Daily Archives: October 29, 2023

If it's not carefully retired, there could be "catastrophe." Orbital Threat

The International Space Station will soon need to be retired, having long outlasted its intended lifespan of 15 years and NASA is getting deadly serious about taking it down.

At a briefing on Thursday, the space agency's Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel (ASAP) called plans to build a specialized "space tug" to deorbit the station "not optional," fearing human casualties on the ground should it make an uncontrolled re-entry into the atmosphere.

"The day will inevitably come when the Station is at the end of its life and we may not be able to dictate that day it is inconceivable to allow the Station to deorbit in an uncontrolled manner," said ASAP Chair Patricia Sanders at the briefing, as quoted by Space Policy Online.

"[The station] is simply too massive and would pose extreme hazard to populations over a broad area of Earth," she added. "This needs to be resourced and resourced now if we are to avert a catastrophe."

Deorbiting spacecraft is nothing new for NASA, but the hefty size of the ISS poses a bigger risk and demands greater precision. At 358 feet from end to end, it's easily large enough to crush an entire stadium, that is, if it were to make it through the atmosphere in one piece.

NASA has said that it wants to retire the ISS by 2030, and its plan to accomplish that is using a space tug that will nudge the station into the atmosphere, where it will begin to burn up during re-entry and fall over a remote part of the ocean called Point Nemo.

To "initiate developing" the tug, NASA said it's allocated around $180 million. Actually building it, however, could cost up to an eye-watering $1 billion.

To account for those costs, NASA has asked for a budget boost to $27.2 billion for next year, but the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 signed by President Joe Biden in June means that the space agency will likely suffer budget cuts.

Sanders said if those cuts come through, NASA will have to make "difficult choices," but stressed that the space tug is one of the "few areas that are not discretionary," per Space Policy Online.

Previously, NASA floated the idea of using Russia's already existing Progress spacecraft, which regularly resupplies the station, to perform the deorbiting.

But, given the firm support that ASAP has just thrown behind the space tug plan, it sounds like NASA is dead set on retiring the ISS all on its own with or without its desired budget.

More on the ISS: Cosmonauts Encounter Deadly "Blob" During Spacewalk

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NASA Terrified of Space Station Careening Out of Control and Crashing Into People - Futurism

Two cosmonauts conducting a spacewalk outside the International Space Station (ISS) on Wednesday (Oct. 25) got an up-close view of a coolant leak that was first observed flowing from an external radiator earlier this month.

Oleg Kononenko came so close to the growing "blob" or "droplet" as the pooling ammonia was described that one of his tethers became contaminated, necessitating it being bagged and left outside of the space station when the spacewalk ended.

Kononenko and his fellow Expedition 70 spacewalker, Nikolai Chub, also of the Russian federal space corporation Roscosmos, began the extravehicular activity (EVA) at 1:49 p.m. EDT (1749 GMT) on Wednesday, knowing that one of their first tasks was to isolate and photo document the radiator, which was first observed leaking coolant on Oct. 9. Used as a backup to a main body radiator that regulates the temperature inside Russia's Nauka multipurpose laboratory module, Kononenko and Chub configured a number of valves to cut off the external radiator from its ammonia supply.

Related: International Space Station Everything you need to know

After that was complete and before noticing the growing deposit of liquid coolant, Kononenko reported seeing a myriad of small holes on the surface of the radiator's panels.

"The holes have very even edges, like they've been drilled through," Kononenko radioed to the flight controllers working in Moscow Mission Control. "There are lots of them. They are spread in a chaotic manner."

The "blob" was believed to have formed from the residual ammonia that was disturbed when the work was done to close the valves. Knowing in advance they might come in contact with the coolant, the cosmonauts were prepared with tissues and cloths to wipe down their spacesuits and tools so as to not bring any the toxic material back inside the space station.

Russian engineers on the ground will use the data collected by the cosmonauts to further determine the cause for the leak and what steps might be taken to return the radiator to use in the future.

In addition to the radiator inspection, Kononenko and Chub also worked to install a synthetic radar communications system and released a nanosatellite to test solar sail technology. The radar, which will be used to monitor Earth's environment, was the first science payload to be mounted on Nauka's exterior. The radar's panels only partially deployed, and an attempt by the cosmonauts to get it to fully deploy was not successful.

