This morning the SpaceX Dragon cargo vehicle that launched on Friday from Cape Canaveral caught up with the International Space Station (ISS) and was captured by a robotic arm under the control of NASA astronauts Mark Vande Hei and Joe Acaba. They carefully brought the Dragon up to the Harmony module and attached it. This video shows highlights of the rendezvous, capture, and berthing:
The Soyuz spacecraft carrying NASA’s Scott Tingle, Anton Shkaplerov of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, and Norishige Kanai of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency is scheduled to dock to the space station’s Rassvet module at 3:43 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 19. Coverage of docking will begin at 3 a.m. on NASA Television and the agency’s website, followed at 5 a.m. by coverage of the opening of hatches between the spacecraft and station.
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And here is the latest episode of NASA’s weekly Space to Ground report on activities related to the ISS:
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket just launched a Dragon spacecraft into orbit this morning to deliver cargo to the International Space Station. The Dragon is carrying over 4,800 pounds (2177 kg) of research materials and equipment plus supplies for the crew. The Dragon will rendezvous and berth to the ISS on Sunday morning US time.
Both the Dragon and the first stage booster have each flown once before. The first stage came back to the Cape and landed successfully.
Here are views of the first stage landing:
And this video gives brief descriptions of some of the science and technology R&D payloads being delivered to the Station:
The complete SpaceX Webcast of the launch, landing, and Dragon deployment:
A Kickstarter has opened to back a program to let students run crystal and microbe growing experiments on the ground to compare with similar experiments on the International Space Station:
Kickstarter for STEM Education Program in Space Announced Xtronaut, NanoRacks, and DreamUp are launching two experiments to the International Space Station and producing affordable STEM experiment kits that let students compare their findings to results from space.
WASHINGTON, D.C., November 9, 2017 – Xtronaut, DreamUp, and NanoRacks announce a Kickstarter campaign to offer out-of-this-world STEM educational opportunities for learners. Xtronaut Space Station connects Earth-based experiments to science done by astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS), empowering students in classrooms, homes and afterschool programs to research in the stars.
The “Crystals in Space” and “Microbes in Space” ground kits are available to Kickstarter backers for $25 each. The Kickstarter campaign will run until December 9, and the kits will ship to backers in Q2 2018. More experiment kits and lessons are in production for future programs.
Each ground kit includes:
Experiment materials
Workbook with detailed instructions, lessons on space, in-depth descriptions of the science behind the experiments, fun activities, and more
Access to an online portal to compare the ground experiments with the experiments conducted on the ISS
“Crystals in Space” will include materials to grow sugar crystals on Earth and compare them to crystals grown in microgravity on the ISS. For “Microbes in Space,” astronauts on board the ISS will collect several samples from around the station to culture in Petri dishes. The ground experiment kits will allow learners to mimic this procedure by collecting culture samples in their homes or classrooms.
The “Microbes in Space” flight experiment is scheduled to launch November 11 on the Orbital ATK CRS-8 mission. “Crystals in Space” will launch to the ISS on SpaceX CRS-13, currently scheduled for December 4.
The Crystal Growth in Space kit is designed to teach you about the similarities and differences of crystal growth in microgravity on the ISS and in Earth’s gravity at your home or school.
The successful launch of this collaboration demonstrates yet again the robustness of the commercial pathway to space, both in industry and education. The partnership not only utilizes NanoRacks’ commercial research platforms inside the U.S. National Lab on the ISS but also DreamUp’s proven expertise in inspiring the next generation of explorers and innovators with space-based educational opportunities. Xtronaut has a track-record of delivering quality products through the Kickstarter platform, including the STEM board games, Xtronaut: The Game of Solar System Exploration, and Constellations: The Game of Stargazing and the Night Sky.
Jeffrey Manber, CEO of NanoRacks, commented,
“I’m delighted that a personal goal of mine is being met, that NanoRacks cutting-edge scientific platforms are making the ISS STEM community more accessible to everyone, including homeschooling families and other learners.“
Professor Dante Lauretta, Chief Science Advisors for Xtronaut and Principal Investigator for NASA’s OSIRIS-REx space mission, commented,
“This joint effort will create a very special learning opportunity for learners across the country, and we are pleased to work with NanoRacks, DreamUp, and their unique capabilities.”
Carie Lemack, CEO and Cofounder of DreamUp commented,
“We’re thrilled to provide a cost-effective way for students to become space scientists and engage in STEM learning, setting them on a path of exploration and scientific curiosity that can guide them both inside and beyond the classroom.”
Mike Lyon, CEO of Xtronaut, commented,
“Xtronaut, DreamUp, and NanoRacks are making space research available to all students on a low-cost basis. Students will have a special opportunity to discover the difference between conducting certain experiments on Earth and in space — and learn firsthand about special characteristics of space-based science.”
Visit the Kickstarter to learn more and reserve your Xtronaut Space Station Kit today!
