dragon – Space Station

Astronauts Work on Science Gear, Cosmonauts Take Day Off

Astronaut Tracy C. Dyson checks out an Astrobee robotic free-flyer for the Zero Robotics, an educational contest, tech demonstration. — Astronaut Tracy C. Dyson checks out an Astrobee robotic free-flyer for the Zero Robotics tech demonstration for an educational contest to write robot-controlling software.

The four astronauts aboard the International Space Station had a full schedule of science activities on Thursday while the three cosmonauts took the day off and spent time relaxing in the microgravity environment.

The Expedition 71 crew services not only life support systems and electronics gear, but also research hardware to ensure the ongoing operation and integrity of a multitude of science experiments. Thursday was no exception as the four on-duty astronauts from NASA worked on a multipurpose science rack, a fluid physics rack, and a CubeSat deployer.

Flight Engineer Tracy C. Dyson began her morning in the Columbus laboratory module replacing computer hardware in an EXPRESS rack. The rack, one of ten aboard the station, hosts and supports a variety of payloads and experiments. Astronauts as well as scientists on the ground can also monitor and control the rack facilities.

Working in the Destiny laboratory module, Flight Engineer Mike Barratt also replaced computer gear but inside the Fluids Integrated Rack. This rack enables research to understand how liquids behave in weightlessness potentially informing the design of fuel tanks and hydraulic systems for spacecraft.

The computers that support the different science hardware can store and downlink the research data. They also enable communications between payloads and other station components including the ability to command and control the space investigations.

Over in the Kibo laboratory module, Flight Engineer Matthew Dominick removed an empty CubeSat deployer from inside Kibo’s airlock. The deployer is routinely packed with CubeSats, grappled by the Japanese robotic arm in the depressurized airlock, and pointed away from the station to release the shoe box-sized satellites into Earth orbit. The CubeSats are developed by international educational and governmental organizations for numerous public research objectives.

Dominick and Barratt also partnered together and reviewed SpaceX Dragon Endeavour spacecraft procedures to maintain their operational proficiency. Dominick and Barratt are Commander and Pilot, respectively, for the SpaceX Crew-8 mission along with Mission Specialists Jeanette Epps of NASA and Alexander Grebenkin of Roscosmos. All four are also Expedition 71 Flight Engineers.

Epps and Barratt also took turns working in the Waste and Hygiene Compartment, the orbital lab’s bathroom, located in the Tranquility module. Barratt reinstalled and activated hardware that had been removed earlier in the week for orbital plumbing maintenance. Epps wrapped up the work stowing gear that had been replaced inside Tranquility.

The orbital outpost’s three cosmonauts including Grebenkin, Commander Oleg Kononenko, and Flight Engineer Nikolai Chub relaxed on Thursday taking time out for their regularly scheduled workouts. The trio from Roscosmos will be back on duty Friday for more science, cargo, and lab upkeep duties.

For the latest on Boeing’s Crew Flight Test please visit NASA’s blog. NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are targeted to launch aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft to the orbital lab no earlier than 6:16 p.m. EDT on Friday, May 17.

Learn more about station activities by following the space station blog, @space_station and @ISS_Research on X, as well as the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts.

Get weekly video highlights at: https://roundupreads.jsc.nasa.gov/videoupdate/

Get the latest from NASA delivered every week. Subscribe here: www.nasa.gov/subscribe

Dragon Moves to New Port, Makes Way for Starliner

The SpaceX Dragon Endeavour spacecraft is pictured after backing away from the space station beginning its relocation maneuver. Credit: NASA TV

The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, with Expedition 71 crew members NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, as well as Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin, autonomously redocked with the Harmony module’s space-facing port at 9:46 a.m. EDT over the eastern Indian Ocean, northwest of Australia.

As the 28th spacecraft relocation in station history, the move makes room for the arrival at 12:48 a.m., Wednesday, May 8, of the agency’s Boeing Crew Flight Test and the Starliner spacecraft carrying NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams.

Learn more about station activities by following the space station blog, @space_station and @ISS_Research on X, as well as the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts.

