Archivo de la etiqueta: International Space Station

Station Crew Keeps Up Advanced Space Research, Waits for Crew-10 Mission

Expedition 72 will wait a couple of more days for the arrival of the SpaceX Crew-10 mission as support personnel work a ground issue at the launchpad. Meanwhile, the International Space Station stayed busy with host a microgravity research exploring robotics, combustion, and adaptation to weightlessness.

Crew-10 is now targeted to launch to the orbital outpost no earlier than 7:03 p.m. EDT on Friday. Engineers at Kennedy Space Center are investigating a hydraulic system issue with a ground support clamp arm for the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at the launch pad. For an on-time launch, the Dragon crew spacecraft carrying NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov would dock to the orbital outpost’s Harmony module at 11:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Space science kept the crew aboard the station busy on Thursday as the astronauts and cosmonauts explored a variety of microgravity phenomena benefitting humans living on and off the Earth.

NASA Flight Engineer Butch Wilmore activated an Astrobee robotic free-flyer in the Kibo laboratory module and outfitted the device with tentacle-like grippers. Next, Astrobee demonstrated autonomously detecting and grappling a “capture cube.” Results may enable future space systems to remove space debris and extend the life of satellites.

NASA Flight Engineers Suni Williams and Don Pettit spent their shift servicing gear for two different combustion experiments. Williams opened up the Electrostatic Levitation Furnace and exchanged samples in the research device that safely heats materials to extreme temperatures to observe their thermophysical properties. Pettit swapped samples and installed new hardware inside the Combustion Integrated Rack for an investigation to understand fire growth and material flammability in space to promote spacecraft fire safety.

NASA Flight Engineer Nick Hague spent his day primarily on maintenance tasks inside the orbital outpost. Hague first measured the airflow coming from the ventilation system located in Harmony’s overhead crew quarters. He then spent the rest of the day inspecting and cleaning hatch seals throughout the space station’s U.S. segment.

Roscosmos cosmonauts Aleksandr Gorbunov and Ivan Vagner once again tested the lower body negative pressure suit that may help pull fluids from the upper body and counteract space-caused head and eye pressure. Vagner later studied how a crew member’s vision, balance, and spatial orientation adjusts to microgravity while attached to electrodes and wearing virtual reality goggles. Station Commander Alexey Ovchinin started his day servicing Roscosmos life support gear before continuing to check communications and power components on Orlan spacesuits.

Learn more about station activities by following the space station blog, @space_station and @ISS_Research on X, as well as the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts.

Get the latest from NASA delivered every week. Subscribe here: https://www.nasa.gov/subscribe

Powered by WPeMatico

Get The Details…

Mark A. Garcia

Cardiovascular Health and Space Botany Day Before Crew-10 Launch

The Expedition 72 crew kept up its space research activities on Tuesday while also preparing to split up after the SpaceX Crew-10 mission arrives this week. Spacesuit checks and lab maintenance duties rounded out the day aboard the International Space Station as the orbital outpost reached a milestone 150,000 orbits around the Earth.

Doctors are researching the cardiovascular risk for astronauts living and working in space for long durations. One issue they are concerned about is aging-like changes seen in a crewmember’s arteries. The long-running Vascular Aging investigation looks at these space-caused symptoms to decrease the health risk for astronauts and treat aging conditions on Earth. NASA Flight Engineers Nick Hague and Don Pettit kicked off their shift doing blood work for one portion of the study looking at glucose tolerance. Hague collected his blood samples and handed them over to Pettit who spun them in a centrifuge. Afterward, Hague inserted the blood specimens inside a science freezer then stowed the research hardware completing the experiment run.

Pettit, with help from NASA Flight Engineer Butch Wilmore, also tended to Red Romaine lettuce plants growing inside the Advanced Plant Habitat as they both checked the temperature inside the space botany research device located in the Kibo laboratory module. The lettuce is growing for the Plant Habitat-07 study to learn how to grow crops on future space missions.

Wilmore earlier joined NASA astronaut Suni Williams and continued packing for their upcoming departure aboard the SpaceX Dragon crew spacecraft with Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov. The quartet joined each other at the end of the day on Tuesday and inspected the pressure suits and communication gear they will wear during the return to Earth ending the SpaceX Crew-9 mission. The homebound foursome will begin its crew handover activities once Crew-10 joins the station crew later this week.

