Crew-8 Launch: On Sunday, March 3rd, at 9:53 PM CST, SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour lifted off from Launch Complex-39A at Kennedy Space Center on a Falcon 9 rocket. Crew Dragon Endeavour carries NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, along with Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin. Crew-8 is expected to dock to the ISS …
Payloads: Boeing Environment Responding Antimicrobial Coatings-2 (AC-2): The crew performed a routine, periodic touching of two of the six experiment placards deployed in various locations throughout the ISS. AC-2 tests an antimicrobial coating on several different materials that represent high-touch surfaces. Some microbes change characteristics in microgravity, which could create new risks to crew health …
Payloads: Complement of Integrated Protocols for Human Exploration Research on Varying Mission Durations (CIPHER): The Bio-Monitor hardware was changed out and eventually stowed after a 48-hour measurement session. The Blood Pressure Measurement session was also completed and the hardware was doffed and stowed. The CIPHER investigation aims to improve our understanding of physiological and psychological …
Payloads: Complement of Integrated Protocols for Human Exploration Research on Varying Mission Durations (CIPHER): A crewmember completed a 13-hour blood pressure measurement session. The CIPHER investigation aims to improve our understanding of physiological and psychological changes in humans on missions that range from weeks to one year in duration. Conducting the same research over missions …
Payloads: Cell Biology Experiment Facility-Left (CBEF-L): Switches 1 and 4 were toggled in preparation for Space Organogenesis. CBEF-L is a JAXA subrack facility, which is an upgraded to the original CBEF currently aboard the ISS. CBEF-L provides new capabilities with additional resources such as Full High-Definition video interface, Ethernet, 24 VDC power supply, and a …
ISS Reboost: On Friday, February 23rd, the ISS performed a reboost using the Aft Progress 87P rendezvous and docking (R&D) thrusters. The purpose of this reboost was to set up proper phasing conditions for the upcoming Soyuz 71S launch and 70S landing in late March/early April. The burn duration was 18 minutes 25 seconds with …
Payloads: Actiwatch-Plus: Four Actiwatch-Plus units were connected to the HRF-1 rack for charging and data downlink. The Actiwatch-Plus is a waterproof, non-intrusive, sleep-wake activity monitor worn on the wrist of a crewmember and contains a miniature uniaxial accelerometer that produces a signal as the subject moves. The data is stored in non-volatile memory within the …
Payloads: Advanced Plant Experiment-10 (APEX-10): The crew deactivated Veggie units 1 and 3. On Earth, plant and microbial associations are key to the success of individual plants, but scientists do not fully understand how the space environment may alter these associations. Plant-Microbe Interactions in Space (APEX-10) tests whether the beneficial microbe Trichoderma harzianum confers increased …
87 Progress (87P) Docking: Following the completion of a 34-orbit rendezvous, 87P successfully docked to the SM aft port on Saturday, February 17th, at 6:06 AM CST. On Sunday, the crew then performed leak checks, opened hatches, and began unloading cargo. Carrying food, fuel, and supplies, 87P launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome on Wednesday, February …
Payloads: Exploration Potable Water Dispenser (xPWD): Following the 2-day incubation period, the xPWD water sample was assessed for Coliform contamination. An on-orbit PWD, launched in fall 2008, provides water for crew consumption and food preparation on the ISS. A new system, the xPWD, reflects advances in water sanitization methods and microbial growth reduction and includes …
