The first major integrated operation at Launch Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida began with the initial tanking of a cryogenic fuel into a giant sphere at the northwest corner of the pad. The tanking operation is one of the steps needed to bring the center closer to supporting the launch of …
External Television Camera Group (ETVCG) Light Bulb R&R: Today the crew will removed, replaced, and tested two metal halide lamps bulbs. These light assemblies are used to illuminate sections of ISS during periods of darkness and support continuous operations. After bulb failure, these assemblies can be removed and replaced during an Extra Vehicular Activity. Rechargeable …
Two astronauts are getting ready for a spacewalk set to begin Thursday at 8:05 a.m. EDT. This will be the first of three spacewalks taking place this month for maintenance at the International Space Station. NASA TV is broadcasting a live briefing at 2 p.m. today describing what will take place during the three spacewalks …
International Space Station managers and spacewalk experts will talk next week about a series of three spacewalks taking place in October. NASA TV will broadcast a briefing Monday at 2 p.m. EDT to describe the spacewalk activities planned for Oct.5, 10 and 18. Commander Randy Bresnik will lead all three spacewalks partnering with NASA astronauts …
MagVector: The crew completed setup activities and began the 7-day MagVector #14 experiment run. The European Space Agency (ESA) MagVector investigation studies how Earth’s magnetic field interacts with an electrical conductor. Using extremely sensitive magnetic sensors placed around and above a conductor, researchers can gain insight into ways that the magnetic field influences how conductors …
The International Space Station boosted its orbit Wednesday to prepare for the arrival of a pair of Russian spaceships before the end of the year. Meanwhile, the Expedition 53 crew continued getting ready for next week’s spacewalk and explored how living in space affects their bodies. The docked Progress 67 resupply ship fired its engines …
The CYGNSS constellation has been operating in its science data-taking mode continuously since March 2017. The satellite hardware has been performing as designed while we make adjustments to the software on-board and on the ground so we are better able to operate smoothly and autonomously. We also spent much of the summer working on the […]
There and back again Of course, a title stolen from ‘The Hobbit’ but appropriate just the same. It’s Monday afternoon and the Atlantis is once again tied up to the dock. We came in yesterday on the early morning tide and quickly began the task of ‘demobilization’ – i.e., unloading the tons of scientific gear […]
Near Oceans End This cruise is all but over and at this time tomorrow I will be several beers deep in the aftermath of the end of cruise party. Meantime I promised that sweet heart, Kristina, that I would write a BLOG … so here you go sister :). There is something about standing on […]
Life at Sea: All Science All the Time and That’s a Good Thing….well mostly. Any cruise aboard a research vessel feels like the days of the week are blended into one. The only timekeeping that one really has to pay attention to is the hour. When is the next instrument to be deployed over the […]
