International Space Station (Updates)

6,181 · October 20, 2016

NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 18 October 2016

nasa_iss_on_orbit_status_report_101816_9

Expedition 49-50 crew members (from left) Shane Kimbrough, Sergey Ryzhikov and Andrey Borisenko for a picture after the conclusion of a crew press conference Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2016 at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky.

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A U.S. cargo craft full of science gear and crew supplies is on its way to the International Space Station after a successful launch. Orbital ATK's Cygnus resupply ship blasted off Monday night from Virginia on a mission to replenish the space station crew.

On the other side of the world in Kazakhstan, a Soyuz rocket is set to launch three Expedition 49-50 crew members to their new home in space early Wednesday morning. The new crew will arrive Friday morning and dock to the Poisk module after two days of flight tests on the upgraded Soyuz MS-02 spacecraft. NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough and cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Andrey Borisenko will live in space until late February.

Astronauts Kate Rubins and Takuya Onishi were back at work Tuesday on life science experiments, helping doctors understand the effects of living in space. Rubins scanned Onishi's arteries with an ultrasound for the Cardio Ox study that explores heart health. Onishi also participated in another pair of heart studies including Biological Rhythms 48 Hours, and Vascular Echo. Rubins tested the station's water supply to improve the safety of future space missions.

Commander Anatoly Ivanishin worked on his share of Russian space research and is also getting ready to return at the end of the month. He will return home with Rubins and Onishi inside the Soyuz MS-01 spacecraft ending a four-month mission.

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Water Monitoring Suite (WMS): FE-6 configured the Maintenance Work Area (MWA) then the WMS's Microbial Monitoring System (MMS) to test ISS unfiltered water from a Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) sample collection taken earlier in the day. The two test runs were performed first using a low Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) concentration pouch and the second using a high DNA concentration pouch. The WMS is a set of hardware that monitors microbes, silica and organic material in the water supply on the ISS. The hardware ensures crew members can test and monitor the safety of their water supplies on future space missions, especially on long-duration missions to Mars, asteroids or other destinations where Earth-based testing would be difficult or impossible.

Cardiac and Vessel Structure and Function with Long-Duration Space Flight and Recovery (Vascular Echo) Doppler Measurements: FE-5 configured the Cardiolab Portable Doppler (CDL PDOP) then donned the PDOP femoral probe. The crew performed two data collection sessions, each after a 1-minute light exercise session. The Vascular Echo experiment investigates the stiffening of the arteries and increased blood pressure (hypertension) observed in some returning ISS crewmembers. By observing the changes in blood vessels, and the heart, while the crew members are in space and following their recovery on return to Earth, investigators hope to provide insight into potential countermeasures to help maintain crew member health, and quality of life.

NanoRacks File Transfer Test: Ground controllers activated the NanoRacks Plate Reader 2 and successfully tested a file transfer capability to the NanoRacks External Platform (NREP) facility. This capability will be used for the NanoRacks Charge-Injection Device (CID) currently slated for launch on HTV-6.

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Ground Activities
All activities were performed unless otherwise noted.
Lab MCA Full Calibration

Three-Day Look Ahead:
Wednesday, 10/19: 47S Return Preps, 48S Launch, MDCA Hose Replace
Thursday, 10/20: Off Duty
Friday, 10/21: 48S Docking

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") - On
Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Lab - Standby
Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Node 3 - Operate
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Lab - Operate
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3 - Idle
Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) - Process
Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) - Standby
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab - Off
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 - Full Up

http://spaceref.com/international-space-station/nasa-international-space-station-on-orbit-status-18-october-2016.html

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After Month Long Delay Soyuz Rocket Launches Astronauts to the International Space Station

Russian Soyuz MS-02 launch with three astronauts aboard. NASA

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Three crew members representing the United States and Russia are on their way to the International Space Station after launching from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 4:05 a.m. EDT Wednesday (2:05 p.m. Baikonur time).

The Soyuz spacecraft carrying astronaut Shane Kimbrough of NASA, and cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Andrey Borisenko of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, is scheduled to dock to the Poisk module of the space station at 5:59 a.m. Friday, Oct. 21. NASA Television coverage of docking will begin at 5:15 a.m. Hatches are scheduled to open about 8:35 a.m., with NASA TV coverage starting at 8 a.m.

The arrival of Kimbrough, Ryzhikov and Borisenko returns the station's crew complement to six. The three join Expedition 49 Commander Anatoli Ivanishin of Roscosmos, Flight Engineers Kate Rubins of NASA and Takuya Onishi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. The Expedition 49 crew members will spend a little over four months conducting more than 250 science investigations in fields such as biology, Earth science, human research, physical sciences and technology development.

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Kimbrough, Ryzhikov and Borisenko are scheduled to remain aboard the station until late February. Rubins, Ivanishin and Onishi will return to Earth Oct. 30.

The Expedition 49 crew will welcome a variety of cargo deliveries to the space station, including Orbital ATK's Cygnus, which launched Monday from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. The spacecraft is scheduled to arrive at the orbital laboratory Sunday, Oct. 23, with more than 5,100 pounds of science and research equipment, as well as crew supplies and hardware.

Included in the Cygnus shipment are payloads that will study fires in space, the effect of lighting on sleep and daily rhythms, collection of health-related data, and a new way to measure neutrons.

A Japanese cargo craft is scheduled to deliver new lithium ion batteries in December to replace the nickel-hydrogen batteries currently used to store electrical energy generated by the station's solar arrays. The crew members also are scheduled to receive SpaceX's 10th commercial resupply ship and two Russian Progress resupply missions delivering several tons of food, fuel, supplies and research.

http://spaceref.com/international-space-station/after-month-long-delay-soyuz-rocket-launches-astronauts-to-the-international-space-station.html

The Soyuz MS-02 launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. October 19, 2016

video is 2:30 min.

I watched the launch...at 4:00 am, lots of cloud cover took the beauty shots away....still went great....

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Cargo and Crew Ships Racing Toward Station

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Two spaceships are racing to the International Space Station this weekend. One is delivering about 2,400 kilograms of crew supplies and science gear and another is carrying three new crew members.

The Soyuz MS-02 spacecraft launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome early Wednesday and will dock to the International Space Station Friday morning. Expedition 49-50 crew members Shane Kimbrough, Andrey Borisenko and Sergey Ryzhikov will enter the Poisk module to begin their mission and live and work in space until February.

Though the Orbital ATK Cygnus resupply ship launched first Monday night from Virginia, it is taking a slower approach to the station and will arrive Sunday. Mission managers decided to let the Cygnus take its time on orbit and let the new crew members arrive first. Japanese astronaut Takuya Onishi will command the 57.7-foot-long Canadarm2 to capture Cygnus while NASA astronaut Kate Rubins backs him up. Ground controllers will then remotely control the robotic arm to install Cygnus to the Unity module for a month-long stay.

The next big mission event will be the departure of Rubins, Onishi and cosmonaut Anatoly Ivanishin. The Expedition 49 crew members have been in space since July and will return to Earth Oct. 29. Ivanishin is packing the Soyuz MS-01 spacecraft with cargo and preparing the vehicle for its undocking and landing in Kazakhstan.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2016/10/19/cargo-and-crew-ships-racing-toward-station/

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Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau As Seen From Orbit

This image of the Himalayas, Indo-Gangetic plain, and Tibetan Plateau was taken on 13 October 2016 at 07:16:51 GMT. NASA

http://spaceref.com/onorbit/himalayas-and-tibetan-plateau-as-seen-from-orbit.html

6,181 · October 21, 2016

NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 19 October 2016

nasa_iss_on_orbit_status_report_101916_9

The Soyuz MS-02 rocket is seen on the pad as the umbilicals retract prior to launch, Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Expedition 49 Soyuz commander Sergey Ryzhikov of Roscosmos, flight engineer Shane Kimbrough of NASA, and flight engineer Andrey Borisenko of Roscosmos will spend the next four months living and working aboard the International Space Station. Credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky.

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Two spaceships are racing to the International Space Station this weekend. One is delivering about 2,400 kilograms of crew supplies and science gear and another is carrying three new crew members.

The Soyuz MS-02 spacecraft launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome early Wednesday and will dock to the International Space Station Friday morning. Expedition 49-50 crew members Shane Kimbrough, Andrey Borisenko and Sergey Ryzhikov will enter the Poisk module to begin their mission and live and work in space until February.

Though the Orbital ATK Cygnus resupply ship launched first Monday night from Virginia, it is taking a slower approach to the station and will arrive Sunday. Mission managers decided to let the Cygnus take its time on orbit and let the new crew members arrive first. Japanese astronaut Takuya Onishi will command the 57.7-foot-long Canadarm2 to capture Cygnus while NASA astronaut Kate Rubins backs him up. Ground controllers will then remotely control the robotic arm to install Cygnus to the Unity module for a month-long stay.

The next big mission event will be the departure of Rubins, Onishi and cosmonaut Anatoly Ivanishin. The Expedition 49 crew members have been in space since July and will return to Earth Oct. 29. Ivanishin is packing the Soyuz MS-01 spacecraft with cargo and preparing the vehicle for its undocking and landing in Kazakhstan.

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Combustion Integration Rack (CIR) Remove and Replace (R&R): FE-6 disconnected the water umbilicals at the CIR Z-Panel, removing water pressure from the rack. The crew then accessed and changed out the Multi-user Droplet Combustion Apparatus (MDCA) Supply and Return hoses. Last week the rack was connected to the Vacuum Exhaust System to remove the water from within the CIR. Today's hose changeouts will enable the resumption of FLame Extinguishment-2 (FLEX-2) operations using a decane fuel and will position CIR for implementation of the Cool Flames Investigation (CFI) arriving on OA-5. The FLEX-2 experiment studies the rate and manner in which fuel is burned, the conditions that are necessary for soot to form, and the way in which a mixture of fuels evaporate before burning. The results from these experiments will give scientists a better understanding how fires behave in space and will provide important information that will be useful in increasing the fuel efficiency of engines using liquid fuels. CFI provides new insight into the phenomenon where some types of fuels initially burn very hot, then appear to go out -- but they continue burning at a much lower temperature, with no visible flames (cool flames). Understanding cool flame combustion helps scientists develop new engines and fuels that are more efficient and less harmful to the environment.

Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) Ethernet Hub Unit Installation: FE-6 installed the JEM Ethernet Hub Unit and connect Ethernet and power cables earlier today. This will provide new capability of a redundant data line for the Medium Rate Data Link (MRDL).

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Ground Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
Nominal Ground Commanding

Three-Day Look Ahead:
Thursday, 10/20: Off Duty
Friday, 10/21: 48S Docking
Saturday, 10/12: Cygnus Capture OBT, Emergency OBT, Crew Adaptation

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") - On
Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Lab - Standby
Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Node 3 - Operate
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Lab - Operate
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3 - Idle
Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) - Process
Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) - Shutdown
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab - Off
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 - Full Up

http://spaceref.com/international-space-station/nasa-international-space-station-on-orbit-status-19-october-2016.html

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Astronauts Relaxing Ahead of Crew and Cargo Arrivals

Western Europe is pictured at night by an Expedition 49 crew member.

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Astronauts Kate Rubins and Takuya Onishi are having a light day today ahead of the arrival of three new crewmates Friday morning. The duo also is waiting for Sunday morning’s cargo delivery aboard the Cygnus resupply ship.

NASA TV will broadcast the Soyuz MS-02 space ship docking to the International Space Station beginning Friday at 5:15 a.m. EDT. NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough and cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Andrey Borisenko will dock to the Poisk module, beginning their Expedition 49-50 mission which will last until February.

Two days later on Sunday morning, the Cygnus resupply craft from Orbital ATK will arrive with more than 5,100 pounds of cargo, including gear to support dozens of science investigations. Onishi and Rubins will be stationed in the cupola at the controls of the Canadarm2 robotic arm to grapple Cygnus following its journey to the complex.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2016/10/20/astronauts-relaxing-ahead-of-crew-and-cargo-arrivals/

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Soyuz Crew inbound for Docking on Friday after successful Orbit-Raising Maneuvers

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The Soyuz MS-02 spacecraft with three ISS Expedition crew members on board is inbound for an automated rendezvous on Friday after successfully raising its orbit on Wednesday and Thursday, sticking to a two-day flight profile to test out the newly introduced MS systems upgrades on the trusted Soyuz crew ferry.

Soyuz Commander Sergei Ryzhikov and Flight Engineers Andrei Borisenko & Shane Kimbrough made an on-time liftoff from the Baikonur Cosmodrome atop a Soyuz FG rocket on Wednesday to begin a nine-minute climb into orbit. Rising from its pad at 8:05 UTC with a thrust of 422-metric-ton-force, the 49.5-meter tall Soyuz FG rocket pitched over onto a north-easterly heading to begin its high-speed chase of the International Space Station.

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The MS upgrade is primarily focused on the spacecraft’s Navigation, Control and Communications systems, highlighted by the introduction of a new Unified Telemetry and Command System. Soyuz MS has the capability of communications with the ground through the Luch data relay satellites in Geostationary Orbit, allowing crews to stay in touch with mission control for the majority of their treks around Earth instead of only having brief periods of contact on half of their daily orbits.

Soyuz MS features satellite navigation for orbit determination, an improved KURS rendezvous system, a new proximity communications link for relative navigation with ISS, more powerful solar arrays, a new, fault-tolerant thruster arrangement and an additional drive mechanism in its docking system – all to make the spacecraft more robust and adding new capabilities.

http://spaceflight101.com/soyuz-ms-02-inbound-for-docking/

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Westpoort, Netherlands October 16, 2016

Enormous tankers docked at an oil terminal in Westpoort— Amsterdam's chief port and industrial center. Planet.com

https://www.planet.com/gallery/westpoort-20161016/

6,181 · October 21, 2016

Live coverage: Three-man crew about to arrive at space station

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01:38
Two days after blasting off from Kazakhstan, three new crew members are approaching the International Space Station for docking early Friday to begin more than four months of scientific experiments and maintenance on the orbiting research outpost.

The Soyuz MS-02 spacecraft with Sergey Ryzhikov, Andrey Borisenko and Shane Kimbrough is set to dock with the space station’s Rassvet module at 5:59 a.m. EDT (0959 GMT).

http://spaceflightnow.com/2016/10/19/exp-49-mission-status-center/

also on NASATV

http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/#public

6,181 · October 21, 2016

NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 20 October 2016

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Astronauts Kate Rubins and Takuya Onishi are having a light day today ahead of the arrival of three new crewmates Friday morning. The duo also is waiting for Sunday morning's cargo delivery aboard the Cygnus resupply ship.

NASA TV will broadcast the Soyuz MS-02 space ship docking to the International Space Station beginning Friday at 5:15 a.m. EDT. NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough and cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Andrey Borisenko will dock to the Poisk module, beginning their Expedition 49-50 mission which will last until February.

Two days later on Sunday morning, the Cygnus resupply craft from Orbital ATK will arrive with more than 5,100 pounds of cargo, including gear to support dozens of science investigations. Onishi and Rubins will be stationed in the cupola at the controls of the Canadarm2 robotic arm to grapple Cygnus following its journey to the complex.