The Microbes in Space kit lets student explorers learn about the different types of life growing around the ISS and compare it to small life in their environments. While astronauts are living in space, there are also other kinds of life on the ISS! However, most of this life is too small for the astronauts to see unless they help it grow. In this activity, you will perform an experiment to grow small life on Earth and compare it with the experiment conducted by astronauts on the ISS.
A video about a miniature DNA sequencer used by NASA on the ISS:
Thanks to work on the International Space Station, sequencing DNA is simple enough to do in your car…or whatever vehicle you drive. With the next generation of DNA research ready to get underway, NASA’s Dan Huot has a carpool conversation with the researchers at the Johnson Space Center in Houston about their work and watches as they sequence DNA in a portable handheld unit.
ZERO-G sends the message below about university research projects flown on the companies Boeing 727 that provides periods of weightlessness by flying parabolic trajectories.
ZERO-G Research Flights Advance Technology for Future Deep-Space Missions As Part of NASA’s Flight Opportunities Program, Research Groups
Tested Systems in Zero Gravity Crucial to Long-Term Space Missions
ORLANDO, Fla. – April 6, 2017 – As part of NASA’s Flight Opportunities Program, Zero Gravity Corporation (ZERO-G®) recently worked with research groups from University of Florida, Carthage College and University of Maryland to validate technology designed to further humanity’s reach into space. A collection of flights on G-FORCE ONE, ZERO-G’s specially modified Boeing 727, gave researchers the chance to run experiments and test innovative systems in the only FAA-approved, manned microgravity lab on Earth.
“G-FORCE ONE is the perfect test bed for space-bound technology and is one of the last steps before sending experiments into orbit,” said Terese Brewster, CEO of ZERO-G. “The data collected from these universities and future groups who do research with us is vital for the future of space exploration.”
The below experiments were conducted by groups during the research flight:
Rocket Propellant Thermal Management System for Deep-Space Missions University of Florida
Long-duration space travel to Mars and beyond will utilize primarily liquid oxygen and hydrogen – cryogens – for rocket propellant. Before these cryogens can be injected into the engine as liquids, transfer lines must be cooled to temperatures below 20 to 80 Kelvin, approximately minus 425 to minus 315 degrees Fahrenheit. This cooling process is typically done the initial flow of liquid cryogens, which are then vented outside the spacecraft as vapor. For long-distance space missions, the transfer line “chilldown” must be accomplished with minimal consumption of cryogen to conserve that material for propellant use.
A team of nine undergraduate and four graduate students led by Professor Jacob Chung developed a special coating for the inside of the propellant transfer pipe to enable a faster cooling process and minimize cryogen loss. The team’s system proved viable in extreme temperature changes and maintained integrity in microgravity and high G-forces during the research flight with ZERO-G. Findings show that coating a transfer pipe reduced chilldown time and fuel consumption by as much as 50 to 70 percent. The team will continue its research on perfecting the technology and revolutionizing space travel.
Measuring Propellant Levels in Low Gravity Carthage College
Current methods to gauge spacecraft propellant in low gravity have a margin of error of five to 10 percent of the total propellant mass, creating a challenge for NASA’s goal of a sustained human presence in space. These limitations also cost the satellite industry millions of dollars as satellites are required to carry an extra 10 percent of fuel to make up for inaccuracies.
Working with engineers at Kennedy Space Center, a team of students led by Carthage College Professor Kevin Crosby developed the Modal Propellant Gauging (MPG) Project. MPG is a non-invasive, real-time and low-cost method of measuring liquid propellant volume by analyzing sound waves produced by vibrations applied to the tank. Findings show MPG has a margin of error less than two percent over a range of propellant volumes. This increase in accuracy is equivalent to an annual industry-wide savings of tens of millions of dollars.
Creating Reliable Models for the Effects of Gravity on Flow Boiling Heat Transfer University of Maryland
Future space missions will require lighter, smaller and more powerful spacecraft, which will utilize two-phase thermal systems. Currently, single-phase thermal subsystems are used due to lack of reliable models to predict two-phase system performance in various types of gravity. In order to design efficient heat removal equipment for these spacecraft, a heat transfer database and dependable models must be developed.
Researchers from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at University of Maryland designed an experiment to collect the data and develop the models needed. Unlike previous work in this area, the team obtained local measurements using temperature-sensitive paints. Data analyzed in Martian gravity, lunar gravity and low-G will determine how inlet subcooling, wall heat flux and flow rate are affected by varied gravity environments.
ZERO-G’s current schedule includes additional research flights during the week of November 13, 2017. For more information about the ZERO-G research program, please visit www.gozerog.com and click on the Research Tab.
About ZERO-G: Zero Gravity Corporation is a privately held space entertainment and tourism company whose mission is to make the excitement and adventure of space accessible to the public. ZERO-G is the first and only FAA-approved provider of weightless flight in the U.S. for the general public; entertainment and film industries; corporate and incentive markets; non-profit research and education sectors; and the government. ZERO-G’s attention to detail, excellent service and quality of experience combined with its exciting history has set the foundation for the most exhilarating adventure-based tourism. For more information about ZERO-G, please visit www.gozerog.com.
