Today’s blog is from Alan Stern of the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado—principal investigator for NASA’s New Horizons mission. As 2016 ends, I can’t help but point out an interesting symmetry in where the mission has recently been and where we are going. Exactly two years ago we had just taken New Horizons …
Myotendinous and Neuromuscular Adaptation to Long-term Spaceflight Sarcolab-3: Today’s second operational day for the Sarcolab-3 experiment began with converting the Muscle Atrophy Research & Exercise System (MARES) from the ankle measurement configuration to the knee measurement configuration. The subject donned Percutaneus Electrical Muscle Stimulator (PEMS) and Electromyography (EMG) electrodes to stimulate and measure calf muscle …
The Expedition 50 crew is exploring a wide variety of phenomena today to understand the effects of living and working in space. Results from the advanced space research aboard the International Space Station has the potential to benefit humans on Earth and astronauts on long-term missions. Two first-time space flyers, Sergey Ryzhikov from Russia and …
Myotendinous and Neuromuscular Adaptation to Long-term Spaceflight (Sarcolab)-3: Yesterday, the crew configured the Muscle Atrophy Research & Exercise System (MARES) in the Columbus module. Today they completed the second of three in-flight sessions of joint-NASA-ESA-Russia Sarcolab experiment. The subject ingressed MARES, followed by the operator performing ultrasound measurements of the right calf muscle with remote …
The six Expedition 50 crew members from France, Russia and the United States are heading into the final holidays of the year with a muscle study and Earth observations today. The astronauts also checked out fluids and combustion science gear and practiced an emergency escape drill. French astronaut Thomas Pesquet measured his muscle and tendon …
The final work platform for NASA’s Space Launch System arrived Dec. 13 at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The second half of the A-level platforms, A north, was transported to the center by heavy-lift truck from Tillett Heavy Hauling in Titusville, Florida, and delivered to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) staging area. The …
Lighting Effects Meter Reading: The crew set up and configured the Light Meter hardware and took readings in the Node 1 and Crew Quarters (CQ). The Node 1 light is the legacy General Luminaire Assembly (GLA), while the CQ light has been upgraded to the newly installed Solid State Lighting Assemblies (SSLAs). The Lighting Effects …
Several of the umbilicals that will support the launch of NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket atop the mobile launcher were transported from the Launch Equipment Test Facility to the Mobile Launcher Yard and staging area at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. They will be prepped for installation on the mobile launcher. The …
Medical Consumables Tracker (MCT) Installation: The crew installed the HTV-6 delivered MCT hardware in the Crew Health Care System (CHeCS) Resupply Stowage Rack (RSR). MCT uses Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) codes to track medicines and medical supplies on board the ISS. Ground managers will be able to track which medical supplies are being used, and how …
We have successfully contacted each of the 8 observatories on our first attempt. This bodes very well for their health and status, which is the next thing we will be carefully checking with the next contacts in the coming days. It is an amazingly rewarding feeling to spend such an intense and focused time working …