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Group Combustion Troubleshooting: FE-5 resumed the troubleshooting on the Group Combustion Experiment Module (GCEM). The crew removed the GCEM Combustion Chamber Element (CCE) from the Multi-Purpose Small Payload Rack (MSPR) rack and installed it on the Work Bench to verify the air supply line Quick Disconnect (QD) connections. FE-5 then reinstalled the Combustion Chamber and performed leak checks with the GCEM installed in the MSPR. Ground teams are reviewing data and high-resolution images prior to proceeding with further troubleshooting steps. The Group Combustion investigation tests a theory that fuel sprays change from partial to group combustion as flames spread across a cloud of droplets. In the Multi-purpose Small Payload Rack in the Kibo module, droplets of decane, a component of gasoline or kerosene, are arranged randomly on thin-fiber lattice points, and the flame and droplet positions and temperature distribution are measured as the flame spreads. Microgravity blocks convection, which on Earth would quickly disperse the droplets and combustion products before such measurements could be made.

USOS Crew Off Duty: FE-5 and FE-6 have a reduced work day in preparation for a busy weekend. Soyuz Operations are continuing nominally to support a 48S docking to the MRM2 Zenith port on Friday 21-October at 9:59 GMT. Cygnus operations remain on track for capture and berthing to the ISS on Sunday 23-October. Cygnus is carrying more than 2300 kg of supplies, crew provisions, and science experiments to the ISS. Cygnus Unberth is currently planned for 18-November.

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Ground Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
Nominal Ground Commanding
N2 Distribution System Leak Check post MSPR operations

Three-Day Look Ahead:
Friday, 10/21: 48S Docking, Airlock prep for Airway Monitoring
Saturday, 10/22: Cygnus Capture OBT, Emergency Roles/Responsibilities Review, Crew Adaptation
Sunday, 10/23: Cygnus Approach and Capture, Vestibule Outfitting

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") - On
Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Lab - Standby
Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Node 3 - Operate
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Lab - Operate
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3 - Idle
Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) - Process
Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) - Shutdown
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab - Off
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 - Full Up

http://spaceref.com/international-space-station/nasa-international-space-station-on-orbit-status-20-october-2016.html

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NASA ISS Space to Ground Weekly Report - 20 October 2016

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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---21-october-2016.html

Space to Ground: Smoke and Fire: 10/20/2016

video is 2:10 min.

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Expedition 49 Welcomes Three New Crew Members

The new six-member Expedition 49 crew gathers in the Zvezda service module. The three newest arrivals (front row from left) Andrey Borisenko, Sergey Ryzhikov and Shane Kimbrough talk to family members and mission officials back on Earth. In the back row from left are, Kate Rubins, Anatoly Ivanishin and Takuya Onishi. Credit: NASA TV

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Three new crew members are aboard the International Space Station. The hatches on the space station and Soyuz MS-02 opened at 8:20 a.m. EDT, marking the arrival to the orbiting laboratory for NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough and cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Andrey Borisenko of the Russian space agency Roscosmos.

Their Soyuz MS-02 spacecraft docked with the station’s Poisk module at 5:52 a.m. At the time of docking, the space station was flying 251 miles over southern Russia.

The trio join Expedition 49 Commander Anatoly Ivanishin of Roscosmos and Flight Engineers Kate Rubins of NASA and Takuya Onishi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, who have been aboard the complex since July. The incoming crew will spend a little more than four months together aboard the space station, returning to Earth in late February.

The crew members will contribute to more than 250 research experiments ongoing aboard the space station, in diverse fields such as biology, Earth Science, human research, physical sciences and technology development.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2016/10/21/expedition-49-welcomes-three-new-crew-members/

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Soyuz MS-02 docks at ISS

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Upon reaching its planned orbit, Soyuz MS-02 was 289 degrees away and below the ISS, which at the time was circling the planet in the 402.32 by 426.73-kilometer orbit.

According to NASA, the two-day rendezvous profile with the station, (as opposed to the six-hour scenario possible in Soyuz docking missions) was chosen to allow more tests of new systems on the Soyuz MS series.

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Following its orbit corrections, Soyuz MS-02 was expected to begin an autonomous rendezvous with the ISS around 10:34:48 Moscow Time on Oct. 21, 2016, (3:34 a.m. EDT), aiming to lock sensors of its Kurs-NA rendezvous system onto the station.

The final maneuvers, including a flyaround of the ISS, a short station-keeping period and berthing were to commence at 12:35:13 Moscow Time on July 9 (5:35 a.m. EDT).

The docking of the Soyuz MS-02 spacecraft was originally scheduled on October 21, 2016, at 12:59:09 Moscow Time (5:59 a.m. EDT), during the 34th orbit of the mission, however in reality, it took place several minutes earlier at 12:52 Moscow Time (5:52 a.m. EDT).

The transport ship docked at the sky-facing docking port of the MIM2 Poisk module, the part of the outpost's Russian segment.

The hatch from Soyuz MS-02 to the ISS was opened around 8:20 a.m. EDT, around 15 minutes ahead of schedule.

ISS configuration after the arrival of the Soyuz MS-02 spacecraft.

http://www.russianspaceweb.com/soyuz-ms-02.html#docking

Soyuz MS-02 docking

video is 3:15 min.

6,181 · October 22, 2016

Misc bits and bytes...

Full size image link

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Friday, October 21, 2016: In this International Space Station selfie, NASA astronaut Kate Rubins peers out of the window of the Cupola observatory module. The Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) can be seen in the foreground. — Hanneke Weitering

http://www.space.com/34-image-day.html

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Manned spacecraft # SoyuzMS02 successfully docked with the International Space Station!

6,181 · October 23, 2016

Station Robotic Arm Grapples Cygnus Resupply Ship

The Cygnus resupply ship slowly approaches the space station before the Canadarm2 reaches out and grapples it. Credit: NASA TV

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Expedition 49 Flight Engineers Takuya Onishi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and Kate Rubins of NASA successfully captured Orbital ATK’s Cygnus spacecraft with the station’s robotic arm at 7:28 a.m. EDT. NASA TV coverage of operations to install Cygnus to the space station’s Unity module begins at 9 a.m.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2016/10/23/station-robotic-arm-grapples-cygnus-resupply-ship/

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Cygnus Attached to Station’s Unity Module

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Orbital ATK’s Cygnus cargo spacecraft was berthed to the Unity module of the International Space Station at 10:53 a.m. EDT. The Expedition 49 crew will begin unloading approximately 5,000 pounds of science investigations, food and supplies when the hatch between the newly arrived spacecraft and the Unity module of the space station is opened. The spacecraft is scheduled to spend a little more than a month attached to the station.

Orbital ATK’s Cygnus was launched on the company’s Antares rocket Monday, Oct 17, from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport Pad 0A at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Cygnus will remain attached to Unity until a planned departure in November sends the spacecraft toward a destructive re-entry in Earth’s atmosphere.

http://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2016/10/23/cygnus-attached-to-stations-unity-module/

Today’s installation of the Orbital ATK Cygnus resupply ship makes four spaceships attached to the International Space Station.

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Indepth analysis of the Cygnus attachment....

Cygnus Spacecraft arrives at ISS for Month-Long Cargo Delivery Mission

http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa-5-capture-berthing/

OA-5 Cygnus completes journey to the ISS

https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2016/10/oa-5-cygnus-journey-iss/

Mission of Cygnus OA-5 cargo ship

http://www.russianspaceweb.com/cygnus-oa-5.html

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Photo: NASA TV

Cygnus Approach Design – Image: Orbital ATK

Photo: NASA TV

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Cygnus OA-5 Captured by Space Station's Robotic Arm

video is 4:43 min.

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October 24, 2016

Hmm, silly that NASA used stock photo's from the pre-upgraded Cygnus. Showing the old solar panel configuration and the shorter pressurized body!

39,150 · October 24, 2016

Yeah, they switched to the UltraFlex circular arrays last year, and IIRC all Cygnus flights are now the 4 segment not the older 3 segment.

6,181 · October 25, 2016

The NASA media department has had a few issues of late with their stock photos and particularly the Pluto infographics. They really should have an intern assigned to cleaning up a bit.

We can see from the docking video that the cygnus does have the radial sails and the 3 section enhanced hull. Two rows of MMOD per section, 2 sections for standard, 3 sections for enhanced and 4 sections for hab.

Orbital ATK Cygnus pdf, 2 page with illustrations

Credit Orbital ATK

Technicians conduct a deployment test of one of the two Orbital ATK UltraFlex solar arrays on the OA-4 Cygnus Service Module (SM). Photo credit: Orbital ATK

he initial cargo is loaded into Cygnus’ Pressurized Cargo Module (PCM) at the Kennedy Space Center before it is mated to the SM. The PCM is provided by Thales Alenia Space and is designed and built in Italy. Photo credit: NASA

Enhanced Cygnus Spacecraft Features New Technology and Greater Capability

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Cygnus’ Pressurized Cargo Module (PCM) has been extended and allows for more cargo increasing the spacecraft’s interior volume capacity by 25 percent. Orbital ATK’s Space Components Division (SCD) in Goleta, California has re-engineered some of the most vital components of Cygnus – the solar arrays and fuel tanks. Cygnus’ new circular UltraFlex solar arrays are lighter and more compact than traditional arrays, yet maintain the previous arrays’ power generation capabilities. Within the spacecraft’s new fuel tanks, a unique diaphragm technology allows for easier control of propellant supplied to the spacecraft’s propulsion system.

The increase in volume, coupled with weight savings from upgraded components, resulted in an increase in cargo that can be delivered to the ISS. The enhanced Cygnus has a maximum payload of better than 3,500 kilograms (7,700 pounds), which is 1,200 kilograms (2,630 pounds) more than its predecessor. These upgrades, in addition to Cygnus’ flexibility to launch on both the Antares and Atlas V, create an increasingly viable and flexible platform.

The Cygnus PCM and SM are mated together at the launch site to create the complete Cygnus spacecraft. After this, Cygnus will be fueled and its remaining cargo loaded into the PCM prior to launch. Photo credit: NASA

https://www.orbitalatk.com/news-room/insideOA/Enhanced Cygnus/default.aspx

6,181 · October 25, 2016

NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 23 October 2016

nasa_iss_on_orbit_status_report_102316_9

NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 23 October 2016. NASA

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Expedition 49 Flight Engineers Takuya Onishi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and Kate Rubins of NASA successfully captured Orbital ATK's Cygnus spacecraft with the station's robotic arm at 7:28 a.m. EDT.

Orbital ATK's Cygnus cargo spacecraft was berthed to the Unity module of the International Space Station at 10:53 a.m. EDT. The Expedition 49 crew will begin unloading approximately 5,000 pounds of science investigations, food and supplies when the hatch between the newly arrived spacecraft and the Unity module of the space station is opened. The spacecraft is scheduled to spend a little more than a month attached to the station.

Orbital ATK's Cygnus was launched on the company's Antares rocket Monday, Oct 17, from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport Pad 0A at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Cygnus will remain attached to Unity until a planned departure in November sends the spacecraft toward a destructive re-entry in Earth's atmosphere.

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Cygnus Rendezvous and Capture: This morning the crew monitored the Cygnus approach from the Cupola Robotic Workstation and successfully captured Cygnus using the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) at 6:28 am CDT. The Ground Robotics team maneuvered Cygnus into position to inspect the Passive Common Berthing Mechanism (CBM), and berthed Cygnus onto the Node-1 Nadir Active CBM. Later, the crew removed the Centerline Berthing Camera System (CBCS) from the Node-1 Nadir hatch window. The crew performed a leak check and configured the vestibule for ingress. Controller Panel Assembly (CPA) removal and hatch opening/ingress are scheduled for Thursday, October 27th.

Crew Quarters (CQ) 9 Volt Battery Changeout: Today, the crew replaced the 9 volt batteries in all four CQs. This maintenance is required every twelve months. These batteries are used to power the Caution & Warning (C&W) alarm speakers and the Egress Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs).

Quote

Ground Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
SSRMS Maneuver to N1 Nadir CBM
CBM Bolting Operations

Three-Day Look Ahead:
Monday, 10/24: BEAM Ingress, Airway Monitoring Setup, Cygnus Cargo Transfer Review
Tuesday, 10/25: Emer H/W Fam, Veggie-3, Airway Monitoring
Wednesday, 10/26: Soyuz Drill, Neuromapping, Dosetrack, Meteor, JAXA EPO

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 - Operate
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3 - Idle
Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) - Process
Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) - Process
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab - Off
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 - Full Up

http://spaceref.com/international-space-station/nasa-international-space-station-on-orbit-status-23-october-2016.html

-----------------------------

NanoRacks External CubeSat Deployer, NextGen Research Platforms, Arrive Safely to ISS

Quote

Press Release From: Nanoracks
Posted: Monday, October 24, 2016

Orbital ATK’s Cygnus spacecraft successfully berthed to the International Space Station (ISS) Sunday early morning after launching Monday night from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Wallops Island, Virginia.

Onboard Cygnus are four of Spire’s LEMUR-2 CubeSats in a NanoRacks External Deployer, and Black Box, NanoRacks’ NextGen research platform.

OA-5 is the second flagship mission where NanoRacks is providing opportunities for CubeSat deployment from Cygnus after the vehicle departs from the station. The External Deployer is installed on the exterior of the Cygnus service module with the capability to deploy satellites after Cygnus’ completion of its primary ISS resupply mission.

Cygnus carried approximately 2,400 kg (5,290 lbs.) of supplies, CubeSats, and research experiments for the ISS. After the cargo is removed and any disposal items are added, Cygnus will depart from the station and begin secondary payload missions. We anticipate Cygnus going into a higher orbit, pending nominal operations, that will enable the deployment of several CubeSats from the NanoRacks Cygnus External Deployer.

On this mission, NanoRacks integrated four of Spire’s Lemur-2 satellites in the External Deployer. Once deployed from the Cygnus vehicle itself, these satellites will build on Spire’s mission to provide close to real time information from anywhere on Earth via their small satellites. This mission will allow Spire to validate specific elements of its technology, as well as its market offering for maritime and weather data.

Additionally, NanoRacks is excited to be adding to the U.S. National Laboratory research capacity via the Black Box internal payload platform, part of our series of next generation ISS platforms. This new platform is specially designed to provide near-launch payload turnover of autonomous payloads while providing advanced science capabilities for customers, including use of robotics, new automated MixStix and NanoLab-style research. Black Box is a locker-sized platform that accommodates up to 18U of payloads.

OA-5 provides the first technology demonstration mission to test the NanoRacks Black Box platform, NanoRacks own payload hardware, and customer experiments.

Technology demonstrations includes:

A Microsoft IoT NanoLab designed by junior high school students from Valley Christian Schools to test the behaviors of different metals and materials in microgravity environments with status and magnetic forces.

Sphero and Edge of Space’s Sphero-SPRK payload which includes both Sphero’s education program and a special edition model of their Sphero robot. SPRK is a series of lessons, tools, and apps to aid teachers and provide an enriching learning experience. The payload will test how their robots function in space and create complementary Sphero activities that explore related STEM principles.