Get weekly updates from NASA Johnson Space Center at: https://roundupreads.jsc.nasa.gov/

Get the latest from NASA delivered every week. Subscribe here: www.nasa.gov/subscribe

Crew Undocks in Dragon Spacecraft for Port Relocation

The SpaceX Dragon Endeavour spacecraft is pictured moments away from undocking from the Harmony module's forward port on the International Space Station. Credit: NASA TV — The SpaceX Dragon Endeavour spacecraft is pictured moments away from undocking from the Harmony module’s forward port on the International Space Station. Credit: NASA TV

The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, with Expedition 71 crew members NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, as well as Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin, undocked from the forward-facing port of the station’s Harmony module at 8:57 a.m. EDT, to autonomously redock with the module’s space-facing port.

Redocking is planned at 9:38 a.m. NASA will continue coverage will air live on NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app, YouTube, and the agency’s website. Learn how to stream NASA TV through a variety of platforms including social media.

As the 28th spacecraft relocation in station history, the move makes room for the arrival of the uncrewed SpaceX Dragon carrying cargo to station as part of the company’s 31st commercial resupply services mission for NASA, targeted to launch in August.

Learn more about station activities by following the space station blog, @space_station and @ISS_Research on X, as well as the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts.

Get weekly updates from NASA Johnson Space Center at: https://roundupreads.jsc.nasa.gov/

Get the latest from NASA delivered every week. Subscribe here: www.nasa.gov/subscribe

Dragon Undocking Moves to 8:55 A.M. EDT Today

The SpaceX Dragon Endeavour spacecraft, with the Crew-8 quartet aboard, is pictured approaching the International Space Station on March 5, 2024.

NASA’s live coverage continues as four crew members aboard the International Space Station take a short trip inside the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft to relocate from one docking port to another.

Following an initial, unexpected slow decrease in cabin pressure, delaying undocking, SpaceX determined that the cabin pressure trend is understood and nominal. Undocking is now scheduled for 8:55 a.m. EDT with redocking planned at 9:38 a.m. Relocation activities will continue to air live on NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app, YouTube, and the agency’s website. Learn how to stream NASA TV through a variety of platforms including social media.

Expedition 71 crew members NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, as well as Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin, will undock from the forward-facing port of the station’s Harmony module, and autonomously redock with the module’s space-facing port.

Learn more about station activities by following the space station blog, @space_station and @ISS_Research on X, as well as the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts.

Get weekly updates from NASA Johnson Space Center at: https://roundupreads.jsc.nasa.gov/

Get the latest from NASA delivered every week. Subscribe here: www.nasa.gov/subscribe

Dragon Spacecraft Relocating to New Port on NASA TV

NASA’s live coverage is underway as four crew members aboard the International Space Station take a short trip inside their SpaceX Dragon spacecraft to relocate from one docking port to another.

Relocation activities will air live on NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app, YouTube, and the agency’s website. Learn how to stream NASA TV through a variety of platforms including social media.

Learn more about station activities by following the space station blog, @space_station and @ISS_Research on X, as well as the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts.

Get weekly updates from NASA Johnson Space Center at: https://roundupreads.jsc.nasa.gov/

Get the latest from NASA delivered every week. Subscribe here: www.nasa.gov/subscribe

Crew Readies for Dragon Relocation, Works Robotics and Connects with Students on Earth

The SpaceX Crew-8 members are pictured inside the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft shortly after the hatch opened to the station. From left are, Alexander Grebenkin, Mike Barratt, Jeanette Epps, and Matthew Dominick. — The SpaceX Crew-8 members are pictured inside the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft shortly after the hatch opened to the station on March 5, 2024. From left are, Alexander Grebenkin, Mike Barratt, Jeanette Epps, and Matthew Dominick.

Mission preparations are underway aboard the International Space Station as a spacecraft relocation on Thursday will make room for a crew arrival next week. The Expedition 71 crew spent Wednesday reviewing mission procedures, conducting robotics activities, and connecting with students on Earth.

Four crew members will suit up Thursday, May 2 and enter the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft to relocate it to a new port as the countdown to NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test continues. NASA astronauts Mike Barratt, Matthew Dominick, and Jeanette Epps, as well as cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin of Roscosmos, will undock from the forward port of the Harmony module at 7:45 a.m. EDT and take a short ride aboard Dragon before redocking to the zenith port of Harmony around 8:28 a.m.

