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I wonder why they forewent tonight's countdown. 🤔
How is the weather?
How was/is the space weather?
https://www.spaceweather.com/archive.php?view=1&day=29&month=03&year=2024
Quote
X-CLASS SOLAR FLARE
Giant sunspot AR3615 just produced another strong solar flare. Peaking on March 28th at 2053 UT, the X1-class explosion ionized the top of Earth's atmosphere and caused a deep shortwave radio blackout over the Pacific Ocean. This follows similar blackouts over over the Indian Ocean and South America earlier the same day due to strong M-class flares. AR3615 is active again, and more flares may be in the offing.
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ISS Section / Re: Expedition 70 Thread
« Last post by ddspaceman on Today at 03:35 am »
Space Health Tops Station Research Schedule on Thursday

Mark Garcia Posted on March 28, 2024

Brand new science is underway at the International Space Station with two new crews and a cargo ship arriving in March to replenish the Expedition 70 crew. The orbital residents explored a variety of space health technologies and more on Thursday.

NASA Flight Engineer Tracy C. Dyson, who is on her third spaceflight, worked in the Columbus laboratory module swapping hardware for a new experiment seeking to demonstrate 3D printing of antimicrobial parts in space. The investigation named Copper Anti-Microbial Prints, or CAMP, is examining the effectiveness of producing medical devices on-demand and how microgravity affects their anti-microbial properties.

NASA Flight Engineer Loral O’Hara processed messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein samples in the Life Science Glovebox for an experiment, recently delivered aboard the SpaceX Dragon cargo craft, to investigate nanomaterials that mimic DNA. The study, called DNA Nano Therapeutics-Demo 2, is exploring space-manufactured DNA nanomaterials in order to produce therapeutics that may benefit travelers in space and humans on Earth.

One space-caused phenomenon that concerns researchers is the headward fluid shifts that occur in astronauts. Once in space, a crewmember’s body fluids begin to flow upward affecting their eye structure and vision. Another more visible result is commonly called “puffy face.” NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick and Jeanette Epps partnered together Thursday afternoon and tested a specialized thigh cuff that may counteract these fluid shifts. Dominick wore the cuff on his leg and took ultrasound scans with assistance from Epps and doctors on Earth. Results may also impact treatments for fluid accumulations caused by Earth-bound conditions.

NASA astronaut Mike Barratt spent his day on space biology participating in the CIPHER suite of 14 human research studies. He participated in a series of cognition and robotics tests then collected his blood and urine samples for analysis. Results from the expansive investigation may provide scientists insights into the physiological and psychological effects of living in space long-term.

Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy and Belarus spaceflight participant Marina Vasilevskaya, along with Dyson, are in their first week aboard the orbital outpost. Novitskiy and Vasilevskaya will return to Earth on April 6 bringing home O’Hara who has been aboard the station since Sept. 15. Dyson will stay in space until early fall.

Novitskiy joined his fellow cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub and replaced hardware components inside the Soyuz MS-24 and MS-25 crew ships. Chub then teamed up with new cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin and studied blood flow and cell respiration for a Roscosmos life science study. Vasilevskaya, with assistance from Chub, recorded her heart rate and tested a specialized suit’s theorized ability to help a crew member readjust to Earth’s gravity.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2024/03/28/space-health-tops-station-research-schedule-on-thursday/

NASA astronauts (from left) Mike Barratt, Matthew Dominick, and Jeanette Epps enjoy breakfast inside the International Space Station’s Unity Module.
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Even though it appears that there probably won't be a launch attempt on Friday, the 45th Weather Squadron has posted a new weather forecast for Friday and Monday.

L-1 weather forecast. 60% 'Go' for March 29. 90% 'Go' for April 1. Solar Activity risk is Low-Moderate for March 29 and Low for April 1.
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ISS Section / Re: Expedition 70 Thread
« Last post by ddspaceman on Today at 03:30 am »
ISS Daily Summary Report – 3/27/2024

Bill Keeter Posted on March 27, 2024

Payloads:

Complement of Integrated Protocols for Human Exploration Research on Varying Mission Durations (CIPHER): The crew performed the doff and closeout of the Blood Pressure 13-hour data collection sequence and stowed the hardware. The 48hour BioMonitor data collection was concluded and the hardware was doffed and stowed. Optical Tomography was also performed a subject. The CIPHER investigation aims to improve our understanding of physiological and psychological changes in humans on missions that range from weeks to one year in duration. Conducting the same research over missions of different durations allows scientists to extrapolate the data to multi-year missions, such as a potential three-year round-trip to Mars. This data could provide deeper knowledge about changes that may occur on such missions and support the development of countermeasures to promote astronaut health and well-being.

ISS Ham Radio: The crew initiated an ISS Ham pass with St. John’s School Authority, St. John’s, NL, Canada. Since the earliest ISS expeditions, ISS Ham Radio has allowed groups of students in schools, camps, museums, and planetariums to hold a conversation with the people living in space. As the ISS passes overhead, students have about nine minutes to ask crew members 10 to 20 questions.

Multipurpose International Space Station Experiment-19-NASA (MISSE-19): Five Material Sample Carriers (MSCs) were installed on the MISSE Transfer Tray (MTT 2) in the Japanese Module. The MISSE-19 analyzes how space affects the performance and durability of specific materials and components. NASA research centers use MISSE missions to test new materials and material configurations. MISSE-19 includes perovskite-based photovoltaic devices, thermal protection system materials, additively manufactured electronics and sensor components, thin polymers, thermal control paint, and other materials.