Finally, NanoRacks will be running a technology demonstration of Automated Mixstix, its updated MixStix platform where automation eliminates the need for crew time on mixture tube experiments while also allowing for more advanced materials/fluid sciences.

http://spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=49727

----------------------

Cygnus Attached to Station’s Unity Module

Today’s installation of the Orbital ATK Cygnus resupply ship makes four spaceships attached to the International Space Station NASA

https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2016/10/23/cygnus-attached-to-stations-unity-module/

---------------------------

The Canadian Space Agency announces a new human health experiment for the International Space Station

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October 19, 2016 - Longueuil, Quebec - Canadian Space Agency

The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and the University of Calgary are collaborating on a new experiment that will study how long-duration missions to the International Space Station (ISS) impact astronauts' brains.

Known as "Wayfinding,” the study will investigate how reduced gravitational forces affect the astronauts' ability to find their way around. This research will provide knowledge that will eventually benefit people on Earth affected by neurological conditions and neural degeneration related to ageing, and may contribute to the treatment of these disorders.

The experiment is slated to begin in 2018. Canadian astronaut David Saint-Jacques will have the opportunity to participate in Wayfinding as part of his six-month mission in 2018-19.

The CSA's investment in this study positions Canadian scientists, in collaboration with the scientific community and our international partners, to spur new discoveries and to achieve world-class science excellence that will improve the lives of Canadians.

http://news.gc.ca/web/article-en.do?crtr.sj1D=&crtr.mnthndVl=10&mthd=advSrch&crtr.dpt1D=6668&nid=1139909&crtr.lc1D=&crtr.tp1D=&crtr.yrStrtVl=2016&crtr.kw=&crtr.dyStrtVl=25&crtr.aud1D=&crtr.mnthStrtVl=7&crtr.page=1&crtr.yrndVl=2016&crtr.dyndVl=23

and

New advances in innovative health technology to be tested in space

Quote

Monitoring technology can be used for health care on Earth

October 21, 2016 - Longueuil, Quebec - Canadian Space Agency

The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) is awarding a new contract to Carré Technologies of Montreal, Quebec, to continue advancing technology on Astroskin, an innovative bio-monitoring system for use aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

Consisting of a "smart shirt" and related software, Astroskin will collect valuable scientific data on astronauts' vital signs, sleep quality and activity levels during their missions. Canadian Space Agency Astronaut David Saint-Jacques will test Astroskin during his six-month mission aboard the ISS in 2018-19.

http://news.gc.ca/web/article-en.do?nid=1140439&tp=1

-----------------------------

------------------------------

Super Typhoon Haima Seen From Orbit

Super Typhoon Haima EUMETSAT

Quote

Composite image of category 4 Super-Typhoon Haima in the Pacific ocean, from 09:00 (UTC) on Tuesday 18 October 2016.

In this image, infrared data from the geostationary satellites of EUMETSAT, JMA and NOAA overlays a computer-generated model of the Earth.

ICopyright: 2016 EUMETSAT

http://spaceref.com/earth/super-typhoon-haima-seen-from-orbit.html

6,181 · October 26, 2016

NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 24 October 2016

nasa_iss_on_orbit_status_report_102416_9

Orbital ATK's Cygnus cargo spacecraft is captured using the Canadarm2 robotic arm on the International Space Station. Packed with more than 5,100 pounds of cargo and research equipment, the vehicle made Orbital ATK's fifth commercial resupply flight to the station. Credit NASA.

Quote

Today: Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) Ingress and Sampling: FE-6 stowed the Advanced Resistive Exercise Device (ARED) then opened Node3 Aft hatch to ingress the BEAM.

Once inside, the crew collected Microbial Air Sampler (MAS) and Surface Sample Kit (SSK) microbial and surface samples and deployed the Radiation Area Monitors (RAMs) delivered on 48Soyuz (48S). The RAMs will remain in BEAM through the end of Increment 50, when they will return for analysis on 48S. The SSK and MAS samples will return on 47S for ground analysis. Following sample collection, FE-6 closed the hatch and returned ARED to its nominal configuration. BEAM is an experimental expandable capsule that berths with the ISS. After docking, BEAM inflates to roughly 13 feet long and 10.5 feet in diameter to provide a habitable volume where a crew member can enter.

Airway Monitoring: FE-5 changed out the Low and High Nitric Oxide (NO) Analyzer sensors, then proceeded with configuring the cameras and experiment hardware for the reduced pressure data collection session tomorrow. The primary goal of the Airway Monitoring experiment is to determine how gravity and microgravity influence the turnover of Nitric Oxide (NO) in the lungs. During future manned missions to the Moon and to Mars, airway inflammation due to toxic dust inhalation is a risk factor. Since dust may cause airway inflammation and since such inflammation can be monitored by exhaled NO (Nitric Oxide) analysis, the present study is highly relevant for astronaut health in future space programs.

Radiation Area Monitor (RAM) Deploy: The crew installed 17 Area Dosimeter throughout the ISS to measure space radiation. They took photographs of each Area Dosimeter for ground verification purposes.

FLame EXtinguishment (FLEX)-2 Operations: FE-3 removed the Combustion Integration Rack (CIR) alignment guides to enable ground teams to initiate the FLEX-2 experiment. Following the troubleshooting and checkout that occurred last week, ground teams plan to run the experiment using decane fuel for four weeks.

The Flame Extinguishment - 2 (FLEX-2) experiment is the second experiment to fly on the ISS which uses small droplets of fuel to study the special spherical characteristics of burning fuel droplets in space. The FLEX-2 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.

Cygnus Ingress: Cygnus ingress was scheduled to occur on Thursday, October 27th. However, yesterday the crew was able to get ahead with the Cygnus activities and they removed the Controller Panel Assemblies (CPAs) and opened the Cygnus hatch.

Urine Processor Assembly (UPA) Pressure Control and Pump Assembly (PCPA) High Pressure Anomaly: During a UPA process cycle yesterday, two pressure sensors inside the PCPA showed a rise in pressure values. Ground Controllers pre-emptively took the UPA to standby, and then to shutdown to avoid having the Fault Detection Isolation and Recovery (FDIR) take action. Currently the UPA is in a stable configuration. Initial review of data by the UPA specialist indicates that the PCPA may have failed. There are two spare PCPAs on orbit and a third launching on OA-7. The Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC) will be configured from supplying UPA to internal EDV.

Quote

Ground Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
47S Thruster Test
MSS Powerup, SSRMS Ungrapple Cygnus and Maneuver to Park Position

Three-Day Look Ahead:
Tuesday, 10/25: Emer H/W Fam, Veggie-3, Airway Monitoring
Wednesday, 10/26: Soyuz Drill, Neuromapping, Dosetrack, Meteor, JAXA EPO
Thursday, 10/27: Airway Monitoring, Handover

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 - Operate
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3 - Idle
Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) - Process
Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) - Shutdown
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab - Off
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 - Full Up

http://spaceref.com/international-space-station/nasa-international-space-station-on-orbit-status-24-october-2016.html

------------------------

Crew Prepping Station for Lettuce Crops

NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough is pictured moments after entering the International Space Station after a two-day trip aboard the Soyuz MS-01 spacecraft. Commander Anatoly Ivanishin (right) films the arrival of his new crewmates.

Quote

The newly-expanded Expedition 49 crew is getting ready to grow lettuce to learn how to grow fresh food in space. Meanwhile, the International Space Station is getting ready for another crew swap.

New station crew member Shane Kimbrough is installing hardware and plant pillows for the Veg-03 plant growth experiment. The study is a validation of the tools and procedures necessary to grow plants to provide fresh food for astronauts.

He and his Soyuz crewmates Sergey Ryzhikov and Andrey Borisenko are in their first week aboard the station. They are familiarizing themselves with their new home in space where they will live until February.

Astronauts Kate Rubins and Takuya Onishi are researching how living in space affects breathing for the Airway Monitoring experiment. The duo were in the U.S. Quest airlock performing measurements to determine how much nitrogen oxide is exhaled and is diffused in the blood.

Commander Anatoly Ivanishin is packing the Soyuz MS-01 spacecraft that will carry him, Rubins and Onishi back to Earth Saturday night ending their four-month mission. They will be replaced in mid-November when Expedition 50-51 crew members Oleg Novitskiy, Peggy Whitson and Thomas Pesquet arrive inside the Soyuz MS-03 spacecraft.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2016/10/25/crew-prepping-station-for-lettuce-crops/

------------------------

NASA Television to Air Return of Three Space Station Crew Members

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WASHINGTON, Oct. 25, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Three crew members on the International Space Station are scheduled to depart the orbital outpost Saturday, Oct. 29, with coverage of activities beginning the day before on NASA Television and the agency's website.

Expedition 49 Commander Anatoly Ivanishin of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, and Flight Engineers Kate Rubins of NASA and Takuya Onishi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, will undock their Soyuz spacecraft from the space station at 8:37 p.m. EDT Saturday and land in Kazakhstan at 11:59 p.m. (9:59 a.m. Oct. 30, Kazakhstan time).

Their return will wrap up 115 days in space for the crew since their launch in July.

Together, the Expedition 49 crew members pursued hundreds of experiments in biology, biotechnology, physical science and Earth science aboard the orbiting laboratory.

NASA Television will air coverage of the departure and landing activities at the following dates and times:

Friday, Oct. 28:

3:30 p.m. – Change of command ceremony in which Ivanishin hands over station command to NASA's Shane Kimbrough

Saturday, Oct. 29:

4:45 p.m. – Farewell and hatch closure coverage (hatch closure scheduled at 5:15 p.m.)
8:15 p.m. – Undocking coverage (undocking scheduled at 8:37 p.m.)
10:45 p.m. – Deorbit burn and landing coverage (deorbit burn scheduled at 11:06 p.m., with landing at 11:59 p.m.)

Sunday, Oct. 30:

2 a.m. – Video File of hatch closure, undocking and landing activities
1 p.m. – Video File of landing and post-landing activities and post-landing interview with Rubins and Onishi in Kazakhstan

At the time of undocking, Expedition 50 will begin aboard the station under the command of NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough. Along with his crewmates Sergey Ryzhikov and Andrey Borisenko of Roscosmos, the three-person crew will operate the station for three weeks until the arrival of three new crew members. Peggy Whitson of NASA, Thomas Pesquet of ESA (European Space Agency) and Oleg Novitsky of Roscosmos are scheduled to launch in November from Baikonur, Kazakhstan.

Check out the full NASA TV schedule and video streaming information at:

http://www.nasa.gov/nasatv

http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/prnewswire-space-news.html?rkey=20161025DC26680&filter=1639

-----------------------

6,181 · October 27, 2016

ISS Daily Summary Report – 10/25/2016

Quote

Veg-03 Initiation: FE-3 configured and installed the Vegetable Production System (Veggie) on the Maintenance Work Area (MWA) and then installed six Small Plant Pillows to hold the ‘Outredgeous’ red romaine lettuce plants. Ground teams plan to grow the lettuce plants for two months, with four harvests planned. The overall goal of Veg-03 is to further demonstrate proof-of concept for the Veggie plant growth chamber and the planting pillows. Future long-duration missions into the solar system, finally culminating on Mars, will require a fresh food supply to supplement crew diets, which means growing crops in space. Previous investigations focused on improving productivity in controlled environments, but the limited quarters of the space shuttle and International Space Station made it difficult to conduct large-scale crop production tests. Veg-03 expands on previous validation tests of the new Veggie hardware, which crew members will soon use to grow cabbage, lettuce and other fresh vegetables in space. Tests determine which types of microorganisms are present in space-grown cabbage, providing baseline data for future crop-growing efforts. Behavioral health surveys assess the impact of growing plants on crew morale and mood.

ISS Emergency Hardware Familiarization: The 48S crewmembers participated in a training session intended to familiarize the crew with the locations of equipment and the positions of valves used in the event of an emergency. During the training, the crewmembers translated along the emergency egress path inspecting emergency hardware components. For any questions they will consult with specialists at Mission Control Center-Moscow (MCC-M), Mission Control Center-Houston (MCC-H), Columbus-Control Center (COL-CC), and Space Station Integration and Promotion Center for Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (SSIPC).

Quote

Ground Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.

Lab MCA Full Cal

Three-Day Look Ahead:

Wednesday, 10/26: Soyuz Drill, Neuromapping, Dosetrack, Meteor, JAXA EPO
Thursday, 10/27: Airway Monitoring, Handover
Friday, 10/28: Cygnus Cargo Transfer, 47S Prepack, Change of Command

https://blogs.nasa.gov/stationreport/2016/10/25/iss-daily-summary-report-10252016/

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Trio Getting Ready for Weekend Departure

The departing Expedition 48-49 crew members (from left) Kate Rubins, Anatoly Ivanishin and Takuya Onishi.

Quote

Three Expedition 49 crew members are winding down their stay in space this week, as a new trio gets used to its new home on orbit. While all six International Space Station residents are in the midst of a crew transition, they are still continuing advanced space research and orbital lab maintenance.

Commander Anatoly Ivanishin spent the morning getting the Soyuz MS-01 spacecraft ready for its Saturday night departure. He and Flight Engineers Kate Rubins and Takuya Onishi will board the Soyuz, undock from the Rassvet module and land in Kazakhstan ending a four-month mission. The trio spent Wednesday afternoon practicing their Soyuz descent procedures and packing gear.

Rubins also explored how living in space can affect brain functions such as perception, memory and motor control for the NeuroMapping study.

Onishi spent some time on an education demonstration video for the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.

New station resident and NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough is getting ready for the crew handover as he prepares to assume station control. He will become station commander during a change of command ceremony Friday afternoon. Expedition 50 will officially begin when the Soyuz MS-01 undocks Saturday night. Kimbrough is staying in space until February with fellow crewmates Sergey Ryzhikov and Andrey Borisenko.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2016/10/26/trio-getting-ready-for-weekend-departure/

--------------------------

EVA-35 investigation clears suit as ISS prepares for major battery change

Quote

An investigation into the water leak in Tim Kopra’s Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) – which forced the early termination of EVA-35 in January – has revealed no hardware issues with the suit. The news comes as the ISS gears up for a series of critical EVAs that will replace the batteries on the Station’s solar arrays.

International Space Station (ISS) manager Kirk Shireman was providing an overview to the NASA’s oversight body, the Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel (ASAP) – portraying an orbital outpost in good health as it continues to work in its new era of utilization, following years of assembly.

Quote

However, spacewalks also provide some of the greatest risks to astronauts, with the US EVA-35, conducted back in January, terminated ahead of schedule for safety reasons.

The spacewalk successfully replaced a failed electrical component, called the Sequential Shunt Unit (SSU), 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, Tim Peake. However, due to water entering “EV1” Tim Kopra’s helmet – a potentially life-threatening incident – the EVA was terminated ahead of the pre-planned schedule.

Due to well-practised procedures, both spacewalkers safely made it back into the Quest Airlock around two hours earlier than scheduled – with all primary tasks complete. No emergency ingress was required.

Tim Kopra’s suit (EMU 3011) was immediately investigated via the collection of suit samples during the post-EVA procedures. The suit was then returned back to Earth onboard the CRS-8 Dragon spacecraft, in order to aid the Anomaly Resolution Team (ART) meetings that had already begun at the Johnson Space Center (JSC).

NASA had already focused on the smoking gun of “sublimator carry-over”, where excess water from the sublimator overwhelms the pick-up tubes – known as “slurper tubes” – that are supposed to return water back to the cooling loop.

