departure planned for late June.

Cosmonauts Oleg Artemyev and Sergey Korsakov continued their exercise research today learning how to maximize the effectiveness of a workout in microgravity. The duo then split up and serviced a variety of communications and life support gear. Roscosmos Flight Engineer Denis Matveev started his day with an Earth photography session then moved on to cargo transfer tasks inside the Progress 80 resupply ship docked to the Poisk module.

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Mark Garcia

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