Форум Новости Космонавтики

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29262.jpg) Jeff Foust‏ @jeff_foust (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust) 2 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/929073936847040512)

Not far from the pad, the Antares rocket for the next Cygnus mission, OA-9, is getting prepared for a launch likely in spring 2018.
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29263.jpg)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29262.jpg) Jeff Foust‏ @jeff_foust (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust) 5 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/929026459498434560)

DeMauro: Cygnus and Antares for OA-9 mission coming together, could be ready for launch as soon as 1Q/18 depending on NASA's needs.

Цитироватьhttp://www.thespacereview.com/article/3371/1
A tale of two rockets
by Jeff Foust
Monday, November 13, 2017
...
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/235012.jpg)
The Antares rocket for the next mission to the ISS, planned for launch as soon as the first quarter of 2018, sits in a hangar at Wallops undergoing testing. (credit: J. Foust)
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ЦитироватьMay 1      Antares • OA-9
Launch window: TBD
Launch site: Pad 0A, Wallops Island, Virginia

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29262.jpg)Jeff Foust‏ @jeff_foust (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust) 5 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/974277981739847680)

Bill Wrobel, director of NASA Wallops, says the next Antares launch from there is currently scheduled for May 9. #Goddard18 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Goddard18?src=hash)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg)Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 1 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/974338855519375361)

Earlier today, employees at our Dulles, VA facility said goodbye to the #OA9 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA9?src=hash) #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) service module as it departed for its @NASA_Wallops (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops) launch site, its final stop before heading to @Space_Station (https://twitter.com/Space_Station)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/174595.jpg)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg)Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 1 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/974340209998516224)

The #OA9 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA9?src=hash) #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) is scheduled to launch aboard #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) in early May. We continue to work closely with @NASA (https://twitter.com/NASA) on the launch schedule. Keep an eye on our social accounts in the next few weeks for the exact date!

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg)Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 52 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/974623729136398338)

#ICYMI (https://twitter.com/hashtag/ICYMI?src=hash) yesterday the #OA9 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA9?src=hash) #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) service module was shipped to @NASA_Wallops (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops) in preparation for its May launch aboard #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash). This behind-the-scenes look at our Dulles facility shows what it takes to prep the module for shipment
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/174471.jpg)

Спойлер

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Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186266.jpg)NanoRacks‏Подлинная учетная запись @NanoRacks (https://twitter.com/NanoRacks) 40 мин.40 минут назад (https://twitter.com/NanoRacks/status/979008565041131520)


Big congrats to the @BrownUniversity (https://twitter.com/BrownUniversity) and @BrownCubeSat (https://twitter.com/BrownCubeSat) students for completing handover of #EQUiSat (https://twitter.com/hashtag/EQUiSat?src=hash). We can't wait to launch your #CubeSat (https://twitter.com/hashtag/CubeSat?src=hash) to the @Space_Station (https://twitter.com/Space_Station) on @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK)'s #OA9 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA9?src=hash) mission. Your enthusiasm is contagious!

Цитировать(https://forum.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/forum/file/81577)

Цитироватьс этой миссией должно улететь целое созвездие мелкосатов: Upcoming ELaNa CubeSat Launches (https://www.nasa.gov/content/upcoming-elana-cubesat-launches)  ELaNa 23

[/li]
• HaloSat – University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
• TEMPEST-D,1 – Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colo.​
• EQUiSat – Brown University, Providence, R.I.
• MemSat – Rowan University, Glassboro, N.J.
• CANOP – Carthage College, Kenosha, Wis.
• RadSat – Montana State University, Bozeman, Mont.
• RainCube – Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
• SORTIE – Atmospheric & Space Technology Research Associates, Boulder, Colo.
• CubeRTT – The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
  

ЦитироватьEQUiSat ready for launch!

Brown University (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjnWysJh9-r9wo82zlbMT3A)

Опубликовано: 22 мар. 2018 г.

For the past seven years, a rotating group of Brown University undergraduates has been toiling away quietly in the Barus and Holley building — designing, building and testing a small satellite with the hope of ultimately sending into orbit.

Last week that satellite, a 4-inch cube dubbed EQUiSat, passed its final preflight checks and is "go" for a scheduled May 9 launch.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186266.jpg)NanoRacks‏Подлинная учетная запись @NanoRacks (https://twitter.com/NanoRacks) 15 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/NanoRacks/status/981602624851136513)

And with another launch completed this week, we're already prepped for the next. Another huge #CubeSat (https://twitter.com/hashtag/CubeSat?src=hash) mission on upcoming @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) #OA9 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA9?src=hash). Satellites have been handed over, and this batch will soon be on their way to @NASA_Wallops (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops) to be loaded in #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/174674.jpg)

ЦитироватьMay 20   Antares • OA-9
Launch window: TBD
... Delayed from March, May 1 and May 9. [April 4]

ЦитироватьHardware acceleration boosts science on the ISS
16 April 2018

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/125825.jpg) (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/125827.jpg)

Electronics upgrade for the Electro-Magnetic Levitator - More experiments in less time

Friedrichshafen, 16/04/2018 - German astronaut Alexander Gerst will set-up the HSC-OS (High Speed Camera Operating System), a small but powerful electronic upgrade to control the Electro-Magnetic Levitator's (EML) high-speed video camera and rapidly process the enormous volume of data it generates. Airbus has developed this component on behalf of the German Aerospace Center´s (DLR) Space Administration. This science "booster" - scheduled for launch with Orbital Antares 9 Mission - will be integrated into the EML facility on board the ISS during the European Space Agency's Horizons mission, which will last until the end of 2018.

Спойлер

Airbus´ new concept uses advanced commercial microcomputer boards, that were specially adapted and qualified for use in Space, increasing the transfer speed from the camera to the computer system by a factor of 10. Moreover, a special hardware-based data compressor, integrated in the commercial microcomputer, replaces the previous, software-based concept, reducing compression times by factors of 60 or more. Both measures significantly increase the data throughput of the system.

The Electro-Magnetic Levitator is a much lauded experimental facility in the Columbus laboratory of the ISS. Funded by ESA and DLR´s Space Administration, it was developed and built by Airbus. It was launched on board the ATV-5 in August 2014, and Alexander Gerst installed the EML during his first stay on the ISS in autumn 2014. Now Gerst is also scheduled to install the data electronics this summer – an important enhancement to the EML that will enable the researchers to pursue scientific excellence with even greater efficiency.

The EML

This facility aids researchers in conducting scientific experiments on small metal samples, allowing them to determine important material parameters with extreme precision. These, in turn, are crucial for optimising industrial manufacturing processes on Earth, to produce better metallic materials with customised properties.

Metal samples are melted and heated to temperatures of up to 2,100 degrees Celsius and measurements are taken in the molten state. Samples are then solidified in a controlled manner. As hot molten metals are extremely chemically reactive, each sample is processed containerlessly by placing it without a crucible in an electromagnetic field, causing them to be positioned and heated by induction. All measurements must therefore also be taken using non-contact optical methods.

The EML's sophisticated measurement and processing technology also includes a high-speed video camera that films these rapid processes, on the levitating molten metal sample, at more than 30,000 frames per second.

Since operations commenced, many experiments have been conducted (>1,200 cycles of melting and solidifying) and enormous volumes of data collected (>13 TB) – mainly video data.

"It became apparent fairly soon after commissioning that the mission capacity is dependent on the time it takes to process the huge amounts of high-speed video data," said Wolfgang Soellner, who is responsible for EML experiment design at Airbus. "This was due to an enhanced utilisation concept that produces significantly more data than the mission studies had planned for. The upgraded video data processing will eliminate this bottleneck in the experimental procedure."

Materials science relies on repeating experiments numerous times with slightly altered settings, so accelerated experimental procedures are of central importance to achieving timely scientific results.

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Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/209402.png) (https://www.orbitalatk.com/)

Mission Update: OA-9 Space Station Cargo Resupply

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/209407.jpg)

Launch:	May 20, 2018; 5:04 a.m. EDT
Launch Site:	MARS Pad 0A, Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia
Mission Customer:	NASA

Mission Update

Orbital ATK is targeting Sunday, May 20 with a 5-minute window opening at 5:04 a.m. EDT for the launch of the OA-9 mission to the International Space Station. Orbital ATK's Cygnus spacecraft is scheduled to launch aboard an Antares rocket for the seventh time fr om NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Cygnus will deliver vital equipment, supplies and scientific equipment to the space station as part of Orbital ATK's Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract with NASA. The Antares launch vehicle is integrated and ready for Cygnus arrival. Initial cargo has been loaded and the Cygnus spacecraft is ready for fueling. After fueling, Cygnus will move to the Horizontal Integration Facility wh ere it will be mated to Antares and final cargo will be loaded. Fairing encapsulation will be the final activity prior to rollout to Virginia Space's Pad 0A for launch operations.

Cargo Resupply Mission Overview (https://www.orbitalatk.com/news-room/feature-stories/OA9-Mission-Page/Images/Mission_profile.jpg)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/209406.jpg) (https://www.orbitalatk.com/news-room/feature-stories/OA9-Mission-Page/Images/Mission_profile.jpg)
...

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185572.jpg)NASA Wallops‏Подлинная учетная запись @NASA_Wallops (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops) 21 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops/status/988858965244211201)

Wallops is gearing up to launch @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK)'s #OA9 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA9?src=hash) mission to the @Space_Station (https://twitter.com/Space_Station)! Antares and the Cygnus spacecraft are scheduled to launch Sunday, May 20 at 5:04 a.m. from Virginia Space's Pad 0A on Wallops Island, delivering vital equipment, supplies and science experiments!

ЦитироватьApril 24, 2018

Witness the Next Space Station Cargo Spacecraft Launch from Virginia

We are inviting social media users to apply for credentials to cover the launch for Orbital ATK's CRS-9 mission to the International Space Station. The Cygnus cargo spacecraft is scheduled to launch atop an Antares rocket at 5:04 a.m. EDT on May 20, from Pad 0A at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at our Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. 

A maximum of 50 active social media users will be selected to attend the two-day event May 19-20, 2018 and will be given the same access as news media in an effort to align the experience of social media representatives with those of traditional media. Participants should be aware that due to the complexity of these launches, it is possible that Antares could launch at a later date within the May 20-25 window.
...
Last Updated: April 25, 2018
Editor: Emily Furfaro

ЦитироватьCygnus Spacecraft for CRS-9 Rolls to Fueling Facility

Rob Garner (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/author/rcgarner/)
Posted Apr 30, 2018 at 12:33 pm

At NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia's Eastern Shore, Orbital ATK's Cygnus cargo spacecraft was moved from payload processing to spacecraft fueling early on the morning of April 30.

The Cygnus for the CRS-9 mission — Orbital ATK's ninth contracted cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station — is scheduled to launch aboard the company's Antares rocket no earlier than 5:04 a.m. EDT May 20.

Спойлер

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131038.jpg) (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/wp-content/uploads/sites/234/2018/04/WFF-2018-034-001.jpg)
Orbital ATK's Cygnus spacecraft for the CRS-9 cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station is moved from a payload processing facility to a fueling facility on April 30 at NASA Wallops in Virginia. Credit: NASA's Wallops Flight Facility/Kyle Hoppes

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131039.jpg) (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/wp-content/uploads/sites/234/2018/04/WFF-2018-034-002.jpg)
Credit: NASA's Wallops Flight Facility/Kyle Hoppes

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131040.jpg) (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/wp-content/uploads/sites/234/2018/04/WFF-2018-034-003.jpg)
Credit: NASA's Wallops Flight Facility/Kyle Hoppes

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131041.jpg) (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/wp-content/uploads/sites/234/2018/04/WFF-2018-034-004.jpg)
Credit: NASA's Wallops Flight Facility/Kyle Hoppes

Launch will be from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport's Pad-0A at NASA Wallops.

Cargo resupply (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/structure/launch/index.html) by U.S. companies ensures a national capability to deliver critical science research to the space station, significantly increasing NASA's ability to conduct new science investigations in the world's only microgravity laboratory.

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Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg)Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 22 ч.22 часа назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/991039294390329344)


Inside Look: Over the weekend, the #OA9 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA9?src=hash) #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) was loaded into the CVC (Cygnus Vertical Container) prior to its transportation to the V-55 Fueling Hall at @NASA_Wallops (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops). Launch is scheduled for 5/20 at 5:04am ET/9:04am UTC
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/163419.jpg)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186389.jpg)Dave Dickinson‏ @Astroguyz (https://twitter.com/Astroguyz) 2 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/Astroguyz/status/993135583559118848)

Interesting launch geometry for the Cygnus @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) OA-9 mission from @NASA_Wallops (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops) two weeks from now on May 20th; the 5 minute launch window opens just 50 minutes before sunrise, headed SE with a good visible ISS pass. Best launches in Florida were pre-dawn:

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/163455.jpg)

Спойлер

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ЦитироватьMay 7, 2018
MEDIA ADVISORY M18-074

NASA Highlights Science on Next Orbital ATK Mission to Space Station

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/207799.jpg) (https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/iss051e040813_2.jpg)
The Orbital ATK Cygnus cargo craft is pictured as the International Space Station orbits above the state of Florida, The Bahamas and the country of Cuba.
Credits: NASA

NASA will host a media teleconference at 1 p.m. EDT Thursday, May 10, to discuss sel ect science investigations and technology demonstrations launching on the next Orbital ATK commercial resupply flight to the International Space Station (https://www.nasa.gov/station).

Orbital ATK is targeting Sunday, May 20, for the launch of its Cygnus spacecraft on an Antares rocket from pad 0A at Wallops Flight Facility in Wallops Island, Virginia. 

The Cygnus spacecraft will carry crew supplies, scientific research and hardware to the orbiting laboratory to support the Expedition 55 and 56 crews for the ninth contracted mission by Orbital ATK under NASA's Commercial Resupply Services contract.

Спойлер

To participate in the teleconference, media must contact Kathryn Hambleton at 202-358-1100 or kathryn.hambleton@nasa.gov (mailto:kathryn.hambleton@nasa.gov) by 10 a.m. Thursday, for dial-in information. 

Participants in Thursday's briefing will be:

[/li]
• Sarah Wallace, microbiologist at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston and principal investigator for Biomolecule Extraction and Sequencing Technology (BEST) (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7687), an investigation to identify unknown microbial organisms on the space station and understand how humans, plants and microbes adapt to living on the station
• Robert Shotwell, chief engineer for Astronomy and Physics Directorate, at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, and manager for the Cold Atom Laboratory (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Facility.html?#id=7396), a physics research facility used by scientists to explore how atoms interact when they have almost no motion due to extreme cold temperatures
  

[/li]
• Andrea Adamo, founder and CEO for Zaiput Flow Technologies, who will discuss plans to validate a unique liquid separation  (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7696)system (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7696) that relies on surface forces, rather than gravity, to extract one liquid from another
• Brandon Briggs, assistant professor at the University of Alaska Anchorage, who will discuss a payload that will evaluate the biological production of the biofuel isobutene using engineered E.coli under microgravity conditions
  

[/li]
• A representative fr om Space Applications Services for the Ice Cubes Facility (http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Human_Spaceflight/Research/Ice_Cubes_cool_new_commercial_opportunity_on_the_International_Space_Station), the first commercial European opportunity to conduct research in space, made possible through an agreement with ESA (European Space Agency)
  

Audio of the teleconference will be streamed live online at: 

http://www.nasa.gov/live (http://www.nasa.gov/live)

For launch countdown coverage, NASA's launch blog, and more information about the mission, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/orbitalatk (http://www.nasa.gov/orbitalatk)

-end-

Kathryn Hambleton
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1100
kathryn.hambleton@nasa.gov (mailto:kathryn.hambleton@nasa.gov)

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Last Updated: May 7, 2018
Editor: Sean Potter

ЦитироватьStation Getting Ready for Spacewalks and Next Cargo Mission

Mark Garcia (https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/author/magarcia/)
Posted May 7, 2018 at 2:18 pm

...
On May 20... Orbital ATK (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/structure/launch/orbital.html) is planning to launch its Cygnus space freighter on a four day trip to the orbital laboratory. Cygnus will resupply the Expedition 55 crew with new science experiments, crew supplies, station hardware and gear that will be installed on the June 14 spacewalk.
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Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185572.jpg)NASA Wallops‏Подлинная учетная запись @NASA_Wallops (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops) 17 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops/status/993595374446301184)

The @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) CRS-9 cargo launch to the @Space_Station (https://twitter.com/Space_Station) on May 20 is fast approaching! This week, the team prepared the CubeSat deployer. After the #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) spacecraft delivers more than 7,000 pounds of cargo, it'll depart from the Space Station and deploy the CubeSats.
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/163526.jpg)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg)Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 14 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/993883609160474624)

We are proud to announce that our #OA9 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA9?src=hash) #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) will be named in honor of J.R. Thompson, a distinguished leader in the aerospace industry and a member of our Orbital ATK family http://bit.ly/2ru6609  (https://t.co/VUSgzD9E4O)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186266.jpg)NanoRacks‏Подлинная учетная запись @NanoRacks (https://twitter.com/NanoRacks) 5 ч.5 часов назад (https://twitter.com/NanoRacks/status/993862242050375680)


The NanoRacks External #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) Deployer is looking good. Ready for a great launch out of @NASA_Wallops (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops). Thanks to our partners at @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) for offering our #CubeSats (https://twitter.com/hashtag/CubeSats?src=hash) a great ride!

ЦитироватьOA-9 Cygnus Spacecraft Named in Honor of J.R. Thompson

Orbital ATK (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLr1shBflPt0esLOrNFqAPA)

Опубликовано: 8 мая 2018 г.

For each CRS mission, it is a tradition at Orbital ATK to name the Cygnus cargo spacecraft for an individual who has furthered our nation's human spaceflight programs. For the OA-9 mission, Orbital ATK is proud to announce that the OA-9 spacecraft will be named after J.R. Thompson, a distinguished leader in the aerospace industry and a member of our Orbital ATK family. Throughout his life, J.R. held prominent positions at NASA, the Marshall Space Flight Center, and Orbital Sciences. We are honored to celebrate his life with the upcoming launch of the S.S. J.R. Thompson.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg)Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 2 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/994611064028499968)

#tbt (https://twitter.com/hashtag/tbt?src=hash) to the mating of the #OA9 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA9?src=hash) S.S. J.R. Thompson #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) service module with the pressurized cargo module. Our OA-9 mission is set to launch aboard our #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) rocket from @NASA_Wallops (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops) on May 20 at 5:04 a.m. EDT/9:04 a.m. UTC.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/163256.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/163255.jpg)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg)Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 6 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/994965429746532354)

The mate of our #OA9 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA9?src=hash) #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) to the #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) launch vehicle is underway. Once mated, the spacecraft will be readied to receive the late load of cargo on May 15 in preparation for a 5:04 a.m. EDT launch on May 20

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/163322.jpg)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/31159.jpg)NASA Wallops‏Подлинная учетная запись @NASA_Wallops (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops) 8 ч.8 часов назад (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops/status/995287510510112769)


The Horizontal Integration Facility was built in 2011 on Wallops Island to bring the stages of a rocket together in preparation for launch. This week, the team mated the Cygnus cargo spacecraft to the Antares rocket. They'll travel as one from the HIF to the launch pad on May 17!

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg)Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 29 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/995650855020965888)

Heads up East Coast! We are scheduled to launch our #OA9 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA9?src=hash) #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) aboard #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) from @NASA_Wallops (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops) a week from today. Take a look to find out when you'll be able to see the launch from your town. The five-minute window opens at 5:04 am EDT

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/163947.jpg)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186027.jpg)Intl. Space Station‏Подлинная учетная запись @Space_Station (https://twitter.com/Space_Station) 7 мин.7 минут назад (https://twitter.com/Space_Station/status/996087981239914498)


The astronauts are preparing for Wednesday's spacewalk while training for next week's arrival of the @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) space freighter.
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/164010.jpg)

ЦитироватьBusy Astronauts Ramp Up for Spacewalk and Cygnus Cargo Mission

Mark Garcia (https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/author/magarcia/)
Posted May 14, 2018 at 1:52 pm

...

Orbital ATK (https://www.nasa.gov/orbital) will launch their Cygnus space freighter on Sunday at 5:04 a.m. EDT to resupply the Expedition 55 (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition55/index.html) crew just four days after Feustel and Arnold complete their fourth spacewalk together. After a four-day trip in space, Cygnus will deliver crew supplies, station hardware and experiments exploring a variety of subjects including life science and space physics (https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-highlights-science-on-next-orbital-atk-mission-to-space-station).

Arnold and Tingle practiced the robotics maneuvers today on a computer they will use to capture Cygnus after its approach and rendezvous with the station on May 24 at 5:20 a.m. NASA TV (https://www.nasa.gov/nasatv) will broadcast the Cygnus launch and capture activities live at the orbital laboratory.

Цитировать...
Cygnus OA-9 Capture On-board Training (OBT):
Today the crew reviewed the OA-9 mission profile, rendezvous crew procedures, and interfaces necessary for monitoring and commanding to the Cygnus vehicle. Once completed, they participated in a conference with ground specialists to discuss the overall capture training plan and reviewed the Backaway and Capture Cue Cards. OA-9 is scheduled to arrive at the ISS on 24-May.

ЦитироватьCygnus Checks and Final Preps Before Wednesday's Spacewalk

Mark Garcia (https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/author/magarcia/)
Posted May 15, 2018 at 1:02 pm

...
Orbital ATK (https://www.nasa.gov/orbital) is getting its Cygnus space freighter ready for launch Sunday at 5:04 a.m. to deliver science, supplies and hardware to the Expedition 55 crew. Astronaut Scott Tingle (http://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/biographies/scott-d-tingle) checked out command and communications gear that will be used when Cygnus arrives four days later on Thursday for capture at 5:20 a.m.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/31159.jpg)NASA Wallops‏Подлинная учетная запись @NASA_Wallops (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops) 4 ч.4 часа назад (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops/status/996387729914155008)


The Cold Atom Lab is designed to study ultra-cold quantum gases in the microgravity environment of the @Space_Station (https://twitter.com/Space_Station). This physics laboratory will travel to the ISS aboard the Cygnus spacecraft during the upcoming CRS-9 launch.
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/164072.jpg)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg)Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 2 ч.2 часа назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/996424709121159169)


We are only 5 days away from the launch of our #OA9 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA9?src=hash) mission to @Space_Station (https://twitter.com/Space_Station)! Late cargo load is underway as our team prepares for tomorrow's final cargo load and encapsulation of #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) in the #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) fairing.
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/164075.jpg)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/32621.jpg)NextLaunch‏ @Nextlaunch (https://twitter.com/Nextlaunch) 14 мая (https://twitter.com/Nextlaunch/status/996033394730520576)


(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/125422.png)：Next UP!

