Ominous clouds form in the distance. The sunny sky slowly turns grey. There is a sweet smell of fresh rain on hot pavement. Then the downpour ensues. ddddled under a small overhang are 11 ecologists trying to stay dry while the storm subsides so they can board their boat for Pongara National Park. Pongara is […]
NASA Conducts Final Super Pressure Balloon Tests Prior to Launch Window Opening
NASA’s Scientific Balloon Team kicked off a day-long hang test of the Extreme Universe Space Observatory-Super Pressure Balloon (EUSO-SPB) payload March 23, a key step to certifying the flight readiness of this year’s super pressure balloon mission lifting off from Wanaka, New Zealand. The hang test is a complete test of all primary balloon systems—tracking, …
ISS Daily Summary Report – 3/22/2017
As mentioned at the IMMT this morning, the teams have been assessing their ability to support 2 EVAs and the PMA3 relocation prior to the arrival to OA-7. This was reviewed at the Inc 50 JOP this afternoon and there were no issues identified. Based on this and the IMMT Chair’s approval, we have baselined …
First Umbilical Installed on Mobile Launcher for NASA’s Space Launch System and Orion
The first launch umbilical for NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion spacecraft was installed on the mobile launcher tower March 16 at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Orion Service Module Umbilical, or OSMU, was installed high up on the tower at about the 260-foot level. “Installation of the OSMU is a …
BEAM Checks and Human Research Fill Crew Day
The astronauts took a break from spacewalk preparations today and checked out an expandable module and worked on science freezers. The crew also continued its human research program exploring space nutrition and the effects of microgravity on metabolism and the immune system. Thomas Pesquet opened the hatches to the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) today …
Green Ice and Snow
In February 2013, scientists saw algae growing amid the snow and ice on an Antarctic island.
ISS Daily Summary Report – 3/21/2017
Intracranial Pressure & Visual Impairment (IPVI): The crew obtained both front-on and profile view pictures to check for facial edema followed by a conference with ground teams. Scheduled at Launch + 4 months (L+4m), the IPVI investigation studies changes to crewmembers’ eyes and optic nerves by analyzing arterial blood pressure and blood flow to the …
Astronauts Preparing for First of Three Spacewalks
Three astronauts are preparing for a Friday morning spacewalk to upgrade and maintain the International Space Station’s external systems. The three cosmonauts stayed focused today on their set of Russian space experiments and life support work. Astronauts Shane Kimbrough of NASA and Thomas Pesquet from the European Space Agency are reviewing procedures for the spacewalk …
NASA’s Super Pressure Balloon launch window opens March 25
While the launch window for NASA’s next Super Pressure Balloon launch from Wanaka, New Zealand, opens March 25, there are a number of factors that need to align prior to making an actual launch attempt. Operationally, all the balloon systems—power, communications, telemetry, etc.—need to be checked out and tested. Today, as seen in the accompanying …
ISS Daily Summary Report – 3/20/2017
With the decision today to move the OA7 launch to NET March 27, we have decided to move the IMMT OA7 Readiness Review from March 22 to March 27. We will have the IMMT OA7 RR at 08:00 CDT on March 27 and if OA7 launches later that day, it would be around 18:49 CDT. …