However, the reason for the issue was yet to be fully understood. Issues with how the suits are stored when not in use was investigated, which could be deemed a wider issue and potentially related to the anomaly where four times as much water entered Luca Parmitano’s helmet – in what was a far more serious incident.

The EMUs are stored in the Leonardo Permanent Multipurpose Module (PMM). However, the storage of some “hygiene products” in the module was deemed as a possible source of contaminating chemicals. The impact of such chemicals on the hydrophilic coating of the suit’s inner working was already known, which is why there are strict rules on astronauts using items such as after-shave and lotions.

However, thanks to the suit being returned to Earth on the Dragon, the problem with Kopra’s suit was deemed to be more an unfortunate coincidence, as opposed to a wider issue with the EMUs on Station.

Mr. Shireman told the ASAP that the conclusion reached was that the incident was not an example of the same failure as in the previous water-in-the-helmet instance.

“In this case, the likely cause was a combination of both environmental and operational factors that blocked outlet port slurper holes. The finding was that the amount of water was considerably smaller than before, and the conclusion reached was that this was a non-hazardous occurrence, even if it occurs in the future.”

more at the link...

https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2016/10/eva-35-investigation-iss-prepares-battery-change/

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Another Lettuce Crop Begins Growing In Orbit

Veggie Unit on ISS NASA

Quote

Astronauts aboard the International Space Station are planting their third on-orbit crop of red romaine lettuce.

Early this morning, NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough initiated the Veg-03 experiment, one of his first science assignments as a new crew member aboard the orbiting laboratory. As Kimbrough worked, members of the Veggie team watched from their consoles in the Experiment Monitoring Area located in Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. A live video downlink from the orbiting laboratory allowed the scientists to remotely watch Kimbrough's actions and ensure he did not encounter any challenges with the activity or hardware.

"Operations went great today! A little slower than expected, but all plant pillows were successfully primed for the first time in our Veg series," said Nicole Dufour, NASA's Veggie project manager. Plant pillows are small pouches already containing a growth medium, fertilizer and seeds; to start them growing, astronauts simply add a little water.

"We previously have had some hardware issues that prevented at least one pillow from each 'grow out' from being successfully primed, so we were very excited to achieve that milestone," she added.

http://spaceref.com/agriculture-1/another-lettuce-crop-begins-growing-in-orbit.html

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Cygnus Spacecraft Attached to Space Station's Unity Module

30509478486_5fff4559ab_o.jpg?itok=GJSbZn

Image Credit: NASA

Quote

Orbital ATK's Cygnus cargo craft (left) is seen from the Cupola module windows aboard the International Space Station on Oct. 23, 2016. The main robotic work station for controlling the Canadarm2 robotic arm is located inside the Cupola and was used to capture Cygnus upon its arrival. The Expedition 49 crew will unload approximately 5,000 pounds of science investigations, food and supplies from the newly arrived spacecraft.

The cargo aboard the Cygnus will support dozens of new and existing investigations as the space station crews of Expeditions 49 and 50 contribute to about 250 science and research studies. The new experiments include studies on fire in space, the effect of lighting on sleep and daily rhythms, collection of health-related data, and a new way to measure neutrons.

http://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/cygnus-spacecraft-attached-to-space-stations-unity-module

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Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (West Africa) October 23, 2016

Capital of Burkina Faso, Ouagadougou is a lively music and arts hub for its 1.6 million residents. Planet.com

https://www.planet.com/gallery/ouagadougou-20161023/

6,181 · October 28, 2016

NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 26 October 2016

nasa_iss_on_orbit_status_report_062716_9

The departing Expedition 48-49 crew members (from left) Kate Rubins, Anatoly Ivanishin and Takuya Onishi. Credit NASA.

Quote

Three Expedition 49 crew members are winding down their stay in space this week, as a new trio gets used to its new home on orbit. While all six International Space Station residents are in the midst of a crew transition, they are still continuing advanced space research and orbital lab maintenance.

Commander Anatoly Ivanishin spent the morning getting the Soyuz MS-01 spacecraft ready for its Saturday night departure. He and Flight Engineers Kate Rubins and Takuya Onishi will board the Soyuz, undock from the Rassvet module and land in Kazakhstan ending a four-month mission. The trio spent Wednesday afternoon practicing their Soyuz descent procedures and packing gear.

Rubins also explored how living in space can affect brain functions such as perception, memory and motor control for the NeuroMapping study. Onishi spent some time on an education demonstration video for the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.

New station resident and NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough is getting ready for the crew handover as he prepares to assume station control. He will become station commander during a change of command ceremony Friday afternoon. Expedition 50 will officially begin when the Soyuz MS-01 undocks Saturday night. Kimbrough is staying in space until February with fellow crewmates Sergey Ryzhikov and Andrey Borisenko.

Quote

Meteor Operations: FE-6 exchanged the hard drive then removed and replaced the grating in the Meteor Camera located in the Window Observational Research Facility (WORF). The Meteor payload is a visible spectroscopy instrument with the primary purpose of observing meteors in Earth orbit. Meteor uses image analysis to provide information on the physical and chemical properties of the meteoroid dust, such as size, density, and chemical composition. Since the parent comets or asteroids for most of the meteor showers are identified, the study of the meteoroid dust on orbit provides information about the parent comets and asteroids.

Microgravity Science Laboratory (MSL) Sample Cartridge Assembly (SCA) Exchange: FE-3 was unable to locate the calibration cartridge and was directed to cap the cable connectors on the MSL chamber. The MSL was left in a safe configuration while ground teams investigate the potential locations for the cartridge. The cartridge that FE-3 removed was used for Metastable Solidification of Composites (METCOMP1) Run 4 and completed on October 20. The calibration cartridge must be installed prior to the next science run. The Batch-2b of the Materials Science Laboratory Sample Cartridge Assemblies (MSL SCA-Batch 2b-ESA) serves two projects investigating how different phases organize in a structure when metallic alloys are solidified. The METCOMP project studies the phase formed by the reaction of the remaining liquid phase with an already formed solid, to form a second solid phase on cooling. For this purpose, Bronze (Copper-Tin Alloys) of different compositions will be processed. The other project, Solidification along a Eutectic path in Ternary Alloys (SETA), looks at how two phases that form together organize into lamellar, or fibre, structures when cooling Aluminum (Copper-Silver Alloys). Both projects will provide benchmark samples that will enable to test numerical models that aim to predict these structures.

Quote

Ground Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
SSRMS Unstow SPDM

Three-Day Look Ahead:
Thursday, 10/27: Airway Monitoring, Handover
Friday, 10/28: Cygnus Cargo Transfer, 47S Prepack, Change of Command
Saturday, 10/29: 47S Undock and Landing

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 - Operate
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3 - Idle
Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) - Process
Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) - Shutdown
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab - Off
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 - Full Up

http://spaceref.com/international-space-station/nasa-international-space-station-on-orbit-status-26-october-2016.html

----------------------

Soyuz Packed for Return While Cygnus Unloaded After Capture

The six-member Expedition 49 crew poses for a portrait in the Destiny lab module. (Front row, from left) Kate Rubins, Anatoly Ivanishin and Takuya Onishi. (Back row) Shane Kimbrough, Sergey Ryzhikov and Andrey Borisenko.

Quote

One spacecraft is being packed and readied for the return of three humans to Earth while a cargo craft is being unloaded and settling in for a one-month stay.

The Expedition 49 trio of Commander Anatoly Ivanishin and Flight Engineers Kate Rubins and Takuya Onishi are packing gear and preparing for their return to Earth Saturday night. The veteran cosmonaut and two first-time astronauts will wrap up their mission after 115 days in space.

They will parachute to a landing in Kazakhstan inside the Soyuz MS-01 spacecraft. The ride back to Earth takes about 3-1/2 hours after undocking from the International Space Station.

The Orbital ATK Cygnus is the latest cargo ship to arrive at the International Space Station. It was captured and installed to the Harmony module on Sunday Oct. 23 after a six-day flight that began in Virginia.

The hatches were opened the day it arrived and the crew began unloading over 5,100 pounds of crew supplies and science gear. Cygnus is scheduled to depart in mid-November and release a set of nanosatellites before scientists remotely set fire inside the spacecraft for the Saffire-II experiment.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2016/10/27/soyuz-packed-for-return-while-cygnus-unloaded-after-capture/

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Quote

The crews of the ISS-50/51 are recommended for further prelaunch in Baikonur - http://www.roscosmos.ru/22799/ .

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Cygnus is Captured by the Canadarm2

ISS049e045140 (10/23/2016) --- Orbital ATK's Cygnus cargo spacecraft is captured using the Canadarm2 robotic arm on the International Space Station. Packed with more than 5,100 pounds of cargo and research equipment, the vehicle made Orbital ATK's fifth commercial resupply flight to the station. NASA

https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/cygnus-is-captured-by-the-canadarm2

6,181 · October 28, 2016

This one is amazing.....

Space Station Fisheye Fly-Through 4K (Ultra HD)

video is 18:04 min.

6,181 · November 1, 2016

NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 28 October 2016

nasa_iss_on_orbit_status_report_102816_9

NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 28 October 2016. NASA

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NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough assumed command of the International Space Station from Commander Anatoly Ivanishin of the Russian Federal Space Agency at 3:37 p.m. EDT Friday in a traditional Change of Command ceremony.

Expedition 50 will officially begin under Kimbrough's command when the Soyuz spacecraft carrying Ivanishin, NASA astronaut Kate Rubins and Takuya Onishi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency undocks from the space station on Saturday, October 29.

NASA Television will air live coverage of the departure and landing activities, beginning at 4:45 p.m. Saturday. Hatch closure on the Soyuz is scheduled for 5:15 p.m.

The trio is scheduled to return to Earth Saturday at 11:59 p.m. EDT (9:59 a.m. Oct. 30, Kazakhstan time). They will land in their Soyuz MS-01 spacecraft southeast of the remote town of Dzhezkazgan in Kazakhstan.

Together, the Expedition 49 crew members contributed to hundreds of experiments in biology, biotechnology, physical science and Earth science aboard humanity's only orbiting laboratory.

Rubins, who has a degree in molecular biology, contributed to several new studies taking place for the first time aboard the space station, including the Biomolecule Sequencer experiment. By managing that experiment on station, she became the first person to sequence DNA in space. This capability could enable astronauts to diagnose an illness, or identify microbes growing in the space station and determine whether they represent a health threat.

Ivanishin handed over the command of station to NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough earlier today. When the spacecraft undocks from the station tomorrow, Expedition 50 will formally begin.

Quote

Veg-03 Wick Opening: FE-3 opened the wicks on the plant pillows to allow for better growth capability. The overall goal of Veg-03 is to further demonstrate proof-of concept for the Veggie plant growth chamber and the planting pillows. Future long-duration missions into the solar system, finally culminating on Mars, will require a fresh food supply to supplement crew diets, which means growing crops in space. Previous investigations focused on improving productivity in controlled environments, but the limited quarters of the space shuttle and International Space Station made it difficult to conduct large-scale crop production tests. Veg-03 expands on previous validation tests of the new Veggie hardware, which crew members will soon use to grow cabbage, lettuce and other fresh vegetables in space. Tests determine which types of microorganisms are present in space-grown cabbage, providing baseline data for future crop-growing efforts. Behavioral health surveys assess the impact of growing plants on crew morale and mood.

RapidScat Survey Performed - Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) and Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM) were maneuvered through 13 RapidScat observations points. RapidScat engineers guided robotics ground controllers through pan/tilt/zoom operations for both the SSRMS tip elbow and SPDM body 1 and 2 cameras. Ground personnel's review of the imagery to assess potential MMOD damage is forecast by the end of November.

Urine Processor Assembly (UPA) Pressure Control and Pump Assembly (PCPA) Replacement: Last week, pressure sensors inside the PCPA detected a rise in pressure during a UPA process cycle. Review of data by the UPA specialist indicates that the PCPA has failed. Today, the crew removed the failed PCPA and replaced it with one of the two spares currently onboard. UPA is currently in standby while the system is being configurated for a UPA process run.

Quote

Ground Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
UPA PCPA Calibration
UPA Pump Down
ETVCG Survey of P4 Integrated Equipment Assembly (IEA)

Three-Day Look Ahead:
Saturday, 10/29: 47S Undock and Landing
Sunday, 10/30: Crew Off Duty
Monday, 10/31: Crew Off Duty

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") - On
Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Lab - Standby
Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Node 3 - Operate
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Lab - Operate
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3 - Idle
Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) - Process
Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) - Standby
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab - Off
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 - Full Up

http://spaceref.com/international-space-station/nasa-international-space-station-on-orbit-status-28-october-2016.html

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NASA ISS Space to Ground Weekly Report - 28 October 2016

nasa_iss_space_to_ground_report_102816_9

credit NASA

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---28-october-2016.html

Space to Ground: Three Up, Three Down: 10/27/2016

video is 2:08 min.

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Visiting Vehicle Launches, Arrivals and Departures

iss_10-29-16.jpg?itok=F7Hs1ktm

Oct. 29, 2016: International Space Station Configuration. Three spacecraft are parked at the station including the Orbital ATK Cygnus cargo craft, the Soyuz MS-02 crew vehicle and the Progress 64 resupply ship.

http://www.nasa.gov/feature/visiting-vehicle-launches-arrivals-and-departures

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International space crew wraps up nearly four months in orbit

The Soyuz MS-01 spacecraft touches down cushioned by “soft landing” rockets at 0358 GMT (11:58 p.m. EDT). Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

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A veteran Russian cosmonaut, a Japanese flight engineer and a NASA scientist-astronaut undocked from the International Space Station and returned to Earth Saturday, landing on the steppe of Kazakhstan to close out a 115-day mission.

With Soyuz MS-01 commander Anatoly Ivanishin at the controls, flanked on the left by flight engineer Takuya Onishi and on the right by NASA’s Kate Rubins, the charred descent module settled to a jarring rocket-and-parachute-assisted touchdown east of Dzhezkazgan at 11:58 p.m. EDT (GMT-4; 9:58 a.m. Sunday local time).

Russian recovery crews deployed nearby reached the capsule within minutes to help the returning station fliers out of the cramped descent module as they began re-adjusting to the unfamiliar pull of Earth’s gravity — and its weather. The crew was greeted by an overcast sky and temperatures in the low 30s Fahrenheit.

Looking fit and in good spirits despite the chill, Ivanishin, Onishi and Rubins were carried to nearby recliners where they were draped in blankets before initial medical checks and satellite phone calls home to friends and family.

The recovery team planned to fly the crew by helicopter to Karaganda for a traditional Kazakh welcome-home ceremony. From there, Ivanishin planned to fly back to the cosmonaut training center in Star City near Moscow while Rubins and Onishi boarded a NASA jet for the long flight back to the Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Left behind in orbit were Expedition 50 commander Shane Kimbrough, Sergey Ryzhikov and Andrey Borisenko, who reached the space station on Oct. 21 aboard the Soyuz MS-02 spacecraft.

more at the link...

http://spaceflightnow.com/2016/10/30/international-space-crew-wraps-up-nearly-four-months-in-orbit/

Flawless Sunday Morning Landing caps 115-Day International Space Station Mission

http://spaceflight101.com/soyuz-ms-01-landing/

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Expedition 49 Departs Station, Begins Ride Home

The Soyuz MS-01 spacecraft departs the International Space Station on time carrying three Expedition 49 crew members back to Earth. Credit: NASA TV

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NASA astronaut Kate Rubins of NASA, Anatoly Ivanishin of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) and Takuya Onishi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency undocked from the International Space Station at 8:35 p.m. EDT to begin their journey home.