Цитировать  (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/125464.png)：Sunday

Цитировать  (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/125588.png)：0904 UTC / 5:04am EDT / 18:04 JST

Цитировать  (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/125513.png)：Antares 230

Цитировать  (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/125535.png)：Cygnus CRS OA-9 (S.S. J.R. Thompson)

Цитировать  (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/125355.png)：(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/125286.png)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/125516.png)：ISS

Цитировать  (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/125421.png)：https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwMDvPCGeE0 ... (https://t.co/P6sAPdVR66) 

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/125583.png)：https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/structure/launch/orbital.html ... (https://t.co/Sz8jzCnAj6)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/125591.png)：http://free.timeanddate.com/countdown/i66vszuf/cf12/cm0/cu4/ct0/cs0/ca1/co0/cr0/ss1/cac090/cpcf00/pc000/tcfff/fn3/fs400/szw576/szh300/iso2018-05-20T09:04:00/bo2/pd2 ... (https://t.co/yjxMPkkdYc)

ЦитироватьHow to Watch the Orbital ATK CRS-9 Antares Rocket Launch Online

Sarah Loff (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/author/sloff/)
Posted May 15, 2018 at 1:40 pm

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131054.jpg) (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/wp-content/uploads/sites/234/2018/05/m18-080.jpg)
An Orbital ATK Antares rocket with Cygnus spacecraft onboard at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

Orbital ATK is scheduled to launch its ninth contracted mission to the International Space Station (http://www.nasa.gov/station) at 5:04 a.m. EDT, Sunday, May 20 from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

Live launch coverage (https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-tv-coverage-set-for-next-resupply-mission-to-space-station) will begin at 4:30 a.m. Eastern, Sunday, May 20. You can watch online:

www.nasa.gov/live (https://www.nasa.gov/live)
www.nasa.gov/nasatv (https://www.nasa.gov/nasatv)

Live streams will also be shared on NASA's Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/nasa) page, by @NASA (https://www.twitter.com/nasa) on Twitter and on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwMDvPCGeE0) (NASA Television.)

ЦитироватьMay 15, 2018
MEDIA ADVISORY M18-080

NASA TV Coverage Set for Next Resupply Mission to Space Station

NASA commercial cargo provider Orbital ATK is scheduled to launch its ninth contracted mission to the International Space Station (http://www.nasa.gov/station) at 5:04 a.m. EDT Sunday, May 20 from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Live launch coverage will begin at 4:30 a.m. on NASA Television and the agency's website (https://www.nasa.gov/live).

NASA TV also will air two prelaunch briefings beginning at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 19. Mission managers will provide an overview and status of launch operations, and at 1 p.m. scientists and researchers will discuss some of the investigations to be delivered to the station. The briefings also will be streamed live on the agency's website.

Orbital ATK's Cygnus cargo spacecraft will launch on the company's Antares rocket from Pad 0A of Virginia Space's Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, located at Wallops. Coverage of the spacecraft's solar array deployment will begin at 6:15 a.m. and a post-launch briefing from the launch site will follow at 7:30 a.m.

Спойлер

Under the agency's Commercial Resupply Services contract, Cygnus will carry about 7,400 pounds of science and research to the space station in support of dozens of research investigations, as well as crew supplies and hardware.

Cygnus will carry a physics laboratory (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Facility.html?#id=7396) to observe atoms in extreme cold and a facility (http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Human_Spaceflight/Research/Ice_Cubes_cool_new_commercial_opportunity_on_the_International_Space_Station) that will be the first commercial European opportunity to conduct research in space. Other experiments will advance (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7687) genetic sequencing of micro-organisms aboard the station and validate a system (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7696) to extract one liquid from another. The spacecraft will also transport several CubeSats to conduct a variety of missions, from Earth science (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7546) missions and a technology demonstration for laser communications (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7545), to mapping a gas (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7596) surrounding our Milky Way galaxy.

[свернуть]

With a May 20 launch, the spacecraft will arrive at the station on Thursday, May 24. NASA TV coverage of Cygnus' rendezvous and capture will begin at 3:45 a.m. Capture is scheduled for 5:20 a.m. as Expedition 55 Flight Engineer Scott Tingle of NASA will grapple the spacecraft, backed up by Ricky Arnold of NASA. NASA astronaut Drew Feustel will monitor Cygnus systems during its approach for capture. They will use the space station's robotic Canadarm2 to take hold of the spacecraft and after Cygnus' capture, ground controllers will command the station's arm to rotate and install it on the bottom of the station's Unity module. NASA TV coverage resumes for installation operations at 7:30 a.m.

Cygnus will remain at the space station until July 15, when the spacecraft will depart the station, deploy NanoRacks' customer CubeSats, and then dispose of several tons of trash during its fiery reentry into Earth's atmosphere.

Спойлер

This Cygnus spacecraft is dubbed the S.S. J.R. Thompson (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/993883609160474624), a distinguished leader in the aerospace industry as former NASA deputy administrator and a member of Orbital ATK for more than 20 years. Throughout his life, Thompson held prominent positions at Orbital and NASA, including at the agency's Marshall Space Flight Center. ...

[свернуть]

Last Updated: May 15, 2018
Editor: Katherine Brown

ЦитироватьScience Launching to Space Station Looks Forward and Back

NASA Johnson (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmheCYT4HlbFi943lpH009Q)

Опубликовано: 15 мая 2018 г.

Orbital ATK's Cygnus spacecraft is scheduled to launch its ninth contracted cargo resupply mission to the space station no earlier than May 20. Science and research delivered by the spacecraft includes a test of centuries-old sextant navigation and forward-thinking work advancing the orbiting lab's ability to support cutting-edge molecular research and its commercial capabilities. Also aboard will be the Cold Atom Lab (CAL), a facility to create a spot ten billion times colder than the vacuum of space, which could help answer some big questions in modern physics. The International Commercial Experiment, or ICE Cubes Service, tests and commissions the first European commercial system to increase access to this unique lab.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186343.jpg)Chris G - NSF‏ @ChrisG_NSF (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF) 2 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF/status/996768468186869760)

The precise target launch time for @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK)'s #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) with #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) on Sunday is 05:04:43 EDT (09:04:43 UTC). The to-the-second time might move by a few seconds still as final orbital calculations of the ISS are determined. #ISS (https://twitter.com/hashtag/ISS?src=hash) #SpaceStation (https://twitter.com/hashtag/SpaceStation?src=hash) #Cargo (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cargo?src=hash) #Resupply (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Resupply?src=hash)

ЦитироватьOrbital ATK CRS-9: Science Overview

Center for the Advancement of Science In Space (CASIS) (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCezcn0GHbLgOkZ85oV5xqZA)

Опубликовано: 15 мая 2018 г.

Orbital ATK's 9th space station resupply mission features multiple scientific investigations which will leverage the unique environment of the orbiting laboratory and microgravity. Many of those payloads, sponsored by the International Space Station U.S. National Laboratory, have the capacity to benefit Earth and engage the next generation of scientists and engineers. This video provides an overview on some of these investigations.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg)Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 5 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/996792962372816900)

Inside look at yesterday's late cargo load of the S.S. J.R. Thompson #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash). Today, crews will complete final cargo load and encapsulation of the #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) fairing in preparation for roll out to @VCSFA_MARS (https://twitter.com/VCSFA_MARS) Pad 0A at @NASA_Wallops (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops) late tomorrow. #OA9 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA9?src=hash)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/164253.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/164254.jpg)

ЦитироватьISS Daily Summary Report – 5/15/2018

...
Common Communications for Visiting Vehicles (C2V2) Checkout:
This afternoon, the crew performed a successful checkout the C2V2 Portable Computer System (PCS) Command Panel in support of the upcoming Orbital-ATK Cygnus (OA-9) mission. The test verified crew command capability between ISS and a simulated Cygnus vehicle and is required ahead of the scheduled launch of OA-9 on 20-May. OA-9 will be the first Orbital vehicle to utilize the newer C2V2 system for approach and capture.

ЦитироватьOrbital ATK's Cygnus Capsule to Host Research Destined for the International Space Station
 
MAY 16, 2018

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL. (May 16, 2018) – The 9th Commercial Resupply Services (awarded by NASA) mission to the International Space Station (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html) (ISS) by Orbital ATK (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/structure/launch/orbital.html) is targeted for launch no earlier than 5:04 a.m. EDT on May 20th. Orbital ATK's Cygnus capsule will host multiple payloads sponsored by the ISS National Laboratory (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDvmVK3Pozc&t=2s) (managed by the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space). These payloads represent a diverse combination of science (life and materials sciences, chemistry evaluations (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9rXoSlJmnE)), technology, small satellites (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXeUB-mXhsU&t=1s), and the replenishment of hardware facilities to support future research. Additionally, multiple investigations will launch to station focused on inspiring the next generation of scientists and engineers.

Below are research videos and highlights of sponsored ISS National Lab investigations that are part of this mission:

Спойлер

AeroCube 12A & B (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7723)

Спойлер

The Aerospace Corporation (http://www.aerospace.org/) (El Segundo, CA)

The AeroCube 12 (AC12) program consists of two nearly identical spacecraft that will demonstrate new star-tracker imaging sensors, a variety of nanotechnology payloads, advanced solar cells, and an electric propulsion system on one of the two satellites. The experiments performed with the AC12 program will build upon technologies tested on the AC8 CubeSats, which were launched in 2015 and 2016.

Hardware Partner: NanoRacks (http://www.nanoracks.com/)

[свернуть]

Craft Academy

Спойлер

Craft Academy and Morehead State University (https://www.moreheadstate.edu/craft-academy/) (Morehead, KY)
Principle Investigator: Michael Fultz

The Contractile Properties of Smooth Muscle in Microgravity project is a research/educational venture led by the Craft Academy in collaboration with its partner Morehead St. University, in Morehead, KY. This project is the second of a two-part experiment that seeks to evaluate the involuntary cell contractions of aortic smooth muscle cells in a microgravity environment. This research could lead to a better understanding of the contractile mechanism that operates within these cells to control blood pressure, which could ultimately lead to novel treatments for high blood pressure. This payload will also be the first to fly with power inside the MERLIN refrigerator facility. Successful demonstration of this capability could significantly improve how cell culture research is maintained until reaching the ISS.

Hardware Partner: Space Tango (http://www.spacetango.com/)

[свернуть]

EnduroSat One (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7359)

Спойлер

EnduroSat AD

EnduroSat is a multipurpose CubeSat platform engineered for space applications and research. Two communication modules and deployable antennas will deliver a highly reliable communication system for telemetry, tracking, and command as well as transmission of data. A network of actuators and sensors to enable spacecraft control and processing capabilities will be provided through the low-power-consuming and high-performance onboard computer.

Hardware Partner: NanoRacks

[свернуть]

Enhance the Biological Production of the Biofuel Isobutene

Спойлер

University of Alaska, Anchorage
Principle Investigator: Brandon Briggs

This project seeks to examine genetically engineered E. colibacteria in microgravity to better understand the metabolic pathways involved in the bacteria's production of isobutene. Isobutene is a key precursor for numerous products such as plastics and rubber and is primarily produced through petrochemical processes. This project seeks to identify metabolic pathways in E. coli that can be genetically modified to increase bioproduction rates of isobutene.

Hardware Partner: Space Technology and Advanced Research Systems, Inc. (http://www.staars.space/)

[свернуть]

Higher Orbits (https://higherorbits.org/)

Спойлер

Go For Launch! (https://higherorbits.org/student-programs/go-for-launch/) (Leesburg, VA)
Principle Investigator: Michelle Lucas

The Biological Nitrogen Fixation in Microgravity via Rhizobium Legume Symbiosis experiment, led by the Higher Orbits Go For Launch! program, seeks to examine how microgravity affects the nitrogen fixation process during the growth of a well-known legume, microclover. Automated laboratory modules maintain germination and growth conditions while atmospheric nitrogen is measured throughout the mission. Gaining a better understanding of the biological nitrogen fixation process in a microgravity environment could be valuable in advancing technology that aims to progress the field of commercial biological nitrogen fixation soil nutrition.

Hardware Partner: Space Tango

[свернуть]

International Space School Educational Trust (ISSET) Multi-Experimental Module

Спойлер

International Space School Education Trust (http://www.isset.org/)
Principle Investigator: Julie Keeble

The International Space School Educational Trust (ISSET) Multi-Experimental Module is a set of educational experiments to be performed and evaluated in microgravity. Students are investigating the effects of the space environment on both life science and physical science experiments. The ISSET Multi-Experimental Module will contain three independent investigations: The Immiscible Liquid Separation experiment will observe the mixing and unmixing of oil and water in microgravity. The Effect of Hydropriming on the Growth of Basil experiment will examine the growth rates of microbasil seeds that either have or have not been hydroprimed prior to launch. And the Movement of Polar Liquids Across Electric Fields experiment will observe the effects of microgravity on how polar liquids move across electric fields.

Hardware Partner: Space Tango

[свернуть]

Lemur (4) (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=2082)

Спойлер

Spire (https://spire.com/) (San Francisco, CA)

Tracking of oceangoing ships is of limited use. Information is gathered and delivered infrequently to those who need it, making it useful almost exclusively for historical understanding. Thus, it loses its value "in the moment" for real applications for both the public and private sectors, which is problematic given that 90% of global trade transits over the ocean. Spire's many small satellites provide close-to-real-time information from anywhere on Earth. In the maritime sector, these satellites increase safety and security across the planet's oceans (for example, search and rescue, piracy prevention, etc.). With results from this research, Spire will begin deployment of its full constellation of satellites to deliver near-real-time updates on maritime and weather data from anywhere on Earth.

Hardware Partner: NanoRacks

[свернуть]

NASA ELaNa 23, CubeRRT (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7360)

Спойлер

Ohio State University (Columbus, OH)

CubeRRT is one of four projects sel ected for the In-Space Validation of Earth Science Technologies program within NASA's Earth Science Division. CubeRRT will assist in demonstrating technologies for Earth-sensing microwave radio meters. This will enable scientists to remotely sense properties like soil moisture, sea surface temperature, atmospheric water vapor, sea surface winds, and others.

Hardware Partner: NanoRacks

[свернуть]

NASA ELaNa 23, EQUiSat (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7361)

Спойлер

Brown University (Providence, RI)

EQUiSat will be deployed as a low-cost CubeSat and educational outreach mission. Brown Space Engineering will preserve EQUiSat as a low-cost and documented open source project. This will allow for others unaffiliated with the project to utilize EQUiSat's subsystems without the dedication of large budgets or extensive expertise. EQUiSat's secondary mission is to test viability of LiFePO 4 Batteries. LiFePO 4 batteries have never been flown in space; however, they have notable advantages over conventional batteries. LiFePo 4 batteries have high current draw capabilities and less risk of thermal runaway than opposing lithium-ion batteries.

Hardware Partner: NanoRacks

[свернуть]

NASA ELaNa 23, HaloSat (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7596)

Спойлер

University of Iowa (Iowa City, IA)

HaloSat will be equipped with X-ray detectors and seeks to determine whether there is a hot baryon gas halo around our galaxy. The goal of this mission is to map the distribution of the hot baryon gas surrounding the Milky Way and to determine whether it fills an extended halo or if it is compact, with no contributing mass to the galaxy. The payload consists of three XR-100SDD X-ray detectors (silicon drift defectors, or SSDs). This dedicated CubeSat enables an instrument design and strategy to maximize the detection of the halo signal, while subsequently minimizing possible foregrounds from solar wind charge exchange interactions.

Hardware Partner: NanoRacks

[свернуть]

NASA ELaNa 23, MemSat (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7399)

Спойлер

Rowan University (Glassboro, NJ)

Memristor Satellite (MemSat) is developed by Rowan University to fly a memristor evaluation payload. Memristors are electronic devices that will be stored within the payload and can be retained during power-off modes. This will allow for energy-efficient power management and system resiliency in power failures. The mission is to characterize the behavior of memristor memory devices and compare them with silicon-based memory technologies.

Hardware Partner: NanoRacks

[свернуть]

NASA ELaNa 23, RadSat-g (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7550)

Спойлер

Montana State University (Bozeman, MT)

The RadSat-g (Radiation Satellite) is a mission developed by Montana State University as a technology demonstration payload. The demonstration consists of the validation of a new radiation-tolerant computer system and radiation sensor in low Earth orbit. The computer system achieves radiation tolerance through a variety of fault mitigation approaches to recover from possible failures caused by high-energy ionizing radiation.

Hardware Partner: NanoRacks

[свернуть]

NASA ELaNa 23, RainCube (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7547)

Спойлер

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (Pasadena, CA)

RainCube (Radar in a CubeSat) is a mission developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and sponsored by NASA's Earth Science Technology Office through the InVEST-15 program to enable Ka-band precipitation radar technologies on a low-cost, quick-turnaround platform. RainCube will validate a new architecture for Ka-band radars well as an ultra-compact and lightweight deployable Ka-band antenna on a CubeSat platform to raise the technology readiness level (TRL) of the radar and antenna from TRL-4 to TRL-7.

Hardware Partner: NanoRacks

[свернуть]

NASA ELaNa 23, TEMPEST-D (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7546)

Спойлер

Colorado State University (Fort Collins, CO)

TEMPEST-D,1 (Temporal Experiment for Storms and Tropical Systems – Demonstrator) is a mission designed to provide risk mitigation for the TEMPEST mission that includes six satellites. TEMPEST-D,1 will provide the first temporal observations of cloud and precipitation processes on a global scale. This is significant because TEMPEST will enable a better understanding of the linkages between Earth's water and energy balance and help to improve understanding of how cloud model microphysical processes are necessary to predict climate change.

Hardware Partner: NanoRacks

[свернуть]

Quest Institute Multi-Experiment (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7777)

Спойлер

Quest Institute (San Jose, CA) 
Principle Investigators: Howell Ivy and Dan Saldana

Quest Institute Multi-Experiment, Educational Investigation #2 is a multi-experimental payload that encompasses 14 independent life science and physical science mission objectives. The payloads consist of experiments looking at rice decomposition, lactococcus fermentation, slime mold growth, the effects of different plant nutrient solutions, and a material to prevent the growth of E. coli in microgravity.

Hardware Partner: Space Tango 

[свернуть]

Radix (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7545)

Спойлер

Analytical Space (https://www.analyticalspace.com/) (Cambridge, MA)
Principle Investigator: Justin Oliveira

The spacecraft's primary mission will be a demonstration of the concept of operations for an optical data relay. The CubeSat shall receive transmission from the ground and/or from beta-test customer spacecraft already on orbit and store the data on board. The CubeSat shall downlink the data to the ground using laser communication. The mission objectives are to prove the utility of a data relay service for current satellite operators. Increasing the data throughput for current and future satellite users will greatly increase earth observation and monitoring science downlinked to scientific and commercial users. This can increase mission payload utility for any customer satellite operator.

Hardware Partner: NanoRacks

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Space Tango Microgravity Thermal Investigation

Спойлер

Space Tango (Lexington, KY)
Principle Investigator: Gentry Barnett

The Space Tango Hot investigation will examine the thermal effects of heating and cooling methods in microgravity in the absence of convection. This investigation will use thermal imaging and a grid of temperature sensors to map how active temperature disturbances are transferred within a sealed container.

Hardware Partner: Space Tango

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Zaiput Flow Technologies/Continuous Liquid-Liquid Separation in Microgravity (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7696)

Спойлер

Zaiput Flow Technologies (http://www.zaiput.com/) (Cambridge, MA)
Principle Investigator: Andrea Adamo

The Continuous Liquid-Liquid Separation in Microgravity investigation will use a unique liquid separation system for liquid-liquid extraction. Unlike common separation methods, which rely on liquid sedimentation, the Zaiput Liquid-Liquid Separation system relies on surface forces to accomplish liquid-liquid extraction. Separation based on surface tension is thought to be a method independent of gravity; however, it has never been tested, and the physics of the process remain somewhat unclear. Exploring microgravity's effects on the process could improve understanding of the physics involved. Results fr om this investigation could allow Zaiput to further develop their system and potentially scale up the system to achieve flow rates suitable for chemical production.

Hardware Partner: Space Tango

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Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29262.jpg)Jeff Foust‏ @jeff_foust (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust) 17 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/997132751760392192)

George Nield at ASAP: Cygnus will conduct a short burn while at ISS to demonstrate reboost. If successful, open up a lot of additional options for end-of-life planning.

ЦитироватьCargo Loading For Orbital ATK's CRS-9 Cygnus Spacecraft

Rob Garner (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/author/rcgarner/)
Posted May 17, 2018 at 9:21 am

Orbital ATK's Cygnus spacecraft was filled with late-load cargo on May 15, 2018, in preparation for the company's CRS-9 resupply mission to the International Space Station. The Cygnus, dubbed the S.S. J.R. Thompson, is scheduled for launch aboard an Orbital ATK Antares rocket at 5:04 a.m. EDT on May 20 from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia's Eastern Shore.

Спойлер

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131051.jpg) (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/wp-content/uploads/sites/234/2018/05/CP7T6119pb.jpg)
Orbital ATK staff add late-load cargo to the company's Cygnus spacecraft on May 15, 2018, for the CRS-9 resupply mission to the International Space Station. Credit: Orbital ATK

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131050.jpg) (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/wp-content/uploads/sites/234/2018/05/CP7T6115pb.jpg)
Orbital ATK staff add late-load cargo to the company's Cygnus spacecraft on May 15, 2018, for the CRS-9 resupply mission to the International Space Station. Credit: Orbital ATK

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131046.jpg) (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/wp-content/uploads/sites/234/2018/05/53T6527pb.jpg)
Orbital ATK staff add late-load cargo to the company's Cygnus spacecraft on May 15, 2018, for the CRS-9 resupply mission to the International Space Station. Credit: Orbital ATK

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ЦитироватьLatest Launch-Day Forecast for Orbital ATK's CRS-9

Rob Garner (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/author/rcgarner/)
Posted May 17, 2018 at 10:29 am

The three-days-out launch range forecast has been issued for Orbital ATK's Antares rocket with Cygnus cargo spacecraft on the company's CRS-9 resupply mission to the International Space Station. There is a very slight chance of thick clouds over the region for the launch attempt, scheduled for 5:04 a.m. EDT on May 20 from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia's Eastern Shore.

The main weather concern for the launch attempt is sky screen. Low-level cloudiness (1,000-foot ceilings) is expected for the launch window on the morning of May 20.

