Archivo de la etiqueta: iss

Dragon Counts Down to Launch to Resupply Space Station

Live launch coverage is underway on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and the agency’s YouTube channel for the launch of SpaceX’s 34th commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station for the agency. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of online platforms, including social media.

The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft is scheduled to lift off at 6:05 p.m. EDT aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

Filled with nearly 6,500 pounds of food, supplies, and equipment, Dragon will arrive at the orbiting outpost at approximately 7 a.m. Sunday, May 17, and dock autonomously to the forward port of the orbiting laboratory’s Harmony module.

In addition to cargo for the crew aboard the space station, Dragon will deliver several new experiments, including a project to determine how well Earth-based simulators mimic microgravity conditions, a bone scaffold made from wood that could produce new treatments for fragile bone conditions like osteoporosis, and equipment to help researchers evaluate how red blood cells and the spleen change in space. The Dragon spacecraft also will carry a new instrument to study charged particles around Earth that can impact power grids and satellites, an investigation that could provide a fundamental understanding of how planets form, and an instrument designed to take highly accurate measurements of sunlight reflected by Earth and the Moon.

Watch NASA’s live rendezvous and docking coverage beginning at 5:30 a.m. on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and the agency’s YouTube channel.

Learn more about space station operations by follow @NASASpaceOps and @space_station on X, as well as the International Space Station’s Facebook and Instagram accounts.

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Mark A. Garcia

Dragon Nears Launch as Crew Works Biomedical Science and Spacewalk Preps

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, with a cargo-packed Dragon spacecraft atop, stands ready to launch to the International Space Station at 6:05 p.m. EDT today, weather permitting, from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Watch NASA’s live launch coverage beginning at 5:45 p.m. on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and the agency’s YouTube channel.

The uncrewed Dragon, packed with about 6,500 pounds of science experiments, crew supplies, and lab hardware for the Expedition 74 crew, will approach the orbital outpost for an automated docking to the Harmony module’s forward port at 7:05 a.m. on Sunday. Flight engineers Jack Hathaway of NASA and Sophie Adenot of ESA (European Space Agency) will be on duty Sunday morning monitoring Dragon during its approach and rendezvous with the space station.

Hathaway and Adenot joined NASA flight engineer Jessica Meir midday on Friday and had a brief science conference with researchers on the ground. The trio discussed the numerous experiments taking place aboard the orbiting lab and how the research benefits humans living on and off the Earth. At the beginning of his shift, Hathaway finalized the installation of new science module in the Cold Atom Lab quantum physics research facility. Adenot recorded a pair of video messages for ESA, her home space agency, targeting international scientists and French students.

NASA flight engineer Chris Williams spent his day on lab maintenance first inspecting and cleaning hatch seals. Williams wrapped up his shift checking out the operation of the Ultrasound 3 biomedical device and its components, including computer cables and probes.

Mier followed up Williams’ inspection work by installing hatch seal covers to protect them from damage and stains. She also staged cargo that will be packed inside the Dragon after its arrival for return to Earth next month.

Station commander Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and flight engineer Sergey Mikaev, both from Roscosmos, took turns at the beginning of their shift wearing heart sensors and testing their arm strength for a standard fitness assessment. Next, the duo worked on a pair of Orlan spacesuits ensuring their components were properly installed, checking their functionality, and staging them inside the Poisk module’s airlock.

Roscosmos flight engineer Andrey Fedyaev spent his shift on a pair of human research studies exploring how microgravity affects a crew member’s blood flow and orientation. For his first experiment, Fedyaev wore arm, wrist, and finger cuffs that measured his blood pressure. The biomedical data helps doctors monitor how living in space affects blood flow, clot prevention, and inflammation responses. Next, he wore a virtual reality headset then responded to computerized stimuli as electrodes measured his brain activity and eye movement tracking his sense of direction, movement, and position in weightlessness.

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

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Mark A. Garcia

Dragon Targets Friday Launch as Crew Keeps Up Science and Spacewalk Preps

SpaceX CRS-34, the next mission to resupply the International Space Station, is now targeting its launch for no earlier than 6:05 p.m. EDT on Friday, May 15. A Falcon 9 rocket is slated to lift off from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida carrying a cargo-packed Dragon spacecraft to Earth orbit. Dragon will deliver about 6,500 pounds of science experiments, crew supplies, and lab hardware for the Expedition 74 crew when it docks to the Harmony module’s forward port at approximately 7 a.m. Sunday, May 17. 

