The returning crew from ISS has undocked from the station.
The returning crew from ISS has undocked from the station.
The returning crew from ISS has undocked from the station.
Tag: ISS
The returning crew from ISS has undocked from the station.
During a five hour EVA that had lots of difficulties, two Russian cosmonauts took the Olympic torch on a spacewalk
During a five hour EVA yesterday that had lots of minor technical difficulties, two Russian cosmonauts took the Olympic torch on a spacewalk.
Most of the press is focusing on the PR stunt with the Olympic torch, but I think these issues are more interesting:
Working around the Service Module, Kotov and Ryazanski worked on cables at the RK21 site before attempting to fold up the panels on the hardware into its original configuration. The EVA tasks were mainly related to the preparations on the Urthecast pointing platform for installation of the HD camera in December. However, only the removal of the launch restraint from VRM EVA workstation and the disconnection of the RK-21 experiment were completed. The duo struggled with the relocation of the Yakor foot restraint – which they opted to take back to the airlock instead – while also failing to fold and lock RK-21 experiment antenna panels. While the spacewalkers managed to take a large quantity of photos for engineers on the ground to examine, the spacewalk was concluded after the failure to fold up the RK-21 panels, resulting in outstanding tasks for the next EVA.
During a five hour EVA yesterday that had lots of minor technical difficulties, two Russian cosmonauts took the Olympic torch on a spacewalk.
Most of the press is focusing on the PR stunt with the Olympic torch, but I think these issues are more interesting:
Working around the Service Module, Kotov and Ryazanski worked on cables at the RK21 site before attempting to fold up the panels on the hardware into its original configuration. The EVA tasks were mainly related to the preparations on the Urthecast pointing platform for installation of the HD camera in December. However, only the removal of the launch restraint from VRM EVA workstation and the disconnection of the RK-21 experiment were completed. The duo struggled with the relocation of the Yakor foot restraint – which they opted to take back to the airlock instead – while also failing to fold and lock RK-21 experiment antenna panels. While the spacewalkers managed to take a large quantity of photos for engineers on the ground to examine, the spacewalk was concluded after the failure to fold up the RK-21 panels, resulting in outstanding tasks for the next EVA.
Lady Gaga intends to take a Virgin Galactic suborbital flight in 2015 and beat Sarah Brightman into space.
The competition heats up? According to People magazine, Lady Gaga will take a Virgin Galactic suborbital flight in 2015 and thus beat Sarah Brightman into space.
The competition heats up? According to People magazine, Lady Gaga will take a Virgin Galactic suborbital flight in 2015 and thus beat Sarah Brightman into space.
A Russian Soyuz rocket successfully launched a new crew to ISS today.
A Russian Soyuz rocket successfully launched a new crew to ISS today.
As a Russian publicity stunt, they are carrying the Olympic torch up to ISS, which will be brought back by the returning crew on Sunday.
A Russian Soyuz rocket successfully launched a new crew to ISS today.
As a Russian publicity stunt, they are carrying the Olympic torch up to ISS, which will be brought back by the returning crew on Sunday.
A bacteria that causes urinary tract infections has been found to grow better in zero gravity than it does on Earth.
Shades of science fiction: A bacteria that causes urinary tract infections has been found to grow better in zero gravity than it does on Earth.
It was inevitable that such a bug would be found. The key here is to figure out how to keep it from getting up into space.
Shades of science fiction: A bacteria that causes urinary tract infections has been found to grow better in zero gravity than it does on Earth.
It was inevitable that such a bug would be found. The key here is to figure out how to keep it from getting up into space.
In preparation for the arrival of a new crew, the astronauts on ISS took a short ride yesterday, moving their Soyuz capsule to a different docking port.
In preparation for the arrival of a new crew, the astronauts on ISS took a short ride yesterday, moving their Soyuz capsule to a different docking port.
In preparation for the arrival of a new crew, the astronauts on ISS took a short ride yesterday, moving their Soyuz capsule to a different docking port.
New quality control problems that have popped in Russia might delay its next module to ISS by more than a year.
New quality control problems that have popped up in Russia might delay its next module to ISS by more than a year.
The company building the new module is the same one that builds the Proton rocket that has had serious problems in the last few years.