The cube-shaped smallsat, which was developed by a team at the Bauman Moscow State Technical University, was designed to test a means for deploying an experimental solar sail. With a little coaxing, the nanosatellite emerged from its housing and slowly tumbled away from the space station, but the solar wings did not extend when planned.

The 7-hour, 41-minute spacewalk came to its end with the hatch being closed to the Poisk module airlock at 9:30 p.m. EDT (0130 GMT on Oct. 26).

The EVA was the 268th in support of space station assembly, maintenance and upgrades. It was the first by Chub and the sixth spacewalk by Kononenko, who has now logged a total of 41 hours and 43 minutes working in Orlan spacesuits in the vacuum of space.

Original post:
Cosmonauts on ISS spacewalk encounter toxic coolant 'blob' while inspecting leaky radiator - Space.com

It is pretty widely agreed that things moving in space move rather quickly, but a video showing how fast the International Space Station (ISS) moves has been stunning viewers.

The video, that has been viewed more than 700,000 times since being posted on YouTube in 2022, begins by showing a simulation of the ISS in space.

The space station moves at an average speed of 17,150mi/h (27,600km/h) as it orbits the planet. This is an estimated equivalent of going at Mach 22.3. For context, the speed of sound travels at Mach 1.

Now, the most interesting part of the video is seeing how fast the station would be moving if it were at ground level. The owner of the video, YouTube channel Airplane Mode, said this simulation was done using Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020.

The video shows a first-person view of what it would be like to move at Mach 22 speeds through New York City. Zipping past the large body of water to reach the city in just over a second.

The ISS would be able to blitz through the entirety of New York city in under three seconds, illustrating the unbelievable speeds the station is moving at in space.

The simulation also shows how quickly the station would be moving over mountain ranges across the globe.

For added context, the clip also shows comparatively how slow something moving at the speed of sound would travel at through the city.

This really puts into perspective how slow sound actually is, this is crazy stuff, one YouTuber commented.

I think it's crazy that we as humans made an object go that fast. I bet Newton would be pretty shocked to hear we actually went fast enough to orbit Earth like he theorized back when the fastest vehicles were sailing ships, another remarked.

Manhattan came and went in less than two seconds. Ha, thats insane, one user wrote.

I have seen the ISS fly over on many late night dog walks and have often wondered how fast it would be going for us. Well, now we know. Awesome video man!

This really emphasizes the fact that all an orbit is is going so fast that by the time you start to fall towards the planet, the floor just curves and you're back where you started, another amazed YouTuber wrote.

Despite the rapid speed the ISS is moving at, it still takes the station 90-93 minutes to orbit the Earth, highlighting just how massive our blue planet is.

Read this article:
Unbelievable video demonstrating speed of the ISS is blowing people's minds - UNILAD

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Credit: Kremlin

Russian President Vladimir Putin approved the development of Russias new orbital station after a special meeting at Energia Corp. on Oct. 26. The development program, worth 609 billion rubles (about $6.5 billion), will allow the new station to deploy by 2032, the head of Energias parent Roscosmos...

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Putin Approves Development Of Russian Space Station - Aviation Week

The 29th SpaceX commercial resupply services (CRS) mission for NASA carries scientific experiments and technology demonstrations, including studies of enhanced optical communications and measurement of atmospheric waves. The uncrewed SpaceX Dragon spacecraft is scheduled to launch to the International Space Station from the agencys Kennedy Space Center in Florida no earlier than Nov. 5.

Download high-resolution photos and videos of the research mentioned in this article.

Here are details on some of the research launching to the orbiting lab:

NASAs ILLUMA-T investigation tests technology to provide enhanced data communication capabilities on the space station. A terminal mounted on the stations exterior uses laser or optical communications to send high-resolution information to the agencys Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) system, which is in geosynchronous orbit around Earth. LCRD then beams the data to optical ground stations in Haleakala, Hawaii, and Table Mountain, California. The system uses invisible infrared light and can send and receive information at higher data rates than traditional radio frequency systems, making it possible to send more images and videos to and from the space station in a single transmission. The ILLUMA-T demonstration also paves the way for placing laser communications terminals on spacecraft orbiting the Moon or Mars.

