Blogs

SpX-15 Mission:  At 5:56 AM CDT, the ISS crew used the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) to capture the Dragon vehicle. Ground specialists then maneuvered the spacecraft to the pre-install position where they performed an inspection of the Passive Common Berthing Mechanism (PCBM).  Once complete, Dragon was berthed to the Node2 Nadir port at …

Three days after its launch from Florida, the SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft was installed on the Earth-facing side of the International Space Station’s Harmony module at 9:52 a.m. EDT. The 15th contracted commercial resupply mission from SpaceX (CRS-15) delivers more than 5,900 pounds of research, crew supplies and hardware to the orbiting laboratory. Among the research …

While the International Space Station was traveling more than 256 miles over Quebec, Canada, NASA astronauts Ricky Arnold and Drew Feustel, captured the Dragon spacecraft at 6:54 a.m. EDT using the space station’s Canadarm2 robotic arm. Ground controllers will now send commands to begin the robotic installation of the spacecraft on bottom of the station’s Harmony …

SpaceX-15 Launch: SpX-15 launched nominally today at 4:42 AM CDT from Launch Pad LC-40 at Kennedy Space Center, Florida. In preparation for vehicle arrival, the crew scheduled to capture Dragon completed their second Robotics Onboard Trainer (ROBoT) session this afternoon. In addition, all USOS crew participated in a conference with ground cargo transfer specialists to …

Dragon successfully launched on the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at 5:42 a.m. EDT from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The spacecraft’s solar arrays have deployed. It will arrive at the International Space Station Monday morning carrying more than 5,900 pounds of research investigations and equipment, cargo and supplies that will support some of the hundreds …

Umbilical Interface Assembly (UIA) Remove and Replace (R&R) Troubleshooting: Yesterday the crew investigated if loosening the 20 fasteners securing the UIA to the Airlock mounting bracket would generate any free play and allow the crew to close the gap in the Oxygen Supply lines; unfortunately, the crew indicated the tolerances were too tight and this …

The United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket slated to launch NASA’s Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite-2, or ICESat-2, has made significant progress toward liftoff, planned for Sept. 12. Prelaunch preparations are well underway at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, where the rocket is coming together at Space Launch Complex 2. Earlier this month …

Umbilical Interface Assembly (UIA) Remove and Replace (R&R) Troubleshooting: During the UIA R&R yesterday, the crew noted that the Oxygen (O2) Supply line was approximately 2-3 mm too short to be properly mate without applying a tensile, stretching force to make contact.  Initial troubleshooting was unsuccessful, and the O2 line was left partially connected and …

Today’s science activities aboard the International Space Station are looking to improve cancer therapies and benefit cement processing on Earth. Meanwhile, two astronauts are practicing to capture the SpaceX Dragon cargo craft next week. Cancer research in space can unlock positive benefits that are cloaked by Earth’s gravity possibly leading to advanced therapies. Flight Engineer …

Predetermined Debris Avoidance Maneuver (PDAM) Status: Last night’s possible PDAM for object #99999 was not required. A second update to the object’s trajectory was received overnight and the Probability of Collision (PC) had dropped well into the green threshold.  Concern level was low and PDAM planning was no longer needed.  MagVector 3D: The crew relocated …