Crew-10 is targeted to lift off at 7:48 p.m. EDT on Wednesday from Kennedy Space Center in Florida to the orbiting lab. Commander Anne McClain will lead Pilot Nichole Ayers, both NASA astronauts, and Mission Specialists Takuya Onishi from JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) and Kirill Peskov from Roscosmos aboard the SpaceX Dragon crew spacecraft. After docking to the Harmony module’s forward port, opening the hatch, and entering the station the Crew-10 members will become Expedition 72 flight engineers.

Gorbunov joined fellow Flight Engineer Ivan Vagner from Roscosmos and tried on a specialized suit that may prevent fluids from accumulating in a crew member’s upper body due to microgravity. The lower body negative pressure suit may help pull fluids from the upper body and counteract space-caused head and eye pressure. Flight Engineer Alexey Ovchinin spent his day in the Poisk module checking life support components on an Orlan spacesuit.

Learn more about station activities by following the space station blog, @space_station and @ISS_Research on X, as well as the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts.

Get the latest from NASA delivered every week. Subscribe here: https://www.nasa.gov/subscribe

Powered by WPeMatico

Get The Details…

Mark A. Garcia

Station Readies for Upcoming SpaceX Crew Swap, Keeps Up Space Research

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket that will launch the Crew-10 mission aboard the Dragon crew spacecraft to the International Space Station stands at its launch pad at Kennedy Space Center in Florida today. Crew-10 is counting down to its liftoff targeted for 7:48 p.m. EDT on Wednesday with NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov. For an on-time launch, the Crew-10 foursome would dock to the orbital outpost at 6 a.m. on Thursday and begin their long-duration mission as Expedition 72 flight engineers.

Following the arrival of the new crewmates and after a handover period, four orbital residents will return to Earth aboard another Dragon crew spacecraft ending the Crew-9 mission. NASA astronaut Nick Hague will command Dragon from undocking to its splashdown carrying NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov. The quartet has spent the last couple of weeks packing cargo and personal items inside Dragon as well as training on procedures for the upcoming departure.

As crew swap activities are underway, advanced space science and lab maintenance continued aboard the orbital outpost on Monday. Hague once again strapped electrodes to his legs that sent electrical signals from a control unit to stimulate his muscles. Results may improve muscle function, shorten workout sessions, and lead to lighter exercise equipment offsetting space-caused muscle atrophy. NASA Flight Engineer Don Pettit stowed research gear and checked out other components that supported the Cell Gravisensing experiment observing how cells respond to microgravity helping scientists develop additional ways to treat muscle and bone loss in space and on Earth.

Williams and Wilmore spent Monday on station upkeep while also gearing up for the end of their mission. Williams rerouted and reconnected power and data lines in the Columbus laboratory module while Wilmore tested wireless gear inside the Unity module. Next, the duo set up standard emergency hardware in preparation for Crew-10’s arrival then continued packing for their upcoming departure.

Gorbunov joined his fellow cosmonauts station Commander Alexey Ovchinin and Flight Engineer Ivan Vagner and continued unpacking the Progress 91 cargo craft and updated computer documentation required after the arrival of a new spacecraft. Ovchinin and Vagner then entered the Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft docked to the Rassvet module and performed a fit test with their launch and entry suits.

Learn more about station activities by following the space station blog, @space_station and @ISS_Research on X, as well as the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts.

Get the latest from NASA delivered every week. Subscribe here: https://www.nasa.gov/subscribe

Powered by WPeMatico

Get The Details…

Mark A. Garcia

Station Swaps Commanders and Keeps Up Research Before Crew Swap

Expedition 72 changed commanders today as a new crew prepares to launch to the International Space Station and four orbital residents get ready to return to Earth. Meanwhile, human research, fluid physics, and spacesuits wrapped up the end of the week aboard the orbital outpost.

NASA astronaut Suni Williams handed over command of the space station to Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin during the change of command ceremony today. Williams remarked during the event, “Just wanted to say thank you to everybody around the world, all the control centers, friends and family who are out there, all our trainers, all of the folks who have gotten us ready to come here and fly in space.”

Williams now turns her attention to her return to Earth with fellow crewmates Nick Hague and Butch Wilmore from NASA and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov. The homebound SpaceX Crew-9 members will wait for the launch and arrival of the SpaceX Crew-10 mission targeted for March 12 and 13 before returning to Earth after a handover period.

The Crew-10 members Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers of NASA, Takuya Onishi of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), and Kirill Peskov of Roscosmos will officially become Expedition 72 crew members when they open the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft hatch and enter the orbiting lab. Ovchinin will stay in space until mid-April with Flight Engineers Don Pettit of NASA and Ivan Vagner of Roscosmos.

