International Space Station (Updates)

6,181 · February 18, 2016

NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 16 February 2016

nasa_iss_on_orbit_status_report_021616_9

This wide fisheye lens night view of the Earth was taken aboard the International Space Station on Feb 11, 2016 by the crew of Expedition 46. Some of the stations solar array juts down into the image on the left side. Credit: NASA.

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The crew aboard the International Space Station is getting ready for a busy traffic month set to begin March 1. Meanwhile, advanced microgravity research and spacesuit work continues inside the orbital lab.

One-Year crew members Scott Kelly and Mikhail Kornienko are preparing to come home March 1 after 340 days in space. Flight Engineer Sergey Volkov will return with them inside the Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft. Then on March 19, NASA astronaut Jeff Williams and cosmonauts Oleg Skripochka and Alexey Ovchinin will launch aboard the Soyuz TMA-20M spacecraft and join Expedition 47.

Kelly harvested Zinnia plants Monday grown for the Veggie experiment as scientists validate the botany gear to determine the effectiveness of growing plants in space. The Expedition 46 commander also scrubbed spacesuit cooling loops today after inspecting another spacesuit for leaks Monday.

Astronauts Tim Kopra and Tim Peake joined Kelly at the end of the work day for eye checks. Earlier in the day Kopra studied the flammability of different textiles in space while Peake participated in educational science activities.

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Education Payloads Operations (EPO) - AstroPi: Peake set up the European Space Agency (ESA) AstroPi IR hardware in the Node 2 nadir hatch window. The payload then autonomously run a pre-defined sequence of program files. AstroPi is composed of RaspberryPi B+, Sense HAT (Hardware Attached on Top) and a camera module, contained within a protective aluminum case. Raspberry Pi is a credit-card sized computer that enables students to explore computing and learn how to program. Two AstroPi are on board: AstroPi Vis, with visible light camera, and AstroPi IR, with an infrared camera. Both AstroPi will run programs written by the winners of a student competition and collect data from sensors (i.e., inertial movement, barometric pressure, relative humidity and temperature). The data will be shared with schools.

Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) 3003 and EMU 3010 Loop Scrubs: Following yesterday's successful EMU 3003 Return To Service (RTS) activities, Kelly performed cooling loop maintenance on the suit, as well as on EMU 3010. This included ionic and particulate filtration (scrubbing) and biocidal maintenance (iodination) of EMU and Airlock cooling water loops. These activities were followed by a dry out of the EMU fan module and vent loop.

Correction for Daily Summary Report on Monday, 02/15/16:

Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) Stowage Frame: The JEM Stowage Frame Installation was not performed yesterday as stated in the Daily Summary Report. The activity will be rescheduled for another day in the near future. Once fully installed, the frame will increase JEM stowage capability by 12 Cargo Transfer Bag Equivalents (CTBE).

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

Three-Day Look Ahead:
Wednesday, 02/17: ISS Reboost, Biological Rhythms 48, Ocular Health, Cygnus Departure CBT, CARDOX, Cygnus Cargo Ops
Thursday, 02/18: Node 1 CPA Install, Cygnus Hatch Closure, Microbiome, Cognition Test, RWS DCP Checkout, ELF Cartridge Install
Friday, 02/19: OA-4 unberth, EMU water conductivity test, Neuromapping setup

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

http://spaceref.com/international-space-station/nasa-international-space-station-on-orbit-status-16-february-2016.html

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New Chance For UK Students To Send Their Computer Code Into Space For Tim Peake

Astro Pi ESA

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Following the success of the 'Astro Pi' competition, there is a new competition offering UK school children the chance to send their computer code to ESA astronaut Tim Peake on the International Space Station (ISS).

Two augmented Raspberry Pi computers, called Astro Pis, are on board the ISS as part of ESA astronaut Tim Peake's Principia mission. Both are equipped with different cameras and a range of sensors that the students can use in a wide variety of experiments.

The new competition 'Astro Pi Coding Challenges', launched this month, presents a specific problem to students and asks them to solve it with code. This approach differs from the 2015 competition, where students were given an open-ended brief to come up with their own ideas for experiments.

This time, Tim has a particular task in mind for them, with two challenges on offer, both of which are music-based.

"This competition offers a unique chance for young people to learn core computing skills that will be extremely useful in their future. It's going to be a lot of fun!" said Tim Peake.

The winners will have their code uploaded to the ISS and used by Tim on the Astro Pi computers (on a best-effort basis subject to operational constraints).

David Honess, from the Raspberry Pi Foundation, spoke with Tim just before launch and learned that it is difficult to update the astronaut's MP3 player while in space. "So there's a practical, utilitarian purpose for having the students code this MP3 player for him. It'll solve a real problem on the space station," said David.

The first challenge is for students to write Python code to turn the Astro Pi into an MP3 music player, something that it was never designed for. The students will need to program the buttons, joystick and LED display to provide an iPod-like interface, so that Tim can plug in headphones and listen to music.

The second challenge requires students to compose their own music using a tool called Sonic Pi. This allows music to be created using lines of code, and is a really fun and engaging way to learn to program. Tim will then use the MP3 player code from the first challenge to listen to the second challenge's music in space.

The competition is open to all primary and secondary school-age students who are resident in the United Kingdom, and it is supported by a comprehensive range of teaching resources that are available for free on the Astro Pi website. The deadline for submissions is 31 March.

The competition is divided into four age categories - 11 years and under, 11 to 14 years, 14 to 16 years and 16 to 18 years - with a winner selected from each for both challenges. In total, four MP3 players and a minimum of four songs will be uploaded and played by Tim in space the most exclusive concert venue imaginable.

The judging will be conducted by a panel of experts selected from industry partners that have been involved in the Astro Pi project from the start. These are UK Space Trade Association, UK Space Agency, European Space Agency, Surrey Satellite Technology, Airbus Defence and Space, CGI, QinetiQ, ESERO UK, National STEM Centre, and Space KTN.

http://spaceref.com/nasa-hack-space/new-chance-for-uk-students-to-send-their-computer-code-into-space-for-tim-peake.html

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Station Ramps Up for March Crew Swap

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The crew aboard the International Space Station is getting ready for a busy traffic month set to begin March 1. Meanwhile, advanced microgravity research and spacesuit work continues inside the orbital lab.

One-Year crew members Scott Kelly and Mikhail Kornienko are preparing to come home March 1 after 340 days in space. Flight Engineer Sergey Volkov will return with them inside the Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft. Then on March 19, NASA astronaut Jeff Williams and cosmonauts Oleg Skripochka and Alexey Ovchinin will launch aboard the Soyuz TMA-20M spacecraft and join Expedition 47.

Kelly harvested Zinnia plants Monday grown for the Veggie experiment as scientists validate the botany gear to determine the effectiveness of growing plants in space. The Expedition 46 commander also scrubbed spacesuit cooling loops today after inspecting another spacesuit for leaks Monday.

Astronauts Tim Kopra and Tim Peake joined Kelly at the end of the work day for eye checks. Earlier in the day Kopra studied the flammability of different textiles in space while Peake participated in educational science activities.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2016/02/16/station-ramps-up-for-march-crew-swap/

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Station Boosts Orbit before Heavy Spacecraft Traffic Period

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The International Space Station raised its orbit again today as three crew members prepare for a March 1 landing while another trio gets ready for a March 19 launch. Meanwhile, advanced research continued inside the orbital laboratory to improve life on Earth and for future space residents.

Today’s orbital reboost places the station at the correct altitude for the March 1 undocking of Soyuz Commander Sergey Volkov and One-Year crew members Scott Kelly and Mikhail Kornienko. Their undocking will leave the Poisk module’s docking port vacant where a trio of Expedition 47 crew members will dock two-and-a-half weeks later inside the Soyuz TMA-20M spacecraft.

Today, the Expedition 46 crew participated in a variety of human research exploring how the heart adapts to life in space, the risk of atherosclerosis in astronauts and how microgravity affects an astronaut’s vision. The crew also sampled the station’s air and surfaces for microbes to learn how to prevent contamination in future spacecraft.

Another spacecraft is being prepared for departure Friday morning when it will be released from the grips of the 57.7 foot long Canadarm2 robotic arm. The Orbital ATK Cygnus cargo craft is being loaded with trash before NASA astronauts Kelly and Tim Kopra release Cygnus using the robotics controls inside the seven-window cupola. NASA Television will cover the activities live Friday beginning at 7 a.m. EST.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2016/02/17/station-boosts-orbit-before-heavy-spacecraft-traffic-period/

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The International Space Station completed a scheduled reboost on Wednesday to adjust its orbit in an effort to set up phasing for three visiting vehicle operations coming up in March.

The reboost used the engines of the Progress M-29M spacecraft currently docked to the aft port of the Zvezda module of ISS and was completed on Wednesday at 10:44 UTC with a total duration of ten minutes and 52 seconds.

Wednesday’s burn primarily focused on raising the Station’s perigee, making the orbit more circular.

Orbital Parameters:
Pre-Reboost:  398.2 x 407.4 km - 51.64° - Period: 92.62min
Post-Reboost: 402.1 x 406.9 km - 51.64° - Period: 92.66min

http://spaceflight101.com/space-station-completes-reboost-to-set-up-for-heavy-visiting-vehicle-traffic/

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Trends in ISS Anomalies

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"The NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) set out to utilize data mining and trending techniques to review the anomaly history of the International Space Station (ISS) and provide tools for discipline experts not involved with the ISS Program to search anomaly data to aid in identification of areas that may warrant further investigation. Additionally, the assessment team aimed to develop an approach and skillset for integrating data sets, with the intent of providing an enriched data set for discipline experts to investigate that is easier to navigate, particularly in light of ISS aging and the plan to extend its life into the late 2020s. This report contains the outcome of the NESC Assessment."

http://nasawatch.com/archives/2016/02/trends-in-iss-a.html

Trending Study pdf

http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20160001621.pdf

bonus treat...

FAA

The Annual Compendium
of Commercial Space
Transportation: 2016

http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ast/media/2016_Compendium.pdf

6,181 · February 19, 2016

NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 17 February 2016

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The International Space Station raised its orbit again today as three crew members prepare for a March 1 landing while another trio gets ready for a March 19 launch. Meanwhile, advanced research continued inside the orbital laboratory to improve life on Earth and for future space residents.

