Category Archives: Space Station

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A European supply ship will undock from the International Space Station on Saturday as scheduled but be destroyed 12 days earlier than planned because of a power hitch, the European Space Agency (ESA) said Friday.

The Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) Georges Lemaitre will separate from the ISS on Saturday at 1344 GMT at the end of its six-month mission, it said.

But the loss of one of its four power sources means that, as a precaution, the ATV will be destroyed on Sunday rather than on February 27 as initially planned.

"It's a minor concern rather than a critical problem," Dominique Siruguet, deputy head of ESA's ATV programme, told AFP.

"The ATV has four solar panels," he said.

"It can operate as normal using three power chains, but even if this were reduced to two, it would still be able to separate from the ISS and perform re-entry satisfactorily."

Re-entry entails sending the vehicle earthward at a steep angle so that it burns up on friction with the atmosphere at hypersonic speeds.

The ATV is the fifth and final cargo ship that ESA contracted to provide for the US-led ISS project.

Named after the father of the "Big Bang" theory, the spaceship is designed to navigate by starlight and dock automatically with the manned outpost in space.

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Power hiccup to speed end of Europe's space truck

SpaceX's Dragon cargo spacecraft splashed down in the Pacific Ocean about 7:44 p.m. EST Tuesday 259 miles southwest of Long Beach, California, with nearly 3,700 pounds of NASA cargo, science and first-of-its-kind technology demonstration samples from the International Space Station.

The Dragon spacecraft will be taken by ship to Long Beach, where some cargo will be removed and returned to NASA. Dragon will then be prepared for a return trip to SpaceX's test facility in McGregor, Texas, for processing.

"The ability to resupply and return this critical research continues to be an invaluable asset for the researchers here on Earth using the International Space Station as their laboratory in orbit," said Kirt Costello, deputy chief scientist for the International Space Station Program at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Flight controllers in the Mission Control Center at Johnson robotically positioned Dragon safely away from its docking port earlier Tuesday, where it was released for its deorbit maneuver, sending it on its way to a parachute-assisted splashdown.

Among the returned investigations were printed parts and hardware from the first technology demonstration of 3-D printing in space. The 3-D printer demonstration used relatively low-temperature plastic feedstock on the space station. The test phase ended with a printed ratchet wrench made with a design file transmitted from Earth to the printer.

"Experiments like 3-D printing in space demonstrate important capabilities that allow NASA and humanity to proceed farther on the journey to Mars," Costello said.

"Other investigations such as those focused on protein crystal growth take advantage of the unique microgravity environment and offer us new avenues to investigate troubling diseases back on Earth."

Dragon also returned samples, hardware and data from several biology and biotechnology studies performed on the station. The Advancing Membrane Protein Crystallization by Using Microgravity investigation explored the production of high-quality crystals of the cystic fibrosis protein and other closely related proteins.

Because many medically relevant proteins are difficult to crystalize on Earth, researchers attempt to grow them in space to help determine their shape and structure with the hope of improving drug therapies for cystic fibrosis, a genetic disorder that causes severe damage to the lungs and digestive system.

Samples from the Advanced Plant Experiments 03-1 will help scientists better understand the effects of microgravity on the development of roots and cells on plant seedlings.

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Critical NASA Science Returns to Earth aboard SpaceX Dragon Spacecraft

Foxx Plays: KSP 365 Challenge! ep.41
The final mission to the NIR space station and the final mission of mission block 3! We also talk at length about my future plans! Tantares Mod Pack http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/815...

By: Foxxonius Augustus

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Foxx Plays: KSP 365 Challenge! ep.41 - Video

Something's definitely going on at NASA. We're thinking someone in the public relations department is trying to blow the dust off the space agency's ever-serious image.

First there was the photo below, deemed by almost anyone with a pulse as unquestionably the best astronaut portrait ever:

And now, the Expedition 45 crew, scheduled to go to the International Space Station in September, is having fun with Jedi robes and light sabers:

Collectspace.com says the shot is titled "International Space Station Expedition XLV: The Science Continues." The crew will make up the station's first year-long mission.

The website says: "The poster's theme and layout was reportedly the idea of [Kjell] Lindgren (bottom left in the photo), who will be making his first trip into space with this mission. NASA photographers and graphic artists at the Johnson Space Center in Houston brought the poster together, digitally adding the lightsabers and background."

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Space Station Astronauts In Star Wars-Themed Crew Pic

Two NASA astronauts from the International Space Stations Expedition 42 crew will venture outside the orbital complex on Friday, Feb. 20; Tuesday, Feb. 24; and Sunday, March 1. They will prepare cables and communications gear for new docking ports that will allow future crews launched from Florida on U.S. commercial spacecraft to dock to the space station.

NASA TV will provide comprehensive coverage, beginning with a preview news briefing Wednesday, Feb. 18.

The preview briefing will be broadcast at 2 p.m. EST from NASAs Johnson Space Center in Houston. Media may take part in person or by telephone. Reporters who want to ask questions by phone must call Johnsons newsroom at 281-483-5111 no later than 1:45 p.m. Wednesday. Cell phones are discouraged.

The panelists for the briefing are:

Kenneth Todd, International Space Station Operations and Integration manager

Tomas Gonzalez-Torres, Expedition 42 lead flight director

Karina Eversley, Extravehicular Activity (EVA) # 29 officer

Sarah Korona, EVA # 30 officer

Arthur Thomason, EVA # 31 officer

Expedition 42 Commander Barry Wilmore and Flight Engineer Terry Virts will exit the station from the Quest airlock for each of the three spacewalks around 7:10 a.m. NASA TV coverage of the approximately six-and-a-half hour spacewalks will begin at 6 a.m.

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NASA TV Previews and Broadcasts Space Station U.S. Spacewalks

Former astronaut Chris Hadfield discusses future of space exploration
The Heat interviewed Commander Chris Hadfield, a former astronaut, leading NASA innovator, and a space historian about the future of space exploration. Hadfield is the first Canadian astronaut...

By: CCTV America

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Former astronaut Chris Hadfield discusses future of space exploration - Video

[ISS] SpaceX Dragon CRS-5 Departs International Space Station
After nearly a month in orbit the SpaceX Dragon CRS-5 cargo spacecraft was released from the International Space Station arm #39;s grasp and drifted off into Space heading home. Release occurred...

By: SpaceVids.tv

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[ISS] SpaceX Dragon CRS-5 Departs International Space Station - Video

SpaceX Dragon Commercial Cargo Ship Departs International Space Station
After spending a month at the International Space Station, the U.S. unpiloted SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft was unberthed from the Earth-facing port of the Harmony module and released from...

By: 10 MINUTES

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SpaceX Dragon Commercial Cargo Ship Departs International Space Station - Video

SpaceX Dragon Capsule Returns from Space Station : BREAKING NEWS
For More Latest News Subscribe us: http://www.youtube.com/user/worldnetworktvbbccnn http://worldnetworktv.blogspot.com/ CAPE CANAVERAL: A SpaceX Dragon cargo ship made a parachute return ...

By: World Network TV

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SpaceX Dragon Capsule Returns from Space Station : BREAKING NEWS - Video

Metroid Prime 3: Corruption - Part 1: These Space Stations
I swear, it #39;s always something on a space station! We finally get started on the final game in the Prime series.

By: AerosolLP

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Metroid Prime 3: Corruption - Part 1: These Space Stations - Video