Archivo de la etiqueta: spacestation

NASA, Northrop Grumman Complete Cygnus XL Space Station Reboost

Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus XL spacecraft today fired its thrusters for 20 mins, 43 seconds boosting the International Space Station’s orbit. 

The Cygnus XL’s gimbaled delta velocity engine was used to adjust the space station’s altitude by 2/10-of-a-mile at apogee, or highest point of station’s orbit, and 2.6 miles at perigee, or lowest point of station’s orbit, placing the station in an orbit of 266.5 x 254.9 miles. 

The Cygnus XL spacecraft, which is supporting NASA’s Northrop Grumman Commercial Resupply Services 24 mission, arrived at the orbital complex on April 13, delivering more than 11,000 pounds of science and supplies to the space station. Cygnus will remain berthed to space station until October when it will be filled with disposal cargo, unberthed from station, and then harmlessly burn up during its destructive reentry into Earth’s atmosphere.

This reboost sets up the phasing for Progress 96 launch in early September.

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

Expedition 75 Wraps Up Third August Spacewalk, Preps for September Spacewalk

The Expedition 75 crew members spent Wednesday cleaning up and relaxing the day after a spacewalk to install a high-speed antenna outside the International Space Station. The orbital residents are now turning their attention to another spacewalk in September. Meanwhile, the crew on Monday also continued a variety of human research to protect crew health.

Flight engineers Anil Menon of NASA and Sophie Adenot of ESA (European Space Agency) wrapped up a six-hour and 30-minute spacewalk on Tuesday after completing the installation of a high-speed space-to-ground antenna. On Wednesday, the duo joined station commander Jessica Meir and flight engineer Jack Hathway, both NASA astronauts, and cleaned up the Quest airlock, refilled spacesuit water tanks, and recharged suit batteries. All four astronauts called down to mission specialists for a post-spacewalk conference and set some time aside to relax after Tuesday’s spacewalking and robotics activities.

The next spacewalk is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 1, when Adenot and Meir will exit the orbital outpost for about six hours and 30 minutes of high-altitude maintenance. The duo will replace a visiting spacecraft navigational aid, install jumper cables for data-relay systems, prepare the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer for future upgrades, and replace a high-definition camera.

At the start of his shift on Wednesday, Menon filled out a questionnaire documenting his stress level and emotions then collected his saliva and hair samples. The samples will be analyzed on Earth for stress-related hormones and immune markers. The research activities are part of the RelaxPro investigation exploring mindfulness and relaxation techniques during a long-term spaceflight.

Meir also assisted Menon as he collected, processed, and analyzed his blood sample for the Venus Flow investigation that is exploring circulatory system health risks during a long-duration space mission. Next, Meir checked out the operation of components inside a fluorescence microscope. After her battery charging tasks, Adenot guided Menon during an eye exam and imaged his retina, cornea, and lens as doctors on the ground monitored in real-time to detect potential space-caused vision issues.

Hathaway began his shift inside the Harmony module setting up the medical imaging gear for the eye exam then powering it down and stowing it at the end of the day. In between, he inspected a research incubator then swapped out ammonia detection tubes.

Roscosmos flight engineer Pyotr Dubrov finished a 24-hour heart rate monitoring session on Wednesday after maintenance on the Vozdukh carbon dioxide removal device. Roscosmos flight engineer Anna Kikina uninstalled automated, multi-wavelength Earth imagery gear that photographed Asia-Pacific landmarks during the crew’s sleep shift. Afterward, she attached sensors to herself to measure her cardiac activity while working and sleeping over a 24-hour period. Roscosmos flight engineer Andrey Fedyaev shift inside the Zarya module replacing electronic components with upgrades.

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, ESA Spacewalkers Finish Installing High-Speed Antenna

NASA astronaut Anil Menon and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Sophie Adenot concluded their spacewalk outside the International Space Station at 2:57 p.m. EDT.  

During the 6‑hour, 30‑minute spacewalk, Menon and Adenot successfully installed and connected the spare Space‑to‑Ground antenna, a critical link that enables high‑speed data transmission between NASA’s Mission Control Center in Houston and the orbital complex. Afterward, they secured the failed unit, which was removed and temporarily stowed during the duo’s spacewalk on Aug. 18, to a spare‑parts platform on the station’s truss structure.

Initial checkouts of the newly installed antenna showed good power and data transmission. Flight controllers on the ground will continue testing the antenna overnight to ensure full functionality. 

U.S. spacewalk 98 was Menon’s third career spacewalk and the second for Adenot. It also was the 283rd spacewalk in support of space station assembly, maintenance, and upgrades.

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, ESA Astronauts Begin Spacewalk to Install Antenna

NASA astronaut Anil Menon and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Sophie Adenot began a spacewalk at 8:27 a.m. EDT outside the International Space Station to replace a Space-to-Ground antenna on the International Space Station. 

The spacewalk is streaming through a variety of platforms. Learn where to watch online: https://www.nasa.gov/live 

Menon is spacewalk crew member 1, wearing the suit with red stripes. Adenot is crew member 2, wearing the unmarked suit.

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, ESA Astronauts Suiting Up for Antenna Installation Spacewalk

NASA is streaming live coverage as two astronauts prepare for a spacewalk outside the International Space Station. The spacewalk is scheduled to begin at approximately 8:35 a.m. EDT and last about six and a half hours. Watch online at: https://www.nasa.gov/live

NASA astronaut Anil Menon and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Sophie Adenot will step outside the station’s Quest airlock to continue the installation of a replacement Space‑to‑Ground antenna. The antenna is a critical link that enables high‑speed data transmission between NASA’s Mission Control Center in Houston and the space station. 

During a 6‑hour, 23‑minute spacewalk on Aug. 18, Menon and Adenot removed a failed Space‑to‑Ground antenna and secured it to the station’s truss structure. The astronauts needed more time than expected to disconnect electrical cables and loosen bolts, delaying installation of the replacement antenna.  

Menon will serve as crew member 1 in the suit with red stripes, while Adenot will serve as crew member 2 in an unmarked suit.

U.S. spacewalk 98 will be Menon’s third and Adenot’s second. It also will be the 283rd spacewalk in support of space station assembly, maintenance, and upgrades. 

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