Microgravity Expanded Stem Cells (MESC) Microscope Operations: Over the weekend the crew completed the MESC experiment, performing two days of back-to-back operations. The crew viewed the BioCells on the microscope, then sampled and preserved the BioCells which were inserted into the Minus Eighty Degree Celsius Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI) for cold stowage. The crew …
Four CubeSats were deployed this morning as the crew researched fluid shifts toward the head that may affect astronaut vision. Tools were also being collected and organized today ahead of possible maintenance spacewalks. Four CubeSats were ejected Monday morning from outside Japan’s Kibo lab module using the NanoRacks CubeSat Deployer. The LEMUR-2 satellites will help …
Fluid Shifts Dilution Measurements: The 48S subjects initiated their Return minus 45 (R-45) Fluid Shifts Dilution Measurements activities, beginning at wakeup the subject collected saliva, blood and urine and insert them into Minus Eighty Degree Celsius Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI) prior to ingesting a Sodium Bromide (NaBr) tracer. Throughout the day, the crew performed …
Three Expedition 50 crew members recently surpassed 100 days in space and will come home in June. Also, SpaceX Dragon external experiments are being unloaded for installation on the International Space Station. NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson has been living in space with her Expedition 50 crewmates for over 100 days now. She and Thomas Pesquet …
Regular readers of our site may have noticed our recent piece on the Antarctic Peninsula. That Aqua MODIS shot was made possible by a weather pattern that brings clearer skies to the peninsula in January or February most years. You can see the same pattern in finer detail with a mosaic of Landsat scenes from early 2016. But […]
Lab Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Maintenance: Yesterday the crew installed the newer generation beds, like those in Node 3 CDRA, into Lab CDRA. Today, the crew repaired the CDRA Valve Power Cable W9P12 by splicing in two new wire segments and performing a 120V power check of the connector prior to installing CDRA into …
The International Space Station fired its engines Wednesday night slightly raising its orbit to accommodate a crew exchange in April. In the meantime, the six-person Expedition 50 crew continued learning how living in space affects the human body. The station’s third module, the Zvezda service module which launched in 2000, fired its main engines for …
Lab Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Maintenance: Yesterday the crew removed Lab CDRA from the rack, and disassemble it by removing all of the valves and ducting to access the beds. They also removed the old beds. Today, the crew installed the newer generation beds, like those in Node 3 CDRA, mated Hydraflow Couplings, and …
The International Space Station will boost its orbit Wednesday night to get ready for a crew swap next month. Three Expedition 50 crew members will complete their mission and a new two-person crew will launch to the station in April. Commander Shane Kimbrough and his crewmates Sergey Ryzhikov and Andrey Borisenko will end their mission …
Lab Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Maintenance: The adsorbent material (Zeolite) inside the CDRA beds breaks down over time and creates dust. This dust eventually reduces airflow through the beds to the point where CDRA can no longer operate. The Node 3 CDRA has newer generation beds that can be disassembled and serviced on orbit. …