A persistent wet and unsettled weather pattern will remain over the Wallops region through Saturday, providing numerous chances of showers and thunderstorms. A quasi-stationary frontal boundary will move north of the Wallops region Saturday as a warm front, while a final piece of upper level energy will move through the Wallops region Saturday morning and afternoon, with a chance of showers and possibly thunderstorms.

Weak upper level energy will move east of the Wallops Region Saturday night into Sunday morning in combination with a Bermuda high pressure system building into the Wallops region to end precipitation chances. However, there will be a slight chance of a lingering rain shower during the beginning of the count.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg)Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 25 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/997163271160463361)

#OA9 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA9?src=hash) Mission Update: The integrated #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) and #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) team successfully completed final cargo load and fairing installation yesterday. We remain on track for launch Sunday morning, and are closely monitoring the weather. We will continue to provide updates as we receive them

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/163873.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/163874.jpg)

ЦитироватьWhen Cool Science Gets Positively COLD

NASA Johnson (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmheCYT4HlbFi943lpH009Q)

Опубликовано: 17 мая 2018 г.

The new Cold Atom Lab (CAL) facility could help answer some big questions in modern physics. CAL produces clouds of atoms that are ten billion times colder than deep space. The facility uses lasers and magnetic forces to freeze the atoms until they are almost motionless. In the microgravity environment on the space station, it's possible to observe these ultra-cold atoms for much longer in than what's possible on the ground. The research done using CAL could potentially lead to a number of improved technologies, including sensors, quantum computers and atomic clocks used in spacecraft navigation.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg)Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 3 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/997196747347607552)

Despite rain over the Delmarva Peninsula, the launch team expects to roll out #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) from the Horizontal Integration Facility to @VCSFA_MARS (https://twitter.com/VCSFA_MARS) Pad-0A this evening and continue to work toward launch on May 20. #OA9 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA9?src=hash) @NASA_Wallops (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg)Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 12 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/997279457248448512)

And we're rolling! #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) is beginning its trek to @VCSFA_MARS (https://twitter.com/VCSFA_MARS) Pad 0A at @NASA_Wallops (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops) as we continue to work toward the May 20 launch date #OA9 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA9?src=hash)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/163931.jpg)

ЦитироватьMay 18, 2018

Orbital ATK Rocket Rolls Out for May 20 Launch

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/207453.jpg) (https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/nhq2018051700452.jpg)

An Orbital ATK rocket rolls out to launch Pad-0A at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on May 17, 2018, in advance of a May 20 launch from Wallops Island, VA. The Antares will launch a Cygnus spacecraft on a cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station. The mission is Orbital ATK's ninth contracted cargo delivery flight to the space station for NASA. Among the 7,400 pounds of cargo onboard Cygnus are science experiments, crew supplies and vehicle hardware. Launch is scheduled for 5:04 a.m. EDT on Sunday, May 20. Credit: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani

Last Updated: May 18, 2018
Editor: Brian Dunbar

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg)Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 8 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/997468275826143232)

Mission Update: In conjunction with NASA, we have moved the #OA9 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA9?src=hash) launch to NET Monday, May 21st at 4:39 a.m. EDT to support further pre-launch inspections and more favorable weather conditions. See the full statement on our mission page http://bit.ly/2FbdUrz  (https://t.co/dBDd191faj)

ЦитироватьMay 18, 2018 Update

Orbital ATK in conjunction with NASA, has moved the Antares and Cygnus launch to NET Monday, May 21st at 4:39 a.m. EDT to support further pre-launch inspections and more favorable weather conditions. Monday shows an 80% probability of acceptable weather for launch.

ЦитироватьOrbital ATK's CRS-9 Launch Moved to NET Monday, May 21

Rob Garner (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/author/rcgarner/)
Posted May 18, 2018 at 9:35 am

Orbital ATK in conjunction with NASA, has moved the Antares and Cygnus launch to NET Monday, May 21, at 4:39 a.m. EDT to support further pre-launch inspections and more favorable weather conditions. Monday shows an 80-percent probability of acceptable weather for launch.

On May 21, a 5-minute window opens at 4:39 a.m. EDT for the launch of Orbital ATK's CRS-9 resupply mission to the International Space Station. Orbital ATK's Cygnus spacecraft is scheduled to launch aboard an Antares rocket for the seventh time from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia's Eastern Shore. Cygnus will deliver vital equipment, supplies and scientific equipment to the space station as part of Orbital ATK's Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract with NASA.

Цитировать(All times Eastern)

May 21, Monday

4 a.m. - Coverage of the Launch of the Orbital/ATK Cygnus CRS-9 Mission (Launch scheduled at 4:39 a.m. EDT) (All Channels)
5:45 a.m. - Coverage of the Deployment of the Solar Arrays on the Orbital/ATK Cygnus Cargo Craft (All Channels)
7 a.m. - Orbital/ATK Cygnus Post-Launch News Conference (All Channels)

ЦитироватьCygnus Rolls Out to Pad Targeting Monday Launch

Mark Garcia (https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/author/magarcia/)
Posted May 18, 2018 at 11:10 am

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131454.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/25U8bfn)
The Antares rocket from Orbital ATK makes its way to the launch pad at Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. The Antares will launch the Cygnus spacecraft on a cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station.

The Orbital ATK (https://www.nasa.gov/orbital) Cygnus cargo craft that will resupply the Expedition 55 crew on the International Space Station (https://www.nasa.gov/station) rolled out to its launch pad Thursday night. Cygnus is now targeted to blast off atop the Antares rocket Monday at 4:39 a.m. EDT from Wallops Flight Facility (https://www.nasa.gov/centers/wallops) in Virginia. NASA TV will begin its live broadcast of the launch Monday at 4 a.m.

Спойлер

Orbital ATK and NASA managers moved Cygnus' launch to no earlier than Monday (https://www.orbitalatk.com/news-room/feature-stories/OA9-Mission-Page/default.aspx) to support further pre-launch inspections and more favorable weather conditions. Monday shows an 80% probability of acceptable weather for launch.

Cygnus is packed with 7,400 pounds of new science experiments (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/news/OA9_research), crew supplies and space station hardware. It is scheduled to arrive Thursday at the space station for its robotic capture at 5:20 a.m. NASA TV (https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-tv-coverage-set-for-next-resupply-mission-to-space-station) will cover the approach and rendezvous activities starting at 3:30 a.m.

Three NASA astronauts, Scott Tingle (http://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/biographies/scott-d-tingle), Ricky Arnold (https://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/biographies/richard-r-arnold) and Drew Feustel (https://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/biographies/andrew-j-feustel), have trained for weeks to get ready for Cygnus' arrival on Thursday. Tingle will be operating the Canadarm2 from inside the Cupola and command the robotic arm to grapple Cygnus. Arnold will back him up on the robotics controls and Feustel will monitor Cygnus and it systems during its approach. Robotics engineers on the ground will then remotely install the commercial space freighter on the Earth-facing port of the Unity module later Thursday morning.

One of the new experiments (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/news/OA9_research) being delivered aboard Cygnus to the orbital laboratory will study atoms frozen to a temperature 10 billion times colder than deep space. The Cold Atom Lab (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Facility.html?#id=7396) will observe the quantum phenomena possibly leading to advanced spacecraft navigation techniques and quantum sensors that can detect gravitational and magnetic fields.

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ЦитироватьNANORACKS CUBESAT DEPLOYER (INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION)
NASA ELaNa 23, CubeRRT – Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 6U   
NASA ELaNa 23, EQUiSat – Brown University, Providence, RI 1U
NASA ELaNa 23, HaloSat – University of Iowa 6U
NASA ELaNa 23, MemSat – Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 1U
NASA ELaNa 23, RadSat-g – Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 3U
NASA ELaNa 23, RainCube – JPL, Pasadena, CA 6U
NASA ELaNa 23, TEMPEST-D,1 – Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 6U
EnduroSat – EnduroSat 1U
Radix – Analytical Space 6U

NANORACKS EXTERNAL CYGNUS SATELLITE DEPLOYMENTS
Spire Lemurs (4 satellites) – (3U each)
AeroCube 12A & B (Two Satellites) – Aerospace Corp 3U (each) 

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186040.jpg)Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) 4 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/997549606807457792)

FEATURE ARTICLE: Antares/Cygnus in final pre-launch processing, Range aims for improved launch security -

https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2018/05/antares-cygnus-pre-launch-processing-range-improved-launch-security/ ... (https://t.co/27HOqvpc2M)

- By Chris Gebhardt (@ChrisG_NSF (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF))

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/163966.jpg)

ЦитироватьAntares rocket rolls to Virginia launch pad, liftoff delayed to Monday
May 18, 2018 (https://spaceflightnow.com/2018/05/) Stephen Clark (https://spaceflightnow.com/author/stephen-clark/)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/144431.jpg)
The Antares rocket arrives at launch pad 0A at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport ahead of Monday's planned liftoff. Credit: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani

Orbital ATK transferred an Antares rocket and Cygnus supply ship to their launch pad on Virginia's Eastern Shore late Thursday for a liftoff now targeted for Monday with more than 7,200 pounds of cargo heading for the International Space Station.

Riding a self-propelled transporter, the two-stage booster rolled out of Orbital ATK's Horizontal Integration Facility on Wallops Island, Virginia, after nightfall Thursday for the mile-long journey south to pad 0A, where crews planned to hoist the 139-foot-tall (42.5-meter) launcher vertical for final preflight checkouts.

Liftoff of the OA-9 resupply mission is scheduled for 4:39 a.m. EDT (0839 GMT) Monday, a day later than previously planned. Orbital ATK, the prime contractor and operator of the Antares launcher and Cygnus supply ship, said in a statement Friday that the one-day delay was ordered "to support further pre-launch inspections and more favorable weather conditions."

There is an 80 percent probability of acceptable weather during Monday's five-minute launch window, officials said.

Спойлер

Technicians finished packing 7,205 pounds (3,268 kilograms) of equipment, experiments and provisions inside the Cygnus spacecraft's pressurized compartment Wednesday, then installed the Antares rocket's payload shroud over the cargo craft ahead of Thursday night's rollout.

The Cygnus spacecraft will reach the space station a few days after launch, and astronauts will begin unpacking supplies delivered inside the ship's internal cabin.

The cargo awaiting delivery to the space station next week includes high-definition cameras that will be installed on the forward end of the complex during a spacewalk in June, high-pressure tanks of oxygen to recharge the space station's internal atmosphere, and a self-contained quantum physics research facility developed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory called the Cold Atom Laboratory, which will chill its contents to a fraction of a degree above absolute zero for analysis by researchers.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/144486.jpg)
Ground crews load final time-critical cargo into the Cygnus spacecraft's pressurized cabin. Credit: Orbital ATK

There are 16 CubeSats traveling into space aboard the Cygnus supply ship, including 10 that will be moved by astronauts into the space station for release from a deployer outside the Japanese Kibo laboratory module. Another six CubeSats will be ejected from the Cygnus spacecraft itself after it departs the station in July.

Counting the CubeSats and their NanoRacks deployer mounted outside the Cygnus spacecraft, the OA-9 mission's total cargo manifest comes to 7,385 pounds (3,350 kilometers).

The Cygnus spacecraft is named for J.R. Thompson, the former chief operating officer at Orbital Sciences Corp. who died last year. Thompson served in multiple management positions at Orbital, overseeing development of the Antares rocket and other vehicles in the company's launcher family.

He had a lengthy career at NASA before joining Orbital Sciences, including stints as the space agency's deputy administrator and as director of the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Thompson was manager of the space shuttle main engine development project at Marshall in the 1970s, and he previously served as a liquid propulsion systems engineer on the J-2 engine that flew on the Saturn 5 moon rocket.

The mission set for launch Monday is the ninth of 11 cargo deliveries assigned to Orbital ATK by NASA under a contract valued at nearly $2.9 billion. An additional Cygnus test mission also flew to the space station in 2013 with supplies, before the start of operational trips in 2014.

One of Orbital ATK's eight previous operational resupply missions suffered a launch failure.

SpaceX has a similar contract with NASA for 20 missions worth more than $3 billion, with 14 of those missions completed, including one launch failure.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/144482.jpg)
Technicians installed the Antares rocket's payload fairing over the Cygnus spacecraft Wednesday. Credit: Orbital ATK

Monday's flight will be the eighth launch of an Antares rocket, and the third Antares launch using new Russian-built RD-181 main engines, which replaced decades-old Russian engines of the type blamed for an explosive Antares launch failure in October 2014.

Orbital ATK reserved rides for three Cygnus cargo missions on United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rockets in 2015, 2016 and 2017, while engineers modified the Antares booster for the new engines.

Before departing the space station in July, the Cygnus spacecraft will conduct a brief maneuver to reboost the research lab's orbit. It will be the first time a commercial U.S. cargo vehicle has attempted a space station reboost, a capability currently only provided by Russian spacecraft.

Visiting space shuttles and Europe's Automated Transfer Vehicle also provided reboost services before their retirement.

At the end of its mission, the Cygnus supply ship will release its final set of CubeSats, then re-enter the atmosphere and burn up during re-entry over the Pacific Ocean, disposing of several tons of trash packed by the space station's crew.

Additional photos of the Antares rocket's rollout Thursday night are posted below.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/144437.jpg)
Credit: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/144446.jpg)
Credit: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/144429.jpg)
Credit: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/144448.jpg)
Credit: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/144449.jpg)
Credit: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani

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Credit: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/144406.jpg)
Credit: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/144407.jpg)
Credit: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/144412.jpg)
Credit: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/144413.jpg)
Credit: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/144447.jpg)
Credit: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani

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Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185362.jpg)NASA JPL‏Подлинная учетная запись @NASAJPL (https://twitter.com/NASAJPL) 18 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/NASAJPL/status/997280721763880960)

Tiny but mighty! Three cereal box-sized #CubeSats (https://twitter.com/hashtag/CubeSats?src=hash), set to launch on May 20, are the next generation of Earth-observing technology: https://go.nasa.gov/2KvqeWY  (https://t.co/dIH20yz08h)

https://video.twimg.com/tweet_video/DdcNZ9hVAAEAAR8.mp4 (https://video.twimg.com/tweet_video/DdcNZ9hVAAEAAR8.mp4)
(video (https://video.twimg.com/tweet_video/DdcNZ9hVAAEAAR8.mp4) 0:08 )

ЦитироватьMAY 17, 2018
Small Packages to Test Big Space Technology Advances

This weekend, when the next cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station lifts off fr om NASA Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, it will be carrying among its supplies and experiments three cereal box-sized satellites that will be used to test and demonstrate the next generation of Earth-observing technology.

Спойлер

NASA has been increasing its use of CubeSats -- small satellites based on several configurations of approximately 4 x 4 x 4-inch cubes -- to put new technologies in orbit where they can be tested in the harsh environment of space before being used as part of larger satellite missions or constellations of spacecraft.

The three CubeSat missions launching on Orbital ATK's ninth commercial resupply mission represent a broad range of cutting-edge technologies housed in very small packages.

RainCube -- a Radar in a CubeSat -- is just that: a miniaturized precipitation-studying radar instrument that weighs just over 26 pounds. RainCube is smaller, has fewer components, and uses less power than traditional radar instruments. NASA's Earth Science Technology Office (ESTO) In-Space Validation of Earth Science Technologies (InVEST) program sel ected the project to demonstrate that such a diminutive radar can be operated successfully on a CubeSat platform.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/140901.jpg)
The RainCube 6U CubeSat with fully-deployed antenna. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
› Larger view (https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/images/cubesat/20180517/cubesat20180517-16.jpg)

This mission marks the first time an active radar instrument has been flown on a CubeSat.

If successful, RainCube could open the door for lower-cost, quick-turnaround constellation missions, in which multiple CubeSats work together to provide more frequent observations than a single satellite.

"A constellation of RainCube radars would be able to observe the internal structure of weather systems as they evolve according to processes that need to be better characterized in weather and climate forecasting models," said RainCube Principal Investigator Eva Peral of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.

RainCube will use wavelengths in the high-frequency Ka-band of the electromagnetic spectrum. Ka wavelengths work with smaller antennas (RainCube's deployable antenna measures at just half a yard, or meter, across) and allow an exponential increase in data transfer over long distances -- making RainCube a demonstration in improved communications as well. JPL developed the RainCube instrument, while Tyvak Inc. developed the spacecraft.

CubeSats can also be used to test new subsystems and techniques for improving data collection from space. Radio frequency interference (RFI) is a growing problem for space-based microwave radiometers, instruments important for studying soil moisture, meteorology, climate and other Earth properties. As the number of RFI-causing devices -- including cell phones, radios, and televisions -- increases, it will be even more difficult for NASA's satellite microwave radiometers to collect high-quality data.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/140903.jpg)
The CubeRRT satellite and Blue Canyon Technologies team members with Principal Investigator Joel Johnson (far left) of The Ohio State University. Credit: Blue Canyon Technologies
› Larger view (https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/images/cubesat/20180517/cubesat20180517c-16.jpg)

To address this issue, NASA's InVEST program funded a team led by Joel Johnson of The Ohio State University to develop CubeRRT, the CubeSat Radiometer Radio Frequency Interference Technology Validation mission. "Our technology," said Johnson, "will make it so that our Earth-observing radiometers can still continue to operate in the presence of this interference."

RFI already affects data collected by Earth-observing satellites. To mitigate this problem, measurements are transmitted to the ground wh ere they are then processed to remove any RFI-corrupted data. It is a complicated process and requires more data to be transmitted to Earth. With future satellites encountering even more RFI, more data could be corrupted and missions might not be able to meet their science goals.

Johnson collaborated with technologists at JPL and Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, to develop the CubeRRT satellite to demonstrate the ability to detect RFI and filter out RFI-corrupted data in real time aboard the spacecraft. The spacecraft was developed by Blue Canyon Technologies, Boulder, Colorado.

One of the radiometer-collected weather measurements important to researchers involves cloud processes, specifically storm development and the identification of the time when rain begins to fall. Currently, weather satellites pass over storms just once every three hours, not frequently enough to identify many of the changes in dynamic storm systems. But the development of a new, extremely-compact radiometer system could change that.

NASA's Earth System Science Pathfinder program selected Steven Reising of Colorado State University and partners at JPL to develop, build, and demonstrate a five-frequency radiometer based on newly available low-noise amplifier technologies developed with support fr om ESTO. The TEMPEST-D (Temporal Experiment for Storms and Tropical Systems Demonstration) mission will validate the miniaturized radiometer technology and demonstrate the spacecraft's ability to perform drag maneuvers to control TEMPEST-D's low-Earth altitude and its position in orbit. The instrument fits into a Blue Canyon Technologies 6U CubeSat -- the same size CubeSat as RainCube and CubeRRT.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/140902.jpg)
The complete TEMPEST-D spacecraft shown with the solar panels deployed. Credit: Blue Canyon Technologies
› Larger view (https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/images/cubesat/20180517/cubesat20180517b-16.jpg)

"With a train-like constellation of TEMPEST-like CubeSats, we'd be able to take time samples every five to 10 minutes to see how a storm develops," said Reising. This would improve upon the three-hour satellite revisit time, especially when collecting data on tropical storms like hurricanes that can quickly intensify and change.

RainCube, CubeRRT and TEMPEST-D are currently integrated aboard Orbital ATK's Cygnus spacecraft and are awaiting launch on an Antares rocket. After the CubeSats have arrived at the station, they will be deployed into low-Earth orbit and will begin their missions to test these new technologies useful for predicting weather, ensuring data quality, and helping researchers better understand storms.

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2018-105

ЦитироватьMay 18, 2018
MEDIA ADVISORY M18-084

UPDATE: NASA, Orbital ATK Now Targeting May 21 for Next Resupply Mission to Space Station

Orbital ATK, in conjunction with NASA, has moved the launch of its ninth contracted mission to the International Space Station to no earlier than 4:39 a.m. EDT Monday, May 21, to support further prelaunch inspections and more favorable weather conditions.

May 21 currently shows an 80-percent probability of acceptable weather for launch from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Orbital ATK's Cygnus cargo spacecraft will launch on the company's Antares rocket from Pad 0A of Virginia Space's Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at Wallops.

NASA TV coverage of launch activities is as follows:

Saturday, May 19

[/li]
• 1 p.m. – What's On Board briefing: Scientists and researchers discuss some of the investigations heading to the station on Cygnus.
  

Sunday, May 20

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• 11 a.m. – Prelaunch Briefing: Mission managers will provide an overview and status of launch operations.
  

Monday, May 21

[/li]
• 4 a.m. – Live coverage of the launch begins
• 5:45 a.m. – Deployment of the Cygnus spacecraft's solar arrays
• 7 a.m. – Postlaunch news conference
  

Thursday, May 24

[/li]
• 3:45 a.m. – Rendezvous and capture of the Cygnus spacecraft at the International Space Station, scheduled for 5:20 a.m.
• 7:30 a.m. – Installation of the spacecraft to the space station.
  

Three NASA astronauts aboard the station will manage the spacecraft's arrival. Expedition 55 Flight Engineer Scott Tingle will grapple the spacecraft, backed by Ricky Arnold, and Drew Feustel will monitor Cygnus systems during its approach. They will use the space station's robotic Canadarm2 to grab the spacecraft and ground controllers will command the robotic arm to rotate and install Cygnus onto the station's Unity module.

Cygnus will remain at the space station until July 15.

Last Updated: May 18, 2018
Editor: Karen Northon

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/31159.jpg)NASA Wallops‏Подлинная учетная запись @NASA_Wallops (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops) 7 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops/status/997634981517242368)

Antares and Cygnus are going vertical on Launch Pad 0A on Wallops Island in preparation for launch.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/163982.jpg)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg)Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 6 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/997648188881465344)

And we're up! #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) sits vertical on @VCSFA_MARS (https://twitter.com/VCSFA_MARS) Pad 0A at @NASA_Wallops (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops). Launch is set for Monday, May 21 at 4:39am EDT/8:39am UTC

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/163978.jpg)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186266.jpg)NanoRacks‏Подлинная учетная запись @NanoRacks (https://twitter.com/NanoRacks) 11 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/NanoRacks/status/997579214760153089)

We've got a full #CubeSat (https://twitter.com/hashtag/CubeSat?src=hash) mission on #OA9 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA9?src=hash). @Space_Station (https://twitter.com/Space_Station) CubeSats are: CubeRRT, EQUiSat, HaloSat, MemSat, RadSat-g, RainCube, TEMPEST-D, EnduroSat, and Radix. External #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) satellites include Spire Lemurs (4), and AeroCube 12A & B. http://nanoracks.com/wp-content/uploads/NanoRacks-Payloads-on-OA-9-1.pdf ... (https://t.co/K2Th3zcl2w)

ЦитироватьAntares Raised at Launchpad

Rob Garner (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/author/rcgarner/)
Posted May 19, 2018 at 9:15 am

Orbital ATK's Antares rocket was raised at the launch pad at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia's Eastern Shore the evening of May 18.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131048.gif) (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131048.gif)
Time-lapse of Antares rocket being raised at launchpad. Watch on YouTube. (https://youtu.be/Vu9niq6wTYk) Credit: NASA's Wallops Flight Facility/Patrick Black

Спойлер

The Antares rocket, with Orbital ATK's Cygnus spacecraft aboard is scheduled to launch no earlier than May 21 at 4:39 a.m. EDT from Pad 0A of Virginia Space's Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at Wallops.

