NASA’s ICESat-2 satellite returned to science mode on June 21 UTC, after solar storms in May caused its height-measuring instrument to go into a safe hold. The ICESat-2 team restarted the mission’s instrument, a lidar called the Advanced Topographic Laser Altimeter System (ATLAS), which is once again collecting precise data on the height of Earth’s …
Hearing assessments, eye exams, and cargo ops topped Tuesday’s schedule aboard the International Space Station. The Expedition 71 and Boeing Crew Flight Test crews also scheduled in some time to connect with students back on Earth and prepare for upcoming mission activities. As part of regularly scheduled exams in low Earth orbit, NASA astronauts Matthew …
An issue with ground equipment caused a launch scrub at the last second for eight small satellite missions on a rideshare to space. NASA and Firefly Aerospace now are targeting 9:03 p.m. PDT, July 2 (12:03 a.m. EDT, July 3) for the launch of the CubeSats as part of NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative’s (CSLI) ELaNa (Educational …
Integrated Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) Low Earth Orbit User Modem and Amplifier Terminal (ILLUMA-T) Jettison: Over the weekend, ground operators prepared ILLUMA-T for jettison by grappling the lasercom experiment with the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS). The payload was released from the station at 11:18 AM on Saturday, June 29th. After release, the …
A jam-packed day of orbital upkeep kept the International Space Station residents busy on Monday. The Expedition 71 and Boeing Crew Flight Test crews worked an array of maintenance and cleaning tasks after taking a weekend off. NASA astronauts Tracy C. Dyson and Matthew Dominick kicked off the day by loading trash and discarded gear …
NASA and Firefly Aerospace are now targeting 9:03 p.m. PDT, July 1 (12:03 a.m. EDT, July 2) for the launch of eight CubeSats as part of NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative’s (CSLI) ELaNa (Educational Launch of Nanosatellites) 43. Firefly Aerospace’s “Noise of Summer” will launch on an Alpha rocket from Space Launch Complex 2 at Vandenberg Space Force …
During a media teleconference Friday, leaders from NASA and Boeing provided an update about Starliner’s Crew Flight Test. The integrated Starliner team continues to evaluate the spacecraft’s propulsion system performance and complete other forward work before scheduling undocking from the International Space Station. Listen to a full replay of the teleconference. “Our goal is to bring Butch …
Boeing CST-100 Crewed Flight Test (CFT): Today, the CFT crew completed various activities to assist the ISS crew in restoring payload capabilities. The crew completed an activity to replace the Combustion Integrated Rack (CIR) Manifold-1 Bottle and an activity to perform a CO2 Sensor Remove & Replace (R&R) in the Plant Habitat facility. Payloads: CIR/Solid …
The Expedition 71 crew members packed a U.S. cargo craft, cleaned up the International Space Station, studied futuristic piloting techniques, and conducted eye exams on Friday. NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test astronauts spent the end of their workweek reconfiguring a space botany facility. Robotics controllers are scheduled to detach the Cygnus space freighter from the …
NASA’s Orion spacecraft for the Artemis II mission was lifted out of the Final Assembly and System Testing cell on June 28 inside the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The integrated spacecraft has been undergoing final rounds of testing and assembly, including end-to-end performance verification of …
