Jim K Global Moderator Posted January 2, 2016 Global Moderator Share Posted January 2, 2016 Draggendrop 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draggendrop Veteran Posted January 4, 2016 Author Veteran Share Posted January 4, 2016 EVA Ahead for ISS Crew on 15 Jan, as Space Station Prepares for Ambitious 2016 Astronaut Tim Kopra, pictured during U.S. EVA-34 on 21 December, will serve as “EV1” during U.S. EVA-35 on 15 January. It will be his third career spacewalk and his first time in the lead-spacewalker role. Photo Credit: NASA Quote At the stroke of midnight, Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) on 1 January, Expedition 46 Commander Scott Kelly of NASA, his Russian crewmates Mikhail Kornienko, Sergei Volkov, and Yuri Malenchenko, together with U.S. astronaut Tim Kopra and Britain’s Tim Peake, welcomed 2016. It is a year which will witness the arrival at the International Space Station (ISS) of as many as four SpaceX Dragons, two Orbital ATK Enhanced Cygnus freighters, three Russian Progresses, and four piloted Soyuz vehicles. In March, the 12-month mission of Kelly and Kornienko will come to an end, whilst in late August Expedition 48 Commander Jeff Williams should eclipse Kelly’s national record for the most flight-experienced U.S. astronaut and as many as four U.S. EVAs and three Russian EVAs are timetabled to occur at various stages throughout the year. For Kelly and Kornienko—who were launched aboard Soyuz TMA-16M last 26/27 March, alongside Russian cosmonaut Gennadi Padalka—their (almost) one-year voyage aboard the ISS has now passed its 82-percent-complete mark. Present plans call for Kelly and Kornienko to return to Earth in early March, together with Russia’s Sergei Volkov, who has joined them since September, aboard Soyuz TMA-18M. According to Novosti Kosmonavtiki, their landing in north-central Kazakhstan is tentatively scheduled for 10:33 a.m. local time (7:33 a.m. Moscow Time) on 2 March. If this plan holds, Kelly and Kornienko should chalk up about 340 days, eight hours, and 50 minutes of flight time, and more than 5,400 orbits of the Home Planet, thus establishing theirs as the fourth-longest single space mission ever undertaken in human history. With the successful return of Cygnus to the space station on the OA-4 mission last month and SpaceX’s spectacular return to flight (and return to land) of its Upgraded Falcon 9 booster on 21 December, the door has opened to a potentially spectacular 2016. Current plans call for the arrival of as many as four SpaceX Dragons, two Orbital ATK Enhanced Cygnuses and three of Russia’s upgraded “Progress-MS” supply freighters, as well as the departure on 25 January of the OA-4 Cygnus, after seven weeks berthed at the Earth-facing (or “nadir”) interface of the station’s Unity node. The Cygnus’ departure marks the first occasion that a commercial visitor had ever berthed at Unity nadir. The station now has two berthing locations—at Unity nadir and Harmony nadir—for future Cygnuses, Dragons, and HTVs, and will eventually have two docking interfaces at the respective Pressurized Mating Adapters (PMAs) at Harmony’s space-facing (or “zenith”) and forward-facing ports to support the arrival and departure of Commercial Crew vehicles from 2017 onward. Following the departure of OA-4, the next visitor will be SpaceX’s Commercial Resupply Services (CRS)-8 Dragon, targeted to launch on 8 February. As previously noted by AmericaSpace, CRS-8 will deliver the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) to the space station. Following its capture and berthing at Harmony nadir, via the 57.7-foot-long (17.6-meter) Canadarm2, efforts to remove BEAM and transfer it to its eventual location at the aft-facing port of the Tranquility node will get underway. “BEAM is a combined ground and crew operation,” NASA’s Rob Navias recently told AmericaSpace, “somewhere around five days or so after Dragon berthing.” It was also pointed out that the movement of the inflatable module—which measures about 13 feet (4 meters) in length and 10.5 feet (3.2 meters) in diameter, offering a habitable internal volume of 565 cubic feet (16 cubic meters)—will be conducted remotely from the ground. The operation to transfer BEAM from Dragon’s unpressurized trunk and rigidly attach it to the Common Berthing Mechanism (CBM) of Tranquility’s aft port is expected to require about eight hours, although the actual “expansion” of the module will not occur immediately and is scheduled to take place “within four months” of its arrival. Mr. Navias has stressed that “no timetable” has been set for the first crew ingress or activity inside BEAM, but that “it will not be immediately.” The slight movement of CRS-8 from its original target of early January has allowed a planned 6.5-hour spacewalk in U.S.-built Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) suits—originally designated “U.S. EVA-34” but since renamed “U.S. EVA-35,” following the short-notice spacewalk by Kelly and Kopra to tend to a Mobile Transporter (MT) issue on 21 December—to be moved forward from the end of January to mid-month, with current predictions indicating that it will take place on the 15th. According to Mr. Navias, the identities of the EVA crewmen have yet to be determined, although Novosti has noted that Kopra and Peake are expected to perform the spacewalk. Kopra will serve as “EV1,” the lead spacewalker, with red stripes on the legs of his suit for identification, and will wear EMU Serial No. 3011, which he previously used for U.S. EVA-34. His crewmate will wear EMU Serial No. 3008, which will undergo testing in the Quest airlock next week. “We have to verify that Peake’s suit is good to go before he is approved to go EVA,” Mr. Navias told AmericaSpace on Friday, “since he cannot size up to another suit.” He also added that Kelly and Volkov would provide “Intravehicular” (IV) support. rest of the years major events at the link...long article, but informative. http://www.americaspace.com/?p=90379 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draggendrop Veteran Posted January 4, 2016 Author Veteran Share Posted January 4, 2016 New Year Begins With Eye to Next Spacewalk Tropical Cyclone Ula, a category 3 storm at the time this image was captured, is seen from the International Space Station. Credit: NASA Quote The Expedition 46 crew begins its first full week of the New Year planning for a spacewalk scheduled for Jan. 15. The orbiting residents are also busy with numerous science experiments benefitting life on Earth and future astronauts. A pair of spacewalkers will replace a failed voltage regulator to return power to one of eight power channels next Friday. Two crew members will exit the Quest airlock and work outside for 6.5 hours for the replacement work. They will also rig cables for the future installation of docking adapters that will enable commercial crew vehicles to dock at the International Space Station. Final spacewalking roles will be confirmed following spacesuit hardware checkouts taking place today. NASA astronauts Tim Kopra and Commander Scott Kelly collected and stowed blood and urine samples this morning for the Fluid Shifts study. That experiment observes the headward fluid shift caused by microgravity that increases brain pressure and pushes back on the eye. British astronaut Tim Peake also explored particles suspended in fluids, or colloids, which could benefit the design of advanced materials on Earth. https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2016/01/04/new-year-begins-with-eye-to-next-spacewalk/ ------------------------------ NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 31 December 2015 (bit behind) NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 31 December 2015. NASA Quote Today: 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 droplets of fuel to study the special spherical characteristics of burning fuel droplets in space. The experiment studies how quickly fuel burns, the conditions required for soot to form, and how mixtures of fuels evaporate before burning. Understanding these processes could lead to the production of a safer spacecraft as well as increased fuel efficiency for engines using liquid fuel on Earth. Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Launch Enclosure Operations: Kopra removed EMU 3008 from the EMU launch enclosure and installed it on the EMU Don/Doff Assembly (EDDA) while the launch enclosure panels were re-installed without an EMU inside. At a future date EMU 3005 will be installed in the launch enclosure for return to Earth on a SpX. Kopra then removed Space Suit Assembly (SSA) soft covers from EMU 3008 and installed on EMU 3003 for Foreign Object Debris (FOD) prevention. Cargo Operations: Today, Kelly participated in a Stowage Conference discussing Cygnus cargo choreography, then continued transferring cargo from the Cygnus vehicle to ISS. Peake unpacked cargo that arrived on 62P. ISS Safety Video Survey: Kelly obtained video of the interior volume of the ISS which allows ground teams to assess the current vehicle configuration and identify areas of concern. This survey is performed approximately every 6 months to identify ventilation blockage, flammability hazards, emergency egress paths, access to fire ports and safety equipment. Quote Ground Activities All activities were completed unless otherwise noted. Nominal system commanding Three-Day Look Ahead: Friday, 01/01: Crew holiday Saturday, 01/02: Crew off duty; housekeeping Sunday, 01/03: Crew off duty QUICK ISS Status - Environmental Control Group: Component - Status Elektron - Off Vozdukh - Manual [СКВ] 1 - SM Air Conditioner System ("SKV1") - On [СКВ] 2 - SM Air Conditioner System ("SKV2") - Off Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Lab - Standby Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Node 3 - Operate Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Lab - Idle Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3 - Operate Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) - Process Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) - Norm Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab - Full Up Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 - Off http://spaceref.com/international-space-station/nasa-international-space-station-on-orbit-status-31-december-2015.html ------------------------------ Video: Monthly ISS Research Video Update for January 2016 video is 6:00 min. Unobscured Vision 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draggendrop Veteran Posted January 5, 2016 Author Veteran Share Posted January 5, 2016 NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 4 January 2016 NASA astronaut Tim Kopra powers on the Human Research Facility (HRF) PC 3 for the ongoing Cognition test. The ongoing study includes a battery of tests that measure how spaceflight-related physical changes, such as microgravity and lack of sleep, can affect cognitive performance. Cognition includes ten brief computerized tests that cover a wide range of cognitive functions, and provides immediate feedback on current and past test results. The software allows for real-time measurement of cognitive performance while in space. Credit: NASA. Quote The Expedition 46 crew begins its first full week of the New Year planning for a spacewalk scheduled for Jan. 15. The orbiting residents are also busy with numerous science experiments benefitting life on Earth and future astronauts. A pair of spacewalkers will replace a failed voltage regulator to return power to one of eight power channels next Friday. Two crew members will exit the Quest airlock and work outside for 6.5 hours for the replacement work. They will also rig cables for the future installation of docking adapters that will enable commercial crew vehicles to dock at the International Space Station. Final spacewalking roles will be confirmed following spacesuit hardware checkouts taking place today. NASA astronauts Tim Kopra and Commander Scott Kelly collected and stowed blood and urine samples this morning for the Fluid Shifts study. That experiment observes the headward fluid shift caused by microgravity that increases brain pressure and pushes back on the eye. British astronaut Tim Peake also explored particles suspended in fluids, or colloids, which could benefit the design of advanced materials on Earth. Quote Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) 3008 Checkout: Kopra performed a checkout of EMU 3008 in order to verify all systems on the suit were functioning properly after its launch on OA-4. During the activity, Ground teams monitored EMU telemetry and performed successful communication checks with the suit's UHF Radios and hardline audio system. This EMU is planned for use during the Sequential Shunt Unit (SSU) EVA currently scheduled for January 15th. Retractable Equipment Tether (RET) Inspection: Kopra performed an inspection for damaged cords on mounted and unmounted RETs. Each RET cord must be inspected prior to EVA use. Waste & Hygiene Compartment (WHC) Pre-Treat Tank Remove & Replace (R&R): Kelly performed this maintenance activity to R&R the WHC pre-treat tank. Mobile Transporter (MT) Translation to Work Site 2 (WS2): This afternoon, ground controllers successfully commanded an MT translation from WS4 to WS2. The move positions the Mobile Servicing System (MSS) for robotic operations this week to retrieve Robotics Refueling Mission (RRM) Taskboard (TB) 4. Quote Ground Activities All activities were completed unless otherwise noted. Nominal system commanding MT Powerup and Translate (Worksite 4 - Worksite 2), SPDM Unstow Three-Day Look Ahead: Tuesday, 01/05: EVA loop scrub/RET inspection/EMU water conductivity measurement/DOUG review/Tool Build, MSS File Uplink for RRM TB4 return Wednesday, 01/06: Fluid Shifts Ultrasound, JEMAL depressurization/vent, EMU Resize, EVA ECWS OBT/Tether Inspection, Sprint setup, RRM TB4 removal Thursday, 01/07: Sprint VO2 ops, EVA procedures review/conference, MT Translate (WS4 - WS7) QUICK ISS Status - Environmental Control Group: Component - Status Elektron - Off Vozdukh - Manual [СКВ] 1 - SM Air Conditioner System ("SKV1") - On [СКВ] 2 - SM Air Conditioner System ("SKV2") - Off Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Lab - Standby Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Node 3 - Operate Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Lab - Idle Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3 - Operate Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) - Process Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) - Standby Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab Full - Up Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 - Off http://spaceref.com/international-space-station/nasa-international-space-station-on-orbit-status-4-january-2016.html ------------------------------- France, Germany Admit to Second Thoughts about Sticking with ISS Sunrise as viewed from the International Space Station in November. Framing the edge of sun is the Soyuz TMA-17M (front) which brought NASA astronaut Kjell Lindgren, JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko to the station and a Russian Progress 60 (back) cargo craft which arrived back in July. Credit: NASA JSC Quote In separate statements Jan. 4 and Jan. 5, the heads of the French and German space agencies said a detailed study is under way to assess the future operating cost of the station, and whether the cost can be justified given the pressure on near-term budgets. Pascale Ehrenfreund, chairman of the board of the German Aerospace Center, DLR, which is