Author Topic: Expedition 63 Thread (Read 289583 times)

Rondaz · « **Reply #60 on:** 04/13/2020 06:14 pm »

New Trio Adapts to Station Life, Crewmates Prep for Earth Return

Mark Garcia Posted on April 13, 2020

Three new crewmembers are getting used to life aboard the International Space Station. Meanwhile, the Expedition 62 trio is getting ready for its return Earth on Friday.

Three NASA astronauts and three Roscosmos cosmonauts have been working together on the orbiting lab since April 9 when the Expedition 63 crew docked to the station’s Poisk module. U.S. astronaut Chris Cassidy is leading Russian cosmonauts Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner during their 195-day mission.

They will be familiarizing themselves with station systems and getting up to speed with science work over the next several days. Cassidy put on virtual reality goggles this morning for an experiment monitoring how he visually interprets motion, orientation and distance in microgravity. Ivanishin and Vagner were researching space biology and technology studies today, as they get used to their new orbiting home 260 miles above Earth.

Expedition 62 Flight Engineers Jessica Meir and Andrew Morgan with Commander Oleg Skripochka will complete their station mission on Friday when they return to Earth. They are packing their Soyuz MS-15 crew ship and reviewing landing procedures this week. They are also familiarizing themselves with the conditions they will experience upon reentering Earth’s atmosphere and feeling gravity for the first time in months.

Skripochka will hand over station control to Cassidy on Wednesday at 5:55 p.m. EDT during the Change of Command Ceremony live on NASA TV. The Expedition 62 crew will undock in the Soyuz vehicle on Thursday at 9:53 p.m. They will shoot through the atmosphere in the Soyuz descent module and parachute to a landing in Kazakhstan at 1:17 a.m. (11:17 a.m. Kazakh time).

https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2020/04/13/new-trio-adapts-to-station-life-crewmates-prep-for-earth-return/

Rondaz · « **Reply #61 on:** 04/13/2020 06:16 pm »

LIVE NOW: @NASA_Astronauts Jessica Meir and Chris Cassidy are broadcasting from the @Space_Station answering students' questions from their home state of Maine!

https://twitter.com/NASA/status/1249749482578890753

Rondaz · « **Reply #62 on:** 04/15/2020 07:17 pm »

Crew Nears Departure Ahead of Busy Space Traffic

Mark Garcia Posted on April 15, 2020

Three Expedition 62 crewmembers are getting ready to head home before U.S., Russian and Japanese spaceship traffic ramps up. Meanwhile, human research activities continue full speed ahead aboard the International Space Station.

NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy will assume command and control of the orbiting lab today at 4:55 p.m. EDT during the Change of Command ceremony live on NASA TV. Commander Oleg Skripochka will turn the keys over to Cassidy before leaving the station on Thursday at 9:53 p.m. EDT when Expedition 63 officially begins.

Cassidy will stay onboard the station until October with Russian cosmonauts Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner. This is third station mission for Cassidy and Ivanishin while Vagner is beginning his first.

Skripochka is returning to Earth with NASA Flight Engineers Jessica Meir and Andrew Morgan inside the Soyuz MS-15 crew ship. The trio will parachute to landing in Kazakhstan on Friday at 1:16 a.m. (11:16 a.m. Kazakh time). Morgan will have lived in space for 272 days while Meir and Skripochka will have orbited Earth for 205 days.

The crew collected blood, saliva and urine samples today before stowing them in a science freezer. Scientists on the ground will analyze the samples for markers indicating the effects of microgravity on humans. The orbital residents also contributed to nutrition studies today to understand the crew’s appetite for the station’s food menu and the health impacts of their space diet.