The mission, CRS-9, is Orbital ATK's ninth contracted cargo delivery flight to the International Space Station for NASA. Among the 7,400 pounds of cargo aboard Cygnus are science experiments, crew supplies and vehicle hardware.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131043.jpg) (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/wp-content/uploads/sites/234/2018/05/28328983228_1f5822072b_o.jpg)
Credit: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131044.jpg) (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/wp-content/uploads/sites/234/2018/05/28328984598_fddb0a41b3_o.jpg)
Credit: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131047.jpg) (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/wp-content/uploads/sites/234/2018/05/53T8108pb.jpg)
Credit: NASA's Wallops Flight Facility/Patrick Black

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ЦитироватьLatest Launch Forecast Puts Weather at 70 Percent Favorable

Rob Garner (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/author/rcgarner/)
Posted May 19, 2018 at 10:13 am

The Range Control Center at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility has forecast 70-percent favorable weather for the May 21 launch of Orbital ATK's Antares rocket from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia's Eastern Shore.

The main weather concern for Monday's launch attempt is sky screen (essentially local visibility conditions).

A weak cold front looks to drop into the region late Sunday afternoon, May 20, providing a chance for scattered showers and thunderstorms through that evening. Shower chances diminish by early Monday, but a weak upper-level impulse drops over the Eastern Shore during the overnight hours Sunday into Monday, providing increased cloud cover and a slight chance for an isolated shower leading up to the projected launch.

Спойлер

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131045.jpg) (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/wp-content/uploads/sites/234/2018/05/41301163515_83c9f17cec_o.jpg)
The Orbital ATK Antares rocket, with the Cygnus spacecraft on board, is raised at launch Pad-0A, Friday, May 18, 2018, at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

The Antares rocket, with Orbital ATK's Cygnus spacecraft aboard is scheduled to launch no earlier than May 21 at 4:39 a.m. EDT on the company's CRS-9 resupply mission to the International Space Station.

The mission is the company's ninth contracted cargo delivery flight to the space station for NASA. Among the 7,400 pounds of cargo aboard Cygnus are science experiments, crew supplies and vehicle hardware.

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Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185044.jpg)Save Manned Space‏ @SaveMannedSpace (https://twitter.com/SaveMannedSpace) 1 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/SaveMannedSpace/status/997900841972649986)

Launching Monday to @Space_Station (https://twitter.com/Space_Station) on @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) @NASAWallops (https://twitter.com/NASAWallops) are fascinating experiments including 0-G fluid separation, space cement, rain measuring #RainCube (https://twitter.com/hashtag/RainCube?src=hash) #AskNASA (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AskNASA?src=hash)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/164007.jpg)

ЦитироватьCRS-9 Cygnus: What's On Board?

Rob Garner (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/author/rcgarner/)
Posted May 19, 2018 at 3:23 pm

With a launch scheduled for no earlier than May 21 from Virginia's Eastern Shore, Orbital ATK's Antares rocket will carry the company's Cygnus spacecraft to the International Space Station. Among the 7,400 pounds of cargo aboard Cygnus on this CRS-9 mission are science experiments, crew supplies and vehicle hardware.

Some of those scientific experiments and technology demonstrations were highlighted in a May 19 "what's on board" briefing.

Спойлер

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKMqYhlnnyQ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKMqYhlnnyQ)
(video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKMqYhlnnyQ) 1:14)

Cold Atom Lab

Спойлер

The new Cold Atom Lab (CAL (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Facility.html?#id=7396)) facility could help answer some big questions in modern physics. CAL creates a temperature 10 billion times colder than the vacuum of space — down to about a billionth of a degree above absolute zero — then uses lasers and magnetic forces to slow down atoms until they are almost motionless. CAL makes it possible to observe these ultra-cold atoms for much longer in the microgravity environment on the space station than would be possible on the ground. Results of this research could potentially lead to a number of improved technologies, including sensors, quantum computers and atomic clocks used in spacecraft navigation.

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Continuous Liquid-Liquid Separation in Microgravity

Спойлер

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131049.jpg) (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/wp-content/uploads/sites/234/2018/05/Continuous-Liquid-Liquid-Separation-in-Microgravity-concept-demo.jpg)
Demonstration of Zaiput Flow Technologies' Continuous Liquid-Liquid Separation in Microgravity investigation. Credit: NASA TV

This experiment would validate a unique liquid separation system (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7696) that relies on surface forces, rather than gravity, to extract one liquid from another.

This investigation uses a unique liquid separation system (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7696) which relies on surface forces to accomplish liquid-liquid extraction. By exploring the microgravity effects on the process, the system is further developed and refined for use in chemical production. Andrea Adamo, founder and CEO for Zaiput Flow Technologies, said the technology has potential applications in pharmaceutical production and chemical synthesis in space.

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Microgravity Investigation of Cement Solidification

Спойлер

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131055.jpg) (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/wp-content/uploads/sites/234/2018/05/MICS-Kit-With-All-Contents-Layed-Out.jpg)
This image includes one of the flight assembled Microgravity Investigation of Cement Solidification (MICS) Kits with its contents laid out providing a look at all of the contents and sub-items that make up one MICS Kit. Image courtesy of Leidos MICS Team.

Aleksandra Radlińska, of Penn State,  is the principal investigator for Microgravity Investigation of Cement Solidification (MICS (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7658)).

To assess the feasibility of cement as a process for constructing potential future space habitat structures, the effects of micgrogravity on the process must be understood, Radlińska said. Astronauts aboard the space station would combine pre-packaged bags of cement and water, then halt the chemical process with an alcohol additive. The samples would then be returned to Earth for comparison with equivalent ground-based samples.

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Small Satellites

Three CubeSats, a class of small satellites — each about the size of a cereal box — are part of the CRS-9 payload.

CubeRRT

Спойлер

The same interference that causes radio and television static also affects the quality of data that instruments like microwave radiometers collect. As the number of RFI-causing devices increases globally, NASA's satellite instruments — specifically, microwave radiometers that gather data on soil moisture, meteorology, climate and more — will be more challenged in collecting high-quality data.

The CubeSat Radiometer Radio Frequency Interference Technology (CubeRRT (https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2018/cubesat-to-test-instrument-for-crystal-clear-data-collection)) validation project will test a new way for NASA's future radiometer missions to overcome the ever-increasing amount of radio frequency interference that satellites will encounter while collecting data.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=Vt4Eixdn0hY (https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=Vt4Eixdn0hY)
(video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=Vt4Eixdn0hY) 1:52)

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TEMPEST-D

Спойлер

Temporal Experiment for Storms and Tropical Systems – Demonstration (TEMPEST-D (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7546)) has satellite technology with the potential to measure cloud and precipitation processes on a global basis. These measurements help improve understanding of Earth's water cycle and weather predictions, particularly conditions inside storms that form precipitation.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131061.jpg) (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/wp-content/uploads/sites/234/2018/05/TEMPEST-D-Image-1.jpg)
The Temporal Experiment for Storms and Tropical Systems – Demonstration (TEMPEST-D) satellite at Blue Canyon Technologies in Boulder, CO. Image courtesy of Blue Canyon Technologies.

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RainCube

Спойлер

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131060.gif) (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131060.gif)
RainCube's umbrella-like antenna deploys during a ground-based test.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

RainCube (https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/cubesat/missions/raincube.php) (Radar in a CubeSat) Principal Investigator Eva Peral of NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab in Pasadena, California, said that radars are traditionally very large and very power-hungry.

A main goal of RainCube is to demonstrate the feasibility of a radar payload on a CubeSat platform. To that end, RainCube's distinctive antenna looks a little like an umbrella stuffed into a jack-in-the-box; when open, its ribs extend out of a canister and splay out a golden mesh.

As its name suggests, RainCube will use radar to measure rain and snowfall. Climate and weather models depend on measurements from space-borne satellites to complete model validation and improvements. RainCube is a technology demonstration mission enabling precipitation radar technologies on a low-cost, quick-turnaround platform, demonstrating a small radar and ultra-compact deployable antenna and providing a profile of the Earth's vertically falling precipitation, such as rain and snow. The RainCube mission enables future Earth science missions to improve weather and climate models.

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Antares is scheduled to launch no earlier than May 21 at 4:39 a.m. EDT on the company's CRS-9 resupply mission to the International Space Station. Launch will be from Virginia Space's Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia's Eastern Shore.

[свернуть]

Цитировать(https://scontent-arn2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-1/p80x80/561112_480156928681080_1812949127_n.jpg?_nc_cat=0&oh=819060fa7ab5a46ae0169114d53518b2&oe=5B866C0C) (https://www.facebook.com/NASAWFF/?ref=nf&hc_ref=ARS0nkPqeGRcjfFif4dx5V7yLoL0_NEbLIF2dUT2tcyqEG5J1XZUwwILC75cjOxJwSQ) NASA's Wallops Flight Facility (https://www.facebook.com/NASAWFF/?hc_ref=ARS0HqmCNEZnWTFJAhAQUZ4jOiQ3HlMu2nJzmQdzr2bJD7HRSALn3AKn9iIiw38qSMo) был(-а) в прямом эфире.
30 мин. (https://www.facebook.com/NASAWFF/videos/2078156875547736/) · 

NASA is sending science, supplies and CubeSats to the International Space Station aboard Orbital ATK's Cygnus spacecraft. Liftoff of their Antares rocket is now scheduled for 4:39 a.m. on Monday, May 21.
Join us live on Facebook with Cygnus and Antares experts, as well as the CubeRRT team who has an experiment on board!

https://scontent-arn2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t42.1790-29/10000000_916904648488499_3763269324215681024_n.mp4?_nc_cat=0&efg=eyJybHIiOjc2NSwicmxhIjo0MDk2LCJ2ZW5jb2RlX3RhZyI6InNkIn0%3D&rl=765&vabr=425&oh=8f465ac9ce68b103cb5e4ec6676b1694&oe=5B00B593 (https://scontent-arn2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t42.1790-29/10000000_916904648488499_3763269324215681024_n.mp4?_nc_cat=0&efg=eyJybHIiOjc2NSwicmxhIjo0MDk2LCJ2ZW5jb2RlX3RhZyI6InNkIn0%3D&rl=765&vabr=425&oh=8f465ac9ce68b103cb5e4ec6676b1694&oe=5B00B593)
(video (https://scontent-arn2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t42.1790-29/10000000_916904648488499_3763269324215681024_n.mp4?_nc_cat=0&efg=eyJybHIiOjc2NSwicmxhIjo0MDk2LCJ2ZW5jb2RlX3RhZyI6InNkIn0%3D&rl=765&vabr=425&oh=8f465ac9ce68b103cb5e4ec6676b1694&oe=5B00B593) 13:37)

ЦитироватьPrelaunch Science briefing for Orbital Resupply Mission to the Space Station

NASA Video (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_aP7p621ATY_yAa8jMqUVA)

Опубликовано: 19 мая 2018 г.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg)Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 10 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/997977085804204032)

L-2 is coming to a close and all launch operations remain on schedule for Monday's early morning launch. Stay tuned to our accounts tomorrow for an inside look at #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash), #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) and our involvement with @NASA_Wallops (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops)!

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/164020.jpg)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg)Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 38 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/998167262052962306)

Good morning fr om @VCSFA_MARS (https://twitter.com/VCSFA_MARS) Pad 0A wh ere our #OA9 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA9?src=hash) #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) sits awaiting tomorrow's early morning launch of the S.S. J.R. Thompson #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash)! We'll be bringing you behind the scenes of @NASA_Wallops (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops) all day, including a closer look at the rocket (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/125513.png)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/164061.jpg)

ЦитироватьForecast for Tomorrow's Launch: 65-Percent Favorable Weather

Rob Garner (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/author/rcgarner/)
Posted May 20, 2018 at 9:29 am

The Range Control Center at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia's Eastern Shore has forecast 65-percent favorable weather for the May 21 launch of Orbital ATK's Antares rocket from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at Wallops.

Спойлер

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131042.jpg) (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/wp-content/uploads/sites/234/2018/05/27351302237_bd05cac2e9_o.jpg)
The Orbital ATK Antares rocket, with the Cygnus spacecraft aboard, is seen at launch Pad-0A, Saturday, May 19, 2018, at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

The main weather concerns for Monday's launch attempt are sky screen (essentially local visibility conditions) and disturbed weather.

A cold front approaches from the northwest for this evening and early Monday morning. The southwesterly surface flow around the area of high pressure to the east will continue to provide a moist airmass over the Wallops region today and tonight.

A cold front will move through the Wallops region tonight, while a weak upper-level disturbance rides along the frontal boundary to provide a chance of scattered showers and thunderstorms during the count. The cold front looks to push just south of the Wallops region by the launch window to end thunderstorm chances; however, a rain shower will still be possible in the area during the launch window.

Surface winds will become north to northeast by the launch window due to a weak area of high pressure briefly building into the Wallops region for Monday afternoon.

The Antares rocket, with Orbital ATK's Cygnus spacecraft aboard is scheduled to launch no earlier than May 21 at 4:39 a.m. EDT on the company's CRS-9 resupply mission to the International Space Station.

The mission is the company's ninth contracted cargo delivery flight to the space station for NASA. Among the 7,400 pounds of cargo aboard Cygnus are science experiments, crew supplies and vehicle hardware.

[свернуть]

ЦитироватьMay 18, 2018

Space Life and Physical Sciences Research and Applications Orbital ATK CRS-9 Experiments and Payloads

Space Life and Physical Sciences Research and Applications Enables human spaceflight exploration to expand the frontiers of knowledge, capability, and opportunity in space and Pioneers scientific discovery in and beyond low Earth orbit to drive advances in science, technology, and space exploration to enhance knowledge, education, innovation, and economic vitality.

Cold Atom Laboratory (CAL)

Спойлер

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/208276.jpg) (https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/cal_0.jpg)
Artist's concept of a magneto-optical trap and atom chip to be used by NASA's Cold AtomLaboratory (CAL) aboard the International Space Station
Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech

The Cold Atom Laboratory (CAL) is a fundamental physics experiment that will enable scientists to probe the building blocks of nature that make up everything fr om massive galaxies to individual people. CAL produces clouds of ultra-cold atoms called Bose-Einstein Condensates BECs, which are a state of matter in which very cold atoms behave less like particles and more like waves. In a BEC, atoms form a single quantum wave state, and become indistinguishable fr om one another; this state of matter is not thought to form naturally in the universe. On the International Space Station, free from the pull of gravity, scientists will be able to observe these BECs for much longer than what is possible on Earth, and at temperatures colder than what is typically achieved on the ground. Atom clouds will be chilled to about 10 billionths of a degree above absolute zero, or about 10 billion times colder than the "average" temperature of deep space (typically cited as about 3 Kelvin).

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/208277.png) (https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/cal_instrumentation.png)
The Cold Atom Laboratory instrumentation that will fly to the International Space Station fitsinside two containers, the largest of which is about the size of a cooler
Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech

To make CAL a reality, the team had to drastically reduce the size of the hardware necessary to create BECs, and make it sturdy enough to survive the trip to space. With CAL's capacity for long observation times, ultra-cold temperatures and a weightless environment, researchers will be able to execute a range of experiments that allows them to address some of the most fundamental questions in science, such as the nature of gravity and explorations of how complexity arises in the universe. Research done using CAL could contribute to improved technologies for atomic clocks, which are used in space navigation to determine the precise location of spacecraft. In addition, the technologies CAL uses to produce the ultra-cold atoms in space could help researchers build improved quantum sensors for spacecraft, that has applications ranging from monitoring Earth's changing climate to remote studies of the internal makeup of planets and asteroids. CAL may also provide insights into the nature of dark matter and dark energy, which make up about 95 percent of the universe, and yet remain deeply mysterious to scientists.

Project Manager: Robert Shotwell
Deputy Project Manager: Kamal Oudrhiri
Mission Scientist: Robert Thompson

[свернуть]

Gravitational Effects on Distortion in Sintering (GEDS)

Спойлер

The Gravitational Effects on Distortion in Sintering (GEDS) Liquid Phase Sintering research focuses on determining the underlying scientific principles on how to predict density, size, shape, and properties for items that are formed from by the sintering processing, a method which compacts a material using heat or pressure without melting it. Liquid phase sintering is an important means to fabricate composite materials for applications in a variety of industries. While the science of liquid phase sintering is about 50 years old, practices date from the 1400's when gold was used to bond platinum in Columbia and Ecuador. Today it is a mainstay in a diversity of fields, such as metal cutting tools, armor piercing projectiles, automotive engine connecting rods, and self-lubricating bearings.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/208666.jpg) (https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/sample_cartridge_assembly.jpg)
Sample Cartridge Assembly

Critical microgravity sintering experiments will be performed in the Low Gradient Furnace (LGF) within the Materials Science Research Rack (MSRR) utilizing specially designed Sample Cartridge Assemblies (SCAs). Compacted powder cylinder samples containing 70 to 90 wt. % tungsten, and 3.3 to 10 wt. % each of nickel, copper and manganese will be sintered at elevated temperatures in the microgravity environment of space. These experiment samples are contained in alumina crucibles and housed in quartz ampoules, which are ins erted into the SCA. Each assembly will be processed on orbit and returned to Earth for analysis, wh ere results will be compared with similar samples sintered on ground. Using data from both gravity and microgravity experiments, a multi-scale model for liquid phase sintering in gravity and microgravity environments will be developed to better understand sintering behavior. The multi-scale model developed can be used to improve terrestrial processes such as additive manufacturing, and future applications of liquid phase sintering, for in-space fabrication and repair – for example, using metal powder to fabricate replacement components during extraterrestrial exploration, or using lunar regolith to make building blocks on the moon.

Project Manager: Shawn Reagan/Marshall Space Flight Center
Principal Investigator: Randall German, Ph.D., San Diego State University, San Diego, CA
Co-Investigator: Eugene Olevsky, Ph.D., San Diego State University, San Diego, CA

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ACME Experiments:

The Flame Design, Burning Rate Emulator (BRE), and s-flame experiments are conducted in the Combustion Integrated Rack (http://www.esa.int/spaceinvideos/Videos/2017/11/Refurbishing_the_ISS_combustion_rack) (CIR) as part of the Advanced Combustion via Microgravity Experiments (https://spaceflightsystems.grc.nasa.gov/sopo/ihho/psrp/fcf/fcf-investigations/acme/) (ACME) project.

Спойлер

Flame Design

Спойлер

The Flame Design experiment is designed to reduce emissions, increase efficiencies, and reduce equipment costs in practical terrestrial combustion. This could lead to greatly improved burner designs that are efficient and less polluting than current designs.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/208352.jpg) (https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/flame_design.jpg)
Flame Design expt. flame from a precursor drop test conducted at NASA Glenn

The primary goal of the Flame Design experiment is to improve our understanding of soot creation and control in order to enable the optimization of combustion and the 'design' of flames that are both robust and soot free. The latter notably facilitates carbon capture which is important in mitigating the effects of climate change. It is also possible that findings from the Flame Design research could aid the development of future space-based combustion devices (e.g., for solid waste processing) or in improving spacecraft fire safety.

Project Manager: Lauren Brown
Project Scientist: Dennis Stocker
Principal Investigator: Richard Axelbaum (Washington U. in St. Louis)
Co-Investigator: Peter Sunderland (U. Maryland), David Urban (NASA Glenn)
Partners/Collaborations: Mikhail Sinev, Sergey Frolov and Pavel Vlasov (N.N. Semenov Institute of Chemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences)

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Burning Rate Emulator (BRE)

Спойлер

The BRE experiment is focused on spacecraft fire prevention. More specifically, BRE's objective is to improve our fundamental understanding of materials flammability, such as how fires propagate and extinguish, and to assess the relevance of existing flammability test methods for low and partial-gravity environments.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/208273.jpg) (https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/bre_d-9-076_center0236_cropped.jpg)
BRE flame from a precursor drop test conducted at NASA Glenn

In this fire safety study, burning gaseous fuels under key conditions corresponding to the solid and liquid materials simulates the flammability of solid and liquid materials. A flat porous burner fed with gaseous fuel simulates the burning of solid and liquid fuels. A small number of gaseous fuels (including mixtures with inert gases) are used to simulate the burning of fuels such as paper, plastic, and alcohol by matching properties such as the heats of combustion and gasification, the surface temperature, and smoke point.

This technique has been demonstrated for a wide variety of materials in normal-gravity and could provide an efficient way to screen and sel ect fire-resistant materials for use in spacecraft if the technique is similarly effective in microgravity. While BRE is focused on improving the process to sele ct fire-resistant spacecraft materials, the research results could yield new understanding that also enables improved fire safety on Earth.

Project Manager: Lauren Brown
Project Scientist: Dennis Stocker
Principal Investigator: James Quintiere (U. Maryland)
Co-Investigators: Peter Sunderland (U. Maryland), John deRis (FM Global, retired)
Partners/Collaborations: Alexander Snegirev (Peter the Great St-Petersburg Polytechnic University, Russia)

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Structure and Response of Spherical Diffusion Flames (s-Flame)

Спойлер

The Structure and Response of Spherical Diffusion Flames (s-Flame) experiment is designed to advance our ability to predict the structure and dynamics, including extinction and instabilities, of both soot-free and sooty flames. Diffusion flames are the basis for most combustion engines and devices, and the s-Flame results may contribute to the development of engines for improved efficiency and reduced pollutant emissions here on Earth.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/208672.jpg) (https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/s-flame.jpg)
s-Flame image from a precursor drop test conducted at NASA Glenn

In this experiment, spherical flames are ignited at non-steady conditions and allowed to transition naturally toward extinction. One experiment objective is to identify the extinction limits for both radiative (flame dies from heat loss) and convective (flame is blown out) extinction. Another objective is to determine the existence, onset, and nature of pulsating instabilities that have been theoretically predicted to occur in flames with certain fuel/inert mixtures. It is possible that findings fr om s-Flame research could aid the development of future space-based combustion devices (e.g., for solid waste processing), or in improving spacecraft fire safety.