Germany’s space agency, said DLR would make no promises until after a full review of ISS’s value. “In view of the high cost involved and the resulting implications on budgets of [European Space Agency] member states, we have to evaluate very carefully costs and benefits of a continued participation in the ISS,” Ehrenfreund said in a Jan. 5 statement in response to SpaceNews inquiries. “It’s only based on this evaluation that we will be able to take a definite position.” Germany has been Europe’s ISS champion — its biggest paymaster and most vocal booster — for more than 20 years and at times has had to strong-arm France into boosting its support under threat of reduced German backing of Europe’s Ariane rocket program, a French priority. In December 2014 France agreed to return its space station support to its mid-1990s commitment levels as part of a broad agreement that included a large German role in the future Ariane 6 rocket. Jean-Yves Le Gall, president of the French space agency, CNES, said Jan. 4 that France would not announce a position for or against post-2020 ISS support until it had worked out a common position with Germany. Le Gall invoked the pressure on German public spending caused by the massive influx of refugees onto German territory in 2015, and said no common position would be clear until the eve of the next meeting of European Space Agency ministers, set for December in Lucerne, Switzerland. ESA governments, led by France and Germany, regularly play a kind of liar’s poker with each other, feigning budgetary strength or weakness to win overall ESA support for a given program, or to encourage other nations to increase their contributions with the implied threat of program cancellation. Whether that is what is happening now is difficult to discern. At the last ESA ministerial meeting, in December 2014 in Luxembourg, Germany and other governments committed to a 10-year program of support for current and future launch vehicles valued at more than 8 billion euros ($8.8 billion). The commitment makes it more difficult to engage in the space-station-versus-launch-vehicles negotiations. Le Gall said further pressure on Europe’s space station involvement beyond 2020 is the possibly short duration of a barter arrangement with NASA. Up to now, Europe has provided space station cargo supplies to offset its 8.3 percent share of the station’s common operating costs, which without the barter would be due to NASA in cash. ESA retired its Automated Transfer Vehicle cargo vehicle after five flights. NASA and ESA, after lengthy negotiations, agreed to extend the barter to include Europe’s service module contribution to NASA’s Orion crew exploration vehicle – whose mission is not centered on the international space station but destinations beyond low Earth orbit. Europe is now providing one service module copy, and a set of spare parts for a second flight. ESA has already reduced its ISS operating costs – not including the common operating charges – by more than 30 percent in recent years, in part by outsourcing much of the work to Airbus Defence and Space and in part by consolidating ground operations. If France and Germany are contemplating a dip in station commitment, Britain is moving in the other direction on the strength of the appeal of ESA astronaut Tim Peake, a British national who is now part of the space station crew. But Britain remains a minor contributor to ESA’s overall space station budget. France may regain its space station enthusiasm in November with the launch of Thomas Pesquet, a French national in the ESA astronaut scheduled for launch to the station then. French President Francois Hollande in December celebrated Pesquet’s mission at a public ceremony. ESA budgeted human spaceflight, which is mainly the space station, at 371 million euros in 2015, or 8.4 percent of its total budget. http://spacenews.com/france-germany-admit-to-second-thoughts-about-sticking-with-space-station/ They will be "on board" after the politics...The ISS is a science "bargain" for what it costs to participate. Unobscured Vision 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draggendrop Veteran Posted January 6, 2016 Author Veteran Share Posted January 6, 2016 We pretty much knew who were on the spacewalk...but now, it's official.. Peake and Kopra to Conduct First Spacewalk of the New Year NASA astronaut Tim Kopra is seen floating during a spacewalk on Dec. 21, 2015. NASA Quote Astronauts Tim Peake and Tim Kopra are getting ready for a spacewalk next week to replace a failed voltage regulator. The duo are scheduled to work outside for 6.5 hours on Jan. 15 for the replacement work and other tasks. In preparation, Kopra worked on the U.S. spacesuits today that he and Peake will wear next week. Peake, a British astronaut with the European Space Agency, began collecting and configuring their spacewalk tools. The Expedition 46 crew also continued more advanced space science research onboard the International Space Station. Commander Scott Kelly joined his fellow One-Year crew member Mikhail Kornienko for the Fluid Shifts study. That experiment explores how microgravity increases brain pressure which pushes back on a crew member’s eyes, resulting in changes to their vision. Cosmonaut Sergey Volkov studied radiation exposure, how international crews relate during missions and worked on maintenance tasks. His fellow cosmonaut and flight engineer Yuri Malenchenko looked at magnetic fields and coulomb crystals and transferred cargo from the newest Progress 62 cargo craft. https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2016/01/05/peake-and-kopra-to-conduct-first-spacewalk-of-the-new-year/ Unobscured Vision 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draggendrop Veteran Posted January 7, 2016 Author Veteran Share Posted January 7, 2016 Crew Getting Spacesuits Ready While Researching Life Science Astronauts Tim Kopra and Tim Peake work on U.S. spacesuits inside the Quest airlock where spacewalks are staged. NASA TV Quote Two astronauts are preparing a pair of U.S. spacesuits to get ready for next week’s spacewalk to continue the maintenance of the International Space Station. In the midst of those preparations, the six-member Expedition 46 crew is proceeding with ongoing space science to improve life on Earth and benefit future astronauts. Tim Kopra from NASA and Tim Peake from the European Space Agency will be the spacewalkers on Jan. 15. They will work outside for about six-hours and 30-minutes to replace a failed voltage regulator, rig cables for future International Docking Adapters and perform other maintenance tasks. The station residents also worked throughout the day on a variety of experiments exploring human research, physics and other advanced subjects. Commander Scott Kelly joined cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko for the Fluid Shifts study. That experiment observes how microgravity increases brain pressure which may push back on a crew member’s eyes, resulting in changes to their vision. Peake and Kopra also participated in life science experiments exploring heart function during long-term space missions and the efficacy of medications in space. https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2016/01/06/crew-getting-spacesuits-ready-while-researching-life-science/ ------------------------------------- NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 5 January 2016 #Africa #EarthArt Earth without art is just Eh. #YearInSpace. Credit: NASA/Scott Kelly. Quote Astronauts Tim Peake and Tim Kopra are getting ready for a spacewalk next week to replace a failed voltage regulator. The duo are scheduled to work outside for 6.5 hours on Jan. 15 for the replacement work and other tasks. In preparation, Kopra worked on the U.S. spacesuits today that he and Peake will wear next week. Peake, a British astronaut with the European Space Agency, began collecting and configuring their spacewalk tools. The Expedition 46 crew also continued more advanced space science research onboard the International Space Station. Commander Scott Kelly joined his fellow One-Year crew member Mikhail Kornienko for the Fluid Shifts study. That experiment explores how microgravity increases brain pressure which pushes back on a crew member's eyes, resulting in changes to their vision. Cosmonaut Sergey Volkov studied radiation exposure, how international crews relate during missions and worked on maintenance tasks. His fellow cosmonaut and flight engineer Yuri Malenchenko looked at magnetic fields and coulomb crystals and transferred cargo from the newest Progress 62 cargo craft. Quote Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Loop Scrubs: Kopra configured EMU suits 3005 and 3008 for loop scrubbing. Once the scrubbing activity was complete, the associated hardware was reconfigured in order to perform iodination of Ion Filters for both suits. A sample containing 250 mL of the water was obtained after the loop scrub activity to determine the effectiveness of the filtering. A small portion of this water sample was utilized for a conductivity test onboard ISS and the remaining water will be sent to the ground for chemical analysis. Dynamic Onboard Ubiquitous Graphics (DOUG) Review: Peake and Kopra performed a review of DOUG Software in order to study translation and robotics operation paths for the upcoming Sequential Shunt Unit (SSU) Extravehicular Activity (EVA), which is scheduled to occur on January 15th. Enhanced Caution and Warning System (ECWS) Onboard Training: Kopra reviewed ECWS operations then practiced EVA Cuff Checklist procedures. EVA Tool Build: Peake built two separate brush tools in order to assist in cleaning and lubricating threads during the upcoming EVA. Elektron Fault: Elektron was activated this afternoon, however experienced a fault and shutdown soon after. The crew performed initial troubleshooting steps by inspecting the EDV for the presence of bubbles. The crew confirmed that the EDV was clean with only a few very small bubbles present. A second attempt to activate Elektron was performed without success. At the end of the crew day, the crew purged the Elektron and left it deactivated. Another activation attempt will be performed within the next few days. Elektron had been deactivated since December 24th for the high beta period. Mobile Servicing System (MSS) Operations: Yesterday, following translation of the Mobile Transporter (MT) to Worksite 2, robotics ground controllers maneuvered the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) to pick up the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM) from Mobile Base System (MBS) Power and Data Grapple Fixture (PDGF) #2. Overnight, while capturing the SPDM PDGF, a new Dual Stage Carriage Rates functionality was tested for carriage mechanism motion. Also, SPDM Latch End Effector (LEE) Diagnostics were performed as well as SPDM Backup Drive Unit (BDU) checkouts required every 180 days. The MSS was then maneuvered into position to start Robotic Refueling Mission (RRM) Task board #4 (TB4) operations which are being performed this afternoon. Quote Ground Activities All activities were completed unless otherwise noted. Robotics Refueling Mission (RRM) Taskboard 4 Removal Operations Three-Day Look Ahead: Wednesday, 01/06: Fluid Shifts Ultrasound, JEMAL depressurization/vent, EMU Resize, EVA ECWS OBT/Tether Inspection, Sprint setup Thursday, 01/07: Sprint VO2 ops, EVA procedures review/conference, MT Translate (WS4 - WS7) Friday, 01/08: Fluid Shifts Ultrasound, Sprint VO2 ops, EVA tool config QUICK ISS Status - Environmental Control Group: Component - Status Elektron - Off Vozdukh - Manual [СКВ] 1 - SM Air Conditioner System ("SKV1") - On [СКВ] 2 - SM Air Conditioner System ("SKV2") - Off Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Lab - Standby Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Node 3 - Operate Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Lab - Idle Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3 - Operate Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) - Process Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) - Standby Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab - Full Up Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 - Off http://spaceref.com/international-space-station/nasa-international-space-station-on-orbit-status-5-january-2016.html Space Station Live: The Measure of the Marrow video is 8:21 min. Quote Published on Jan 5, 2016 NASA Commentator Brandi Dean talks with Drs. Guy Trudel and Odette Laneuville of the University of Ottawa about the MARROW experiment now underway on board the International Space Station. The researchers believe that in weightlessness bone marrow may produce more fat cells than blood cells and leave astronauts susceptible to things like anemia or infection, similar to patients on Earth who are restricted to bed rest. In this experiment they’re gathering samples from space station crew members before, during and after their flights to measure for fat content in the marrow and begin to develop countermeasures that would help keep future astronauts safe on long-duration missions. Unobscured Vision 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draggendrop Veteran Posted January 8, 2016 Author Veteran Share Posted January 8, 2016 NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 6 January 2016 The glittering lights of the American Midwest illuminate the Earth in this captivating image taken by the International Space Station Expedition 46 crew on Jan. 5, 2016. The picture, which was taken while the station was flying above Alabama, shows numerous major cities, including the major city of Chicago (middle-left) situated on the Lake Michigan coastline. Also in view are three of the American Great Lakes, including Lake Michigan (left), Lake Huron (middle) and Lake Erie (right). Credit: NASA. Quote Two astronauts are preparing a pair of U.S. spacesuits to get ready for next week's spacewalk to continue the maintenance of the International Space Station. In the midst of those preparations, the six-member Expedition 46 crew is proceeding with ongoing space science to improve life on Earth and benefit future astronauts. Tim Kopra from NASA and Tim Peake from the European Space Agency will be the spacewalkers on Jan. 15. They will work outside for about six-hours and 30-minutes to replace a failed voltage regulator, rig cables for future International Docking Adapters and perform other maintenance tasks. The station residents also worked throughout the day on a variety of experiments exploring human research, physics and other advanced subjects. Commander Scott Kelly joined cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko for the Fluid Shifts study. That experiment observes how microgravity increases brain pressure which may push back on a crew member's eyes, resulting in changes to their vision. Peake and Kopra also participated in life science experiments exploring heart function during long-term space missions and the efficacy of medications in space. Quote Russian Pilot-T Experiment: Kelly performed a session of the Russian experiment Pilot-T today. The goal of Pilot-T is to improve methods and develop equipment to assess and predict crewmember performance reliability during the execution of complex operator tasks (such as piloting a space vehicle or controlling transport and robotic equipment on the surface of a spacecraft) during various stages of long-term spaceflight. Sequential Shunt Unit (SSU) Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Preparation: Kopra and Peak