Today's orbital reboost places the station at the correct altitude for the March 1 undocking of Soyuz Commander Sergey Volkov and One-Year crew members Scott Kelly and Mikhail Kornienko. Their undocking will leave the Poisk module's docking port vacant where a trio of Expedition 47 crew members will dock two-and-a-half weeks later inside the Soyuz TMA-20M spacecraft.

Today, the Expedition 46 crew participated in a variety of human research exploring how the heart adapts to life in space, the risk of atherosclerosis in astronauts and how microgravity affects an astronaut's vision. The crew also sampled the station's air and surfaces for microbes to learn how to prevent contamination in future spacecraft.

Another spacecraft is being prepared for departure Friday morning when it will be released from the grips of the 57.7 foot long Canadarm2 robotic arm. The Orbital ATK Cygnus cargo craft is being loaded with trash before NASA astronauts Kelly and Tim Kopra release Cygnus using the robotics controls inside the seven-window cupola. NASA Television will cover the activities live Friday beginning at 7 a.m. EST.

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Ground Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
Nominal System Commanding
System Commanding associated with ISS Reboost

Three-Day Look Ahead:
Thursday, 02/18: Node 1 CPA Install, Cygnus Hatch Closure, Microbiome, Cognition Test, RWS DCP Checkout, ELF Cartridge Install
Friday, 02/19: OA-4 unberth, EMU water conductivity test, Neuromapping setup
Saturday, 02/20: Crew Off Duty, Weekly Cleaning

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

http://spaceref.com/international-space-station/nasa-international-space-station-on-orbit-status-17-february-2016.html

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NASA TV to Broadcast U.S. Cargo Ship Departure from Space Station

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WASHINGTON, Feb. 16, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- After delivering more than 7,000 pounds of cargo to support dozens of science experiments from around the world, Orbital ATK's Cygnus cargo spacecraft is set to leave the International Space Station Friday, Feb. 19. NASA Television will provide live coverage of the event beginning at 7 a.m. EST.

The Cygnus spacecraft, which arrived at the station Dec. 9, will be detached from the Earth-facing side of the station's Unity module using the Canadarm2 robotic arm, operated by ground controllers at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. NASA's Mission Control Center will maneuver Cygnus into place and Expedition 46 robotic arm operators Scott Kelly and Tim Kopra of NASA will give the command for its 7:25 a.m. release.

Once the spacecraft is a safe distance from the station, its engines will fire twice, pushing it into Earth's atmosphere where it will burn up over the Pacific Ocean. The deorbit burn and reentry of Cygnus will not air on NASA TV.

Experiments delivered on Cygnus supported NASA and other research investigations during Expeditions 45 and 46, in areas such as biology, biotechnology, and physical and Earth science -- research that impacts life on Earth. Investigations included a new life science facility that will support studies on cell cultures, bacteria and other microorganisms, a microsatellite deployer and the first microsatellite to be deployed from the space station. Experiments exploring the behavior of gases and liquids, clarifying the thermo-physical properties of molten steel, and testing flame-resistant textiles also were delivered.

The Cygnus resupply craft launched Dec. 6 on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, for the company's fourth NASA-contracted commercial station resupply mission.

For NASA TV schedule and video streaming information, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/nasatv

For more information about Orbital ATK's mission, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/orbitalatk

For more information about the International Space Station, and its research and crews, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/station

http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/prnewswire-space-news.html?rkey=20160216DC24247&filter=1639

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NASA Plans to Light a Fire Inside a Spacecraft, Then Watch What Happens

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For the past couple of weeks, on and off, astronaut Tim Kopra has been playing with fire on the International Space Station—part of an experiment called Burning and Suppression of Solids—Milliken (BASS-M), to test how flame-retardant cotton fabrics burn in microgravity.

Why? Because fire behaves differently in space than it does on Earth. In normal gravity, hot gas rises, drawing in cool, fresh air at the base of the flame. That’s what gives flames their familiar teardrop shape. In microgravity, hot gas doesn’t rise, so flames tend to be wider, shorter, and rounder than on Earth. As a result, flames in space radiate heat differently than they do on Earth, which in turn affects how fires spread. That means materials may be more or less flammable in orbit than they are on Earth, even with the same mix of atmospheric gases.

When it comes to flammability tests, size matters. On Earth, NASA uses 5 cm by 25 cm samples of flammable material. But pieces that big aren’t allowed on the station (with some exceptions when there is no practical alternative, such as the crew’s clothing). So experiments like BASS-M (which follows up on earlier BASS combustion experiments carried out on the station from 2011 to 2013) make do with small samples, about one centimeter by three centimeters.

“The problem with small samples is that a lot of aspects of the fire don’t scale linearly, so you can’t look at a tiny, one-centimeter fire and extrapolate that to one that’s a foot wide or something,” said David Urban, a combustion researcher at NASA’s Glenn Research Center.

Scientists would like to know exactly how large-scale fires would grow and spread in microgravity, but it’s too dangerous to conduct that kind of experiment on a spacecraft with astronauts on board. Instead, safety engineers have to rely mostly on models based on how flames spread in Earth’s gravity, and on a few small combustion experiments in space.

Sometimes you just need a bigger fire. So Urban and co-investigator Gary Ruff designed the Spacecraft Fire Experiment (Saffire), a series of six tests that will ignite and study contained fires aboard returning Cygnus cargo ships (the next of which is scheduled to depart the station on Friday). When they leave the ISS, the Cygnus ships contain only trash, and they burn up during re-entry. They’re expendable, which makes them the perfect place to set a fire.

When the next Cygnus (number OA-6) launches on March 20, it will carry, along with new supplies for the station, the experimental hardware for Saffire-I. A metal box with fans at either end houses a 0.4- by 0.94-meter sheet of SIBAL cloth, a blend of 75 percent cotton and 25 percent fiberglass. Cotton is used in crew clothing, towels, and other cloth items aboard the station, and the fiberglass blend keeps the sample material from ripping and tearing as it burns. The fans will regulate airflow into and out of the fire.

After Cygnus detaches from the station in mid-May, a ground team will turn on power to the Saffire hardware and activate an electronic igniter at one corner of the SIBAL fabric. As the sample burns, instruments will measure temperature, pressure, and concentrations of oxygen and carbon dioxide near the fire. Video cameras will record the shape, growth, and spread of the flames.

The fire should consume the sample fabric and burn itself out in about two hours, but Cygnus will spend another four days in orbit, downlinking to stations on Earth so the researchers can retrieve Saffire’s experimental data before the resupply ship re-enters Earth’s atmosphere and breaks up over the Pacific.

Saffire-II is scheduled to launch on OA-7 in October. With nine smaller samples—including more SIBAL cloth, Nomex, and plexiglass—it will replicate the flammability tests that NASA conducts on Earth. That should help researchers determine how well those tests predict the materials’ flammability in microgravity.

In 2017, Saffire-III will repeat Saffire-I’s large-scale fire, but this time with a stronger airflow. Since airflow is the main factor that influences the size of flames in space, researchers expect to see larger flames in Saffire-III.

The recent BASS-M experiments have helped lay the groundwork for these first three fire experiments, just as they will prepare the way for Saffire-IV through Saffire-VI. These later missions will study how heat and pressure from large fires could affect the rest of the spacecraft cabin, and will give NASA a chance to demonstrate fire suppression technologies that it has spent the last several years developing.

http://www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet/nasa-plans-light-fire-inside-spacecraft-then-watch-what-happens-180958165/?no-ist

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Staying Alive on Tiangong 2

file image

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China's next astronauts will launch this year aboard the Shenzhou 11 spacecraft. Their target will be the Tiangong 2 space laboratory, which will probably launch at least a few weeks before them. The crew will almost certainly consist of three astronauts, with a previously flown astronaut as the commander. Exactly who these three crewmembers will be is still unclear, but the older, twice-flown astronauts can probably be ruled out.

Another important issue is also unresolved. How long will the astronauts inhabit the Tiangong 2 space laboratory?

The crew of Shenzhou 11 will be the only astronauts to visit Tiangong 2, an unusual departure from the mission of the Tiangong 1 module. Two crews were sent to Tiangong 1. Plans for just one crew expedition to the next Tiangong seem strange at face value, but there could be good reasons for it. The Tiangong program is all about staging test missions to prepare for the Chinese Space Station.

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There could be no need for a second crew to board Tiangong 2 if the first expedition is successful. Furthermore, time is running out for the Tiangong program. China seems keen to start launching the Chinese Space Station as soon as possible. The sooner the Tiangong program wraps up, the sooner China can focus on the Station. China has announced plans for a 2018 launch of the first module of the Chinese Space Station, which will grow as more modules are added.

This analyst also speculates that crew endurance and logistics are another important reason for the single crew. China probably expects that the Shenzhou 11 astronauts will be "stayin' alive" aboard Tiangong 2 for much longer than any previous Chinese space mission.

How long could these astronauts live aboard the laboratory? Tiangong 2 is a small module, and cannot realistically support the multi-month expeditions that are staged to the International Space Station. But we could expect a residency of roughly one month, at least.

This estimate is based on the crew endurance we saw for Tiangong 1. The two expeditions were roughly the equivalent of a one-month stay.

Tiangong 2 should be able to do at least as well as this. Furthermore, Tiangong 2 is expected to have a regenerative life-support system. This should extend the oxygen supply. It is not clear if Tiangong will recycle its water, as the International Space Station does. However, there will be no production or resupply of food. Thus, supplies for the astronauts to eat and drink could be the limiting factors on crew endurance.

China also plans to launch the first Tianzhou cargo ship to dock with Tiangong 2 at some point. Could supplies on board this vessel help with a longer mission?

Doubtful. This analyst expects that Tianzhou 1 will simply stage docking experiments with Tiangong 2 and probably boost its orbit with its own thruster firings. This will all happen when there is no crew on board Tiangong 2, and probably take place after the astronauts have come and gone. Tiangong 2 only has one docking port. It's not possible to have a Shenzhou crew ship and a Tianzhou cargo ship docked at the same time. It's a bit ironic, but this huge logistics ship will probably carry no crew supplies at all.

China could elect to carry some additional supplies aboard the Shenzhou 11 spacecraft, which would be consumed while the astronauts were aboard Tiangong 2. This could allow the total mission duration to be well over a month.

It would be worthwhile for China to stage a single extended mission. This would hugely extend the record for a Chinese space mission, and allow the physiological effects of an extended flight to be studied. Missions of several months are slated for the Chinese Space Station. Going for more than a month on Tiangong 2 would be a bridge to this goal.