Project Manager: Lauren Brown
Project Scientist: Dennis Stocker
Principal Investigator: C.K. (Ed) Law (Princeton U.)
Co-Investigator: Stephen Tse (Rutgers U.), Kurt Sacksteder (NASA Glenn)
Partners/Collaborations: Vladimir Gubernov (N.N. Semenov Institute of Chemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences)

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Plant Habitat-01 (PH-01): An Integrated Omics Guided Approach to Lignification and Gravitational Responses in Plants

Спойлер

The Plant Habitat-01 (PH-01) investigation will study plant biological responses to spaceflight at multiple times during plant growth using the Advanced Plant Habitat . The PH-01 experiment is designed to provide a complete picture of how microgravity alters the biological processes of an organism, in this case the plant Arabidopsis thaliana. The principal goal of this work will be to determine the role that lignins, important structural molecules that are present in the cell walls of plants, play in the regulation of cellular processes both on Earth and in space.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/208325.jpg) (https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/dsc_7445.jpg)
Harvesting of A. thaliana during the PH-01 Experiment Verification Test

Lignins are what give the cell walls of plants their rigid structure. They provide the support needed for the upward growth of stems and outward growth of branches and are essential for the formation of wood and bark. These molecules, in addition to their structural roles, may also be involved in the regulation of gene and protein expression that occurs in response to changes in the surrounding environment. To test this hypothesis, the science team will use several plants that produce varying amounts of lignin and will describe the plants' responses to spaceflight conditions on the space station. The researchers will study study the changes that occur in gene and protein expression, metabolic regulation, photosynthesis, plant growth and development, water use efficiency, and gravitational adaptations.

This project will be one of NASA's first missions that it will provide integrated multisystem and multilevel, such as genetic, protein, and metabolic levels, analyses to help understand how microgravity alters the basic biology of plants when the influence of gravity is removed or minimized. This mission will serve as the foundation for future projects in subsequent spaceflight experiments, as well as shed new insights into the effects of gravity during plant growth and development.

This work also has the potential to provide insights into how we can grow plants and ensure they thrive in extreme environments on Earth wh ere plant growth is normally limited.

Project Manager: Nicole Dufour
Project Scientist: Howard Levine
Principal Investigator: Norman G. Lewis (Washington State University)
Co-Investigators: Laurence Davin (Washington State University), Michael Costa (Washington State University), David Hanson (University of New Mexico), Mary Lipton (Battelle Memorial Institute, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory), Richard Sayre (New Mexico Consortium), Shawn Starkenburg (Los Alamos National Security, Los Alamos National Laboratory)

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Last Updated: May 19, 2018
Editor: Carlyle Webb

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/31159.jpg)NASA Wallops‏Подлинная учетная запись @NASA_Wallops (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops) 18 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops/status/998210846240198656)

Early morning visit to Launch Pad 0A. Antares and Cygnus stand ready for launch on Monday, May 21 at 4:39 a.m.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/164068.jpg)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg)Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 13 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/998220548571312134)

The #OA9 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA9?src=hash) #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) is delivering over 2,000 pounds of science and equipment including 50 investigations and 2 new facilities to @Space_Station (https://twitter.com/Space_Station) #OrbitalATKDelivers (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OrbitalATKDelivers?src=hash)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg)Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 3 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/998223329160032256)

Beginning on OA-11, we will be able to load cargo as late as 24 hours prior to launch. #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg)Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 2 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/998223776797032448)

At the end of our CRS-1 contract, we will have delivered approximately 66,000 pounds, 30,000 kg, of cargo to the @Space_Station (https://twitter.com/Space_Station) #OrbitalATKDelivers (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OrbitalATKDelivers?src=hash)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29262.jpg)Jeff Foust‏ @jeff_foust (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust) 7 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/998222784085012481)

35% chance of weather violation for tomorrow morning's launch, with clouds the main concern. Two follow-on days have 45 and 25% chance of weather violations.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29262.jpg)Jeff Foust‏ @jeff_foust (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust) 4 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/998224848022319104)

Orbital ATK's Frank DeMauro says he expects no changes in Antares/Cygnus operations once Northrop Grumman's acquisition of the company closes (which is expected in the near future.)

ЦитироватьMay 20, 2018

Antares Rocket Set to Launch NASA Science to the International Space Station

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/207385.jpg) (https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/41321485135_0e2afbdc65_o.jpg)

The Orbital ATK Antares rocket, with the Cygnus spacecraft onboard, is seen at launch Pad-0A, Saturday, May 19, 2018, at Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Liftoff is currently targeted for 4:39 a.m. Eastern on Monday, May 21.

The Antares will launch with the Cygnus spacecraft filled with 7,400 pounds of cargo for the International Space Station, including science experiments, crew supplies, and vehicle hardware. The mission is Orbital ATK's ninth contracted cargo delivery flight to the space station for NASA.

More about the cargo aboard Cygnus: Science Launching to the Space Station Looks Forward and Back (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/news/OA9_research)

Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

Last Updated: May 20, 2018
Editor: Sarah Loff

Цитировать

Orbital ATK Set to Launch Ninth Cargo Resupply Mission to the International Space Station

Orbital ATK's Cygnus Spacecraft Named in Honor of Legendary Space Industry Executive J.R. Thompson

Launch Will Take Place May 21 from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility

Dulles, Virginia 20 May 2018 – Orbital ATK (NYSE: OA), a global leader in aerospace and defense technologies, today announced it is set to launch the company's AntaresTM rocket carrying its CygnusTM cargo spacecraft to the International Space Station for NASA. Pending completion of final vehicle testing and acceptable local weather conditions, the launch will take place Monday, May 21 with lift-off scheduled for 4:39 a.m. EDT from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport Pad 0A on Wallops Island, Virginia, at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility.

Спойлер

The mission, designated OA-9, will be Orbital ATK's ninth cargo delivery mission for NASA. The Antares medium-class rocket will match its record for the heaviest cargo load carried to date with approximately 7,400 pounds (3,350 kilograms) of vital supplies and scientific equipment that will support the crew aboard the International Space Station. The Cygnus spacecraft is scheduled to rendezvous and berth with the station on May 24, 2018. This mission marks the first flight for Cygnus's upgraded communications system, known as Common Communication for Visiting Vehicles (C2V2), which provides the opportunity for enhanced communication with science payloads and an improved interface with hosted payloads on future missions.

Orbital ATK names each Cygnus spacecraft in honor of astronauts and individuals who contributed to the United States' commercial space program. The OA-9 mission honors J.R. Thompson, a distinguished leader in the aerospace industry. Thompson helped shape the strategy and directed the operations of Orbital ATK's predecessor company, Orbital Sciences Corporation, for nearly 25 years. Before joining Orbital, Thompson was NASA's Deputy Administrator in Washington, D.C., from 1989 to 1991, following a three-year period as Director of NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

Upon arrival at the space station, the "S.S. J.R. Thompson" will be unloaded and prepped for the next phase of its mission. Cygnus will remain docked for approximately seven weeks to allow the astronauts aboard the space station to repack the module with items that are no longer needed on the orbiting laboratory. The removal of these objects is a crucial step in keeping the International Space Station operational. Once Cygnus is unberthed, a NanoRacks deployer will deploy six cubesats. Upon completion of its secondary missions, Cygnus will perform a safe, destructive reentry into Earth's atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean.

Under the CRS-1 contract with NASA, Orbital ATK will deliver approximately 66,000 pounds (30,000 kilograms) of cargo to the International Space Station. To date Orbital ATK has delivered nearly 44,000 pounds (20,000 kilograms) and will complete its CRS-1 contract with the OA-10 mission this fall and the OA-11 mission next year.

Beginning in 2019, Orbital ATK will carry out a minimum of six initial cargo missions under NASA's CRS-2 contract. The commercial resupply partnership with NASA is enhancing a robust American commercial space industry, freeing NASA to focus on developing the next-generation rocket and spacecraft that will enable humans to conduct deep space exploration missions.

Live coverage of the Antares launch and Cygnus berthing with the station will be available on NASA Television at http://www.nasa.gov/live. Details about the mission can be viewed at https://www.orbitalatk.com/news-room/feature-stories/OA9-Mission-Page/default.aspx

B-roll and animation footage for the mission can be found here: http://www.orbitalatk.com/news-room/bmc/#. Please note that media will be prompted to request a PIN for access.

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ЦитироватьCRS-9 Launch On Schedule for May 21

Rob Garner (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/author/rcgarner/)
Posted May 20, 2018 at 12:15 pm

Orbital ATK's Antares rocket with Cygnus spacecraft is on schedule for a 5-minute launch window opening May 21 at 4:39 a.m. EDT on the company's CRS-9 cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station. Launch will be from Virginia Space's Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport Pad 0A at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia's Eastern Shore.

The 6-hour, 15-minute count is scheduled to begin at 10:24 p.m. tonight.

Спойлер

Weather remains at 65-percent favorable (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/2018/05/20/forecast-for-tomorrows-launch-65-percent-favorable-weather/) for the May 21 launch window. The current forecast for a one-day slip in the launch has 55-percent favorable weather and 75-percent favorable for a two-day slip.

"Weather is going to potentially affect visibility" of the launch in the region, although cloud cover can occasionally enhance views when the rocket illuminates them during flight, said Doug Voss, deputy chief of the Range and Mission Management Office at NASA Wallops, during a press briefing this morning.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131052.jpg) (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/wp-content/uploads/sites/234/2018/05/DdFDKruXUAEVTa5.jpg)
Map of locations and times on the U.S. East Coast for viewing the Antares rocket launch. Credit: Orbital ATK

A May 21 launch would have the Cygnus spacecraft scheduled to arrive at the International Space Station on Thursday morning, May 24.

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Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186343.jpg)Chris G - NSF‏ @ChrisG_NSF (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF) 2 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF/status/998242554394050560)

Weather updates for #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) launch w/ #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) to @Space_Station (https://twitter.com/Space_Station) from Virginia. Launch planned for 04:39 EDT Monday (0839 UTC) --
Monday: 65% chance of favorable weather.
Tuesday: 55% chance of favorable weather.
Wednesday: 75% chance of favorable weather.
@OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) #NASA (https://twitter.com/hashtag/NASA?src=hash)

ЦитироватьAntares Rocket Raised at Launchpad (Time Lapse)

NASAWallops (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiCvistzsGjOSixCrbba6jw)

Опубликовано: 19 мая 2018 г.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186040.jpg)Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) 2 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/998247547734056960)

FEATURE ARTICLE: Antares set for OA-9 Cygnus launch to the ISS -

https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2018/05/antares-oa-9-cygnus-launch-iss/ ... (https://t.co/j0D1a2h1lL)

4000 word (note it's over two pages) article by William Graham

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/164062.jpg)

Спойлер

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/164063.jpg)

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Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg)Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 6 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/998262215097581573)

The weather is lifting for a moment at @NASA_Wallops (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops) and we're excited to share a sunny shot of #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) and #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) on the pad (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/125593.png)(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/125513.png)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/164110.jpg)

ЦитироватьPrelaunch Status Briefing for Orbital ATK Resupply Mission to the Space Station

NASA Video (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_aP7p621ATY_yAa8jMqUVA)

Опубликовано: 20 мая 2018 г.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg)Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 7 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/998271478813642752)

#OA9 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA9?src=hash) Fun Fact: Cargo going up to astronauts aboard the @Space_Station (https://twitter.com/Space_Station) with tomorrow morning's #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) launch of #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) includes care packages, food, a plant habitat and even a GoPro for EVAs!

ЦитироватьOrbital ATK readies cargo ship for launch to space station
May 20, 2018 (https://spaceflightnow.com/2018/05/) | William Harwood (https://spaceflightnow.com/author/bill-harwood/)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/144485.jpg)
Ground crews load the Cygnus supply ship before its trip to the International Space Station set to begin with launch Monday. Credit: Orbital ATK

Orbital ATK readied an upgraded Antares rocket for launch Monday from Wallops Island, Va., to deliver more than 3 tons of crew supplies, science gear, spare parts and three small satellites to the International Space Station to test miniaturized, low-cost technologies for Earth observation applications.

The experiments headed for orbit include a quantum physics study that will attempt to cool atoms to a billionth of a degree above absolute zero, another to test a novel technique for separating liquids and one devoted to learning more about how concrete sets up in the absence of gravity.

Спойлер

"A lot of time when I'm asked what's the research that I do, and I just say simply concrete, people give me a blank look and say they don't give a Ph.D. for concrete research. Well yes, they do!" said Aleksandra Radlinska, principal investigator for the Microgravity Investigation of Cement Solidification, or MICS, at Pennsylvania State University.

"Because we are looking into colonizing space, we want to go to the moon and deep space beyond and we will need shelters for the human mission, we will need to protect equipment from the radiation effects and impacts they could experience, we need to find a way to produce these shelters and produce a safe environment for humans or instruments."

Despite decades of research, she said, "we still don't understand the process completely."

"For every person sitting in this room, there's one ton of concrete being produced and consumed every year," she said during a briefing Saturday. "And every ton of concrete is responsible for emission of approximately .8 tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. We really need to understand much better what is happening with this material."

With forecasters predicting a 65 percent change of favorable weather, the Antares rocket was scheduled for liftoff from pad 0A at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport — MARS — at NASA's Wallops Island, Va., facility at 4:39 a.m. EDT (GMT-4) Monday. Launch originally was planned for Sunday but it was delayed one day due to weather and additional inspections.

It will be Orbital ATK's ninth launch of a Cygnus cargo ship under an 11-flight contract with NASA that is expected to total $2.89 billion, or $262.6 million per flight, according to NASA's inspector general. The company also holds a follow-on contract for at least six resupply missions at an as-yet-unspecified cost.

SpaceX also holds NASA contracts for commercial resupply totaling $3.04 billion for 20 flights, averaging $152.1 million per flight. Each company has suffered a resupply launch failure with SpaceX losing a Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon cargo ship in June 2015, eight months after an Antares failure seconds after liftoff in October 2014.

Assuming the upgraded Antares 230 gets off on time Monday, the Cygnus cargo ship will execute an autonomous rendezvous, catching up with the station early Thursday. The lab's robot arm then will be used to capture the spacecraft and pull it in for berthing at the central Unity module's Earth-facing port.

The astronauts will unload the cargo ship and re-pack it with trash and no-longer-needed equipment. If all goes well, the Cygnus will be unberthed and released from the station in mid July. Another six small "cubesats" will be deployed before the spacecraft plunges back into the atmosphere and burns up.

[свернуть]

ЦитироватьLive coverage: Antares rocket set for launch from Virginia
May 20, 2018 (https://spaceflightnow.com/2018/05/) | Stephen Clark (https://spaceflightnow.com/author/stephen-clark/)

Цитировать05/21/2018 01:13 Stephen Clark

The Antares launch team on Sunday completed their final pre-countdown verifications, including a combined systems test in which the launcher's telemetry transmitters were powered up for a compatibility check with the Wallops range.

Final closeouts of the Antares rocket and ground systems at pad 0A at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport in Virginia were planned later Sunday.

The Antares team will arrive in the launch control center around 10 p.m. EDT Sunday night (0200 GMT Monday), and the countdown clock will start ticking at 10:24 p.m. EDT (0224 GMT).

Loading of the Antares rocket's first stage with RP-1 fuel and liquid oxygen should begin around 90 minutes prior to liftoff.

The launch team will load around 41,000 gallons (155,000 liters) of liquid oxygen and 21,000 gallons (79,000 liters) of rocket-grade kerosene into the Antares first stage.

Liftoff of the 139-foot-tall (42.5-meter) rocket from Wallops Island, Virginia, is set for 4:39 a.m. EDT (0839 G MT) Monday with more than three tons of supplies for the International Space Station.

ЦитироватьPhotos: Antares rocket poised for liftoff from Virginia's Eastern Shore
May 20, 2018 (https://spaceflightnow.com/2018/05/) | Stephen Clark (https://spaceflightnow.com/author/stephen-clark/)

A 139-foot-tall (42.5-meter) Antares rocket is slated for a predawn launch Monday from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Virginia's Eastern Shore, carrying a Cygnus supply ship heading for the International Space Station.

The two-stage commercial rocket and cargo carrier, developed and operated by Orbital ATK, will haul 7,386 pounds (3,350 kilograms) of supplies, experiments and hardware to the space station's six-person crew.

Liftoff is scheduled for 4:39 a.m. EDT (0839 GMT) Monday from pad 0A at the spaceport located on Wallops Island, Virginia.

Спойлер

It will be Orbital ATK's ninth operational resupply launch to the space station, the eighth flight of an Antares rocket, and the third mission using the company's latest Antares launcher configuration with new RD-181 main engines.

See our Mission Status Center (https://spaceflightnow.com/2018/05/20/oa-9-mission-status-center/) for details on the resupply flight.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/144524.jpg)
Credit: Alex Polimeni/Spaceflight Now

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/144525.jpg)
Credit: Alex Polimeni/Spaceflight Now

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/144526.jpg)
Credit: Alex Polimeni/Spaceflight Now

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/144527.jpg)
Credit: Alex Polimeni/Spaceflight Now

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/144528.jpg)
Credit: Alex Polimeni/Spaceflight Now

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/144529.jpg)
Credit: Alex Polimeni/Spaceflight Now

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/144530.jpg)
Credit: Alex Polimeni/Spaceflight Now

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/144433.jpg)
Credit: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/144422.jpg)
Credit: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/144453.jpg)
Credit: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/144432.jpg)
Credit: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani

[свернуть]

Цитировать05/21/2018 05:38 Stephen Clark

The countdown began on time to begin final preps for Monday's 4:39 a.m. EDT (0839 GMT) blastoff of the 14-story Antares rocket from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

The Antares rocket will be powered up shortly after 12 a.m. EDT (0400 GMT), and the launch team is going through a checklist of testing to ensure all systems are in good shape. The launch pad is also scheduled to be evacuated of all personnel.

The call-to-stations for the engineers on the launch team occurred around 10 p.m. EDT (0200 GMT), with voice checks and opening of the prelaunch checklist at 10:24 p.m. EDT (0224 GMT).

Propellant loading should begin around 90 minutes prior to liftoff.

Цитировать05/21/2018 06:49 Stephen Clark

The launch weather officer at Wallops just briefed the Antares team, and the outlook remains favorable for liftoff at 4:39:07 a.m. EDT (0839:07 GMT).

The forecast has improved somewhat over the last day, with meteorologists now predicting a 75 percent probability of favorable weather at launch time.

Спойлер

A cold front is expected to pass through the Wallops Island region around launch time, bringing a slight chance of showers to the area.

But most of the precipitation should be away from Wallops at 4:39 a.m., with a few clouds at 6,500 feet, a few cloud at 10,000 feet, and a broken cloud deck at 25,000 feet in the forecast.

Winds should be from the north-northeast at 5 knots, and the temperature at launch time is predicted to be around 68 degrees Fahrenheit.

The primary weather concerns are with violating the disturbed weather, cumulus cloud and low cloud ceiling rules.

[свернуть]

Цитировать05/21/2018 06:55 Stephen Clark

All personnel have evacuated the launch pad and are at a nearby fallback area, clearing the way for the launch team to begin powering up the vehicle for pre-launch testing.

Цитировать05/21/2018 07:12 Stephen Clark

The launch team has powered up the Antares and Cygnus vehicles for systems checks.

Цитировать05/21/2018 07:32 Stephen Clark

The countdown is moving into testing of the Antares rocket's beacon and telemetry transmitters. This will be followed by checks of the vehicle's flight termination system.

ЦитироватьAntares launch timeline on the OA-9 cargo mission
May 20, 2018 (https://spaceflightnow.com/2018/05/) | Stephen Clark (https://spaceflightnow.com/author/stephen-clark/)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/143824.jpg)
Credit: Orbital ATK

Orbital ATK's Antares rocket will deliver a Cygnus supply ship into orbit Monday to begin a three-day pursuit of the International Space Station.

The rocket's two RD-181 engines will ignite around 3.7 seconds before liftoff from pad 0A at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, a complex owned by the state of Virginia at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility.

Launch is timed for 4:39 a.m. EDT (0839 GMT) Monday.

Спойлер

The first stage's two RD-181 engines will power up to 864,000 pounds of thrust and burn for 3 minutes, 35 seconds, to accelerate the rocket to more than 8,750 mph (3.9 kilometers per second) and an altitude of around 61 miles (99 kilometers), then separate from the upper stage's Castor 30XL motor about six seconds later.

The launch, known as OA-9 in Orbital ATK's station resupply manifest, will be the third Antares mission using new, more powerful RD-181 engines, which the company ordered from the Russian engine-builder NPO Energomash to replace decades-old Russian-built AJ26 engines blamed for an Antares rocket crash seconds after liftoff in October 2014.

Once the first stage finished its job on the OA-9 launch the Antares rocket's 12.8-foot-diameter (3.9-meter) diameter payload shroud will jettison in two halves at around T+plus 4 minutes, 11 seconds. An interstage adapter that connected the first and second stages will separate at T+plus 4 minutes, 16 seconds.

The launcher's Castor 30XL solid-fueled upper stage will ignite at T+plus 4 minutes, 24 seconds, and generate up to 104,300 pounds of thrust during a burn lasting approximately 2 minutes, 42 seconds. The second stage motor will burn out at approximately T+plus 7 minutes, 6 seconds, then deploy the Cygnus spacecraft at around T+plus 9 minutes, 6 seconds.

The spacecraft's two cymbal-shaped electricity-generating solar arrays will unfurl in a fan-like motion around 90 minutes into the mission, and the ship's thrusters will begin fine-tuning its approach to the space station with a series of course-correction burns Tuesday and Wednesday, setting up for a laser-guided final approach Thursday.

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Цитировать05/21/2018 07:58 Stephen Clark

The propellant loading sequencer has been initiated, beginning steps to ready the Antares rocket and ground systems for filling of the first stage with liquid propellants later in the countdown.

Цитировать05/21/2018 08:15 Stephen Clark

The launch team is proceeding with testing of the Antares rocket's flight termination system, which would be used to destroy the vehicle if it flew off course after liftoff.

Once the destruct system testing is complete, a "red team" will be dispatched back to the launch pad to troubleshoot an issue with a gaseous nitrogen regulator.

ЦитироватьUpdated: 05/21/2018 08:39 Stephen Clark

While the launch team prepares to send a red team to the launch pad to troubleshoot a nitrogen regulator issue, the Wallops range is now "red" because two C-band tracking radars are currently down.