Meanwhile, the seven-member crew aboard the orbital outpost stayed focused on microgravity research and lab maintenance throughout Thursday. The orbital residents are also gearing up for a spacewalk later this month.

NASA flight engineer Jessica Meir was on space botany duty watering and photographing alfalfa plants growing inside the Columbus laboratory module’s Veggie facility for the Veg-06 study. The space agriculture study is exploring plant-microbe interactions to help plants thrive in microgravity and promote food production off the Earth.

Flight engineer Sophie Adenot from ESA (European Space Agency) spent her day setting up an incubator for installation inside the KERMIT fluorescent microscope. Adenot tested the functionality of the scientific hardware ahead of future imaging sessions. KERMIT enables astronauts and ground scientists to conduct manual and remote imaging of biological, physical, and material research samples.

NASA flight engineers Chris Williams and Jack Hathaway worked throughout Thursday on a variety of maintenance and cargo tasks. Williams checked out and activated batteries on portable gas detection devices then tested the performance of pistol grip tools spacewalkers use during external assembly tasks. Hathaway replaced an oxygen sensor in the Quest airlock, continued unpacking supplies from the Cygnus XL cargo spacecraft, and swapped out drinking water filters inside the Unity module.

Station commander Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and flight engineer Sergey Mikaev, both from Roscosmos, spent their shift gathering and inspecting tools to be used on a spacewalk planned for later this month. Roscosmos flight engineer Andrey Fedyaev worked inside the Nauka science module replacing laptop computer batteries that support the operation of the European robotic arm.

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

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Mark A. Garcia

NASA, SpaceX Target May 15 for Resupply Mission Launch

NASA and SpaceX now are targeting no earlier than 6:05 p.m. EDT Friday, May 15, for the launch of the company’s 34th commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station. Watch NASA’s live launch coverage beginning at 5:45 p.m. on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and the agency’s YouTube channel.

Teams stood down from Wednesday’s launch opportunity due to inclement weather producing anvil cloud launch violations around Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The next launch opportunity allows for cargo packed inside Dragon to be refreshed and supports phasing for arrival to the space station.

The Dragon spacecraft will dock to the orbiting laboratory at approximately 7:00 a.m. Sunday, May 17. NASA’s live rendezvous and docking coverage will begin at 5:30 a.m. on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and the agency’s YouTube channel.

For the latest updates on this mission and space station operations, follow @NASASpaceOps and @space_station on X, as well as the International Space Station’s Facebook and Instagram accounts.

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Mark A. Garcia

SpaceX Dragon Counts Down to Launch and Resupply Station

Live launch coverage is underway on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and the agency’s YouTube channel for the launch of SpaceX’s 34th commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of online platforms, including social media.

The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft is scheduled to lift off at 6:50 p.m. EDT aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

Filled with nearly 6,500 pounds of food, supplies, and equipment, Dragon will arrive at the orbiting outpost at approximately 7:35 a.m. Thursday, May 14, and dock autonomously to the forward port of the orbiting laboratory’s Harmony module.

In addition to cargo for the crew aboard the space station, Dragon will deliver several new experiments, including a project to determine how well Earth-based simulators mimic microgravity conditions, a bone scaffold made from wood that could produce new treatments for fragile bone conditions like osteoporosis, and equipment to help researchers evaluate how red blood cells and the spleen change in space. The Dragon spacecraft also will carry a new instrument to study charged particles around the Earth that can impact power grids and satellites, an investigation that could provide a fundamental understanding of how planets form, and a instrument designed to take highly accurate measurements of sunlight reflected by Earth and the Moon. 

Watch NASA’s live rendezvous and docking coverage beginning at 8:20 a.m. on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and the agency’s YouTube channel.

Learn more about space station operations by follow @NASASpaceOps and @space_station on X, as well as the International Space Station’s Facebook and Instagram accounts.

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Mark A. Garcia