China could fly an even longer mission by reducing the crew size to two, thus conserving the logistics. But this seems unlikely. China seems to have settled on three-person crews for its Tiangong missions. We can also expect three-person crews for the Chinese Space Station, at least in its first phases of operations.

http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Staying_Alive_on_Tiangong_2_999.html

6,181 · February 20, 2016

NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 18 February 2016

NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 18 February 2016. NASA

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The crew aboard the International Space Station is set to say farewell to a pair of spaceships over the next several days. The first spaceship, Orbital ATK's Cygnus cargo craft, is being readied for its release Friday morning. After that, the Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft will return to Earth March 1 bringing home three crew members.

Mission controllers in Houston are finalizing preparations before the 57.7 foot Canadarm2 robotic arm detaches Cygnus from the Unity module. NASA astronauts Scott Kelly and Tim Kopra will command the Canadarm2 to release Cygnus at 7:25 a.m. EDT Friday. Finally, Orbital ATK controllers in Virginia will command Cygnus to move away from the station and head towards Earth to burn up high in the atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean.

Kelly, along with cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko, is in his final days of a mission that began in March of last year. The pair will take a ride home with three-time station resident Sergey Volkov who has been aboard the orbital lab since September. When the trio lands in Kazakhstan March 1, Kelly and Kornienko will have lived in space continuously for 340 days. Volkov's mission will have lasted 182 days.

While the crew is busy with spacecraft departure activities, British astronaut Tim Peake worked on a variety of experiments today. He partnered with Kopra on a pair of experiments, one looking at how astronauts work on detailed interactive tasks and another researching cognitive performance. Peake also studied the thermophyscial properties of different metals inside Japan's Electrostatic Levitation Furnace.

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Preparation for Cygnus Unberth and Release: The Crew has configured Cygnus and the Node 1 vestibule in preparation for Cygnus departure tomorrow. This morning, the Crew removed Intermodule Ventilation, Power/Data Jumpers, and closed the Cygnus hatch. Once the hatch was closed, the Crew installed the Common Berthing Mechanism (CBM) Center Disk Cover and four CBM Controller Panel Assemblies (CPAs) onto an Active CBM bulkhead, then closed the Node 1 nadir hatch. In addition, ground teams successfully checked out the Proximity (PROX) Communication Link. Cygnus is now being powered though its Power Video Grapple Fixture (PVGF) by the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) and is ready for unberth tomorrow at approximately 4:10am CST with release planned to occur at 6:25am CST.

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Ground Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
PROX/PLS Checkout

Three-Day Look Ahead:
Friday, 02/19: OA-4 unberth, EMU water conductivity test, Neuromapping setup
Saturday, 02/20: Crew Off Duty, Weekly Cleaning
Sunday, 02/21: Crew Off Duty

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 - Override
Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Node 3 - Operate
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Lab - Idle
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3 - Operate
Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) - Process
Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) - 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-18-february-2016.html

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Commercial Cygnus space freighter leaves station after two months

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CAPE CANAVERAL — Disconnected from the International Space Station berthing port and then cast free by the robotic arm, the commercial Cygnus cargo craft flew away today after successfully restarting U.S. resupply service to the outpost.

The Orbital ATK maneuvering freighter was released from Canadarm2 at 7:26 a.m. EST (1226 GMT) some 250 miles above South America.

Ground controllers set the stage early Friday by remotely operating the arm to detach Cygnus from the Earth-facing side of the station’s Unity module at 5:40 a.m. EST. Expedition 46 crewmates Scott Kelly and Tim Kopra, working in the multi-window Cupola, then took over control for the release, which occurred from a point about 30 feet below the station.

That concluded 72 days spent at the station for the Cygnus, dubbed the SS Deke Slayton II for the late Mercury 7 astronaut.

http://spaceflightnow.com/2016/02/19/commercial-cygnus-space-freighter-leaves-station-after-two-months/

oa4depart, video is 8:58 min.

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Spaceship Takes Out Trash Before One-Year Crew Goes Home

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The Expedition 46 crew took out the trash today when it released the Orbital ATK Cygnus spacecraft from the grips of the International Space Station’s Canadarm2 robotic arm. In less than two weeks, another spacecraft will leave returning three crew members back to Earth.

The Cygnus was filled with trash and discarded gear over the last few days before the hatches were closed Thursday. Ground controllers then remotely guided the Canadarm2 to grapple Cygnus and detach it from the Unity module.

NASA astronauts Scott Kelly and Tim Kopra commanded the Canadarm2 to release Cygnus today at 7:26 a.m. EST when it began gracefully departing the vicinity of the station. Orbital ATK controllers in Virginia will guide Cygnus into the Earth’s atmosphere Saturday morning where it will safely burn up high over the Pacific Ocean.

Kelly and a pair of cosmonauts Mikhail Kornienko and Sergey Volkov now turn their attention to their March 1 homecoming. They will be packing the Soyuz TMA-18M with science experiments and personal items for the ride home. Kelly and Kornienko will be completing 340 consecutive days in space, while Volkov will be wrapping up 182 days in orbit.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/

6,181 · February 22, 2016

NASA ISS Space to Ground Weekly Report - 19 February 2016

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

Got a question or comment? Use #spacetoground to talk to us.

http://spaceref.com/international-space-station/nasa-iss-space-to-ground-weekly-report---19-february-2016.html

Space to Ground: Cygnus Farewell: 02/19/2016

video is 2:25 min.

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Bermuda Viewed From Orbit

Bermuda as photographed by Astronaut Tim Peake aboard the International Space Station.

Credits: ESA/NASA

http://spaceref.com/onorbit/bermuda-viewed-from-orbit.html

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HoloLens in space: NASA astronaut Scott Kelly dons Microsoft’s holographic headset

NASA’s Scott Kelly wearing a HoloLens headset on the International Space Station. (Via Microsoft)

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Microsoft this morning posted an initial picture of NASA astronaut Scott Kelly wearing the company’s HoloLens holographic headset on the International Space Station — part of a collaboration between the Redmond company and the U.S. space administration.

The initiative, dubbed “Sidekick,” currently uses the HoloLens in two modes: “Remote Expert Mode,” which connects to operators on the ground who can see what the astronaut is viewing through the HoloLens and annotate the scene to provide real-time guidance for complicated tasks; and “Procedure Mode,” which augments the view through the HoloLens with animated holographic illustrations, on top of the real world.

Earlier this week, Microsoft’s Alex Kipman demonstrated HoloLens at the TED conference in Vancouver, B.C., showing an example of “holographic teleportation.” Microsoft will be delivering $3,000 HoloLens kits to developers sometime this quarter, but the company has yet to announce a price or launch date for the consumer versions.

http://www.geekwire.com/2016/hololens-in-space-first-pictures-of-astronaut-scott-kelly-wearing-microsofts-holographic-headset/

6,181 · February 22, 2016

Paragon Space Development Corporation Wins NASA ISS Water Processor Development Contract

Quote

Press Release From: Paragon Space Development Corporation
Posted: Sunday, February 21, 2016

NASA has awarded Paragon with a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase III contract for the patented Ionomer-membrane Water Processor (IWP) System. IWP will provide the platform for up to 98% water recovery in future deep space exploration missions with its initial application planned for installment on the International Space Station (ISS).

“Paragon’s mission is to provide these best-of-class solutions for life support in any extreme environment such as in space, underwater, or underground. Recycled, clean water is one of the key elements to human survival and with this program we will be able to provide the solution that provides that water reliably over long durations,” said Grant Anderson, Paragon President and CEO. “We are excited to have NASA acknowledge our advancements in this technology and benefiting from the SBIR investments by going the next step to implementation with this contract.”

“Paragon’s original concept was to develop the technology that would improve and simplify water recovery processes for space applications. IWP will do just that by providing near complete removal of water from highly contaminated wastewater. The same technology can be used for in-situ processing of water recovered on Mars or asteroids,” said Laura Kelsey, IWP Program Manager.

With this Phase III contract Paragon reaffirms its commitment to advancing SBIR innovations into the commercial market and applying them to today’s technical challenges.

Non-space uses include water recovery and purification for a multitude of industries thereby benefiting people and companies on Earth.

Paragon Space Development Corporation® is a premier provider of environmental control components and systems for extreme and hazardous environments.
www.ParagonSDC.com

// end //

http://spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=47982

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

Hey NASA: Lots of People Want To Be Astronauts

Quote

"More than 18,300 people applied to join NASA's 2017 astronaut class, almost three times the number of applications received in 2012 for the most recent astronaut class, and far surpassing the previous record of 8,000 in 1978. "It's not at all surprising to me that so many Americans from diverse backgrounds want to personally contribute to blazing the trail on our journey to Mars," said NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden, himself a former astronaut. "A few exceptionally talented men and women will become the astronauts chosen in this group who will once again launch to space from U.S. soil on American-made spacecraft."

Keith's note: Of the 18,300 applications NASA will pick - at most - a dozen candidates. And those new NASA astronauts that are selected can expect to wait nearly 20 years before they go on the #JourneyToMars or wherever. One has to assume that most of the people applying knew it was a long shot. Many probably did it so that they could get the rejection letter (larger image) to frame and show people that they tried. Many more, however, really, really, REALLY would like to fly in space.

NASA did a good job via social media in pumping people to apply. But what is NASA going to do with this interest once reality sets in and 99.9% of the applicants get the rejection letter? Think about it - a marketing plan (oh wait, NASA is not supposed to that) - an education and public outreach (EPO) effort - has just identified 18,300 people who want to fly in space. I suspect the real number out there has multiple zeros after it. That said, NASA now knows who these 18,300 people are. They applied for a job, so all manner of government privacy regulations kick in. As such, NASA probably can't do a damn thing with this priceless information. Or maybe they can.

NASA has done a lot of #NASASocial stuff. It is useful, but I think it has reached the limit of its effectiveness. NASA now needs to enlist a more robust, personal, one-on-one approach to its EPO efforts. NASA has/had a "solar system ambassadors" program as well as other EPO programs that enlisted interested educators and citizens. Guess what: 18,300 potential participants just popped up on NASA's radar screen.

