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International Space Station

Viewing Posts from August 2020

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    Crew Studies Space Agriculture and Spacecraft Technology

    Sunrise casts long shadows over a cloudy Philippine Sea

    The Expedition 63 crew kicked off the work week exploring space agriculture and spacecraft technologies. The trio also split the day on upcoming mission preparations and International Space Station maintenance. Ongoing botany studies on the station have been teaching scientists, engineers and astronauts how to grow crops in space, so crews can feed themselves farther …

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    Station Controllers Resume Normal Ops as Crew Keeps Up Research

    The night lights of the southeastern U.S. are pictured as the International Space Station orbited over the Gulf of Mexico.

    Mission controllers at NASA’s Johnson Space Center are returning to normal operations today after setting backup control centers at remote locations. The International Space Station support team returned to Houston after setting up remote operations earlier this week when Hurricane Laura neared the Texas-Louisiana border. The three Expedition 63 crew members continued their standard science …

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    Station Crew Re-Enters U.S On-Orbit Segments, Mission Control Preps for Storm

    The International Space Station

    The Expedition 63 crew ended its stay isolated in the Russian segment of the International Space Station this morning after an extended leak test. Mission Control also deployed remote teams to maintain 24/7 support for the station and its crew as Hurricane Laura approaches the Texas Gulf Coast. Commander Chris Cassidy started the day reopening the hatches to the U.S. segment …

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    Crew Spending Another Day in Russian Segment

    The three-member Expedition 63 crew aboard the International Space Station

    The three Expedition 63 crew members will spend another day inside the Russian segment of the International Space Station. Mission controllers are continuing their leak detection work today to collect more data. All of the orbiting lab’s hatches will remain closed until Tuesday morning to give ground specialists additional time to collect data and monitor pressure readings in each module. The rate is still well …

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    Crew Spending Weekend in Station’s Russian Segment

    The Expedition 63 crew will spend the weekend in the Russian segment’s Zvezda service module during a cabin air leak test.

    The three Expedition 63 crew members living aboard the International Space Station will spend the weekend inside the orbiting lab’s Russian segment. Commander Chris Cassidy and his crewmates Ivan Vagner and Anatoly Ivanishin will stay in the Zvezda service module from Friday night into Monday morning. The station’s atmosphere is maintained at pressure comfortable for …

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    Space Traffic Clear at Station Until October

    Expedition 63 Commander Chris Cassidy applies a mission sticker inside the space station to signify the departure of Japan's HTV-9 resupply ship from the U.S. Harmony module.

    The Expedition 63 crew has turned its attention toward space science and lab maintenance after releasing a Japanese cargo craft from the International Space Station on Tuesday. More cargo and crew missions to replenish the orbiting lab are planned for October. Commander Chris Cassidy switched off communications gear today used to send commands to Japan’s …

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    Japanese Cargo Craft Completes Station Mission

    Japan's HTV-9 resupply ship is on its own after being released from the Canadarm2 robotic arm completing a three-month cargo mission at the station.

    Eleven years after the launch of the first H-II Transfer cargo vehicle (HTV) to the International Space Station, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s (JAXA’s) HTV-9 departed the orbital laboratory today at 1:36 p.m. EDT. Earlier today, flight controllers operating from NASA’s Mission Control Center at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston used the space …

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    International, Commercial Partners Gear Up for Cargo and Crew Missions

    The Canadarm2 robotic arm is poised to grapple and remove Japan's HTV-9 resupply ship from the Harmony module.

    Canada’s robotic arm is poised to remove Japan’s ninth and final H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV-9) from the International Space Station on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the U.S. and Russia are preparing for the launch of their respective crew ships to the orbiting lab in October. Commander Chris Cassidy of NASA will be at the robotics workstation on …

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    Japan’s Ship Nears Departure Before October Cargo, Crew Missions

    The SpaceX Crew Dragon and the Japan's HTV-9 resupply ship figure prominently in this photograph taken during the July 1 spacewalk.

    Canada’s versatile robotic arm, the 57.7-foot-long Canadarm2, is in place and ready to grapple and release Japan’s resupply ship from the International Space Station next week. The Expedition 63 crew is continuing to pack the cargo craft while training for its robotic release. Commander Chris Cassidy of NASA will command the Canadarm2 to release the …

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    Diverse Space Research and Station Robotics Fill Crew Day

    Expedition 63 Commander Chris Cassidy collects trash for disposal during weekend housekeeping activities aboard the space station.

    The Expedition 63 crew trio continued ongoing space research and orbital housekeeping aboard the International Space Station today. Mission controllers are also preparing the Canadarm2 robotics arm for departure operations with Japan’s ninth resupply ship. Commander Chris Cassidy split his Thursday shift with physics research in the morning and plumbing and electronics maintenance in the …

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