New quality control problems that have popped up in Russia might delay its next module to ISS by more than a year.
The company building the new module is the same one that builds the Proton rocket that has had serious problems in the last few years.
The investigation into the spacesuit leak in July is now awaiting the return of equipment from ISS.
The investigation into the spacesuit leak in July is now awaiting the return of equipment from ISS.
The station astronauts removed a cooling system pump and small contaminants found in the garment’s Primary Life Support System plumbing. The old fan pump separator and the preserved contaminants, including a 1-cm. piece of plastic, will return to Earth aboard Russia’s TMA-09M crew transport late Nov. 10 with Parmitano, NASA astronaut Karen Nyberg and ISS Russian commander Fyodor Yurchikhin. The hardware and contaminants will then be flown by NASA transport from the Kazakh landing site to Johnson Space Center, where a Mishap Investigation Board (MIB) hopes to quickly complete its probe of the worrisome incident.
Though it appears they have narrowed the problem to a small number of components, the need to return these components to Earth illustrates an overall design flaw with the space spacesuit. When the shuttle was flying regularly these components were easy to return to Earth, which is why NASA designed its suit for maintenance on the ground. Now that the shuttle is gone, however, it is difficult to get components returned, which makes spacesuit maintenance difficult if not impossible.
Spacesuits need to be repairable in space. If you are orbiting Mars and one fails, you can’t call in a repairman from Earth to fix it.
The investigation into the spacesuit leak in July is now awaiting the return of equipment from ISS.
The station astronauts removed a cooling system pump and small contaminants found in the garment’s Primary Life Support System plumbing. The old fan pump separator and the preserved contaminants, including a 1-cm. piece of plastic, will return to Earth aboard Russia’s TMA-09M crew transport late Nov. 10 with Parmitano, NASA astronaut Karen Nyberg and ISS Russian commander Fyodor Yurchikhin. The hardware and contaminants will then be flown by NASA transport from the Kazakh landing site to Johnson Space Center, where a Mishap Investigation Board (MIB) hopes to quickly complete its probe of the worrisome incident.
Though it appears they have narrowed the problem to a small number of components, the need to return these components to Earth illustrates an overall design flaw with the space spacesuit. When the shuttle was flying regularly these components were easy to return to Earth, which is why NASA designed its suit for maintenance on the ground. Now that the shuttle is gone, however, it is difficult to get components returned, which makes spacesuit maintenance difficult if not impossible.
Spacesuits need to be repairable in space. If you are orbiting Mars and one fails, you can’t call in a repairman from Earth to fix it.
Cygnus has undocked from ISS and will be de-orbited tomorrow.
Cygnus has undocked from ISS and will be de-orbited tomorrow.
Cygnus has undocked from ISS and will be de-orbited tomorrow.
The winners of the “What would you send to ISS?” contest have been announced.
The winners of the “What would you send to ISS?” contest have been announced.
The contest was asking for proposals from the public for science research. Though the winner’s proposal, imaging the auroras in real time, is interesting, I think the runner-up who proposed building a nanosat factory on ISS to be far more exciting.
The winners of the “What would you send to ISS?” contest have been announced.
The contest was asking for proposals from the public for science research. Though the winner’s proposal, imaging the auroras in real time, is interesting, I think the runner-up who proposed building a nanosat factory on ISS to be far more exciting.
Among other things, Sarah Brightman talks about her planned trip to space.
Chris Hatfield describes how a bureaucratic tangle with the space doctor bureaucracy almost grounded him before his ISS expedition.
Bureaucracy in space: In a new book, astronaut Chris Hatfield describes how a bureaucratic tangle with the space doctor bureaucracy almost grounded him before his ISS expedition.
“The secrecy and paternalism really bothered me. They trusted me at the helm of the world’s space ship, but had been making decisions about my body as though I were a lab rat who didn’t merit consultation.” The “they” Hadfield refers to are members of the Multilateral Space Medicine Board (MSMB), a body of representatives from the U.S., Canada, Europe, Japan and Russia who judge the medical fitness of astronauts to go on missions. ….