worked together to remove arm sizing rings from Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) 3005 in support of resizing activity later in the day. EMU 3005 was then uninstalled from the Aft EMU Don/Doff Assembly (EDDA) and EMU 3011 was installed in its place. Later, EMU 3008 was resized for Peake and EMU 3011 for Kopra. The crew also manually removed gas from the payload water reservoir, recharged the EMU feed water tank, filled a dry Liquid Cooling and Ventilation Garment (LCVG), and performed a tether inspection. The SSU EVA is scheduled to occur next week on January 15th. Mobile Servicing System (MSS) Operations: Yesterday evening, the Robotics Ground Controllers continued reconfiguring tools and adapters on RRM TB4. This afternoon, TB4 was removed from RRM using the SPDM Robot Micro Conical Tool 2 (RMCT2). Tomorrow, the Mobile Transporter will be moved to Worksite 7 to allow access to the JEM Airlock Slide Table. TB4 will be placed on the Slide Table Thursday night, along with the failed RMCT1, in order to bring both items inside the ISS for return on SpX-8. Russian Treadmill (БД-2): The Russian crew reported a rubber shock absorbing belt in the БД-2 was torn. Photos have been downlinked for ground analysis. Quote Ground Activities All activities were completed unless otherwise noted. Continuation of Robotics Refueling Mission (RRM) Taskboard 4 Retrieval Three-Day Look Ahead: Thursday, 01/07: Sprint VO2 ops, EVA procedures review/conference, MT Translate (WS4 - WS7) Friday, 01/08: Fluid Shifts Ultrasound, Sprint VO2 ops, EVA tool config Saturday: 01/09: Crew Off Duty, Weekly Cleaning QUICK ISS Status - Environmental Control Group: Component - Status Elektron - Off Vozdukh - Manual [СКВ] 1 - SM Air Conditioner System ("SKV1") - On [СКВ] 2 - SM Air Conditioner System ("SKV2") - Off Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Lab - Standby Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Node 3 - Operate Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Lab - Idle Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3 - Operate Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) - Process Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) - Standby Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab - Full Up Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 - Off http://spaceref.com/international-space-station/nasa-international-space-station-on-orbit-status-6-january-2016.html Space Station Live: Gauging the Shaking on Orbit video is 5:11 min. Quote NASA Commentator Lori Meggs talks with Ken Hrovat of NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio, about the Space Acceleration Measurement System that tracks vibrations on the International Space Station. From the machinery operating on board to the human crew members exercising, vibrations along the length of the station can cause stresses and strains on the structure and can disturb delicate microgravity science experiments; the SAMS helps specialists understand the vibration environment and contributes to efforts to dampen the effects. ------------------------------ Biological Clock Misalignment Affects Astronaut Sleep Sleeping astronaut NASA Quote Since the beginning of the space program, astronauts have dealt with the realities of spaceflight from microgravity in weak muscles and space radiation, to sleep deprivation and disorientation. Both before and during astronauts' flights, changes in biological clocks, or circadian rhythms, contribute to sleep deficiency and increase the use of sleep-promoting medications. For most people, the circadian rhythm is a little longer than 24 hours. On Earth, our daily exposure to light from the sun keeps us synchronized to the 24-hour day. As they circle around Earth in orbit, astronauts experience a sunrise or sunset every 45 minutes. Understanding the effects of spaceflight on astronauts may help prepare NASA for planning longer crew stays in deep space and possible missions to Mars, where the day length is a little longer than 24 hours. Most importantly, investigating these effects can reveal new ways to reduce the general consequences of the exposure of spaceflight on the human body. At NASA's Ames Research Center in California's Silicon Valley, Erin Flynn-Evans has been investigating the quality of astronauts' sleep during spaceflight to better understand how sleep disturbances, such as noise and uncomfortable temperatures, cause sleep deficiency, which can throw off their circadian rhythms. Docking and undocking with the International Space Station requires astronauts to "slam-shift" their sleep patterns, which causes sleep disruption, much like people on the Earth who work rotating night shifts. "Imagine flying across the country and getting jet-lagged," said Flynn-Evans, a researcher at the Fatigue Countermeasures Laboratory at Ames. "It's very similar to what astronauts deal with on the International Space Station, only the stakes are higher." more at the link... http://spaceref.com/space-medicine/biological-clock-misalignment-affects-astronaut-sleep.html ----------------------------------- British Columbia's Coast Mountains As Seen From Orbit British Columbia's Coast Mountains NASA/ESA Quote ESA astronaut Tim Peake (@astro_timpeake) took this photograph over the west coast of Canada from the International Space Station on Dec. 31, 2015 Peak shared this photo with his Twitter followers on Jan. 5, writing, "I was lucky enough to fly a helicopter in these Rocky Mountains once I'm a bit higher this time! #Principia" The photograph shows Canada's Coast Range of mountains, with King Island and Burke Channel in the center. The Pacific Ocean is visible at the bottom and north is to the left. http://spaceref.com/onorbit/british-columbias-coast-mountains-as-seen-from-orbit.html Unobscured Vision 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draggendrop Veteran Posted January 9, 2016 Author Veteran Share Posted January 9, 2016 NASA ISS Space to Ground Weekly Report - 8 January 2016 Quote NASA's Space to Ground is your weekly update on what's happening aboard the International Space Station. http://spaceref.com/international-space-station/nasa-iss-space-to-ground-weekly-report---8-january-2016.html Space to Ground: Gearing Up For a Spacewalk : 01/08/2016 video is 2:16 min. ------------------------------ NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 7 January 2016 Four crew members of Expedition 46 pose for the camera after taking turns getting a quick haircut onboard the International Space Station. From left to right: Roscosmos cosmonauts Mikhail Kornienko and Sergey Volkov, NASA astronaut Timothy Kopra and ESA (European Space Agency) Timothy Peake. Peake is seen holding the special hair-clipper which uses a vacuum attachment to gather hair as it is cut to prevent it from floating away in the microgravity environment. Credit: NASA. Quote Two astronauts are counting down to a spacewalk planned for next Friday to replace a failed voltage regulator. While those preparations are under way, the crew is also exploring human research, life science and advanced physics. Next week's spacewalkers are NASA astronaut Tim Kopra and European Space Agency astronaut Tim Peake. They will replace a voltage regulator to restore power to one of eight power channels and take care of other maintenance tasks. The duo worked on their spacesuit batteries then joined Commander Scott Kelly to review procedures for their Jan. 15 spacewalk. Kelly also worked on exercise research to improve fitness in space. Kopra studied heart function and Fine Motor Skills while Peake looked at arteries and how they stiffen in space. Cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko explored magnetic fields and coulomb crystals and transferred cargo from the newest Progress 62 cargo craft. His fellow flight engineers Mikhail Kornienko and Sergey Volkov reported on the station's scientific achievements for a Russian educational research program. Quote Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC) Liquid Carryover Issue: This morning, the liquid carryover sensor in the WHC annunciated resulting in a shutdown of the WHC. This sensor is downstream of the Wring Collector (COT) and detects an overflow condition in the WHC. This afternoon, when the crew opened the WHC panel, they found a large pretreated urine leak around the pump separator, and donned protective gear to clean it up. Tomorrow the crew will replace the pump separator, COT, liquid carryover sensor and air hose. WHC is currently not available for use, the crew will use the Russian [АСУ]. Water Processor Assembly (WPA) Faults: The WPA faulted during two process cycles due to off nominal signatures at the catalytic reactor. The team is assessing the signatures. Russian Treadmill (БД-2): Yesterday, the Russian crew reported a rubber shock absorbing belt within the БД-2 was torn. Photos have been downlinked for ground analysis. MCC-M confirmed that no spares are currently onboard ISS and have asked for the Russian Crew to use Treadmill 2 until a spare can be flown. Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Preparation: All three USOS Crew continued to prepare for the Sequential Shunt Unit (SSU) EVA scheduled next Friday, January 15th. Today, they performed an EVA procedure review then followed up with a conference with ground specialists to answer any questions. In addition, Kopra and Peake utilized a Virtual Reality Trainer (VRT) in order to re-familiarize themselves with Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue (SAFER) operations. Robotics Refueling Mission (RRM): Peake opened the outer hatch and extended the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) Airlock Slide Table out to the JEM Exposed Facility on the exterior of the ISS. Yesterday, the RRM Task Board 4 was removed from the ExPRESS Logistics Carrier-4 (ELC-4), located on the ISS Starboard 3 Truss. Today, Ground controllers performed a Mobile Transporter (MT) translation from Worksite (WS) 2 to WS 7 and transferred the Task Board onto the JEM Airlock Slide Table. Later tonite, the failed Robotic Micro Conical Tool (RMCT)-1 will be transferred to the Task Board, and both brought inside the JEM Airlock. Quote Ground Activities All activities were completed unless otherwise noted. MT Translation from WS2 to WS7. TB4 transfer to JEMAL. Three-Day Look Ahead: Friday, 01/08: Fluid Shifts Ultrasound, Sprint VO2 ops, EVA tool config Saturday: 01/09: Crew Off Duty, Weekly Cleaning Sunday: 01/10: Crew Off Duty QUICK ISS Status - Environmental Control Group: Component- Status Elektron - Off Vozdukh - Manual [СКВ] 1 - SM Air Conditioner System ("SKV1") - Off [СКВ] 2 - SM Air Conditioner System ("SKV2") - On Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Lab - Standby Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Node 3 - Operate Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Lab - Idle Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3 - Operate Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) - Process Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) - Standby Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab - Full Up Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 - Off http://spaceref.com/international-space-station/nasa-international-space-station-on-orbit-status-7-january-2016.html Training for Tour of Duty on the Space Station video is 9:22 min. 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Draggendrop Veteran Posted January 9, 2016 Author Veteran Share Posted January 9, 2016 NASA Astronaut to Highlight Space Station History from Orbit NASA astronaut Jeff Williams, seen aboard the space station in March 2010, will devote part of his next mission, launching in March 2016, to highlighting the significance of the history of the orbiting outpost. Credit: NASA Quote HOUSTON — NASA's next astronaut to launch to the International Space Station will use his unique position — in both time and space — to share the history of the orbiting outpost. Jeff Williams, in March, will become the first American to spend three long-duration expeditions aboard the space station and will set a new U.S. record for cumulative time off the Earth. The astronaut will dedicate part of his upcoming six-month expedition to highlighting how the orbital complex came to be what it is today. "It occurred to me a few months ago that I have gotten the unique opportunity to have gone in the early days, before Expedition 1, to the space station for the first time and then to be there again, about halfway through assembly with a crew of two, and then back with a crew of three, and then later with a crew of six," Williams said in an interview after a briefing at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston on Thursday (Jan. 7). "So my career covers the history of the space station." Williams, whose first trip to the outpost was aboard space shuttle Atlantis in May 2000, six months before the space station's first expedition crew arrived, is now set to join the Expedition 47/48 more than 15 years later. He will launch with cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Oleg Skripochka of Roscosmos on Russia's Soyuz TMA-20M spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on March 18. Once aboard the orbital laboratory, Williams, Ovchinin and Skripochka will join Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko, U.S. astronaut Tim Kopra and British astronaut Tim Peake with the European Space Agency (ESA), who all launched in December. Later, after those three depart in June, Williams will command the Expedition 48 crew, including Ovchinin and Skripochka, as well as Roscosmos cosmonaut Anatoli Ivanishin, NASA astronaut Kate Rubins and Takuya Onishi with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). "I'm really looking forward to flying with this crew," Williams said. "I think if you add it up, I've been on orbit with about 45 different people, and this will add at least five more." During their stay, the Expedition 47/48 crewmembers will facilitate about 250 research investigations and technology demos, as well as oversee the re-supply of the station with the arrivals and departures of American and Russian cargo vehicles. The crew is also expected to be aboard when a prototype habitat, the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM), is inflated and when the first international docking adapter is installed. This adapter will enable future U.S. commercial crew spacecraft to visit the station. Amidst that work, Williams intends to devote some of his time and outreach activities to taking a look back at what the station has accomplished and where that might lead as future missions embark outward into the solar system. "If you go and survey the workforce right now and survey those in the general public who are following what we do, as is always the case, in the minds of many of them they don't have the awareness of how we got to where we are today," Williams said. "So, given my personal history going back ... I thought it would be a good opportunity to rehearse some of the significant milestones and the depth of history behind getting the space station built." NASA astronaut Jeff Williams with his Soyuz TMA-20M crewmates Alexey Ovchinin and Oleg Skripochka at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston on Thursday, Jan. 7, 2016. Collectspace Quote Williams, whose father was a high school history teacher, said he hopes to remind the world of the significance of the history behind his soon-to-be home off the Earth. "To me, it is fair to argue that the greatest achievement of