Again: 18,300 citizens just said that they want to fly on a NASA rocket. What is NASA going to do with this influx of self-identified and overtly-avowed space explorers?

clay.letter.l.jpg

http://nasawatch.com/archives/2016/02/lots-of-people-1.html

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

ISS Study Aims For Answers Behind Blood Cell Changes and Bone Marrow Loss in Space

ESA astronaut Tim Peake tweeted picture of his first blood draw completed in space. The sample was taken as part of the MARROW investigation. Credit: NASA

Quote

Exercise is known to boost endorphins (those “feel good” chemicals), improve mental performance, and shape physical appearance. Humans may “feel” and “see” the effects of consistent exercise but the benefits go much deeper than that. Exercise promotes the production of red and white blood cells, which boosts the immune system and enables oxygen intake. These blood cells are produced in bone marrow alongside fat cells. The production of fat cells comes at the expense of vital blood-producing cells and has been documented in astronauts returning from spaceflight.

An investigation sponsored by the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) called the Marrow study (Bone Marrow Adipose Reaction: Red Or White?) is currently taking place on the International Space Station (ISS) to determine if microgravity has a negative effect on bone marrow and blood cell production. Determining the cause for this and finding a preventative solution can benefit healthcare providers on Earth and researchers working to prepare humans for long duration missions in microgravity.

Living and working in microgravity is no easy task, and to top it off astronauts must exercise an average of two hours every day to prevent bone and muscle loss. The effects of long-duration spaceflight on astronauts range from nausea and vomiting to deterioration of the skeleton. Exercise helps to offset the unpleasant side effects that accompany the uncomfortable adjustment to living in weightlessness.

Astronauts on the ISS choose running as one of their primary sources of exercise because it improves bone, muscle, and cardiovascular health. In April 2007, NASA astronaut Sunita Williams ran the Boston Marathon (26.2 miles or 42 kilometers) while aboard the ISS during Expedition 14. She completed the first marathon in space using the Treadmill with Vibration Isolation and Stabilization System (TVIS), which had a stabilizing system that minimized the transfer of vibrations and micro-acceleration to the structure of the orbiting laboratory. Then, in 2009, the Combined Operational Load Bearing External Resistance Treadmill (COLBERT) was installed on the space station. Current ISS inhabitant and European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Tim Peake will run the 2016 London Marathon from space on April 24.

more at...

http://www.americaspace.com/?p=91655

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Send your computer code into space with astronaut Tim Peake

Quote

The UK Space Agency, ESA, and the Raspberry Pi Foundation have announced a second competition for UK school children to write code that will fly with Tim Peake on the International Space Station.

Last year, leading UK space organisations joined forces with British ESA Astronaut Tim Peake and Raspberry Pi Foundation to offer students a chance to code their own computer science experiments to be run in space. Two augmented Raspberry Pi computers, called Astro Pis, have been flown to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of Tim's mission. They are each equipped with different cameras and a range of sensors that the students can use in a wide variety of experiments. By making the Astro Pi available to students, they have a unique opportunity to work with the same hardware that Tim Peake is using on the ISS.

Seven winning programs, now part of the Astro Pi payload, blasted off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Base in Florida on December 6th last year. The students' projects are incredibly creative, ranging from fun reaction time games to real science experiments, such as looking at radiation in space. Find out about the winners and their experiments here.

Tim Peake deployed the first Astro Pi in the ISS Columbus laboratory on the 2nd of February and it's been running student code for about two weeks. The second one will be deployed on February 16th in the Harmony Node 2 module and will run Earth observation experiments, looking through the Nadir Hatch window.

After the success of the first competition, Tim is now looking for more students to write code for him to run in space. The Astro Pi Coding Challenges, launched on February 3rd, pose a specific problem to the students and asks them to solve it with code.

This approach differs from the 2015 competition, where students were given an open-ended brief to come up with their own ideas for experiments. This time, Tim has a particular task in mind for them. The winners will have their code uploaded to the ISS and used by Tim on the Astro Pi computers (on a best-effort basis subject to operational constraints).

There are currently two challenges on offer, which are both music-based. The first asks students to write Python code to turn the Astro Pi into an MP3 music player, something that it was never designed for. The students will need to program the buttons, joystick and LED display to provide an iPod-like interface, so that Tim can plug in headphones and listen to music. The second challenge requires students to compose their own music using a tool called Sonic Pi . This allows music to be created using lines of code, and is a really fun and engaging way to learn to program.

Tim will then use the MP3 player code from the first challenge to listen to the second challenge's music on board the ISS.

The competition is open to all primary and secondary school-age students who are resident in the United Kingdom, and it's supported by a comprehensive range of teaching resources that are available for free on the Astro Pi website . The deadline for submissions is March 31st.

The competition is being run across four age categories - 11 years and under, 11 to 14 years, 14 to 16 years and 16 to 18 years - with a winner selected from each for both challenges. In total, four

MP3 players and a minimum of four songs will be uploaded and played by Tim in space - the most exclusive concert venue imaginable.

Tim Peake said: "This competition offers a unique chance for young people to learn core computing skills that will be extremely useful in their future. It's going to be a lot of fun!"

Libby Jackson from UK Space Agency said: "We are excited that the Astro Pi project is being extended to allow more students the opportunity to see their code in space. There were some fantastic ideas in the first competition and I am sure that the new challenges will see more interesting ideas be submitted."

David Honess from Raspberry Pi Foundation said:

"Tim told us that the software for updating his MP3 player is not approved for the ISS laptops, so he's potentially facing another four months without any new music. So there's a practical, utilitarian purpose for having the students code this MP3 player for him. It'll solve a real problem on the space station."

http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Send_your_computer_code_into_space_with_astronaut_Tim_Peake_999.html

6,181 · February 23, 2016

NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 22 February 2016

Quote

Over the weekend, Expedition 46 commander Scott Kelly worked with ground controllers to successfully checkout the Sidekick device and internet connectivity.

The project, which makes use of Microsoft's HoloLens device, aims to enable station crews with assistance when and where they need it. This new capability could reduce crew training requirements and increase the efficiency at which astronauts can work in space.

Also on Saturday, Orbital ATK's Cygnus resupply vehicle successfully deorbited at approximately 10:53 a.m. EST.

The crew engaged in a variety of scientific experiments on Monday, including research into colloidal structures vital to the design of advanced materials, human research on astronaut heart health and overall body changes, and protecting human fitness during long-duration spaceflight.

Kelly and his fellow Expedition 46 crew mates Mikhail Kornienko and Sergey Volkov are continuing to prepare for their landing on March 1, U.S. time. The landing will wrap up Kelly and Kornienko's yearlong stay in space.

Quote

Cygnus Destructive Re-Entry: On Saturday, Cygnus completed its De-Orbit Delta-V (DDV)-1 burn at 4:32 am CST. The spacecraft then crossed the Entry Interface and destructively re-entered the atmosphere at approximately 9:53 am CST.

Urine Processing Assembly UPA Status: On Sunday, UPA faulted out due to belt slippage between the distillation assembly and its motor. After faulting out 3 times, the ground team stood down from additional process attempts and directed the crew to configure Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC) to store urine via internal tank [EDB-Y]. Ground teams are currently assessing a forward troubleshooting plan.

Sidekick Checkout: Over the weekend, Kelly worked with ground teams to successfully checkout the Sidekick device and its internet connectivity. All test objectives were successfully met in order to verify connectivity and make SKYPE calls, including a nonstop call of approximately 27 minutes. The goal of the Sidekick investigation is to evaluate the use of new technology that has the potential to increase the efficiency of crew activities related to the daily execution of science, maintenance, and other ISS operations.

Russian Joint Research (RJR) Microbiological Sampling: Today Malenchenko performed visual analysis and data processing of the incubated samples from last week's Microbial Air Sampler (MAS) and Surface Sample Kit (SSK) activities. These surface and air samples support a microbiological assessment of the ISS and are performed as part of a joint cooperative research program between NASA and the Russian Space Agency. Following this activity, Kopra packed the samples for return on 44S.

Crew Departure Preparation: Kelly prepared and labeled cargo items for return to the ground via Soyuz 44 (44S). He also packed his personal items for return, which will be split between 44S, SpaceX-8, and SpaceX-9 vehicles.

Water Processing Assembly (WPA) Catalytic Reactor Remove and Replace (R&R) Preparation: Today, Kopra gathered equipment and tools needed in preparation for the WPA Catalytic Reactor R&R activity scheduled tomorrow. In addition, he worked to prepare the Treadmill 2 (T2) and Water Recovery System (WRS)-1 Racks for rotation. The WPA Catalytic Reactor has been suspected of leaking since November, and has shown signs of increased leakage the past few weeks.

Quote

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

Three-Day Look Ahead:
Tuesday, 02/23: Crew Departure Prep, WPA CAT Reactor R&R, Airway Monitoring Setup
Wednesday, 02/24: Crew Departure Prep, Post CAT Reactor R&R Cleanup, SABL, Airway Monitoring Setup
Thursday, 02/25: Crew Departure Prep, 44S Prepack, Airway Monitoring

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 - Override
Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Node 3 - Operate
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Lab - Idle
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3 - Operate
Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) - Shutdown
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-22-february-2016.html

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

Repair Tasks Dominate Tuesday for Expedition 46

Quote

The crew of Expedition 46 was engaged in a variety of repair tasks today across the orbiting laboratory. ESA astronaut Tim Peake replaced cables in the station’s Advanced Resistive Exercise Device, the primary tool for astronaut resistive exercise vital for maintaining bone and muscle mass while in microgravity. NASA astronauts Scott Kelly and Tim Kopra worked to replace key components in the station’s Water Processing Assembly.

Peake also set up units for the NASA Space Automated Bioproduct Laboratory (SABL), which is capable of supporting life science research on microorganisms, small organisms, animal cells, tissue cultures and small plants.

Meanwhile, Scott Kelly and Mikhail Kornienko are just one week away from the conclusion of their one-year mission. The pair are set to land in Kazakhstan at 11:27 p.m. EST March 1.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2016/02/23/repair-tasks-dominate-tuesday-for-expedition-46/

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

NASA Space Program Now Requires Russian Language

Quote

Russian will become a mandatory subject in NASA's space training program, the US space agency announced on its website on Saturday, adding that all those wishing to fly to space should learn the Russian language.

More than 18,300 people applied to join NASA's 2017 astronaut class, almost three times the number of applications received in 2012 for the most recent astronaut class, and far surpassing the previous record of 8,000 in 1978, NASA said.

"It's not at all surprising to me that so many Americans from diverse backgrounds want to personally contribute to blazing the trail on our journey to Mars," said NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, a former space shuttle commander, in a statement.

After reporting at the Johnson Space Center in Houston the astronaut candidates will go through about two years of initial training on spacecraft systems, spacewalking skills and teamwork, Russian language and other requisite skills, he added.

