Новости МКС

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https://blogs.nasa.gov/stationreport/2020/03/30/iss-daily-summary-report-3302020/

ISS Daily Summary Report – 3/30/2020

JAXA MHU-5 (JAXA Mouse Habitat Unit-5):

The crew performed routine mouse habitat maintenance activities for the continuing Mouse Mission-5 investigation. JAXA Mouse Habitat Unit-5 (MHU-5) examines the effects of partial G on mice using the JAXA-developed mouse habitat cage units (HCU) that can be installed in the newly developed Centrifuge-equipped Biological Experiment Facility-L (CBEF-L) on the ISS. Stress caused by partial G may alter gene expression in cells of the body. The investigation analyzes any such alterations and their possible effects on development of germ cells, which carry genetic information and expression to subsequent generations.

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Vascular Echo:

A crewmember donned the blood pressure cuff and initiated a measurement session whereupon readings are taken at the top of the hour during a 13 hour period. Cardiac and Vessel Structure and Function with Long-Duration Space Flight and Recovery (Vascular Echo) examines changes in blood vessels, and the heart, while the crew members are in space, and then follow their recovery on return to Earth. The results could provide insight into potential countermeasures to help maintain crewmember health, and quality of life for everyone.

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Veggie PONDS Validation:

The crew refilled the water reservoirs for the Veggie Ponds modules. Organisms grow differently in space, from single-celled bacteria to plants and humans. Future long-duration space missions will require crew members to grow their own food. Therefore, understanding how plants respond to microgravity and demonstrating the reliable vegetable production on orbit are important steps toward that goal. Veggie PONDS uses a newly developed passive nutrient delivery system and the Veggie plant growth facility aboard the ISS to cultivate lettuce and mizuna greens which are to be harvested on-orbit, and consumed, with samples returned to Earth for analysis.

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SpaceX-20 (SpX-20) Dragon Cargo Operations:

This week, the crew continues to perform Dragon cargo operations in preparation for Dragon departure on April 6, 2020.

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https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2020/03/31/exercise-research-spaceship-packing-during-robotics-work/

Exercise Research, Spaceship Packing During Robotics Work

Mark Garcia
Posted Mar 31, 2020 at 12:41 pm


The Canadarm2 robotic arm and Dextre, the fine-tuned robotic hand, are remotely controlled on Earth to extract Bartolomeo from the SpaceX Dragon resupply ship.

Exercise tests aboard the International Space Station today are helping doctors evaluate the best ways to keep crews healthy and fit on long-term space missions. The Expedition 62 crew also readied cargo and crew ships for departure as a variety of other life science experiments took place.

Aerobic fitness in space is critically important so astronauts can successfully support physically demanding mission events such as spacewalks and spaceship landings. NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Andrew Morgan took turns testing their fitness on an exercise bike today while attached to sensors. Doctors will use the data to understand crew health and adapt exercise techniques so astronauts can maintain strong bones and muscles, and add to the body of knowledge that is helping astronauts readapt to microgravity after long missions.

Afterward, Meir had a blood pressure check for the Vascular Echo cardiovascular study. Morgan checked on mice being observed for space-caused changes to their genetic expression.

The duo also continued loading the SpaceX Dragon resupply with station hardware and science experiments for analysis on Earth. Dragon will depart the station on Monday at 9:52 a.m. EDT and splashdown in the Pacific a few hours later. Meir and Morgan are also packing personal items to get ready for their return to Earth on April 17 aboard the Soyuz MS-15 crew ship.

Commander Oleg Skripochka of Roscosmos worked a pair of different Russian investigations today. He first studied how weightlessness affects blood circulation in the heart. The veteran cosmonaut then activated gear that observes the Earth's atmosphere at nighttime in near-ultraviolet wavelengths.

The new Bartolomeo science platform from the European Space Agency is in the process of being installed to the outside of the Columbus laboratory module. Robotics controllers are remotely guiding Bartolomeo in the grips of the Canadarm2 robotic arm. Ground teams will finalize the installation over two days.

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https://blogs.nasa.gov/stationreport/2020/03/31/iss-daily-summary-report-3312020/

ISS Daily Summary Report – 3/31/2020

Vascular Echo:

A crewmember doffed the Vascular Echo Mobil-O-Graph Cuff and upload the recorded 13-hour BP data to the EPM Laptop, then stowed Mobil-O-Graph Kit. Cardiac and Vessel Structure and Function with Long-Duration Space Flight and Recovery (Vascular Echo) examines changes in blood vessels, and the heart, while the crew members are in space, and then follow their recovery on return to Earth. The results could provide insight into potential countermeasures to help maintain crewmember health, and quality of life for everyone.

