![\"Northrop](\"https:\/\/blogs.nasa.gov\/spacestation\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/240\/2021\/02\/blog_cygnus15_launch_wff.jpg\")
<\/a>The solar arrays have successfully deployed on Northrop Grumman\u2019s Cygnus cargo spacecraft that is on its way to deliver\u00a0approximately\u00a08,000 pounds of\u00a0scientific investigations<\/a>, cargo, and supplies to the International Space Station after launching at 12:36\u00a0p.m.\u00a0EST Saturday from NASA\u2019s Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island in Virginia.<\/p>\n Coverage of the spacecraft\u2019s approach and arrival\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0orbiting laboratory\u00a0will begin Monday, Feb. 22, at 3:00 a.m. EST on NASA Television, the NASA app, and the agency\u2019s\u00a0website<\/a>.<\/p>\n Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut\u00a0Soichi\u00a0Noguchi\u00a0will\u00a0capture\u00a0Cygnus,\u00a0and\u00a0NASA astronaut\u00a0Michael Hopkins\u00a0will be acting as a backup. After capture, the spacecraft will be\u00a0installed on the Unity module\u2019s Earth-facing port.\u00a0NASA TV coverage of the spacecraft\u2019s installation will begin Monday, Feb. 22, at 6:00 a.m.\u00a0EST.<\/p>\n This delivery is Northrop Grumman\u2019s\u00a015th\u00a0contracted cargo flight to the space station and will support dozens of new and existing investigations.<\/p>\n Included aboard Cygnus for delivery to the space station are:<\/p>\n A life support upgrade<\/strong><\/p>\n The Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS<\/a>) is a crucial element of regenerative life support hardware that provides clean air and water to the space station crew. Current systems enable recovery of about 93% of the water and water vapor on the station. The system will get an upgrade thanks to the\u00a0Exploration ECLSS: Brine Processor System<\/a>. This investigation demonstrates technology to recover additional water from the Urine Processor Assembly. The brine processor\u2019s dual membrane bladder allows water vapor to pass through while filtering out the brine and the majority of contaminants. Long-duration crewed exploration missions require about 98% water recovery, and this technology demonstration in brine processing will help achieve this goal. This Brine Processor System plans to close this gap for the urine waste stream of the space station.<\/p>\n A new vision<\/strong><\/p>\n Millions of people on Earth suffer from retinal degenerative diseases. These conditions have no cure, although treatments can slow their progression. Artificial retinas or retinal implants may provide a way to restore meaningful vision for those affected. In 2018, startup LambdaVision sent their\u00a0first experiment<\/a>\u00a0to the space station to determine whether the process used to create artificial retinal implants by forming a thin film one layer at a time may work better in microgravity.<\/p>\n Protein-Based Artificial Retina Manufacturing<\/a>\u00a0builds on the first project, evaluating a manufacturing system that uses a light-activated protein to replace the function of damaged cells in the eye. This information may help LambdaVision uncover whether microgravity optimizes production of these retinas, and could assist people back on Earth.<\/p>\n I dream of space<\/strong><\/p>\n Strapped inside sleeping bags, astronauts often report getting a better night\u2019s sleep during their stays aboard the space station than when lying on a bed on Earth. The ESA (European Space Agency)\u00a0Dreams<\/a>\u00a0experiment will provide a quantitative look at these astronaut sleep reports. When crew members get ready for bed, they will add another step: donning a sleep monitoring headband. The investigation serves as a technology demonstration of the Dry-EEG Headband in microgravity while also monitoring astronaut sleep quality during a long-duration mission. Raw data will be available to scientists for analysis, and the crew can input direct feedback on their sleep via an application on a tablet. Sleep is central to human health, so a better understanding of sleep in space provides a more comprehensive picture of human health in microgravity.<\/p>\n Preparing for the Moon<\/strong><\/p>\n The International Space Station serves as a\u00a0testing ground<\/a>\u00a0for technologies we plan to use on future Artemis missions to the Moon. The NASA\u00a0A-HoSS<\/a>\u00a0investigation puts to the test tools planned for use on the crewed Artemis II mission that will orbit the Moon. Built as the primary radiation detection system for the Orion spacecraft, the Hybrid Electronic Radiation Assessor (HERA) was modified for operation on the space station. Verifying that HERA can operate without error for 30 days validates the system for crewed Artemis mission operations. A related investigation,\u00a0ISS HERA<\/a>, flew in 2019 aboard the space station. ISS HERA provided data and operational feedback in preparation for the Orion spacecraft\u2019s uncrewed Artemis I mission that will launch in 2021.<\/p>\n Get The Details…<\/a><\/p>\n Mark Garcia <\/p>\n Powered by WPeMatico<\/a><\/small><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The solar arrays have successfully deployed on Northrop Grumman\u2019s Cygnus cargo spacecraft that is on its way to deliver\u00a0approximately\u00a08,000 pounds of\u00a0scientific investigations, cargo, and supplies to the International Space Station after launching at 12:36\u00a0p.m.\u00a0EST Saturday from NASA\u2019s Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island in Virginia. Coverage of the spacecraft\u2019s approach and arrival\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0orbiting laboratory\u00a0will begin Monday, \u2026 Continue reading