Category Archives: Space Station

On Wednesday, about six hours before NASAs Crew-3 mission launched to orbit, the International Space Station was forced to maneuver itself to avoid a piece of debris spawned by a Chinese antisatellite weapon test in 2007.

The piece of junk was projected to enter whats called the pizza box, a square-shaped zone 2.5 miles deep and 30 miles wide, where the station sits in the middle. NASA officials keep close eyes on the zone using data models on the location of objects in space kept by the U.S. Space Command.

Faced with a threat to the zone, the agency worked with Russias space agency in Moscow to fire station thrusters that raised its altitude by just under a mile.

It just makes sense to go ahead and do this burn and put this behind us so we can ensure the safety of the crew, Joel Montalbano, NASAs space station manager, told reporters during a news conference on Tuesday.

The debris is a remnant of Chinas Fengyun-1C, a weather satellite that launched in 1999 and was decommissioned in 2002 but remained in orbit. In 2007, China targeted the defunct satellite with a ballistic missile on the ground, blowing the satellite to smithereens and creating over 3,000 pieces of debris. The missile test drew condemnation from the United States and other countries at the time.

The wreckage from the satellite was expected to make its close pass of the space station this coming Thursday night, according to Jonathan McDowell, a Harvard astronomer who tracks objects in space. But now that the station has moved, the threat of a collision is minuscule.

A large portion of that debris cloud is expected to stay in orbit for decades, threatening the space station and other spacecraft.

The station has carried out 29 such avoidance maneuvers since 1999, a year after its construction began. In some instances, astronauts had to board their spacecraft and brace for an emergency departure in case the station was hit and sustained damage.

Only the United States, Russia, China and India have launched antisatellite tests. The most recent occurred in 2019, when India blew up a defunct satellite, an effort to signal its capability for projecting military force in space.

The SpaceX mission that carried four astronauts for NASA, Japan and France to the space station in April had a space debris scare. SpaceX mission control alerted the astronauts that a piece of space debris was projected to whiz by the capsule, although nothing came close, and the crew safely reached the space station on April 24.

Days later, U.S. Space Command determined that the alert was the result of a reporting error and that there was never a collision threat because there was no object at risk of colliding with the capsule. Still, the incident renewed discussion about the growing threat of space debris and other clutter in low-Earth orbit.

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International Space Station Dodges Chinese Space Junk - The New York Times

A hatch chile aboard the International Space Station NASA hide caption

A hatch chile aboard the International Space Station

There may be a reason why astronauts are rhapsodic about the view from space but never mention the food.

NASA and other space agencies strive to give crews aboard the International Space Station nutritious and interesting meals.

French astronaut Thomas Pesquet can reportedly occasionally consume lobster, cod and almond tarts with caramelized pears onboard the space station, prepared in collaboration with famous French chefs. But even an astronaute franais must slurp most meals out of a plastic squeeze-bag.

Zero gravity is not conducive to fine dining. Food in space can only be rehydrated and reheated, not cooked fresh: open flames are not allowed. Crew members have to keep their meals contained so crumbs don't float and multiply for the whole mission. Imagine trying to spend 6 months in a pretzel dust storm.

And an astronaut can't ask, "You think that falafel place is on Grubhub?" Meals for each crew member must be stored in advance and eaten in order.

All of this may sound a little grim. But astronauts can also enjoy the finest view off the planet. And what are they going to do: leave?

So, it was one small step for interstellar cuisine when U.S. astronaut Megan McArthur recently posted photos of herself holding a taco shell stuffed with beef, rehydrated tomatoes, artichokes and a fresh hatch chile grown aboard the International Space Station itself.

"[B]est space tacos yet," she tweeted.

Even Pesquet, the lobster-slurping French astronaut, posted on Instagram, "It is such a joy to grow (and eat) your own food, and necessary for farther exploration of our Solar System."