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JAXA MHU-5 (JAXA Mouse Habitat Unit-5):

The crew filled water into the Transportation Unit Spare Cage and checked water nozzles of individual cages (six). JAXA Mouse Habitat Unit-5 (MHU-5) examines the effects of partial G on mice using the JAXA-developed mouse habitat cage units (HCU) that can be installed in the newly developed Centrifuge-equipped Biological Experiment Facility-L (CBEF-L) on the ISS. Stress caused by partial G may alter gene expression in cells of the body. The investigation analyzes any such alterations and their possible effects on development of germ cells, which carry genetic information and expression to subsequent generations.

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EPO AstroPi:

The crew inserted micro SD cards with upgraded system software into the two laptops containing AstroPi software (SSC 11 & 19). In the European AstroPi Challenge, students and young people are offered the amazing opportunity to conduct scientific investigations in space by writing computer programs that run on Astro Pi's – special Raspberry Pi computers aboard the ISS. Students can choose either 'Life in Space' or 'Life on Earth' as themes for their experiments.

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NanoRacks Science Box:

The crew removed the NanoRacks Science Box from EXPRESS Rack and gave it a shake in order to loosen two Tessellated Electromagnetic Space Structures for the Exploration of Reconfigurable, Adaptive Environments (TESSERAE) tiles that had not yet disengaged from their holsters. The crew then re-install the box back into the Express Rack. Severn Tiles (two pentagons and five hexagon) were flown on SpX-20 and delivered to the ISS in the NanoRacks Science Box to test autonomous self-assembly and docking over many days of sustained microgravity. These latest prototypes include an extensive suite of sensing and electro-permanent magnet actuation for full diagnostic capability (determining "good" and "bad" bonds between tiles as they join together) and structure reconfigurability.

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NanoRacks Particle Flow (adidas BOOST™):

The crew performed an additional flow test ops for the Pellet distribution system with new procedures intended to increase the flow. BOOST Orbital Operations on Spheroid Tesellation (adidas BOOST™) examines the particle foam mold filling process using different types of pellets. On Earth, adidas makes performance midsoles from thousands of individual foam pellets blown into a mold and fused together. Microgravity enables a closer look at the factors behind pellet motion and location, which could enhance manufacturing processes as well as product performance and comfort.

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Mobil Servicing System (MSS) Operations:

Today, robotics ground controllers (ROBO) powered up the MSS and performed a Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) walk-off to Mobile Base System (MSB) 1. Once the SSRMS was located on MBS 1, ROBO commanded an SSRMS maneuver to grapple the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM), currently holding the Bartolomeo platform, positioned on the US Lab Power Data Grapple Fixture (PDGF). Once grappled, ROBO commanded the SPDM to release the US Lab PDGF and maneuvered the SSRMS and SPDM to the Mobile Transporter (MT) translation position. Overnight tonight, ROBO will translate the MT from Work Site (WS) 2 to WS 6 in preparation for the Bartolomeo outrigger deployment and fit check. These tasks are being performed in preparation for the Bartolomeo platform installation on the Columbus module.

The European external platform 'Bartolomeo' is an enhancement of the ISS European Columbus Module and its infrastructure. Designed to meet user requirements from the commercial and institutional sector, Bartolomeo is a new external payload hosting facility on the ram side of Columbus that is mechanically attached to the ram-facing primary and secondary trunnions, and uses the Columbus Parking Position Interface (PAPOS) for electrical and data interfacing.

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SpaceX-20 (SpX-20) Dragon Cargo Operations:

This week the crew continues to perform Dragon cargo operations in preparation for Dragon departure on April 6, 2020.

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https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2020/04/01/science-packing-robotics-work-ahead-of-spaceship-traffic/

Science Packing, Robotics Work Ahead of Spaceship Traffic

Mark Garcia
Posted Apr 1, 2020 at 5:35 pm


The SpaceX Dragon resupply ship (at right) and a pair of the space station's main solar arrays foreshadow a trek into an orbital sunset.

A U.S. cargo craft is being packed for its return to Earth next week while robotics controllers get ready to install a new European science platform on the International Space Station. The Expedition 62 crew also continued its ongoing human research activities.

The reusable SpaceX Dragon space freighter is being loaded this week with thousands of pounds of science experiments and station hardware. Robotics controllers will command the Canadarm2 robotic arm to remove Dragon from the Harmony module after its hatch is closed early Monday. Dragon will be released back into Earth orbit Monday at 9:52 a.m. EDT for a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean a few hours later.

NASA Flight Engineers Jessica Meir and Andrew Morgan will wrap up the science packing late Sunday. The duo will be transferring live mice, plant cells and other time-critical research samples into Dragon so scientists can understand how genetic expression changes in space.

Human research continued on board the station today as Meir examined and captured imagery of Morgan's eyes with a fundoscope to learn how space-caused upward fluid shifts affect vision. Commander Oleg Skripochka of Roscosmos measured the station's radiation environment then explored how future crews could pilot spaceships and robotic rovers on planetary expeditions.

