Category Archives: Space Systems

Videos: “Space to Ground” + Other ISS reports – Oct.16.2020

Here is the latest episode in NASA’s Space to Ground weekly report on activities related to the International Space Station:

** Down to Earth – A Perfect PlanetNASA Johnson – YouTube

In this episode of Down to Earth, NASA Astronaut Andrew Morgan speaks about his spacewalk experiences, and discusses the importance of caring for our home planet. #SpaceStation20th

** Kate Rubins: Science on the Space StationNASA Johnson – YouTube

Kate Rubins is both a scientist and a NASA astronaut. There is no better place to be than the International Space Station for someone with those two occupations. In this video, Kate explains how the space station is the perfect place to conduct research. Free from Earth’s gravity, the orbiting laboratory offers endless opportunities for discovery!

** Expedition 63 Inflight with the Department of Health and Human Services – October 16, 2020 – NASA

Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition 63 Commander Chris Cassidy and Flight Engineer Kate Rubins of NASA discussed research on the orbital outpost during an in-flight event Oct. 16 with representatives from the Department of Health and Human Services and the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition. Cassidy is in the final week of his six-and-a-half month mission on the station while Rubins arrived on the station Oct. 14 for her second six-month mission.

** Expedition 64 Crew Docks to Station to Begin Six-Month Mission – NASA

The Expedition 64 crew has arrived at the station’s Rassvet module docking at 4:48 a.m. EDT inside the Soyuz MS-17 crew ship. More… https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2…

** Hatches Open, Station Crew Expands to Six – NASA

The space station crew expanded to six people today when the Soyuz crew ship hatch opened at 7:07 a.m. EDT just a few hours after the Expedition 64 crew launched from Kazakhstan. More… https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2…

** Space Station Special | Podcasts | Naked Scientists

To celebrate 20 years of people living on the International Space Station, we feature only ISS astronauts in this special edition of Space Boffins. NASA Astronaut Nicole Stott joins Richard Hollingham and Sue Nelson and we revisit interviews with Chris Hadfield, Cady Coleman, Scott Kelly, Sergei Krikalev, Luca Parmitano and Michael Foale. Conversations range from space walking to space toilets, science to watercolour painting in space and the future of the ISS. What other podcast on the planet gives you seven astronauts in an hour?

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Videos: “Space to Ground” + Other ISS reports – Oct.9.2020

Here is the latest episode in NASA’s Space to Ground weekly report on activities related to the International Space Station:

** Rocket Ranch Episode 24: Space LullabyNASA’s Kennedy Space Center

Astronaut Chris Hadfield’s cover of David Bowie’s Space Oddity that he recorded while on the International Space Station has over 47 million views. Now retired, the veteran of three spaceflights and first Canadian to walk in space has given a lot of thought to the future of space exploration and what it can mean for all of us. Hear from him now on this episode of the Rocket Ranch.

** NASA Television Video File – Expedition 64 Pre Launch Baikonur Activities – October 8, 2020NASA Video

At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the International Space Station’s Expedition 64 crew, Soyuz Commander Sergey Ryzhikov of Roscosmos, Flight Engineers Sergey Kud-Sverchkov of Roscosmos and Kate Rubins of NASA and their backups, Oleg Novitskiy and Petr Dubrov of Roscosmos and Mark Vande Hei of NASA, participated in a variety of activities Sept. 27-Oct. 7 as they prepared for the upcoming mission. Ryzhikov, Kud-Sverchkov and Rubins are set to launch Oct. 14 from Baikonur in the Soyuz MS-17 spacecraft for a six-month mission on the International Space Station. The footage includes the crew’s arrival in Baikonur, their Soyuz fit check in the Cosmodrome’s Integration Facility, the ceremonial Cosmonaut Hotel flag-raising ceremony and other training milestones.

** Expedition 63 Astronaut Chris Cassidy speaks with Time Magazine – October 5, 2020NASA Video

Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition 63 Commander Chris Cassidy of NASA discussed his mission and future space exploration during an in-flight event Oct. 6 with TIME Magazine’s “TIME 100 Talks” series. Cassidy is in the final weeks of his six-and-a-half month mission on the station, heading for a return to Earth Oct. 22 aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft.

** Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus 14 Rendezvous and Capture – October 5, 2020NASA Video

Loaded with almost four tons of supplies and scientific experiments, Northrop Grumman’s unpiloted Cygnus cargo ship arrived at the International Space Station Oct. 5, four days after launching from the Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia atop the company’s Antares rocket. Named the “SS Kalpana Chawla” in honor of the late NASA astronaut who lost her life in the Columbia accident in February 2003, Cygnus was captured by Expedition 63 Commander Chris Cassidy of NASA using the station’s Canadian-built robotic arm. Ground controllers then installed Cygnus to the Earth-facing port of the Unity module where it will reside until mid-December.