ILLUMA-T and LCRD create NASAs first two-way laser communications relay system. Laser communications can supplement the radio frequency systems that most space-based missions currently use to send data to and from Earth. According to acting ILLUMA-T project manager Glenn Jackson at NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, laser systems are smaller, more lightweight, and use less power than radio systems. The smaller size frees up more room for science instruments, the lighter weight reduces launch costs, and lower power use results in less drain on spacecraft batteries.

Managed by NASA Goddard in partnership with NASAs Johnson Space Center in Houston and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory, ILLUMA-T is funded by the Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) program at NASA Headquarters in Washington.

NASAs Atmospheric Waves Experiment (AWE) uses an infrared imaging instrument to measure the characteristics, distribution, and movement of atmospheric gravity waves (AGWs). These waves roll through Earths atmosphere when air is disturbed much like waves created by dropping a stone into water.

Atmospheric gravity waves are one mechanism for transporting energy and momentum within the climate system and they play a role in defining the climate and its evolution, says co-investigator Jeff Forbes of the University of Colorado Boulder. He explains that these waves are relatively small at the source but amplified at altitudes, and potentially indicate climate changes not readily observable at lower altitudes. This investigations long-term observations of physical processes in atmospheric circulation could increase insight into AGWs and improve understanding of Earths atmosphere, weather, and climate.

Researchers also are looking at how AGWs contribute to space weather, which refers to the varying conditions within the Solar System, including solar wind. Space weather affects space- and ground-based communications, navigation, and tracking systems. Scientists know little about exactly how AGWs influence space weather and this investigation could help fill in these knowledge gaps. Results could support development of ways to mitigate the effects of space weather.

The space station provides an ideal platform for the investigation given its altitude and geographic and time coverage.

AWE is pioneering research, making the first global measurements of gravity waves at the edge of space, Forbes says. This is an important step forward in understanding waves in the atmosphere and their contributions to near-Earth space weather.

The Atmospheric Waves Experiment is managed by Goddard for NASAs Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters.

Space Flight Induced Ovarian and Estrogen Signaling Dysfunction, Adaptation, and Recovery is a fundamental science investigation sponsored by NASAs Biological and Physical Sciences Division. It advances previous microgravity studies that seek to better understand the combined effects of spaceflight, nutritional, and environmental stresses on control of ovulation and resulting effects on the skeleton. Results of this study could help identify and treat the effects of stress on ovulation and improve bone health on Earth.

Aquamembrane-3, an investigation from ESA (European Space Agency), continues evaluation of replacing the multi-filtration beds used for water recovery on the space station with a type of membrane known as an Aquaporin Inside Membrane (AIM). These are membranes that incorporate proteins found in biological cells, known as aquaporins, to filter water faster while using less energy. Initial testing of AIM technology in 2015 showed that water filtration by membranes is possible in microgravity, and this follow-up testing could demonstrate how effectively the membranes eliminate contaminants in space station wastewater. Results could advance development of a complete and full-scale membrane-based water recovery system, improving water reclamation and reducing the amount of material that needs to be launched to the space station. This water filtration technology also could have applications in extreme environments on Earth, such as military and emergency settings, and for decentralized water systems in remote locations.

Gaucho Lung, sponsored by the ISS National Lab, studies how mucus lining the respiratory system affects delivery of drugs carried in a small amount of injected liquid, known as a liquid plug. Conducting this research in microgravity makes it possible to isolate the factors involved, including capillary or wicking forces, mucus characteristics, and gravity. Understanding the role of these factors could inform the development and optimization of targeted respiratory treatments. In addition, the work could contribute to new strategies to control contamination in tubing for liquids used in the health care and food industries.

Search this database of scientific experiments to learn more about those mentioned above.

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NASA's SpaceX CRS-29 Mission Flies Research to the Space Station - NASA

NASA and Boeing are working to complete the agencys verification and validation activities ahead of Starliners first flight with astronauts to the International Space Station. While Boeing is targeting March to have the spacecraft ready for flight, teams decided during a launch manifest evaluation that a launch in April will better accommodate upcoming crew rotations and cargo resupply missions this spring.

Once the spacecraft meets the agencys safety requirements, NASAs Boeing Starliner Crew Flight Test (CFT) will see astronautsButch WilmoreandSuni Williamsperform the first crewed mission of the spacecraft designed to take astronauts to and from the orbital laboratory.