It seems there is a suitcase-sized space garden aboard the ISS that holds about six "pillows" stuffed with clay and fertilizer, and a magenta-hued LED light. Astronauts have grown lettuce, Chinese cabbage, red Russian kale, mizuna mustard and zinnias in this micro-plot, to test which plants might grow best during a long space voyage.

We called Melva Aguirre, who owns the Pepper Pot in Hatch, N.M., home of hatch chiles. She says the harvest of their famous local crop in outer space is the talk of the town.

"Now the whole universe knows how great our chiles are," she said. When I asked if she could recommend a hatch chile recipe, Aguirre told me, "Just stuff it."

"Stuff it?" I asked, and she laughed and said, "I mean, in your mouth."

A recipe even I can follow.

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Opinion: Fine dining on the International Space Station - NPR

Following is a summary of current science news briefs.

NASA, SpaceX launch 4 more astronauts into orbit on flight to space station

NASA and private rocket company SpaceX launched four astronauts into orbit late on Wednesday, sending a veteran spacewalker, two younger crewmates chosen for future lunar missions and a German materials scientist on their way to the International Space Station. The SpaceX-built launch vehicle, consisting of a Crew Dragon capsule and a two-stage Falcon 9 rocket, blasted off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida at about 9 p.m. (0200 GMT Thursday), with a reddish fireball lighting up the night sky as its nine Merlin engines roared to life.

Japanese-Korean-Turkish language group traced to farmers in ancient China

A study combining linguistic, genetic and archaeological evidence has traced the origins of the family of languages including modern Japanese, Korean, Turkish and Mongolian and the people who speak them to millet farmers who inhabited a region in northeastern China about 9,000 years ago. The findings detailed on Wednesday document a shared genetic ancestry for the hundreds of millions of people who speak what the researchers call Transeurasian languages across an area stretching more than 5,000 miles (8,000 km).

International Space Station to manoeuvre higher to swerve satellite junk

The International Space Station will perform a brief manoeuvre on Wednesday to dodge a fragment of a defunct Chinese satellite, Russian space agency Roscosmos said. The station crewed by seven astronauts will climb 1,240 metres higher to avoid a close encounter with the fragment and will settle in an orbit 470.7 km (292 miles) above the Earth, Roscosmos said. It did not say how large the debris was.

U.S. VP Harris announces expanded cooperation on space issues after meeting Macron

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris announced an expanded cooperation on space and cybersecurity issues after a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron. Harris and Macron agreed to establish a "U.S.-France Comprehensive Dialogue on Space" to enhance civil, commercial, and national security space cooperation, the White House said in a statement.

NASA pushes back time frame for human moon mission to 2025

NASA is extending its target date for sending astronauts back to the moon to 2025 at the earliest, the U.S. space agency's chief said on Tuesday, stretching out by at least a year the timeline pronounced under former President Donald Trump. Trump's administration had set the aggressive goal of returning humans to the lunar surface by 2024, an initiative named Artemis intended as a stepping stone toward the even-more-ambitious objective of sending astronauts to Mars.

(With inputs from agencies.)

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Science News Roundup: NASA, SpaceX launch 4 more astronauts into orbit on flight to space station; NASA pushes back time frame for human moon mission...

Early risers in San Diego will have several good opportunities this week to watch the International Space Station fly over ahead roughly 248 miles above Earth.

NASA says the public can see the station for six minutes on Wednesday, starting at 5:39 a.m. The outpost will initially be visible about 10 degrees above the southern horizon. The outpost will resemble a shiny ball bearing.

The station can be seen for two minutes on Thursday, starting at 4:55 a.m. It will appear 14 degrees above the southeastern horizon.

The outpost will be visible for four minutes on Friday, starting at 5:44 a.m. Look for it 39 degrees above the west-southwest.

Megan McArthur, who earned her doctorate in oceanography at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego, is aboard the space station, finishing up a long stint in orbit. She will return to earth in early to mid-November.

