Archivo de la etiqueta: iss

Ax-3 Go for Launch; Crew Continues Space Botany and Fluid Research

Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3) is go for launch as four private astronauts gear up to head to the space station later this afternoon. Space botany and fluid research continue into Thursday for the Expedition 70 crew members as they await the arrival of Ax-3.

The third private astronaut mission to the International Space Station is scheduled to lift off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 4:49 p.m. EST today, Jan. 18. Ax-3 crew members, Commander Michael López-Alegría, Pilot Walter Villadei of Italy, Mission Specialist Alper Gezeravcı of Turkey, and ESA (European Space Agency) project astronaut Marcus Wandt of Sweden, will launch aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. Scheduled to arrive to the station at 5:15 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 20, the quartet will spend about two weeks conducting science and research in microgravity before returning to Earth.

After yesterday’s initial harvest aboard the orbital lab, the second and third round of wild-type tomatoes were harvested from Plant Habitat-06 by NASA Flight Engineer Loral O’Hara. The investigation takes a look at the physiological and genetic responses to defense activation and immune function in tomatoes during spaceflight. O’Hara also spent part of her day checking hardware for the upcoming arrival of Ax-3.

Fluid research that began yesterday continued into Thursday as Flight Engineers Jasmin Moghbeli of NASA and Satoshi Furukawa of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) performed root tests for root zone, flow resistance, phase distribution, and stability in Plant Water Management 5. In the evening, the duo then conducted ultrasounds of their necks, clavicles, shoulders, and behind their knees.

ESA (European Space Agency) Commander Andreas Mogensen took over work with Plant Management 5, testing the performance of the separator and water trap before draining and stowing the facility.

Two Cosmonauts teamed up in the afternoon—Flight Engineers Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub—to remove and replace the heat exchanger unit in the air conditioning system. Kononenko later conducted a cargo audit in the Prichal module. Flight Engineer Konstantin Borisov ran a Pilot-T session in the morning, an ongoing experiment to practice piloting techniques, before performing a storage audit in the Nauka module.

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.

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Abigail Grace Graf

Ax-3 Launch Date Adjusted; Crew Harvests Plants and Conducts Fluid Research

As part of NASA’s efforts to open access to space, SpaceX and Axiom Space now are targeting no earlier than 4:49 p.m. EST Thursday, Jan. 18, for launch of the third private mission to the International Space Station. The date adjustment for Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3) allows additional time for SpaceX to complete data analysis of the parachute system energy modulator—the straps that connect the Dragon spacecraft’s parachute bag to the parachute door.

Following Dragon’s return on its 29th commercial resupply services mission to station, SpaceX observed some of the stitches didn’t pull through in the expected manner. While there is built-in margin through multiple energy modulators, SpaceX felt it was prudent to evaluate recent test data and this condition has been corrected on Ax-3. These straps are folded and stitched together such that when they pull apart, the connecting stitches intentionally break, allowing the straps to pull apart at a constant force. This regulates the amount of load applied to the main parachutes, which takes place as the parachute door and drogues extract the mains out of the spacecraft during the handoff from drogues to mains.

SpaceX proactively wanted to inspect the energy modulators on the Ax-3 parachutes and the team removed the parachute door this past week, inspected the energy modulators, correct alignment of the modulators, and then re-installed the doors.

SpaceX and NASA continue to work together on future flight hardware procedures.

For more information, listen to a replay of the Axiom Mission 3 prelaunch news conference.

Aboard the space station, the first wild-type tomatoes from Plant Habitat-06 were harvested aboard the orbital lab today by NASA Flight Engineer Loral O’Hara. Part of an ongoing suite of experiments, this specific investigation takes a look at the physiological and genetic responses to defense activation and immune function in tomatoes during spaceflight.

While space botany was underway, two crew members conducted fluid research with the Plant Water Management 5 system. In the morning, NASA Flight Engineer Jasmin Moghbeli prepped fluids and primed the facility after installing it yesterday. Moghbeli also tested the hydroponic flow of the system. ESA (European Space Agency) Commander Andreas Mogensen later took over, spot checking the fluidic test cell. Mogensen also completed a VR Mental Care session, which demonstrates the use of virtual reality for mental relaxation.

JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) Flight Engineer Satoshi Furukawa was tasked with a suite of maintenance activities throughout the day. He performed tech troubleshooting in the morning, then set up the  Internal Ball Camera in the Kibo Laboratory. Afterward, he analyzed water samples from the water processor assembly before cleaning air quality monitor vents. His day wrapped with some routine orbital plumbing.

