Blogs

Combustion Integration Rack (CIR) Fuel Oxidizer Management Assembly (FOMA) Remove and Replace: Kopra changed out the CIR FOMA which is the first step in the calibration and recertification required prior to the start of the FLame Extinguishment Experiment (FLEX)-2 experiment scheduled for January. The calibration and certification is scheduled for next week.  FLEX-2 uses small …

Cardio Ox Ultrasound: Kopra, with Peake assisting, performed his first (Flight Day 15) of three ultrasound and blood pressure measurement sessions for the Cardio Ox experiment. The objective of Cardio Ox is to determine whether biological markers of oxidative and inflammatory stress are elevated during and after space flight and whether this results in an …

Thermal Radiator Rotary Joint (TRRJ) Repositioning for Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS)-02: Due to the high negative beta angle, the AMS team requested that the Starboard-Thermal Radiator Rotary Joint (S-TRRJ) be moved to a better angle to provide a more optimal temperature for the Transition Radiation Detector (TRD) pump.  Ground teams will continue to monitor the …

Advanced Resistive Exercise Device (ARED) Status:  This morning, crew reported that one of the two Vibration Isolation System dashpots on the left side of ARED was broken at the rod end.  As a result, the crew was unable to perform morning session ARED exercises.  Kopra and Kelly subsequently changed out the left and right side …

Today's post is written by Alex Parker, a research scientist at the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado, working on NASA's New Horizons mission. As New Horizons flew by Pluto, it recorded spectacular images of the icy world's surface using the LORRI and MVIC cameras. It recorded the plasma and dust environments with the PEPSSI, …

62 Progress (62P) Docking:  62P completed its 34 orbit rendezvous with ISS and successfully docked to Docking Compartment (DC)-1 at 4:27 AM CST.  After docking, Volkov successfully performed leak checks and subsequently opened the hatches.   Biochemical Profile and Cardio Ox:  Peake has performed his Flight Day 15 session blood and urine collections for the …

Traveling about 253 miles over western Mongolia, the unpiloted ISS Progress 62 Russian cargo ship docked automatically with the Pirs docking compartment of the International Space Station at 5:27 a.m. EST today. Progress is delivering 2.8 tons of food, fuel, and supplies to the crew aboard the station. The spacecraft launched Monday from the Baikonur …

Ocular Health:  One year crewmembers Kelly and Kornienko completed vision and tonometry tests and took blood pressure measurements as part of their Flight Day 270 Ocular Health testing.  The Ocular Health protocol calls for a systematic gathering of physiological data to characterize the risks of microgravity-induced visual impairment and increased intracranial pressure in ISS crewmembers. …

A pair of spacewalkers are cleaning up and reporting back to ground controllers after a short spacewalk Monday morning. A Christmas delivery is also due at the International Space Station Wednesday at 5:31 a.m. EST/10:31 a.m. UTC. Commander Scott Kelly and Flight Engineer Tim Kopra quickly prepared over the weekend for the spacewalk to release …

Extravehicular Activity (EVA) #34:  Kelly and Kopra performed an EVA to troubleshoot the starboard Crew Equipment Translation Aid (CETA) cart and Mobile Transporter (MT).  The starboard CETA cart is linked to the side of the Mobile Transporter (MT), and its brake was engaged preventing MT movement.  Kelly released the brake and the MT was successfully …