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Early risers in San Diego can see the International Space Station several times this week - The San Diego Union-Tribune

Nanoracks will be the prime contractor with Voyager handling strategy and investment and Lockheed serving as the manufacturer and technical integrator.

Nanoracks, in collaboration with Voyager Space and Lockheed Martin, has formed a team to develop the first-ever free-flying commercial space station.

The space station, known as Starlab, will be a continuously crewed commercial platform, dedicated to conducting critical research, fostering industrial activity, and ensuring continued US presence and leadership in low-Earth orbit. Starlab is expected to achieve initial operational capability by 2027.

These industry leaders will develop Starlab specifically to enable the growing space economy and meet pent-up customer demand for space services such as materials research, plant growth, and astronaut activity.

Speaking about the collaboration, Jeffrey Manber, CEO and Co-Founder of Nanoracks, said: Since the beginning, Nanoracks has sought to own and operate a private space station to fully unlock market demand. Our team has spent the last decade learning the business of space stations, understanding customer needs, charting market growth, and self-investing in private hardware on the ISS like the Bishop Airlock. Nanoracks and our team are excited to work with NASA and our friends across the world as we move forward with Starlab.

NASA recently announced the Commercial Low-Earth Orbit Destination (CLD) project to support the development of private space stations. CLD will stimulate a multifaceted LEO economy and provide science and crew capabilities in LEO before the International Space Station (ISS) retires.

Nanoracks will prime the Starlab development effort leveraging over a decade of experience as the pathfinder of and global leader in commercial ISS utilisation. Voyager Space, the majority shareholder in Nanoracks, will lead strategy and capital investment and Lockheed Martin will serve as the manufacturer and technical integrator.

The basic elements of the Starlab space station include a large inflatable habitat, designed and built by Lockheed Martin, a metallic docking node, a power and propulsion element, a large robotic arm for servicing cargo and payloads, and a state-of-the-art laboratory system to host comprehensive research, science, and manufacturing capability. Starlab will be able to continuously host up to four astronauts for conducting critical science and research.

Lisa Callahan, Vice President and General Manager, Commercial Civil Space at Lockheed Martin, added: Were excited to be part of such an innovative and capable teamone that allows each company to leverage their core strengths. Lockheed Martins extensive experience in building complex spacecraft and systems, coupled with Nanoracks commercial business innovation and Voyagers financial expertise allows our team to create a customer-focused space station that will fuel our future vision. We have invested significantly in habitat technology which enables us to propose a cost-effective, mission-driven spacecraft design for Starlab.

Nanoracks Starlab business model is designed to enable science, research, and manufacturing for global customers, and bring added value to long-duration sovereign astronaut missions. Starlab will also serve tourism and other commercial and business activities.

Dylan Taylor, Voyager Space Chairman & CEO, stated: Voyager Space is highly confident in the Starlab business model and its ability to be commercially sustainable and well-capitalised. Voyager Space sees numerous synergies leveraging the capabilities across our organizations operating businesses, as well as within the Lockheed Martin ecosystem. We see this partnership as just the beginning of our work together.

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Lockheed Martin, Nanoracks and Voyager partner on commercial space station project - SatellitePro ME - SatelliteProME.com

By necessity, traveling to space means leaving Earth but that round-trip journey also means coming back to Earth, and for retired NASA astronaut Nicole Stott, that piece of the experience was crucial.

Stott outlines how living and working on the International Space Station changed the way she thinks about living on Earth in her new book, "Back to Earth: What Life in Space Taught Me About Our Home Planet and Our Mission to Protect It" (Seal Press, 2021). (Read an excerpt from "Back to Earth.")

Stott opens "Back to Earth" by telling the story of Apollo 8's famous Earthrise image and encouraging readers to find their own moment of such planetary reflection (without having to travel quite as far as the lunar orbit that mission's crew reached.)

