We had a gently warm morning for takeoff to Hawaii, with sun peaking through the clouds. Getting above the clouds we had spectacular views of snow capped peaks. We made a missed approach at Cold Point, population 109 at the last census. Low clouds prevented us from seeing too much there visually, but through the […]
Fluid Shifts Imaging with Chibis in the Service Module (SM): Over the weekend, the Commander and FE-1, with ground team assistance, configured the Ultrasound 2 hardware before completing their Ultrasound scans in the SM while using the Chibis for the Fluid Shifts experiment run. The Fluids Shift investigation is divided into three segments: Dilution Measures, …
Two astronauts called down to Mission Control today and reviewed next week’s spacewalk. In the Russian segment of the International Space Station, a pair of cosmonauts replaced outdated communications gear. Crew members also collected blood samples and conducted vision tests for a variety of space research. Commander Jeff Williams joined Flight Engineer Kate Rubins for …
The title of this post is borrowed from Phillip Pullman’s prequel to his Dark Materials trilogy. I loved these books as a child, and by happy coincidence ended up studying for my masters at the college on which Jordan College in the novels is based. The reference to journeys northward and parallels with searching for […]
Vascular Echo Resting Ultrasound Scan and Blood Pressure Operations: With support from the Vascular Echo ground team, the crew installed the Ultrasound 2 probe and ECG Cable, configured the Ultrasound 2 software and the VOX before attaching the ECG Electrodes, marking the arteries, and performing the ultrasound scans. The crew also performed 3 consecutive blood …
NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft – and the rocket that will carry it into space, the United Launch Alliance Atlas V – are making significant strides toward launch, planned for Sept. 8. Inside the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians have installed thermal blankets around the spacecraft (pictured above), culminating …
Two NASA astronauts are readying their spacesuits and gear ahead of an Aug. 19 spacewalk. More life science, including heart and DNA research, continued Friday. Finally, tiny internal satellites were tested before next week’s student competition. Commander Jeff Williams and Flight Engineer Kate Rubins inspected the spacesuits they will wear in two weeks during a …
The 2015 fire season was the most severe ever observed by NASA Earth Observing System satellites, a new study shows. As we reported in December, 2015 was an intense fire season in Indonesia because the drying effects of El Niño exacerbated seasonal fires lit by growers. Many farmers lost control of fires, which then spread […]
Fluid Shifts Operations In the Service Module: With ground team assistance, crewmembers continued supporting Fluid Shifts Imaging exams that began yesterday by configuring the Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) and the Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emission (DPOAE) hardware before completing a DPOAE test, OCT exam, and a Tonometry exam. The purpose of this investigation is to characterize …
