Blogs

OsteoOmics:  The crew fixated BioCells in Biocell Habitat 1 inserted the sample into the Minus Eighty Degree Celsius Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI).  Crewmembers experience bone loss in orbit stemming from the lack of gravity acting on their bones. OsteoOmics investigates the molecular mechanisms that dictate this bone loss by examining osteoblasts, which form bone, …

Two NASA astronauts switched their spacesuits to battery power this morning at 7:20 a.m., EDT aboard the International Space Station to begin a spacewalk planned to last about 2.5 hours. Expedition 51 Commander Peggy Whitson and Flight Engineer Jack Fischer will replace a critical computer relay box. The relay box, known as a multiplexer-demultiplexer (MDM), …

External (EXT) Multiplexer/Demultiplexer (MDM)-1 R&R Extravehicular Activity (EVA):  With IV support from Thomas Pesquet, today Peggy Whitson (EV1) and Jack Fischer (EV2) performed a 2 hour 46 minute EVA to Remove & Replace (R&R) the EXT MDM-1 that failed on Saturday, May 20th. While Whitson performed the EXT MDM R&R, Fischer installed the Lab Nadir …

Expedition 51 Commander Peggy Whitson and Flight Engineer Jack Fischer of NASA concluded their spacewalk at 10:06 a.m. EDT. During the spacewalk, which lasted two hours and 46 minutes, the two astronauts successfully replaced a computer relay box, and installed a pair of antennas on station to enhance wireless communication for future spacewalks. Spacewalkers have …

Expedition 51 Commander Peggy Whitson and Flight Engineer Jack Fischer of NASA will venture outside the International Space Station for a 2.5-hour contingency spacewalk Tuesday, May 23. The spacewalk will begin about 8 a.m. EDT, with complete coverage on NASA Television and the agency’s website beginning at 6:30 a.m. Whitson and Fischer will replace a …

External (EXT) Multiplexer/Demultiplexer (MDM)-1 Failure: On Saturday EXT MDM-1 experienced an anomaly. Attempts to recover the MDM remotely were unsuccessful.  Ground Teams configured EXT MDM-2 as primary and set up systems for the next worse failure per established Flight Rules. An IMMT was held Sunday and directed Team 4 to assess the feasibility of performing …

Astronauts Peggy Whitson and Jack Fischer are getting ready for a contingency spacewalk Tuesday morning. Whitson and Fischer are set to begin the spacewalk at 8 a.m. Tuesday for about two hours of maintenance work. NASA Television coverage will begin at 6:30 a.m. The spacewalkers are gathering their tools and checking their spacesuits today with …

International Space Station Program managers have given the green light for a contingency spacewalk on Tuesday by two Expedition 51 crewmembers to change out a multiplexer-demultiplexer (MDM) data relay box on the S0 truss that failed on Saturday morning. The cause of the MDM failure is not known. After a review of spacewalk preparations and …

International Space Station Program managers met Sunday and gave approval for a contingency spacewalk no earlier than Tuesday by two Expedition 51 crewmembers to change out a multiplexer-demultiplexer (MDM) data relay box on the S0 truss that failed on Saturday morning. The cause of the MDM failure is not known. A final decision on a …

International Space Station managers will meet Sunday morning to discuss a forward plan for dealing with the apparent failure of one of two fully redundant multiplexer-demultiplexer (MDM) data relay boxes on the S0 truss of the complex. External MDM-1 apparently failed at 1:13 p.m. Central time Saturday. Multiple attempts by flight controllers to restore power …