Bartolomeo, an external science payload from the European Space Agency (ESA), will soon be installed on the outside of the Columbus laboratory. The complex installation work is being choreographed from the ground as flight controllers remotely command the Canadarm2 and the Dextre fine-tuned robotic hand. The ESA science device will enable the command and control of numerous external investigations on Columbus.

Back on Earth in Kazakhstan, the Expedition 63 crew continued reviewing its mission procedures today then took a break for traditional pre-launch activities. NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy and Roscosmos cosmonauts Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner will launch to the station April 9 aboard the Soyuz MS-16 crew ship. After a six-hour ride to their new home in space, the trio will begin a 195-day mission aboard the orbital lab.

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Напоминание

https://tass.ru/kosmos/8138915

2 АПР, 00:02
Орбиту МКС поднимут на 900 м 2 апреля
Маневр будет выполнен для формирования рабочей орбиты станции перед запуском грузового корабля "Прогресс МС-14"

МОСКВА, 2 апреля. /ТАСС/. Орбита Международной космической станции (МКС) будет скорректирована в четверг днем при помощи двигателей грузового корабля "Прогресс МС-13", сообщили в госкорпорации "Роскосмос".

"На 2 апреля 2020 года запланирована коррекция ее [МКС] орбиты", - отметили в Роскосмосе.

В госкорпорации пояснили, что маневр будет выполнен для формирования рабочей орбиты станции перед запуском грузового корабля "Прогресс МС-14", который запланирован на 25 апреля. Ожидается, что двигатели пристыкованного к МКС корабля "Прогресс МС-13" будут включены в 15:41 мск и проработают в течение 427,5 секунды. В результате, уточнили в госкорпорации, средняя высота орбиты станции должна увеличиться на 900 м, до 420 км над Землей.

В предыдущий раз коррекция орбиты проводилась 19 марта. Тогда двигатели "Прогресса", пристыкованного к станции, были включены в 20:14 мск и проработали в течение расчетных 534 секунд. В результате средняя орбита МКС увеличилась примерно на 1,1 км, до 419 км.

Космонавты на МКС

Сейчас на МКС находятся космонавт Роскосмоса Олег Скрипочка и астронавты NASA Джессика Меир и Эндрю Морган. Их возвращение на Землю запланировано на 17 апреля на "Союзе МС-15". С 9 апреля экипаж должен увеличиться: на орбиту отправятся российские космонавты Анатолий Иванишин, Иван Вагнер и американский астронавт Крис Кэссиди на корабле "Союз МС-16".

25 апреля к МКС стартует грузовой корабль "Прогресс МС-14". Он будет выведен на орбиту с помощью ракеты-носителя "Союз-2.1а". Планируется, что полет к МКС пройдет по сверхбыстрой трехчасовой схеме. Пуск ракеты будет приурочен к 75-летию Победы. На нее нанесут специализированную символику - логотип годовщины, изображения георгиевской ленты и орденов Отечественной войны.

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 Andrew Morgan @AstroDrewMorgan 5 мин. назад

As current residents of @Space_Station, @Astro_Jessica & I wanted to share some of our strategies for living happily in isolation.

Tip: Exercise is vital for your physical health and mental well-being. It's a bit different in microgravity...check out how we exercise in space!

(1:36)

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https://www.roscosmos.ru/28302/

02.04.2020 17:00
Плановая коррекция орбиты МКС

Сегодня, 2 апреля 2020 года, в соответствии с программой полёта Международной космической станции осуществлена коррекция ее орбиты. Корректирующий манёвр проведен с целью формирования баллистических условий перед запуском грузового корабля «Прогресс МС-14».

Двигательная установка транспортного корабля «Прогресс МС-13» была включена в 15:41 мск. Результатом работы двигателей в течение 427,5 секунды стало приращение скорости станции на 0,48 м/с.

В соответствии с данными службы баллистико-навигационного обеспечения Центра управления полётами ЦНИИмаш параметры орбиты станции после выполнения коррекции составили:

[/li]
• Период обращения: 92,92 мин;
  
  
  
• наклонение орбиты: 51,66 град;
  
  
  
• минимальная высота над поверхностью Земли: 419,3 км;
  
  
  
• максимальная высота над поверхностью Земли: 440,9 км.
  

Запуск грузового корабля «Прогресс МС-14» запланирован на 25 апреля 2020 года в 04:51 мск, стыковка с Международной космической станцией — в 08:13 мск. Он доставит экипажу запасы топлива и газов, а также служебное оборудование и средства жизнеобеспечения по программе 75-й миссии снабжения МКС.