The quartet spent Wednesday morning reviewing procedures for Dragon’s relocation and was later joined by NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson—who will be monitoring the maneuver—to hold a conference with ground teams. In preparation for the move, Epps also cleaned and inspected the health of Dragon’s capture and docking system, then later reorganized supplies within the spacecraft.

After tomorrow’s relocation, Harmony’s forward port will be available, making room for the arrival of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft next week. Starliner, scheduled to launch at 10:34 p.m. Monday, May 6, will carry NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to the orbiting laboratory, with docking scheduled for around 12:46 a.m. Wednesday, May 8. The duo will spend about a week aboard station to test the Starliner spacecraft and its subsystems before NASA certifies the transportation system for rotational missions to the orbital complex as part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program.

As the crew arrival nears, Dyson, Dominick, and Barratt held a conference with ground teams in the afternoon to go over Starliner procedures, including rendezvous, docking, and departure.

The orbital septet also scheduled in some time for robotics, space-to-ground operations, and maintenance on Wednesday. Dyson powered on Astrobee, the station’s free-flying robots, and performed a Zero Robotics tech demonstration, which allows students on Earth to write software to control the robots.

Dominick connected with students in North Carolina through an ISS Ham Radio session, answering questions about living and working in space. Meanwhile, Epps recalibrated ethernet cable connections in the crew quarters and Barratt conducted some routine orbital plumbing.

In the Roscosmos segment, station Commander Oleg Kononenko ran an experiment that studies the glow of Earth’s nighttime atmosphere in near-ultraviolet, while Flight Engineer Nikolai Chub investigated the behavior of various liquid phases exposed to different temperatures and vibrations in the microgravity environment.

Learn more about station activities by following the space station blog, @space_station and @ISS_Research on X, as well as the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts.

Get weekly updates from NASA Johnson Space Center at: https://roundupreads.jsc.nasa.gov/

Get the latest from NASA delivered every week. Subscribe here: www.nasa.gov/subscribe

Dragon Spacecraft Splashes Down Completing Resupply Mission

The SpaceX Dragon Cargo spacecraft approaches the International Space Station's Harmony module for a docking on March 23, 2024. Credit: NASA TV — The SpaceX Dragon Cargo spacecraft approaches the International Space Station’s Harmony module for a docking on March 23, 2024. Credit: NASA TV

SpaceX’s uncrewed Dragon cargo spacecraft splashed down at 1:38 a.m. EDT Tuesday off the coast of Tampa, Florida, marking the return of the company’s 30th contracted cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station for NASA. The spacecraft carried more than 4,100 pounds of valuable scientific experiments and other cargo back to Earth.

Next, four SpaceX Crew-8 members will board the Dragon crew spacecraft on Thursday and undock the vehicle from the forward port of the station’s Harmony module and redock to Harmony’s zenith port. NASA TV coverage will begin on Thursday at 7:30 a.m. Undocking is scheduled at 7:45 a.m. with redocking scheduled at 8:28 a.m.

That will clear the forward port of Harmony for the arrival of the Boeing Starliner spacecraft with Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams aboard on the Crew Flight Test (CFT) mission. They are scheduled to launch at 10:34 pm on Monday, May 6, night atop an Atlas 5 rocket from Launch Complex 41 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Fla..

Learn more about station activities by following the space station blog, @space_station and @ISS_Research on X, as well as the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts.

Get weekly video highlights at: https://roundupreads.jsc.nasa.gov/videoupdate/

Get the latest from NASA delivered every week. Subscribe here: www.nasa.gov/subscribe

Crew Starts Week With Maintenance, Science Prep, and Health Exams

Expedition 71 Flight Engineer and NASA astronaut MIke Barratt is pictured relaxing aboard the International Space Station'. — Expedition 71 Flight Engineer and NASA astronaut Mike Barratt is pictured relaxing aboard the International Space Station.

Five spacecraft are parked at the International Space Station following yesterday’s undocking of a cargo craft. Aboard the orbiting complex, the Expedition 71 crew is looking ahead to a Dragon relocation mid-week and the arrival of two new crew members next week. On Monday, the septet spent the day conducting routine maintenance, prepping for upcoming science activities, and performing health exams.