Space.com called Stott to talk about the book, her time in space and what she's been doing since returning to Earth. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Related: Best space and sci-fi books for 2021

Space.com: Why did you want to write this book?

Nicole Stott: This is not a memoir. Really what I wanted it to be was the story of how we have done such amazing work as this international community on the International Space Station. If I had to sum up the message in the book in the simplest way it would be that I think the greatest skill we could learn as Earthlings is how to be crewmates and not passengers. There's a big, big difference.

Space.com: It seems notable to me that you waited a while after retiring from the astronaut corps to write this, how did that time affect you?

Stott: I think if I had written this book soon after retiring, it would have been a very different book. It may have been more the memoir, the how did Nicole become an astronaut. A lot of people like hearing those stories, and I enjoy reading the books that my colleagues have written about those experiences, and I think that is compelling in one way.

What I've found interesting, though, is that there's little tidbits in all of those stories that speak in some way or another to what I'm trying to get at in "Back to Earth." And as time went on, I found that for me, wow, those little tidbits were absolutely the more powerful thing.

I hope everyone who reads it finds their own call to action from it, how they can find this path to being crewmembers, and that that can come to life for them through something they read in this book. What thing can they do in their lives that will allow them to take on that role more strongly? What else can they be doing? I don't mean it to be prescriptive in any way. But I want it to be something that they can read and perhaps latch onto in some way that encourages them to find their own path, find their own role.

Space.com: How did you go about the process of combining your memories from space with the Earth-related themes and topics you wanted to cover?

Stott: Each chapter is a call to action on its own based on an experience I had in space, whether that's the training that we do or how we end up working together or the philosophies that we have to create a successful mission.

The first chapter is "act like everything is local." There's this sense of, "What's going on on the other side of the planet?" or, "Oh, that doesn't affect me, because I don't live there." But when you go to space and you look back at Earth, it's like, "Holy moly, we live on a planet." It's one place that, no matter how you look at it, is connected interconnected and we are, because of that, interdependent. So anything I do in one place is, in one way or another, whether we realize it or not, affecting every place else and everyone else.

I try to use this experience of seeing Earth from space to bring together the key elements of how we experience that down here on Earth. What I tried to do in each chapter is share some aspect of what it's like to live in space, what brought this way of being to light for me, and how that affected the way we could successfully work as a crew onboard the space station. Then, I showcase work that's happening in space that is in line with that, and then also showcase someone who is already working in not just a very passionate way but in a very successful way to bring that way of being to life, doing things here on Earth that are improving life for all of us.

Space.com: Your astronaut class is nicknamed the "Bugs" and you have this lovely sad story of watching damselflies as a kid and then realizing you hadn't seen them in years and years. When did you make the connection between those two snippets of your life?

Stott: It was while I was writing the book, I was starting to think about experiences I've had. Part of what I share in that chapter is there's been a lot in the news with respect to extinction-level events like the "insect apocalypse" and you read a headline like that, and you're like, "What the heck?"

I tried to figure out "how can I relate what I'm reading about something that's happening on a planetary scale to something I've experienced in my own life?" And I realized that wow, I can't remember the last time I saw one of these little beautiful bugs that I had been surrounded by as a kid. Thankfully, thanks to some of the people I spoke to, I discovered that they have not disappeared, they are still with us, while not in mass like they were and how I remember as a child. I just remember crying and being so thankful that they weren't gone.

Since then, I keep my eye out for them and I, very fortunately, have come across them again. The other day, there was this one lone blue damselfly at the glass, and I took a picture of it, because it just shocked me. It was like this little gift from God or something to remind me that it's important for us to pay attention to these creatures and the role they have with us, but also that they haven't left us yet. It just reminded me and this is something I tried to share in the book too that we just have to be open and looking for the awe and wonder around us all the time.