Teams are repairing one of the radars, which has a problem with an encoder. That radar should be back operational in about an hour, allowing the range to be ready for today's launch. Another radar has a problem with an azimuth drive system.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg)Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 2 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/998438246253301760)

L-3 hours and our countdown is proceeding. We are currently green for launch, with a 25% probability of violation (POV) in terms of weather. Both #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) and #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) are healthy. #OA9 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA9?src=hash)

Цитировать05/21/2018 08:45 Stephen Clark

Technicians have resolved the problem with one of the C-band tracking radars after cleaning an electronics card, and the Wallops range is now "green" for launch.

Цитировать05/21/2018 08:58 Stephen Clark

The red team has been deployed back to the launch pad to troubleshoot a couple of troublesome valves in the ground system high-pressure gaseous nitrogen system.

Цитировать05/21/2018 09:10 Stephen Clark

The launch team has resolved their concerns with the gaseous nitrogen system at the launch pad, and the red team is being called back to their fallback position.

Цитировать05/21/2018 09:20 Stephen Clark

A report from the Wallops range indicates that toxic and debris constraints are "green."

Цитировать05/21/2018 09:39 Stephen Clark

Two hours until launch. The Antares countdown is in a pre-planned hold, but the launch team is still targeting 4:39 a.m. EDT (0839 GMT) for liftoff from pad 0A at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Virginia's Eastern Shore.

Цитировать05/21/2018 09:53 Stephen Clark

The latest weather briefing to the launch team shows that weather conditions are currently "red" for launch due to a thunderstorm that has developed offshore from Wallops Island over the Atlantic Ocean. The storm is violating launch constraints for lightning, cumulus clouds and disturbed weather.

But the launch weather officer expects storms to be far enough away from the launch pad to permit liftoff at 4:39 a.m. EDT (0839 GMT), and there continues to be a 75 percent probability of favorable conditions during today's five-minute launch window.

All three C-band tracking radars are now reported operational after some issues earlier in the countdown.

Цитировать05/21/2018 09:58 Stephen Clark

The countdown has resumed after a 20-minute built-in hold.

Цитировать05/21/2018 10:04 Stephen Clark

Low-flow loading of RP-1 kerosene into the Antares rocket's first stage is underway.

ЦитироватьCRS-9 Count Proceeding; Weather at 75-Percent Favorable

Rob Garner (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/author/rcgarner/)
Posted May 21, 2018 at 2:21 am

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131062.jpg)
Credit: NASA's Wallops Flight Facility

Orbital ATK's Antares rocket with Cygnus spacecraft is on schedule for a 5-minute launch window opening May 21 at 4:39 a.m. EDT on the company's CRS-9 cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station. Launch will be from Virginia Space's Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport Pad 0A at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia's Eastern Shore.

The latest forecast has upgraded the probability of favorable launch-time weather to 75 percent.

Цитировать05/21/2018 10:34 Stephen Clark

High-flow loading of liquid oxygen into the first stage has begun, the launch team confirms.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186343.jpg)Chris G - NSF‏ @ChrisG_NSF (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF) 2 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF/status/998468112973422593)

Launch team working NO issues with #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash), #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) or GSE. Range is GREEN with no issues. Weather update briefing forthcoming.

Цитировать05/21/2018 10:50 Stephen Clark

Engineers are loading the trajectory file into the Antares flight computer at this time.

Цитировать05/21/2018 10:51 Stephen Clark

The Antares' SIGI guidance computer is being aligned and configured for today's launch.

Цитировать05/21/2018 10:59 Stephen Clark

40 minutes until liftoff. The Cygnus spacecraft on this flight is carrying 3,350 kilograms, or 7,385 pounds, of supplies to the International Space Station. This is the sixth flight of the enlarged Cygnus pressurized cargo module from Thales Alenia Space, providing 25 percent more interior volume for supplies. The spacecraft measures about 20 feet tall, and the pressurized cargo module has a volume of about 27 cubic meters, or 950 cubic feet.

Here are some statistics on today's launch:

[/li]
• 8th Antares rocket launch
• 3rd launch of the Antares 230 configuration
• 14th orbital launch from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport
• 10th launch of a Cygnus spacecraft
• 1st orbital launch from Wallops in 2018
• 15th U.S. orbital launch in 2018
• 46th global orbital launch attempt in 2018
  

Цитировать05/21/2018 11:11 Stephen Clark

The Antares launch team continues stepping through countdown procedures toward liftoff at 4:39:07 a.m. EDT (0839:07 GMT). Engineers are currently powering up the rocket's flight termination system.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29831.jpg)William Harwood‏ @cbs_spacenews (https://twitter.com/cbs_spacenews) 40 сек. назад (https://twitter.com/cbs_spacenews/status/998476578098155520)

Antares/OA9: Weather is a bit iffy, but forecasters are hopeful conditions will permit an on-time liftoff

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186343.jpg)Chris G - NSF‏ @ChrisG_NSF (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF) 57 сек. назад (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF/status/998477136951377920)

NEW LAUNCH TIME. Weather is iffy. Launch pushed to end of window at 04:44:06 EDT (0844:06 UTC)

Цитировать05/21/2018 11:19 Stephen Clark

T-minus 10 minutes and holding. The Antares countdown is in the second of two built-in holds. This pause will last 15 minutes.

Цитировать05/21/2018 11:24 Stephen Clark

The Antares rocket's Transporter-Erector-Launcher, or TEL, is being armed for rapid retract at this time.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg)Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 57 сек. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/998480260890091521)

L-18 minutes and #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) and #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) are both healthy and working no issues. RP-1 loading is complete. LOX loading is nearing completion.

Цитировать05/21/2018 11:30 Stephen Clark

Weather conditions are now "green" for launch of the Antares rocket from Wallops Island, Virginia.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg)Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 2 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/998481044990058497)

The #OA9 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA9?src=hash) S.S. J.R. Thompson #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) is on internal power and nominal

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186343.jpg)Chris G - NSF‏ @ChrisG_NSF (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF) 55 сек. назад (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF/status/998481774299766784)

Final polls complete. Launch team is GO FOR LAUNCH!

Цитировать05/21/2018 11:34 Stephen Clark

The launch team is now arming controllers and ordnance on the Antares rocket.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185833.jpg)NWS Seattle‏Подлинная учетная запись @NWSSeattle (https://twitter.com/NWSSeattle) 6 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NWSSeattle/status/998488746340245505)

How about a little rocket imagery from GOES-16? Here's the heat signature of the just-launched #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) rocket carrying the #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) cargo vehicle to the @Space_Station (https://twitter.com/Space_Station) a few minutes ago just off the coast of Virginia.

https://video.twimg.com/tweet_video/DdtYFgDU0AEoEts.mp4 (https://video.twimg.com/tweet_video/DdtYFgDU0AEoEts.mp4)

ЦитироватьThe Orbital ATK Cygnus Blasts off to Resupply the Station

Mark Garcia (https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/author/magarcia/)
Posted May 21, 2018 at 4:59 am

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131455.jpg) (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131455.jpg)
The Cygnus spacecraft from Orbital ATK blasts off atop the Antares rocket from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

Orbital ATK's Antares rocket carrying the Cygnus cargo spacecraft lifted off at 4:44 a.m. EDT and is on its way to the International Space Station. At the time of launch, the space station was traveling at an altitude of about 250 miles, over the central south Atlantic.

An hour and half after launch, commands will be given to deploy the spacecraft's UltraFlex solar arrays. Launch coverage will resume on NASA TV at http://www.nasa.gov/live at about 5:45 a.m. for solar array deployment, which is expected to last about 30 minutes.

A post-launch news conference will follow and is scheduled to begin on NASA TV at approximately 7:00 a.m.

ЦитироватьAntares 230 launches OA-9 S.S. J.R. Thompson Cygnus

SciNews (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjU6ZwoTQtKWfz1urL7XcbA)

Опубликовано: 21 мая 2018 г.

ЦитироватьLaunch of Antares Rocket with Cygnus OA-9 from Wallops

Space Videos (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdF5d0UwSJJunRcRVzP1uDg)

Опубликовано: 21 мая 2018 г.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg)Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 2 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/998493739495641089)

First shots of this morning's #OA9 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA9?src=hash) #Antares (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Antares?src=hash) launch from @NASA_Wallops (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops)!

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/164153.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/164152.jpg)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186040.jpg)Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) 30 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/998487105511845888)

S/C Sep. Cygnus on her way to the ISS.

ARTICLE:
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2018/05/antares-oa-9-cygnus-launch-iss/ ... (https://t.co/j0D1a2h1lL)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/164169.jpg)

Спойлер

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/164170.jpg)

[свернуть]

ЦитироватьFirst Look: Antares Launch Photos

Rob Garner (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/author/rcgarner/)
Posted May 21, 2018 at 5:18 am

First Look: Antares Launch Photos
Orbital ATK's Antares rocket carrying the Cygnus cargo spacecraft lifted off at 4:44 a.m. EDT and is on its way to the International Space Station. At the time of launch, the space station was traveling at an altitude of about 250 miles, over the central south Atlantic.

Спойлер

An hour and half after launch, commands will be given to deploy the spacecraft's UltraFlex solar arrays. Launch coverage will resume on NASA TV at http://www.nasa.gov/live at about 5:45 a.m. for solar array deployment, which is expected to last about 30 minutes.

A post-launch news conference will follow and is scheduled to begin on NASA TV at approximately 7:00 a.m.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131058.jpg) (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/wp-content/uploads/sites/234/2018/05/NHQ201805210003.jpg)
The Orbital ATK Antares rocket, with the Cygnus spacecraft aboard, launches from Pad-0A, Monday, May 21, 2018, at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Orbital ATK's ninth contracted cargo resupply mission with NASA to the International Space Station will deliver about 7,400 pounds of science and research, crew supplies and vehicle hardware to the orbital laboratory and its crew. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131056.jpg) (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/wp-content/uploads/sites/234/2018/05/NHQ201805210001.jpg)
Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131057.jpg) (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/wp-content/uploads/sites/234/2018/05/NHQ201805210002.jpg)
Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131059.jpg) (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/wp-content/uploads/sites/234/2018/05/NHQ201805210004.jpg)
Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

More CRS-9 Photos From NASA on Flickr (https://www.flickr.com/photos/nasahqphoto/albums/72157695218113761)

[свернуть]

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185906.jpg)Anne Marie‏ @AnneMarieSBC (https://twitter.com/AnneMarieSBC) 34 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/AnneMarieSBC/status/998489086250967041)

Gorgeous cloud illumination @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) @Space_Station (https://twitter.com/Space_Station) @NASA_Wallops (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/164171.jpg)

Цитировать05/21/2018 12:35 Stephen Clark

This long exposure photo shows the Antares rocket streaking into space from Wallops Island, Virginia, this morning. Credit: Alex Polimeni/Spaceflight Now

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/361190.jpg)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186389.jpg)Dave Dickinson‏ @Astroguyz (https://twitter.com/Astroguyz) 8 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/Astroguyz/status/998501196284481538)

#NASASocial (https://twitter.com/hashtag/NASASocial?src=hash) - This AM's #OA9 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA9?src=hash) launch from @NASA_Wallops (https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops) also left some great neon-blue noctilucent clouds over the Norfolk area - visible for about a half hour after launch. here's a quick three frame animation:

https://video.twimg.com/tweet_video/DdtjdFAU8AcLLeD.mp4 (https://video.twimg.com/tweet_video/DdtjdFAU8AcLLeD.mp4)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186343.jpg)Chris G - NSF‏ @ChrisG_NSF (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF) 54 сек. назад (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF/status/998510551440510977)

Confirmation that solar array deployment has begun. Deployment sequence takes about 20-30mins to complete.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29831.jpg)William Harwood‏ @cbs_spacenews (https://twitter.com/cbs_spacenews) 3 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/cbs_spacenews/status/998510733011963904)

Antares/OA9: Solar array deploy now underway; deploy sequence takes 20 to 30 minutes to complete

Цитировать05/21/2018 13:36 Stephen Clark

Orbital ATK confirms the first of the two UltraFlex solar arrays has unfurled.

Цитировать05/21/2018 13:38 Stephen Clark

NASA confirms both of Cygnus' solar arrays have deployed.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg)Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 3 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/998514933267619841)

The S.S. J.R. Thompson #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) solar arrays are successfully deployed! Next stop: @Space_Station (https://twitter.com/Space_Station)! #OA9 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA9?src=hash)

ЦитироватьCygnus In Space, Next Stop Station

Mark Garcia (https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/author/magarcia/)
Posted May 21, 2018 at 7:05 am

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131423.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/27nFKiD)
The Cygnus spacecraft with its cymbal-like UltraFlex solar arrays deployed was pictured departing the space station Dec. 5, 2017 (https://go.nasa.gov/2zUnAFi) during Expedition 53 (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition53/index.html).

The Cygnus spacecraft's solar arrays have deployed.

The cargo ship will rendezvous with the International Space Station on Thursday, May 24. Expedition 55 Flight Engineer Scott Tingle will grapple the spacecraft at approximately 5:20 a.m. EDT, backed by Ricky Arnold, and Drew Feustel will monitor Cygnus systems during its approach. They will use the space station's robotic Canadarm2 to take hold of the Cygnus, dubbed the S.S. James "J.R." Thompson. (https://www.orbitalatk.com/news-room/feature-stories/OA9-Mission-Page/Documents/SS_JR%20Thompson_Bio.pdf) After Cygnus' capture, ground controllers will command the robotic arm to rotate and install Cygnus onto the station's Unity module. It is scheduled depart the space station in mid-July.

Live coverage of the rendezvous and capture will air on NASA Television and the agency's website (https://www.nasa.gov/live/) beginning at 3:45 a.m. Thursday, May 24. Installation coverage is set to begin at 7:30 a.m.

Спойлер

Science investigations aboard Cygnus on their way to the space station also include commercial and academic payloads in myriad disciplines, including:

[/li]
• The Biomolecule Extraction and Sequencing Technology (BEST) (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7687), an investigation to identify unknown microbial organisms on the space station and understand how humans, plants and microbes adapt to living on the station
• The Cold Atom Laboratory (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Facility.html?#id=7396), a physics research facility used by scientists to explore how atoms interact when they have almost no motion due to extreme cold temperatures
• A unique liquid separation  (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7696)system (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7696) from Zaiput Flow Technologies that relies on surface forces, rather than gravity, to extract one liquid from another
• The Ice Cubes Facility (http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Human_Spaceflight/Research/Ice_Cubes_cool_new_commercial_opportunity_on_the_International_Space_Station), the first commercial European opportunity to conduct research in space, made possible through an agreement with ESA (European Space Agency) and Space Applications Services.
• The Microgravity Investigation of Cement Solidification (MICS) (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7658) experiment is to investigate and understand the complex process of cement solidification in microgravity with the intent of improving Earth-based cement and concrete processing and as the first steps toward making and using concrete on extraterrestrial bodies.
• Three Earth science CubeSats
• RainCube (https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/cubesat/missions/raincube.php) (Radar in a CubeSat) will be NASA's first active sensing instrument on a CubeSat that could enable future rainfall profiling missions on low-cost, quick-turnaround platforms.
• TEMPEST-D (https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/cubesat/missions/tempest-d.php) (Temporal Experiment for Storms and Tropical Systems Demonstration) is mission to validate technology that could improve our understanding of cloud processes.
• CubeRRT (https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2018/cubesat-to-test-instrument-for-crystal-clear-data-collection) (CubeSat Radiometer Radio Frequency Interference Technology) will seek to demonstrate a new technology that can identify and filter radio frequency interference, which is a growing problem that negatively affects the data quality collected by radiometers, instruments used in space for critical weather data and climate studies.
  

[/li][/LIST]

[свернуть]

Цитировать

Orbital ATK Successfully Launches Ninth Cargo Delivery Mission to the International Space Station for NASA

Antares Rocket Launched 7,400 P ounds of Critical Supplies to the Station
Cygnus Scheduled to Berth with Space Station on May 24

Dulles, Virginia 21 May 2018 – Orbital ATK (NYSE: OA), a global leader in aerospace and defense technologies, successfully launched the company's AntaresTM rocket carrying its CygnusTM spacecraft today at 4:44 a.m. EDT from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport Pad 0A on Wallops Island, Virginia, at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility. The launch marks Orbital ATK's ninth cargo mission for NASA.

Спойлер

The Antares medium-class rocket matched its record for the heaviest cargo load carried to date with approximately 7,400 pounds (3,350 kilograms) of vital supplies and scientific equipment aboard Cygnus that will be delivered to the crew aboard the International Space Station.

Following an approximate nine-minute ascent, the "S.S. J.R. Thompson" Cygnus spacecraft, named in honor of J.R. Thompson, a distinguished leader in the space industry, was successfully deployed into orbit. Orbital ATK's engineering team confirmed reliable communications have been established and the vehicle's solar arrays are fully deployed, providing the necessary electrical power to operate the spacecraft.

"Watching an Antares launch cargo to the International Space Station is always impressive," said Scott Lehr, President of Orbital ATK's Flight Systems Group. "The team works very hard to ensure each NASA commercial resupply mission is successful."

Cygnus will be grappled at approximately 5:20 a.m. EDT on May 24. The spacecraft will remain attached to the space station for approximately seven weeks before departing with up to 7,100 pounds (approximately 3,200 kilograms) of disposal cargo. Cygnus's large-volume disposal capability is unique among America's commercial cargo providers and a critical service for NASA.

On this mission, Cygnus will also fly for the first time with an upgraded communications system known as Common Communication for Visiting Vehicles (C2V2). This new system provides Cygnus with the capability for enhanced communication with science payloads and improved interface with hosted payloads on future missions.

"Orbital ATK is proud to once again support the crew on the International Space Station by delivering valuable supplies, equipment and science," said Frank Culbertson, President of Orbital ATK's Space Systems Group. "The upgraded avionics and communication system on the spacecraft demonstrate our commitment to increasing the flexibility and versatility of Cygnus to carry a wide range of payloads. We are also honored to name this mission after J.R. Thompson, a pioneer in the space industry and someone who many of us here at Orbital ATK and in the NASA community were honored to call a colleague and friend."

Once the "S.S. J.R. Thompson" unberths from the space station, a NanoRacks deployer will release six cubesats. Upon completion of its secondary missions, Cygnus will perform a safe, destructive reentry into Earth's atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean.

Under the CRS-1 contract with NASA, Orbital ATK will deliver approximately 66,000 pounds (30,000 kilograms) of cargo to the space station. Beginning in 2019, the company will carry out a minimum of six cargo missions under NASA's CRS-2 contract. This partnership is cultivating a robust American commercial space industry, freeing NASA to focus on developing the next-generation rocket and spacecraft that will enable humans to conduct deep space exploration missions.

The Cygnus system consists of a common service module and pressurized cargo module (PCM). Orbital ATK builds and tests the service module at its manufacturing facility in Dulles, Virginia. The company manufactures several other Cygnus components at three facilities in California: UltraFlexTM solar arrays in Goleta, composite structures in San Diego and propellant tanks in Commerce. The PCM is provided by industry partner Thales Alenia Space in Torino, Italy.

B-roll and animation footage for the mission can be found here: http://www.orbitalatk.com/news-room/bmc/#. Please note that media will need to request a PIN for access.

[свернуть]

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg)Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 11 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/998522903258943488)

NASA: #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) helps extend the payload space while it's docked to the @Space_Station (https://twitter.com/Space_Station), allowing astronauts to complete more science experiments on the station

ЦитироватьMay 21, 2018
RELEASE 18-037

NASA Sends New Research on Orbital ATK Mission to Space Station

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/207560.jpg) (https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/41529040424_6d57978aa0_o.jpg)
The Orbital ATK Antares rocket, with the Cygnus spacecraft onboard, launches from Pad-0A, Monday, May 21, 2018 at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Orbital ATK's ninth contracted cargo resupply mission with NASA to the International Space Station will deliver approximately 7,400 pounds of science and research, crew supplies and vehicle hardware to the orbital laboratory and its crew. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)
Credits: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani

Astronauts soon will have new experiments to conduct related to emergency navigation, DNA sequencing and ultra-cold atom research when the research arrives at the International Space Station following the 4:44 a.m. EDT Monday launch of an Orbital  (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/structure/launch/orbital.html)ATK (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/structure/launch/orbital.html) Cygnus spacecraft.

Спойлер

Cygnus lifted off on an Antares 230 rocket from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia on Orbital ATK's ninth cargo mission under NASA's Commercial Resupply Services contract. The spacecraft is carrying about 7,400 pounds of research equipment, cargo and supplies that will support dozens of the more than 250 investigations underway on the space station.

NASA astronauts Scott Tingle and Ricky Arnold will use the space station's robotic arm to capture Cygnus when it arrives at the station Thursday, May 24. Live coverage of the rendezvous and capture will air on NASA Television and the agency's website (https://www.nasa.gov/live/) beginning at 3:45 a.m. Installation coverage is set to begin at 7:30 a.m.

Included in the cargo in the pressurized area of Cygnus is a centuries-old method of celestial navigation. The Sextant  (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7646)Navigation (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7646) investigation will explore the use of a hand-held sextant for emergency navigation on missions in deep space as humans look to travel farther from Earth. The ability to sight angles between the Moon or planets and stars offers crews another option to find their way home if communications and main computers are compromised.

Monitoring crew health and the biological environment of the space station, and understanding long-term effects of space travel on both, are critical to NASA's plans for long-duration, deep space exploration. The Biomolecule Extraction and Sequencing Technology (BEST (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7687)) study is the agency's next step toward advancing in-space DNA sequencing technologies that can identify microbial organisms living on the space station and understanding how the DNA of humans, plants and microbes are affected by microgravity. BEST will use a process that sequences DNA directly from a sample, with minimal preparation, rather than using the traditional technique of growing a culture from the sample. 

In the realm of modern physics, the new Cold Atom Lab (CAL (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Facility.html?#id=7396)) on Cygnus could help answer some big questions. CAL creates a temperature 10 billion times colder than the vacuum of space, then uses lasers and magnetic forces to slow down atoms until they are almost motionless. In the microgravity environment of the space station, CAL can observe these ultra-cold atoms for much longer than possible on Earth. Results of this research could lead to a number of improved technologies, including sensors, quantum computers and atomic clocks used in spacecraft navigation. 

Cygnus is scheduled to depart the station in July with several tons of trash and burn up during re-entry into Earth's atmosphere, over the Pacific Ocean. The vehicle is named after James "J.R." Thompson (https://www.orbitalatk.com/news-room/feature-stories/OA9-Mission-Page/Documents/SS_JR%20Thompson_Bio.pdf), a leader in the aerospace industry.