Applications closed Thursday and the names of the lucky wannabes few will be announced next year with preference given to professional pilots, engineers, scientists and doctors.

http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/NASA_Space_Program_Now_Requires_Russian_Language_999.html

This should have been done long ago.....

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

NASA, Made in Space think big with Archinaut, a robotic 3D printing demo bound for ISS

A Made in Space artist's concepts of so-called Archinauts 3D-printing satellite reflectors in space.

Quote

MOFFETT FIELD, California — Within five years, companies could begin in-orbit manufacturing and assembly of communications satellite reflectors or other large structures, according to Made in Space, the Silicon Valley startup that sent the first 3D printer to the International Space Station in 2014.

As Made in Space prepares to send a second 3D printer into orbit, the company is beginning work with Northrop Grumman and Oceaneering Space Systems on Archinaut, an ambitious effort to build a 3D printer equipped with a robotic arm that the team plans to install in an external space station pod, under a two-year, $20 million NASA contract. The project will culminate in 2018 with an on-orbit demonstration of Archinaut’s ability to additively manufacture and assemble a large, complex structure, said Andrew Rush, Made in Space president.

NASA’s selected the Archinaut project, officially known as Versatile In-Space Robotic Precision Manufacturing and Assembly System, as part of its Tipping Points campaign, which funds demonstrations of space-related technologies on the verge of offering significant payoffs for government and commercial applications. Archinaut was one of three projects NASA selected in November that focus on robotic manufacturing and assembly of spacecraft and structures in orbit.

“We are attempting to change the way we build space systems,” Steve Jurcyk, associate administrator for NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate, said Feb. 19 during a press briefing at Made in Space’s office in the NASA Ames Research Park, Moffett Field, California. “Now, we build things on the ground and launch them using fairly expensive and complicated rockets. We are seeking to create an infrastructure to build systems in space rather than launching them.”

That type of infrastructure would enable NASA and private space companies to launch the raw materials used in additive manufacturing along with certain high-value components like sensors, electronics and batteries. Once in orbit, robotic arms would mate the parts sent from Earth with additively manufactured elements, said Howard Eller, chief architect for advanced concepts at Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems.

If on-orbit manufacturing and assembly are possible, they could revolutionize spacecraft design because engineers would no longer need to create structures capable of withstanding the force of Earth’s gravity before they launch, fitting inside a rocket fairing or withstanding the vibration and acoustic forces of launch, Jurcyk said.

Archinaut is a first step on that path. Made in Space is building Archinaut’s 3D printer, which it plans to mate with a manipulator arm built by Oceaneering Space Systems. Northrop Grumman is providing systems engineering, control electronics, software, testing and assistance with Archinaut’s space station interface.

If tests in 2018 prove Archinaut performs as intended, Made in Space and its partners hope to continue the project by enlarging the additive manufacturing element and equipping it with additional robotic arms. Eventually, the companies envision a version of Archinaut with three robotic arms capable of latching onto orbiting structures to add or remove components, which eventually would enable companies to remove parts from decommissioned spacecraft and use the parts in new spacecraft, Eller said.

That scenario offers the added benefit of cleaning up debris. “The problem with debris is that no one has an economic incentive to get rid of the stuff,” Eller said. “If you can reuse the parts, there is an economic incentive because it costs $100 million to get all the stuff up there in the first place.”

http://spacenews.com/nasa-made-in-space-think-big-with-archinaut-a-robotic-3d-printing-demo-bound-for-iss/

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

MEI Technologies, Inc. celebrates successful satellite deployment

Quote

Press Release From: MEI Technologies
Posted: Tuesday, February 23, 2016

MEI Technologies, Inc. (MEIT), an advanced technology company, recently celebrated the successful deployment of two satellites – built by two Texas universities – from the International Space Station. This mission, named the Low Earth Orbiting Navigation Experiment for Spacecraft Testing Autonomous Rendezvous and Docking (LONESTAR) investigation, is comprised of Texas A&M University’s AggieSat4 satellite and University of Texas’ Bevo-2 satellite. MEIT serves as the Universities’ mentor under the NASA JSC Engineering, Technology, and Science (JETS) contract managed by Jacobs Technology.

The purpose of the LONESTAR mission – which is the second of four missions of the LONESTAR investigation project – is for the two satellites to talk, take pictures and track each other while moving closely together. Ultimately, the LONESTAR project will demonstrate the capability of satellites to autonomously rendezvous and dock with each other, saving man hours and eliminating human error.

“We are proud and excited to collaborate with NASA and Texas engineering students on the LONESTAR project,” said MEIT engineer and lead mentor Zane Singleton. “The success of this project will allow for exciting applications, benefiting NASA, the Military, and the commercial space industry.”

MEIT’s mentorship role on the LONESTAR project is to provide guidance and oversee the design and build of the satellites, as well as take the project through NASA testing, integration and safety processes and requirements.

The MEIT engineers who support this university program work for MEIT on the Department of Defense (DoD) Human Exploration Payloads (DHEP) contract. On this prime contract for the company, MEIT supports the U.S. Air Force through payload integration and integrating DoD experiments. The same expertise also support MEIT’s spin-off company, Alpha Space, serving the materials science community with on-orbit, real-time pure materials science research.

Prior to this mission, MEIT mentored LONESTAR’s first mission – named DRAGONSat – successfully launching and deploying satellites AggieSat2 and Bevo-1 on the Shuttle.

Photo caption: Pictured is the LONESTAR satellite just after the robotic arm in Japan's Kibo laboratory deployed it from the Space Station on the morning of Jan. 29. Photo credit: ESA/NASA

About MEI Technologies, Inc.
MEI Technologies, Inc. (MEIT) is a nationwide Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) technology company with over twenty years of experience serving DOD, NASA and commercial customers with a depth of capability, flexibility, quality and service. Headquartered in Houston, MEIT has operations in Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Ohio and Texas. MEIT offers innovative, best-value services and solutions in engineering services, test and evaluation, space access, cyber and C4ISR solutions, and modeling and simulation.

// end //

http://spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=47989

6,181 · February 24, 2016

NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 23 February 2016

Quote

The crew of Expedition 46 was engaged in a variety of repair tasks today across the orbiting laboratory.

ESA astronaut Tim Peake replaced cables in the station's Advanced Resistive Exercise Device, the primary tool for astronaut resistive exercise vital for maintaining bone and muscle mass while in microgravity. NASA astronauts Scott Kelly and Tim Kopra worked to replace key components in the station's Water Processing Assembly.

Peake also set up units for the NASA Space Automated Bioproduct Laboratory (SABL), which is capable of supporting life science research on microorganisms, small organisms, animal cells, tissue cultures and small plants.

Meanwhile, Scott Kelly and Mikhail Kornienko are just one week away from the conclusion of their one-year mission. The pair are set to land in Kazakhstan at 11:27 p.m. EST March 1.

Quote

Space Automated Bioproduct Laboratory (SABL): Today, for the NASA SABL facility, Peake set up two SABL units in in the US Laboratory module and configured power, data, and thermal connections to the rack. SABL is an upgrade to the long standing ISS incubator, Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus (CGBA). SABL supports a wide variety of experiments in the life, physical and material sciences with a focus on supporting research of biological systems and processes. SABL is capable of supporting life science research on microorganisms, small organisms, animal cells, tissue cultures and small plants.

Fine Motor Skills: Peake completed a session of the Fine Motor Skills experiment today. He performed a series of interactive tasks on a touchscreen tablet. This investigation is the first fine motor skills study to measure long-term microgravity exposure, different phases of microgravity adaptation, and sensorimotor recovery after returning to Earth gravity.

Water Processing Assembly (WPA) Catalytic Reactor Remove and Replace (R&R): Kelly and Kopra performed a WPA Catalytic Reactor R&R this morning. In addition, they took advantage of the access and replaced a degraded Gas Separator and Reactor Health Sensor within the Water Recovery System (WRS)-1 Rack, then cleaned the rack's Avionics Air Assembly (AAA) inlet. The crew was ahead of today's timeline and proceeded with activities originally scheduled for tomorrow by installing a filter kit and performed an inspection on the failed Catalytic Reactor, then dried free standing water which was found within the unit. The WPA Catalytic Reactor had been suspected of leaking since November, and had shown signs of increased leakage the past few weeks. Ground teams have since activated WPA and will be performing a series of checks on the system overnight.

Quote

Ground Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
WPA Checkout

Three-Day Look Ahead:
Wednesday, 02/24: Crew Departure Prep, Post CAT Reactor R&R Cleanup, SABL, Airway Monitoring Setup
Thursday, 02/25: Crew Departure Prep, 44S Prepack, Airway Monitoring
Friday, 02/26: Crew Departure Prep, Airway Monitoring Cleanup, Soyuz Descent Drill, JEM Stowage Frame Install

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 - Override
Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Node 3 - Operate
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Lab - Idle
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3 - Operate
Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) - Shutdown
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-23-february-2016.html

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

Quote

Date Event

February 19, 2016 Cygnus Orb-4 Unberthing & Free Flight

March 2, 2016 Soyuz M-18M Landing (Volkov, Kornienko, Kelly)

March 7, 2016 Satellite Deployment

March 19, 2016 Soyuz TMA-20M Launch & Docking (Ovchinin, Skripochka, Williams)

March 23, 2016 Cygnus OA-6 Launch atop Atlas V

March 25, 2016 Cygnus OA-6 Rendezvous, Capture & Berthing to Node 1

March 29. 2016 Progress M-29M Undocking from Zvezda

March 31, 2016 Progress MS-2 Launch & Docking to Zvezda

April 1, 2016 Dragon SpX-8 Launch atop Falcon 9

April 3, 2016 Dragon SpX-8 Capture & Berthing to Harmony

April 22, 2016 Dragon SpX-8 Departure & Landing

April/May Dragon SpX-9

http://spaceflight101.com/iss/iss-calendar/

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

Former astronauts Buzz Aldrin, Chris Hadfield share words with Alberta crowd

Quote

LETHBRIDGE, Alta. - Former astronaut Buzz Aldrin says it's critical for space exploration to continue and he will work towards that goal.
Aldrin and retired Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield were speakers Tuesday at a management development lecture in Lethbridge, Alta.
Aldrin, 85, was among the first people in space in the 1960s and the second person to walk on the moon as part of the historic NASA Apollo 11 moon landing mission in July 1969.
He says he's hopeful that one day there will be a manned base on the moon and a manned mission to Mars.
Hadfield was inspired to become an astronaut by Aldrin and Neil Armstrong's moon walk. He was the first Canadian to command the International Space Station during his six-month mission from December 2012 to May 2013.
He also flew aboard the Space Shuttle and completed two walks in space.