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https://blogs.nasa.gov/stationreport/2020/04/01/iss-daily-summary-report-4012020/

ISS Daily Summary Report – 4/01/2020

Fluid Shifts:

The crew performed the setup for baselining eye Fundoscope images. Fluid Shifts is a NASA investigation, divided into Dilution Measurements, Baseline Imaging, and Imaging with Chibis. The Chibis hardware is used to perform the Lower Body Negative Pressure (LBNP) part of the experiment. The Fluid Shifts experiment investigates the causes for severe and lasting physical changes to astronaut's eyes. Because the head-ward fluid shift is a hypothesized contributor to these changes, reversing this fluid shift with a LBNP device is being evaluated as a possible intervention. Results from this study may help to develop preventative measures against lasting changes in vision and prevention of eye damage.

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NanoRacks Module-51:

The crew performed and photo documented the second Vitamin C flask experiment status check. This completes the operation objectives for Module-51. These sub experiments are the Vitamin-C Flask with syringe, Waxworm flask, Adipic acid and Venom flex plates, Yeast and amylase mixture tubes, and Flask with Flatworms. Inspections of the experiments went well and the hardware was stowed. NanoRacks Mod-51 itself is an aluminum module with a Velcro lid that can accommodate various sub-experiments.

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NanoRacks Module-9:

The crew performed the operations on the NanoRacks Module-9 tube which involves the mixture of Tube #2, which studies the ability of Quinoa (a type of grain) growth in microgravity. NanoRacks-National Center for Earth and Space Science Education-Gemini includes 41 microgravity experiments designed by students in grades 5 through 12 and college. The experiments range from examinations of water filtration and purification to synthetic soil production, rust formation, antibiotic effectiveness, growth and development of micro-aquatic organisms, and growth of plant, fungi, and bacteria. Each was chosen from more than 3,000 entries submitted by more than 23,000 U.S., Canadian, and Brazilian students. The experiments use NanoRacks MixStix, miniature laboratories activated by the ISS crew and are eventually returned to the student teams on Earth for analysis.

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Mobil Servicing System (MSS) Operations:

Tonight, robotics ground controllers (ROBO) will power up the MSS and maneuver the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) and the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM) to install the newly arrived Bartolomeo Science Platform. Installation is expected to be completed on Thursday morning at ~1:00 am CT. Once installed, ROBO will finish deploying the remaining platform booms Thursday evening at ~9:00 pm CT.

The European external platform 'Bartolomeo' is an enhancement of the ISS European Columbus Module and its infrastructure. Designed to meet user requirements from the commercial and institutional sector, Bartolomeo is a new external payload hosting facility on the ram side of Columbus that is mechanically attached to the ram-facing primary and secondary trunnions, and uses the Columbus Parking Position Interface (PAPOS) for electrical and data interfacing.

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SpaceX-20 (SpX-20) Dragon Cargo Operations:

Today, the crew continued to perform Dragon cargo operations in preparations for Dragon departure on April 6, 2020.

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Water Processor Assembly (WPA) Multi-filtration (MF) Bed Sample Collection:

Today, the crew performed a Life Support Rack (LSR) hose reconfiguration in preparation for a WPA MF Bed return sample collection. The crew previously experienced an issue with connecting a hose normally used to take MF bed samples; and as a result, ground teams had the crew reconfigure the LSR hoses to free up a like hose to re-attempt return sampling. The hose taken from the LSR was connected to the WPA nominally and the WPA MF Bed SpX-20 return sample was collected.

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Systems Operations Data File (SODF) DEPLOY:

Today, the crew replaced their Medical Checklists and EVA wrist Cuff Checklists with updated documentation delivered on SpX-20. The retired EVA Cuff Checklists will be returned on SpX-20.

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Airbus Space‏ @AirbusSpace 2 ч. назад

Job done! Demanding technical operations are now complete & the Airbus built #Bartolomeo platform has been mounted on the #ISS, on the @esa Columbus laboratory. Getting closer to more commercial research in low Earth orbit! https://www.airbus.com/space/space-infrastructures/bartolomeo.html ...

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https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2020/04/02/science-expands-on-station-dragon-departs-on-monday/

Science Expands on Station, Dragon Departs on Monday

Mark Garcia
Posted Apr 2, 2020 at 2:39 pm


NASA astronaut Jessica Meir strikes a superhero pose in the weightless environment of the International Space Station.

The International Space Station expanded its research capabilities overnight after robotics controllers installed a new external science platform. Meanwhile, the Expedition 62 crew is packing cargo for return to Earth while getting ready for its own departure.

Europe's latest contribution to the orbiting lab, Bartolomeo, was attached to the outside of the Columbus laboratory module early Thursday morning. Robotic engineers remotely commanded the Canadarm2 robotic arm and the Dextre robotic hand and completed the fine-tuned installation work over two days. Bartolomeo, delivered last month aboard the SpaceX Dragon cargo craft, gives private and institutional researchers the ability to command and control science payloads outside the space station.

