Category Archives: Space Station

The crew orbiting Earth on the International Space Station is just as chummy as ever despite the tension between the U.S. and Russia over the situation in Ukraine.

The international team includes three Russians, two Americans, and one Japanese.

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden was asked during a budget teleconference what his game plan was if the situation between Russia and the United States escalates.

Bolden, a former astronaut, said he wasn't particularly worried, and reminisced about commanding the first joint U.S.-Russian space shuttle mission with the legendary Russian cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev.

The ISS is jointly run by the U.S., Russia, Canada and Europe through 2020, though NASA would like to continue operations through 2024. This international cooperation is something that is unique.

"The space station is a remarkable engineering achievement, but more importantly it is a wonderful example of international diplomacy," Neal Lane with the Baker Institute for Public Policy at Rice University, told ABC News.

Since the space shuttle was retired US astronauts rely on a Russian Soyuz to get back and forth to the space station. NASA pays Roscosmos, the Russian space agency, $71 million per seat for each astronaut. Russia needs the money, the US needs the ride.

NASA wants very much to get its own ride. hence its proposed budget for 2015 escalates funding for private commercial transportation to develop its own spaceship to get to the space station by 2017. So for the next few years it pays to play nice with Russia.

For the astronauts and cosmonauts who live on the orbiting outpost getting along is easy. They share food and camaraderie and are part of an exclusive cadre of people who have a rare view of our planet.

Astronaut Cady Coleman says the view is life-changing.

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US and Russia Still Friends in Space

The next SpaceX cargo mission to the International Space Station under NASA's Commercial Resupply Services contract is scheduled to launch Sunday, March 16, from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

The company's Falcon 9 rocket, carrying its Dragon cargo capsule, will lift off at 4:41 a.m. EDT. NASA Television coverage of the launch begins at 3:45 a.m. If for any reason the launch is postponed, the next launch opportunity is Monday, March 17 at 4:19 a.m., with NASA TV coverage beginning at 3:15 a.m.

The mission, designated SpaceX-3, is the third of 12 SpaceX flights contracted by NASA to resupply the space station. It will be the fourth trip by a Dragon capsule to the orbiting laboratory.

The capsule will be filled with almost 5,000 pounds of scientific experiments and supplies. The Dragon will remain attached to the space station's Harmony module for more than three weeks, and splash down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Baja California on April 17 with more than 3,500 pounds of experiment samples and equipment returning from the station.

NASA will host a prelaunch news conference at 1 p.m., Saturday, March 15, at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, followed by a SpaceX science and technology cargo news conference at 2 p.m. Both briefings will be carried live on NASA TV and the agency's website.

If launch occurs March 16, NASA TV will provide live coverage Tuesday, March 18, of the arrival of the Dragon cargo ship to the International Space Station. Grapple and berthing coverage will begin at 5:45 a.m., with grapple at 7 a.m. Berthing coverage begins at 9:30 a.m.

Media may request accreditation to attend the prelaunch news conferences and launch online at:

https://media.ksc.nasa.gov

The deadline for U.S. media to apply for accreditation is March 10. The deadline has passed for international media to apply.

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NASA Coverage Set for March 16 SpaceX Mission to Space Station

Rocky Russian relations could leave U.S. astronauts without rides to the International Space Station.

Since NASA retired its fleet of space shuttles in 2011, Russia has had a monopoly on flying crews to the orbital outpost. The only other country currently flying people in space is China, which is not a member of the 15-nation space station partnership.

That leaves the United States in a vulnerable position as it ponders options to defuse a tense standoff between Russia and Ukraine.

PHOTOS: Ukraine Uprising's Most Violent Days

For now, the U.S.-Russian space partnership is insulated from the political whirlwind generated by Russia's decision to move troops into the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea last week, fueling fears of a full-fledged invasion.

"We are continuing to monitor the situation," NASA administrator Charles Bolden told reporters on a conference call on Tuesday.

"Everything for us continues to be nominal," he said.

Bolden noted that the space station has been through "multiple international crises" since crews began living there full-time on Nov. 2, 2000. That includes the 2008 war between Russia and Georgia over break-away regions Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

NEWS: Can Revolutions Like Ukraine's Spread Across the World?

"NASA and its Russian counterpart, Roscosmos, have maintained a professional, beneficial and collegial working relationship through the various ups and downs of the broader U.S.-Russia relationship and we expect that to continue throughout the life of the (space station) program and beyond," NASA added in a statement.

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Ukraine Crisis: Russian Roulette in Space?

Call of Duty: Ghosts Gameplay - Team Deathmatch on Sovereign - W/Commentary
See The Full Call of Duty Ghosts Series Here: http://goo.gl/hJVF5k Next CoD Ghosts Episode Here: http://youtu.be/x4EROERa1e4 Call of Duty Ghosts: Team Deathm...

By: LewisBlogsGaming

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Call of Duty: Ghosts Gameplay - Team Deathmatch on Sovereign - W/Commentary - Video

Canadian contributions to the Space Station
Chris Hadfield discusses Canada #39;s contributions to space technology, and other technology.

By: rick .com

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Canadian contributions to the Space Station - Video

International space station flying over Trinidad
The international space station flying over Trinidad and Tobago on 28th February 2014.

By: Alton Bertie

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International space station flying over Trinidad - Video

Space to Ground - 02/28/14
NASA #39;s Space to Ground is your weekly update on what #39;s happening aboard the International Space Station. Got a question or comment? Use #spacetoground to tal...

By: ReelNASA

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Space to Ground - 02/28/14 - Video

Let #39;s Play Space Engineers - Episode 93: Space Station Project Part 22
On this episode of Space Engineers, we continue the Space Station Project. This time we make some minor tweaks adjustments and do an overview of all the th...

By: Sleepless Knights Studios

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Let's Play Space Engineers - Episode 93: Space Station Project Part 22 - Video

Guitar Noise EHX Mogwai Echolution Boss DM3 Digitech Whammy Xp300 Space Station Fuzz Box Girl Fatale
via YouTube Capture.

By: friendofdorothy699

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Guitar Noise EHX Mogwai Echolution Boss DM3 Digitech Whammy Xp300 Space Station Fuzz Box Girl Fatale - Video

International Space Station - ISS, passing over Porto Alegre RS on april 3rd 2014
Estaco Espacial Internacional (ISS) passando sobre Porto Alegre - RS. 03 de Abril de 2014 as 04:31:56 da madrugada. Event Time Altitude Azimuth Distance (km...

By: Giovani Tonel

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International Space Station - ISS, passing over Porto Alegre RS on april 3rd 2014 - Video