Quote

Aldrin said he believes problems on Earth can be worked out by countries working together in space.
"I have stuck with a desire for a better space program. I took an obligation to serve my country and that has extended to the space-faring world, resolving frictions by working together in space."

http://www.brandonsun.com/national/breaking-news/former-astronauts-buzz-aldrin-chris-hadfield-share-words-with-alberta-crowd-369895891.html

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

Miramar
California, USA

Quote

The Marine Corps Air Station in Miramar is just a few miles from downtown San Diego. Before it was a Marine Corps air station, it was the home of the U.S. Navy’s prestigious TOPGUN program.

February 24, 2016

Gonna be so cool to see Cygnus + Dragon berthed at the same time! \o/

6,181 · February 24, 2016

2 hours ago, Beittil said:

Gonna be so cool to see Cygnus + Dragon berthed at the same time! \o/

we'll also have the BEAM as well.....that will be our warm up for Dragon2...

39,150 · February 24, 2016

And SpaceX sold 5 more CRS-1 missions to NASA, now totalling 20.

6,181 · February 25, 2016

NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 24 February 2016

nasa_iss_on_orbit_status_report_022416_9

Earth observation taken during a night pass by the Expedition 46 crew aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Astronaut Scott Kelly posted this photo on Twitter with the caption, "#CentralAmerica you were particularly brilliant this morning! #YearInSpace". Credit: NASA/Scott Kelly.

Quote

Three International Space Station crew members, two of whom have been in orbit nearly a year, will complete their stay in space March 1. As they prepare for landing, the Expedition 46 crew is moving right along with human research, advanced space science and ongoing lab maintenance.

One-Year crew mates Commander Scott Kelly and Flight Engineer Mikhail Kornienko will join Soyuz Commander Sergey Volkov for a ride back to Earth Tuesday. They will undock inside the Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft and land in Kazakhstan carrying personal items and science for analysis.

Kelly joined NASA astronaut Tim Kopra for some plumbing work throughout Wednesday. Kelly also participated in blood, urine and saliva sample collections to help doctors understand how living in space affects the human body.

British astronaut Tim Peake, who will be staying in space till June, began checking out new science gear that will support new biology research. Peake also set up hardware for an experiment that explores the risk of airway inflammation in astronauts.

Quote

Water Process Assembly (WPA) Status: Following yesterday's WPA Catalytic Reactor replacement, the WPA successfully completed a process cycle and is working nominally. In addition, the crew returned Treadmill 2 (T2) and Water Recovery System (WRS)-1 Racks back to their nominal configuration.

Airway Monitoring: Peake completed setup of a camera and hardware for Airway Monitoring in the US Airlock in preparation for Kopra and Peake to complete an Airway Monitoring session tomorrow. The primary goal of the 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.

Space Automated Bioproduct Laboratory (SABL): Today, Peake initiated a two week checkout of the new NASA SABL facility in the US Laboratory but the SABL hardware was powered off after the hardware temperature rose beyond the nominal range. Ground experts are investigating. SABL is required for use with the Micro-10 investigation that has hardware arriving on the SpaceX-8 vehicle. It is an upgrade to the long standing ISS incubator, Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus (CGBA). SABL supports a wide variety of experiments in the life, physical and material sciences with a focus on supporting research of biological systems and processes. It is capable of supporting life science research on microorganisms, small organisms, animal cells, tissue cultures and small plants.

Electrostatic Levitation Furnace (ELF): JAXA's Ground team was not successful yesterday in checking out the ELF levitation control function. Today's checkout activities have been deferred while ground experts investigate the cause of the issues observed. The ELF is an experimental facility designed to levitate, melt and solidify materials employing containerless processing techniques that use the electrostatic levitation method with charged samples and electrodes. With this facility, thermophysical properties of high temperature melts can be measured and solidification from deeply undercooled melts can be achieved.

Quote

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

Three-Day Look Ahead:
Thursday, 02/25: Crew Departure Prep, 44S Prepack, Airway Monitoring
Friday, 02/26: Crew Departure Prep, Airway Monitoring Cleanup, Soyuz Descent Drill, JEM Stowage Frame Install
Saturday, 02/27: Crew Off Duty, Weekly Cleaning, Airway Monitoring Cleanup, Soyuz Descent Drill, JEM Stowage Frame Install

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 - Override
Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Node 3 - Operate
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Lab - Idle
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3 - Operate
Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) - Shutdown
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-february-2016.html

Space Station Live: Making High-Tech Devices Cooler

video is 5:51 min.

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

Tweets from space, open each in new tab....editor again.....

https://twitter.com/astro_tim/status/702246866927403008/photo/1

https://twitter.com/astro_timpeake/status/701864119222345731/photo/1

https://twitter.com/astro_timpeake/status/702218781142204418/photo/1

https://twitter.com/StationCDRKelly/status/702283186093555712/photo/1

6,181 · February 27, 2016

NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 25 February 2016

Quote

A pair of astronauts is exploring breathing risks during long term space missions today while a trio of crew members is packing a Soyuz spacecraft for the return home.

NASA astronaut and two-time space station resident Tim Kopra joined first-time British astronaut for the Airway Monitoring experiment. That study explores the risk of breathing in toxic dust during future crewed missions to Mars which can possibly upset a crew member's respiratory system.

Kopra and Peake will be staying in space until June with cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko. They will become the Expedition 47 crew when a pair of One-Year crew members and a veteran cosmonaut undock in their Soyuz spacecraft and return to Earth next week.

Station Commander Scott Kelly and Flight Engineer Mikhail Kornienko are set to complete 340 days in space when they land in Kazakhstan on March 1 U.S. time. Cosmonaut Sergey Volkov, who will lead the duo home inside the Soyuz TMA-18 spacecraft, will have lived in space for 182 days.

Quote

Airway Monitoring: Kopra and Peake completed a European Space Agency (ESA) Airway Monitoring session which began this morning when the crewmembers assembled a Lithium Hydroxide (LIOH) canister and portable fan assembly to prepare for carbon dioxide removal in the US Airlock. Subsequently, Nitric Oxide (NO) measurements were taken of both crewmembers at nominal and reduced pressures in the Airlock. The primary goal of the Airway Monitoring experiment is to determine how gravity and microgravity influence the turnover of Nitric Oxide 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 Nitric Oxide analysis, the present study is highly relevant for astronaut health in future space programs.

Payload Network Attached Storage (NAS) Deployment: Kelly began deployment of the Payload NAS at the Laboratory Module aft bulkhead location. The large storage device will be utilized for storing ISS Experiment data.

44 Soyuz (44S) Prepack: Kelly continued prepacking items in 44S in preparation for return to Earth next Tuesday, March 1.

Quote

Ground Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
Airway Monitoring support

Three-Day Look Ahead:
Friday, 02/26: Crew Departure Prep, Airway Monitoring Cleanup, Soyuz Descent Drill, JEM Stowage Frame Install Part 1, BASS
Saturday, 02/27: Crew off duty, weekly cleaning
Sunday, 02/28: Crew off duty

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 - Override
Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Node 3 - Operate
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Lab - Idle
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3 - Operate
Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) - Shutdown
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-25-february-2016.html

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

Tropical Cyclone Winston Seen From Orbit

Tropical Cyclone Winston EUMETSAT

Quote

Composite image of Category 5 Tropical Cyclone Winston, as it made landfall over Fiji at 06:00 UTC on Saturday, 20 February 2016.

Infrared data from the geostationary satellites of EUMETSAT, JMA and NOAA overlays a computer-generated model of the Earth, containing NASA's Blue Marble Next Generation imagery. Copyright: 2016 EUMETSAT

http://spaceref.com/onorbit/tropical-cyclone-winston-seen-from-orbit.html

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

Crew Explores Breathing Risks of Long-Term Space Mission

Quote

A pair of astronauts is exploring breathing risks during long term space missions today while a trio of crew members is packing a Soyuz spacecraft for the return home.

NASA astronaut and two-time space station resident Tim Kopra joined first-time British astronaut for the Airway Monitoring experiment. That study explores the risk of breathing in toxic dust during future crewed missions to Mars which can possibly upset a crew member’s respiratory system.

Kopra and Peake will be staying in space until June with cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko. They will become the Expedition 47 crew when a pair of One-Year crew members and a veteran cosmonaut undock in their Soyuz spacecraft and return to Earth next week.

Station Commander Scott Kelly and Flight Engineer Mikhail Kornienko are set to complete 340 days in space when they land in Kazakhstan on March 1 U.S. time. Cosmonaut Sergey Volkov, who will lead the duo home inside the Soyuz TMA-18 spacecraft, will have lived in space for 182 days.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2016/02/25/crew-explores-breathing-risks-of-long-term-space-mission/

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

tweets from space, open in another tab

https://twitter.com/Volkov_ISS/status/702630262136545284/photo/1

https://twitter.com/StationCDRKelly/status/702474327686565888/photo/1

https://twitter.com/astro_timpeake/status/702590476650729473/photo/1

6,181 · February 29, 2016

Year-in-Space Astronaut Scott Kelly Packs for Home, Skips Souvenir

scott-kelly-kornienko-volkov.jpg?interpo

NASA astronaut Scott Kelly (left) and Roscosmos cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko (right) are set to land back on Earth after nearly a year in space, returning together with cosmonaut Sergey Volkov on March 1, 2016.

Credit: NASA

Quote

Scott Kelly isn't bringing home a souvenir of his year in space.

The NASA astronaut, who has been living and working on the International Space Station since March 2015, is set to return home to Earth on Tuesday (March 1) after 340 days circling the planet. Kelly is the first American to embark on such a long mission and, together with Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko is the first to stay for nearly a year at the orbiting outpost.

"I don't look at souvenirs that have been flown in space the same [way] that other people do, only because I've been in space so many times," Kelly explained Thursday (Feb. 25) in a press conference from the space station. "I absolutely understand why other people do and I respect that, but the fact that I've been here four times and well over 500 days, it doesn't have the same meaning to me." [Ape Escape in Space! Watch Astronaut Scott Kelly's Hilarious Video Hijinks]

"So, I really do not have anything personal for myself that I have flown. I have stuff other people have given me and I look forward to returning those items when I get back," he said, replying to a question from collectSPACE.

His choice to forgo his own memento aside, Kelly is busy packing for his return home. Together with Kornienko and Sergey Volkov (who has been in space since September), Kelly will depart the station and land on the snow-covered steppe of Kazakhstan on board Russia's Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft.