Ivanishin, the Soyuz commander, is at the controls of the MS-01 spacecraft. The trio’s spacecraft completed the first flight to station for the upgraded Soyuz MS-01 when it launched in July.

The crew is scheduled to land at 11:59 p.m. southeast of Dzhezkazgan, Kazakhstan.

As the Soyuz MS-01 undocked, Expedition 50 officially began on the station under the command of NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough. He and Flight Engineers Sergey Ryzhikov and Andrey Borisenko of Roscosmos, will operate the station for three weeks until the arrival of three new crew members next month.

NASA TV will air live coverage of the Soyuz MS-01 deorbit burn and landing beginning at 10:45 p.m. Watch live online on NASA’s website.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2016/10/29/expedition-49-departs-station-begins-ride-home/

Timelapse Soyuz MS-01 ISS Expedition 49 Undocking 4x

video is 8:30 min.

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Expedition 49 Lands After 115 Day Mission

Expedition 49 crew members Kate Rubins, Anatoly Ivanishin and Takuya Onishi are surrounded by support personnel moments after landing in Kazakhstan after 115 days in space. Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

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NASA astronaut Kate Rubins of NASA, Anatoly Ivanishin of Roscosmos and Takuya Onishi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency safely landed their Soyuz MS-01 spacecraft in Kazakhstan southeast of the remote town of Dzhezkazgan at 11:58 p.m. EDT on Saturday, Oct. 29. Russian recovery teams are helping the crew exit the Soyuz spacecraft and adjust to gravity after their stay in space. The trio will be transported by helicopter to Karaganda, Kazakhstan where they will split up, with Rubins and Onishi returning to Houston in a NASA jet, while Ivanishin will be flown back to his training base at Star City, Russia.

During her time on the orbiting complex, Rubins ventured outside the confines of the station for two spacewalks. During the first one Aug. 19, she and NASA astronaut Jeff Williams installed the first international docking adapter. Outfitted with a host of sensors and systems, the adapter’s main purpose is to provide a port for commercial spacecraft to bring astronauts to the station in the future. Its first users are expected to be the Boeing Starliner and SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft now in development in partnership with NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. During her second spacewalk Sept. 1, Rubins and Williams retracted a spare thermal control radiator and installed two new high-definition cameras.

Together, the Expedition 49 crew members contributed to hundreds of experiments in biology, biotechnology, physical science and Earth science aboard the world-class orbiting laboratory during their 115 days in space.

The trio also welcomed three cargo spacecraft delivering several tons of supplies and research experiments. Rubins was involved in the grapple of Orbital ATK’s Cygnus spacecraft to the station in October, the company’s sixth contracted commercial resupply mission, and SpaceX’s Dragon ninth contracted mission in July. One Russian ISS Progress cargo spacecraft also docked to the station in July.

Rubins and Onishi spent a total of 115 days in space during their first mission. Ivanishin now has 280 days in space during two flights.

Expedition 50, with Shane Kimbrough of NASA in command and his crewmates Sergey Ryzhikov and Andrey Borisenko of Roscosmos, will operate the station for three weeks until the arrival of three new crew members.

Peggy Whitson of NASA, Thomas Pesquet of ESA (European Space Agency) and Oleg Novitskiy of Roscosmos are scheduled to launch Nov. 17 from Baikonur, Kazakhstan.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2016/10/30/expedition-49-lands-after-115-day-mission/

Expedition 49 Crew Lands Safely in Kazakhstan

video is 7:36 min.

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Cupertino, California, USA October 26, 2016

Cupertino, the Apple campus, and the Silicon Valley garage where the first Dove satellites were built. Taken during the ‘golden hour’ on a sunny autumn morning. credit Planet.com

https://www.planet.com/gallery/cupertino-20161026/

6,181 · November 1, 2016

These NASA Photos of a Space Station Crew Landing Are Simply Gorgeous

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When the Expedition 49 mission to the International Space Station (ISS) came to an end over the weekend, three space travelers returned to Earth on a Soyuz spacecraft while a NASA photographer capturing their arrival from the air in some spectacular photos.

http://www.space.com/34565-spectactular-nasa-soyuz-landing-photos.html

expedition-49-soyuzms01-floating.jpg?int

In Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan on Sunday October 30, 2016 (Kazakh time) the Soyuz MS-01 spacecraft with the Expedition 49 crewmembers returns after 115 days in space.
Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

exp_49_parachute_landing.jpg?1477884039?

Expedition 49 crew members safely returned to Earth after spending 115 days aboard the International Space Station NASA astronaut Kate Rubins, Russian cosmonaut Anatoly Ivanishin of Roscosmos, and astronaut Takuya Onishi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) touched down near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan on Sunday (Oct. 30).
Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

expedition-49-soyuzms01-landing.jpg?1477

The Soyuz MS-01 spacecraft, with the trio of Expedition 49 crewmembers inside, touches down near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan.
Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

expedition-49-crew.jpg?1477936005?interp

The trio of crewmembers from Expedition 49 — NASA astronaut Kate Rubins, left, Russian cosmonaut Anatoly Ivanishin of Roscosmos, center, and astronaut Takuya Onishi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) — rest outside the Soyuz MS-01 in chairs, waiting to enter the medical tent for initial testing before returning to Karaganda, Kazakhstan.
Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

6,181 · November 2, 2016

NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 1 November 2016

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Today: Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Maintenance: The crew performed a half water dump and fill on EMU 3006 feedwater tanks and a full water dump and refill of EMUs 3003 and 3010 feeedwater tanks. These activities satisfy maintenance requirements for on-orbit stowage of the EMUs.

Urine Processing Assembly (UPA): Last week, the crew demated the connection between the Fluid Control and Pump Assembly (FCPA) at Quick Disconnect (QD) 27 on the Pressure Control and Pump Assembly (PCPA) and performed a PCPA Remove & Replace (R&R). Today the crew re-mated QD27 to the new PCPA. Re-mating QD 27 will allow the FCPA pressure to be pumped down to a functional range and the Fault Detection Isolation and Recovery (FDIR) limit for the pressure sensor will be re-set to its nominal value post re-mate.

Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) Hydrogen (H2) On-Orbit Replacement Unit (ORU) Cell #1: Over the last few days, system experts discovered that Cell #1 voltage drop is becoming more severe than what was noticed previously. Per engineering team recommendation and Program concurrence, on Saturday the OGA was shut down due to OGA contamination and Cell #1 degradation. The team will further investigate whether to continue operating OGA with degraded Cell #1 or replace it with a suspect on-orbit H2 ORU.

Cygnus Cargo Operations: Today, the crew performed 30 minutes of Cygnus Cargo Operations from the Task List. With this time, the crew has completed 10 hours of Cygnus Cargo Operations. Ground teams estimate 19 hours of Cygnus cargo operations remain.

Quote

Ground Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
Lab MCA Full Calibration
Reboost with SM Main Engines
P4 IEA Survey

Three-Day Look Ahead:
Wednesday, 11/03: Multi-purpose Small Payload Rack (MSPR) Combustion Chamber (CC) retrieval/install/leak check, IV TEPC relocate from N2 to N3
Thursday, 11/04: Cygnus cargo transfer, HRF blood collection setup,
Friday, 11/05: HRF centrifuge setup & blood collection/stow, Recycle tank drain to EDV, Cygnus cargo transfer

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") - On
Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Lab - Standby
Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Node 3 - Operate
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Lab - Operate
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3 - Idle
Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) - Shutdown
Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) - Idle
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab - Off
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 - Full Up

http://spaceref.com/international-space-station/nasa-international-space-station-on-orbit-status-1-november-2016.html

Expedition 50-51 Crew Departs for Kazakh Launch Site

video is 3:48 min.

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Station Trio Continues Research, Awaits New Crewmates

Expedition 50-51 crew members (from left) Thomas Pesquet, Peggy Whitson and Oleg Novitskiy are pictured aboard an aircraft before landing at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

Quote

The new Expedition 50 crew is in its first week aboard the International Space Station after a trio of Expedition 49 crew members left for Earth Saturday night. Commander Shane Kimbrough and Flight Engineers Sergey Ryzhikov and Andrey Borisenko are the sole occupants of the station right now awaiting three more crewmates due to launch in mid-November.

Kimbrough is tending a new garden of red romaine lettuce due to be harvested at the end of November. He is continuing the validation of greenhouse hardware to enable a fresh food supply for future crews venturing further and longer into space.

Cosmonauts Ryzhikov and Borisenko spent their time working on Russian life support systems and space research. The cosmonauts explored controlling rovers on a planetary surface from a spacecraft and also researched how microgravity affects pain sensitivity.

Back on Earth in Kazakhstan, European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Pesquet, NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy are preparing for their mission to the space station. The Expedition 50-51 crew members are due to launch Nov. 17 to begin a six-month mission aboard the orbital laboratory.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2016/11/02/station-trio-continues-research-awaits-new-crewmates/

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NASA, Industry Team Up to Innovate Human Spaceflight

Quote

NASA’s Commercial Crew Program set out from its beginning to provide a setting that would combine the expertise of NASA’s 50 years of human spaceflight experience with the aerospace industry’s know-how in manufacturing to produce cutting-edge spacecraft to take astronauts into low-Earth orbit. The payoff has been a level of innovation in numerous areas of spacecraft development and operation.

“From the outset we received very creative ideas and original approaches to development of individual systems along with new processes used to build several spacecraft in rapid succession,” said Kathy Lueders, manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. “The companies painted for us an exciting picture of innovation and we’ve worked together to first refine our requirements and now to ensure that they are met as the crewed vehicles are taking shape.” Read more: http://go.nasa.gov/2fsl2IE

https://blogs.nasa.gov/commercialcrew/2016/11/01/nasa-industry-team-up-to-innovate-human-spaceflight/

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16 Years of Station Told in 16 Gifs

http://www.nasa.gov/feature/16-years-of-station-told-in-16-gifs

Quote

Spend the planned correction of the ISS orbit with the aim of creating conditions for the launch of ballistic ship # SoyuzMS03 -http: // the www. roscosmos.ru/22839/ .

PCO. HELD PLANNED correction of the ISS orbit

Quote

11.02.2016 6:30
In accordance with the flight to the International Space Station (ISS) November 2, 2016 carried out the planned correction of the ISS orbit. To carry out the maneuver at 6:22 MSK included corrective engines service module "Zvezda" of the International Space Station. The engine run time was 96 seconds.

In accordance with the calculations of service ballistics navigation support the Mission Control Center (MCC), the average height of the station flight after a correction has increased by 2 km 450 m and amounted to 406.1 km. Adjustments carried out in order to create conditions for the launch of ballistic 'Union MS-03 "spacecraft, scheduled for November 17, 2016.

http://www.roscosmos.ru/22839/

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Arctic Sea Ice Increasingly Affected By Summer

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Arctic sea ice, the vast sheath of frozen seawater floating on the Arctic Ocean and its neighboring seas, has been hit with a double whammy over the past decades.

As its extent shrunk, the oldest and thickest ice has either thinned or melted away, leaving the sea ice cap more vulnerable to the warming ocean and atmosphere.

"What we've seen over the years is that the older ice is disappearing," said Walt Meier, a sea ice researcher at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. "This older, thicker ice is like the bulwark of sea ice: a warm summer will melt all the young, thin ice away but it can't completely get rid of the older ice. But this older ice is becoming weaker because there's less of it and the remaining old ice is more broken up and thinner, so that bulwark is not as good as it used to be."

Direct measurements of sea ice thickness are sporadic and incomplete across the Arctic, so scientists have developed estimates of sea ice age and tracked their evolution from 1984 to the present. Now, a new NASA visualization of the age of Arctic sea ice shows how sea ice has been growing and shrinking, spinning, melting in place and drifting out of the Arctic for the past three decades.

"Ice age is a good analog for ice thickness because basically, as ice gets older it gets thicker," Meier said. "This is due to the ice generally growing more in the winter than it melts in the summer."

Quote

The new animation shows two main bursts of thick ice loss: the first one, starting in 1989 and lasting a few years, was due to a switch in the Arctic Oscillation, an atmospheric circulation pattern, which shrunk the Beaufort Gyre and enhanced the Transpolar Drift Stream, flushing more sea ice than usual out of the Arctic. The second peak in ice loss started in the mid-2000s.

"Unlike in the 1980s, it's not so much as ice being flushed out -though that's still going on too," Meier said. "What's happening now more is that the old ice is melting within the Arctic Ocean during the summertime. One of the reasons is that the multiyear ice used to be a pretty consolidated ice pack and now we're seeing relatively smaller chunks of old ice interspersed with younger ice. These isolated floes of thicker ice are much easier to melt."

"We've lost most of the older ice: In the 1980s, multiyear ice made up 20 percent of the sea ice cover. Now it's only about 3 percent," Meier said. "The older ice was like the insurance policy of the Arctic sea ice pack: as we lose it, the likelihood for a largely ice-free summer in the Arctic increases."

more at the link...

http://spaceref.com/earth/arctic-sea-ice-increasingly-affected-by-summer.html

Yearly Arctic Sea Ice Age: 1984-2016

video is 0:43 min.

6,181 · November 4, 2016

NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 2 November 2016

Quote

The new Expedition 50 crew is in its first week aboard the International Space Station after a trio of Expedition 49 crew members left for Earth Saturday night. Commander Shane Kimbrough and Flight Engineers Sergey Ryzhikov and Andrey Borisenko are the sole occupants of the station right now awaiting three more crewmates due to launch in mid-November.

Kimbrough is tending a new garden of red romaine lettuce due to be harvested at the end of November. He is continuing the validation of greenhouse hardware to enable a fresh food supply for future crews venturing further and longer into space.

Cosmonauts Ryzhikov and Borisenko spent their time working on Russian life support systems and space research. The cosmonauts explored controlling rovers on a planetary surface from a spacecraft and also researched how microgravity affects pain sensitivity.

Back on Earth in Kazakhstan, European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Pesquet, NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy are preparing for their mission to the space station. The Expedition 50-51 crew members are due to launch Nov. 17 to begin a six-month mission aboard the orbital laboratory.

Quote

Veg-03 Operations: Today, CDR thinned out the plants in the Veggie facility to promote growth of the larger plants. The crew then watered the plant pillows. The overall goal of Veg-03 is to further demonstrate proof-of concept for the Veggie plant growth chamber and the planting pillows using 'Outregous' Red Romaine lettuce. Future long-duration missions into the solar system, will require a fresh food supply to supplement crew diets, which means growing crops in space. Previous investigations focused on improving productivity in controlled environments, but the limited quarters of the space shuttle and ISS made it difficult to conduct large-scale crop production tests. Veg-03 expands on previous validation tests of the new Veggie hardware, which crew members will soon use to grow cabbage, lettuce and other fresh vegetables in space. Tests determine which types of microorganisms are present in space-grown cabbage, providing baseline data for future crop-growing efforts. Behavioral health surveys assess the impact of growing plants on crew morale and mood.