For more than 17 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. A global endeavor, more than 200 people from 18 countries have visited the unique microgravity laboratory that has hosted more than 2,400 research investigations from researchers in 103 countries.

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Last Updated: May 21, 2018
Editor: Sean Potter

ЦитироватьU.S. Commercial Cargo Craft Heads to the Space Station

NASA Video (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_aP7p621ATY_yAa8jMqUVA)

Опубликовано: 21 мая 2018 г.

The remotely piloted Orbital ATK Cygnus cargo spacecraft launched May 21 from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia atop an Antares rocket, headed for a rendezvous with the International Space Station to deliver several tons of scientific experiments and supplies for the station residents. Dubbed the SS "J.R. Thompson" in honor of the late spacefaring manager for both NASA and Orbital ATK, Cygnus will be robotically captured and installed to the earth-facing port of the station's Unity module for a two-month stay at the orbital outpost.

ЦитироватьAntares CRS-9 Launch 'Quicklook' Video

NASAWallops (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiCvistzsGjOSixCrbba6jw)

Опубликовано: 21 мая 2018 г.

Orbital ATK's Cygnus cargo spacecraft lifted off aboard the company's Antares rocket at 4:44:06 a.m. EDT May 21, 2018, from Virginia Space's Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia's Eastern Shore. The International Space Station-bound Cygnus was loaded with about 7,400 pounds of supplies and payloads, including critical materials to directly support dozens of the more than 250 science and research investigations occurring during the space station's Expeditions 55 and 56. These three video sequences show the CRS-9 launch from remotely operated cameras at the pad (sequence Nos. 1 and 2), and a camera operated at a viewing site a few miles away (sequence No. 3).

ЦитироватьCRS-9 Launch: Additional Views

Rob Garner (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/author/rcgarner/)
Posted May 21, 2018 at 10:20 am

Orbital ATK's Cygnus cargo spacecraft lifted off aboard the company's Antares rocket at 4:44:06 a.m. EDT May 21, 2018, from Virginia Space's Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia's Eastern Shore. The International Space Station-bound Cygnus was loaded with about 7,400 pounds of supplies and payloads, including critical materials to directly support dozens of the more than 250 science and research investigations occurring during the space station's Expeditions 55 and 56.

Спойлер

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=xURzEk9pais (https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=xURzEk9pais)
(video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=xURzEk9pais) 1:09)

The three video sequences above show the CRS-9 launch from remotely operated cameras at the pad (sequence Nos. 1 and 2) and a camera operated at a viewing site a few miles away (sequence No. 3).

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131053.jpg) (https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/wp-content/uploads/sites/234/2018/05/image001.jpg)
(Photo courtesy Jared Haworth/We Report Space)
it's a 5 minute, 56 second exposure shot on a full frame Canon camera with a 17-40mm lens. The camera was set at ISO100, f/16 and bulb mode, requiring the use of a sturdy tripod and a remote shutter release cable to prevent any shaking or blur of the image. In order to prevent the launchpad from being too overexposed, the picture was actually started a few seconds after ignition, as the rocket began to clear the transporter-erector-launcher. Past experience at Wallops told me that the rocket would appear to travel "right to left" at launch, and that the second stage should be visible about four minutes into flight. The early morning launch meant the second stage would be illuminated by the sun even while our viewing location was still in the pre-dawn darkness.

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Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/30373.jpg)Anatoly Zak‏ @RussianSpaceWeb (https://twitter.com/RussianSpaceWeb) 9 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/RussianSpaceWeb/status/998559760055234561)

If my 20 years of counting is correct, today's Cygnus OA-9 launch was actually the 200th mission to build and maintain the ISS (but because it is "international" space station, no agency cares to count the totals!  ;)  HERE IT IS:
http://russianspaceweb.com/iss_chronology_flights.html ... (https://t.co/eCJKqtRfFk) ...

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/164240.jpg)

ЦитироватьNot пишет:
Груза на полтора дракона

ЦитироватьAlex_II пишет:

ЦитироватьNot пишет:
Груза на полтора дракона

Ну, это ты как всегда врешь, ПН больше 3513кг на Сигнусе не зафиксировано... Дракон по максимуму тащил 3136...

Цитироватьincluding critical materials to directly support dozens of the more than 250 science and research investigations occurring during the space station's Expeditions 55 and 56

ЦитироватьAntares rocket launch kicks off space station's next commercial cargo delivery
May 21, 2018 (https://spaceflightnow.com/2018/05/) | Stephen Clark (https://spaceflightnow.com/author/stephen-clark/)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/144532.jpg)
Orbital ATK's Antares rocket lifts off fr om pad 0A at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Wallops Island, Virginia. Credit: Alex Polimeni/Spaceflight Now

An Orbital ATK Antares rocket streaked into orbit early Monday fr om Wallops Island, Virginia, with a commercial Cygnus cargo craft carrying a quantum research experiment, an investigation into the properties of concrete in space, fresh food and other provisions for the International Space Station's six-person crew.

It was the 200th mission to blast off for the International Space Station since the research facility's first module flew into orbit in November 1998.

The two-stage launcher ignited its two Russian-made RD-181 main engines at 4:44:06 a.m. EDT (0844:06 GMT) Monday, and the Antares rocket lifted off a few seconds later from pad 0A at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Virginia's Eastern Shore.

Спойлер

Riding a column of flame from its kerosene-fueled twin-engine first stage, the 139-foot-tall (42.5-meter) Antares rocket climbed through broken cloud layers and pitched southeast over the Atlantic Ocean after liftoff, which occurred five minutes later than scheduled to allow for threatening clouds to move out of the launcher's flight path.

Liftoff was previously pushed back from Sunday to allow for better weather and additional time for pre-flight inspections.

The two RD-181 engines, generating a combined 864,000 pounds at full throttle, powered the rocket and its supply ship payload downrange from the Virginia launch base, located on NASA property at the Wallops Flight Facility on the Atlantic coastline.

The first stage, manufactured in Ukraine, switched off and jettisoned around three-and-a-half minutes after liftoff, then the Antares rocket released a shroud covering the Cygnus spacecraft before igniting a solid-fueled, U.S.-made upper stage to send the logistics carrier and its 7,385 pounds (3,350 kilograms) of cargo into orbit.

The automated supply ship separated from the Antares upper stage around nine minutes into the mission, then unfolded two fan-shaped solar panels to start generating electricity, and conducted its first orbit-raising burn to commence a three-day pursuit of the space station, kicking off Orbital ATK's ninth resupply run to the international research facility.

The Cygnus spacecraft is set to arrive at the space station early Thursday. Astronaut Scott Tingle will take command of the station's Canadian-built robotic arm to grapple the supply ship around 5:20 a.m. EDT (0920 GMT) Thursday, and ground controllers will maneuver the cargo vehicle to a berthing port on the Harmony module for a nearly two-month stay.

Ground teams loaded 7,205 pounds (3,268 kilograms) of hardware and provisions into the Cygnus spacecraft's pressurized compartment, built by Thales Alenia Space in Italy. The breakdown of cargo aboard the mission launched Monday, known as OA-9 in Orbital ATK's flight sequence, includes:

[/li]
• 2,626 pounds (1,191 kilograms) of vehicle hardware
• 2,251 pounds (1,021 kilograms) of science investigations
• 1,788 pounds (811 kilograms) of crew supplies
• 291 pounds (132 kilograms) of spacewalk equipment
• 220 pounds (100 kilograms) of computer resources
• 29 pounds (13 kilograms) of Russian hardware
  

A commercial deployment platform provided by NanoRacks, a Houston-based company that brokers opportunities for researchers to send their experiments into space, is mounted outside the Cygnus spacecraft to release six tiny CubeSats in orbit after the supply ship departs the space station in July.

The NanoRacks deployer, and the CubeSats contained inside, weighs around 181 pounds (82 kilograms), giving the OA-9 mission a total "upmass" of 7,385 pounds (3,350 kilograms), according to a NASA fact sheet.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/144424.jpg)
The Antares rocket lifts off from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Monday. Credit: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani

Once Cygnus arrives at the station, astronauts will unpack equipment stowed inside the supply ship's internal compartment, transferring hardware to storage locations and research racks housed inside lab modules on the orbiting outpost.

Scientists plan to use one of the experiments launched aboard the Cygnus supply ship to explore the nature of ultra-cold matter, probing the behavior of atoms chilled to extreme temperatures colder than the vacuum of space.

The Cold Atom Laboratory, developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, will spend at least three years serving as a platform for quantum experiments.

"Right there in the name is the word cold," said Eric Cornell, a Nobel Prize winner in physics and principal investigator one of the investigations that will use the Cold Atom Laboratory. "Way down in the heart of that thing ... we hope to get to temperatures of something less than 1 nano-Kelvin, so we intend to get within a billionth of a degree of absolute zero."

The chilling conditions inside the Cold Atom Laboratory will slow the movement of atoms until they are almost motionless, forming Bose-Einstein condensates, a low-energy state of matter wh ere atoms become synchronized and exhibit characteristics of a single continuous wave, rather than individual particles, according to NASA.

Research into Bose-Einstein condensates on Earth are limited by the effects of gravity, which causes atoms to settle to the ground in a fraction of second. In space, high-resolution imagers inside the Cold Atom Laboratory could observe the behavior of the condensates for up to 10 seconds in free fall, allowing scientists to probe their properties and study fundamental quantum mechanics that could find applications in miniaturized technology, atomic clocks and quantum computers.

"If you want to be able to design the technology that's going to underpin the economy of tomorrow, you have to understand quantum mechanics," Cornell said. "It's true that quantum mechanics is the science of the very, very small. But due to sort of a twist of fate, it's also the science of the extraordinarily cold."

Scientists will command the Cold Atom Laboratory from the ground while the crew sleeps, minimizing interference and accelerations from astronaut activity that could mask the facility's precise quantum measurements.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/144544.jpg)
This sequence of false-color images shows the formation of a Bose-Einstein condensate in the Cold Atom Laboratory prototype at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory as the temperature gets progressively closer to absolute zero, the temperature at which atoms have almost no motion. Red in each figure indicates higher density. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Another science experiment launched Monday will study the solidification of cement in microgravity.

"We are looking into colonizing space," said Aleksandra Radlinska, principal investigator for the cement experiment from Penn State University. "We want to go to the moon and deep space beyond, and we will need shelters for the human missions. We will need to protect equipment from radiation effects and impacts that these could experience."

Concrete could be a "go-to" material to build such shelters, she said.

"In our research, we actually look into how cement reacts with water, and how this very complex process of microstructure formation happens in space," Radlinska said.

Despite the prolific use of concrete, the process of solidification when mixing cement and water "has been fascinating scientists for the last 50 years," she said. "And for the last 50 years, despite the current technology and instrumentation that we have, we still don't understand that process completely."

Radlinska's team sent up multiple pouches with cement and water for astronauts to mix on the space station. The samples will come back to Earth for comparison with the results obtained from similar pouches mixed on the ground, according to Juliana Neves, a graduate researcher on the experiment at Penn State.

The investigation will ultimately help address two questions, Radlinska said: "How can we use it more sustainably on Earth, and how can we make usage of raw materials present in space and make a concrete-like cement binder in space?"

A commercially-developed device launched aboard the Cygnus mission Monday will test a method of separating liquids in microgravity for Zaiput Flow Technologies, a Massachusetts-based company. The mechanism will use surface tension, instead of gravity as used on Earth, to separate water from an organic solvent, demonstrating a method that could be employed by future expeditions synthesizing chemicals in space or on another planet to produce water and rocket fuel.

The Cygnus supply ship will also deliver equipment for astronauts to install outside the space station on a spacewalk scheduled for June 14, and engineers will demonstrate the first use of a new communications system that will allow the station crew to establish radio links with Cygnus during the final approach Thursday.

The same proximity communications system will be used by Boeing and SpaceX commercial crew vehicles as they rendezvous with the orbiting complex.

Nine CubeSats packaged inside the Cygnus pressurized cabin will be transferred into the station's Japanese Kibo lab, wh ere astronauts will place them in an airlock for retrieval by a robotic arm, which will position the nanosatellites for release into orbit in the coming months.

The nine CubeSats set for release from the space station are:

[/li]
• CubeRRT, a 6U CubeSat developed at Ohio State University with NASA funding to test a new signal processor to mitigate radio interference impacting microwave radiometer measurements of soil moisture, atmospheric water vapor, sea surface temperature and winds from orbit.
• EQUiSat, a 1U CubeSat developed by Brown University with NASA support as an educational outreach mission, with a secondary objective of demonstrating a new type of battery in space.
• HaloSat, a 6U CubeSat developed at the University of Iowa in partnership with NASA to detect X-ray gas emissions around the Milky Way galaxy.
• MemSat, a 1U CubeSat developed at Rowan University in partnership with NASA, will test a memristor device that could be flown on future satellites to make them more energy efficient and more resilient to power failures.
• RadSat-g, a 3U CubeSat developed at Montana State University in partnership with NASA, will test a new radiation tolerant computer system.
• RainCube, a 6U CubeSat developed at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, will demonstrate the viability and performance of a new expandable Ka-band precipitation radar that can be packaged into a volume to fit in a nanosatellite.
• TEMPEST-D, a 6U CubeSat developed at Colorado State University in partnership with NASA, is a risk mitigation mission for a planned constellation of Earth observation CubeSats that will track the steps in the formation of clouds, precipitation and storms.
• EnduroSat One, a 1U CubeSat developed in Bulgaria, carries an amateur radio payload.
• Radix, a 6U CubeSat owned by a commercial company known as Analytical Space, will test a laser communications terminal planned for use on a future constellation of orbiting data relay nanosatellites to enable high-speed optical downlinks to Earth.
  

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/144521.jpg)
Artist's illustration of the RainCube spacecraft. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

The Cygnus spacecraft is named for J.R. Thompson, the former chief operating officer at Orbital Sciences Corp. who died last year. Thompson served in multiple management positions at Orbital, overseeing development of the Antares rocket and other vehicles in the company's launcher family.

He had a lengthy career at NASA before joining Orbital Sciences, including stints as the space agency's deputy administrator and as director of the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Thompson was manager of the space shuttle main engine development project at Marshall in the 1970s, and he previously served as a liquid propulsion systems engineer on the J-2 engine that flew on the Saturn 5 moon rocket.

Before the Cygnus spacecraft's planned July 15 departure from the station, it will conduct a brief maneuver to reboost the research lab's orbit. It will be the first time a commercial U.S. cargo vehicle has attempted a space station reboost, a capability currently only provided by Russian spacecraft.

Visiting space shuttles and Europe's Automated Transfer Vehicle also provided reboost services before their retirement.

The orbit-raising maneuver will only nudge the space station into a slightly higher orbit, and mission planners have penciled in the reboost demonstration for a time when the research complex is already in the proper orientation for the maneuver, soon after the docking of a Russian Progress cargo freighter in early July.

At that time, the Cygnus spacecraft's main engine, which faces Earth during most of the ship's stay at the space station, will be aligned roughly parallel with Earth's surface with the station's direction of travel, or velocity vector.

"We'll test it out and see if it works, and it definitely opens up options for us in the future," said Kirk Shireman, NASA's space station program manager at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. "We'll continue to have to reboost. The station is reboosted several times a year, and at the end of life, we'll have to deboost the station, and of course, you have to do that very carefully. It's a very large station, and we want to put it in at a specific place over the planet. We'll need a lot of capability at that time as well."

"Our team is excited," said Frank DeMauro, vice president and general manager of Orbital ATK's advanced programs division. "We hope to be able to do that test toward the end of our stay on the ISS, and hopefully that's another aspect of Cygnus that NASA can use in the future."

After leaving the space station, Cygnus will fire its engine to climb into a higher orbit, to an altitude of roughly 310 miles (500 kilometers), for deployment of six more CubeSats.

The final CubeSat deployments include four "Lemur-2" payloads for Spire Global, which builds and operates a fleet of nanosatellites surveying Earth's atmosphere and tracking maritime traffic. The Aerospace Corp.'s AeroCube 12A and 12B spacecraft will also be released to demonstrate new star-tracker imaging sensors, a variety of nanotechnology payloads, advanced solar cells, and an electric propulsion system on one of the two satellites, according to NanoRacks, which provided accommodations for the CubeSats on the Cygnus mission.

At the end of the mission, Cygnus will drop out of orbit and burn up over the South Pacific Ocean with several tons of trash no longer needed on the space station.

Orbital ATK is one of two current providers of commercial resupply services to the station through a contract with NASA. The agency's other cargo transportation provider, SpaceX, has launched 14 operational logistics missions to date, and both companies have suffered one launch failure during a resupply flight.

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ЦитироватьISS Daily Summary Report – 5/21/2018

Orbital-ATK 9 (OA-9) Launch:

Спойлер

OA-9 launched from the Wallops Flight Facility this morning at 08:44:06 GMT (3:44 CT). The Cygnus solar arrays have been deployed nominally. OA-9 capture and berthing to the ISS is planned for Thursday 24-May.

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OA-9 Robotics Onboard Training:

Спойлер

Earlier today, Robotics Ground Controllers powered up the MSS in support of the crew's Cygnus Offset Grapple practice. During the Off Set Grapple activity, the crew used the PMM FRGF as the target to practice grapple approaches, maneuvering the SSRMS over the pin and practice pulling the trigger when they are in the grapple envelope. After the Offset Grapple training, the crew performed a Robotics Onboard Trainer (ROBoT) session. ROBoT is an on-orbit version of the ground-based Dynamics Skills Trainer (DST) that simulates robotics operations with graphical feedback.

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OA-9 Arrival Preparations:

Спойлер

In preparation for OA-9 capture and berthing on Thursday, the crew deployed, and perform a checkout of, the Centerline Berthing Camera System (CBCS) on the Node 1 Nadir hatch. Video from the CBCS will be used to aid Flight Controllers during Visiting Vehicle mating operations.

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ЦитироватьStation Crew Juggles Science, Cargo Mission and Spacewalk Preps

Mark Garcia (https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/author/magarcia/)
Posted May 22, 2018 at 3:56 pm

...
Astronaut Norishige Kanai (http://iss.jaxa.jp/en/astro/biographies/kanai/index.html) ... joined fellow Flight Engineers Scott Tingle (http://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/biographies/scott-d-tingle) and Ricky Arnold (https://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/biographies/richard-r-arnold) to practice the robotics techniques necessary to capture the Orbital ATK (https://www.nasa.gov/orbital) Cygnus resupply ship. The trio trained on a computer to simulate the operation of the Canadarm2 when it reaches out and grapples Cygnus on Thursday.

The commercial space freighter is due to deliver over 7,400 pounds of crew supplies, station hardware and science experiments (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/news/OA9_research) when it arrives Thursday at 5:20 a.m. EDT. NASA TV (https://www.nasa.gov/nasatv) will broadcast live the approach, rendezvous and capture of Cygnus beginning at 3:45 a.m (https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/update-nasa-orbital-atk-now-targeting-may-21-for-next-resupply-mission-to-space).

ЦитироватьMax Andriyahov пишет:

Цитироватьincluding critical materials to directly support dozens of the more than 250 science and research investigations occurring during the space station's Expeditions 55 and 56

интересно, есть там что-нибудь необычное?

ЦитироватьBone and Cardio Studies as Cygnus Nears Station

Mark Garcia (https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/author/magarcia/)
Posted May 23, 2018 at 1:28 pm

The Cygnus space freighter from Orbital ATK (https://www.nasa.gov/orbital) is closing in on the International Space Station ready to deliver 7,400 pounds of cargo (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/news/OA9_research) Thursday morning. The Expedition 55 (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition55/index.html) crew members are getting ready for Cygnus' arrival ...

NASA TV (https://www.nasa.gov/nasatv) is set to begin its live coverage of Cygnus' arrival at the orbital lab Thursday at 3:45 a.m. EDT (https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/update-nasa-orbital-atk-now-targeting-may-21-for-next-resupply-mission-to-space). Flight Engineer Scott Tingle will be inside the Cupola and command the Canadarm2 robotic arm to reach out and capture Cygnus at 5:20 a.m. Robotics engineers at Mission Control will then take over and remotely install Cygnus to the Earth-facing port of the Unity module later Thursday morning.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186040.jpg)Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) 31 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/999396185940090881)

ARTICLE: S.S. J.R. Thompson prepares for arrival at Station, makes first use of new C2V2 radio -

https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2018/05/s-s-j-r-thompson-arrival-station-new-c2v2-radio/ ... (https://t.co/7IoX6Yu9f5)

- By Chris Gebhardt (@ChrisG_NSF (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF))

(Numerous awesome renders by Nathan Koga @kogavfx (https://twitter.com/kogavfx))

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/163816.jpg)

Спойлер

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/163817.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/163814.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/163815.jpg)

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ЦитироватьOrbital ATK CRS-9 Mission to the Space Station: What's On Board?

NASA Video (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_aP7p621ATY_yAa8jMqUVA)

Опубликовано: 23 мая 2018 г.

Orbital ATK's Cygnus spacecraft launched to the International Space Station aboard an Antares rocket on May 21, and is scheduled to arrive at the orbiting laboratory in the early morning hours of May 24. Among the research it will deliver to the station is the Cold Atom Lab (CAL), a facility to create a spot ten billion times colder than the vacuum of space, which could help answer some big questions in modern physics. Zaiput Flow Technologies will seek to validate a liquid-liquid separator to enhance flow chemistry production in space. Researchers from Penn State University are sending an experiment to investigate and understand the complex process of cement solidification, which could address the high priority need for lightweight space structures for habitats that protect crew members. A fleet of CubeSats spanning everything from Earth science to educational outreach is also heading to the orbiting laboratory for deployment into low-Earth orbit.

ЦитироватьCygnus Space Freighter Approaching Station

Mark Garcia (https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/author/magarcia/)
Posted May 24, 2018 at 3:42 am

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131422.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/266CTMg)
Orbital ATK's Cygnus resupply ship slowly maneuvers its way toward the International Space Station before its robotic capture and installation during Expedition 47 in March of 2016.

The International Space Station (https://www.nasa.gov/station) and Cygnus flight control teams are proceeding toward capture at approximately 5:20 a.m. EDT. Orbital ATK reports all spacecraft systems are ready for the final stages of rendezvous and space station flight controllers report the orbiting outpost is ready for the commercial spacecraft's arrival.

The spacecraft will deliver scientific investigations (https://cms.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/news/OA9_research) including those that will study microbiology, physics, materials science, plant biology, liquid separation and more.

NASA Television coverage of capture has begun. Watch live online at www.nasa.gov/live (http://www.nasa.gov/live).