The next spaceship to visit the station is planned for April 24 when Russia’s Progress 75 space freighter launches for a docking to the station’s Zvezda service module. The U.S. Northrop Grumman Cygnus cargo craft will finish its station cargo mission on May 11 when the Canadarm2 robotic arm removes it from the Unity module and releases it back into space. Japan is targeting May 20 for the launch of its HTV-9 Kounotori resupply ship when it will begin a five-day trip to the orbital lab.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2020/04/15/crew-nears-departure-ahead-of-busy-space-traffic/

Rondaz · « **Reply #63 on:** 04/15/2020 07:20 pm »

The station crew swaps command at 4:55pm ET today before the Exp 62 trio returns to Earth on Friday. Spaceship traffic ramps up in April and May.

https://twitter.com/Space_Station/status/1250493294217478144

centaurinasa · « **Reply #64 on:** 04/15/2020 09:11 pm »

"Welcome to expedition 63 !"

Rondaz · « **Reply #65 on:** 04/15/2020 11:03 pm »

Live now on @NASA TV, Exp 63 Commander Chris Cassidy accepts station control from Exp 62 Commander Oleg Skripochka.

https://twitter.com/Space_Station/status/1250527818146099201

Rondaz · « **Reply #66 on:** 04/15/2020 11:04 pm »

.@NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy assumed command of the station today from @Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Skripochka. Cassidy will lead Exp 63 crewmembers Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner. Skripochka returns to Earth on Friday with @Astro_Jessica and @AstroDrewMorgan.

https://twitter.com/Space_Station/status/1250542981616218122

Rondaz · « **Reply #67 on:** 04/16/2020 01:52 pm »

Station Crew Swaps Command, Trio Ready for Earth Return

Mark Garcia Posted on April 15, 2020

NASA astronauts Andrew Morgan and Jessica Meir and Oleg Skripochka of the Russian space agency Roscosmos are preparing to depart the International Space Station Thursday evening in their Soyuz MS-15 spacecraft and return to Earth.

Today the Expedition 62 crew conducted a change of command ceremony in which Skripochka ceremonially handed command of the orbiting laboratory to newly arrived NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy. Expedition 63, a three-person crew of Cassidy and Roscosmos cosmonauts Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner, begins when the Soyuz departs the station Thursday.

NASA Television and the agency’s website will provide live coverage beginning at 6 p.m. EDT April 16 as the departing crew members say farewell and close the hatches between their Soyuz and the spacecraft at about 6:30 p.m.

NASA coverage will resume at 9:30 p.m. prior to the trio undocking the Soyuz from the aft port of the station’s Zvezda service module at 9:53 p.m. At midnight, NASA TV will return to provide coverage during the deorbit burn at 12:22 a.m. Friday, April 17, that will put the Soyuz on course for a parachute-assisted landing at 1:16 a.m. (11:16 a.m. Kazakhstan time) on the steppe of Kazakhstan, southeast of the remote town of Dzhezkazgan.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2020/04/15/station-crew-swaps-command-trio-ready-for-earth-return/

Rondaz · « **Reply #68 on:** 04/16/2020 01:54 pm »

At the International Space Station we had the changeover today. You know what this is?

Oleg Skripochka’s crew transferred the authority to the next mission. Chris became the station commander receiving the symbolic key to the ISS.

https://twitter.com/ivan_mks63/status/1250712326677954560

Rondaz · « **Reply #69 on:** 04/16/2020 01:54 pm »

Oleg also placed the mission’s emblem over the airlock entrance to the American segment of the International Space Station.

https://twitter.com/ivan_mks63/status/1250712330914148353

Rondaz · « **Reply #70 on:** 04/16/2020 02:16 pm »

ISS Daily Summary Report – 4/15/2020

Functional Immune: Dry saliva collection was performed in support of the Functional Immune investigation. The Functional Immune Alterations, Latent Herpesvirus Reactivation, Physiological Stress and Clinical Incidence Onboard the International Space Station (Functional Immune) investigation analyzes blood and saliva samples to determine the changes taking place in crew members’ immune systems during flight.

ISS Experience: In preparation for capturing an event later this week, the crew reviewed material containing goals of the investigation, guidelines, and an overview of the hardware it uses. The ISS Experience creates a virtual reality film documenting daily life aboard the ISS. The 8 to 10 minute videos created from footage taken during the six-month investigation cover different aspects of crew life, execution of science aboard the station, and the international partnerships involved. The ISS Experience uses a Z-CAM V1 Pro Cinematic Virtual Reality (VR) 360-degree camera with nine 190° fisheye lenses.