The descent capsule only has enough room for the three crew members and a limited amount of their cargo.

"There is not a lot of volume in the Soyuz, but we do have a lot of small items that we return," Kelly said in an earlier media interview this week. "Generally, we can bring about a kilogram and a half [3.3 pounds] of stuff on the Soyuz that are personal items and in some cases are things that people have given us."

"For me, most of the stuff I will bring on the Soyuz home is the stuff that flew up with me on the Soyuz," he said.

Although the space station has a much larger volume than Kelly's ride home — NASA likens it to a conventional six-bedroom house — the astronaut's personal quarters were just as small in comparison, a point Kelly said may need to be rethought before sending crews out on longer missions.

Quote

For the items too large or in excess of what his spacecraft can carry, there is the SpaceX Dragon capsule, which has the capability to return from the space station to an ocean splashdown for recovery.

"We get to bring some items back on SpaceX," Kelly said. "We actually return garbage on the SpaceX [Dragon], too. We have to get rid of the stuff on the station somehow, so we do have a pretty significant capability to bring back stuff that you might not imagine."

http://www.space.com/32066-one-year-astronaut-skips-space-souvenir.html

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

Video: Next International Space Station crew in Star City

Quote

NASA astronaut Jeff Williams and Russian cosmonauts Oleg Skriprochka and Alexey Ovchinin finish their training in Star City in preparation for launch aboard the Soyuz TMA-20M spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome to the International Space Station on March 18.

http://spaceflightnow.com/2016/02/28/video-next-international-space-station-crew-in-star-city/

Expedition 47 crew in Star City, video is 12:04 min.

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

Quote

March 2, 2016 Soyuz M-18M Landing (Volkov, Kornienko, Kelly)

March 7, 2016 Satellite Deployment

March 19, 2016 Soyuz TMA-20M Launch & Docking (Ovchinin, Skripochka, Williams)

http://spaceflight101.com/iss/iss-calendar/

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

Russian Space Agency Declares 2016 'The Year of Yuri Gagarin'

file image

Quote

The year 2016 has been announced to be the Year of Yuri Gagarin in commemoration of the 55th anniversary of the launch of the first human into orbit, Roscosmos' press service reported earlier.

On April 12, 1961, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to journey into outer space when he launched into the Earth's orbit on the Vostok 3KA-3 spacecraft.

Russian Roscomos is planning to commemorate this event by organizing various anniversary events, which are to be announced on the agency's official website in the near future.

"We invite all those who are interested in space, dream of distant planets and those for whom Russia's space activities are a part of life to join us," the statement of the press service said.

The decision to declare 2016 "The Year of Yuri Gagarin" also has a symbolic meaning because in spring 2016 Russia is planning the first launch of a rocket carrier from the Vostochny Cosmodrome, located in Russia's Far Eastern Amur Region.

The Vostochny Cosmodrome is expected to reduce Russia's dependency on the Baikonur space center in Kazakhstan, which is on lease to Russia until 2050.

http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Russian_Space_Agency_Declares_2016_The_Year_of_Yuri_Gagarin_999.html

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

China to launch second space lab Tiangong-2 in Q3

file image

Quote

China will send its second orbiting space lab Tiangong-2 into space in the third quarter of this year, which is expected to dock with a cargo ship scheduled to be launched in the first half of next year, sources from the manned space program said Sunday.

As part of the country's space lab program, China also plans to launch the Shenzhou-11 spacecraft, which will carry two astronauts on board, in the fourth quarter of this year to dock with Tiangong-2, according to the program's spokesperson.

After its first test flight in the Wenchang satellite launch center in south China's Hainan Province, the Long March-7 rocket will put the cargo ship Tianzhou-1, which literally means "heavenly vessel," into space in the first half of 2017 to dock with Tiangong-2 and conduct experiments.

http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/China_to_launch_second_space_lab_Tiangong_2_in_Q3_999.html

6,181 · February 29, 2016

Final Full Day in Orbit for Volkov and Year In Space Crew

Quote

International Space Station Commander Scott Kelly and Flight Engineer Mikhail Kornienko, who have been living in space since March of last year, are spending their last full day in orbit today. The duo are returning home Tuesday evening with Soyuz Commander Sergey Volkov who will lead the Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft back to Earth.

Kelly will hand over command of the orbital laboratory to NASA astronaut Tim Kopra in a ceremony today at 3:10 p.m. EST/8:10 p.m. UTC live on NASA Television. When the Soyuz spacecraft undocks Tuesday, Expedition 47 will officially begin with Flight Engineers Tim Peake and Yuri Malenchenko staying behind with Kopra.

While the homebound trio is wrapping up its mission, the three remaining crewmates will stay in orbit till June and continue their science and maintenance activities. Today, Peake worked inside Japan’s Kibo lab module preparing to increase its stowage capacity. Kopra explored new space exercise techniques to minimize bone and muscle loss during long-term missions. Malenchenko checked on Soyuz communications and worked on several Russian science experiments.

Tune in to NASA TV Tuesday beginning at 4:15 p.m. to watch the live Soyuz crew departure and landing activities. Kelly and Kornienko will have accumulated 340 days in space while Volkov will have been orbiting 182 days when they land Tuesday at 11:25 p.m.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2016/02/29/final-full-day-in-orbit-for-volkov-and-year-in-space-crew/

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

Countdown To Twin Astronaut's Return

Quote

When astronaut Scott Kelly returns to Earth on March 1, half of NASA's first-of-its-kind study of twin astronauts and long duration space flight, researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and elsewhere will launch the mission's next phase.

UC San Diego School of Medicine researchers are part of a national collaboration between NASA's Human Research Program, the National Space Biomedical Research Institute and 10 investigative teams around the country, all seeking to better understand the effects of extended space travel by analyzing blood, urine and other samples from identical twin astronauts, Scott and Mark Kelly.

Scott has spent the last year on the International Space Station - the longest period an American has lived in space, while his twin remained on Earth. A variety of tests, measuring visual acuity, cardiovascular function and other factors, were periodically administered to both brothers throughout the year, providing researchers with the unprecedented opportunity to compare data from two genetically identical people who have spent a year in vastly different environments.

"NASA's priority is to maintain crew member health throughout long duration missions," said Brinda Rana, PhD, a professor in the Department of Psychiatry and principal investigator on the UC San Diego School of Medicine study. Researchers in the twin study, who hail from multiple research centers nationwide, are working together to understand how extended space flight affects cognition (e.g. high level executive functions), physiology (e.g. heart, eye and immune function), the microbiome (bacteria that live in the gut) and the astronaut's "omics" (genomics, proteomics and metabolomics) profiles.

"Our studies will provide important data on how the space environment impacts the human body at the molecular level so that NASA can identify risk factors and countermeasures for possible health issues induced by prolonged space travel, such as a mission to Mars," said Rana.

NASA and astronauts have long known that traveling through space, with its microgravity, radiation exposure, isolation, confinement and elevated carbon dioxide-which can happen on space vehicles - can produce potentially adverse side effects.

"Our bodies are adapted to a 1g environment in which gravity pulls the blood toward the feet," Rana said. "In space, with nearly zero gravity, the blood and other fluids in the body shift upwards toward the upper body around the heart, the neck and the head. This fluid shift may cause changes in brain pressure and vision, which have been observed in some astronauts."

Thus far, space missions have flown for relatively short periods, most lasting less than six months. Future NASA destinations under consideration, such as Mars or asteroids, will require much longer periods in space. A trip to Mars could last 30 months, perhaps longer.

In her project, Rana will focus on identifying metabolites and proteins in the twins' blood and urine that can serve as biomarkers - biological indicators - indicating early signs of cardiovascular, vision and other possible physiological problems. Metabolites are small molecules that are naturally produced byproducts of the body's processes and include sugars, vitamins, amino acids and other substances. A balance of metabolites in blood and elimination in urine is important for maintaining health.

"Metabolite levels in the human body are influenced by everyday factors such as nutrition, smoking and physical activity and can be dramatically modified in disease states," said study collaborator Kumar Sharma, MD, professor of medicine and director of the Institute of Metabolomic Medicine at UC San Diego School of Medicine. "They can also be affected by stress and environmental factors, including those unique elements such as microgravity, radiation and circadian disruption that are experienced by astronauts."

Scott Kelly's samples have been stored on the International Space Station and will arrive on a returning SpaceX capsule about a month after his return. Researchers from UC San Diego School of Medicine and the other twin investigators will coordinate sample and data sharing as one large, integrated research team. The team hopes to complete its analyses by December.

Rana added that the knowledge gained from the twin studies will also have medical applications on Earth. "In addition to aiding our space program, our collective projects will also have impacts on clinical areas such as traumatic brain injury induced elevations of intracranial pressure as well as glaucoma, bone loss and atherosclerosis," she said.

http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Countdown_To_Twin_Astronauts_Return_999.html

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

Morning in Australia As Seen From Orbit

Quote

Scott Kelly: Day 314. Tonight over morning in #Australia. #GoodMorning, mates! And #GoodNight from @space_station! #YearInSpace

Australian Zircon NASA

http://spaceref.com/onorbit/morning-in-australia-as-seen-from-orbit.html

6,181 · March 1, 2016

Today is Homecoming Day for a Record-Setting Crew

Quote

Three Expedition 46 crew members are finishing packing the Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft for the ride home today, ending their record-setting mission. Three other space station residents will stay behind until June and wave farewell to their crewmates when they undock tonight.

NASA astronaut Scott Kelly and Roscosmos cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko are riding back to Earth with Soyuz Commander Sergey Volkov. The trio will undock at 8:02 p.m. EST today/1:02 a.m. UTC Wednesday and land in Kazakhstan at 11:25 p.m. NASA TV will begin live coverage at 4:15 p.m. as the crew enters the Soyuz spacecraft and closes the hatches.

Kelly and Kornienko will have lived in space continuously for 340 days when they land tonight for an International Space Station program record. Volkov will have been in orbit for 182 days.

After the crew parachutes to a landing Kelly will be greeted by NASA personnel and checked out by doctors before flying back to the United States and landing in Houston 24 hours later. Kelly will be monitored over the next few weeks and months as scientists learn how living in space affects the human body before NASA sends astronauts to an asteroid or Mars.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2016/03/01/today-is-homecoming-day-for-a-record-setting-crew/

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

Soyuz TMA-18M to return home with "Year in Space" crew

Scott Kelly and Mikhail Kornienko mark their 300th day on ISS on Jan. 21, 2016.