And that little damselfly comes back I don't know if it's the same one or not. But I think there's things like that in all of our lives, right? Where we've just somehow moved along in our life and we forget about things, and then they come back for whatever reason to remind us of something special or to help make us aware of other things that are going on around us and to help us open our heart not just our eyes, but our hearts and our minds to what these things are sharing with us.

Space.com: You write favorably about watching spaceflyer Guy Laliberts space station visit in 2009. Im curious what your thoughts are on private spaceflight now with the Inspiration4 mission back from orbit and Axioms first flight bound for the space station scheduled to launch next year?

Stott: I'm so excited about all of this. I think it's raising awareness in people. Some people are not so pleased with it. Others, like me, I'm really, really excited about it. And I'm really hopeful that the people that aren't pleased or don't understand the goodness in this, that maybe they haven't been privy to or haven't been excited about space exploration in general. If you pay attention to what's going on in the space industry, really all that's happening in space is ultimately about improving life on Earth. I honestly believe that.

Guy coming to the station somebody could look at that like, "Oh, here's this billionaire who got to fly to space, spent 10 days, 12 days on the space station, checked that off his bucket list, and then moved on." What I saw in Guy and [other private visitors to the space station], every single one of them, for sure, had their personal motivation of wanting to fly in space one day, to experience that on every level that you can, and then fortunately had the opportunity to do that. But I also can say that for every single one of them, in one way or another, that mission was a mission. It was bigger than just them and their desire to fly in space. Guy was a perfect example of that: He used that whole flight in a way to extend on his mission on Earth to make people more aware of access to clean water.

I think that in one way or another, that is happening with all of the people that are going to find their way to space. It's certainly true for astronauts that are part of NASA or the government programs. I don't think we all do it because it's this adventure. There certainly is the adventurous part of it I'm going to float, I'm going to fly, I'm going to ride a rocket but I would not have done any of that if I didn't believe that the work was worthwhile and that I was going to be part of something that was bringing back something good to Earth. I certainly wouldn't strap myself to a rocket with my seven-year-old at home watching me do that if I didn't believe that what I was going to do was going to have some positive impact on his life, on his future.

Space.com: Is there anything else you'd like to highlight about the book?

Stott: The call to action thing is a big deal to me. I really want people to read this and certainly be inspired by what we're doing in space to learn more about that and how these things are improving life on Earth. But [also] I want them to find their own personal call to action as Earthlings, as crewmates.

I can't oversimplify it any more than I do with what I learned from all the complexity of space, which is:

Oh my gosh, we live on a planet.

We are all Earthlings.

The only border that matters is that thin blue line of atmosphere.

Those are absolutely the three things that interconnect all of us on our mission as crewmates here on Spaceship Earth.

I will admit, I did not myself actively think of all of those things, those simple things in my daily life before flying to space. And I want people to grasp them, to bring them into their own lives and realize that you don't have to fly to space to understand these things. And it really, really should inspire us to want to live like a crew, to respect and take care of each other and all life we share the planet with and the planet itself.

You can buy "Back to Earth" at Amazon or Bookshop.org.

Email Meghan Bartels at mbartels@space.com or follow her on Twitter @meghanbartels. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.

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In 'Back to Earth,' NASA astronaut brings the space station mindset home - Space.com

Credit: ESA/NASAT. Pesquet

Auroras make for great Halloween dcor over Earth, though ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet snapped these green smoky swirls of plasma from the International Space Station in August. Also pictured are the Soyuz MS-18 Yuri Gagarin (left) and the new Nauka module (right).

The Station saw quite some aurora activity that month, caused by solar particles colliding with Earths atmosphere and producing a stunning light show.

Fast forward to October and space is quite busy.

On 9 October the Sun ejected a violent mass of fast-moving plasma into space that arrived at Earth a few days later. The coronal mass ejection (CME) crashed into our planets magnetosphere and once againlit up the sky.

CMEs explode from the Sun, rush through the Solar System and while doing so speed up the solar wind a stream of charged particles continuously released from the Suns upper atmosphere.