Repository: The crew performed sample collections in support of the repository investigation. The NASA Biological Specimen Repository (Repository) investigation is a storage bank that is used to maintain biological specimens over extended periods of time and under well-controlled conditions. This repository supports scientific discovery that contributes to our fundamental knowledge in the area of human physiological changes and adaptation to a microgravity environment and provides unique opportunities to study longitudinal changes in human physiology spanning many missions.

Systems

Environmental Health System (EHS) Microbial Air and Surface Sampling: The crew took surface and air samples for microbial analysis using the Microbial Air Sampler (MAS) and Surface Sample Kit (SSK). These samples will be incubated in Petri dishes, giving medical personnel a gauge of microbial growth in the air and on surfaces of the ISS. The EHS monitors the atmosphere for gaseous contaminants from nonmetallic materials off-gassing, combustion products, and propellants, microbial contaminants from crewmembers and Station activities, water quality, acoustics, and radiation levels.

Change of Command Ceremony: Today, the ISS Crew participated in a Change of Command Ceremony during which Expedition 62 Commander Oleg Skripochka handed over command of the ISS to Expedition 63 Commander Chris Cassidy. Oleg Skripochka, Jessica Meir and Drew Morgan will return to Earth Thursday night/Friday morning on 61S. Undocking is scheduled for 8:53 pm CT Thursday evening with the landing in Kazakhstan scheduled early Friday morning at 12:17 am CT.

Completed Task List Activities:

Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Resize

Today’s Ground Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

LSR Rack Activation Support Commanding

ddspaceman · « **Reply #71 on:** 04/16/2020 08:17 pm »

https://twitter.com/ivan_mks63/status/1250684527502151680

https://twitter.com/ivan_mks63/status/1250807840400379906

centaurinasa · « **Reply #72 on:** 04/17/2020 02:35 am »

ISS configuration after Soyuz MS-15 undocking.

jacqmans · « **Reply #73 on:** 04/17/2020 08:24 am »

Rondaz · « **Reply #74 on:** 04/17/2020 02:27 pm »

The #BishopAirlock is looking mighty fine as we carefully march towards our launch on @SpaceX-21 this Fall to the @Space_Station! #ISS

https://twitter.com/Nanoracks/status/1251139170153742336

Rondaz · « **Reply #75 on:** 04/17/2020 02:28 pm »

One of the first things @NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy did during his first week on the @Space_Station was to test his muscle tone Flexed biceps. The Myotones experiment could help treat back pain and stiffness for people on bed rest and with sedentary lifestyles .

https://twitter.com/esaspaceflight/status/1251143269381111808

Rondaz · « **Reply #76 on:** 04/17/2020 03:09 pm »

ISS Daily Summary Report – 4/16/2020

Functional Immune: The crew gathered blood samples in support of the Functional Immune investigation. The Functional Immune Alterations, Latent Herpesvirus Reactivation, Physiological Stress and Clinical Incidence Onboard the International Space Station (Functional Immune) investigation analyzes blood and saliva samples to determine the changes taking place in crew members’ immune systems during flight.

ISS Experience: The crew set up the appropriate ISS Experience hardware and captured their preparation for the 61-Soyuz crew departure. The ISS Experience creates a virtual reality film documenting daily life aboard the ISS. The 8 to 10 minute videos created from footage taken during the six-month investigation cover different aspects of crew life, execution of science aboard the station, and the international partnerships involved. The ISS Experience uses a Z-CAM V1 Pro Cinematic Virtual Reality (VR) 360-degree camera with nine 190° fisheye lenses.

JEM AirLock (JEMAL): In preparation for the next investigation to use the JEMAL, the crew extended the slide table, removed the JEM ORU Transfer Interface (JOTI) hardware (which was used by a previous investigation), retracted the slide table and closed the airlock. The JEM airlock allows hardware to be passed from the pressurized volume in the ISS to the unpressurized Exposed Facility area, where the hardware can then be manipulated robotically.

