A pair of NASA astronauts are almost finished packing the SpaceX Dragon resupply ship and are training for its Sunday morning departure. The three-member Expedition 52 crew also explored life science researching microgravity’s effect on microbes and plants. Flight Engineers Peggy Whitson and Jack Fischer will be inside the Cupola Sunday to robotically release Dragon …
By Kevin Matyi Want to find out more about this year’s total solar eclipse — like what totality means and why the path of totality is so much smaller than the overall eclipse? Wonder how long it takes photons from the sun to reach Earth? Curious about dark matter and what we know about it? …
Onboard the International Space Station today, the Expedition 52 crew continued packing the SpaceX Dragon resupply ship for its departure Sunday morning. The crew is loading Dragon all week with scientific samples and station hardware for splashdown and retrieval in the Pacific Ocean. SpaceX personnel will take a two-day boat ride with Dragon onboard and …
Rodent Research-5 (RR-5) Systemic Therapy of NELL-1 for Osteoporosis: The two animal habitats that will remain on ISS following SpX-11 departure were cleaned and restocked with new food bars. Because spaceflight has significant and rapid effects on the musculoskeletal system it is important to investigate targeted therapies that could ameliorate some of the detrimental effects …
Cardiac Stem Cells: In support of the ongoing Cardiac Stem Cells investigation, the crew changed out the media in one of the BioCell Habitats in the Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG). Cardiac Stem Cells investigates how microgravity affects stem cells and the factors that govern their activity, in order to clarify the role of stem cells …
Expedition 52 explored the aging process in space today and measured the lighting conditions on the International Space Station. The crew is also getting spacesuits ready for an upcoming Russian spacewalk. Flight Engineer Peggy Whitson swapped out stem cell samples today inside the Microgravity Science Glovebox for the Cardiac Stem Cells study. The experiment is …
An experimental solar array demonstration was jettisoned while the Expedition 52 crew continued preparing the SpaceX Dragon for its release on Sunday. The three crew members also studied how microgravity impacts their bodies. Following a week of successful science operations on the experiment for the Roll-Out Solar Array (ROSA), attempts to retract the array were …
Roll Out Solar Array (ROSA): On Sunday, three attempts to retract ROSA solar array were unsuccessful. Imagery showed the array was not lining up correctly (“telescoping”), preventing the locking of ROSA’s latches which is required for return in Dragon. Teams met and agreed to stand down on further retraction attempts due to the risk of …
Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellites (SPHERES) Halo: The crew completed a test session for the SPHERES Halo investigation. For this investigation the ISS fleet of SPHERES satellites are upgraded to enable each satellite to communicate with six external objects concurrently, supporting testing of new control and remote assembly methods. Results may be used …
The Expedition 52 trio worked throughout Friday on human research studying cardiac biology and the microbes that live on humans. Tiny satellites inside the International Space Station were also investigated for future remote or autonomous use in space. NASA astronaut Jack Fisher collected microbe samples from his body and stowed them inside a science freezer …