Maintenance and research were at the forefront of Wednesday’s schedule for the Roscosmos trio. Flight Engineer Konstantin Borisov replaced dust collector filters in the Zarya module, then inspected the thermal control system pump panel that was installed yesterday. Flight Engineer Oleg Kononenko conducted additional maintenance in the Zvezda service module, then moved on to record vibrations of structural elements in the Poisk module. To wrap up the day, Flight Engineer Nikolai Chub completed an experiment that investigates liquid phases in microgravity.

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 weekly video highlights at: https://roundupreads.jsc.nasa.gov/videoupdate/

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Abby Graf

Crew Preps for Private Astronaut Arrival as Ax-3 Mission Nears Launch

Four private astronauts are readying for launch to the International Space Station this week while the Expedition 70 crew ramps up microgravity research and maintenance tasks after yesterday’s off-duty day.

The third private astronaut mission to the station, Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3), is scheduled to liftoff from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 5:11 p.m. EST Wednesday, Jan. 17. Ax-3 crew members, Commander Michael López-Alegría, Pilot Walter Villadei of Italy, Mission Specialist Alper Gezeravcı of Turkey, and ESA (European Space Agency) project astronaut Marcus Wandt of Sweden, will make the trek to the orbital lab aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, docking at 5:15 a.m. Friday, Jan. 19. The quartet will spend about two weeks conducting science and research in microgravity before heading home.

Ahead of Ax-3 arrival, NASA Flight Engineer Loral O’Hara spent most of the day prepping station for new visitors. O’Hara inspected the airflow in crew quarters, prepped sleep accommodations for crew occupancy, and cleaned the liners and vents where the four private astronauts will sleep while aboard the orbital outpost.

ESA (European Space Agency) Commander Andreas Mogensen also prepped for Ax-3, completing training for Dragon rendezvous and docking. Afterward, he set up ECHO, which is equipped with motorized probs, for ground teams to perform remote maintenance activities.

While O’Hara and Mogensen prepped for Ax-3 crew arrival, other crew members took to space botany and biology tasks. NASA Flight Engineer Jasmin Moghbeli spent the day working with Plant Habitat-06, thinning wild-type tomato seedlings. Afterward, she set up and installed the Plant Water Management 5 hardware to the Maintenance Work Area.

JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) Flight Engineer Satoshi Furukawa removed culture units from the microscope used for the Space Organogenesis investigation, which demonstrates growth of organ buds from 3D printed human stem cells. Additionally, Furukawa collected water samples from the station’s potable water dispenser for in-flight analysis.

The Roscosmos trio—Flight Engineers Oleg Kononenko, Nikolai Chub, and Konstantin Borisov—performed an array of maintenance activities on Tuesday. Kononenko replaced hardware in the Zvezda service module, while Chub replaced the thermal control system pump panel in the Zarya module. Afterward, Chub conducted an experiment studying liquid phases in microgravity, while Borisov distilled samples from the Roscosmos segment water management system and conducted maintenance on the station’s vacuum cleaner.

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.

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Abby Graf

Crew Preps for Ax-3 Mission and Keeps Up Research Schedule

The Expedition 70 crew is turning its attention to the third private astronaut mission from Axiom Space as it counts down to launch next week. Meanwhile, the seven International Space Station residents are also continuing their focus on human research, space botany, and life support maintenance tasks.

The next spacecraft to launch to the orbital outpost rolled out to its launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center on Thursday. The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, with the Dragon Freedom crew spacecraft atop, is scheduled to launch four private astronauts at 5:11 p.m. EST on Jan. 17 on a day-and-a-half-long ride to the space station.

NASA astronauts Loral O’Hara and Jasmin Moghbeli will be monitoring the arrival of Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3) as the Dragon approaches the Harmony module’s forward port for an automated docking at 5:15 a.m. on Jan. 19. About an hour-and-a-half later, the hatches will open and Ax-3 Commander and veteran astronaut Michael Lopez-Alegria will enter the station. He will be followed by first time space visitors Pilot Walter Villadei and Mission Specialists Alper Gezeravci and Marcus Wandt. The Ax-3 quartet will live and work aboard the station for two weeks of research, education, and commercial activities.

