Blogs

Payloads: Cold Atom Lab (CAL): The crew verified that the Ion Pump Controller Power LED was illuminated. This allows the health of the new science module 3B to be preserved until it can be installed in the CAL facility next week. CAL produces clouds of atoms that are chilled to about one ten billionth of …

As the Expedition 69 crew members near the end of their work week, the ten orbital residents completed a variety of cleaning and maintenance tasks on Thursday aboard the International Space Station. After arriving to the orbital outpost on Sept. 21, 2022, NASA astronaut Frank Rubio has reached one full year in space today. His …

Editor’s note: This blog was updated Dec. 5 with the latest on the agency’s request for proposals for the U.S. deorbit spacecraft. NASA has updated a request for proposal from U.S. industry for the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle (USDV), a spacecraft meant to safely deorbit the International Space Station as part of its planned retirement. To …

Ten orbital residents are keeping busy Wednesday with a variety of tasks including eye exams, station maintenance, and training. While new members of the Expedition 69 crew familiarize themselves with hardware and equipment, others are completing more prep work ahead of their departure from the International Space Station next week. After donning the Sleep in …

Payloads: Complement of Integrated Protocols for Human Exploration Research on Varying Mission Durations (CIPHER): A Vestibular Motion Sickness Questionnaire, Standard Measures (SM) pre-sleep questionnaires, and a SM Cognition test were performed in support of the CIPHER investigation. CIPHER consists of 14 studies designed to improve our understanding of physiological and psychological changes in humans on …

The Artemis II crew and teams with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems Program successfully completed the first in a series of integrated ground system tests at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida in preparation for their mission around the Moon.   On Wednesday, NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with CSA …

NASA’s Atmospheric Waves Experiment (AWE) has successfully completed critical space environment tests. Planned for launch to the International Space Station in November 2023, AWE will study atmospheric gravity waves in Earth’s atmosphere to help us better understand the connections between terrestrial weather and space.

Payloads: Circadian Light: Using the EveryWear app on a tablet, a start-of-the-next-day assessment was performed. Circadian Light tests a new lighting system that is designed to help astronauts maintain an acceptable circadian rhythm in comparison to the current lighting aboard the ISS. This can help enhance cognitive performance during a long-duration mission and help combat …

It’s a full house aboard the International Space Station as 10 residents are living on orbit following Friday’s arrival of a new crew. Tuesday saw a variety of tasks split amongst the residents as three members continue to adjust to life in weightlessness, and another prepares for their journey back home to Earth next week. …

On Sept. 17, NASA’s OSIRIS-REx engineers slightly shifted the spacecraft’s trajectory to refine the landing location of its sample capsule, which the spacecraft will deliver to Earth on Sept. 24. The spacecraft briefly fired its thrusters Sunday to change its velocity by 7 inches per minute (3 millimeters per second) relative to Earth. This final correction …