Blogs

On Oct. 31, 2018, Parker Solar Probe began its first of 24 solar encounters.

The three Expedition 57 crew members from the United States, Germany and Russia will soon be observing the 20th anniversary of the launch of the International Space Station’s first module. On Nov. 20, 1998, the Zarya cargo module was launched aboard a Russian rocket and placed into orbit beginning the era of station assembly. In …

Binary Colloidal Alloy Test – Cohesive Sediment (BCAT-CS):  Today, the crew transferred images to the Station Support Computer (SSC), replaced the SB-800 Flash batteries, verified the camera alignment and focus are still intact, and re-set the intervalometer.  BCAT-CS continues to produce interesting data resulting in an extension past the original 2-4 week run duration.  BCAT-CS …

NASA and Northrop Grumman completed a test flight of the L-1011 Stargazer aircraft from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on Sunday, Oct. 28. Carrying Pegasus and NASA’s Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON), the 4-hour, 45-minute flight tested the aircraft’s systems prior to launch. A new launch date for the ICON mission will be determined …

At about 10:54 p.m. EDT, Parker Solar Probe surpassed 153,454 miles per hour — as calculated by the mission team — making it the fastest-ever human-made object relative to the Sun.

Actiwatch Spectrum:  Following the discovery of some bad data from a previous Actiwatch spectrum data collection, this activity set up the nine remaining Actiwatch spectrum units to verify they are producing good data. The Actiwatch Spectrum is a waterproof, nonintrusive, sleep-wake monitor worn on a crewmember’s wrist. The device contains an accelerometer for measuring motion …

A pair of Expedition 57 astronauts spent the day exploring how humans think and work while living long-term in space. A cosmonaut also tested a pair of tiny, free-floating satellites operating inside the International Space Station. NASA astronaut Serena Auñón-Chancellor is helping doctors on the ground understand if an astronaut’s brain structure and mental abilities …

NASA and Northrop Grumman will be conducting a flight of the L-1011 carrying Pegasus on Saturday, Oct. 27 to perform further prelaunch testing. Once the flight is completed, the team will review the test data and ensure readiness to proceed with remaining preparations for launch. This includes working with the Eastern Range to determine the new …

Echo External Hard Disk Connection: The crew connected the Echo External Hard Disk and USB Cable to SSC 11 in preparation for a file update and subsequent Echo software update.  The purpose of the investigation is to evaluate a tele-operated ultrasound system equipped with motorized probes that are controlled by ground controllers. Additionally, this investigation …

U.S. spacesuits and hot, fiery research kept the Expedition 57 crew busy Friday. The three-member crew from around the world also continued the ongoing upkeep of the International Space Station’s systems. A pair of spacesuits inside the Quest airlock had their cooling loops scrubbed today by station Commander Alexander Gerst of ESA (European Space Agency). …