** How to use the Bathroom in SpaceNASA Johnson

One of the most frequent questions we get about life on Space Station is how to use the toilet…Here’s a quick look at the answer! -Expedition 63 Commander Chris Cassidy

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NASA competition seeks innovative lunar power systems ideas

NASA opens a public competition for innovations in power systems for lunar exploration:

NASA Seeks Ideas from the Public
for Powering Exploration on the Moon

NASA’s Watts on the Moon Challenge — the agency’s newest public prize competition — is now open and accepting submissions. NASA invites innovative minds from across the United States to provide ideas for sustainable energy storage, distribution, and management on the lunar surface.

As part of the Artemis program, NASA will send astronauts to new areas of the Moon including the lunar South Pole, and prepare for human exploration of Mars. As noted in the agency’s recent lunar surface report, sustainable missions will require an unprecedented capacity for power. Astronauts will need a continuous supply of power from multiple sources to live and work on the Moon for long periods. A flexible and robust system for surface power is key to safe and robust lunar exploration.

“Operating throughout the lunar night creates some of the most demanding energy storage and thermal management challenges in our exploration of the solar system,” said Walt Engelund, the deputy associate administrator for programs within NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate. “We are calling on the public for their fresh ideas to help us innovate power solutions for the Moon.”

The Goal

On much of the Moon’s surface, daylight lasts a little over 14 Earth days, followed by 14 days of darkness and extremely cold temperatures. State-of-the-art power systems cannot operate in such harsh conditions. While sunlight is more available at the lunar poles, there are irregular periods of darkness and locations, like within craters, where the Sun never shines.Existing state-of-the-art power systems cannot operate in such harsh conditions or are too heavy and bulky for flight.

NASA is developing technologies to provide sustainable power through the extreme environments of the lunar night, including fission surface power, solar power, and regenerative fuel cells. The Watts on the Moon Challenge complements those efforts by focusing on technologies to distribute, manage, and store energy generated by different sources.

Similarly, terrestrial energy needs, utility business models, and customer demands for renewable energy are evolving to necessitate new solutions for power distribution, power management, energy storage, and thermal storage. Not only could novel solutions make a difference in lunar and space exploration, but technologies discovered during NASA’s Watts on the Moon competition could help facilitate new power options on Earth.

“We are excited about leading this challenge and being at the forefront of solutions for powering operations on the Moon and potentially improving life here on Earth,” said  Marla Pérez-Davis, director for NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. “Here at Glenn, and at our satellite facility, NASA’s Plum Brook Station in Sandusky, Ohio, we are conducting research and technology development in power systems for aerospace applications. This competition will take the next step by generating new ideas for ways to distribute, manage, and store that energy on the surface of the Moon.”

The Competition

The Watts on the Moon competition will take place over multiple phases. For Phase 1 of the competition, participants will design a flexible and robust system capable of addressing one or more of three hypothetical mission activities similar to a real lunar mission. Solutions to this challenge will advance technology by developing energy distribution, management, and storage that can facilitate initial human presence on the Moon.

Individuals and teams interested in participating in the challenge can register and submit concept designs until 5 p.m. EDT on March 25, 2021. Winners will be awarded a portion of the $500,000 prize purse.

Depending on the outcome of the design competition, a second phase could task participants to build working prototypes that demonstrate their solutions. Phase 2 prizes are expected to total $4.5 million and could involve testing at a NASA or third-party facility.

The Watts on the Moon Challenge is managed by Glenn, and is part of NASA’s Centennial Challenges, based at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Centennial Challenges is a part of the Prizes and Challenges program within NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate. NASA Centennial Challenges has contracted HeroX to support the execution of this challenge.

To learn more about the challenge and register to participate, visit: nasa.gov/wattson

For more information about NASA’s Prizes and Challenges, visit:  https://www.nasa.gov/solve/index.html

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Videos: “Space to Ground” + Other ISS reports – Oct.2.2020

Here is the latest episode in NASA’s Space to Ground weekly report on activities related to the International Space Station:

** Expedition 64 Space Station Crew Departs for Kazakh Launch Site – NASA

The International Space Station’s Expedition 64 crew, Soyuz Commander Sergey Ryzhikov of Roscosmos, Flight Engineers Sergey Kud-Sverchkov of Roscosmos and Kate Rubins of NASA and their backups, Oleg Novitskiy and Petr Dubrov of Roscosmos and Mark Vande Hei of NASA, participated in traditional prelaunch ceremonies at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, outside Moscow on Sept. 27. Afterward, they departed for the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan to complete their training for the launch of Ryzhikov, Kud-Sverchkov and Rubins from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan in the Soyuz MS-17 spacecraft for a six-month mission on the International Space Station.