Advanced microgravity science continued on Friday as the astronauts and cosmonauts studied the effects of exercising in space, space-caused bone loss, futuristic piloting techniques, and more at the end of the week.

Hague began his day collecting his blood samples for processing and later analysis. The specimens will be examined as part of a study exploring bone loss during space missions and bone recovery after returning to Earth’s gravity. Next, Hague pedaled on an exercise cycle while attached to electrodes and sensors measuring how weightlessness affects his aerobic fitness.

Pettit installed physics research hardware inside the Microgravity Science Glovebox to observe how fluids behave in weightlessness. The experiment gear located in the Destiny laboratory module will explore using temperature fields to separate viruses from biological fluids and promote disease detection and space materials development.

Wilmore spent most of his day swapping radio gear on a pair of spacesuits in the Quest airlock before packing his personal items ahead of his upcoming departure. Williams took a test measuring how living in space affects her cognitive abilities, inspected the Harmony module’s forward hatch, then replaced orbital plumbing components in the Tranquility module.

Gorbunov tried on a specialized suit, with assistance from Vagner, that may prevent fluids from accumulating in a crew member’s upper body caused by living in weightlessness. The lower body negative pressure suit is being tested for its ability to pull fluid from the upper body counteracting space-caused head and eye pressure. Ovchinin spent his day on science exploring how future crews may pilot spacecraft and robots, blood circulation in microgravity, and hybrid life support systems.

Learn more about station activities by following the space station blog, @space_station and @ISS_Research on X, as well as the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts.

Get the latest from NASA delivered every week. Subscribe here: https://www.nasa.gov/subscribe

Powered by WPeMatico

Get The Details…

Mark A. Garcia

Station Preps for Command Change, Conducts Heart and Bone Research

The Expedition 72 crew will change commanders on Friday as four crewmates prepare for their return to Earth. Meanwhile, the International Space Station residents continued their ongoing human research activities while unpacking supplies from a new cargo craft.

Station Preps for Command Change, Conducts Heart and Bone Research

NASA astronaut and station Commander Suni Williams will hand over leadership of the orbital outpost to Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin during a change of command ceremony at 1:55 p.m. EST on Friday. NASA+ will broadcast the event with all seven crew members as Williams and Ovchinin give remarks before turning their attention to crew swap activities.

Williams will return to Earth aboard the SpaceX Dragon crew spacecraft with NASA astronauts Nick Hague and Butch Wilmore and cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov ending the SpaceX Crew-9 mission. The homebound quartet will leave the space station a few days after the SpaceX Crew-10 mission launches next week. Ovchinin will stay aboard the station with Flight Engineers Don Pettit of NASA and Ivan Vagner of Roscosmos until mid-April.

The Crew-9 foursome spent the second half of their shift on Thursday continuing preparations for a return to Earth by practicing Dragon undocking and deorbit procedures on a computer. All four crewmates also called down to Earth and discussed return operations with mission controllers. Williams and Wilmore wrapped up their day familiarizing themselves with Dragon systems.

The SpaceX Crew-10 mission is targeted to launch aboard the Dragon crew spacecraft at 7:48 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, March 12, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers will command and pilot the Crew-10 mission with Takuya Onishi of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) and Kirill Peskov of Roscosmos serving as Mission Specialists. Crew-10 is targeted to dock to the Harmony module’s forward port at 10 a.m. on Thursday, March 13.

The orbital residents spent Thursday keeping up their space biology activities filling in researchers with the latest data on how a crew member’s body adapts to weightlessness. Hague spent the first half of his shift in the Columbus laboratory module module scanning his chest with an ultrasound device as doctors on Earth monitored in real time. The doctors were examining possible changes in Hague’s arteries and veins to gain insights into an astronaut’s cardiovascular health while living and working in space. Pettit charged science hardware that monitors space-caused bone loss for a study observing an astronaut’s bone health before, during, and after a space mission.

Ovchinin and Vagner were back on cargo duty unloading more food, fuel, and supplies delivered aboard the Progress 91 cargo craft on March 1. Vagner also measured his blood pressure for an investigation exploring how microgravity affects a crew member’s blood flow and blood cells.

Learn more about station activities by following the space station blog, @space_station and @ISS_Research on X, as well as the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts.

Get the latest from NASA delivered every week. Subscribe here: https://www.nasa.gov/subscribe

Powered by WPeMatico

Get The Details…

Mark A. Garcia