Blogs

The three-member Expedition 44 crew is conducting biomedical science today to study the effects of living in space on a crew member’s body. The International Space Station will raise its orbit tomorrow to allow another trio of space residents to join the orbiting residents at the end of July. Commander Gennady Padalka and One-Year crew …

Binary Colloidal Alloy Test-Low Gravity Phase Kinetics Platform (BCAT-KP):  Kelly reviewed the experiment prior to charging the D2Xs camera batteries, changing out batteries and setting the intervelometer settings. The BCAT-KP experiment aims to help materials scientists develop new consumer products with unique properties and longer shelf lives. Colloids are mixtures of small particles distributed throughout …

SpaceX engineers are in the final weeks of processing of the Falcon 9 rocket that will launch their Dragon commercial cargo craft to the International Space Station late next week. On orbit, a pair of Expedition 44 crew members reviewed the procedures they will use when the Dragon supply ship arrives a few days later. …

Japanese Experiment Module Airlock (JEMAL) Operations: Kelly opened the outer hatch and extended the JEMAL Slide Table (ST) to the JEM Exposed Facility (JEF).  Ground controllers then maneuvered the JEM Remote Manipulator System (JEMRMS) with the Free-Space Passive Dosimeter for Life-Science Experiment in Space (Free-Space PADLES) to the ST and docked them followed by retraction …

The three residents aboard the International Space Station conducted advanced microgravity science and trained for the arrival of the seventh SpaceX Dragon mission scheduled for the end of the month. One-Year crew members Scott Kelly and Mikhail Kornienko partnered up for the Fine Motor Skills study, part of a suite of yearlong studies planned for …

Integrated Resistance and Aerobic Training Study (Sprint) Volume of Oxygen Utilized (VO2) Exercise Session:  Kelly performed his Flight Day (FD) 75 Sprint exercise session on the Cycle Ergometer with Vibration Isolation and Stabilization (CEVIS).  He donned Electrocardiogram (ECG) electrodes, Heart Rate Monitor (HRM) hardware, and Portable Pulmonary Function System (PPFS) calibrations then executed the VO2 …

Three Expedition 43 crew members are readapting to Earth’s gravity after returning home Thursday morning. The trio still onboard the International Space Station is working advanced microgravity science, orbital maintenance and exercise to remain fit and counter the effects of living in space. Expedition 44 started early Thursday morning after the Soyuz TMA-15M spacecraft undocked …

41 Soyuz (41S) Undock/Landing:  41S undocked and landed today at approximately 8:44 CDT, bringing Terry Virts, Anton Shkaplerov and Samantha Cristoforetti back to Earth. The undock began 3-crew operations on the ISS until the arrival of 43S currently planned for late in July. 41S Return Sample Collections Transfer: Kelly collected saliva, buccal, urine, and blood …

Expedition 43 Commander Terry Virts of NASA, Samantha Cristoforetti of ESA and Anton Shkaplerov of Roscosmos landed their Soyuz TMA-15M spacecraft in Kazakhstan at 9:44 a.m. EDT. Russian recovery teams will help the crew exit the Soyuz vehicle and adjust to gravity after their stay in space. The trio arrived at the International Space Station …

NASA Television coverage is again underway for today’s homecoming of International Space Station Commander Terry Virts of NASA and Flight Engineers Samantha Cristoforetti of ESA (European Space Agency) and Anton Shkaplerov of Roscosmos. The crew undocked from the station at 6:20 a.m. EDT, and they are on track for landing in their Soyuz TMA-15M spacecraft …