Robotic Arm Repair Satellite (RSat): The LAB Camcorder was setup in front of the Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) Work Volume (WV) prior to RSat operations. The RSat demonstrates how a small satellite platform could survey and repair larger conventional spacecrafts on orbit. The CubeSat has robotic arms fitted with claws and cameras to obtain diagnostic information and is intended to operate while in constant contact with a host spacecraft. Results could advance the use of robotic assistance on future space missions.

Space Organogenesis 2: Seven Culture Units (CU) were placed into the Confocal Space Microscope and Fluidic Modules were replaced. The CUs were reinstalled back into the Cell Biology Experiment Facility – Left (CBEF-L). The Development of Advanced 3D Organ Culture System Utilizing the Microgravity Environment (Space Organogenesis) investigation demonstrates growth of organ buds from human stem cells in three-dimensional (3D) cultures in microgravity. Researchers plan to use these cultures to observe growth of the organ buds and analyze changes in gene expression. Cell cultures on Earth are limited to two dimensions but in microgravity, cell cultures likely can expand into three dimensions.

Systems:

Robotics Operations: Yesterday, ground teams commanded the robotic arm to stow the Main Bus Switching Unit (MBSU) Flight Releasable Attachment Mechanism (FRAM) on Express Logistics Carrier (ELC)-2 site 4, and unstowed the Pump Module (PM) from the Dragon trunk. After the Ground Teams extracted the PM from the SpX-30 trunk, the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) and Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM) were moved to External Stowage Platform (ESP)-3. Today, the PM was mated to the ESP-3 Site 3.

Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) Recycle Tank Drain & Fill Handover: The recycle tank was set up to drain via the Urine Processor Assembly (UPA) Fill Drain Valve into the Brine Processing Assembly (BPA) using the Urine Transfer System (UTS). Following the setup, the ground performed the tank drain using the UTS. Once the ground specialists completed the transfer, the crew verified the recycle tank was empty, terminated the drain, repositioned the fill/drain valve to force fill the recycle tank using UTS, and configured for nominal processing operations. The crew also swapped the EDV in the offload EDV spot of the UTS. During this activity, the new USOS Crew member was trained in this task.

Transfer Cargo Dragon Cargo Operations: Today, the crew transferred cargo from the SpX-30 cargo vehicle to the ISS. The SpX-30 Dragon vehicle arrived to the ISS on Saturday, March 23rd at 6:32 AM CDT and is scheduled to remain at the ISS until the end of April, before undocking to return cargo and payloads to the ground.

Handover of Increment 71S Crew: After the new 71S US crew member went through a small adaptation period, the ISS crew helped familiarize them with living and working on the ISS. Today, the crew began discussing hygiene operations, food preparation, tips and tricks for maneuvering around the ISS, the use of crew dosimeters, and how various tones and alarms sound differently on-orbit rather than in the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility (SVMF). All of these discussions are vital for the oncoming crew to properly adjust to life on the ISS and to learn from the experiences of the crew before them.

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ISS Section / Re: Expedition 70 Thread
« Last post by ddspaceman on Today at 03:27 am »
ISS Research
@ISS_Research
After months aboard @Space_Station, @NASA astronaut @LunarLoral is scheduled to return on Apr 6. O'Hara conducted dozens of science and technology activities that benefit both space exploration and life on Earth. Read about her research in microgravity: http://go.nasa.gov/43tVfUV

https://twitter.com/ISS_Research/status/1773359686886060468
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Forecast for tomorrow.  100% Rain.  The next weather opportunity will be after Saturday.  A large low approaching connected to the AR, bring much rain to the area through Sunday evening.

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I wonder why they forewent tonight's countdown. 🤔
How is the weather?

https://www.accuweather.com/en/us/vandenberg-village/93436/hourly-weather-forecast/2189840

Per AccuWeather, there's no chance of precipitation and it's partly cloudy too. So, ground weather would've been good all throughout the window. Question, however, is were the upper level winds within limits? Did something within the GSE cause a hold?

Unlike ULA, which almost immediately disclosed the cause of the Delta IV Heavy scrub, SpaceX hardly opens up about scrub reasons.

Here is the upper level weather conditions:
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https://twitter.com/TSKelso/status/1773558866577420511

Quote
CelesTrak has pre-launch SupGP data for the
@Starlink Group 7-18 launch from Vandenberg SFB on 2024-03-30 at 02:30:00 UTC: https://celestrak.org/NORAD/elements/supplemental/table.php?FILE=starlink-g7-18. Deployment of 22 satellites at 03:32:22.460 UTC. Data for 10 backup launch opportunities also provided: https://celestrak.org/NORAD/elements/supplemental/.
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Some NOTAMs have started to appear for this (2nd stage re-entry zone); NET early April 4 UTC. ...

Second stage splashdown map from the NOTAMs. ASDS 642km downrange, identical to 7-17 and 7-18 so far.
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I wonder why they forewent tonight's countdown. 🤔
How is the weather?

https://www.accuweather.com/en/us/vandenberg-village/93436/hourly-weather-forecast/2189840

Per AccuWeather, there's no chance of precipitation and it's partly cloudy too. So, ground weather would've been good all throughout the window. Question, however, is were the upper level winds within limits? Did something within the GSE cause a hold?

Unlike ULA, which almost immediately disclosed the cause of the Delta IV Heavy scrub, SpaceX hardly opens up about scrub reasons.
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