While most of the solar wind is blocked by Earths protective magnetosphere, some charged particles become trapped in Earths magnetic field and flow down to the geomagnetic poles, colliding with the upper atmosphere to create the beautiful Aurora.

While the view outside the Space Station is mesmerizing, the astronauts inside are busy with science and prepping for the next crews arrival later this month.

Thomas will welcome fellow ESA astronaut Matthias Maurer, currently scheduled to launch to the Space Station on Halloween.

In the meantime, Thomas has taken over command of the Space Station and is busy completing more science ahead of the end of mission Alpha and his return to Earth.

The astronauts have taken up space farming lately, tending to New Mexico Hatch Green Chili peppers in the name of science. A few investigations are looking into different aspects of plant behavior in microgravity.

Tending to the body via exercise is also standard practice on the Space Station. The crew performed cycles of experiments looking into immersive exercise practices as well as the familiar Grasp experiment on reflexes under microgravity conditions.

Even downtime is ripe for experimentation, with Thomas wearing a headset to bed to track quality of sleep under weightless conditions. Read more about the goings-on in thelatest monthly science recap.

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Calm Above the Storm: Incredible Green Smoky Swirls of Plasma Seen From Space Station - SciTechDaily

SpaceX, one of Elon Musks many ambitious projects, has gained notoriety because of the Inspiration4 mission. It was the first launch to include an all-civilian crew, the youngest American to enter space, and the first Black female spacecraft pilot. Additionally, the mission raised $200 million for cancer research, with a hefty portion donated by Musk himself.

So where did the crew go after heading into orbit? Did they get to visit another planet or the International Space Station? Now that theyre home safe and sound, we can reflect on this historic mission.

Jared Isaacman was the captain of the civilian Inspiration4 crew. He is the founder of the Shift4 payment processing company. Isaacman also has years of flying experience under his belt, even training young Armed Forces pilots. He raffled off two of the other seats on the flight and awarded one to Hayley Arceneaux.

Arceneaux works at St. Judes Childrens Research Hospital, which received all of the missions charity money. At a young age, she received lifesaving surgery from St. Judes, inspiring her to become a physicians assistant there.

Dr. Sian Proctor is a geology professor and an analog astronaut. This wasnt her first research-based mission: She also participated in a simulated journey to Mars to locate food sources. The first Black woman to pilot a spacecraft says shes driven by the dream of making space accessible for all humans.

Chris Sembroski, the last member of the crew, is an engineer and a former Air Force pilot. Space has been one of his main passions for years. He volunteerss his expertise to a space nonprofit and space camp. Sembroski works as an aerospace data engineer.

The Inspiration4 crew successfully launched within its five-hour window the evening of September 15, 2021. NBC reported that the crew was aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, a vehicle built primarily with NASA funds. The capsule was set to reach an altitude of 575 kilometers and remain in orbit for three days.

According to an Inspiration4 press release, the missions goal was to raise awareness for St. Judes Childrens Research Hospital, hence the fundraiser. Additionally, the crew conducted health research experiments aboard the spacecraft. These experiments will help doctors determine how spaces atmosphere affects the body.

The trip did not include a visit to the International Space Station. But the Inspiration4 crew flew as far as 366 miles above Earth, which is more than 100 miles higher than the International Space Station, The New York Times reported. And they [were] farther from the planet than most astronauts who have gone to space since the end of NASAs Apollo program in the 1970s.

The International Space Station is a science lab where astronauts live. Its as large as a house, with several bedrooms and a gymnasium, plus research facilities. Astronauts see the ISS as mankinds first step to making space livable for humans.

Though it wasnt a part of the Inspiration4 mission, the International Space Station has received plenty of resources from SpaceX. In August, the ISS got a fresh bundle of ants and a few other medical supplies from another SpaceX Dragon capsule. The capsule also contained replenishments of some of the astronauts favorite foods, including ice cream and avocados.