Meteor Operations: CDR changed out the hard drive and diffraction grating on the Meteor camera located in the Window Observational Research Facility (WORF). The Meteor payload is a visible spectroscopy instrument with the primary purpose of observing meteors in Earth orbit. Meteor uses image analysis to provide information on the physical and chemical properties of the meteoroid dust, such as size, density, and chemical composition. Since the parent comets or asteroids for most of the meteor showers are identified, the study of the meteoroid dust on orbit provides information about the parent comets and asteroids.

Reboost: Last night the ISS performed a reboost using the SM main engines. The purpose of the reboost was to finalize the planned conditions for the upcoming launches of 49S on 17-November 17 and 65P on 01-December.

Quote

Ground Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
SSRMS Power Up and Maneuver to Park Position
P4 IEA Survey

Three-Day Look Ahead:
Thursday, 11/04: Cygnus cargo transfer, HRF blood collection setup,
Friday, 11/05: HRF centrifuge setup & blood collection/stow, Recycle tank drain to EDV, Cygnus cargo transfer
Saturday, 11/06: Weekly Housekeeping

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") - On
Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Lab - Standby
Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Node 3 - Operate
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Lab - Operate
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3 - Idle
Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) - Shutdown
Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) - Standby
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab - Off
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 - Full Up

http://spaceref.com/international-space-station/nasa-international-space-station-on-orbit-status-2-november-2016.html

October Highlights

video is 1:00 min.

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New Trio Settles In Before Next Crew Launches

Expedition 50-51 crew members (from left) Peggy Whitson, Oleg Novitskiy and Thomas Pesquet try on their spacesuits and check out the Soyuz MS-01 spacecraft in Kazakhstan. Credit: NASA/Alexander Vysotsky

Quote

A new set of Expedition 50 crew members is in Kazakhstan just two weeks away from a launch to the International Space Station. The three orbiting station inhabitants are in the second week of their four-month stay in space.

Thomas Pesquet, Peggy Whitson and Oleg Novitskiy have tried on their spacesuits and checked out the Soyuz MS-03 spacecraft they will blast off in Nov. 17. After launch, the trio will take a two-day trip to their new home in space where they will live until May. Today, the new crew is participating in flag-raising and tree-planting ceremonies at the Baikonur Cosmodrome launch site.

The orbiting crew of Commander Shane Kimbrough and Flight Engineers Sergey Ryzhikov and Andrey Borisenko are conducting critical space science while maintaining station systems.

Kimbrough continued transferring cargo from the Cygnus resupply ship that is due to depart in mid-November. The station commander also collected blood and urine samples for stowage in a science freezer then worked on research and plumbing gear.

Ryzhikov researched how humans experience pain in space and unloaded cargo from the new Soyuz MS-02 spacecraft. Borisenko, who is on his second station mission, checked out Russian life support systems and completed a questionnaire documenting the interactions of station crews and mission controllers on the ground.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2016/11/03/new-trio-settles-in-before-next-crew-launches/

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Science in Short: Gravity as a Research Field

ISS NASA

Quote

From the position of the International Space Station, it’s not always easy to consider the implications of gravity as a continuum, but society meetings like the recent American Society for Gravitational and Space Research (ASGSR) in Cleveland help bring that into focus. Gravity isn’t just on or off, and it can be easy to forget that the space station is not the only place to go if you need a little microgravity.

Solutions for simulated microgravity like High Aspect Ratio Vessels (HARVs), clinostats and random positioning machines exist to confuse the gravity vector. Magnetic levitation can balance the gravitational force for small, water-containing objects. Short durations of 2-6 seconds can be achieved through drop tower experiments. Up to 20 seconds of microgravity can be accessed through parabolic flight, and new commercial and sounding rockets can deliver 2-6 minutes of microgravity exposure. These methods provide the tools to explore various levels of microgravity, and when you add in the laboratory centrifuge, we can even explore the effects of hypergravity.

Dr. Mark Weislogel’s opening talk at ASGSR gave us great insights into the behaviors of fluids and fluid/surface interactions that you can achieve in just two seconds of microgravity. Non-intuitive behaviors that provide the building blocks for ideas, inventions, and for applications that need to be proven, need exposure to the long-duration microgravity environment on the space station. In the realm of space biology, we see genetic changes – differential gene expression – that occur in the first few seconds of exposure to microgravity, yet comparisons between long-duration space station exposure and simulated or short-duration micro-gravity exposure show some of these changes overlap and some do not. Clearly there is more going on here that we do not understand at this time.

To be successful interplanetary explorers, we need to be able to know what will happen to our physiology and systems as we transition from one to zero to 1/6 or 1/3 Gs, and back again. Knowledge of gravity as a continuum is a must. On the ground, we can explore aspects of this through magnetic levitation and centrifugation. Hypergravity studies on the ground are pointing
to interesting effects that we may need investigate further in microgravity, like glucose metabolism effects.

A healthy research community is using all of these tools to investigate gravity and better prepare us to make the most of our space station research. Our success in helping humanity explore the solar system is built on their research successes, not only in space but in research labs across the world.

Kirt Costello, PhD
Deputy Chief Scientist for the International Space Station

https://blogs.nasa.gov/ISS_Science_Blog/2016/11/02/science-in-short-gravity-as-a-research-field/

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The ceremony of raising the flag of the countries participating in the launch of the manned spacecraft # SoyuzMS03 -http: // the www. roscosmos.ru/22848/ .

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Misc....

The Cygnus, Soyuz MS-01 and Progress 64 Spacecraft Oct. 26, 2016

iss049e042858.jpg?itok=BIL6BU5t

ISS049e042858 (10/23/2016) --- Three vehicles are photographed while simultaneously attached to the International Space Station. They include Orbital ATK's Cygnus cargo craft (left), the Russian Soyuz MS-01 vehicle (middle) which delivered crew members Kate Rubins, Takuya Onishi and Anatoly Ivanishin to space, and the Russian Progress 64 cargo craft (right.)

https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/the-cygnus-soyuz-ms-01-and-progress-64-spacecraft

Cygnus is Captured by the Canadarm2 26 October, 2016

iss049e045140.jpg?itok=GWAqV0_3

ISS049e045140 (10/23/2016) --- Orbital ATK's Cygnus cargo spacecraft is captured using the Canadarm2 robotic arm on the International Space Station. Packed with more than 5,100 pounds of cargo and research equipment, the vehicle made Orbital ATK's fifth commercial resupply flight to the station.

Cygnus in the Grips of the Canadarm2, 26 October, 2016

iss049e042847.jpg?itok=mzX169Zi

ISS049e042847 (10/23/2016) --- Orbital ATK's Cygnus cargo spacecraft is captured using the Canadarm2 robotic arm on the International Space Station. Packed with more than 5,100 pounds of cargo and research equipment, the vehicle made Orbital ATK's fifth commercial resupply flight to the station.

https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/the-cygnus-soyuz-ms-01-and-progress-64-spacecraft

6,181 · November 5, 2016

NASA ISS Space to Ground Weekly Report - 4 November 2016

nasa_iss_space_to_ground_report_110416_9

NASA's Space to Ground is your weekly update on what's happening aboard the International Space Station. NASA

Space to Ground: Picture Perfect Landing: 11/03/2016

video is 2:24 min.

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NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 3 November 2016

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Today: Orbital ATK (OA)-5 Cargo Operations: Today, CDR continued transferring cargo from Cygnus to ISS. Afterwards, CDR participated in a cargo conference with ground specialists. At last report approximately 9.5 hours of cargo operations had been completed and an estimated 16 hours of operations remaining.

Human Research Program (HRP) Collections: CDR began 24-hour urine collections this morning in support of the Biochemical Profile and Repository experiments. Collected samples are placed in Minus Eighty Degree Celsius Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI) for return at a later date. This afternoon, CDR setup for tomorrow's blood collections. The Biochemical Profile experiment tests blood and urine samples obtained from astronauts before, during, and after spaceflight. Specific proteins and chemicals in the samples are used as biomarkers, or indicators of health. Post-flight analysis yields a database of samples and test results, which scientists can use to study the effects of spaceflight on the body. Repository is a storage bank used to maintain biological specimens over extended periods of time and under well-controlled conditions. This repository supports scientific discovery that contributes to our fundamental knowledge in the area of human physiological changes and adaptation to a microgravity environment and provides unique opportunities to study longitudinal changes in human physiology spanning many missions.

Compound Specific Analyzer-Combustion (CSA-CP) Checkout: The CDR changed out the batteries in two newly resupplied CSA-CP units and update internal clock settings. The CSA-CP units will sit deactivated with new batteries for at least 24-hours for sensors to re-establish bias voltages, and for 10-12 days in an open environment for sensor off-gassing.

Premature Combustion Integration Rack (CIR) Ignitor Burnout: Following seven successful FLame Extinguishment-2 (FLEX-2) test points, ground teams observed the CIR Ignitor #2 had burned out during the radiometer calibration. Yesterday's test points was the third day using the ignitors, with two additional days scheduled prior to the planned ignitor replacement. Ground teams will activate the rack today and bring down the images from yesterday's test. A forward plan for ignitor replacement and future CIR operations is in development.

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Ground Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
Channel 4B Battery Capacity Test
P4 IEA Survey

Three-Day Look Ahead:
Friday, 11/05: HRF centrifuge setup & blood collection/stow, Recycle tank drain to EDV, Cygnus cargo transfer
Saturday, 11/06: Weekly Housekeeping
Sunday, 11/07: Crew Off Duty

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") - On
Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Lab - Standby
Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Node 3 - Operate
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Lab - Operate
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3 - Idle
Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) - Shutdown
Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) - Process
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab - Off
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 - Full Up

http://spaceref.com/international-space-station/nasa-international-space-station-on-orbit-status-3-november-2016.html

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Next stop Baikonur for ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet

ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet.

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ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet, NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson and Roscosmos commander Oleg Novitsky this week passed their final exams on the Soyuz spacecraft that will fly them to the International Space Station in November.

The trio enacted a launch and docking to the Space Station as well as a return to Earth in a full-size Soyuz mockup. Dressed in the Sokol pressure suits they will wear for launch, the final exam took the whole day.

Instructors tested the astronauts by programming serious malfunctions for them to handle. Before docking, the radio and control system stopped working - forcing commander Oleg and co-pilot Thomas to perform a manual docking.

Later in the day they 'returned to Earth' and suffered a leak in the backup oxygen tank and an engine malfunction when firing the thrusters, followed by a malfunction of the spacecraft computer.

The trio handled all these surprises to the satisfaction of the instructors and were declared ready to fly the Soyuz MS-03 spacecraft.

Thomas says, "We knew to expect some malfunctions and although the launch next month should be a lot smoother it is reassuring to know we work great as a team."

http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Next_stop_Baikonur_for_ESA_astronaut_Thomas_Pesquet_999.html

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NASA's NavCube could support an X-ray communications demonstration in space -- a NASA first

NavCube, the product of a merger between the Goddard-developed SpaceCube 2.0 and Navigator GPS technologies, could play a vital role helping to demonstrate X-ray communications in space -- a potential NASA first.
CREDIT
Credits: NASA/W. Hrybyk
USAGE RESTRICTIONS
None

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Two proven technologies have been combined to create a promising new technology that could meet future navigational challenges in deep space. It also may help demonstrate -- for the first time -- X-ray communications in space, a capability that would allow the transmission of gigabits per second throughout the solar system.

The new technology, called NavCube, combines NASA's SpaceCube, a reconfigurable and fast flight computing platform, with the Navigator Global Positioning System (GPS) flight receiver. Navigator GPS uses the GPS signal to enable on-board autonomous positioning, navigation, and timing even in weak-signal areas. Considered one of the enabling technologies on the agency's flagship Magnetospheric Multi-Scale (MMS) mission, Navigator GPS recently was included in the Guiness World Records for the highest-altitude GPS fix.

"NavCube is more flexible than previous Navigators because of its ample computational resources. Also, because we added the ability to process modernized GPS signals, NavCube has the potential to significantly enhance performance at low, and especially, high altitudes, potentially even to the area of space near the moon and lunar orbits," said Luke Winternitz, Navigator's chief architect.

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This promising technology is slated to fly as one of several experiments on an external pallet to be deployed on the International Space Station in 2018. One NavCube unit will demonstrate its navigation and processing capabilities afforded by the merger of its technological parents, while the other could potentially provide precise timing data for an experiment demonstrating X-ray communications, or XCOM.

more at the link...

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-11/nsfc-nnc110416.php

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Cal State LA partners with NASA to study how materials solidify in space

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NASA has awarded Cal State LA two grants to conduct materials science experiments with the International Space Station. The grants are made through NASA's Physical Sciences Research program and will provide a total of $840,000 in funding. Using simulation, the research will examine how materials solidify under different circumstances-in space, in the absence of gravity, and on earth where gravity is present.

"This will provide valuable contributions to the understanding of microstructural evolution and solidification mechanisms in the absence and presence of gravity," said Mohsen Eshraghi, a mechanical engineering professor at Cal State LA, who is involved with both grants.

One study examines pore formation in alloys during solidification. A second study focuses on the formation of microstructures during alloy solidification. Microstructure is the small scale structure of the materials; the tiny features that can be observed under a microscope.

The studies will use flight experimental data from the International Space Station, which is currently stored in the NASA Physical Sciences Informatics (PSI). PSI is an online database of past and current physical science space station flight experiments.

http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Cal_State_LA_partners_with_NASA_to_study_how_materials_solidify_in_space_999.html

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Clearing the Air in Space

john-thomas-long-duration-sorbent-testbe

ohn Thomas, lead mechanical designer for the Long Duration Sorbent Testbed investigation on the International Space Station, prepares the hardware assembly at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. The technology study will help scientists build a more efficient life support system for flights in to deep space by testing new materials to help pull water and carbon dioxide out of the air. Image courtesy NASA.

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The life support system on the space station currently uses a silica gel to remove humidity or water from the air, allowing another piece of hardware to more efficiently scrub carbon dioxide from the air, keeping it from becoming toxic. After a year, that gel loses up to 75 percent of its capacity to absorb water, making it necessary to replace it relatively often. As astronauts venture father out into the solar system, they will not have the benefit of frequent resupply missions, and must consider the weight and space limitations associated with packing all the supplies they might need to bring with them on the mission.

Engineers and chemists believe that the gel loses that efficiency due to the environment inside the station and the more than 200 recorded contaminants there. The station is a very closed environment. Normal offgassing of odors from plastics and personal care products remain in the cabin air instead of being diluted by the atmosphere as here on Earth. While a specialized system scrubs these contaminants, trace amounts still remain in the cabin.

"There is a complex atmosphere on the space station," said Jim Knox, an aerospace engineer at Marshall and principal investigator for the study. "The mix of environmental contaminants alone on the station is new territory for us. As we select materials for future systems, we need to know how these materials will react to those contaminants. If we can build better filters, we can cut back on the number of replacements we would send on deep-space missions and can use that space for other payloads."

This testbed will study new substances that attract and collect molecules to determine which would be most effective for use in filters on long-duration missions. The device launched with 12 different materials to expose to the station environment. These materials were selected specifically to assist with carbon dioxide removal. The "scrubbers" on the station need water removed from the air so carbon dioxide can be more easily processed along with waste hydrogen from the oxygen generator, converting two waste products into water, a precious commodity.

