Blogs

The air-LUSI instrument, designed to take accurate measurements of the Moon to improve Earth observing sensors, demonstrated its capabilities aboard the ER-2.

The Expedition 61 crew is about to kick off a series of complex spacewalks on Friday to repair the International Space Station’s cosmic particle detector. They will have one more spacewalk review today while continuing advanced biology research. Spacewalkers Luca Parmitano and Andrew Morgan readied the Quest airlock, their U.S. spacesuits and tools for Friday’s …

A SHOT IN THE DARK Chasing the aurora from the world’s northernmost rocket range Part VII I​ • II •​ ​III •​ IV •​ ​V •​ VI​ •​ VII Three months later, the science team convened at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center on the outskirts of Washington, D.C. Button-up shirts replaced down coats, their hair not ruffled from beanies and headlamps. But the …

A SHOT IN THE DARK Chasing the aurora from the world’s northernmost rocket range Part VI I​ • II •​ ​III •​ IV •​ ​V •​ VI​ •​ VII On the snow-covered balcony, the science team huddled together in t-shirts and indoor slippers, too rushed to don their coats. Everyone was there except Rowland. The first rocket was already in the air, but …

A SHOT IN THE DARK Chasing the aurora from the world’s northernmost rocket range Part V I​ • II •​ ​III •​ IV •​ ​V •​ VI​ •​ VII Pfaff paced in front of the Wall of Science, stroking his chin, weighing the signs that launchable conditions were approaching. He had spent earlier hours on the phone, rapidly rebooking flights to make his …

A SHOT IN THE DARK Chasing the aurora from the world’s northernmost rocket range Part IV I​ • II •​ ​III •​ IV •​ ​V •​ VI​ •​ VII Each day, the science team prepared just the same. At 3 a.m., Rowland opened the giant doors of the Telemetry Readout building, where they were stationed. Over the next five hours, they stepped through …

A SHOT IN THE DARK Chasing the aurora from the world’s northernmost rocket range Part III I​ • II •​ ​III •​ IV •​ ​V •​ VI​ •​ VII At the entrance to the mess hall, Ny-Ålesund residents abandon snow-covered shoes for cozy slippers or socks. Inside, the warm air washes over wind-whipped faces, carrying the smell of rich soups, tea, and bread. …

A SHOT IN THE DARK Chasing the aurora from the world’s northernmost rocket range Part II I​ • II •​ ​III •​ IV •​ ​V •​ VI​ •​ VII At 3:45 am, the van rumbled over a snow-covered road away from the team’s dormitories. The launchpad was a ten-minute ride outside the town limits. Ny-Ålesund’s boundaries are marked with triangle-shaped signs, outlined in …

A SHOT IN THE DARK Chasing the aurora from the world’s northernmost rocket range In the tiny Arctic town of Ny-Ålesund, where polar bears outnumber people, winter means three months without sunlight. The unending darkness is ideal for those who seek a strange breed of northern lights, normally obscured by daylight. When these unusual auroras …

Veg-04B: The crew performed a harvest for consumption and filled out the taste survey. The Pick-and-Eat Salad-Crop Productivity, Nutritional Value, and Acceptability to Supplement the ISS Food System (Veg-0404A, Veg-04B, and Veg-05) investigation is a phased research project to address the need for a continuous fresh-food production system in space. A healthy, nutritious diet is …