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Space Station

Viewing Posts from May 2016

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    Station Reaches 100,000 Orbits, Deploys Cubesats

    Milky Way and Lightning

    The International Space Station completed its 100,000th orbit early this morning after its first component, the Zarya cargo module, launched Nov. 20, 1998. That is over 2.6 billion miles traveled, nearly the distance from Earth to Neptune (2.9 billion miles), or ten round trips from Mars to Earth. A few hours after the station reached …

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    U.S. and Russian Crews Swap Days Off After Busy Week

    British Astronaut Tim Peake

    Two NASA astronauts and a European Space Agency astronaut are relaxing today after sending the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft home Wednesday. The three cosmonauts continued their ongoing Russian research work and maintenance activities after taking Monday off in observation of Victory Day. The Japanese Kibo lab’s airlock is being depressurized today before a series a nanosatellites …

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    Crew Hits Science After Dragon Returns to Earth

    Astronauts Jeff Williams, Tim Kopra and Tim Peake

    The Expedition 47 crew members are back at work today conducting research to benefit humans in space and on Earth. While microgravity science is underway on the International Space Station, a series of completed experiments are back on Earth after returning Wednesday inside the SpaceX Dragon cargo craft. NASA astronaut Jeff Williams is configuring the …

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    Dragon Returns to Earth in Pacific Splashdown

    Dragon Splashdown

    SpaceX’s Dragon cargo craft splashed down in the Pacific Ocean at 2:51 p.m. EDT, about 261 miles southwest of Long Beach, California, marking the end of the company’s eighth contracted cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station. A boat will take the Dragon spacecraft to a port near Los Angeles, where some cargo will …

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    Dragon Released Full of Science for Return to Earth

    SpaceX Dragon Released

    The SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft was released from the International Space Station’s robotic arm at 9:19 a.m. EDT. The capsule will begin a series of departure burns and maneuvers to move beyond the 656-foot (200-meter) “keep out sphere” around the station and begin its return trip to Earth. The capsule is currently scheduled to splashdown …

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    Watch NASA TV for Live Coverage of Dragon Release

    SpaceX Dragon

    NASA Television will provide live coverage of the departure of the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft from the International Space Station beginning at 9 a.m. EDT. Dragon was detached from the Earth-facing side of the station’s Harmony module earlier this morning. Robotics controllers will maneuver Dragon into place and Expedition 47 robotic arm operator Tim Peake of …

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    Dragon Packed for Return to Earth Wednesday

    The Expedition 47 Crew

    The SpaceX Dragon cargo ship is ending its stay tomorrow at the International Space Station. The commercial cargo craft has been packed with about 3,700 pounds of cargo, spacewalk gear and biological samples for analysis on Earth. Astronauts Tim Peake and Jeff Williams will be at the controls of the Canadarm2 robotic arm when the …

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    Dragon Finalizing Departure Preps

    SpaceX Dragon and the Kibo Module

    The SpaceX Dragon is being packed with critical science today and tomorrow before its release and splashdown on Wednesday. The crew is also reviewing Dragon departure procedures and training for its release from the grip of the Canadarm2 robotic arm. Dragon is currently attached to the Harmony module. After it is uninstalled early Wednesday with …

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    Robotic Arm Inspects Dragon Today amid Advanced Science

    South Africa and Cape Town

    Expedition 47 continues exploring how the lack of gravity affects astronauts and technology to help NASA plan longer missions farther out into space. Meanwhile, the Canadian Space Agency’s robotic arm, Canadarm2, has been maneuvered into position before it releases the SpaceX Dragon on Wednesday. The crew set up the Fluid Shifts experiment again today utilizing …

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    Fluid Pressure Research and Robotic Preps for Dragon Release

    Bahama Island Chain

    The astronauts onboard the International Space Station are researching how microgravity affects fluid shifts in a crew member’s body. Ground controllers are also guiding Canada’s robotic arm into position before next week’s grapple and release of the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. The Fluid Shifts experiment will wrap up operations this week with the crew wearing specialized …

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