the space station program is the space station itself, and that's what I want to try, in some way, to maybe enrich the awareness of the public [about]," he said. "Not so much because of the history, but because of what that history enables us to do in the future." http://www.space.com/31561-astronaut-will-mark-space-station-history.html ------------------------------ Pupils make radio call to Tim Peake More UK schools will get the opportunity enjoyed by Sandringham Quote Sandringham School in St Albans has made history by making the first amateur radio call from the UK to a British astronaut on the space station. The children contacted Major Tim Peake as he flew overhead on Friday morning. Pupil Jessica, who has recently passed her radio exams, led the conversation. It took a few minutes for the crackle and hiss to die down and allow the students to put some questions to the astronaut, before the ISS then went over the horizon and out of range. Jessica called it an "amazing experience" to be talking to someone 400km above them, but said the significance of the day's event had yet to sink in: "When I get home, I'll be completely in shock." Her head teacher, Alan Gray, said it had been an extraordinary opportunity for the school. "It's a way of inspiring young people into science and technology - seeing the opportunities that may be available to them," he told BBC School Report. "What you're seeing is that space has an awful lot to offer. It's not just about talking to Tim Peake on the space station. There are many other things that are useful for young people and will help with their learning." The radio equipment set up in the school hall was using a local dish and the famous Earth station at Goonhilly in Cornwall. Jessica put out repeated calls with no response: "Golf Bravo One Sierra Sierra, GB1SS - this is Golf Bravo One Sierra Alpha November calling and standing by, over!" But then through the crackle, Major Peake's voice could just about be heard. A bit of channel-switching soon improved matters, and the pupils raced to the microphone to put their questions to "Britain's man in space". Imogen asked if liquid hydrocarbons would form balls in microgravity; Jess wanted to know how the astronauts studied alloys on the space station; and Jamie was puzzled about the behaviour of a helium balloon on the ISS. Major Peake just had time to tell the students that the balloon would not rise up like on Earth before he was again drowned out by the static. The connection was all too short, but that did not dull the pupils' enthusiasm. "I want to be a spaceman when I grow up like Tim; it would be amazing!" said Philip. The European Space Agency astronaut launched to the orbiting platform on 15 December and is due to stay aboard until June. Other schools across the UK will get a similar opportunity to Sandringham in due course. Major Peake has a big highlight coming next week when he will perform a spacewalk. He and crewmate Tim Kopra will venture outside the ISS to replace a failed voltage regulator and restore the station to full power. It has been operating without one of its eight power channels for a number of weeks. http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-35261160 Unobscured Vision 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draggendrop Veteran Posted January 10, 2016 Author Veteran Share Posted January 10, 2016 Canada’s Advanced Vision System to Inspect Space Station Rendering of Dextre on the end of Canadarm2, holding an advanced vision system. (Credit: CSA/Neptec) Quote LONGUEUIL, QC, Jan. 7, 2016 (CSA PR) – A contract to develop a new advanced space vision system that will be mounted on Dextre was announced today by the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). Minister Bains was joined by Greg Fergus, Parliamentary Secretary, and Sherry Romanado, Member of Parliament for Longueuil—Charles-LeMoyne. The contract, worth $1.7 million, was awarded to Neptec Design Group Ltd. of Ottawa, Ontario, to develop the design for the system, which will be launched in 2020. The vision system will use a combination of three sensors—a 3D laser, a high‑definition camera and an infrared camera—to support the inspection and maintenance of the ageing infrastructure of the International Space Station (ISS). The vision system can also assist in docking of spacecraft visiting the Station. Dextre, the CSA’s robotic helper on board the ISS, will use the system to inspect the Station’s external surfaces and sleuth out signs of damage. The harsh environment of space takes its toll on the Station: in addition to the natural ageing of the orbiting lab’s materials, the Station is regularly hit by small meteorites and orbital debris. Roughly the size of a microwave oven, the new vision system will reveal damage that in some cases remains hidden to the naked eye, or that is located in places that are hard to reach or difficult to see. This investment in space technology ensures Canada remains a world-class innovator at the forefront of space activities and a reliable international partner in space exploration. It furthers innovation and technology development that will have benefits for Canadians on Earth. Quick facts This technology builds upon a legacy of a long line of Neptec vision systems, including a laser camera system on Canadarm2 that was used to inspect the tiles of the US Space Shuttle. Rendezvous and docking sensors were also used on board each of Orbital ATK Cygnus spacecraft to assist the resupply ship in docking with the ISS. Regular inspections are crucial for keeping the ISS healthy and operational. Today, this is done either by cameras on Canadarm2 and Dextre, crew photos taken from inside the ISS or by sending astronauts out on spacewalks to take close-up photos, which is always risky. Dextre’s new vision system will be operated by mission controllers on the ground at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, or at the CSA’s headquarters in St-Hubert, Quebec. The system’s imagery will be available to the public, who will see the ISS as they have never seen it before. http://www.parabolicarc.com/2016/01/09/canadas-advanced-vision-system-inspect-space-station/#more-57214 ----------------------------------- Unobscured Vision 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draggendrop Veteran Posted January 11, 2016 Author Veteran Share Posted January 11, 2016 Space Fungus! Mold Attacks Space Station Plants Quote Four zinnia plants on the International Space Station are sickly or dead after mold was discovered in the Veggie experiment facility late December, according to NASA. The problem was immediately traced back to excessive water in the experiment, which was addressed. There are still three healthy plants that appear unaffected by the issue. ISS commander and NASA astronaut Scott Kelly reported the mold to Mission Control Dec. 22 just as Veggie project manager Trent Smith was trying to manage the water problem. In pictures, Smith saw water on the plants a few days before. He told Discovery News he was trying to relay a command from NASA’s station operations team to increase fan speed in Veggie, but the mold developed before the command could be put through. One solution was, on Christmas Eve, to designate Kelly “commander” of Veggie. Kelly now has more autonomy to make changes to Veggie’s conditions if he feels the plants need it. Kelly is in the middle of a one-year mission on the station and was there when the first crops from Veggie, romaine lettuce, were harvested in August. “There’s nobody better positioned than Scott,” Smith told Discovery News, saying this decision should cut down on future time delays. Besides turning up the fan, sanitizing the experiment and wiping the excess water out of Veggie, Kelly bagged the moldy samples and put them in a freezer on station. They will be returned to Earth on the SpaceX 8 Dragon spacecraft later this year, when NASA will perform analysis to see what kind of mold it was. Any plants that die before SpaceX 8 departs will also be returned on that flight. Each “pillow” of soil in Veggie was initially planted with two seeds, with the healthier of each pair culled early in their lifespans. A second plant -- which Smith dubbed the “stealth plant” -- sprang a little late in Pillow A (see caption in picture above), and investigators decided to leave it. Zinnias are expected to live about 60 days, but can last as long as 80, he added. The problem was discovered about halfway through the plants’ lifespan. One plant in Pillow A died, while the “stealth plant” in that pillow survived and is growing well. The plants in Pillow B and D also died quickly, and the plant in Pillow E appears deathly ill as of Jan. 4, which was Day 49 of their cycle. The zinnias in Pillows C and F, however, still appear healthy. Smith said ground investigators continue to monitor the situation through photos and talking with Kelly. Smith added that learning is part of the goal with Veggie. “It’s part of this grand experiment to find out what the plants are telling us, what can we learn from them, what can we change operationally, and what can we tell the crew to look out for when they start gardening on their own.” The aim is to have crews managing their own crops for future long-term space expeditions, such as to Mars. http://news.discovery.com/space/space-fungus-mold-found-on-space-station-plants-160107.htm ----------------------------- Optimistic report for space flowers growing on ISS Quote They haven’t bloomed yet, but NASA astronaut Scott Kelly last week offered a more optimistic report on zinnia flower plants growing aboard the International Space Station as part of Kennedy Space Center’s Veggie project. “Some of my space flowers are on the rebound!” Kelly said on Twitter. “No longer looking sad!” That update followed a Dec. 27 post in which Kelly said the plants “aren't looking too good” and that he'd have to "channel my inner Mark Watney,” referring to the fictional hero of "The Martian." That book's author, Andy Weir, then responded: "Have you tried swearing a lot and setting things on fire? Because that worked for him." No word yet on whether Kelly took the advice. http://www.floridatoday.com/story/tech/science/space/2016/01/09/international-space-station-zinnnie-flower-plants-more-optimistic-report/78554912/ -------------------------------- Six-hour ISS spacewalk set for Friday Quote A spacesuit bearing the Union Jack is slated to exit the International Space Station for the first time next Friday. Tim Peake of the European Space Agency, the first British astronaut to visit the research complex orbiting 250 miles overhead, will team up with NASA’s Tim Kopra for a spacewalk expected to last more than six hours. Their primary task is to swap out a voltage regulator believed to have suffered a short in November, taking out one of eight power channels fed by the station’s solar array wings. The outage has not impacted station operations, but managers prefer to have all eight power channels functioning. NASA at 2 p.m. Tuesday will host a news briefing at Johnson Space Center to preview the spacewalk — Kopra’s third and Peake’s first — which is scheduled to start just before 8 a.m. Friday. Watch the briefing and spacewalk live on NASA TV. http://www.floridatoday.com/story/tech/science/space/2016/01/09/six-hour-international-space-station-spacewalk-set-for-friday/78554782/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draggendrop Veteran Posted January 11, 2016 Author Veteran Share Posted January 11, 2016 The Stars Look Very Different Today Quote Monday, Jan. 11, 2016: In May 2013, Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield released a video of himself performing David Bowie's song "Space Oddity" while aboard the International Space Station, featuring revised lyrics reflecting the reality of life in space. The video quickly grew into a viral sensation, with over 27 million views as of this writing. David Bowie, whose lyrics included mentions of space travel, futuristic dystopias, and extraterrestrial life, died Jan 10, 2016, at the age of 69. http://www.space.com/34-image-day.html David Bowie Has Left the Planet Quote God speed, David Bowie. Thank you for all the great music. http://www.parabolicarc.com/2016/01/11/david-bowie-left-planet/ Space Oddity, video is 5:30 min. Quote Published on May 12, 2013 Rest in peace, Starman. A revised version of David Bowie's Space Oddity, recorded by Commander Chris Hadfield on board the ISS Unobscured Vision 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draggendrop Veteran Posted January 11, 2016 Author Veteran Share Posted January 11, 2016 Russia’s Progress M-29M freighter raises International Space Station’s orbit EPA/NASA/HANDOUT Quote MOSCOW, January 11. /TASS/. Russia’s Progress M-29M space carrier, docked with the International Space Station (ISS), switched on its engines on early Monday raising the station’s orbit by approximately three kilometers (1.9 miles), a spokesman for the Mission Control told TASS. "The operation to adjust the station’s orbit was successfully carried out," the spokesman said in an interview with TASS. "The orbit’s altitude was raised by approximately three kilometers." He also said that the operation to readjust the ISS orbit was conducted from the Earth without the participation of the station’s current crew members. The current ISS crew comprises Russian cosmonauts Yuri Malenchenko, Mikhail Korniyenko and Sergey Volkov, US astronauts Timothy Kopra and Scott Kelly and the European Space Agency’s astronaut Timothy Peake. The station’s orbit is adjusted regularly to ensure safe docking of the freighters and manned spacecraft as well as to avoid possible collision with space debris. After fulfilling their missions to the ISS, space freighters are usually deorbited and burnt in the atmosphere on their way to the Earth. Remains of spacecraft, which did not burn, are usually buried in the remote area of the Pacific Ocean. The non-navigation area at the issue is also referred to as the "spaceship cemetery" and is located not far from the Christmas Island. This is a designated area, where numerous spacecraft, including the defunct Soviet space station Mir, were sunk. http://tass.ru/en/science/848648 -------------------------------------- The Izvestiya daily said that Russia is ready to spend around $360 million per year on servicing ISS EPA/NASA/HANDOUT Quote MOSCOW, January 11. /TASS/. Russia’s federal space agency Roscosmos will cut spending on servicing the International Space Station (ISS) in 2016-2015 by almost 30 billion rubles, the Izvestiya daily reported on Monday. Citing the final draft of the Federal Space Program (FSP) submitted by Roscosmos to ministries, the daily said that over the next decade Russia will allocate 252.1 billion rubles ($3.43 billion) for flight control, servicing the Russian segment of ISS and implementing a program of scientific experiments. Earlier FSP draft submitted in April last year envisaged spending 281.4 billion rubles ($3.82 billion) on the space program. The final draft was cut by almost a quarter to 1.521 trillion rubles ($21 billion) for the next 10 years. The Izvestiya daily said that Russia is ready to spend around 26.8 billion rubles ($360 million) per year on servicing ISS. In spring of 2013, then-head of National Manned Spaceflight Center at Roscosmos Alexey Krasnov said that Russia will have to spend around $1 billion (at the exchange rate of 2013) annually on servicing ISS. At the end of December last year, Roscosmos head Igor Komarov said that the first three years of financing the program will be