Commander Oleg Skripochka with NASA Flight Engineers Jessica Meir and Andrew Morgan are preparing to end their mission in space on April 17. They checked their Sokol launch and entry suits they will wear when they parachute to Earth inside the Soyuz MS-15 crew ship for leaks today. The crew is also gathering personal items for stowage inside the Soyuz spaceship.

Before they leave, the SpaceX Dragon space freighter will return to Earth after being released from the Canadarm2 on Monday at 9:52 a.m. EDT. Meir and Morgan will finish loading over 4,000 pounds of station hardware and research samples, including live mice and plant cells, late Sunday. NASA TV will begin its live coverage of Dragon's departure on Monday at 9:30 a.m.

The station boosted its orbit again today raising it to the correct altitude enabling the new Expedition 63 crew to launch and dock on April 9 inside the Soyuz MS-16 crew ship. NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy and Roscosmos cosmonauts Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner will take a six-hour ride to their new home in space and begin a 195-day mission aboard the orbital lab.

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Luca Parmitano blows out his virtual candle on the Astro Pi

European Space Agency, ESA

2 апр. 2020 г.

During Luca's Mission Beyond, we sent warm wishes to the astronaut on his birthday (27 September) onboard the ISS by gifting a virtual candle to blow out on an Astro Pi.

Astro Pi computers come with a set of sensors and gadgets that can be used to run great scientific experiments by means of computer coding. This set of sensors is called 'Sense HAT' (that stands for 'Hardware Attached on Top').

The Sense HAT add-on board was specially created for the Astro Pi competition. The board gives Astro Pi the ability to 'sense' and make many kinds of measurements, from temperature to movement, and to output information using a special display  - the  8x8 LED matrix. The Astro Pis are also equipped with a joystick and buttons -  just like a videogame console!

https://www.youtube.com/embed/-W9a3MOKitk (0:58)

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Space to Ground: Bartolomeo: 04/03/2020

NASA Johnson

3 апр. 2020 г.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/0Sf3Z60QPGk?feature=oembed (2:03)

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https://blogs.nasa.gov/stationreport/2020/04/02/iss-daily-summary-report-4022020/

ISS Daily Summary Report – 4/02/2020

Veggie PONDS Validation:

The crew removed the Germination Cap from each Veggie Ponds Module and added water to reservoirs of each module in both facilities. Photos were taken and plant thinning was performed as needed. Organisms grow differently in space, from single-celled bacteria to plants and humans. Future long-duration space missions will require crew members to grow their own food. Therefore, understanding how plants respond to microgravity and demonstrating the reliable vegetable production on orbit are important steps toward that goal. Veggie PONDS uses a newly developed passive nutrient delivery system and the Veggie plant growth facility aboard the ISS to cultivate lettuce and mizuna greens which are to be harvested on-orbit, and consumed, with samples returned to Earth for analysis.

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Engineered Heart Tissues:

The crew performed sample fixations on selected tissue chambers and performed cell culture media exchanges on the remaining tissue chambers. A Human iPSC-based 3D Micro-physiological System for Modeling Cardiac Dysfunction in Microgravity (Engineered Heart Tissues) assesses human cardiac function in microgravity. It uses 3D cultured cardiac muscle tissue that mimics the architecture and function of adult human cardiac muscle. A magnet-based sensor placed underneath the tissue culture chamber allows real-time, non-destructive analysis of the functional performance and maturation of the tissues in space, which is compared with those cultured on Earth.

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Mobile SpaceLab:

The crew de-installed and stowed the Mobile SpaceLab hardware. This completes the objectives for this experiment. The Mobile SpaceLab is a tissue and cell culturing facility that launches and returns on International Space Station (ISS) resupply vehicles to offer investigators a quick-turnaround, high-throughput platform to perform sophisticated microgravity biology interrogations. The Mobile SpaceLab operates with autonomous microfluidic delivery of multiple reagents as well as automated brightfield and fluorescence microscopy. The Mobile SpaceLab can perform a biology experiment autonomously for up to a month on the ISS without the need for crew operations.

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Bartolomeo:

The ground robotic teams successfully installed the new Bartolomeo platform on to the Columbus module. Check was completed and the Antenna boom and OSIRIS boom were successfully deployed. The European external platform Bartolomeo is an enhancement of the ISS European Columbus Module and its infrastructure. Designed to meet user requirements from the commercial and institutional sector, Bartolomeo is a new external payload hosting facility on the ram side of Columbus that is mechanically attached to the ram-facing primary and secondary trunnions, and uses the Columbus Parking Position Interface (PAPOS) for electrical and data interfacing.

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SpX-20 Preparation for Unberth/Release:

Several activities on the plan were in preparation for SpX-20 unberth and release. The crew installed a single stowage locker, transferred the Mobile Spacelab payload onto Dragon and completed Dragon release and departure proficiency training. Currently, SpX-20 is scheduled to unberth on April 6th.

