Launch and mission controllers are at their consoles this afternoon in a dress rehearsal for the upcoming launch of NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. NASA's Kennedy Space Center and Goddard Space Flight Center, United Launch Alliance and Lockheed Martin all are participating in today's test. OSIRIS-REx is sealed inside …
Two astronauts are cleaning up after a spacewalk while a pair of cosmonauts are getting a Soyuz spacecraft ready for departure after the Labor Day weekend. On the ground, three new crew members are preparing for a launch to the International Space Station at the end of the month. Commander Jeff Williams and Flight Engineer …
By Eric Lindstrom Kyla Drushka from University of Washington Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) received a National Science Foundation grant to participate in SPURS-2. It is one cornerstone of our work and is entitled “Rain-Formed Fresh Lenses in SPURS-2.” The idea of rainfall resulting in freshwater puddles or lenses at the sea surface is (perhaps) easy […]
Trailing Thermal Control Radiator (TTCR) Extravehicular Activity (EVA): Today, CDR Williams and FE-6 Rubins completed the TTCR EVA, with Airlock egress at 6:53 am CDT. Once outside the Airlock, the crew performed the following scheduled tasks: Retract, cover, and cinch down the TTCR using hook straps Replace a failed External Television Camera Group (ETVCG) light …
Expedition 48 Commander Jeff Williams and Flight Engineer Kate Rubins concluded their spacewalk at 2:41 p.m. EDT. During the six-hour, 48-minute spacewalk, the two NASA astronauts successfully retracted a thermal radiator, installed two enhanced high definition cameras on the station’s truss and tightened bolts on a joint that enables one of the station’s solar arrays …
Launch and mission officials gathered this morning for the OSIRIS-REx Flight Readiness Review and concluded that there are no issues or concerns that would preclude continuing to target launch next Thursday, Sept. 8. Liftoff aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket is planned for 7:05 p.m. EDT from Space Launch Complex 41 on Florida's …
Two NASA astronauts switched their spacesuits to battery power this morning at 7:53 a.m. EDT aboard the International Space Station to begin a spacewalk planned to last approximately six-and-a-half hours. Expedition 48 Commander Jeff Williams and Flight Engineer Kate Rubins will retract a thermal radiator, install the first of several enhanced high definition cameras on …
By Eric Lindstrom A longstanding technical challenge for oceanography has been how to measure the sea surface – temperature, salinity, gas exchange, or surfactants – to name a few examples. Obviously enough, the surface is where the ocean and atmosphere interact and exchange heat, freshwater, gases, momentum, and particles of all kinds. So, how do […]
Trailing Thermal Control Radiator (TTCR) Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Preparations: The Commander and Flight Engineer-6 completed their pre-EVA medical checkup, final EVA tool configuration and EVA timeline review earlier today. This afternoon the crew performed a conference with EVA ground specialist to discuss any final question about tomorrow’s TTCR EVA. The crew also prepared the Equipment …