limited to the level of 2016 - 104.5 billion rubles ($1.42 billion) annually. Total budget until 2021 will stand at 722.5 billion rubles ($9.82 billion). http://tass.ru/en/science/848667 ---------------------------------- Astronauts prepare for busy week of fluid shift experiments and end of week spacewalk NASA astronauts Scott Kelly and Tim Kopra help ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Tim Peake with his Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) fit check. Quote Astronauts Tim Peake and Tim Kopra continue to prepare for their 6.5 hour spacewalk on Friday of this week. During the spacewalk they will be replacing a failed voltage regulator which will return power to one of the eight power channels. Meanwhile, Commander Scott Kelly is gathering hardware for the fluid shifts experiment. Tomorrow, he and his one-year mission crewmate Mikhail Kornienko will be putting on the Russian Chibis suit, a lower body suit which redistributes fluids back to their legs. During this part of the experiment, they will be taking ultrasounds of their eyes to explore the correlation between body fluid distribution and potential changes in vision. Russian cosmonaut Sergey Volkov has been taking readings for the Vibrolab experiment. Monitoring micro vibrations can help to understand how tiny movements affect science experiments on station. https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2016/01/11/astronauts-prepare-for-busy-week-of-fluid-shift-experiments-and-end-of-week-spacewalk/ Unobscured Vision 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted January 11, 2016 Share Posted January 11, 2016 @TheLurioReport Some in DC saying very likely that the winners of the second set of ISS cargo supply contracts to be announced Thursday (CRS-2). Draggendrop and Unobscured Vision 2 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draggendrop Veteran Posted January 12, 2016 Author Veteran Share Posted January 12, 2016 ISS Science Rockets Into 2016 Quote The crew of the International Space Station kicked off the new year with science investigations in to aging of human skin and how fabrics burn in space, both of which could have a significant impact on life on Earth. NASA astronaut Scott Kelly retrieved the hardware for the Burning and Suppression of Solids-Milliken (BASS-M) investigation scheduled to begin within the next few weeks. Materials burn differently in microgravity than they do on Earth, and understanding these differences is crucial for maintaining safety. This NASA investigation tests 10 specially treated, flame-retardant cotton fabrics to determine how well they resist burning in microgravity. The important observations from BASS-M experiments include flame shape and appearance as a function of airflow speed around the sample, how fast the flame develops, and flame dynamics - pulsations and oscillations. Each textile's ability to self-extinguish is evaluated and compared against normal terrestrial behavior. Results benefit research on flame-retardant textiles that can be used on Earth and in space. ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Tim Peake performed his first round of measurements for the Skin-B investigation. The ESA investigation will improve understanding of skin aging, which is slow on Earth but accelerated in space. It will provide insight into the aging process in other similar bodily tissues and could help scientists identify impacts for astronauts on future long-duration missions beyond low Earth orbit where environmental conditions are more challenging. Peake measured the hydration level of his skin's outer layer, the skin barrier function and the skin surface topography. The data will be compared to measurements performed before Peake began his stay on the space station. Data gathered on the station can provide insight into the mechanisms by which all organs covered with epithelial and connective tissue adapt and age over time and under the physical stress imposed by the microgravity environment. Gaining an understanding of how biological tissue can change should allow for better diagnostic and treatment on Earth. One proven treatment to maintain the health of crew members is regular exercise on the orbiting laboratory. NASA astronaut Tim Kopra completed an ultrasound on different muscle groups for the end of his second week on the space station as part of the Integrated Resistance and Aerobic Training Study (Sprint). This NASA Human Research Program study evaluates the use of high intensity, low volume exercise training to minimize loss of muscle, bone and cardiovascular function in crew members during long-duration missions. Ultrasound scans are used to evaluate spaceflight-induced changes in the muscle volume. Upon completion of this study, investigators expect to provide an integrated resistance and aerobic exercise training protocol capable of maintaining muscle, bone and cardiovascular health while reducing total exercise time over the course of a long-duration spaceflight. This will provide valuable information in support of the long-term goal of protecting human fitness for even longer space exploration missions. Data gathered from the investigation also may help scientists develop treatments to aid in muscle, bone and heart health on Earth. Other human research investigations this week included Biochemical Profile, Cardio-Ox, Cognition, Dose Tracker, Fine Motor Skills, Fluid Shifts, Habitability, Journals, Microbiome, Salivary Markers, Telomeres, Ocular Health, Sleep Log, and Space Headaches. Progress made on other investigations and facilities this week included VEG-01, OASIS, MGM, RaDI-N2, CIR, GLACIER, and EXPRESS Racks. http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/ISS_Science_Rockets_Into_2016_999.html ---------------------------------------- Astronauts Continue Spacewalk Prep and Install New ELF Experiments NASA’s Timothy Kopra and ESA’s Timothy Peake will perform 6.5 hour spacewalk on January 15. Quote Preparation continues for Tim Peake and Tim Kopra for Friday’s 7:55 a.m. EST spacewalk. Today, they will be re-familiarizing themselves with the tools needed to perform the Sequential Shunt Unit (SSU) change out. Aside from spacewalk preparation, Commander Scott Kelly and Tim Peake will also be setting up the JAXA Electrostatic Levitation Furnace (ELF) equipment. It will be installed into the Multi-purpose Small Payload Rack 2 (MSPR2) work volume inside of the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM). Commander Scott Kelly and Mikhail Kornienko continue their fluid shift activities with help from Russian cosmonaut Sergey Volkov. Today’s activities are the third part of this experiment in which the Russian Chibis (Lower Body Negative Pressure – LBNP) is worn and ultrasound measurements of their eyes are taken. https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2016/01/12/astronauts-continue-spacewalk-prep-and-install-new-elf-experiments/ ---------------------------------- NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 11 January 2016 NASA astronaut Scott Kelly took a photo of Houston and the Gulf Coast as the International Space Station flew overhead. Credit: NASA/Scott Kelly. Quote Astronauts Tim Peake and Tim Kopra continue to prepare for their 6.5 hour spacewalk on Friday of this week. During the spacewalk they will be replacing a failed voltage regulator which will return power to one of the eight power channels. Meanwhile, Commander Scott Kelly is gathering hardware for the fluid shifts experiment. Tomorrow, he and his one-year mission crewmate Mikhail Kornienko will be putting on the Russian Chibis suit, a lower body suit which redistributes fluids back to their legs. During this part of the experiment, they will be taking ultrasounds of their eyes to explore the correlation between body fluid distribution and potential changes in vision. Russian cosmonaut Sergey Volkov has been taking readings for the Vibrolab experiment. Monitoring micro vibrations can help to understand how tiny movements affect science experiments on station. Quote Veg-01 Observation: Ground experts identified in downlinked photographs potential mold on one of the three remaining plants for the Veg-01 experiment. Yesterday Scott trimmed all the area with spots, double bagged them and placed them into Minus Eighty Degree Celsius Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI). The Veg-01 investigation is used to assess on-orbit function and performance of the Veggie facility, focusing on the growth and development of seedlings in the spaceflight environment and the composition of microbial flora on the plants and the facility. For this run, Zinnias will be grown for 60 days and are expected to produce flowers. Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Preparations: The USOS Crew prepared the Equipment Lock, Extravehicular Mobility Units (EMU), and ancillary hardware to support upcoming Sequential Shunt Unit (SSU) EVA scheduled for Friday, January 15th. In addition, they conducted an EMU On-Orbit Fit Verification (OFV) for Peake in order to confirm the correct sizing on EMU 3008. ISS Reboost: ISS performed a reboost Sunday night using the Progress 61P thrusters. The delta-V for the burn was 1.65 meters per second. This reboost is the first in a series of reboosts to target the planned conditions for the Soyuz 44 landing on March 2nd, Soyuz 46 four orbit rendezvous on March 19th, and Progress 63 four orbit rendezvous on March 31st. Quote Ground Activities All activities were completed unless otherwise noted. UHF Activation in support of EMU OFV activity Three-Day Look Ahead: Tuesday, 01/12: Fluid Shifts using Chibis, MSPR2 ELF, EVA Tool Config, IMV Flow Measurements Wednesday, 01/13: Fluid Shifts, Sprint Ultrsound, Circadian Rhythms, Medical Emergency Training, Cygnus Cargo Ops Thursday, 01/14: EVA Procedure Review, EVA Tool Audit, Equipment Lock Preparation QUICK ISS Status - Environmental Control Group: Component - Status Elektron - On Vozdukh - Manual [СКВ] 1 - SM Air Conditioner System ("SKV1") - On [СКВ] 2 - SM Air Conditioner System ("SKV2") - Off Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Lab - Standby Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Node 3 - Operate Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Lab - Idle Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3 - Operate Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) - Process Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) - Standby Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab - Full Up Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 - Off http://spaceref.com/international-space-station/nasa-international-space-station-on-orbit-status-11-january-2016.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draggendrop Veteran Posted January 13, 2016 Author Veteran Share Posted January 13, 2016 NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 12 January 2016 Quote Preparation continues for Tim Peake and Tim Kopra for Friday's 7:55 a.m. EST spacewalk. Today, they will be re-familiarizing themselves with the tools needed to perform the Sequential Shunt Unit (SSU) change out. Aside from spacewalk preparation, Commander Scott Kelly and Tim Peake will also be setting up the JAXA Electrostatic Levitation Furnace (ELF) equipment. It will be installed into the Multi-purpose Small Payload Rack 2 (MSPR2) work volume inside of the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM). Commander Scott Kelly and Mikhail Kornienko continue their fluid shift activities with help from Russian cosmonaut Sergey Volkov. Today's activities are the third part of this experiment in which the Russian Chibis (Lower Body Negative Pressure - LBNP) is worn and ultrasound measurements of their eyes are taken. Quote Electrostatic Levitation Furnaces 1 and 2 (ELF 1 & 2) Setup: Kelly and Peake set up the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) ELF equipment for installation in the Multi-purpose Small Payload Rack 2 (MSPR2) work volume in the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM). The crew was unable to complete all of the installation activities today. They will be completed at the earliest opportunity. The ELF is an experimental facility designed to levitate, melt and solidify materials employing containerless processing techniques that use the electrostatic levitation method with charged samples and electrodes. With this facility, thermophysical properties of high temperature melts can be measured and solidification from deeply undercooled melts can be achieved. Fluid Shifts Before, During and After Prolonged Space Flight and Their Association with Intracranial Pressure and Visual Impairment (Fluid Shifts): Kelly and Kornienko continued their Return minus 45 day (R-45) Fluid Shifts activities today in the Russian Segment with assistance from Volkov. This third part of the Fluid Shifts experiment utilizes the Russian Chibis (Lower Body Negative Pressure - LBNP) suit during ultrasound measurements. Fluid Shifts investigates the causes for severe and lasting physical changes to astronaut's eyes. Because the headward fluid shift is a hypothesized contributor to these changes, reversing this fluid shift with a lower body negative pressure device is investigated as a possible intervention. Results from this study may help to develop preventative measures against lasting changes in vision and eye damage. Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) Airlock Pressurization and Leak Check: In preparation for removal of the Robotics Refueling Mission (RRM) Task Board 4 and the Robotic Micro Conical Tool (RMCT)-1 from the JEM Airlock Slide Table later this month, Kelly has pressurized the JEM Airlock and performed a leak check today. Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Tool Preparation: Kopra and Peake continued to prepare for Friday's Sequential Shunt Unit (SSU) EVA. Today, they re-familiarized themselves with the tools needed to perform the SSU change out, installed a long term tether onto the EPIC MDM Ethernet Cable bundle to allow for external stowage without being plugged in, if required. In addition, they packed the Internal Docking Adapter (IDA) EVA bag with the required cabling. Intermodule Ventilation (IMV) Flow Measurements: As part of system health monitoring, Kopra utilized a Velocicalc tool in order to obtain measurements of selected ventilation inlets and outlets within the USOS. Today's measurements took place within the Joint Airlock, Node1, Node 2, Node 3, Cupola, and the Lab. Mobile Servicing System (MSS) Operations: This afternoon, ground controllers are performing a periodic survey of the Scan Testbed Experiment on ExPRESS Logistics Carrier (ELC)-3. Once the survey is complete, they will command an Mobile Transporter (MT) translation from Worksite (WS)-7 to WS-2. The move is required in order to provide camera support during Friday's Sequential Shunt Unit (SSU) 1B Extravehicular Activity (EVA) and to preposition the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) for next week's Main Bus Switching Unit (MBSU) demonstation activity. Quote Ground Activities All activities were completed unless otherwise noted. Scan Test Bed Survey with MSS MT translation from WS-7 to WS-2 Three-Day Look Ahead: Wednesday, 01/13: Fluid Shifts, Sprint Ultrsound, Circadian Rhythms, Medical Emergency Training, Cygnus Cargo Ops Thursday, 01/14: EVA Procedure Review, EVA Tool Audit, Equipment Lock Preparation Friday, 01/15: SSU 1B EVA QUICK ISS Status - Environmental Control Group: Component - Status Elektron - On Vozdukh - Manual [СКВ] 1 - SM Air Conditioner System ("SKV1") - Off [СКВ] 2 - SM Air Conditioner System ("SKV2") - Off Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Lab - Standby Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Node 3 - Operate Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Lab - Idle Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3 - Operate Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) - Process Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) - Standby Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab - Full Up Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 - Off http://spaceref.com/international-space-station/nasa-international-space-station-on-orbit-status-12-january-2016.html Space Station Live: A New Measure of Bone Strength, video is 5:10 min. --------------------------------------- Animation: ISS Spacewalk for U.S. EVA #35 SSU Replacement Animation: ISS Spacewalk for U.S. EVA #35 SSU Replacement. NASA Quote Lead Spacewalk officer for U.S. EVA #35 Paul Dum walks through the tasks for the planned 6.5 hour spacewalk. Set to be performed by NASA astronaut Tim Kopra and Tim Peake on Jan. 15, 2016, the spacewalk will focus on the replacement of a failed voltage regulator to restore the space station's power generation system to full functionality. http://spaceref.com/international-space-station/animation-iss-spacewalk-for-us-eva-35-ssu-replacement.html ISS Spacewalk Animation - U.S. EVA #35 SSU Replacement video is 6:29 min. Warning...cheesey commentary Unobscured Vision 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draggendrop Veteran Posted January 13, 2016 Author Veteran Share Posted January 13, 2016 Tweets from Space – January 12, 2016 7 tweets with nice images at... http://spaceflight101.com/tweets-from-space-january-12-2016/ -------------------------------------------- Kopra and Peake Primed for Friday Spacewalk Tim Peake undergoes suit fit-checks in the Quest airlock, ahead of U.S. EVA-35. Photo Credit: NASA Quote He may be long-retired from the British Army, and his Christian name may have a different vowel at its core, but “Major Tim” Peake will pay unique tribute on Friday, 15 January, to “Starman” David Bowie, who died last weekend from cancer. Peake and his Expedition 46 crewmate, NASA astronaut Tim Kopra, were recently announced to perform U.S. EVA-35, a planned 6.5-hour spacewalk to remove and replace a failed Sequential Shunt Unit (SSU) on the International Space Station (ISS), as well as tending to several other tasks in readiness for Commercial Crew operations. Launched on 15 December, alongside Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko, it was anticipated—though unconfirmed until early January—that Kopra and Peake would execute U.S. EVA-35. As well as representing Kopra’s third career spacewalk, it will be the first time that a Union Jack has ever been seen on the sleeve of an Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) suit in the vacuum of space. The death of Bowie prompted a massive outpouring of tribute from numerous astronauts, including Chris Hadfield, who became the first Canadian citizen to command the ISS back in spring 2013 and sang his own version of “Space Oddity”, whilst floating aboard the station. Poignantly, Hadfield delivered the lyrics “Planet Earth is blue / and there’s nothing I can do” as he beheld the grandeur of our world through the multiple windows of the cupola. Almost three years later, Hadfield tweeted on Monday: “Ashes to ashes, dust to stardust. Your brilliance inspired us all. Goodbye Starman.” High above the Earth, that same day, Tim Peake added his own tribute. “Saddened to hear David Bowie has lost his battle with cancer,” he tweeted. “His music was an inspiration to many.” Added Expedition 46 Commander Scott Kelly: “Sad to learn of the death of musician @DavidBowieReal whose inspiration lives on ‘far above the world’.” For Peake and Kopra, the taking of protein pills, the putting-on of helmets, the commencing of countdowns is now far behind them, as they wrap up a highly successful first month aboard the sprawling, multi-national space station. In Bowie’s words, both have “really made the grade” and in the words of ISS Operations and Integration Manager Kenny Todd, speaking yesterday (Tuesday) at a press conference at the Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, Texas, they have completed a significant amount of Human Research experimentation, which all new expedition crews perform in their first weeks aloft, as they seek to chronicle their physiological and psychological adaptation to microgravity. detailed outline of procedures during EVA at the link .... http://www.americaspace.com/?p=90601#more-90601 Unobscured Vision 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draggendrop Veteran Posted January 14, 2016 Author Veteran Share Posted January 14, 2016 Final Preparations for Tomorrow’s Spacewalk List of tasks to be performed during U.S. EVA #35 tomorrow at 7:55 a.m. EST. Quote Commander Scott Kelly and one-year crewmate Mikhail Kornienko continue their contribution to the fluid shifts study with the aid of Russian cosmonaut Sergey Volkov. Data from this long-term study hopes to reveal correlations between the distribution of fluid in the body and changes in vision during prolonged stays in microgravity. Final preparations are underway for tomorrow’s spacewalk by Tim Kopra and Tim Peake to replace the failed Sequential Shunt Unit and regain the use of power channel 1B that went down on November 13. The 6 ½ hour spacewalk will also involve the spacewalkers deploying cables for the future installation of International Docking Adapters on Pressurized Mating Adapters that will accommodate the arrival of U.S. commercial crew vehicles. Make sure to tune in to NASA TV tomorrow morning for a live look at U.S. EVA #35. Coverage begins at 6:30 a.m. EST: www.nasa.gov/nasatv https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2016/01/14/final-preparations-for-tomorrows-spacewalk/ NASA TV http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/ Unobscured Vision 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draggendrop Veteran Posted January 15, 2016 Author Veteran Share Posted January 15, 2016 Space walk still ongoing, but will post a few trinkets.... ISS Space Walk HD Test 2 video is 2:43 min. test of HD cam...looks great. ------------------------------------------- Roscosmos prepares to launch first manned Soyuz MS Quote Russian Roscosmos state corporation announced in a statement Thursday the start of preparations to the launch of Soyuz-FG carrier rocket from the Baikonur space center, which will put into orbit the first manned spacecraft of a new Soyuz MS series. According to the statement, preparation to the assembling of the first two stages of the carrier rocket has begun. At the same time, the specialists have started tests of Soyuz-FG's blocks. The first manned launch of Soyuz MS spacecraft is scheduled on June 21, 2016. The Soyuz crew comprises Russia's cosmonaut Anatoli Ivanishin, Japanese astronaut Takuya Onishi and NASA's astronaut Kathleen Rubins. Russia's Oleg Novitskiy, Thomas Pesquet from the European Space Agency and NASA's Peggy Whitson are the backup crew of this flight. The first launch of Soyuz MS will be one of the four manned launches from Baikonur to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2016. Three other launches are expected to take place on March 19, September 23 and November 16. While cargo vessels within the ISS program are due to be launched on March 31, July 4 and October 20. earlier report Russia to Launch 4Manned, 3 Cargo Spacecraft to ISS in 2016 Russia will carry out the launches of four manned and three cargo spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan within the International Space Station (ISS)'s program in 2016, Russian state corporation Roscosmos said Thursday. "Four manned and three cargo launches from Baikonur are scheduled for 2016 under the program of the International Space Station," Roscosmos wrote on Facebook. The launches of manned spaceships are slated for March 19, June 21, September 23 and November 16, respectively, Roscosmos said in a statement. Cargo vessels are due to be launched on March 31, July 4 and October 20, the statement added. http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Roscosmos_Prepares_to_Launch_First_Manned_Soyuz_MS_Spacecraft_From_Baikonur_999.html ------------------------------------------ NASA Awards International Space Station Cargo Transport Contracts Quote NASA has awarded three cargo contracts to ensure the critical science, research and technology demonstrations that are informing the agency's journey to Mars are delivered to the International Space Station (ISS) from 2019 through 2024. The agency unveiled its selection of Orbital ATK of Dulles, Virginia; Sierra Nevada Corporation of Sparks, Nevada; and SpaceX of Hawthorne, California to continue building on the initial resupply partnerships with two American companies. These Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-2) contracts are designed to obtain cargo delivery services to the space station, disposal of unneeded cargo, and the return of research samples and other cargo from the station back to NASA. more at... http://spaceref.biz/international-space-station/nasa-awards-international-space-station-cargo-transport-contracts.html ------------------------------ Spacewalkers Replace Voltage Regulator Quote Approximately 2 hours into today’s spacewalk, astronauts Tim Kopra and Tim Peake have completed the replacement of a failed voltage regulator that caused a loss of power to one of the station’s eight power channels last November. The astronauts will now continue with additional tasks, including the routing of cables in advance of International Docking Adapter installment work to support U.S. commercial crew vehicles. The solar arrays that convert energy to electricity on the space station are made of thousands of solar cells. Altogether, the arrays can generate 84 to 120 kilowatts of electricity — enough to provide power to more than 40 homes, and the space station’s electrical power system is connected by eight miles (12.9 kilometers) of wire. Watch the spacewalk on NASA Television at: http://www.nasa.gov/nasatv Follow @Space_Station and #spacewalk on Twitter to join the conversation online. https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2016/01/15/spacewalkers-replace-voltage-regulator/ Unobscured Vision 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draggendrop Veteran Posted January 15, 2016 Author Veteran Share Posted January 15, 2016 The EVA was terminated a bit early due to small water inside Tim Peake's helmet, similar to what happened to Luca Parmitano on US EVA 23 on July 16 2013. Both incidents involve the same EMU, serial number 3011. The leak was not as bad as Luca's, but EVA terminated for safety. Astronauts repair ISS power Channel – first spacewalk for UK ends early Quote A pair of astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) conducted a shortened spacewalk to replace a failed electrical component, in order to restore the station to its full power generation capacity. The spacewalk was the first ever to be conducted by a British astronaut, marking a historic moment for the UK’s space program. However, due to water in Tim Kopra’s helmet, the EVA was terminated early. Indepth analysis here... http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2016/01/astronauts-iss-power-channel-first-spacewalk-uk/ [ISS] Highlights from Spacewalk with Tim Peake & Tim Kopra video is 14:41 min. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draggendrop Veteran Posted January 16, 2016 Author Veteran Share Posted January 16, 2016 (edited) Edit above post, Kopra had a leak...not Peake (/s he has a better bladder) Spacewalk Ends Successfully But Early After Water Detected in Helmet Quote NASA astronaut Tim Kopra and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Tim Peake completed the primary task for their spacewalk on January 15, 2016 before it was ended early by Mission Control Houston. The astronauts replaced a failed voltage regulator that caused a loss of power to one of the station’s eight power channels last November, accomplishing the major objective for this spacewalk. The pair ended its spacewalk at 12:31 p.m. EST with the repressurization of the U.S. Quest airlock following an early termination after Kopra reported a small water bubble had formed inside his helmet. “These procedures did their job, the team did their job and we flowed right into a nice, safe return into the airlock for these guys,” remarked NASA’s Chief Astronaut Chris Cassidy, who took part in the July 2013 spacewalk when ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano experienced a similar, but more serious, incident. Commander Scott Kelly assisted the crew members with an expedited removal of their spacesuits and helmets. Once they removed the spacesuits and helmets, the astronauts used a syringe to take a water sample and retrieve the helmet absorption pad to determine how much water was introduced. Engineers are already looking at data to find what may have prompted the water to form inside Kopra’s helmet. The crew was never in any danger and returned to the airlock in an orderly fashion. The 4 hour and 43 minutes spacewalk was the third for Kopra and the first for Peake, who both arrived to the station Dec. 15. It was the 192 in support of assembly and maintenance of the orbiting laboratory. Teams will continue to look over data collected during the spacewalk and discuss forward plans in the days to come. https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/ Spacewalk photo's...Nice collection to...go to above link and select photo's ------------------------ Spacewalk Selfie Tim Peake ESA Quote ESA astronaut Tim Peake during his 4 hour 43 minute spacewalk to replace a failed power regulator and install cabling. The meticulously planned and executed sortie was stopped early after fellow spacewalker NASA astronaut Tim Kopra reported a small amount of water building up in his helmet. The two Tims worked in close cooperation with each other to return to the Space Station, with NASA commander Scott Kelly and cosmonaut Sergei Volkov waiting inside to help them out of their suits. Tim commented on this picture: "Today's exhilarating spacewalk will be etched in my memory forever - quite an incredible feeling!" http://spaceref.com/onorbit/spacewalk-selfie.html -------------------------- Spacewalk terminated due to spacesuit water leak Astronaut Tim Peake is seen outside the International Space Station during Friday’s spacewalk. Quote Flight controllers ordered two astronauts to terminate a spacewalk outside the International Space Station Friday after one of them reported a small amount of water leaking into his space helmet. While not nearly as dangerous as a 2013 helmet leak that threatened to drown an Italian spacewalker, flight controllers took no chances, ordering both men back to the station’s airlock. As it turns out, the spacesuit worn by Timothy Kopra Friday is the same suit — serial number 3011 — worn by European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano during the frightening July 2013 EVA, NASA officials said The suit was extensively modified in the wake of that incident and used successfully as recently as Dec. 21. It’s not yet known if the cause of the leak Kopra experienced Friday was related in any way to the much more serious problem faced by Parmitano, but extensive troubleshooting is expected to pin down what went wrong this time