Systems

61S Crew Return Preparation: ISS crew prepared for the 61S return by completing the final touches on packing the Soyuz spacecraft for departure. Later today, Oleg Skripochka, Jessica Meir and Drew Morgan will return to Earth Thursday night/Friday morning on 61S. Undocking is scheduled for 8:53 pm CT Thursday evening with the landing in Kazakhstan scheduled early Friday morning at 12:17 am CT.

Completed Task List Activities:

IPAD-T/S-1002

Today’s Ground Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

Payload Support Operations
61S Undock Preparation (Shutter closure)

Rondaz · « **Reply #77 on:** 04/17/2020 06:17 pm »

Launch Date Set for First Crew Flight from U.S. Soil Since 2011

Danielle Sempsrott Posted on April 17, 2020

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The SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft undergoes final processing at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, in preparation for the Demo-2 launch with NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to the International Space Station for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.
The SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft undergoes final processing at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, in preparation for the Demo-2 launch with NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to the International Space Station for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Crew Dragon will carry Behnken and Hurley atop a Falcon 9 rocket, returning crew launches to the space station from U.S. soil for the first time since the Space Shuttle Program ended in 2011. Photo credit: SpaceX
A new era of human spaceflight is set to begin as American astronauts once again launch on an American rocket from American soil to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley will fly on SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft, lifting off on a Falcon 9 rocket at 4:32 p.m. EDT on May 27, from Launch Complex 39A in Florida, for an extended stay at the space station for the Demo-2 mission. The specific duration of the mission is to be determined.

As the final flight test for SpaceX, this mission will validate the company’s crew transportation system, including the launch pad, rocket, spacecraft, and operational capabilities. This also will be the first time NASA astronauts will test the spacecraft systems in orbit.

The Demo-2 mission will be the final major step before NASA’s Commercial Crew Program certifies Crew Dragon for operational, long-duration missions to the space station. This certification and regular operation of Crew Dragon will enable NASA to continue the important research and technology investigations taking place onboard the station, which benefits people on Earth and lays the groundwork for future exploration of the Moon and Mars with the agency’s Artemis program.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/kennedy/2020/04/17/launch-date-set-for-first-crew-flight-from-u-s-soil-since-2011/

FutureSpaceTourist · « **Reply #78 on:** 04/19/2020 07:53 am »

https://twitter.com/roscosmos/status/1251777954226601984

Google translate:

Quote

This morning, the planned correction of the orbit of the International Space Station was carried out - https://www.roscosmos.ru/28413/

The maneuver was carried out automatically using the KD-1 and KD-2 corrective engines of the Zvezda service module of the Russian segment

Google translation of www.roscosmos.ru/28413/

Quote

ISS Orbit Correction Passed Normally

Today, April 19, 2020, in accordance with the flight program of the International Space Station, a planned correction of its orbit was carried out. The maneuver was carried out automatically using the KD-1 and KD-2 corrective engines of the Zvezda service module of the Russian segment.

They were turned on at 08:09 Moscow time for 58.5 seconds, as a result of the ISS received an impulse of 0.97 m / s. According to the ballistic and navigation support service of the Flight Control Center of TsNIImash (part of Roscosmos State Corporation), the parameters of the station’s orbit after correction were:

Period of circulation : 92.88 min;
orbital inclination : 51.66 degrees;
minimum height above the earth's surface : 417.69 km;
maximum altitude : 436.62 km.

This operation was carried out with the aim of preparing a working orbit before launching and docking the Progress MS-14 cargo ship , which is scheduled for 04:51 Moscow time and 08:13 Moscow time on April 25, 2020, respectively. Currently, at the Baikonur Cosmodrome , its preparations for launch are nearing completion . He will deliver to the International Space Station fuel and gas reserves, office equipment and life support equipment under the program of the 75th ISS supply mission.

Joachim · « **Reply #79 on:** 04/19/2020 09:00 am »

BTW This photo is not from today's reboost.
Roscosmor takes it often for reboosts.