The bureaucracy wanted Hatfield to undergo an emergency operation to make sure everything was okay. He refused,
triggering what Hadfield describes as a “Kafkaesque” journey through “a bureaucratic quagmire where logic and data simply didn’t count.” … “Internal politics and uninformed opinions were what mattered,” he says in the book. “Doctors who hadn’t ever performed a laparoscopic procedure were weighing in; people were making decisions about medical risks as though far greater risks to the space program itself were irrelevant.”
I find this interesting in that, of the astronauts I have interviewed over the years, I can’t remember any who had good words to say about the official government doctors they had to deal with, both in the U.S. and in Russia.
Bureaucracy in space: In a new book, astronaut Chris Hatfield describes how a bureaucratic tangle with the space doctor bureaucracy almost grounded him before his ISS expedition.
“The secrecy and paternalism really bothered me. They trusted me at the helm of the world’s space ship, but had been making decisions about my body as though I were a lab rat who didn’t merit consultation.” The “they” Hadfield refers to are members of the Multilateral Space Medicine Board (MSMB), a body of representatives from the U.S., Canada, Europe, Japan and Russia who judge the medical fitness of astronauts to go on missions. ….
The bureaucracy wanted Hatfield to undergo an emergency operation to make sure everything was okay. He refused,
triggering what Hadfield describes as a “Kafkaesque” journey through “a bureaucratic quagmire where logic and data simply didn’t count.” … “Internal politics and uninformed opinions were what mattered,” he says in the book. “Doctors who hadn’t ever performed a laparoscopic procedure were weighing in; people were making decisions about medical risks as though far greater risks to the space program itself were irrelevant.”
I find this interesting in that, of the astronauts I have interviewed over the years, I can’t remember any who had good words to say about the official government doctors they had to deal with, both in the U.S. and in Russia.
Except for a troublesome fan, the first Cygnus cargo capsule to dock with ISS is performing perfectly.
Except for a troublesome fan, the first Cygnus cargo capsule to dock with ISS is performing perfectly.
The fan has been a minor issue. The astronauts have simply turned it off periodically when it started to act up. What is really important is this:
The next Cygnus – along with its Antares launch vehicle – is already being processed at Orbital’s Wallops facility, with a target launch date of December 15, with an available launch window through to December 21.
Except for a troublesome fan, the first Cygnus cargo capsule to dock with ISS is performing perfectly.
The fan has been a minor issue. The astronauts have simply turned it off periodically when it started to act up. What is really important is this:
The next Cygnus – along with its Antares launch vehicle – is already being processed at Orbital’s Wallops facility, with a target launch date of December 15, with an available launch window through to December 21.
An eleven year old’s experiment in brewing beer in space will fly to ISS on the next Cygnus cargo flight in December.
An eleven year old’s experiment in brewing beer in space will fly to ISS on the next Cygnus cargo flight in December.
The tiny brewery is set up inside a 6-inch-long (15 centimeters) tube, filled with separated hops, water, yeast and malted barley — all of the key ingredients used to make beer — and will be delivered to the station by the commercial firm NanoRacks. An astronaut aboard the station will shake up the mixture to see how the yeast interacts with the other ingredients in the beer. “I really didn’t expect this from the start,” Bodzianowski told KDVR, a Fox affiliate in Denver. “I really just designed my experiment to get a good grade in my class.”
An eleven year old’s experiment in brewing beer in space will fly to ISS on the next Cygnus cargo flight in December.
The tiny brewery is set up inside a 6-inch-long (15 centimeters) tube, filled with separated hops, water, yeast and malted barley — all of the key ingredients used to make beer — and will be delivered to the station by the commercial firm NanoRacks. An astronaut aboard the station will shake up the mixture to see how the yeast interacts with the other ingredients in the beer. “I really didn’t expect this from the start,” Bodzianowski told KDVR, a Fox affiliate in Denver. “I really just designed my experiment to get a good grade in my class.”
Cygnus was successfully berthed with ISS early Sunday morning.
Cygnus was successfully berthed with ISS early Sunday morning.
I just got back from a long day hike, so I am now catching up on what was apparently a very good day for commercial space.
Cygnus was successfully berthed with ISS early Sunday morning.
I just got back from a long day hike, so I am now catching up on what was apparently a very good day for commercial space.
NASA has released more details about Sunday’s schedule of Cygnus’s rendezvous and berthing with ISS.