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Queso Service Pack:

Crew performed configurations changes to the iPads onboard following the Queso Service Pack deploy. As part of the Queso SP, the ISS server was upgraded and split in two requiring the crew to update their connection settings and bookmarks on the iPads.

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https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/04/02/pandemic-prompts-few-changes-to-busy-month-on-space-station/

Pandemic prompts few changes to busy month on space station
April 2, 2020 | Stephen Clark


The International Space Station's robotic arm and Dextre, a two-handed robotic aide, extract the European Bartolomeo platform fr om the trunk of SpaceX's Dragon cargo craft in this March 25 photo. Credit: NASA

U.S. and Russian vehicles ferrying crews and cargo will continue traveling to and from the International Space Station this month, sustaining the orbiting lab in its 20th year of continuous human occupation amid an escalating pandemic on Earth.

A new European platform was also robotically installed outside the space station early Thursday, giving the international research lab a new outdoor deck to host a range of materials science, Earth observation and space science instruments.

NASA has deemed the space station's continued operations a top priority as other agency programs are shut down or slowed during the coronavirus pandemic.

Under the command of controllers on the ground, the station's Canadian-built robotic arm and the two-armed robotic aide Dextre installed the Bartolomeo platform outside the space station's European Columbus science module.

The process to install the platform occurred over two days, NASA said, after the robotic arm pulled the Bartolomeo science deck from the unpressurized trunk of a SpaceX Dragon cargo capsule. The Dragon cargo freighter delivered Bartolomeo and an array of other hardware and science experiments to the space station March 9 following a launch from Cape Canaveral.

But a spacewalk to route wiring and bring the Bartolomeo facility into use has been postponed. The excursion was originally planned in mid-April, when the space station is temporarily back at a full staffing level of six crew members.

Gary Jordan, a NASA spokesperson, said Wednesday that station managers are no longer pursuing a spacewalk during the crew handover later this month, the period between the arrival of a fresh three-man crew and the departure of the station's outgoing Expedition 62 crew.

"The decision was made after an evaluation of crew time during the eight-day handover period," Jordan said.

Once the final wiring harnesses are configured on a future spacewalk, Bartolomeo will be ready to host experiments, expanding the station's research capability.


The Bartolomeo platform is transferred from the Dragon cargo ship to the International Space Station. Credit: NASA

The Bartolomeo platform features 12 different mounting sites to accommodate science payloads, experiments, and technology demonstration packages. Developed by Airbus Defense and Space in partnership with the European Space Agency, the new facility is aimed at offering accommodations for commercial experiments outside the orbiting complex.

The Dragon supply ship is scheduled to be released from the space station's robotic arm at 9:52 a.m. EDT (1352 GMT) Monday, heading for re-entry and a parachute-assisted splashdown in the Pacific Ocean southwest of Los Angeles.

Before Monday's release, the Dragon will be unberthed from the station's Harmony module using the robot arm and maneuvered to a position around 30 feet, or 10 meters, below the research complex.

Closing out a nearly 31-day mission, the unpiloted cargo capsule will move a safe distance from the station before firing its Draco thrusters in a braking burn to slow down and re-enter the atmosphere. After jettisoning its disposable trunk, the pressurized capsule will plunge into the atmosphere, protected by a high-temperature heat shield, then deploy three main parachutes for a relatively gentle splashdown in the Pacific Ocean around 3:40 p.m. EDT (1940 GMT).

A SpaceX recovery team will be on station to pull the reusable spacecraft from the sea and haul it to the Port of Los Angeles, wh ere teams will begin handing over time-sensitive experiment specimens and more than 4,000 pounds of cargo to NASA.

The Dragon capsule's return to Earth on Monday will mark the final flight of SpaceX's first-generation cargo vehicle after 20 trips to the space station. The specific spacecraft currently at the station is on its third mission in space.

SpaceX's future resupply missions will use the upgraded Dragon 2 spaceship, which comes in crew and cargo variants.


Russian cosmonaut Ivan Vagner, commander Anatoly Ivanishin and NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy pose outside their Soyuz MS-16 crew capsule at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Credit: Andrey Shelepin/Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center

At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the members of the next space station crew are readying for launch April 9 to begin a six-month expedition in orbit.

NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy will join Russian commander Anatoly Ivanishin and flight engineer Ivan Vagner on the Soyuz MS-16 spacecraft for a six-hour trek to the space station. Liftoff from the Site 31 launch complex at Baikonur is scheduled at 4:05 a.m. EDT (0805 GMT; 1:05 p.m. Baikonur time) on April 9.

Because of concerns about the coronavirus pandemic, the families of the Soyuz crew members and media representatives will not be allowed to attend the launch at Baikonur.

The Soyuz MS-16 crew arrived at Baikonur aboard a Russian space agency jet March 24 after leaving their training site in Star City, Russia, near Moscow.