O’Hara and Moghbeli on Friday reviewed the Dragon’s approach and rendezvous procedures that will see the duo monitoring data from the vehicle as it nears Harmony for a docking. The pair also joined astronauts Andreas Mogensen from ESA (European Space Agency) and Satoshi Furukawa from JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) earlier in the day familiarizing themselves with the Ax-3 mission profile including crew coordination expectations, the research program, and other activities. The quartet then called down to mission controllers discussing their readiness for the Ax-3 mission.

The four station astronauts also kept up their science work to improve life for humans on Earth and in space. O’Hara began her day collecting and stowing blood samples for analysis followed by a cognition test for the CIPHER suite of 14 human research experiments. Furukawa checked wire connections on combustion experiment gear then tended to tomato plants growing for a plant immunity investigation. Mogensen worked on a science laptop computer and a lab freezer before exploring how virtual reality may improve morale on long-term space missions. Moghbeli explored anti-microbial coatings that may prevent the spread of microbes caused by the human touch on spacecraft.

The three cosmonauts from Roscosmos kept up their maintenance duties ensuring the upkeep of the orbital lab. Oleg Kononenko once again spent the day inspecting the Zvezda service module’s internal structures. Flight Engineer Nikolai Chub checked out electronic components on a carbon dioxide removal device. Flight Engineer Konstantin Borisov worked throughout the day on fluid physics and communications gear.

The space station is orbiting slightly higher after the 85P fired its engines for 17 minutes and 30 seconds Friday morning. The orbital reboost sets up the correct phasing for the ISS Progress 87 resupply mission next month.

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 weekly video highlights at: https://roundupreads.jsc.nasa.gov/videoupdate/

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Mark Garcia

Research Underway for Earth and Space Health as Crew Preps for Ax-3 Mission

Advanced drug treatments, virtual reality care, and microbial analysis filled the science schedule for the Expedition 70 crew on Thursday. The orbital residents are also getting ready for the next private astronaut mission to the International Space Station.

NASA Flight Engineer Loral O’Hara worked in the Harmony module servicing samples for a study seeking to improve treatments for respiratory conditions. The Gaucho Lung investigation seeks to optimize the delivery of drugs into the human airways and may also benefit the health care and food industries. Fellow NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli set up the experiment gear, simulating the mucosal lining in the human lung, for O’Hara in Harmony’s maintenance work area.

Moghbeli began her day sequencing DNA samples for the BioMole study demonstrating hardware that can analyze microbes to protect crew health and spacecraft life support systems. Afterward, she moved on and inspected spacewalk safety tethers, recorded an educational video for students on Earth, then installed decontamination hardware inside the Life Science Glovebox.

Commander Andreas Mogensen of ESA (European Space Agency) also videotaped himself performing simple space experiments to promote STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) activities for students. Mogensen removed a freezer from the Life Science Glovebox and cleaned spacesuit helmets. Finally, the ESA astronaut watched a 360-degree movie wearing virtual really goggles as part of an experiment to help astronauts cope with isolation and confinement on long-term space missions.

Flight Engineer Satoshi Furukawa of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) spent Thursday working on a variety of biology research gear and preparing for the next private astronaut mission. He relocated the Protein Crystal Research Facility located in the Kibo laboratory module ahead of planned maintenance. Next, he stowed hardware used to study reproductive health and bone loss in microgravity. Finally, Furukawa installed science gear in EXPRESS racks in preparation for upcoming research planned for Axiom Space’s third private astronaut mission planned to launch next week.

Four private astronauts representing the United States, Italy, Turkey, and Sweden are scheduled to launch to the station aboard the SpaceX Dragon Freedom spacecraft at 5:11 p.m. EST on Jan. 17. The Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3) quartet, commanded by Michael Lopez-Alegria from the U.S. and piloted by Walter Villadei from Italy, will dock to the Harmony module’s forward port at 5:15 a.m. on Jan. 19. The duo will be joined by Ax-3 Mission Specialists Alper Gezeravci from Turkey and Marcus Wandt from Sweden for two weeks of research and education activities aboard the orbital outpost.

Back on the space station, veteran cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko continued his weeklong inspections inside the Zvezda service module. In the afternoon, he checked Zvezda’s communication systems then worked on sound silencing components in the Nauka science module.

Roscosmos Flight Engineer Nikolai Chub also worked throughout Thursday on Zvezda maintenance and stowage activities. Flight Engineer Konstantin Borisov installed and operated Earth observation hardware before replacing life support gear inside Nauka at the end of the day.

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 weekly video highlights at: https://roundupreads.jsc.nasa.gov/videoupdate/

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Mark Garcia