On August 8, 2022, InSight was generating an average of 400 watt-hours of energy per Martian day, or sol. The tau, or level of dust cover in the atmosphere, was estimated at .90 (typical tau levels outside of dust season range from 0.6-0.7).
Payloads: Combustion Integrated Rack/Solid Fuel Ignition and Extinction (CIR/SoFIE): The crew gained access to the interior of the CIR rack, and replaced the CIR Fuel and Oxidizer Management Assembly (FOMA) Calibration Unit. The FOMA calibration is performed periodically to help verify accurate readings from the various measurement systems in the CIR. The CIR facility includes …
By Jude Coleman A low, surging wind picks up as the first few raindrops splatter onto dusty ground. Dense cumulonimbus clouds, like soot-stained cotton balls, knot tighter and tighter in the sky. While the thick scent of petrichor and ozone invades the air, an electric burst of lightning slashes through the sky; deafening cracks of …
The seven Expedition 67 residents kicked off a busy week of critical research benefitting humans living on and off the Earth. The orbital residents also continued supporting the International Space Station’s vast array of flight, research, and life support systems. Astronauts Bob Hines of NASA and Samantha Cristoforetti of ESA (European Space Agency) took turns …
As NASA’s first launch attempt for Artemis I approaches, teams are ahead of schedule to complete final checks and closeouts of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft in the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA is targeting launch on Aug. 29 during a two-hour launch …
Payloads: Cold Atom Lab (CAL): Following last week’s repair of the compression fittings in the Moderate Temperature (MTL) coolant line for CAL, a series of visual leak checks have followed and all been good (no leaks reported). The CAL produces clouds of atoms that are chilled to about one ten billionth of a degree above …
The Expedition 67 crew wrapped up its week aboard the International Space Station by scrubbing spacesuits, adjusting hardware, and transferring cargo. NASA Flight Engineer Bob Hines spent portions of the day performing cooling loop scrubs for spacesuits, called Extravehicular Mobility Units (EMUs), which enable astronauts to work outside the station. He then reconfigured the EMU …
NASA’s ShadowCam is heading to the Moon aboard Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI)’s Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter (KPLO) mission. KPLO, also known as Danuri, launched at 7:08 p.m. EDT on a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Launch Complex 40 on the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on August 4. Developed by Arizona State University …
The Expedition 67 crew’s midweek schedule aboard the International Space Station centered on installing equipment, inspecting for leaks, and a training exercise. NASA Flight Engineer Jessica Watkins set up the drain for an installed recycling tank for the Environmental Control and Life Support System, a piece of hardware that provides the station with clean water and …
Payloads: Cerebral Augmentation: The crew set up the appropriate hardware and participated in a Cerebral Autoregulation science session. As the body’s most important organ, the brain needs a strong and reliable blood supply, so the brain is capable of self-regulating blood flow even when the heart and blood vessels cannot maintain an ideal blood pressure. …