Cassidy and his crewmates are scheduled to dock with the space station's Poise module at 10:15 a.m. EDT (1415 GMT), joining station commander Oleg Skripochka and NASA flight engineers Jessica Meir and Drew Morgan.

The space station will be restored to its normal crew size of six for nearly eight days before Skripochka's crew floats into a different Soyuz spaceship April 16 for return to Earth.

NASA says station operations have not been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has restricted travel and triggered stay-at-home orders in many states across the country, limiting in-person work to essential businesses.

The space station flight control team is currently staffed at normal levels at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, according to NASA.

There are approximately 25 flight control positions at the space station control center in Houston during normal day-to-day operations. Another 10 or so flight control positions are needed during certain events, such as spacewalks or rendezvous operations. During crew nights or weekends,  when the station crew is largely off duty, around 10 flight controllers are required in the control center, said Gary Jordan, a NASA spokesperson.


File photo inside NASA's Mission Control Center at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. Credit: NASA

Skripochka, Meir and Morgan are scheduled to undock from the space station in their Soyuz MS-15 spaceship at 9:53 p.m. EDT on April 16 (0153 GMT on April 17). A few hours later, the Soyuz will fire braking rockets to fall back into the atmosphere, targeting a landing on the steppe of Kazakhstan at 1:17 a.m. EDT (0517 GMT; 11:17 a.m. local time in Kazakhstan).

That will leave Cassidy in command of the space station's Expedition 63 crew, which will have the station to themselves until the planned arrival of NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken on the first piloted test flight of SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule.

Hurley and Behnken are scheduled for launch in mid-to-late May from the Kennedy Space Center atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The duration of their stay on the space station was originally expected to last just a week or two, but could be extended to several months to provide the station with extra manpower during a time when the orbiting lab's U.S. segment would otherwise be staffed with just a single NASA astronaut.

Cassidy is flying in the final Soyuz seat NASA has purchased from Roscosmos, the Russian space agency. NASA is expected to soon announce the purchase of at least one additional Soyuz seat on an October launch from Baikonur, easing pressure on NASA's commercial crew providers — SpaceX and Boeing — as they prepare their U.S.-made human-rated crew capsules for launch.

The busy month of comings and goings at the International Space Station will wrap up in late April with the arrival of a Russian Progress refueling and resupply freighter.

The Progress spaceship is set to launch atop a Soyuz booster April 25 and will dock with the space station around three-and-a-half hours later with a load of propellant, water and cargo.

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Jessica Meir‏ @Astro_Jessica 45 мин. назад

The Engineered Heart Tissue experiment helps us understand how heart tissue functions in space. Love getting my hands on this cutting edge science, especially since one of the scientists and I used to work together back at @BrownUniversity! Read more: https://go.nasa.gov/2R64p5J

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2019-2020 JAXA Human Space Actuvity To the future, with Kibo

JAXA | 宇宙航空研究開発機構

3 апр. 2020 г.

日本語版はこちら→ Space has always been a distant frontier for humanity, but now, various satellites are orbiting to support our everyday life. The Low Earth Orbit (LEO), an area 2000km above ground, is the gateway to space, and there, approximately 400km in altitude, is the International Space Station (ISS) where various experiments using the space environment is conducted. Let's take a look at what kind of human space activities took place from 2019 to 2020.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/_Ipas64Juy4 (5:40)

[zandr]

http://novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/news/53909/

Астронавт Джессика Меир из космоса дала израильтянам советы по самоизоляции
 Астронавт Джессика Меир, находящаяся сейчас на Международной космической станции, призывает израильтян следить за своим физическим и психическим здоровьем, передает STMEGI-Новости.
В этот четверг, в твиттер-аккаунте посольства США в Израиле еврейский астронавт Джессика Меир обратилась к израильтянам и всем жителям планеты с советами о том, как оставаться в хорошем физическом и психическом состоянии здоровья, постоянно находясь дома. Сама же Меир сейчас находится на Международной космической станции.
В видео, выложенном ны аккаунте посольства, Меир говорит:

«Для нас, космонавтов, очень непривычно наблюдать за тем, что происходит сейчас на Земле. Кажется, что мы вернемся из полета на совершенно переменившуюся планету».

Отвечая на вопрос посольства о том, как жителям стоит находить себе занятия и поддерживать свое здоровье в условиях самоизоляции, Меир заметила:

«Здесь, на станции, это такая же проблема для нас.
И мне кажется, что существует множество способов облегчить себе жизнь в таких условиях. Например, мы обязательно придерживаемся распорядка дня. Так, мы каждый день выполняем упражнения, чтобы оставаться в хорошей форме. Думаю, каждому известно, что физические упражнения важны не только для нашего тела, но и для психического здоровья. Мы, астронавты, уделяем много внимания нашему психическому состоянию».

