Cube Satellite (CubeSat) Operations and Deploys: This morning, Flight Engineer (FE)-6 Wakata depressurized the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) Airlock, opened the outer hatch and extended the slide table out to the JEM Exposed Facility (JEF) on the exterior of the ISS. JAXA Flight Controllers removed the 8 NanoRacks CubeSat Deployers (NRCSDs) from the slide table …
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk released this photo yesterday of the first stage of the Falcon 9 rocket that will launch the SpaceX-3 mission to the International Space Station. The unusual feature is the landing legs on the side of the rocket. According to Musk, they are 60 feet in diameter. He said the booster will …
Growth of Homogeneous SiGe Crystals in Microgravity by the TLZ Method (Hicari) Experiment: Flight Engineer (FE)-6 Wakata removed the Sample Cartridge Serial Number 004 from Sample Cartridge Automatic Exchange Mechanism (SCAM) holder #4. The materials science investigation Growth of Homogeneous Silicon-Germanium (SiGe) Crystals in Microgravity by the TLZ Method (Hicari) aims to verify the crystal-growth …
Aniso Tubule Experiment Operations: Today Flight Engineer (FE)-6 Wakata retrieved the Aniso Tublule sample from the Cell Biology Experiment Facility (CBEF) door where he had put it earlier this week, watered it, and placed it on the Multi-Purpose Small Payload Rack (MSPR) fluorescent microscope for 48 hours of observation. He placed the remainder of the …
Spinal Ultrasound Scan Operations: Flight Engineer (FE)-3 Hopkins, with assistance from FE-6 Wakata and ground experts, performed his Flight Day 150 Spinal Ultrasound session. This investigation aims to characterize microgravity-associated spinal alterations during and after spaceflight using in-flight ultrasound. Results from this research will provide data to enhance crew health for long duration space missions. Cube …
Cygnus Re-Entry: Cygnus completed its De-Orbit Delta-V (DDV)-1 burn at 7:24 am CST this morning. The Re-Entry Delta-V (RDV) burn was initiated at 11:45 am CST. The vehicle crossed the Entry Interface and destructively re-entered the atmosphere off the coast of New Zealand at approximately 12:20 pm CST. The final loss of telemetry occurred at …
Orbital 1 Departure: Today, the Robotics Ground Controllers powered up the Mobile Servicing System (MSS) in the hot backup configuration for Cygnus unberthing and release. Flight Engineer (FE)-6 Wakata and FE-3 Hopkins demated Cygnus from the Node 2 Nadir Active Common Berthing Mechanism (CBM) and used the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) to uninstall …
Cube Satellite (CubeSat) Operations: Four CubeSats were successfully launched by JAXA Robotic Flight Controllers from NanoRacks CubSat Deployer (NRCSD) locations 4 and 5 on Saturday, February 15th. The commands to launch the CubeSats from these locations needed to be sent several times in order for the deployer doors to open. Previous attempts last week to …
Cube Satellite (CubeSat) Deploys: Four additional CubeSats were deployed overnight from the NanoRacks CubeSat Deployers (NRCSDs) by JAXA Robotic Flight Controllers, for a total of 12 CubeSats launched this week. Unsuccessful attempts to launch from NRCSD locations 4 and 5 are under investigation by NASA NRCSD Teams. Additional attempts will be made to launch those …
Cube Satellite (CubeSat) Deploys: After the failure to launch satellites from 2 NanoRacks CubeSat Deployers (NRCSDs) yesterday, Payload Operations Integration Center (POIC) console teams were able to confirm from photographs taken by Flight Engineer (FE)-6 Wakata that the push-pin assemblies on all NRCSDs located on the Japanese Experiment Module Remote Manipulator System (JEMRMS) were in …