Ahead of CFT, Boeing has completed P213 tape removal in the upper dome of the Starliner crew compartment and work is underway to remove or remediate the tape in the lower dome of the spacecraft. These hardware remediation efforts inside the Starliner production facility at NASA Kennedy are expected to be completed during the next several weeks. After the P213 tape remediation efforts conclude, engineers will conduct final assessments to ensure acceptable risk of any remaining tape.

A set of parachutes is on track to be delivered and installed on the CFT spacecraft by the end of this year to support the current target launch date. Separately, the team also is planning a drop test of Starliners updated drogue and main parachutes. The parachutes will incorporate a planned strengthening of main canopy suspension lines and the recent design of the drogue and main parachute soft-link joints, which will increase the safety factor for the system. The drop test is planned for early 2024 based on the current parachute delivery schedule.

Boeing and NASA also are planning modifications to the active thermal control system valves to improve long-term functionality following a radiator bypass valve issue discovered during ground operations earlier this year. As discussed during a Starlinermedia teleconferencein June, teams have modified the spacecraft hardware and identified forward work to prevent a similar issue in the future. Options include a system purge to prevent stiction, component upgrades and operational mitigations.

Additionally, about 98% of the certification products required for the flight test are complete, and NASA and Boeing anticipate closure on remaining CFT certification products early next year. Meanwhile, NASA and Boeing have made significant progress on requirement closures related to manual crew control of the spacecraft and abort system analysis.

The latest version of Starliners CFT flight software completed qualification testing and is undergoing standard hardware and software integration testing inside Boeings Avionics and Software Integration Lab. Starliners crew and service modules remain mated and await continuation of standard preflight processing.

The United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket also is in Florida at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station awaiting integration with the spacecraft.

The NASA astronauts who will fly aboard CFT continue to train for their roughly eight-day mission to the orbiting laboratory, which includes working with operations and mission support teams to participate in various simulations across all phases of flight.

Starliner completed two uncrewed flight tests, including Orbital Flight Test-2, which docked to the space station on May 21, 2022, following a launch two days prior from Kennedy. The spacecraft remained docked to space station for four days before successfully landing at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.

Follow NASAs commercial crew blog orCFT mission blogfor the latest information on progress. Details about NASAs Commercial Crew Program can be found by following thecommercial crew blog,@commercial_crewon X, andcommercial crewon Facebook.

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Progress Continues Toward NASA's Boeing Crew Flight Test to Station - NASA

The speed of the International Space Station has been shown through amazing animation.

Space is usually where you will see this craft, but sometimes you can see it and even track it in low altitudes on Earth.

The International Space Station routinely conducts a flyby all over the world as it orbits us.

But what does it look like up close?

A video posted to YouTube might give you a good idea.

The channel Airplane Mode released animated footage of the ISS flyby and its incredible to see.

From this video, you can see exactly what the station sees, and its a wonderful view.

Commenters were just as taken aback, writing their thoughts on the ISS.

One person typed jokingly, making light of the speed: We should all be thankful for the bravery of the astronauts who daringly flew the ISS at such a low altitude just to give us this amazing footage.

Another was amazed at the speed: If you can spot it at night, it's really amazing how quickly it goes from horizon to horizon.

It also sparked some philosophical thoughts about humanity and the universe.

Someone wrote: This only makes me appreciate the size of the Earth even more. The fact that mountains are only in frame for a fraction of a second and it would take an hour and a half version of this video to complete one circle is crazy to me. We are so tiny.

While another added: Next you're gonna tell me the Sun actually is a happy baby's face and our true overlords are the Teletubbies.

If you havent seen the ISS before, another person had some tips to share, writing: For anyone unaware, you can see the iss every now and then at night near ur location. You just need to look up iss fly bys then type in (near ur location) two days in a row I got lucky seeing a satellite and the iss 2 minutes apart. There are also lives on yt of astronauts speaking in the iss they sometimes say hello to you. Honestly its so great.

Forgot to mention it happened a third time with the iss flying over with a satellite about a month later and we started seeing a bunch of random stars moving, turns out there was a meteor shower at the same time and about 3 more satellites flew by (Im sure to avoid being hit with a meteor).

But really, the video would make a fantastic bedtime watch, as a user pointed out: I'd really watch a 3 hour version where the iss goes around the earth twice with some chill ambient music.

Original post:
Mind-blowing animation shows the speed of the International Space ... - UNILAD