NASA has released more details about Sunday’s schedule of Cygnus’s rendezvous and berthing with ISS.
NASA has released more details about Sunday’s schedule of Cygnus’s rendezvous and berthing with ISS.
The secret messages on ISS.
Posted just outside of Dallas, halfway to the Smokies. In case you don’t know, Texas is a big state. It takes a loooong time to drive across it. Even though we spent about 10 hours in Texas today, we still have several more hours of driving to reach Arkansas tomorrow.
Posted just outside of Dallas, halfway to the Smokies. In case you don’t know, Texas is a big state. It takes a loooong time to drive across it. Even though we spent about 10 hours in Texas today, we still have several more hours of driving to reach Arkansas tomorrow.
Orbital Sciences is now aiming for a Sunday berthing of Cygnus to ISS.
Orbital Sciences is now aiming for a Sunday berthing of Cygnus to ISS.
Orbital Sciences is now aiming for a Sunday berthing of Cygnus to ISS.
The Soyuz capsule carrying three astronauts successfully docked with ISS late yesterday.
The Soyuz capsule carrying three astronauts successfully docked with ISS late yesterday.
The way is now clear for Cygnus to berth with ISS this weekend.
Posted from New Mexico as we drive on the interstate. (Diane is driving while I surf.)
The Soyuz capsule carrying three astronauts successfully docked with ISS late yesterday.
The way is now clear for Cygnus to berth with ISS this weekend.
Posted from New Mexico as we drive on the interstate. (Diane is driving while I surf.)
A Soyuz rocket successfully launched three astronauts today for a six month mission to ISS.
A Soyuz rocket successfully launched three astronauts today for a six month mission to ISS.
They plan to dock later today, thereby clearing the way for the Cygnus berthing this weekend.
A Soyuz rocket successfully launched three astronauts today for a six month mission to ISS.
They plan to dock later today, thereby clearing the way for the Cygnus berthing this weekend.
Because of the scheduled arrival of a Soyuz manned capsule to ISS on Wednesday, NASA and Orbital Sciences have decided to delay Cygnus’s rendezvous and berthing until Saturday.
Because of the scheduled arrival of a Soyuz manned capsule to ISS on Wednesday, NASA and Orbital Sciences have decided to delay Cygnus’s rendezvous and berthing until Saturday.
As far as I can tell, the software glitch and the delay are relatively minor issues, being handled with due care and caution, and will not prevent the eventual docking. More important, they are not serious enough to require any major design changes to Cygnus, which means the freighter will be able to begin operational flights soon after this demo flight is completed.
Because of the scheduled arrival of a Soyuz manned capsule to ISS on Wednesday, NASA and Orbital Sciences have decided to delay Cygnus’s rendezvous and berthing until Saturday.
As far as I can tell, the software glitch and the delay are relatively minor issues, being handled with due care and caution, and will not prevent the eventual docking. More important, they are not serious enough to require any major design changes to Cygnus, which means the freighter will be able to begin operational flights soon after this demo flight is completed.
A software conflict today forced Orbital Sciences to delay the rendezvous of Cygnus with ISS to Tuesday.
A software conflict today forced Orbital Sciences to delay the rendezvous of Cygnus with ISS to Tuesday.
A software conflict today forced Orbital Sciences to delay the rendezvous of Cygnus with ISS to Tuesday.
SpaceX will delay its planned December launch of Dragon to ISS in order to complete upgrades to the capsule.
SpaceX will delay its planned December launch of Dragon to ISS in order to complete upgrades to the capsule.
It was already expected that this December launch would be delayed anyway because NASA wants SpaceX to complete two launches of the upgraded Falcon 9 rocket before using it to launch Dragon to ISS.
SpaceX will delay its planned December launch of Dragon to ISS in order to complete upgrades to the capsule.
It was already expected that this December launch would be delayed anyway because NASA wants SpaceX to complete two launches of the upgraded Falcon 9 rocket before using it to launch Dragon to ISS.
Orbital Sciences has now posted a detailed outline of Cygnus’s flight schedule for the next few days.
Orbital Sciences has now posted a detailed outline of Cygnus’s flight schedule for the next few days.
It appears the spacecraft continues to do well as it continues its tests prior to approaching ISS.