When the investigation is installed on the station, it will run for a year without the need for involvement from the astronauts. Ground crews will monitor it from Earth while conducting a similar experiment with the materials in the laboratory on the ground for comparison.

The Long Duration Sorbent Testbed will not only provide data on the best material for use on long journeys in space, but will also let us know how long those materials will be effective. Both are critical points when it comes to designing the spacecraft that will carry us farther into space than ever before.

http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Clearing_the_Air_in_Space_999.html

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Posters have been slow for about 6 month's, but they are up to date now...

http://spaceflight101.com/iss/iss-expedition-posters/

6,181 · November 8, 2016

ISS Daily Summary Report – 11/04/2016

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Orbital ATK (OA)-5 Cargo Operations: Today, the crew continued transferring cargo from Cygnus to ISS. After the transfer operations, CDR participated in a cargo conference with ground specialists. At last report approximately 9.5 hours of cargo operations had been completed and an estimated 16 hours of operations remaining.

International Docking Adapter (IDA) Survey: The robotics team is performing an imagery survey of the recently installed IDA at Pressurized Mating Adapter 2 (PMA-2). The purpose of the survey is to perform a full characterization of the final installed state of the PMA docking target, IDA peripheral targets, hemi-spherical and planar reflectors, and key features on the Node 2 end-cone, PMA-2, and IDA that face ISS forward. This survey will help ensure that there are no key features that are partially blocked or unexpectedly shadowed to ensure the relative navigation of any incoming vehicles will not be adversely affected. In addition, the imagery will be used to provide accurate information regarding the position and orientation of the docking plane interface. Today’s imagery will be a series of static surveys that place the SPDM at several locations around the PMA-2 and IDA. Additional dynamic surveys using auto-sequence commanding to simulate the view from an incoming docking vehicle as it approaches the ISS will be performed next week.

Quote

Ground Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.

IDA Imagery Survey
4B2 Battery Capacity Test

Three-Day Look Ahead:

Saturday, 11/05: Housekeeping, Crew Off Duty, OGS H2 Dome R&R tool gather
Sunday, 11/06: Crew Off Duty
Monday, 11/07: Cygnus transfer, OGS H2 Dome R&R prep, At Home in Space, Radin

https://blogs.nasa.gov/stationreport/2016/11/04/iss-daily-summary-report-11042016/

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Crew Sets up for Earth and Radiation Studies Before Next Trio Launches

Middle school children programmed a space station camera to photograph this portion of the Sahara desert seen in western Libya in October. Credit: Sally Ride EarthKAM

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The Expedition 50 trio orbiting on the International Space Station is conducting maintenance while getting ready for Earth observations and radiation exposure studies today. In Kazakhstan, three new crew members are waiting as their Soyuz rocket is prepared for launch.

Commander Shane Kimbrough started work on the U.S. segment’s Oxygen Generation System (OGS), which will undergo maintenance throughout the week. Today, Kimbrough tagged up with ground specialists and replaced a hydrogen sensor and will continue to work on OGS through Wednesday. The system is currently shut down due to a low voltage signature within the Hydrogen Orbital Replacement Unit (ORU) that contains the electrolyzing cell stack. The Russian Elektron system is providing oxygen for the crew at this time.

The two flight engineers, new cosmonaut Sergey Ryzhikov and veteran station commander Andrey Borisenko, are handing over a set of radiation detectors to Kimbrough. The NASA astronaut, who is on his second trip in space, will install the Radi-N2 detectors in the Destiny laboratory for a week to help doctors understand the radiation risk to crew health and develop protective measures.

Ryzhikov is also setting up a camera that will allow middle school students to photograph targets on Earth and downlink the imagery. The Sally Ride EarthKAM gear will be set up in the Harmony module’s Earth-facing hatch window and use internet-based tools to promote the learning process.

Another trio of Expedition 50 members is counting down to its Nov. 17 launch and two-day trip to the space station from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. Veteran station residents Peggy Whitson of NASA and Oleg Novitskiy of Roscosmos, along with first-time space flyer Thomas Pesquet of the European Space Agency, are in final training before they liftoff aboard the Soyuz MS-03 spacecraft. This will be Whitson’s third station mission and Novitskiy’s second.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2016/11/07/crew-sets-up-for-earth-and-radiation-studies-before-next-trio-launches/

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CASIS and Boeing Partner to Fund Three Companies for Space Station Research

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Press Release From: Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS)

Posted: Monday, November 7, 2016

The Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS) and Boeing awarded three research companies financial support last week through MassChallenge™. This marks the third year CASIS and Boeing have collaborated on the “Technology in Space” prize through the MassChallenge Boston Accelerator. CASIS is the nonprofit organization responsible for managing and promoting research onboard the International Space Station (ISS) U.S. National Laboratory. Boeing is the ISS prime contractor responsible for sustaining operations, including the successful integration of vehicle and payload hardware and software for the orbiting laboratory. The grant prizes for this collaboration will provide seed funding for the three awarded companies and assist with hardware costs for flight to the ISS National Lab.

MassChallenge supports high-impact, early-stage entrepreneurs across all industries without taking any equity. Its accelerator programs in Boston, Israel, Mexico, Switzerland, and the U.K. offer world-class mentorship, free office space, a network of corporate and nonprofit organizations, and access to in-kind support and resources throughout the four months. At the culmination of the programs, MassChallenge awards winning startups with zero-equity cash awards, which total more than $1.5 million in Boston. To date, 1,211 MassChallenge alumni from around the world have raised over $1.8 billion in funding, generated over $700 million in revenue, and created more than 60,000 direct and indirect jobs.

Below is an overview of the selected projects:

long press release, awards at the link...

http://spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=49829

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The manned ship new modification # SoyuzMS03 docked with the transfer compartment -http: // the www. roscosmos.ru/22865/ . Start on November 17 at 23:20 MSK.

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Partial Opening Of The Northwest Passage As Seen From Orbit

Northwest Passage NASA/ESA/STSC

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There was a time when the Northwest Passage was a sort of maritime Holy Grail, a route so desired and sought after, but so elusive.

For most of the recorded history of North America, the Passage has been nearly impassable and often deadly. But with the modernization of ships and the warming of the Earth, cruising and sailing through the Canadian Archipelago from Baffin Bay to the Beaufort Sea has grown more common and easier. But it's not necessarily easy.

The top image above shows the Northwest Passage as it appeared on August 31, 2015, to the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on the Suomi-NPP satellite. The second image was acquired the same day by the Operational Land Imager (OLI) on Landsat 8. The white box on the top image shows the area depicted in the Landsat view. Both images are natural color. Note that much of the white covering the Northwest Passage in the VIIRS image is cloud cover, not sea ice.

The Northwest Passage is a complex, winding maze of sounds, channels, bays, and straits that pass through often ice-choked Arctic waters. Mariners refer to two main routes: a southern passage and a northern passage.

The southern route generally follows the one taken by Roald Amundsen from 1903-1906, when his crew completed the first successful transit through the region. The southern passage goes south of Prince of Wales Island and Victoria Island (and sometimes King William Island) and enters the Beaufort Sea south of Banks Island. It includes several narrow and shallow waterways that are better suited to small ships than large commercial vessels. This southern or "Amundsen" passage has been open for several weeks in the summer of 2015.

The northern passage runs through Lancaster Sound, Parry Channel, and McClure Strait--waterways that are wider, deeper, and more suited to large ships. In the satellite images above, the Parry Channel is filled with a melange of sea ice, though it does not appear to be completely frozen over.

According to an August 31 analysis by the Multisensor Analyzed Sea Ice Extent (MASIE) product (created by the U.S. National Ice Center and posted by the National Snow and Ice Data Center) the northern route was considered mostly ice-filled for the sake of navigation.

As NASA ice scientists Walt Meier and Claire Parkison note, the opening of the Northwest Passage is not that unusual anymore, particularly along the southern route. However, with the warming of the Arctic and the shrinking of sea ice in the past three decades, the southern passage is now open more often and for longer stretches of each summer. According to Canadian government sources, as many as 30 passages were made as recently as 2012. The number of ships crossing the Northwest Passage has been steadily growing since the 1980s.

more at the link...

http://spaceref.com/onorbit/partial-opening-of-the-northwest-passage-as-seen-from-orbit.html

6,181 · November 10, 2016

NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 7 November 2016

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The Expedition 50 trio orbiting on the International Space Station is conducting maintenance while getting ready for Earth observations and radiation exposure studies today. In Kazakhstan, three new crew members are waiting as their Soyuz rocket is prepared for launch.

Commander Shane Kimbrough started work on the U.S. segment's Oxygen Generation System (OGS), which will undergo maintenance throughout the week. Today, Kimbrough tagged up with ground specialists and replaced a hydrogen sensor and will continue to work on OGS through Wednesday. The system is currently shut down due to a low voltage signature within the Hydrogen Orbital Replacement Unit (ORU) that contains the electrolyzing cell stack. The Russian Elektron system is providing oxygen for the crew at this time.

The two flight engineers, new cosmonaut Sergey Ryzhikov and veteran station commander Andrey Borisenko, are handing over a set of radiation detectors to Kimbrough. The NASA astronaut, who is on his second trip in space, will install the Radi-N2 detectors in the Destiny laboratory for a week to help doctors understand the radiation risk to crew health and develop protective measures.

Ryzhikov is also setting up a camera that will allow middle school students to photograph targets on Earth and downlink the imagery. The Sally Ride EarthKAM gear will be set up in the Harmony module's Earth-facing hatch window and use internet-based tools to promote the learning process.

Another trio of Expedition 50 members is counting down to its Nov. 17 launch and two-day trip to the space station from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. Veteran station residents Peggy Whitson of NASA and Oleg Novitskiy of Roscosmos, along with first-time space flyer Thomas Pesquet of the European Space Agency, are in final training before they liftoff aboard the Soyuz MS-03 spacecraft. This will be Whitson's third station mission and Novitskiy's second.

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Radi-N2: The Russian crew collected the Radi-N2 detectors from their locations in the Russian Segment and handed them over to the US crew who deployed the eight detectors in the US Lab, then took photographs of their locations. The detectors will remain in the Lab location for one week. Radi-N2 Neutron Field Study (Radi-N2) is a follow on investigation designed to characterize the neutron radiation environment aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Eight neutron "bubble detectors" produced by the Canadian company Bubble Technology Industries are attached to fixed locations inside the ISS, including one carried by a crew member. The objective of this investigation is to better characterize the ISS neutron environment and define the risk posed to the crew members' health and provide the data necessary to develop advanced protective measures for future spaceflight.

Oxygen Generation System (OGS) Maintenance: The OGS Hydrogen On-Orbit Replaceable Unit (ORU) has an ailing electrolysis cell that no longer makes it desirable to run. Today the prepared for the significant maintenance scheduled on OGS later this week. Today's task included a procedure review followed by a conference with ground specialist and the H2 sensor replacement. The work to recover the OGS will include replacing the Deionizing Bed ORU (planned to be performed on Tuesday) and Hydrogen ORU (planned to be performed on Wednesday), as well as a flush of the OGS Recirculation Loop to clear out the build-up of chemical species which have accumulated over years of operation that are potentially harmful to OGS.

Orbital ATK (OA)-5 Cargo Operations: As of the last report the crew had completed 16 hours of cargo transfer with an estimated 10 hours remaining.

http://spaceref.com/international-space-station/nasa-international-space-station-on-orbit-status-7-november-2016.html

TPK "MS-03 Alliance" docked with the transfer compartment

video is 6:41 min.

-------------------------

NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 8 November 2016

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Today: Veg-03 Operations: The crew checked and photo documented the status of the plants in the Veggie facility, and evaluated the plant pillows to determine if additional watering is required.

The overall goal of Veg-03 is to further demonstrate proof-of concept for the Veggie plant growth chamber and the planting pillows using 'Outredgeous' Red Romaine lettuce. Future long-duration missions into the solar system, will require a fresh food supply to supplement crew diets, which means growing crops in space. Previous investigations focused on improving productivity in controlled environments, but the limited quarters of the space shuttle and ISS made it difficult to conduct large-scale crop production tests. Veg-03 expands on previous validation tests of the new Veggie hardware, which crew members will soon use to grow cabbage, lettuce and other fresh vegetables in space. Tests determine which types of microorganisms are present in space-grown cabbage, providing baseline data for future crop-growing efforts. Behavioral health surveys assess the impact of growing plants on crew morale and mood.

Oxygen Generation System (OGS) Maintenance: The OGS Inlet Deionizing (DI) Bed was removed and replaced successfully this morning. The crew also began a series of activities to purge the Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) recirculation loop. This is designed to help flush Total Organic Carbons (TOC) and other potential contaminants from the recirculation loop prior to installing the new Hydrogen Orbital Replacement Unit (ORU), which is scheduled for tomorrow. The crew had issues mating a Quick Disconnect (QD) in the chain of hoses and was not able to flush all of the water from the system. Ground teams are currently assessing options for completing the flush. Additional time will be added to tomorrow's plan to implement troubleshooting steps ahead of the scheduled replacement of the OGS Hydrogen ORU.

Orbital ATK (OA)-5 Cargo Operations: The crew performed one hour of Cygnus cargo transfer operations today. As of the last report the crew had completed 18 hours of cargo transfer with an estimated 8 hours remaining.

Quote

Ground Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
Battery 4B3 reconditioning
OGS Flush

Three-Day Look Ahead:
Wednesday, 11/09: OGA Flush and H2 Dome R&R
Thursday, 11/10: FSL, OGA Tool Stow, Cygnus Cargo Ops
Friday, 11/11: GCM Troubleshooting, PFS PuFF Calibration Syringe Maintenance

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 - Operate
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3 - Idle
Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) - Shutdown
Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) - Reprocess
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab - Off
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 - Full Up

http://spaceref.com/international-space-station/nasa-international-space-station-on-orbit-status-8-november-2016.html

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More Oxygen Generator Work as Soyuz Nears Launch

The Soyuz MS-03 spacecraft begins its rotation into position for its encapsulation into the upper stage of its Soyuz booster at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Credit: NASA/Alexander Vysotsky

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The three Expedition 50 crew members today are working on an oxygen generator and setting up gear to photograph the Earth and meteors. In Kazakhstan, the Soyuz spacecraft that will launch the next trio to the International Space Station is being processed at its launch facility.

Commander Shane Kimbrough was back at work this morning on the Oxygen Generation System (OGS) in the U.S. side of the International Space Station. The OGS is down for maintenance as he and ground specialists troubleshoot the device due to a low voltage signature. In the meantime, Russia’s Elektron system is providing oxygen for the crew aboard space station.

Cosmonaut and Flight Engineer Sergey Ryzhikov changed camera lenses and rings on the Sally Ride EarthKAM. The student-operated Earth observation experiment enables middle school kids using the internet to program targets for the camera and download the imagery they have taken. The EarthKAM gear is installed in a window located in the Harmony module.

A hard drive was swapped out in the Meteor payload that looks outside a unique window known as the Window Observational Research Facility on the Destiny laboratory module. The visual spectroscopy study uses imagery to explore the physical and chemical properties of meteoroid dust to learn more about comets and asteroids.

