Blogs

The Expedition 67 crew continued exploring how humans and plants adapt in microgravity while testing robotic free-flyers on Wednesday. The orbital residents are also preparing for another spacewalk at the International Space Station to continue outfitting a new robotic arm. NASA Flight Engineers Jessica Watkins and Bob Hines partnered together during the morning studying how …

Following communications issues, mission teams for NASA’s Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment (CAPSTONE) have re-established contact with the spacecraft through NASA’s Deep Space Network. Data received from CAPSTONE shows that the spacecraft is in good health and operated safely on its own while it was out of contact with Earth. Teams …

We are less than one week away from the release of the first full-color images from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, but how does the observatory find and lock onto its targets? Webb's Fine Guidance Sensor (FGS) – developed by the Canadian Space Agency – was designed with this particular question in mind. Recently it …

Payloads: Airborne Particulate Monitor (APM): Science data from the APM memory card was transferred to a Station Support Computer (SSC) for subsequent downlink, and the display status was reported to the ground. Air quality in crewed spacecraft is important for keeping astronauts healthy and comfortable. Although requirements exist for maximum allowable concentrations of particulate matter, …

Mission operators have re-established contact with NASA’s  Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment (CAPSTONE) spacecraft. Additional updates will be provided.

NASA’s Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment (CAPSTONE) experienced communications issues following its deployment on July 4. This is an update on the spacecraft health and efforts to regain contact between CAPSTONE and NASA’s Deep Space Network (DSN).   Following CAPSTONE’s initial deployment on July 4, the spacecraft successfully deployed solar arrays, was …

NRAL Trash Deploy: On Saturday, the Flight Control Team performed the first trash deploy utilizing the Nanoracks Airlock (NRAL). The deploy demonstrated the trash deployment capability by executing the jettison of a disposable bag containing approximately 26.5 CTBE (78.1 kg) of dry common trash. The Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) grappled NRAL and demated …

Space physics and human research dominated the science agenda aboard the International Space Station on Tuesday. The Expedition 67 crew also reconfigured a U.S. airlock and tested a new 3-D printer. The lack of gravity in space affects a wide variety of physics unlocking new phenomena that researchers study to improve life for humans on …

Following successful deployment and start of spacecraft commissioning on July 4, the Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment (CAPSTONE) spacecraft experienced communications issues while in contact with the Deep Space Network. The spacecraft team currently is working to understand the cause and re-establish contact. The team has good trajectory data for the spacecraft based on the first full …

The Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment (CAPSTONE) has left low-Earth orbit and started its solo journey to the Moon. Following its launch on June 28, CAPSTONE orbited Earth attached to Rocket Lab’s Photon upper stage, which maneuvered CAPSTONE into position for its journey to the Moon. Over the past six days, …