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 …
Sprint Ultrasound: Kelly performed his Flight Day 240 thigh and calf ultrasound scans today with assistance from Lindgren and guidance from the Sprint ground team. Ultrasound scans are used to evaluate spaceflight-induced changes in the muscle volume. The Sprint investigation evaluates the use of high intensity, low volume exercise training to minimize loss of muscle, …
Crews and cargo shipments will be coming and going at the International Space Station during a busy December in space. Two resupply ships will arrive, one cargo craft will leave and an Expedition 45 trio will head home before an Expedition 46 trio replaces it. Commander Scott Kelly teamed up with Flight Engineer Kjell Lindgren …
Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) Troubleshooting: Kelly and Lindgren attempted to restore full functionality to the slide mechanism that allows the MSG work volume to be extended for crew access but were not successful. The MSG Ground Team is working with a ground unit to develop additional procedures for correcting the problem. The slide mechanism initially …
The next cargo mission to the International Space Station is set to launch Dec. 3 at 5:55 p.m. EST. The Orbital ATK Cygnus commercial cargo craft will arrive Dec. 6 when it will be grappled with the Canadarm2 and berthed to the Unity module. Commander Scott Kelly joined Flight Engineers Kjell Lindgren and Kimiya Yui …
Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) Airlock Operations for Closeout of Exposed Experiment Handrail Attachment Mechanism (ExHAM) #2: Yui opened the inner JEM Airlock hatch and then, with assistance from Lindgren, removed the Multi-Purpose Experiment Platform (MPEP) from the Small Fine Arm (SFA) Airlock Attachment Mechanism (SAM) on the Slide Table and then removed the SAM from …
Today's post is from Veronica Bray, a planetary scientist at the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory in Tucson. She specializes in comparing the surfaces of planetary bodies across the solar system. I love looking at New Horizons' images of Pluto! But I spend most of my time looking elsewhere. Why? Because comparing Pluto with other planetary …
