Blogs

CIR (Combustion Integrated Rack): The crew prepared the CIR to allow ground commanding of the FOMA (Fuel Oxidizer Management Assembly) Calibration. The CIR includes an optics bench, combustion chamber, fuel and oxidizer control, and five different cameras for performing combustion experiments in microgravity. GEDI (Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation): The crew performed still photography of the …

Actiwatch Plus: The crew installed four Actiwatch Plus units into the HRF rack USB hub and verified charging and data downlink connection. Four new units were then plugged into the USB for charging. The Actiwatch is a waterproof, nonintrusive, sleep-wake activity monitor worn on the wrist of a crewmember. The device contains a miniature uniaxial …

The three-member Expedition 63 crew focused on biomedical research today helping scientists understand how living in space affects the human body. Meanwhile, a resupply ship is nearing its launch to the International Space Station ahead of global cargo and Commercial Crew missions planned for May. NASA Commander Chris Cassidy began Thursday with a health exam …

Japanese Small Satellite Orbital Deployer (J-SSOD#13): The crew completed the final installation steps for the J-SSOD#13 deployable satellites onto the Multi-Purpose Experiment Platform and then retracted the JEM slide table back into the Airlock in preparation for the deployment. The JEM Small Satellite Orbital Deployer (J-SSOD) provides a novel, safe, and small satellite launching capability …

A Russian space freighter has rolled out to its launch pad ready to resupply the International Space Station this weekend. Meanwhile, the Expedition 63 crew is ramping up its preparations for the first Commercial Crew mission and more cargo activities planned for May. Commander Chris Cassidy of NASA is looking forward to welcoming a pair …

Fluids Integration Rack (FIR): The crew replaced both FCF Hard Drives in the FCF Image Processor in the FIR. This change out is in response to the hard drive failure that occurred on GMT 063 and will allow the continuation of ACE-T4 experiment operations. The FIR is a complementary fluid physics research facility designed to …

Expedition 63 Commander Chris Cassidy of NASA continued working on a variety of science hardware throughout the International Space Station today. His two crewmates worked in the orbiting lab’s Russian segment on their complement of science and maintenance. Cassidy started Tuesday in the Japanese Kibo laboratory module setting up a small satellite deployer. CubeSats are …

ELF (Electro-static Levitation Furnace): The crew performed a cartridge sample #3 chamber swap and then opened the Air Gas bottle unit in preparation for the next sample run. ELF is an experimental facility designed to levitate, melt and solidify materials by containerless processing techniques using the electrostatic levitation method.  With this facility, thermophysical properties of …

April has already been an active month for celestial events and it is about to get even better with the Lyrid meteor shower beginning April 19. Just in time for the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, the Lyrids will peak on April 22 during the predawn hours. A new Moon this year will make way …

The three-member Expedition 63 crew is beginning its first full workweek and kicking off science aboard the International Space Station. More space traffic continues this week, as Russia gets ready to launch its next Progress resupply ship late Friday. NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy is on his third spaceflight and is in command of the orbiting …