Quote

After spending 340 days onboard the International Space Station, ISS, Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko and NASA astronaut Scott Kelly are heading back home. They are scheduled to land onboard the Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft accompanied by the ship's original pilot Sergei Volkov, who logged nearly 182 days in orbit. Volkov's former crew mates on the way to the station, Andreas Mogensen and Aidyn Aimbetov, returned to Earth onboard the Soyuz TMA-16M spacecraft on Sept. 12, 2015.

Scott Kelly made a formal handover of the station's command to a fellow NASA astronaut Timothy Kopra on February 29.

The actual departure activities will start a day later, with a hatch closure between Soyuz TMA-18M and the station, which is expected around 4:40 p.m. EST on March 1.

According to the Russian mission control center in Korolev, the undocking command will be issued 1.5 minutes before the physical separation between the MIM2 module on the Russian segment and Soyuz TMA-18M, during the outpost's 98,831st orbit and the transport ship's 2,831st orbit around the Earth.

The undocking is scheduled for March 2, 2016, at 04:02:30 Moscow Time (8:02 p.m. EST on March 1). Three minutes later, the Soyuz will make its first maneuver with its thrusters to increase its distance from the ISS. Another small firing will be performed one minute 20 seconds later.

The departure of the Soyuz TMA-18M, will mark the beginning of Expedition 47 onboard the outpost, which at the time, will remain occupied by three members of the Soyuz TMA-19M crew: Yuri Malenchenko, Timothy Kopra and Timothy Peake. They are scheduled to stay on the ISS until June 2016.

After around two orbits in solo flight, Soyuz TMA-18M should initiate a deorbiting burn at 06:32 Moscow Time on March 2 (10:32 p.m. EST on March 1) at an altitude of 425 kilometers above the Earth's surface. Some 22 minutes later, as the spacecraft descends to an altitude of 140 kilometers, the Soyuz will split into a descent module, SA, carrying the crew, a habitation module, BO, and an instrument module, PAO.

The descent module of the Soyuz TMA-18 is expected to make a parachute landing on March 2, 2016, at 07:25 Moscow Time (11:25 p.m. EST on March 1) around 147 kilometers southeast of Dzhezkazgan in Kazakhstan, according to the mission control in Korolev said. The touchdown will take place nearly 2.5 hours after local sunrise.

Quote

Planned landing timeline for Soyuz TMA-18M on March 2, 2016, Moscow Time:

Milestone
Moscow Time

Altitude, km

Latitude, deg. min

Longitude. deg, min.

Velocity, km/s

G-force

Braking engine firing starts
06:32:43

425.5

-48.18

316.17

7.348

0.00

Braking engine firing ends
06:37:23

416.5

-39.26

336.47

7.233

0.05

Spacecraft sections separation
06:59:59

139.9

+27.17

035.17

7.570

0.00

Atmospheric entry
07:02:48

100.0

+35.23

044.37

7.618

0.00

Aerodynamic control starts
07:04:19

080.2

+39.22

050.28

7.619

0.09

Maximum G-loads
07:09:13

031.9

+46.59

068.35

1.885

3.95

Parachute release command
07:11:03

010.6

+47.22

069.35

0.211

1.17

Landing
07:25:27

000.0

+47.19

069.35

0.000

1.00

Main parachute opening in case of emergency ballistic descent
07:08:58

010.7

+46.00

064.08

0.205

1.27

http://www.russianspaceweb.com/iss-soyuz-tma18m.html#land

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

NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 29 February 2016

nasa_iss_on_orbit_status_report_022916_9

Astronaut Scott Kelly (right foreground) hands over command of the International Space Station to astronaut Tim Kopra (left foreground) with their crewmates in the background. Credit: NASA.

Quote

At 3:15 p.m. EST, NASA astronaut Tim Kopra assumed command of the International Space Station from astronaut Scott Kelly of NASA in a traditional Change of Command ceremony.

Expedition 47 will officially begin under Kopra's command when the Soyuz spacecraft carrying Kelly and Russian cosmonauts Mikhail Kornienko and Sergey Volkov undocks from the space station on March 1.

Kelly and Kornienko launched to the space station on March 27, 2015, for their one-year mission. The pair's return on March 1 will mark the end of 340 days aboard the space station. Volkov arrived at the station on September 4.

Quote

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

Three-Day Look Ahead:
Tuesday, 03/01: 44S Undock and Landing
Wednesday, 03/02: Crew Off Duty
Thursday, 03/03: MPEP / SAM install on JEM Airlock Slide Table, Robonaut CPCI Fault Troubleshooting

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

http://spaceref.com/international-space-station/nasa-international-space-station-on-orbit-status-29-february-2016.html

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

Live coverage: Station crew heading home after 11 months in orbit

http://spaceflightnow.com/2016/03/01/expedition-46-mission-status-center-2/

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

6,181 · March 2, 2016

TMA-18M has separated from the ISS at 8:02 pm EST. Both manoeuvring burns completed. Up next, two orbits of Earth then descent and landing at 3 hours, 24 minutes from undocking, approximately 11:25 pm EST.

Quote

UNDOCKING. The Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft has separated from the space station after 181 days there, setting the stage for today's return to Earth with Soyuz commander Sergey Volkov, flight engineer Mikhail Kornienko and outgoing space station commander Scott Kelly.

Two separation firings by the Soyuz's thrusters have been completed to accelerate the spacecraft's departure from the International Space Station. The capsule will be nearly 8 miles away when it performs the deorbit burn today at 10:32 p.m. EST (0332 GMT). Touchdown is scheduled for 11:25 p.m. EST (0425 GMT).

http://spaceflightnow.com/2016/03/01/expedition-46-mission-status-center-2/

6,181 · March 2, 2016

Expedition 46 Soyuz undocking. One Year crew starts return journey,

video is 28:33 min, undocking starts at 17:37 min.

will post landing video when available.....

6,181 · March 2, 2016

Quote

23:34
Volkov has completed his third space mission, totaling more than 547 days in orbit. Kelly just returned from his fourth spaceflight, giving the veteran shuttle commander 520 days in space. Kornienko now has logged 516 days in space on two missions.

23:31
Landing occurred at 11:26 p.m. EST (0426 GMT), NASA says.

http://spaceflightnow.com/2016/03/01/expedition-46-mission-status-center-2/

http://www.russianspaceweb.com/iss-soyuz-tma18m.html#land

Capsule landed at 11:26 pm EST. A stand has been erected for astronaut removal and hatch is being removed. Medical samples will be taken as soon as possible for medical programs. Video should be available in a while, very remote area but weather is good. NASA rep also on site.

6,181 · March 2, 2016

All three crew are out of the capsule and in their temporary chairs. Each one will go to medical tent for first of 3 main medical checks. All look well and lot's of staff available for help. Scott Kelly has a cell phone and is making a call.

When video is available, I will post.

live stream

http://spaceflightnow.com/2016/03/01/expedition-46-mission-status-center-2/

4,811 · March 2, 2016

They all look pretty good.

6,181 · March 2, 2016

1 minute ago, Unobscured Vision said:

They all look pretty good.

Yes, Volkov looked a bit sick, but holding his own. All three have done well.

6,181 · March 2, 2016

http://spaceflightnow.com/2016/03/01/expedition-46-mission-status-center-2/

4,811 · March 2, 2016

2 minutes ago, Draggendrop said:

Yes, Volkov looked a bit sick, but holding his own. All three have done well.

Yeah, that appears to be some of that "Equilibrium Sickness" (aka Motion Sickness) that Spacefarers are stricken with on occasion. Nothing they haven't dealt with before. :yes:

4,811 · March 2, 2016

Random thought, to put into context how well he's holding together.

Chances are pretty good that I'd test, with immediate effect, "every action has an equal and opposite reaction" -- aka "human gut propulsion" -- if I ever went up. They'd wonder how a human being could barf so much. :rofl: I don't do well with motion nowadays.

Volkov's a champ for keeping it together.

6,181 · March 2, 2016

8 minutes ago, Unobscured Vision said:

Random thought, to put into context how well he's holding together.

Chances are pretty good that I'd test, with immediate effect, "every action has an equal and opposite reaction" -- aka "human gut propulsion" -- if I ever went up. They'd wonder how a human being could barf so much. I don't do well with motion nowadays.

Volkov's a champ for keeping it together.

Yes, I recognized that look from being on ship...not fun if you forget the gravol routine.....

edit// I imagine that it will be a few hours before we get the chopper shots of the capsule floating through the cloud cover, will post when available. The replay looked good on the livestream though.

Date	Event
February 19, 2016	Cygnus Orb-4 Unberthing & Free Flight
March 2, 2016	Soyuz M-18M Landing (Volkov, Kornienko, Kelly)
March 7, 2016	Satellite Deployment
March 19, 2016	Soyuz TMA-20M Launch & Docking (Ovchinin, Skripochka, Williams)
March 23, 2016	Cygnus OA-6 Launch atop Atlas V
March 25, 2016	Cygnus OA-6 Rendezvous, Capture & Berthing to Node 1
March 29. 2016	Progress M-29M Undocking from Zvezda
March 31, 2016	Progress MS-2 Launch & Docking to Zvezda
April 1, 2016	Dragon SpX-8 Launch atop Falcon 9
April 3, 2016	Dragon SpX-8 Capture & Berthing to Harmony
April 22, 2016	Dragon SpX-8 Departure & Landing
April/May	Dragon SpX-9

Milestone	Moscow Time	Altitude, km	Latitude, deg. min	Longitude. deg, min.	Velocity, km/s	G-force
Braking engine firing starts	06:32:43	425.5	-48.18	316.17	7.348	0.00
Braking engine firing ends	06:37:23	416.5	-39.26	336.47	7.233	0.05
Spacecraft sections separation	06:59:59	139.9	+27.17	035.17	7.570	0.00
Atmospheric entry	07:02:48	100.0	+35.23	044.37	7.618	0.00
Aerodynamic control starts	07:04:19	080.2	+39.22	050.28	7.619	0.09
Maximum G-loads	07:09:13	031.9	+46.59	068.35	1.885	3.95
Parachute release command	07:11:03	010.6	+47.22	069.35	0.211	1.17
Landing	07:25:27	000.0	+47.19	069.35	0.000	1.00
Main parachute opening in case of emergency ballistic descent	07:08:58	010.7	+46.00	064.08	0.205	1.27

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