Three new station crew members are in Kazakhstan preparing for a Nov. 17 launch to the station. The Soyuz MS-03 spacecraft that will carry the new Expedition 50-51 trio to its new home in space was installed inside the third stage shroud of its rocket. Veteran station residents Peggy Whitson of NASA and Oleg Novitskiy of Roscosmos, along with first-time space flyer Thomas Pesquet of the European Space Agency will take a two-day, 34-orbit trip to the station after their liftoff and stay in space till May.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2016/11/09/more-oxygen-generator-work-as-soyuz-nears-launch/

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What happens to a pathogenic fungus grown in space?

The strains in space were slightly more lethal in a vertebrate model of invasive disease, but there was nothing to suggest that as a consequence of spending time in space, there were any significant changes to the fungus.

Quote

A new study, published this week in mSphere, provides evidence that Aspergillus fumigatus, a significant opportunistic fungal threat to human health, grows and behaves similarly on the International Space Station compared with earth.

Quote

In the new study, led by Benjamin Knox, a microbiology graduate student at University of Wisconsin-Madison, scientists compared two isolates of A. fumigatus that were isolated from the International Space Station to reference isolates from earth.

Through in vitro, in vivo, and genetic analyses, the researchers discovered that the isolates recovered from the space station exhibited normal in vitro growth and chemical stress tolerance, and there were no unexpected genetic differences.

The strains in space were slightly more lethal in a vertebrate model of invasive disease, but there was nothing to suggest that as a consequence of spending time in space, there were any significant changes to the fungus.

"While we observed virulence differences, we speculate that it is completely within the variation that one would observe with terrestrial isolates," said Mr. Knox. "There is an emerging body of literature showing a terrific phenotypic variation in A. fumigatus."

Since A. fumigatus is the most significant airborne opportunistic mold pathogen of humans, it is likely to be an issue on space vessels.

http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/What_happens_to_a_pathogenic_fungus_grown_in_space_999.html

--------------------------

How to Spot the International Space Station with New NASA Tool

Quote

The International Space Station completes multiple orbits around Earth every day, and now you can track the space lab as it passes overhead.

At an average altitude of 248 miles (400 kilometers) above Earth, the space station is the third brightest object in the sky. Although this high-flying satellite can be seen from the ground, it passes by quickly, so it helps to know where to look.

To assist in this skywatching endeavor, NASA has launched a new interactive map at its Spot the Station site. This tool allows users to enter their location and find the best places in a 50-mile radius to view the station as it passes over them, according to a statement from NASA.

http://www.space.com/34650-track-astronauts-space-new-interactive-map.html?utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=Twitter&utm_campaign=socialtwitterspc&cmpid=social_spc_514648

Tool is here...

https://spotthestation.nasa.gov/

----------------------------

--------------------------------

And we finish off with...

A great article from March, 2014, Smithsonian.

Why Carl Sagan is Truly Irreplaceable

(Illustration by Jody Hewgill)

I'll leave it here for you to read if you wish but will insert this....

Quote

“That’s here. That’s home. That’s us. On it, everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you have ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives...[E]very king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every revered teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every superstar, every supreme leader, every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there–on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.”

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/why-carl-sagan-truly-irreplaceable-180949818/?no-ist

4,811 · November 11, 2016

That video was fascinating. Thanks DD ... it's great to see where the magic happens. :yes:

6,181 · November 11, 2016

ISS Daily Summary Report – 11/09/2016

Quote

Oxygen Generation System (OGS) Maintenance: Overnight the decision was made not to perform the Recirc loop flush. Earlier this morning the crew installed the new Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) Hydrogen Orbital Replacement Unit (ORU) into the OGS rack. However, the crew was not able to fully mate the Hydrogen ORU Quick Disconnect (QD), same as the issue yesterday regarding the QD mate issue for the Recirc loop flush. The crew reported that the QD was at 90% connected or ¼ turn from fully mated in both cases. Ground teams recommended that Kapton tape be applied to the QD in order to prevent backout. In this configuration it is expected that the primary seal on the QD should be engaged and the QD poppet opened. Ground teams are working to vent the Hydrogen ORU dome and activate the OGA, which will take several hours.

Meteor Hard Drive Swap: The crew performed a regular changeout of the Meteor hard drive located in the Window Observational Research Facility (WORF). The Meteor payload is a visible spectroscopy instrument with the primary purpose of observing meteors in Earth orbit. Meteor uses image analysis to provide information on the physical and chemical properties of the meteoroid dust, such as size, density, and chemical composition. Since the parent comets or asteroids for most of the meteor showers are identified, the study of the meteoroid dust on orbit provides information about the parent comets and asteroids.

Sally Ride EarthKAM Lens Changeout: The crew changed out and configured the 180mm lens and 72mm Bumper Ring on the Sally Ride EarthKAM, removing and stowing the 50mm lens and 52mm Bumper ring. The EarthKAM team, in association with middle school students around the world, select image targets which are then downlinked and used in the study of physics, computers, geography, math, earth science, biology, art, history, and cultural studies. The objective of Sally Ride EarthKam is to integrate Earth images with inquiry-based learning to enhance curricula in support of national and state education standards; to provide students and educators the opportunity to participate in a space mission and to develop teamwork, communication, and problem solving skills; to engage teams of students, educators, and researchers in collaborative investigations using remotely-sensed data; and to incorporate the active use of Web-based tools and resources in support of the learning process.

Zbook Server Deployment: The crew set up two ZBook laptops as SSC Server-1 and SSC Server-2 in preparation for loading and transition. Thursday the new ZBook laptops will be loaded with the new SSC Server software. The transition to the new SSC Servers is currently planned for Friday.

International Docking Adapter (IDA) Survey: Over the next two days the robotics team will perform dynamic surveys that simulate the view of an incoming docking vehicle as it approaches the recently installed IDA at Pressurized Mating Adapter 2 (PMA-2). These surveys will use the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM) Camera Light Pan Tilt Assembly (CLPA) and pre-configured automatic trajectories to simulate vehicle motion. They will be performed in various lighting conditions.

Quote

Ground Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.

IDA Survey Using SSRMS

Three-Day Look Ahead:

Thursday, 11/10: FSL, OGA Tool Stow, Cygnus Cargo Ops
Friday, 11/11: GCM Troubleshooting, PFS PuFF Calibration Syringe Maintenance
Saturday, 11/12: Weekly Housekeeping

https://blogs.nasa.gov/stationreport/2016/11/09/iss-daily-summary-report-11092016/

--------------------------------

Oxygen Generator Back Online as Soyuz Nears Launch

At the Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Expedition 50-51 crew members Thomas Pesquet of the European Space Agency (left), Oleg Novitskiy of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos, center) and Peggy Whitson of NASA (right) pose for pictures Nov. 10 during preflight activities. They will launch Nov. 18, Baikonur time, on the Soyuz MS-03 spacecraft for a six-month mission on the International Space Station. Credit: NASA/Alexander Vysotsky

Quote

The three Expedition 50 crew members today are working to unload cargo and set up new computer servers onboard the station. In Kazakhstan, the next trio to launch to the International Space are continuing their final prelaunch preparations.

Commander Shane Kimbrough completed work on Wednesday on the Oxygen Generation System (OGS) in the U.S. side of the International Space Station. The OGS was down for maintenance as he and ground specialists troubleshot the device due to a low voltage signature. Teams in Mission control conducted checkouts of the system today and reactivated it successfully, enabling OGS to once more supply oxygen to the space station crew. Final checkouts on the system are on the plan for Friday.

Today, Kimbrough set up new laptop computers to allow ground specialist to load required software. He also unloaded additional cargo from the attached Orbital ATK Cygnus cargo craft.

Cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Andrey Borisenko performed routine maintenance on the ventilation system inside the Russian segment and took part in the Pilot-T experiment, which assesses the cosmonauts ability to perform complex tasks at different points during their spaceflight.

Three new station crew members are in Kazakhstan preparing for a Nov. 17 launch to the station. Veteran station residents Peggy Whitson of NASA and Oleg Novitskiy of Roscosmos, along with first-time space flyer Thomas Pesquet of the European Space Agency will take a two-day, 34-orbit trip to the station after their liftoff and stay in space till May. The group reviewed flight plans and took part in traditional preflight events, including a media day and the ceremonial raising of flags and planting of trees.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2016/11/10/oxygen-generator-back-online-as-soyuz-nears-launch/

-------------------------

Russian cosmonauts to grow wheat

Quote

MOSCOW, November 10. /TASS/. After staging an experiment with growing sweet pepper in a new greenhouse aboard the International Space Station (ISS), Russian cosmonauts will try to grow wheat and salad, Deputy Director of the Institute of Medical and Biological Problems Vladimir Sychyov said on Thursday.

"A new greenhouse, Lada-2, will be delivered to the ISS in December and we’re beginning a new series of experiments. The first experiment will be highly difficult because the crop we’re going to grow is the crop that has never been grown in outer space. This is sweet pepper," he said.
"If we succeed, this will be fine. After pepper, we’ll be most likely growing wheat and probably after it salad crops," Sychyov said.

http://tass.com/science/911429

--------------------------

First Artificial Gravity to Appear at ISS Thanks to Russian Scientists

Quote

Russian scientists have developed a small-radius centrifuge for creating artificial gravity at the International Space Station.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — A centrifuge to create artificial gravity will be installed aboard an inflatable module developed by Russia at the International Space Station (ISS), the head of Russia's Institute for Biomedical Problems (RIBP) said Thursday. "We have created a small-radius centrifuge. This method has been demonstrated to be viable to simulate artificial gravity," the Russian Academy of Sciences' RIBP Director Oleg Orlov told reporters.

The small-radius centrifuge is being developed by the Russian space firm RSC Energia, Orlov said.

https://sputniknews.com/science/201611101047284488-artificial-gravity-iss-russia/

Note....

Centrifuge Accommodations Module

Quote

The Centrifuge Accommodations Module (CAM) is a cancelled element of the International Space Station. Although the module was planned to contain more than a centrifuge, the 2.5 m (8.2 ft) centrifuge still was considered the most important capability of the module. The centrifuge would have provided controlled acceleration rates (artificial gravity) for experiments and the capability to:

Expose a variety of biological specimens that are less than 24.5 in (0.62 m) tall to artificial gravity levels between 0.01g and 2g.
Simultaneously provide two different artificial gravity levels.
Provide partial g and hyper g environment for specimens to investigate altered gravity effects and g-thresholds.
Provide short duration and partial g and hyper g environment for specimens to investigate temporal effects of gravity exposure.
Provide Earth simulation environment on ISS to isolate microgravity effects on specimens.
Provide Earth simulation environment on ISS to allow specimens to recover from microgravity effects.
Provide in situ 1g controls for specimens in micro-gravity.

It was built by JAXA's predecessor, NASDA, but owned by NASA, who obtained ownership of the CAM by trading in a free launch of the Japanese Experiment Module Kibo to the Station.[1] The CAM flight model along with the engineering model of the centrifuge rotor were manufactured. The CAM would have been attached to the Harmony module of the ISS. It was cancelled in 2005[2] alongside the Habitation Module and the Crew Return Vehicle, because of ISS cost overruns and scheduling problems in Shuttle assembly flights.

It is now on display in an outdoor exhibit at the Tsukuba Space Center in Japan

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centrifuge_Accommodations_Module

The partly built shell of the Centrifuge Accommodations Module at Tsukuba

--------------------------

----------------------------

Porto Alegre, Brazil November 6, 2016

The capital and single largest city of Brazil's state Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre boasts a massive fresh water port; a diversity of immigrants from Germany, Poland, and Italy; as well as a famous nightlife complete with all-night raves.

https://www.planet.com/gallery/porto-alegre-20161106/

6,181 · November 12, 2016

NASA ISS Space to Ground Weekly Report - 11 November 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---11-november-2016.html

Space to Ground: Eyes on Earth: 11/10/2016

video is 2:29 min.

----------------------------

Video: NASA Honors Veterans Day

NASA Honors Veterans Day

video is 0:30 min.

http://spaceref.com/missions-and-programs/nasa/video-nasa-honors-veterans-day.html

----------------------------

New American Capability Drives Commercial Crew Team

Quote

“Once NASA has certified its two commercial partners’ systems to fly, we will have also kick started the commercial spaceflight industry, opening the door for private, paying customers to fly in space,” said Steve Payne, launch integration manager for commercial crew. “This is a truly exciting time for all of us.”

Since 2010, NASA also has worked with Blue Origin on spacecraft, engines and systems and Sierra Nevada Corporation on the Dream Chaser spacecraft. NASA selected the Dream Chaser’s cargo version to ferry supplies, equipment and experiments to and from the orbiting laboratory starting in 2019. Both Sierra Nevada Corporation and Blue Origin also are working toward the goal of flying people to and from space.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/commercialcrew/2016/11/10/new-american-capability-drives-commercial-crew-team/

--------------------------

Quote

RSC "Energy" has started to develop "Kosmorobota" - http: // www. roscosmos.ru/22899/

RSC "Energia" has begun to develop "KOSMOROBOTA"

Quote

11.11.2016 15:35
RSC "Energy" in cooperation with the RTC and the NGO "humanoid machines" won the tender and begins to perform development work on the creation of space for the purpose robot promising space objects.

The complex, created in the framework of development work "Kosmorobot" includes just a mobile robot, control panels, tools for integration and ground segment. Trial operation is scheduled from 2020 to 2024 as part of the Scientific and power module (NEM) Russian segment of the ISS.

General Director of RSC "Energy" Vladimir Sun: "It's not just a project, it is part of an ideology that would form the basis of robotics development for space. I think that in the future robots will serve the automatic spacecraft and work on the Moon's surface and in deep space. "

The robot is able to move through the outer railing NEM, to carry loads and perform various manipulations, including installation and removal of equipment, connect the power cables, "inspected" by an external camera module surface. To process control algorithms needed to perform various operations, RSC "Energy" will set up a special land modeling stand.

There are options for cutting screen-vacuum thermal insulation station modules, lighting, assembly and disassembly of threaded connections, sampling smears from the surface, and so forth. The robot will also help astronauts during spacewalks.

The mobile robot consists of a base unit, the battery pack, the two manipulators, support assembly, review cameras and transceiver. The store will include replacement tools active payload adapter, the instrument sampling smears, wrench, scissors, tools for joining electrical connectors, gripper for fixing handrails and grab versatile. Manipulators will have seven degrees of mobility and will be equipped with the cameras vision system.

http://www.roscosmos.ru/22899/

Quote

Oleg Kononenko was appointed commander of the cosmonaut corps - http: // www. roscosmos.ru/22889/ .

-------------------------------

Earth from Space: Virunga Mountains, Central Africa

esa_earth_from_space_Virunga_Mountains_1

Earth from Space: Virunga Mountains, Central Africa. ESA

Quote

This Sentinel-1 radar composite image features the Virunga Mountains in East Africa: a chain of volcanoes stretching across Rwanda's northern border with Uganda and east into the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

While most are dormant, two of the eight volcanoes are active, with the most recent eruptions in 2006 and 2010.

The mountains are on the Albertine Rift, where the Somali Plate is splitting away from the rest of the African continent. The area is one of Africa's most biologically diverse regions, but high human population density, poverty and conflict pose a challenge to conservation. Across the mountain range, however, a series of national parks has been established to protect the fauna and flora.

http://spaceref.com/earth/earth-from-space-virunga-mountains-central-africa.html

39,150 · November 15, 2016

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