Blogs

Biochemical Profile:  Lindgren continued his Return minus 14 (R-14) blood and urine collections and Yui his R-14 saliva collection for the Biochem Profile investigation.  Samples were stowed in a Minus Eighty Degree Celsius Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI) for return on a later flight. The Biochemical Profile experiment tests blood and urine samples obtained from …

In support of NASA’s journey to Mars, testing began Nov. 30 on one of the umbilicals that will connect from the mobile launcher tower to the Orion service module at the Launch Equipment Test Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The mobile launcher will carry the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft …

A trio of International Space Station residents is getting ready to return to Earth while a new crew in Kazakhstan is preparing to replace them. Meanwhile, a pair of space freighters, the Orbital ATK Cygnus and Russia’s Progress 62 (62P), is being readied for liftoff as another docked cargo craft is being packed before it’s …

Ocular Health:  Crewmembers Yui and Lindgren completed vision tests, tonometry tests, and blood pressure measurements as part of their Flight Day 120 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. Researchers believe that …

The second half of the H level work platforms for the Vehicle Assembly Building arrived today at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The H platforms are the third of 10 levels of platforms that will support processing of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft for the journey to Mars. Hensel Phelps …

Cygnus Offset Grapple On-Board Training (OBT):  In preparation for Cygnus arrival planned for December 6th, the USOS crew practiced vehicle captures with the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) which was located at the Permanent Multipurpose Module (PMM) Flight Releasable Grapple Fixture (FRGF) High Hover position in preparation for the training. Following the training, the …

The International Space Station residents are gearing up to host the Orbital ATK Cygnus space freighter when it arrives Dec. 6. On the ground, a new trio of Expedition 46-47 crew members headed to their launch site at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan before their mid-December mission. NASA astronauts Scott Kelly and Kjell Lindgren trained …

EXPRESS (EXpedite the PRocessing of Experiments to Space Station) Rack 8 Laptop Software Load:  Kelly supported the ongoing software updates to ISS EXPRESS Rack laptops by copying a software load to the EXPRESS Rack 8 laptop.  These software updates include enhanced security with the Windows 7 operating system, new features and support for new capabilities. …

Robonaut 2 Troubleshooting:   Lindgren continued troubleshooting Robonaut’s Compact Peripheral Component Interface today.    Robonaut 2 is a two-armed humanoid robot designed with the versatility and dexterity to manipulate hardware, work in high risk environments, and respond safely to unexpected obstacles. Robonaut is currently mounted inside the ISS.  In the future, it will perform tasks both inside …

Engineers and technicians from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center and contractor ViaSat Inc. are completing restoration of a launch communications site at the Ponce De Leon Inlet Tracking Annex. The facility is located in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, 35 miles north of the spaceport. The annex will provide a crucial tracking capability following liftoff of the …