Payloads Fiber Optic Production (FOP): The crew reviewed procedures and performed the setup of hardware in the Microgravity Science Glovebox. The Fiber Optic Production investigation creates optical fibers with high commercial value aboard the ISS using a blend of zirconium, barium, lanthanum, sodium, and aluminum called ZBLAN. It operates in the Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG). …
Crew Immersed in Space Science as Cargo Dragon Nears Launch
Expedition 64 is getting ready for over 6,400 pounds of cargo due to arrive this weekend aboard the next-generation SpaceX Dragon space freighter. All seven International Space Station residents also were immersed in microgravity research throughout Thursday. The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Dragon cargo spacecraft has rolled out to the launch pad at …
Crew Immersed in Space Science as Cargo Dragon Nears Launch
Expedition 64 is getting ready for over 6,400 pounds of cargo due to arrive this weekend aboard the next-generation SpaceX Dragon space freighter. All seven International Space Station residents also were immersed in microgravity research throughout Thursday. The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Dragon cargo spacecraft has rolled out to the launch pad at …
NASA, SpaceX on Track for Dec. 5 Cargo Resupply Launch
NASA and SpaceX are targeting Saturday, Dec. 5, for SpaceX’s 21st Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-21) mission to the International Space Station. Weather officials with the U.S. Air Force 45th Space Wing are predicting a 40% chance of favorable weather conditions for liftoff of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Cargo Dragon spacecraft from Kennedy Space …
Busy December Sees Crew Ramping Up for Space Cargo
December is shaping up to be a busy month as the Expedition 64 crew gears up for space freighter traffic. All seven crew members also practiced responding to a simulated emergency aboard the International Space Station. NASA Flight Engineer Kate Rubins set up the tools that she and fellow Flight Engineer Victor Glover will use …
ISS Daily Summary Report – 12/02/2020
Payloads JEM Airlock (Japanese Experiment Module): The crew removed the JEM ORU Transfer Interface (JOTI) from the JEM Airlock. Kibo’s airlock is dedicated to goods and cannot accommodate people. The maximum size of an item that can pass through this airlock is 576x830x800 mm. The airlock attached to the Kibo’s Pressurized Module (PM) will be …
SLS Rocket Core Stages Taking Shape for Artemis II and III
Technicians are simultaneously manufacturing NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) core stages for the Artemis II and Artemis III lunar missions at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. The core stage for the deep space rocket consists of two huge propellant tanks, four RS-25 engines, and miles of cabling for the avionics systems and flight computers. All the …
SpaceX Falcon 9 and Cargo Dragon Prepare for Rollout
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, topped with the upgraded version of the Cargo Dragon spacecraft, is seen inside the company’s hangar at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Dec. 2, 2020, prior to being rolled out to the launch pad in preparation for the CRS-21 launch. The rocket and spacecraft are slated to make …
ISS Daily Summary Report – 12/01/2020
Payloads Plant Habitat-02: The crew cleaned the Plant Habitat-02 facility. Assessment of Nutritional Value and Growth Parameters of Space-grown Plants (Plant Habitat-02) cultivates radishes as a model plant that is nutritious and edible, has a short cultivation time, and is genetically similar to Arabidopsis, a plant frequently studied in microgravity. Developing the capability for food …
Cargo Operations and Space Research Keeping Crew Busy
Cargo operations are underway at the International Space Station as a U.S. resupply ship prepares for launch and another prepares for departure. Meanwhile, a host of microgravity research is keeping the Expedition 64 crew busy. SpaceX is preparing its upgraded SpaceX Dragon cargo craft for a launch from Florida on Dec. 5 and a rendezvous …