Orbital Sciences has now posted a detailed outline of Cygnus’s flight schedule for the next few days.
It appears the spacecraft continues to do well as it continues its tests prior to approaching ISS.
The astronauts who returned to Earth from ISS on September 10 were flying blind.
Another Russian space glitch: The astronauts who returned to Earth from ISS on September 10 were flying blind.
The altitude sensors apparently failed soon after undocking. Since the Soyuz craft is not piloted but returns to Earth automatically, this failure was not crucial. That it happened, however, sends another worrisome signal about declining Russian quality control standards. If this system failed, why couldn’t another more crucial one fail as well?
Another Russian space glitch: The astronauts who returned to Earth from ISS on September 10 were flying blind.
The altitude sensors apparently failed soon after undocking. Since the Soyuz craft is not piloted but returns to Earth automatically, this failure was not crucial. That it happened, however, sends another worrisome signal about declining Russian quality control standards. If this system failed, why couldn’t another more crucial one fail as well?
Orbital Sciences plans to roll Antares and Cygnus to the launchpad tomorrow for its Tuesday launch.
The competition heats up: Orbital Sciences plans to roll Antares and Cygnus to the launchpad tomorrow for its Tuesday launch.
The competition heats up: Orbital Sciences plans to roll Antares and Cygnus to the launchpad tomorrow for its Tuesday launch.
Orbital Sciences has finished loading its Cygnus capsule and has closed the hatch for next Tuesday’s launch.
The competition heats up: Orbital Sciences has finished loading its Cygnus capsule and has closed the hatch for next Tuesday’s launch.
The competition heats up: Orbital Sciences has finished loading its Cygnus capsule and has closed the hatch for next Tuesday’s launch.
After 166 days in orbit, three astronauts safely returned to Earth this evening in a Soyuz capsule.
After 166 days in orbit, three astronauts safely returned to Earth this evening in a Soyuz capsule.
After 166 days in orbit, three astronauts safely returned to Earth this evening in a Soyuz capsule.
NASA has put Orbital Sciences on notice that, assuming its demo cargo mission to ISS in two weeks is a success, the company might have to do it again as soon as December.
The competition heats up: NASA has put Orbital Sciences on notice that, assuming its demo cargo mission to ISS in two weeks is a success, the company might have to do it again as soon as December.
SpaceX is supposed to fly its next cargo mission first, but NASA thinks that flight will be delayed because of development issues with the upgraded Falcon 9 rocket.
The competition heats up: NASA has put Orbital Sciences on notice that, assuming its demo cargo mission to ISS in two weeks is a success, the company might have to do it again as soon as December.
SpaceX is supposed to fly its next cargo mission first, but NASA thinks that flight will be delayed because of development issues with the upgraded Falcon 9 rocket.
Despite the astronauts’ success on ISS in recreating the spacesuit water leak, NASA engineers still do not know its cause.
Despite the astronauts’ success on ISS in recreating the spacesuit water leak, NASA engineers still do not know its cause.
What is unstated about this problem is that, because we used to have a big space shuttle with lots of cargo capacity, the American spacesuit was designed to be maintained and repaired on the ground. In the past the next space shuttle flight would have brought a new spacesuit to the station while taking this defective suit back to Earth for analysis and repair. Now that we don’t have a big space shuttle, our complex spacesuits are far more difficult to troubleshoot.
The solution? First, keep it simple. The Russians, limited by the capacity of their Progress and Soyuz capsules, made their Orlan spacesuit very simple and easy to use.
Second, get as many redundant replacements of the shuttle operating as soon as possible.
Despite the astronauts’ success on ISS in recreating the spacesuit water leak, NASA engineers still do not know its cause.
What is unstated about this problem is that, because we used to have a big space shuttle with lots of cargo capacity, the American spacesuit was designed to be maintained and repaired on the ground. In the past the next space shuttle flight would have brought a new spacesuit to the station while taking this defective suit back to Earth for analysis and repair. Now that we don’t have a big space shuttle, our complex spacesuits are far more difficult to troubleshoot.
The solution? First, keep it simple. The Russians, limited by the capacity of their Progress and Soyuz capsules, made their Orlan spacesuit very simple and easy to use.
Second, get as many redundant replacements of the shuttle operating as soon as possible.