around. Kopra and British astronaut Timothy Peake began the excursion at 7:48 a.m. EST (GMT-5) to kick off a planned six-and-a-half-hour spacewalk, the first so far this year and the 12th NASA EVA since the 2013 incident. The primary goal of the outing was to replace a presumably shorted out sequential shunt unit, or SSU, at the far right end of the station’s solar power truss truss that failed last November and knocked one of the lab’s eight electrical channels out of action. The SSU swap-out went smoothly and a few minutes later, flight controllers reported power channel 1B was back in normal operation. Kopra and Peake then hauled the failed unit back to the airlock, stowed it and went their separate ways to carry out several other lower-priority tasks. Peake began laying out cables that will be needed by new docking mechanisms that will be installed later to support visits by Boeing and SpaceX crew ferry craft. Kopra focused on re-installing a non-propulsive vent on the hull of the Tranquility module that was removed last year. It was at the end of that task, just a few minutes before noon, that Kopra reported a small bubble of water in his helmet. “I’ll continue to monitor,” he called down to mission control in Houston. “Why don’t you just hold right there,” replied astronaut Reid Wiseman in the control room. “Let us just talk this out for a second down here.” “All right, sounds good.” A few minutes later, Kopra managed to move he head enough to taste the water, saying it was “cold” and that the bubble was about a half-inch wide and two or three inches long. One other wild card on the table: a carbon dioxide sensor in Kopra’s suit failed earlier, although it’s not yet known whether that was related to the leak. A moment after that, flight director Royce Renfrew, following guidelines established in the wake of Parmitano’s frightening EVA, ordered an early end to the spacewalk. “We are in a terminate case,” Wiseman quickly called. “And we’re gathering words for Tim Peake and where we’ll leave you there.” “So, terminate EVA, ingress crew lock, connect SCU (umbilicals),” Kopra confirmed, looking at a checklist attached to his suit. “So I’m going to bring up all my stuff here, Reid, and start heading back.” A call to “terminate” an EVA means the crew should halt work, collect their tools and head back to the airlock. An “abort” call signifies an emergency, and that was not the case today, Renfrew said later. In any case, within about a half hour both spacewalkers were back inside the Quest airlock. The hatch was then closed and the compartment was repressurized. The spacewalk officially ended at 12:31 p.m. after a duration of four hours and 43 minutes. A few minutes later, station commander Scott Kelly and cosmonaut Sergey Volkov helped Kopra back into the roomier external airlock compartment, got his helmet off and collected water samples to help engineers pinpoint the source. “When Tim reported the water bubble today, the size was a concern,” said chief astronaut Chris Cassidy, who was outside with Parmitano during the July 2013 incident. After reporting the bubble, Kopra told flight controllers that a water-absorbent pad at the back of his helmet was damp. The HAP, or helmet absorption pad, was implemented in the wake of Parmitano’s close call to give spacewalkers early warning of a leak. A straw-like snorkel extending down into the body of the spacesuit is also available now to help a spacewalker breathe during a major water intrusion. The water bubble in Kopra’s helmet, along with his report of a damp HAP, “said there was something going on,” Cassidy said. “But for me, the big hook is the temperature of the water. As soon as he could tell that it’s cold water, there’s something going on where that’s coming from, a source in the backpack, which is a significant concern to us.” “So these procedures really did their job today, the team did their job and we flowed right into a nice, safe return back into the airlock for these guys.” Kelly later reported that Peake’s suit was generally dry throughout, but Kopra’s was clearly damp. “Tim Kopra was wet, not soaking wet, but just kind of moist up by his shoulders and by his wrists and his LCVG (liquid cooling and ventilation garment) had condensation around it,” Kelly said. “And in the ventilation line and water connector, there was moisture.” During the spacewalk by Parmitano and Cassidy on July 16, 2013, water backed up into Parmitano’s helmet, quickly obscuring his vision and expanding around his head. He made it back to the station’s airlock, but it was a life-threatening malfunction. In the wake of that incident, NASA carried out extensive troubleshooting and eventually blamed the water backup on a clogged filter in the suit’s water cooling system. Refurbished components were launched to the station, including a refurbished fan-separator module for the backpack of the suit worn by Parmitano and Kopra. Along with new procedures to inspect and test spacesuits before an EVA, NASA also developed the HAP and the emergency snorkel to provide warning an an unobscured breathing line in case of a major leak. During spacewalks, flight controllers periodically ask the astronauts to report on the HAP, which can be felt by simply tilting the head back inside the helmet. Those procedures paid off Friday, giving the crew plenty of time to get back to the Quest airlock before the leak in Kopra’s helmet could worsen. http://spaceflightnow.com/2016/01/15/spacewalk-terminated-due-to-spacesuit-water-leak/ -------------------------- To solve online squabbling....Tim Peake is the first British ESA astronaut in space and to perform an EVA, but he is not the first British citizen in space, this honour belongs to... Quote Dr Helen Patricia Sharman OBE FRSC (born 30 May 1963) is a British chemist who became the first Briton in space and the first woman to visit the Mir space station in 1991. Sharman was born in Grenoside, Sheffield (where she attended Grenoside Junior and Infant School), later moving to Greenhill. After studying at Jordanthorpe Comprehensive, she received a BSc in chemistry at the University of Sheffield in 1984 and a PhD from Birkbeck, University of London. She worked as a research and development technologist for GEC in London and later as a chemist for Mars Incorporated dealing with flavourant properties of chocolate. Quote After responding to a radio advertisement asking for applicants to be the first British astronaut, Sharman was selected for the mission live on ITV, on 25 November 1989, ahead of nearly 13,000 other applicants.[2][3][4] The programme was known as Project Juno and was a cooperative arrangement between the Soviet Union and a group of British companies.[citation needed] Sharman has been wrongly described as "selected by lottery". She was subjected to a rigorous selection process that gave weight to scientific, educational and aerospace backgrounds as well as the ability to learn a foreign language.[5] A lottery was one of several schemes used to raise money to underwrite the cost of the flight.[citation needed] Before flying, Sharman spent 18 months in intensive flight training in Star City. The Project Juno consortium failed to raise the monies expected, and the programme was almost cancelled. Reportedly Mikhail Gorbachev ordered it to proceed under Soviet expense in the interests of international relations, but in the absence of western underwriting, less expensive experiments were substituted for those in the original plans.[citation needed] The Soyuz TM-12 mission, which included Soviet cosmonauts Anatoly Artsebarsky and Sergei Krikalev, launched on 18 May 1991[6] and lasted eight days, most of that time spent at the Mir space station. Sharman's tasks included medical and agricultural tests,[7] photographing the British Isles, and participating in an unlicenced amateur radio hookup with British schoolchildren. She landed aboard Soyuz TM-11 on 26 May 1991, along with Viktor Afanasyev and Musa Manarov. Sharman was just 27 years and 11 months old when she went into space, making her (as of 2015) the sixth youngest of the 545 individuals who have flown in space. The second youngest, Valentina Tereshkova, became the first woman in space in 1963 at the age of 26 years and 3 months.[citation needed] Sharman has not returned to space, although she was one of three British candidates in the 1992 European Space Agency astronaut selection process and was on the shortlist of 25 applicants in 1998.[citation needed] For her Project Juno accomplishments, Sharman received a star on the Sheffield Walk of Fame more at... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Sharman --------------------------------- You can check out the repair status here...all is good... http://isslive.com/displays/spartanDisplay1.html ISS Tracker http://www.isstracker.com/ HD Earth view http://www.ustream.tv/channel/iss-hdev-payload Unobscured Vision 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draggendrop Veteran Posted January 17, 2016 Author Veteran Share Posted January 17, 2016 Bits and bytes.... Tim Kopra's view at the end of the space walk....now that is awesome ---------------------------------------- Seems to be a bit of a mix up. Scott Kelly tweeted about the flower being the first one grown in space, but was in error...no harm done and it looks great. Quote Keith's note: Beautiful pictures of flowers in space have been posted by Scott Kelly on Twitter - and they're very popular. Alas, NASA does not post these high resolution images online. There's no mention at Scott Kelly's flickr, JSC's Flickr, etc. But more importantly this "First ever flower grown in space" claim is totally bogus - just ask Google. It has been done more than once - and many years ago. Score another failed tagline for PAO's fact checking folks. First species of plant to flower in space, Guinness "In 1982, the then Soviet Union's Salyut-7 space station crew grew some Arabidopsis on board. During their 40-day lifecycle, they became the first plants to flower and produce seeds in the zero gravity of space." Plant growth, development and embryogenesis during Salyut-7 flight, Adv Space Res. 1984;4(10):55-63. "The seeds sown during the flight germinated, performed growth processes, formed vegetative and generative organs and, judging by the final result, they succeeded in fecundation, embryogenesis and ripening." Modification of reproductive development in Arabidopsis thaliana under spaceflight conditions, Planta, April 1996, Volume 198, Issue 4, pp 588-594 "Reproductive development in Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. cv. Columbia plants was investigated under spaceflight conditions on shuttle mission STS-51. Plants launched just prior to initiation of the reproductive phase developed flowers and siliques during the 10-d flight." June 17-26 - Diary of a Space Zucchini, Don Pettit (2012) "Sunflower is going to seed! His blossom is wilted-brown and has a few lopsided packed seeds. This is not quite normal, but then, we are living on the frontier and things are different here. They are not ready now; I wonder if they will be by the time Gardener is with his seed pod?" http://nasawatch.com/archives/2016/01/no-nasa-these-a.html ------------------------------- Tweets from space.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draggendrop Veteran Posted January 18, 2016 Author Veteran Share Posted January 18, 2016 NASA ISS Space to Ground Weekly Report - 15 January 2016 Quote NASA's Space to Ground is your weekly update on what's happening aboard the International Space Station. Got a question or comment? Use #spacetoground to talk to us http://spaceref.com/international-space-station/nasa-iss-space-to-ground-weekly-report---15-january-2016.html Space to Ground: All Powered Up: 01/15/2015 video is 2:10 min. Video: NASA Flight Director Royce Renfrew Discusses Early Spacewalk End ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Tim Peake seen during his first spacewalk. Peake and NASA astronaut Tim Kopra conducted a spacewalk on Jan. 15, 2016 and successfully replaced a failed voltage regulator that caused a loss of power to one of the station’s eight power channels in Nov. 2015. The pair ended its spacewalk early after Kopra reported a small water bubble had formed inside his helmet. Credit: NASA. Quote Flight Director Royce Renfrew discusses the early end to the spacewalk on January 15, 2016 which included NASA astronaut Tim Kopra and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Tim Peake. The pair ended its spacewalk at 12:31 p.m. EST with the repressurization of the U.S. Quest airlock following an early termination after Kopra reported a small water bubble had formed inside his helmet. Commander Scott Kelly assisted the crew members with an expedited removal of their spacesuits and helmets. Once they removed the spacesuits and helmets, the astronauts used a syringe to take a water sample and retrieve the helmet absorption pad to determine how much water was introduced. Engineers are already looking at data to find what may have prompted the water to form inside Kopra's helmet. The crew was never in any danger and returned to the airlock in an orderly fashion. The astronauts replaced a failed voltage regulator that caused a loss of power to one of the station's eight power channels last November, accomplishing the major objective for this spacewalk. The 4 hour and 43 minutes spacewalk was the third for Kopra and the first for Peake, who both arrived to the station Dec. 15. It was the 192 in support of assembly and maintenance of the orbiting laboratory. http://spaceref.com/international-space-station/video-nasa-flight-director-royce-renfrew-discusses-early-spacewalk-end.html Flight Director Royce Renfrew Discusses Early Spacewalk End video is 7:48 min. Unobscured Vision 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draggendrop Veteran Posted January 19, 2016 Author Veteran Share Posted January 19, 2016 Astronauts Observe Martin Luther King Jr. Day in Space NASA astronaut Scott Kelly tweeted this photo of the Earth taken on the International Space Station, August 19, 2015. Credit: Scott Kelly (via Twitter as @StationCDRKelly) Quote Like their cohort on the ground, astronauts aboard the U.S. segment of the International Space Station will take a day off today (Jan. 18) to celebrate the life of Martin Luther King Jr. NASA astronauts Scott Kelly and Tim Kopra and European Space Agency astronaut Tim Peake, the first British astronaut to visit the International Space Station, will be off-duty today, NASA spokesman Dan Huot told Space.com. The three cosmonauts aboard the station — Mikhail Kornienko, Sergey Volkov and Yuri Malenchenko — have a full day of tasks scheduled. NASA itself is also paying tribute to King. On Friday (Jan. 15), NASA posted a video "celebrat[ing] Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service": Last year, and in 2014, NASA tweeted a photograph of King's hometown, Atlanta, as seen from the space station. Kopra and Peake finished a spacewalk Friday — Peake's first — and repaired one of the space station's eight power channels before returning early because of a water bubble in Kopra's helmet. http://www.space.com/31642-astronauts-martin-luther-king-jr-in-space.html ------------------------------ Test your astronaut skills and help ESA Quote With ESA astronaut Tim Peake stepping out of the International Space Station tomorrow, have you ever wanted to know if you have what it takes to be an astronaut? ESA is offering a trial version of a test developed for future astronauts for you to try at home - and by taking part you will