After successful separation from the rocket on Oct. 16, NASA's Lucy spacecraft deployed both solar arrays. Soon after deployment, NASA received confirmation that one of the solar arrays was fully deployed and latched. Analysis currently shows the second solar array is partially unfurled. The team continues to look at all available engineering data to establish …
ISS Daily Summary Report – 10/19/2021
Payloads: Combustion Integrated Rack/Advanced Combustion via Microgravity Experiments/Cool Flames Investigation with Gasses (CIR/ACME/CFI-G part 1 repeat): The crew removed an empty 30% butane (CH3CH2CH2CH3)/70% N2 fuel bottle and installed another 30% butane/70% N2 fuel bottle. They also replaced an empty 40% O2/60% N2 bottle with another one of the same composition. Spherical Cool Diffusion Flames …
NASA, SpaceX Adjust Next Crew Launch Date to Space Station
NASA and SpaceX now are targeting 2:21 a.m. EDT Sunday, Oct. 31, for the agency’s Crew-3 launch to the International Space Station to allow additional time for spacecraft processing. The backup launch time and date is 1:10 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 3. NASA astronauts Raja Chari, mission commander, Tom Marshburn, pilot, and Kayla Barron, mission …
Station Gears Up for Russian Resupply Ship Relocation
Tuesday aboard the International Space Station was devoted mainly to orbital maintenance tasks with some light science duties on the schedule. The Expedition 66 crew is also gearing up for a Russian cargo craft backing away from the station and moving to a new docking port this week. Flight Engineers Megan McArthur and Akihiko Hoshide …
Parker Solar Probe Completes Its Fifth Venus Flyby
NASA's Parker Solar Probe is speeding in toward the Sun after a swing past Venus on Oct. 16, successfully using the planet's gravity to shape its path for its next closest approach to our star.
Crew Focuses on Exercise, EVA Preparation, and Maintenance
The Expedition 66 crew focused on exercise, EVA preparation, and routine maintenance checks as part of its activities aboard the International Space Station today. International astronaut Thomas Pesquet spent a portion of the day setting up hardware and completing a session for the Immersive Exercise project. Pesquet was tasked with deploying a wireless virtual reality (VR) headset, which he …
ISS Daily Summary Report – 10/18/2021
Payloads: Cell Biology Experiment Facility – Left (CBEF-L) Fastener Photo: The crew took several photos of the head of a fastener that was found in CBEF-L on GMT 265. CBEF-L provides new capabilities with additional new resources such as Full High Definition video interface, Ethernet, 24 VDC power supply, and a larger diameter centrifugal test …
In Earth’s Highest Atmospheric Layers, Space Weather Can Really Heat Things Up
By Miles Hatfield NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center New results from NASA satellite data show that space weather – the changing conditions in space driven by the Sun – can heat up Earth's hottest and highest atmospheric layer. The findings, published in July in Geophysical Research Letters, used data from NASA's Global Observations of the …
SpaceX Crew-3 Astronauts Enter Quarantine for Mission to Space Station
NASA astronauts Raja Chari, Tom Marshburn, and Kayla Barron, and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Matthias Maurer, entered their official quarantine period beginning Saturday, Oct. 16, in preparation for their flight to the International Space Station on NASA’s SpaceX Crew-3 mission. They will lift off at 2:43 a.m. EDT Saturday, Oct. 30, aboard the SpaceX …