Blogs

Payloads FSL (Fluid Science Laboratory): The crew removed the RUBI Multi-Scale Boiling experiment container hardware and installed the new Soft Matter Dynamics Container. The FSL is a multiuser facility designed by the European Space Agency (ESA) for conducting fluid physics research in microgravity. It can be operated as a fully automatic or semiautomatic facility and …

Booster stacking for NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket is continuing at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. The second of five segments for the SLS rocket boosters have been placed on the mobile launcher in preparation for the launch of Artemis I later this year. This marks four out of 10 solid rocket booster segments being …

Two NASA astronauts are ready for the first spacewalk of the year on Wednesday with support from two of their fellow Expedition 64 Flight Engineers. The rest of the crew aboard the International Space Station kept up research and life support operations today. Michael Hopkins and Victor Glover will exit the Quest airlock after setting …

Payloads CBEF-L (Cell Biology Experiment Facility-L): The crew greased the Front bolts and then replaced the Control Equipment within the CBEF which was then connected to the Drawer Interface Panel and cables. CBEF-L is a Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) new subrack facility, which is an upgraded facility of the original Cell Biology Experiment Facility …

Several Expedition 64 crewmembers are gearing up for the first two spacewalks of 2021. The rest of the crew spent Monday on science and maintenance tasks aboard the International Space Station. Flight Engineers Michael Hopkins and Victor Glover spent Monday configuring the hardware they will install on Europe’s Columbus laboratory module during Wednesday’s spacewalk. The …

Payloads Antimicrobial coatings: The crew touched coupons A-G (uncoated), then touched H-N, then took photos of each of the coupons. The experiment was set up in early January and is planned to remain deployed for a period of 6 months. Boeing Environment Responding Antimicrobial Coatings tests an antimicrobial coating on several different materials that represent …

DNA, time perception and combustion investigations filled the research schedule aboard the International Space Station today. The Expedition 64 crew is also training for a pair of spacewalks set to start next week. Researchers are studying how microgravity affects a human’s DNA and even time perception as astronauts spend more time living in space. Radiation …

ISS Reboost – Today, the ISS performed a reboost using the aft Progress 75P R&D thrusters. The purpose of this reboost is to set up the conditions for Progress 77P 33-Orbit rendezvous on February 15. The burn duration was 6 minutes 58 seconds with a Delta-V of 0.723 m/s. Payloads Airborne Particulate Monitor (APM) – …

There are lots of eyes on the Sun this week, as NASA’s Parker Solar Probe swings around our star on the seventh of its 24 scheduled orbits.

For the Green Run hot fire test on Jan. 16, NASA set out to acquire test data to support 23 detailed verification objectives. To satisfy the objectives, hot fire test data is used in combination with analysis and testing that has already been completed. These detailed verification objectives are used to certify the design of …