help us select a new generation of astronauts. Trainers at ESA's European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, Germany are always looking for ways to improve their methods. Part of the job is to find out who is suitable to become an astronaut in the first place. One of the many challenges faced by astronauts is working in three-dimensional space. In a weightless universe, up can become down and left can become right depending on which way you are floating. Everybody knows the feeling of disorientation on visiting a new city, and working in space adds a whole new dimension - literally. During a spacewalk this effect intensifies as the blackness of space offers little for astronauts' brains to use for orientation. Working and using objects in this environment is something astronauts must excel at and so is a key aptitude that trainers look for in selecting candidates. Start the test The head of ESA's astronaut centre, Frank De Winne, says: "ESA is not currently running a selection campaign but developing tests for astronaut selection takes time and needs to be done right." Your task is to move and turn an object to fit exactly in a new position in three dimensions. The task is made harder because all your moves need to be programmed beforehand and the goal is to use as few as possible. European Astronaut Centre experts in robotics and spacecraft docking worked with psychologists to design the test. ESA's Head of Astronaut Training, Rudiger Seine, explains: "By 'playing' with the test online you will help the team validate it, essentially making sure it works. For us, the more people who participate, the better." Click here to go to the test website and start thinking like an astronaut as you work your way through progressively harder levels. http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Test_your_astronaut_skills_and_help_ESA_999.html ------------------------- World View Eyes Tucson Corporate HQ, Manufacturing Facility Crewed high altitude capsule. (Credit: World View) Quote Pima County in Arizona is set to vote on Tuesday on an incentives package for near-space company World View Enterprises. Tucson-based World View Enterprises plans to construct a 120,000-square-foot corporate headquarters and manufacturing facility on Aerospace Parkway south of Raytheon Missile Systems and Tucson International Airport. The company has about 25 workers but says it plans to expand to as many as 400 employees. The incentive package before the board would have the county fund construction of the facility and spaceport launch site. World View would pay back the county’s $14.5 million investment over 20 years of lease payments totaling more than $23.6 million. World View would have the option to purchase a portion of the property after 10 years, excluding the spaceport. http://www.parabolicarc.com/ Quote SUBORBITAL SPACEFLIGHT The company website notes: “With our proprietary high-altitude balloons, World View offers an accessible, affordable way to access near space. As a Voyager, you will enjoy a suborbital spaceflight unlike any other.” The flights last five to six hours in a pressurized capsule set aloft with a helium-filled balloon. The balloon ascends more than 100,000 feet, or nearly 20 miles, above the Earth’s surface. In addition to space tourism, the flights have been used to conduct scientific research for universities and private companies. The cost for the experience stands at $75,000 per person. The company was founded in 2013 by Jane Poynter and Taber MacCallum, both original crew members in the Biosphere 2 experiment. Veteran NASA scientist Alan Stern and astronaut Mark Kelly also work for World View. “I am absolutely ecstatic about having the only spaceport in the state of Arizona,” Pima County Supervisor Ramón Valadez said. Valadez said the announcement shows the county’s efforts at economic development have worked. “The plan is bearing fruit,” he said. Sun Corridor Inc. (formerly known as TREO, or Tucson Regional Economic Opportunities) President and CEO Joe Snell, who worked with the county on the deal, said the possible expansion represented a victory for the region. “This is a tremendous opportunity to land a sought-after space technology corporate headquarters, with growth plans for hundreds of high-wage jobs,” Snell said. The announcement marks the inaugural location of a business in the newly realigned Aerospace Parkway, formerly the Hughes Access Road. County leaders began purchasing property in the area in 2011 in preparation for the road realignment. The plan to move the roadway south about a half mile was done at the request of Raytheon, which required a large buffer zone to its south. http://tucson.com/news/business/pima-county-to-consider-financial-incentives-for-space-exploration-firm/article_18db3ed7-c6ec-5aef-a8fb-370751a61cd6.html interesting.... " Veteran NASA scientist Alan Stern and astronaut Mark Kelly also work for World View." Unobscured Vision 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draggendrop Veteran Posted January 19, 2016 Author Veteran Share Posted January 19, 2016 NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 18 January 2016 NASA astronaut Tim Kopra and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Tim Peake conducted a spacewalk on Jan. 15, 2016 and successfully replaced a failed voltage regulator that caused a loss of power to one of the station’s eight power channels in Nov. 2015. The pair ended its spacewalk early after Kopra reported a small water bubble had formed inside his helmet. Credit: NASA. Quote Today: Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellites (SPHERES) Zero Robotics Dry Run: Kelly and Kornienko set up SPHERES hardware and executed a dry run for the Zero Robotics competition scheduled for January 25th. The SPHERES Zero Robotics investigation establishes an opportunity for high school students to design research for the ISS. As part of a competition, students write algorithms for the SPHERES satellites to accomplish tasks relevant to future space missions. The algorithms are tested by the SPHERES team and the best designs are selected for the competition to operate the SPHERES satellites on board the ISS. Quote Post Extravehicular Activity Cleanup: On Saturday, Peake and Kopra completed post EVA activities including EVA Tool Stow, Post-EVA medical assessment, and airlock deconfiguration. They also moved EMUs 3003 and 3005 back to the airlock from the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) Pressurized Module (JPM). Kelly, Peake and Kopra participated in an EVA debrief with ground specialists. Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) 3011 Status: During last Friday's EVA, Kopra reported a bubble of water in EMU 3011 helmet. Over the weekend the crew took additional suit samples for return and ground analysis. The suit was pressurized and an unmanned leak screening was performed for a duration of 6 hours. The screening was successfully completed with no leaks detected. Further discussions will be held this week to determine the forward plan for EMU 3011. Starboard Crew Quarters (CQ) Light Housing Assembly (LHA): The CQ LHA failed overnight. The crew replaced it with an on-orbit spare but the spare LHA did not illuminate. A Baseplate Ballast Assembly (BBA) and LHA Remove & Replace (R&R) will be scheduled this week. Quote Three-Day Look Ahead: Tuesday, 01/19: NORS O2 Transfer, ELF, Airlock Restow, MBSU Demo Wednesday, 01/20: EMU Loop Scrubs, MBSU Demo, Airway Monitoring, Cardox, Twin Study Thursday, 01/21: ISS Emergency Training, Fundoscope, Airway Monitoring QUICK ISS Status - Environmental Control Group: Component - Status Elektron - On Vozdukh - Manual [СКВ] 1 - SM Air Conditioner System ("SKV1") - On [СКВ] 2 - SM Air Conditioner System ("SKV2") - Off Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Lab - Standby Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Node 3 - Operate Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Lab - Idle Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3 - Operate Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) - Process Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) - Standby Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab - Full Up Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 - Off http://spaceref.com/international-space-station/nasa-international-space-station-on-orbit-status-18-january-2016.html ----------------------------------- Japanese astronaut learned Russian to link two nations File image: Kimiya Yui. Quote Kimiya Yui, a Japanese astronaut and a retired Lieutenant-Colonel in the Japan Air Self-Defense Force said he had learned the Russian language to serve as a link between Japan and Russia, NHK reported on Saturday. "I have learned Russian and would like to serve as a bridge between our countries' space communities," Kimiya Yui said during a news conference in Star City outside Moscow. Last year Kimiya Yui spent 142 days on board the International Space Station with his Russian and American colleagues. Speaking fluent Russian, Kimiyo Yui said that he was "ready to fly to space again any time," but added that it was now the turn of his fellow countryman, Takuya Onishi, to fly to the ISS. Kimiya Yui said that the successful docking of a Japanese cargo ship with the space outpost with the help of a robotic arm was "forever etched" in his memory. Expedition 45 flight engineers Oleg Kononenko of the Russian Federal Space Agency, Kjell Lindgren of NASA and Kimiya Yui of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency landed in Kazakhstan in December 2015. Their return wrapped up 142 days in space since their launch in late July. http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Japanese_astronaut_learned_Russian_to_link_two_nations_999.html ----------------------------------- NASA Partners with Freelancer.com to Design Free-flying Robot on the Space Station Artist's concept of Astrobee Robotic Free Flyer Quote Have you got what it takes to help NASA design a free-flying robot for the International Space Station? NASA's Center of Excellence for Collaborative Innovation (CoECI), through the NASA Tournament Lab (NTL), partners with Freelancer.com to design concepts for a robotic arm for the Astrobee free-flying robot that will succeed the SPHERES robot on the International Space Station (ISS) by crowdsourcing parts from over 17 million freelancers from around the world. NASA is recruiting freelancers from Freelancer.com to design a concept for a robotic arm as part of a next generation free-flying robot that NASA is developing as a follow-on to the SPHERES autonomous free-flying robot on the ISS. The Astrobee free-flyer robot will have the capability to move around inside the space station on its own without interfacing or interfering with the space station. This type of robot is envisioned to perform a number of tasks that can be routine, repetitive, or simple but long-duration, such as surveys and inspections, serving as a mobile sensor platform, or even as a mobile camera to film activities or special events like astronauts speaking to school children. Astrobee will have many new capabilities, but one of the principal additions is a small, lightweight robotic arm, which will be used for perching and interacting with small objects. NASA is working on its own design but decided to also reach out to the crowd to come up with an alternative concept, which could provide complementary or enhanced capabilities. The project will be rolled out in three phases over the next few months: Phase 1, starting on January 14, will be a registration process that will allow NASA to select the top thirty freelancers that enter the first task of the competition. Phase 2 will require each of the thirty selected freelancers to break down options for the system architecture. Generating the system architecture for a product or system is a widely understood and used process to describe all the elements that make up the complete product or system. Even though this is a widely used process, there are always multiple ways to decompose or break down any given system. NASA wants freelancers to help them figure out multiple ways to approach creating a decomposed architecture of a complex system. Phase 3 will see NASA crowdsource the detailed designs of many of those subcomponents based on the specifications created by the thirty freelancers in phase 2 along with those from NASA's team using the wider pool of over 17 million freelancers on Freelancer.com. Quote Freelancer.com's CEO Matt Barrie says: "NASA and Freelancer.com achieved great success with crowdsourcing on Freelancer.com to build CAD models to help train the image recognition system of the Robonaut 2 robotic astronaut. We are now excited to be tapping into the collective ability of over 17 million freelancers to design a robotic arm that could possibly be used with the successor to the SPHERES robot on the International Space Station. It showcases the phenomenal breadth and depth of talent available worldwide on Freelancer.com." NASA's Director of Advanced Exploration Systems and the lead for the NASA Center of Excellence for Collaborative Innovation, Jason Crusan says: "NASA has grown in the multiple ways we engage the crowd to provide solutions to challenges we face when advancing complex space systems. This challenge continues that expansion and will help to create novel designs but also allow us to learn about sophisticated system design through the use of open innovation. We continue to explore the many ways to engage external innovators." This ambitious new partnership builds on a previous collaboration, which also crowdsourced the design of a Smartwatch app, which might in the future be used by astronauts. Over a thousand UX, graphic, engineering and industrial designers from all over the world took part in those challenges and helped NASA push the boundaries of human imagination and innovation. The latest contest can be viewed here. http://spaceref.com/nasa-hack-space/nasa-partners-with-freelancercom-to-design-free-flying-robot-on-the-space-station.html ---------------------------- Crew Checks Spacesuit, Continues Advanced Research and Preps for Next Spacewalk Quote The crew checked a spacesuit for leaks over the weekend after a successful spacewalk that was terminated early on Friday. The International Space Station residents also got back to work today on advanced space research, spacewalk gear cleanup activities and preparations for another spacewalk next month. Astronaut Tim Kopra reported a small water bubble in his spacesuit Friday during a short spacewalk. Shortly afterward, he and fellow spacewalker Tim Peake were ordered back inside the station. Once inside, the water was collected and stored for analysis on the ground. The suit was later pressurized and tested though no further leaks were detected. Kopra also worked on the Fine Motor Skills experiment, cleaned up the Quest airlock and checked a spacesuit battery. Peake set up the Electrostatic Levitation Furnace in Japan’s laboratory module to begin research on the thermophysical properties of various materials. The next spacewalk is scheduled for Feb. 3. Cosmonauts Yuri Malenchenko and Sergey Volkov will exit the Pirs docking compartment in their Orlan spacesuits for several hours of Russian tasks. https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2016/01/19/crew-checks-spacesuit-continues-advanced-research-and-preps-for-next-spacewalk/ Unobscured Vision 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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