Crew heading to station on Soyuz
A new crew, launched by Russia, is heading to the International Space Station.
A new crew, launched by Russia, is heading to the International Space Station.
Tag: ISS
Crew heading to station on Soyuz
NASA Finally Releases Photos of Endeavour Docked at ISS
NASA has finally released the photos of Endeavour docked to ISS, taken from a departing Soyuz.
NASA has finally released the photos of Endeavour docked to ISS, taken from a departing Soyuz.
What an astronaut’s camera sees
An evening pause: More here.
The photography of the first clown in space
The photography of the first clown in space.
The photography of the first clown in space.
Russian greenhouse on ISS ungoes upgrade
The Russian greenhouse on ISS underwent an upgrade today.
The onboard greenhouse was dismantled in April last year, as a need arose to replace the outdated control unit, recalled head of the Rasteniya-2 (Plants-2) experiment, chief of the laboratory of the Institute of Medico-Biological Problems (IMBP) of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) Vladimir Sychev. In early 2010, the crop area of the orbital garden was extended twice – the second leaf chamber was delivered to the ISS in which the crew managed to harvest the Mizuna lettuce, before the greenhouse was dismantled. Now, the cosmonauts will plant in these two chambers different cultures – super-dwarf wheat and dwarf tomatoes.
As I described in detail in Leaving Earth, the Russians have decades of experience in growing plants in space, with the goal of not only providing a natural system to recycle the station’s atmosphere, but also giving the astronauts a morale-boosting activity (gardening) that also gives them something tasty to eat. Though the engineering has still not made it possible to germinate seeds in weightlessness and then have grow there, this will be an absolute requirement if humans are ever to travel to the planets and beyond to the stars.
The Russian greenhouse on ISS underwent an upgrade today.
The onboard greenhouse was dismantled in April last year, as a need arose to replace the outdated control unit, recalled head of the Rasteniya-2 (Plants-2) experiment, chief of the laboratory of the Institute of Medico-Biological Problems (IMBP) of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) Vladimir Sychev. In early 2010, the crop area of the orbital garden was extended twice – the second leaf chamber was delivered to the ISS in which the crew managed to harvest the Mizuna lettuce, before the greenhouse was dismantled. Now, the cosmonauts will plant in these two chambers different cultures – super-dwarf wheat and dwarf tomatoes.
As I described in detail in Leaving Earth, the Russians have decades of experience in growing plants in space, with the goal of not only providing a natural system to recycle the station’s atmosphere, but also giving the astronauts a morale-boosting activity (gardening) that also gives them something tasty to eat. Though the engineering has still not made it possible to germinate seeds in weightlessness and then have grow there, this will be an absolute requirement if humans are ever to travel to the planets and beyond to the stars.
Fincke Sets New U.S. Space Endurance Record
Astronaut Mike Fincke sets a new U.S. space endurance record.
Astronaut Mike Fincke sets a new U.S. space endurance record.
Riding a Soyuz back to Earth
Rough and fast: Riding a Soyuz back to Earth.
Rough and fast: Riding a Soyuz back to Earth.
False Fire Alarm Blares Out At Space Station
Life in space: A photo-op was interrupted today when a false fire alarm blared out on the International Space Station.
Life in space: A photo-op was interrupted today when a false fire alarm blared out on the International Space Station.
A hint at what the Soyuz images of the station and shuttle
A hint at what today’s images of the station and shuttle, taken from the Soyuz capsule, will look like.
A hint at what today’s images of the station and shuttle, taken from the Soyuz capsule, will look like.
Departing Soyuz crew to snap space station portrait
The departing Soyuz crew will do a photo-op fly around on Monday to photograph the completed station with a docked shuttle.
The departing Soyuz crew will do a photo-op fly around on Monday to photograph the completed station with a docked shuttle.
Spacesuit Glitch shortens spacewalk at ISS
Spacesuit malfunction shortens spacewalk at ISS.
Spacesuit malfunction shortens spacewalk at ISS.
Endeavour has docked with ISS
Endeavour has docked with ISS.
Endeavour has docked with ISS.
NASA management moves to combine SpaceX’s next two test flights of Dragon
NASA management appears ready to approve combining SpaceX’s next two test flights of the Dragon capsule and Falcon 9 rocket into one test flight. This despite Russian opposition.
NASA management appears ready to approve combining SpaceX’s next two test flights of the Dragon capsule and Falcon 9 rocket into one test flight. This despite Russian opposition.
How shall Europe’s ATV freighter to ISS be upgraded?
How shall Europe’s ATV freighter to ISS be upgraded?
How shall Europe’s ATV freighter to ISS be upgraded?
Finding anti-matter from ISS
Russians say “Nyet” to Dragon docking on its next flight
The competition plays hardball: The Russians say “Nyet” to letting SpaceX’s Dragon capsule dock with ISS on its next flight.