A Dragon cargo spacecraft is currently orbiting Earth preparing to splash down off the coast of Florida at approximately 1:38 a.m. EDT Tuesday, April 30. Dragon, which spent about a month docked to the station, departed at 1:10 p.m. Sunday, April 28, and is carrying more than 4,100 pounds of supplies and scientific experiments back to researchers on Earth.

Aboard station, four orbital residents��NASA astronauts Jeanette Epps, Matthew Dominick, Mike Barratt, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin—are preparing to relocate their SpaceX Dragon spacecraft on Thursday, May 2 to the zenith port of the Harmony module. This relocation will make room for the Starliner spacecraft as part of NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test, scheduled to launch Monday, May 6. Starliner will carry NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to the station for about a one week stay.

While mission preparations are underway, Dominick set up hardware to perform an eye exam on Epps and measure her blood pressure using a new thigh cuff. The hardware examines whether cuffs on the legs change the way fluid moves around the body. The microgravity environment often causes fluids to shift toward the head, which can result in changes to vision and eye structure. Scientists are exploring whether the new hardware could be useful for astronauts to wear in the future as a normal part of spaceflight.

In the Destiny laboratory module, Barratt swapped out cartridges inside the Materials Science Laboratory and prepared it for an upcoming sample run. The facility is used to investigate the behavior of different types of materials at high temperatures in microgravity. Meanwhile, NASA Flight Engineer Tracy C. Dyson changed out two water resupply tanks in the water storage system, then moved on to perform routine maintenance on the station’s Advanced Resistive Exercise Device, or ARED.

Over in the Roscosmos segment, Grebenkin practiced his piloting techniques during a Pilot-T session. His crewmates, Commander Oleg Kononenko and Flight Engineer Nikolai Chub, stowed tools they used during a four-hour and 36-minute spacewalk on Thursday, April 25.

Learn more about station activities by following the space station blog, @space_station and @ISS_Research on X, as well as the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts.

Get weekly updates from NASA Johnson Space Center at: https://roundupreads.jsc.nasa.gov/

Get the latest from NASA delivered every week. Subscribe here: www.nasa.gov/subscribe

Dragon Undocks from Station for Return to Earth

April 28, 2024: International Space Station Configuration. Five spaceships are parked at the space station including the SpaceX Dragon crew spacecraft Endeavour, Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus space freighter, the Soyuz MS-25 crew ship, and the Progress 86 and 87 resupply ships.

Following commands from ground controllers at SpaceX in Hawthorne, California, Dragon undocked at 1:10 p.m. EDT from the forward port of the station’s Harmony module. At the time of undocking, the station was flying at an altitude about 260 miles above Earth.

After re-entering Earth’s atmosphere, the spacecraft will make a parachute-assisted splashdown off the coast of Florida at 1:38 a.m. Tuesday, April 30. NASA will not broadcast the splashdown, but updates will be posted on the agency’s space station blog.

Dragon arrived at the space station as SpaceX’s 30th commercial resupply services mission for NASA, delivering about 6,000 pounds of research investigations, crew supplies, and station hardware. It was launched March 21 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

Learn more about station activities by following the space station blog, @space_station and @ISS_Research on X, as well as the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts.

Get weekly video highlights at: https://roundupreads.jsc.nasa.gov/videoupdate/

Get the latest from NASA delivered every week. Subscribe here: www.nasa.gov/subscribe

Dragon Spacecraft Departing Station Live on NASA TV

The SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft approaches the space station for a docking to the Harmony module's space-facing port on March 23, 2024. — The SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft approaches the space station for a docking to the Harmony module’s space-facing port on March 23, 2024.

NASA’s live coverage of the departure of SpaceX’s uncrewed Dragon cargo spacecraft from the International Space Station is underway on NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app, YouTube, and the agency’s website. Learn how to stream NASA TV through a variety of platforms including social media.

Following commands from ground controllers at SpaceX in Hawthorne, California, Dragon will undock at 1:10 p.m. EDT from the forward port of the station’s Harmony module and fire its thrusters to move a safe distance away from the station.

Learn more about station activities by following the space station blog, @space_station and @ISS_Research on X, as well as the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts.

Get weekly video highlights at: https://roundupreads.jsc.nasa.gov/videoupdate/

Get the latest from NASA delivered every week. Subscribe here: www.nasa.gov/subscribe