** Oct. 31, 2020: Astronauts to Launch on NASA and SpaceX Crew-1 Mission – NASA

** Crew-1 Dragon Astronauts Discusses Upcoming Mission – NASA

NASA and SpaceX are beginning a regular cadence of missions with astronauts launching on an American rocket from American soil to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. NASA’s SpaceX Crew-1 is the first crew rotation mission with four astronauts flying on a commercial spacecraft, and the first including an international partner. NASA astronauts Michael Hopkins, Victor Glover, Shannon Walker, and Soichi Noguchi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) are set to launch to the space station on SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket. The Crew-1 astronauts named the spacecraft Resilience, highlighting the dedication the teams involved with the mission have displayed and to demonstrate that when we work together, there is no limit to what we can achieve. They named it in honor of their families, colleagues, and fellow citizens. Launch is targeted for Saturday, October 31, from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The crew is scheduled for a long duration stay aboard the orbiting laboratory, conducting science and maintenance. The four astronauts are set to return in spring 2021. After successfully docking, the astronauts of Crew-1 will be welcomed aboard station by NASA astronaut Kate Rubins and Sergey Ryzhikov and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov of the Russian space agency Roscosmos. For the first time, the space station’s crew will expand to seven people with Expedition 64, increasing the amount of crew time available for research.

** How Do Astronauts Use the Potty in Space?#AskNASA

Hygiene, eating, sleeping — life operates a tad differently when you’re in space. Join NASA Astronaut Jessica Meir as she answers some of our popular questions about living aboard the International Space Station. Jessica explains how the lack of gravity makes everyday activities not so ordinary, from washing your hair in zero gravity to using the bathroom in space. Jessica details how astronauts handle the tricky tasks and offer a sneak peek at the new space toilet planned for NASA’s Artemis program. Celebrating her most notable achievement, Jessica shares her thoughts about her first spacewalk and highlights her role in the first all-woman spacewalk.

** How the Space Station Moves In Orbit Like A Spaceship  – Scott Manley

Many people don’t realise that the International Space Station is also a space ship, able to maneuver in space as required by mission operations. It has thrusters and control moment gyros to control its orientation and adjust its orbit.

** Your Story: Air leak in international space station | No danger to astronauts: NASA – WION

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Videos: “Space to Ground” + Other ISS reports – Sept.25.2020

Here is the latest episode in NASA’s Space to Ground weekly report on activities related to the International Space Station:

** ISS National Lab Mission Overview: Northrop Grumman CRS-14 – ISS National Lab

Northrop Grumman’s 14th commercial resupply mission (CRS-14) to the International Space Station (ISS)is slated for launch no earlier than September 29 at 10:26 p.m. ET from Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. The ISS U.S. National Laboratory is sponsoring more than 20 payloads on this mission that will bring value to our nation, and further enable a sustainable market in low Earth orbit. These payloads represent a diverse mix of research and technology development seeking to leverage the unique space-based environment of the orbiting laboratory to push the limits of fundamental and applied science.

** Northrop Grumman’s CRS-14 Mission to the International Space Station: What’s on Board – NASA

A Northrop Grumman Cygnus resupply spacecraft soon heading to the International Space Station carries thousands of pounds of scientific investigations, technology demonstrations, commercial products, and cargo. The company’s 14th commercial resupply mission is scheduled to launch no earlier than Sept. 29 from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. The craft’s cargo includes critical materials that support research ranging from cancer therapies to vegetable growth and a commercial product as part of NASA’s goal to achieve a sustainable economy in low-Earth orbit. Learn more here: 14th Cygnus Carries Toilet, Cancer Research, VR Camera to ISS | NASA

** Expedition 64 Crew Final Qualification Training September 23, 2020 – NASA

Expedition 64 Soyuz Commander Sergey Ryzhikov of Roscosmos, Flight Engineers Sergey Kud-Sverchkov of Roscosmos and Kate Rubins of NASA and their backups, Oleg Novitskiy and Petr Dubrov of Roscosmos and Mark Vande Hei of NASA, conducted final qualification training for their upcoming International Space Station mission at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia Sept. 22 and 23. Ryzhikov, Kud-Sverchkov and Rubins are scheduled to launch on Oct. 14 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan in the Soyuz MS-17 spacecraft for a six-month mission on the International Space Station.

** Expedition 64 GCTC Crew News Conference – NASA

** 2020 Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Workshop: BiofabricationISS National Lab

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