Как же поддерживать свое самочувствие в период самоизоляции? Едва ли кто-то сможет ответить на этот вопрос лучше, чем астронавт НАСА Джессика Меир.
Астронавт также отметила важность регулярного общения с друзьями и близкими. Для этого, по ее словам, можно использовать видеосвязь.

"Мы часто звоним своим близким с космической станции для психологической поддержки», - делится с нами Меир.

А.Ж.

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https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-tv-to-air-us-cargo-ship-departure-from-space-station-1

April 2, 2020
MEDIA ADVISORY M20-043

NASA TV to Air U.S. Cargo Ship Departure from Space Station


SpaceX's Dragon resupply ship slowly approaches the orbiting lab as both spacecraft were orbiting 258 miles above the Mediterranean Sea Dec. 9, 2019. Filled with more than 4,000 pounds of valuable scientific experiments and other cargo, Dragon is now set to leave the International Space Station Monday, April 6.
Credits: NASA

Editor's note, April 3, 2020: Dragon's departure from the International Space Station has been rescheduled to Tuesday, April 7. NASA TV coverage begins at 8:45 a.m. EDT.

Filled with more than 4,000 pounds of valuable scientific experiments and other cargo, a SpaceX Dragon resupply spacecraft is set to leave the International Space Station Monday, April 6. NASA Television and the agency's website will broadcast its departure live beginning at 9:30 a.m. EDT.

Robotic flight controllers at mission control in Houston will issue commands at 9:52 a.m. to release Dragon using the station's Canadarm2 robotic arm. Expedition 62 Flight Engineer Andrew Morgan of NASA will back up the ground controllers and monitor Dragon's systems as it departs the orbital laboratory.

Dragon will fire its thrusters to move a safe distance from the station, then execute a deorbit burn as it heads for a parachute-assisted splashdown around 3:40 p.m. in the Pacific Ocean, southwest of Long Beach, California. The splashdown will not air on NASA TV.

Dragon launched on the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket March 6 from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida and arrived at the space station three days later.

Some of the scientific investigations Dragon will return to Earth include:

Generating a nutritional meal

Planning ways to supply food for a multi-year mission on the Moon or Mars may require making food and nutrients in space. BioNutrients demonstrates a technology that enables on-demand production of nutrients needed during long-duration space missions. Although designed for space, this system also could help provide nutrition for people in remote areas of our planet.

Toward printing human organs in space

Biological printing of the tiny, complex structures found inside human organs, such as capillaries, is difficult in Earth's gravity. The BioFabrication Facility (BFF) attempts to take the first steps toward the printing of human organs and tissues in microgravity. The facility may also help maintain the health of crews on deep space exploration missions by producing food and personalized pharmaceuticals on demand.

Helping the heart

The Engineered Heart Tissues (EHTs) study looks at how human heart tissue functions in space. It uses unique 3D tissues made from heart cells derived from human induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (hiPSCs), essentially adult stem cells. Researchers expect significant differences in function, structure and gene expression between EHTs in microgravity and those on the ground. Understanding these differences could help them find ways to prevent or mitigate problematic changes on future long-duration missions.

Biofilm festival

Samples from the Space Biofilms investigation, which examines microbial species and their formation of biofilms, are returning on Dragon. Biofilms are collections of one or more types of microorganisms – including bacteria, fungi and protists – that grow on wet surfaces. Better control of biofilms may help maintain crewed spacecraft and protect the health and safety of crew members as well as help prevent the introduction of Earth-based microbes to planetary bodies on which humans land.

These are just a few of the hundreds of investigations providing opportunities for U.S. government agencies, private industry and academic and research institutions to conduct microgravity research that leads to new technologies, medical treatments and products that improve life on Earth. Conducting science aboard the orbiting laboratory will help us learn how to keep astronauts healthy during long-duration space travel and demonstrate technologies for future human and robotic exploration beyond low-Earth orbit to the Moon and Mars.

For almost 20 years, humans have lived and worked continuously aboard the International Space Station, advancing scientific knowledge and demonstrating new technologies, making research breakthroughs not possible on Earth that will enable long-duration human and robotic exploration into deep space. As a global endeavor, 239 people from 19 countries have visited the unique microgravity laboratory that has hosted more than 2,800 research investigations from researchers in 108 countries.

-end-

Last Updated: April 3, 2020
Editor: Sean Potter

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https://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/schedule.html

NASA Television Upcoming Events

Watch NASA TV

ALL TIMES EASTERN U.S. TIME​

April 7, Tuesday
8:45 a.m. - Coverage of the departure of the SpaceX/Dragon cargo craft from the International Space Station; release scheduled at 9:15 a.m. EDT - Johnson Space Center (All Channels)

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Опубликован изменённый вариант брошюры экспедиции 62

exp-62-summary_final.pdf - 914.6 KB, 2 стр, 2020-02-28 20:44:30 UTC