Payloads: Gradient Heating Furnace (GHF): The GHF Material Processing Unit heater insulation was measured for resistance using a multimeter. The GHF is a vacuum furnace that contains three heating blocks. Their positions and temperatures can be independently controlled, and various temperature profiles can be realized. This facility will be mainly used for high quality crystal …
Crew Members Carry Out More Vision Checks and Station Maintenance Today
Eye scans and station maintenance continue for the Expedition 69 crew aboard the International Space Station today. NASA astronaut Woody Hoburg started his day observing and taking photos of satellites that were recently deployed from a Small Satellite Orbital Deployer in the Japanese Experiment Module. He then moved into the station’s Tranquility module to troubleshoot …
ISS Daily Summary Report – 7/18/2023
Payloads: Advanced Resistive Exercise Device Kinematics (ARED-K): The acquisition unit was partially set up in Node 3 for a remote ground connection. The ARED-K investigation assesses the current exercise programs to allow for the improvement of exercise prescriptions by conducting a biomechanical analysis of exercise on the ARED onboard the ISS. ISS Ham Radio: An …
Vision Checks, Communications Hardware Installs, and Rubio’s 300th Day in Space
After a well-deserved day off yesterday, the Expedition 69 crew aboard the International Space Station is back to work performing a variety of maintenance activities, science experiments, and vision exams. NASA astronaut and Flight Engineer Frank Rubio is on track to set the record for the longest single spaceflight by a U.S. astronaut later this …
Starling CubeSats Have Deployed
NASA’s four Starling CubeSats are confirmed to have deployed from the Rocket Lab’s Electron kick stage. The spacecraft, which are designed to work together as a “swarm,” have reached low Earth orbit to begin their mission to test technologies for autonomous positioning, networking, maneuvering, and decision-making. Now, the Starling swarm will power up and attempt …
Starling: We Have Liftoff!
NASA’s Starling mission, has lifted off from the launch pad aboard Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket. The four CubeSats are on their way to low Earth orbit to test new autonomous spacecraft swarm technologies. Rocket Lab is providing a live launch broadcast, available on the company’s website. Connect with us on social media for ongoing launch …
Crew Spends Monday Off-Duty; Look Ahead to Upcoming Crew and Cargo Missions
The Expedition 69 crew members took a well-deserved day off after working on past weekends aboard the International Space Station. Looking ahead, August is shaping up to be a busy month with crew and cargo missions. Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus spacecraft will be delivering new science investigations—including studies of fire suppression, gene therapy, and atmospheric monitoring—as …
It’s Launch Day for NASA’s Starling Mission!
Welcome to launch day for NASA’s Starling CubeSat mission! A team of four satellites wait atop a Rocket Lab Electron rocket for liftoff from Launch Complex 1 in Māhia, New Zealand. This launch, named Baby Come Back, will send Starling’s cereal box-sized satellites, called CubeSats, to low Earth orbit, where they will test new autonomous …
ISS Daily Summary Report – 7/14/2023
Payloads: Sally Ride Earth Knowledge Acquired by Middle Schools (EarthKAM): The EarthKAM software was shut down and equipment was stowed completing five days of Mission 84 objectives. Not everyone can go to space, but everyone can see Earth from an astronaut’s perspective with the EarthKAM program. Thousands of students can remotely control a digital camera …