Payloads: Plant Habitat-03B: The crew gained access to the Plant Habitat facility, obtained several groups of leaf samples, and prepared them for return to the ground. The Arabidopsis thaliana plants began growing in mid-July and will continue to develop throughout the 91-day growth cycle. Plants exposed to environmental stress, including spaceflight, undergo epigenetic changes that …
Expedition to Alaska’s Burned Tundra
Researchers are measuring the effects of tundra fires on the ecosystem’s carbon balance and permafrost.
Cancer Therapy, Agriculture Studies One Day Before Spacewalk
Stem cells and space botany were the top research objectives for the Expedition 69 crew on Tuesday while still working to unpack a new U.S. cargo craft. Two cosmonauts are also “go” to exit the International Space Station on Wednesday for more upgrades on the orbital lab. Life science in microgravity enables researchers to observe …
NASA, Boeing Provide Update on Starliner Crew Flight Test
NASA and Boeing teams continue to make progress in preparing for Starliner’s first crewed flight to and from the International Space Station. In a media teleconference Aug. 8, leaders from NASA and Boeing discussed the path forward for the spacecraft, including work to address two technical issues identified during the agency’s certification process to ensure …
Sun Releases Strong Solar Flare
The Sun emitted a strong solar flare, peaking at 4:46 p.m. EDT on Aug. 7, 2023. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, which watches the Sun constantly, captured an image of the event. Solar flares are powerful bursts of energy. Flares and solar eruptions can impact high-frequency (HF) radio communications, electric power grids, navigation signals, and pose …
ISS Daily Summary Report – 8/07/2023
Payloads: Cold Atom Lab (CAL): CAL science module 3B was installed at its temporary location and powered to maintain the health of the unit. Installation of this science module into CAL is planned for later this year. CAL produces clouds of atoms that are chilled to about one ten billionth of a degree above absolute …
Best Meteor Shower of the Year Peaks This Weekend
The NASA All Sky Fireball Network is already detecting the first meteors of this year’s Perseid meteor shower! The meteor shower peaks on the night of August 12 as the Earth passes through the dustiest debris of comet Swift-Tuttle’s trails. The Perseid meteor shower is often considered to be the best meteor shower of the …
Crew Unpacks New Science and Readies for Next Spacewalk
A U.S. cargo craft is open for business at the International Space Station and two cosmonauts are gearing up for a spacewalk on Wednesday. The Expedition 69 crew also kicked off the work week exploring high temperature physics and ways to make semiconductor crystals. NASA Flight Engineer Frank Rubio worked throughout Monday unpacking some of …
Strong Solar Flare Erupts from Sun
The Sun emitted a strong solar flare, peaking at 6:21 p.m. EDT on Aug. 5, 2023. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, which watches the Sun constantly, captured an image of the event. Solar flares are powerful bursts of energy. Flares and solar eruptions can impact radio communications, electric power grids, navigation signals, and pose risks to …