Payloads: Combustion Integrated Rack/Solid Fuel Ignition and Extinction (CIR/SoFIE): The crew gained access to the CIR, removed the SoFIE insert, and performed steps needed to replace the sample holder, install experiment samples, igniter tip, and igniter arm. The CIR/SoFIE team is currently discussing how to proceed with a failure of one of the four experiment …
Spacewalk Preps, Science Hardware Work Top Wednesday’s Schedule
Spacewalk preparations and science hardware maintenance topped the Expedition 71 crew’s schedule on Wednesday. Human research and 3D printing rounded out the itinerary aboard the International Space Station. Three spacewalks are planned for the month of June when a pair of astronauts not yet named will exit the orbital outpost to replace and repair hardware …
Sun Releases Strong Solar Flare
The Sun emitted a strong solar flare, peaking at 10:37 a.m. ET on May 29, 2024. NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory, which watches the Sun constantly, captured an image of the event. Solar flares are powerful bursts of energy. Flares and solar eruptions can impact radio communications, electric power grids, navigation signals, and pose risks to …
ISS Daily Summary Report – 5/28/2024
Payloads: Combustion Integrated Rack/Solid Fuel Ignition and Extinction (CIR/SoFIE): The crew gathered hardware in preparation for the sample holder exchange, sample installation, and igniter tip and arm installation. These activities are currently planned for Wednesday and support the Material Ignition and Suppression Test (SoFIE-MIST) experiment. More information on SoFIE-MIST can be found here. Metal-3D: The …
Cargo Ship Departs, Two Rockets Near Launch During Busy Day on Station
A cargo ship departed the International Space Station on Tuesday leaving four spacecraft parked at the orbital lab. Meanwhile, as the Expedition 71 crew keeps up its advanced microgravity research two more spaceships are counting down to their missions to the orbital outpost in less than a week. A trash-loaded Progress 86 cargo craft undocked …
High-energy Ion Telescope Instrument Ready for Installation on IMAP Spacecraft
Scientists and engineers at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, are poised to deliver the High-energy Ion Telescope (HIT) instrument.
Strong Solar Flare Erupts from Sun
The Sun emitted a strong solar flare, peaking at 3:08 a.m. ET on May 27, 2024. NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory, which watches the Sun constantly, captured an image of the event. Solar flares are powerful bursts of energy. Flares and solar eruptions can impact radio communications, electric power grids, navigation signals, and pose risks to …
NASA’s PREFIRE Payload Has Deployed
NASA’s PREFIRE CubeSat has deployed from the Rocket Lab’s Electron kick stage. The team will seek signal acquisition from the PREFIRE CubeSat and provide confirmation on the agency website when a signal is acquired. This concludes NASA’s live launch coverage of the mission. NASA’s PREFIRE mission will help close a gap in our understanding of how much …
Liftoff for ‘Ready, Aim, PREFIRE!’
Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket lifted off from Launch Complex 1 at Māhia, New Zealand at 7:41 p.m. NZST Saturday, May 25 (3:41 a.m. EDT), on the first of two launches of NASA’s PREFIRE (Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment) mission.
Rocket Lab’s Electron Rocket Go for Launch!
Rocket Lab’s “Ready, Aim, PREFIRE” – the first of two launches of NASA’s PREFIRE mission – is just minutes away from launch. After holding at T-12 for several minutes the countdown has resumed. The CubeSat is set to launch from Launch Complex 1 at Māhia, New Zealand, aboard the company’s Electron rocket, which is a …