The competition plays hardball: The Russians say “Nyet” to letting SpaceX’s Dragon capsule dock with ISS on its next flight.
Flute duet on Earth and in Space
An evening pause: Though this took place last week, on the fiftieth anniversary of Yuri Gagarin’s flight, I can’t let it go by, especially because it is so nicely done. Trust me, for two flute players to play a duet with one several hundred miles up in space and traveling more than 17,500 miles per hour while the other is safely on Earth is not easy.
ISS Plans Week-Long Simulated Mars Mission
ISS plans week-long simulated Mars mission.
This is the right idea, but to really learn something NASA needs to commit to a year-plus long simulated mission.
ISS plans week-long simulated Mars mission.
This is the right idea, but to really learn something NASA needs to commit to a year-plus long simulated mission.
Russian Spaceship ‘Gagarin’ Arrives at Space Station
Russian spaceship “Gagarin” arrives at ISS.
Russian spaceship “Gagarin” arrives at ISS.
Astronauts take cover as debris drifts toward International Space Station
Astronauts in ISS take cover as Chinese space junk flies past.
Astronauts in ISS take cover as Chinese space junk flies past.
Astronauts head to ISS on spaceship Gagarin
Three astronauts were launched to ISS today in a Soyuz capsule the Russians have named Gagarin, in honor of the fiftieth anniversary of his flight on April 12.
Three astronauts were launched to ISS today in a Soyuz capsule the Russians have named Gagarin, in honor of the fiftieth anniversary of his flight on April 12.
NASA Endeavour Shuttle Launch Delayed
The Daily Beast reports today that the last flight of the shuttle Endeavour has been delayed due to a schedule conflict with a Russian Progress freighter.
Note that this has not yet been confirmed by NASA.
Update from spaceref: NASA has rescheduled Endeavour’s launch for April 29.
The Daily Beast reports today that the last flight of the shuttle Endeavour has been delayed due to a schedule conflict with a Russian Progress freighter.
Note that this has not yet been confirmed by NASA.
Update from spaceref: NASA has rescheduled Endeavour’s launch for April 29.
Japan’s unmanned freighter undocks from ISS
Japan’s unmanned freighter undocked from ISS today.
Japan’s unmanned freighter undocked from ISS today.
Japan Reopens Space Station Control Room After Quake
Good news: Japan has reopened its space station control room following the earthquake.
Good news: Japan has reopened its space station control room following the earthquake.
Orbital Science facility at Wallops opens
The spaceport at Wallops Island, Maryland has unveiled its rocket assembly building to be used by Orbital Sciences in launching cargo to ISS.
The spaceport at Wallops Island, Maryland has unveiled its rocket assembly building to be used by Orbital Sciences in launching cargo to ISS.
Russians set date for next Soyuz launch to ISS
The Russians have set the new date, April 5, for next manned Soyuz launch to ISS.
The Russians have set the new date, April 5, for next manned Soyuz launch to ISS.
Three astronauts return safely to Earth in Soyuz capsule
Three astronauts return safely to Earth in Soyuz capsule.
Three astronauts return safely to Earth in Soyuz capsule.
Russia Delays Launch of Soyuz Capsule to Space Station
Problems going up and going down: Not only are there issues with the Soyuz capsule that is scheduled to return to Earth on Wednesday, a problem in the communications system of the next Soyuz capsule has caused the Russians to delay its launch by at least one week.
Problems going up and going down: Not only are there issues with the Soyuz capsule that is scheduled to return to Earth on Wednesday, a problem in the communications system of the next Soyuz capsule has caused the Russians to delay its launch by at least one week.
Japanese quake disrupts space station operations
The 8.9 earthquake has shut down the Japanese space station mission control center, forcing NASA to take over monitoring Japanese ISS modules.
The 8.9 earthquake has shut down the Japanese space station mission control center, forcing NASA to take over monitoring Japanese ISS modules.
Putting ISS to use
Putting ISS to use. Key quote:
Under consideration is using the entire station and its six-person crew as an analog for a deep-space human exploration vehicle en route to Mars. An internal team is studying the feasibility and value of such an exercise in the summer of 2012. “We might start with a small window, like a 30-day window, with actual time delays with what we’d expect with a Martian communications system,” Gerstenmaier says. “We may freeze our consumables on station, in the sense of saying that we’ve started our voyage to Mars, and see how well we do in our predictions.”
Putting ISS to use. Key quote:
Under consideration is using the entire station and its six-person crew as an analog for a deep-space human exploration vehicle en route to Mars. An internal team is studying the feasibility and value of such an exercise in the summer of 2012. “We might start with a small window, like a 30-day window, with actual time delays with what we’d expect with a Martian communications system,” Gerstenmaier says. “We may freeze our consumables on station, in the sense of saying that we’ve started our voyage to Mars, and see how well we do in our predictions.”