In addition to being the commander, Jared Isaacman funded most of the mission, The New York Times reported. He did so because he said he believes in the mission of St. Judes and wants to make space habitable for everyone. Isaacman had previously participated in two other charity space flights, one of which broke a world record.

After a successful mission, the Inspiration4 crew splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean the following Saturday evening. Although Inspiration4s SpaceX Dragon capsule didnt touch base on any planets or the International Space Station, it was still a revolutionary mission. It has paved the way for similar research missions and more private spacecraft flights.

RELATED: Did You Know the International Space Station Can Move?

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Did SpaceX Inspiration4 Go To The International Space Station? - MotorBiscuit - Todayuknews - Todayuknews

The first batch of in-orbit experiment samples from Chinas space station was delivered to research institutions, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) Saturday.

At the delivery ceremony on Friday, the in-orbit scientific experiment samples from the container-free material science laboratory cabinet in Chinas space station were delivered to the Shanghai Institute of Ceramics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and other research institutions.

The samples have been recovered by the crew of the Shenzhou-12 spaceship and brought back to the ground in the return capsule of the spaceship for further study and analysis, the CMSA said.

Chinas space station core module Tianhe is equipped with two large research facilities, namely the container-free material science laboratory cabinet and the high microgravity science laboratory cabinet.

The container-free material science laboratory cabinet is the first space material experiment facility in orbit in China, according to the CMSA.

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Experiment samples from China's space station delivered to research institutions - Macau Business

Advanced air filtration hardware developed, built, and tested at Marshall Space Flight Center is now installed and working on the International Space Station.

For the next year, the new 4-Bed Carbon Dioxide Scrubber will augment existing elements of the stations Environmental Control and Life Support Systems, demonstrating next-generation life support system capabilities that could help future explorers on the Moon and Mars breathe easier.

The Marshall team has supported scientific discovery and crew health on the International Space Station for 20 years, Joseph Pelfrey, manager of Marshalls Human Exploration Development & Operations Office, said. With the delivery of the new carbon dioxide scrubber, we are using our expertise to expand the bounds of human exploration.

The new hardware was delivered to the station by the Cygnus spacecraft Aug. 10, part of Northrop Grummans 16th commercial resupply services mission.

The scrubber hardware will help recycle and regenerate most of the air and water necessary to sustain the station crew, using commercial adsorbent materials to retain water vapor while filtering carbon dioxide out of the stations airflow. It also will help steer development of future regenerative technology solutions for Artemis missions to the Moon and eventual human excursions to Mars.

The 4-Bed Carbon Dioxide Scrubber is a design iteration of the current Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly, which has been recycling air on the space station since 2001. The latest upgrades, incorporating numerous changes to improve durability and maintainability, are crucial to future crewed missions beyond Earth orbit.

Once its year of technology demonstration ends and its capabilities are proven, the new hardware will be integrated into the space stations closed-loop recycling system for a minimum of three years to further demonstrate its viability for long-duration exploration missions and to contribute to station crew life support capabilities.

As many as 100 Marshall engineers, materials researchers, and safety personnel, plus sensor, filtration, and pump hardware specialists at NASAs Johnson Space Center, had a hand in the design, fabrication, and testing of the new hardware unit, said Donnie McCaghren, project manager for the 4-bed CO2 scrubber at Marshall.

Our primary goal was increasing efficiency and maintainability, to ensure fully functioning, longer-lasting hardware in orbit with less need for crew maintenance, he said.

The new hardware is roughly the size of a small refrigerator and weighs approximately 450 pounds. Its operation is overseen in orbit by mission controllers at Johnson, with continuing contributions by Marshall space station hardware engineers.

Editors note: Rick Smith, a Manufacturing Technical Solutions employee, supports Marshalls Office of Strategic Analysis & Communications.

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Air filtration built at Marshall, activated on Space Station - Theredstonerocket