Blogs

Ground controllers have completed troubleshooting work after last week’s false alarm indicating an ammonia leak. Heat exchangers and thermal control systems on the U.S. side of the International Space Station have been recovered and reintegrated and are operating in excellent shape. Commander Barry Wilmore was scrubbing cooling loops on a U.S. spacesuit when he heard …

External Thermal Control System (ETCS) Loop B Recovery Status:  Over the weekend, ground teams finished repressurizing and recovering ETCS Loop B and the systems which were deactivated as a result of Wednesday’s safeing response. The Loop B Interface Heat Exchangers (IFHX) have been reintegrated, which allows internal heat rejection on Loop B.  Cardio Ox: Crew …

NASA's Soil Moisture Active Passive spacecraft has been attached to the top of the United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket that will deliver it to orbit. Preparations for the Jan. 29 launch are on schedule at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Payload carriers containing small satellites called CubeSats are being attached to the rocket's …

External Thermal Control System (ETCS) Loop B Recovery Status:  Ground teams continue working towards incrementally re-pressurizing ETCS Loop B.  Last night’s re-pressurization resulted in a 1% decrease in Ammonia Tank Assembly (ATA) tank quantity.  Ground teams are targeting a total of 7% decrease (0.63 c.f. NH3) before a Loop B restart is attempted. The Loop …

External Thermal Control System (ETCS) Loop B Recovery Status:  Ground teams are methodically working towards repressurizing and recovering ETCS Loop B and the systems which were deactivated as a result of yesterday’s safeing response. The Loop B Interface Heat Exchangers (IFHX) are still bypassed and isolated, preventing internal heat rejection on Loop B.  Due to …

The International Space Station residents were back at work Thursday after an ammonia leak indication sent the crew over to the Russian segment. Flight controllers determined there was no leak and NASA managers allowed the crew to resume normal activities and open the U.S. segment back up. This week, the orbital residents kicked off several …

Ammonia Leak False Alarm:  This morning at 3:58am CST, ISS telemetry indicated a possible leak of ammonia within Node 2 in the US Segment.  The crew performed emergency procedures and subsequently evacuated the US Segment and isolated themselves to the Russian Segment. The External Thermal Control System (ETCS) Loop B, Node 2 Low Temperature Loop …

The crew opened the hatch to the U.S. segment and returned inside at 2:05 p.m. Central time. Wearing protective masks, Virts and Cristoforetti sampled the cabin atmosphere and reported no indications of any ammonia.

The International Space Station mission management team, including all of the station Partners, met this afternoon and directed the station’s residents to return to the U.S. segment of the complex before the end of the day, systems permitting. The decision was made hours after the crew members were isolated in the Russian segment following an …

The six-member Expedition 42 crew is safe in the Russian segment of the International Space Station after an alarm went off in the U.S. segment of the orbital laboratory Wednesday morning. Flight controllers are seeing no direct evidence of an ammonia leak and are exploring the likelihood a faulty sensor or computer relay set off …