Payloads Plant Habitat-02 Latch Evaluation: Following issues experienced with the Environmental Control System (ECS) installation a few weeks ago, the crew performed a more detailed inspection of the failed locking mechanism on the new ECS. The inspection went well and the crew was able to lock and unlock the ECS system in the current configuration. …
NASA TV Goes Live Wednesday to Broadcast Spacewalk
NASA astronauts Chris Cassidy and Robert Behnken are scheduled to depart the International Space Station’s Quest airlock Wednesday for a spacewalk to complete battery replacement activities to upgrade one of two power channels on the station’s far starboard truss (S6 Truss). The upgrade includes removing six aging nickel-hydrogen batteries and replacing them with three new lithium-ion batteries and the adapter plates …
June Puzzler
Every month on Earth Matters, we offer a puzzling satellite image. Your challenge is to tell us what we are looking at, where it is, and why it is interesting.
Astronauts Finalize Preps Before Wednesday’s Battery Spacewalk
The Expedition 63 crew is set for its second spacewalk on Wednesday at 7:35 a.m. EDT to continue upgrading International Space Station power systems. Commander Chris Cassidy will lead the spacewalk and exit the Quest airlock in the U.S. spacesuit with the red stripes. He’ll be followed by Flight Engineer Bob Behnken in his spacesuit …
ISS Daily Summary Report – 6/29/2020
Payloads MELFI 1/2/3 Nitrogen pressure check: The crew performed a routine pressure check on the 3 MELFI units on board ISS. These checks are performed every 6 months to make sure the expected ~9000-10000 kPa is present in the units. The MELFIs use nitrogen as a working fluid to achieve temperature set points as cold …
Into the Ice
MOSAiC expedition scientists returned to the Arctic sea-ice pack, greeted by a surprisingly distinct boundary between the open ocean and pack ice.
Astronauts Look to Wednesday’s Spacewalk
NASA astronauts Chris Cassidy and Bob Behnken will start their second spacewalk together on July 1. The duo will continue upgrading power systems on the International Space Station. The veteran spacewalkers wrapped up a spacewalk on Friday after six hours and 7 minutes swapping five aging nickel-hydrogen (NiH2) batteries with two new lithium-ion (Li-Ion) batteries. …
NASA, ESA, and JAXA Provide Global Observations of COVID-19 Impacts
The web platform combines the collective scientific power of the agencies’ Earth-observing satellites to document changes in the environment and society during the pandemic.
ISS Daily Summary Report – 6/26/2020
Systems USOS Extravehicular Activity (EVA) #65/S6 Battery EVA #1: Chris Cassidy (EV1) and Bob Behnken (EV2) performed a 6 hour 7 minute EVA that completed the following tasks in support of the S6 Channel 1B battery transition from nickel hydrogen to lithium-ion batteries: NiH2 Battery 1 from S6 IEA to External Pallet (EP) Li-Ion Battery …
Cassidy and Behnken Conclude Spacewalk to Replace Batteries
NASA astronauts Chris Cassidy and Robert Behnken concluded their spacewalk at 1:39 p.m. EDT, after six hours and seven minutes. The two NASA astronauts completed all the work planned for this first of four spacewalks to replace batteries that provide power for the station’s solar arrays on the starboard truss of the complex as well as initial tasks originally planned for …