A timeline of remaining Cygnus and space station activities for the earliest capture attempt is below:

Time (EDT)   Event

[/li]
• 4:05 a.m.   Cygnus within 300m of Space Station
• 4:09 a.m.   250m Hold Point Arrival
• 4:29 a.m.   250m Hold Point Departure
• 4:40 a.m.   Cygnus within 100m of Space Station
• 4:52 a.m.   Earliest "Go" for Capture
• 4:53 a.m.   30m Hold Point Arrival
• 5:12 a.m.   Capture Point Arrival
• 5:14 a.m.   "Go" or "No-Go" for Capture
• 5:20 a.m.   Capture
  

Цитировать05/24/2018 10:58 Stephen Clark

The Cygnus supply ship is closing in on the International Space Station, now flying about 3,300 feet (1,000 meters) from the research outpost.

Astronaut Scott Tingle is standing by in the station's cupola module to take control of the robotic arm and capture the Cygnus cargo craft around 5:20 a.m. EDT (0920 GMT). Flight engineer Ricky Arnold will assist Tingle with the capture, and Japanese astronaut Norishige Kanai will command a control panel that would send the Cygnus spacecraft away from the space station in the event of a problem.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg)Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 2 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/999566635848617985)

The #OA9 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA9?src=hash) #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) has reached the 250 meter holding point. We will now perform vehicle checks with @NASA (https://twitter.com/NASA) before proceeding to the @Space_Station (https://twitter.com/Space_Station)

Цитировать05/24/2018 11:25 Stephen Clark

The Cygnus spacecraft is currently holding around 250 meters, or 820 feet, beneath the International Space Station. This pause allows mission controllers to evaluate the status of all key systems on both vehicles before clearing Cygnus to approach inside the "keep out sphere," an imaginary bubble stretching 200 meters, or 656 feet, fr om the complex on all sides.

Спойлер

The last major course correction burn, known as ADV3, was completed less than an ago to put Cygnus on track to arrive directly below the space station.

The Cygnus spacecraft is making its automated approach aided by GPS navigation and laser instruments designed to determine the range and closing rate between the cargo ship and the huge 450-ton space station.

The Cygnus first relied on comparing GPS navigation data from its on-board computer and the space station.

On this mission, Cygnus is flying for the first time with a new communications system to establish radio links between the approaching supply ship and the space station. The Common Communication for Visiting Vehicles (C2V2) system being demonstrated by the Cygnus spacecraft today will be used for two-way voice and data links between all future U.S. cargo and crew vehicles as they approach the station.

After arriving at a hold point about 820 feet directly below the space station, Cygnus will switch to a TriDAR sensor, which uses triangulation and fires light pulses and measures their reflections from the space station to measure the range and closing rate between the two vehicles.

The laser-guided visual navigation system feeds data into the Cygnus guidance computer, telling the spacecraft when and wh ere to fire its rocket jets to maneuver the unmanned freighter to a point 30 feet below the space station.

Once Cygnus arrives at a hold point just below the complex around 5:12 a.m. EDT (0912 GMT), astronauts Scott Tingle and Ricky Arnold will take control of the lab's robot arm to reach out and grapple the free-floating Cygnus spacecraft at 5:20 a.m. EDT (0920 GMT).

The robot arm will maneuver the Cygnus spacecraft onto the Unity module's Earth-facing berthing port about two hours later.

[свернуть]

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg)Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 48 сек. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/999568611793686528)

Vehicle checks are complete and #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) has been given the go ahead to continue its approach to the @Space_Station (https://twitter.com/Space_Station). Capture still targeted for 5:20 am EDT/9:20 UTC this morning

Цитировать05/24/2018 11:32 Stephen Clark

The Cygnus spacecraft, fitted with a pressurized cargo compartment built by Thales Alenia Space in Italy containing around 3,268 kilograms, or 7,205 pounds, of supplies, is moving toward a hold point 30 meters, or 98 feet, from the space station.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186040.jpg)Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) 3 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/999569396908441600)

Departing 250 meter hold point. Now about to enter the KOS (Keep Out Sphere) that surrounds the ISS. Hold you remembered to bring your passport, Cygnus! (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/125503.png)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/163844.jpg)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186040.jpg)Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) 34 сек. назад (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/999573839796428800)

Cygnus needs to match the overlap. Currently offset to the port side.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/163845.jpg)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg)Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 24 сек. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/999574082608926721)

#Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) is 50 meters below the @Space_Station (https://twitter.com/Space_Station) and closing

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg)Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 22 сек. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/999575470239776768)

We have reached the 30 meter holding point #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) #OA9 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA9?src=hash)

Цитировать05/24/2018 11:59 Stephen Clark

Cygnus is now holding at a distance of 30 meters, or 98 feet, from the International Space Station. This hold is expected to last around 10 minutes.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186040.jpg)Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) 2 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/999576445465911298)

Stage is set. SSRMS has its prey in its sights.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/163832.jpg)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg)Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 4 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/999577398952816641)

We are GO for final approach to @Space_Station (https://twitter.com/Space_Station)! #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) will now proceed to the capture point 10 meters below the station. #OA9 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA9?src=hash)

Цитировать‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 6 с. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/999579793225080832)

#Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) has reached the 10 meter capture point. @Astro_Maker (https://twitter.com/Astro_Maker) will now command the @CSA_ASC (https://twitter.com/csa_asc) #Canadarm2 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canadarm2?src=hash) to capture Cygnus

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/163834.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/163833.jpg)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg)Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 57 сек. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/999580412409270272)

#Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) and @Space_Station (https://twitter.com/Space_Station) are GO to proceed with capture! #OA9 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA9?src=hash)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29831.jpg)William Harwood‏ @cbs_spacenews (https://twitter.com/cbs_spacenews) 3 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/cbs_spacenews/status/999582723357532162)

CygnusOA9: CAPTURE! The space station's robot arm locked onto a grapple fixture at the base of the Cygnus cargo ship at 5:26am EDT, completing a rendezvous that began with launch Monday from Wallops Island, Va.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg)Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 2 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/999583077268639744)

Capture confirmed! The #OA9 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA9?src=hash) S.S. J.R. Thompson was successfully captured by @Astro_Maker (https://twitter.com/Astro_Maker) and the Expedition 55 crew aboard @Space_Station (https://twitter.com/Space_Station) this morning

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/163839.jpg)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186040.jpg)Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) 7 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/999582656479268864)

CAPTURE CONFIRMED! OA-9 Cygnus has arrived at the ISS. Will be securely berthed in two hours.

ARTICLE:

https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2018/05/s-s-j-r-thompson-arrival-station-new-c2v2-radio/ ... (https://t.co/7IoX6Yu9f5)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/163835.jpg)

Спойлер

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/163836.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/163837.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/163838.jpg)

[свернуть]

ЦитироватьAstronaut Commands Robotic Arm to Capture Cygnus Cargo Craft

Mark Garcia (https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/author/magarcia/)
Posted May 24, 2018 at 5:33 am

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131456.jpg) (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131456.jpg)
The Cygnus space freighter is grappled by the Canadarm2 after a three-day trip to the space station.

At 5:26 a.m. EDT, Expedition 55 Flight Engineer Scott Tingle of NASA successfully captured Orbital ATK's Cygnus cargo spacecraft using the International Space Station's robotic arm, backed by NASA Astronauts Ricky Arnold and Drew Feustel. Robotic ground controllers will position Cygnus for installation to the orbiting laboratory's Earth-facing port of the Unity module.

NASA TV coverage of operations to install the Cygnus, dubbed the S.S. James "J.R." Thompson (https://www.orbitalatk.com/news-room/feature-stories/OA9-Mission-Page/Documents/SS_JR%20Thompson_Bio.pdf), to the space station's Unity module will resume at 7:30 a.m.

Цитировать05/24/2018 14:32 Stephen Clark

Under the control of engineers on Earth, the station's robotic arm has maneuvered the Cygnus spacecraft into position near the Unity module's nadir common berthing mechanism.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186190.jpg)Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) 3 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK/status/999625153465212928)

Second stage capture is confirmed and our #OA9 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OA9?src=hash) S.S. J.R. Thompson #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) is now installed to the Unity Module on the @Space_Station (https://twitter.com/Space_Station)!

Цитировать05/24/2018 15:15 Stephen Clark

The Cygnus spacecraft has been firmly mated with the space station's Unity module with the closure of latches and 16 bolts, creating a mechanical connection between the vehicles at 8:13 a.m. EDT (1213 GMT). The supply ship will be opened by astronauts later today, and it's due to remain at the station until July 15.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186040.jpg)Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) 9 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/999624807502278656)

BERTHED! 13 mins past the hour! OA-9 Cygnus now securely attached to the ISS.

ARTICLE:

https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2018/05/s-s-j-r-thompson-arrival-station-new-c2v2-radio/ ... (https://t.co/7IoX6Yu9f5)

- by @ChrisG_NSF (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/163854.jpg)

ЦитироватьPhotos: Antares rocket's predawn launch from Wallops Island
May 24, 2018 (https://spaceflightnow.com/2018/05/) | Stephen Clark (https://spaceflightnow.com/author/stephen-clark/)

Carrying a Cygnus supply ship bound for the International Space Station, an Orbital ATK Antares rocket lifted off Monday from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at Wallops Island, Virginia.

Спойлер

The 139-foot-tall (42.5-meter) Antares booster launched at 4:44 a.m. EDT (0844 GMT) Monday from pad 0A at the seaside spaceport, located at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility. The two-stage launcher delivered the Cygnus cargo craft into orbit to begin a three-day pursuit of the space station, which concluded Thursday with a successful capture by the lab's robotic arm.

Monday's launch was the eighth flight of an Antares rocket, and the third using new RD-181 main engines. It was the ninth operational cargo launch under Orbital ATK's commercial logistics contract with NASA.

Read our full story (https://spaceflightnow.com/2018/05/21/antares-rocket-launch-kicks-off-space-stations-next-commercial-cargo-delivery/) for details on the mission.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/144537.jpg)
Credit: Alex Polimeni/Spaceflight Now

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/144538.jpg)
Credit: Alex Polimeni/Spaceflight Now

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/144539.jpg)
Credit: Alex Polimeni/Spaceflight Now

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/144438.jpg)
Credit: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/144540.jpg)
Credit: Alex Polimeni/Spaceflight Now

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/144423.jpg)
Credit: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/144434.jpg)Credit: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/144439.jpg)Credit: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/144531.jpg)
Credit: Alex Polimeni/Spaceflight Now

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/144533.jpg)C
Credit: Alex Polimeni/Spaceflight Now

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/144534.jpg)
Credit: Alex Polimeni/Spaceflight Now

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/144535.jpg)
Credit: Alex Polimeni/Spaceflight Now

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/144536.jpg)
Credit: Alex Polimeni/Spaceflight Now

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/144408.jpg)
Credit: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/144450.jpg)
Credit: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/144541.jpg)
Credit: Alex Polimeni/Spaceflight Now

[свернуть]

ЦитироватьRobotics Controllers Install Cygnus Resupply Ship on Station

Mark Garcia (https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/author/magarcia/)
Posted May 24, 2018 at 8:23 am

The Orbital ATK Cygnus cargo ship was bolted into place on the International Space Station's Earth-facing port of the Unity module at 8:13 a.m. EDT. The spacecraft will spend about seven weeks attached to the space station before departing in July. After it leaves the station, the uncrewed spacecraft will deploy several CubeSats before its fiery re-entry into Earth's atmosphere as it disposes of several tons of trash.

Спойлер

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131459.jpg) (https://www.nasa.gov/feature/visiting-vehicle-launches-arrivals-and-departures)
May 24, 2018: International Space Station Configuration. Four spaceships are attached to the space station including the Orbital ATK Cygnus resupply ship, the Progress 69 resupply ship and the Soyuz MS-07 and MS-08 crew ships.

Orbital ATK's Cygnus was launched on the company's Antares rocket Monday, May 21, from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport Pad 0A at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. The spacecraft's arrival brings about 7,400 pounds of research and supplies to support Expedition 55 and 56. Highlights include:

[/li]
• The Biomolecule Extraction and Sequencing Technology (BEST) (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7687), an investigation to identify unknown microbial organisms on the space station and understand how humans, plants and microbes adapt to living on the station
• The Cold Atom Laboratory (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Facility.html?#id=7396), a physics research facility used by scientists to explore how atoms interact when they have almost no motion due to extreme cold temperatures
• A unique liquid separation  (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7696)system (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7696) from Zaiput Flow Technologies that relies on surface forces, rather than gravity, to extract one liquid from another
• The Ice Cubes Facility (http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Human_Spaceflight/Research/Ice_Cubes_cool_new_commercial_opportunity_on_the_International_Space_Station), the first commercial European opportunity to conduct research in space, made possible through an agreement with ESA (European Space Agency) and Space Applications Services.
• The Microgravity Investigation of Cement Solidification (MICS) (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7658) experiment is to investigate and understand the complex process of cement solidification in microgravity with the intent of improving Earth-based cement and concrete processing and as the first steps toward making and using concrete on extraterrestrial bodies.
• Three Earth science CubeSats
• RainCube (https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/cubesat/missions/raincube.php) (Radar in a CubeSat) will be NASA's first active sensing instrument on a CubeSat that could enable future rainfall profiling missions on low-cost, quick-turnaround platforms.
• TEMPEST-D (https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/cubesat/missions/tempest-d.php) (Temporal Experiment for Storms and Tropical Systems Demonstration) is mission to validate technology that could improve our understanding of cloud processes.
• CubeRRT (https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2018/cubesat-to-test-instrument-for-crystal-clear-data-collection) (CubeSat Radiometer Radio Frequency Interference Technology) will seek to demonstrate a new technology that can identify and filter radio frequency interference, which is a growing problem that negatively affects the data quality collected by radiometers, instruments used in space for critical weather data and climate studies.
  

[/li][/LIST]

[свернуть]

ЦитироватьOA-9 S.S. J.R. Thompson Cygnus capture

SciNews (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjU6ZwoTQtKWfz1urL7XcbA)

Опубликовано: 24 мая 2018 г.

ЦитироватьOA-9 S.S. J.R. Thompson Cygnus berthing

SciNews (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjU6ZwoTQtKWfz1urL7XcbA)

Опубликовано: 24 мая 2018 г.

Цитировать

Orbital ATK's Cygnus Spacecraft Successfully Completes Rendezvous and Berthing with International Space Station

"S.S. J.R. Thompson" Delivers Approximately 7,400 Pounds of Cargo and Scientific Experiments

Cygnus Scheduled For Seven Week Stay at Orbiting Laboratory

Dulles, Virginia 24 May 2018 – Orbital ATK (NYSE: OA), a global leader in aerospace and defense technologies, today announced that the "S.S. J.R. Thompson" CygnusTM spacecraft successfully completed its rendezvous and berthing maneuvers with the International Space Station earlier this morning. This marks the company's ninth successful berthing with the orbiting laboratory.

Cygnus launched into orbit aboard an Orbital ATK Antares™ rocket at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on May 21. The spacecraft then executed a series of thruster burns over the next couple of days to raise its orbit and reach the space station. Once Cygnus was in close range, crew members grappled the spacecraft with the station's robotic arm at 5:26 a.m. EDT. Cygnus was then guided to its berthing port on the nadir side of the station's Unity module and officially installed to the space station at 8:13 a.m. EDT.

Спойлер

"Against the backdrop of a flawless rendezvous and berthing, Cygnus once again demonstrated its ability to perform as a trusted and valued mission partner to NASA and the crew on the International Space Station," said Frank Culbertson, President of Orbital ATK's Space Systems Group. "Once we finish delivering vital supplies and scientific equipment, our work continues after departure with the deployment of several CubeSats. These secondary missions further highlight the flexibility and versatility of Cygnus beyond cargo delivery and disposal."

Cygnus arrived at the station with approximately 7,400 pounds (3,350) kilograms) of cargo, supplies and scientific experiments. The crew is now scheduled to open Cygnus's hatch and make initial ingress into the cargo module to begin unloading the pressurized cargo. Cygnus will remain docked at the station for seven weeks before departing with up to 7,100 pounds (approximately 3,200 kilograms) of disposable cargo.

After departure, a NanoRacks deployer will release six CubeSats. Upon completion of this secondary mission, Cygnus will perform a safe, destructive reentry into Earth's atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean.

Under the CRS-1 contract with NASA, Orbital ATK will deliver approximately 66,000 pounds (30,000 kilograms) of cargo to the International Space Station. Beginning in 2019, Orbital ATK will carry out a minimum of six initial cargo missions under NASA's follow-on CRS-2 contract. This partnership is cultivating a robust American commercial space industry, freeing NASA to focus on developing the next-generation rocket and spacecraft that will enable humans to conduct deep space exploration missions.

In keeping with Orbital ATK's practice, the OA-9 spacecraft is named in honor of those who made significant contributions to America's human spaceflight programs. OA-9 is dedicated to J.R. Thompson, a distinguished leader in the aerospace industry. Thompson directed the operations of Orbital ATK's predecessor company, Orbital Sciences Corporation for nearly 25 years and also served as NASA's Deputy Administrator in Washington, D.C. from 1989-1991.

B-roll and animation footage for the mission can be found here: http://www.orbitalatk.com/news-room/bmc/#. Please note that media will be prompted to request a PIN for access.

[свернуть]

ЦитироватьCygnus arrives at station with CubeSats, quantum physics experiment
May 24, 2018 (https://spaceflightnow.com/2018/05/) | Stephen Clark (https://spaceflightnow.com/author/stephen-clark/)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/144481.jpg)
Orbital ATK's Cygnus supply ship in the grip of the space station's robotic arm Thursday. Credit: Norishige Kanai/JAXA/NASA

Closing out a three-day chase fr om a launch pad in Virginia, Orbital ATK's Cygnus cargo freighter arrived Thursday at the International Space Station with nearly 7,400 pounds of equipment, delivering food, a quantum physics experiment, and CubeSats for later deployment in orbit.

During its nearly two-month mission, known as OA-9, the Cygnus spacecraft will slightly raise the altitude of the outpost, making it the first U.S. vehicle to reboost the station's orbit since the retirement of the space shuttle.

The automated supply ship approached the station fr om below Thursday, aiming laser ranging sensors to track the craft's distance and closure rate with the orbiting research lab.

After pausing at pre-planned hold points, the Cygnus spacecraft stopped its approach around 30 feet, or 10 meters, below the space station, and astronaut Scott Tingle took control of the lab's Canadian-built robotic arm to capture the supply ship at 5:26 a.m. EDT (0926 GMT).

Спойлер

Tingle grasped the spacecraft with the robot arm as the space station sailed 264 miles (425 kilometers) over the southern Indian Ocean.

Tingle handed over control of the robot arm to engineers on the ground, who maneuvered the Cygnus spacecraft into position on the Earth-facing berthing port on the space station's Unity module. Sixteen bolts closed to firmly attach the cargo freighter to the Unity module at 8:13 a.m. EDT (1213 GMT), clearing the way for pressure leak checks before the station crew opens hatches leading into the supply ship later Thursday.

The astronauts will unpack 7,205 pounds (3,268 kilograms) of provisions, experiments and other hardware loaded inside the Cygnus spacecraft's Italian-built pressurized compartment, and replace the cargo with trash for disposal at the end of the Cygnus mission.

The breakdown of cargo aboard the mission includes:

[/li]
• 2,626 pounds (1,191 kilograms) of vehicle hardware
• 2,251 pounds (1,021 kilograms) of science investigations
• 1,788 pounds (811 kilograms) of crew supplies
• 291 pounds (132 kilograms) of spacewalk equipment
• 220 pounds (100 kilograms) of computer resources
• 29 pounds (13 kilograms) of Russian hardware
  

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/144486.jpg)
Ground crews load final time-critical cargo into the Cygnus spacecraft's pressurized cabin. Credit: Orbital ATK

A commercial deployment platform provided by NanoRacks, a Houston-based company that brokers opportunities for researchers to send their experiments into space, is mounted outside the Cygnus spacecraft to release six tiny CubeSats in orbit after the supply ship departs the space station in July.

The NanoRacks deployer, and the CubeSats contained inside, weighs around 181 pounds (82 kilograms), giving the OA-9 mission a total "upmass" of 7,385 pounds (3,350 kilograms), according to a NASA fact sheet.

Scientists plan to use one of the experiments launched aboard the Cygnus supply ship to explore the nature of ultra-cold matter, probing the behavior of atoms chilled to extreme temperatures colder than the vacuum of space.

The Cold Atom Laboratory, developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, will spend at least three years serving as a platform for quantum experiments.

"Right there in the name is the word cold," said Eric Cornell, a Nobel Prize winner in physics and principal investigator one of the investigations that will use the Cold Atom Laboratory. "Way down in the heart of that thing ... we hope to get to temperatures of something less than 1 nano-Kelvin, so we intend to get within a billionth of a degree of absolute zero."

The chilling conditions inside the Cold Atom Laboratory will slow the movement of atoms until they are almost motionless, forming Bose-Einstein condensates, a low-energy state of matter wh ere atoms become synchronized and exhibit characteristics of a single continuous wave, rather than individual particles, according to NASA.

Research into Bose-Einstein condensates on Earth are limited by the effects of gravity, which causes atoms to settle to the ground in a fraction of second. In space, high-resolution imagers inside the Cold Atom Laboratory could observe the behavior of the condensates for up to 10 seconds in free fall, allowing scientists to probe their properties and study fundamental quantum mechanics that could find applications in miniaturized technology, atomic clocks and quantum computers.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/144543.jpg)
This sequence of false-color images shows the formation of a Bose-Einstein condensate in the Cold Atom Laboratory prototype at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory as the temperature gets progressively closer to absolute zero, the temperature at which atoms have almost no motion. Red in each figure indicates higher density. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

"If you want to be able to design the technology that's going to underpin the economy of tomorrow, you have to understand quantum mechanics," Cornell said. "It's true that quantum mechanics is the science of the very, very small. But due to sort of a twist of fate, it's also the science of the extraordinarily cold."

Scientists will command the Cold Atom Laboratory from the ground while the crew sleeps, minimizing interference and accelerations from astronaut activity that could mask the facility's precise quantum measurements.

Another science experiment carried by Cygnus will study the solidification of cement in microgravity.

"We are looking into colonizing space," said Aleksandra Radlinska, principal investigator for the cement experiment from Penn State University. "We want to go to the moon and deep space beyond, and we will need shelters for the human missions. We will need to protect equipment from radiation effects and impacts that these could experience."

Concrete could be a "go-to" material to build such shelters, she said.

"In our research, we actually look into how cement reacts with water, and how this very complex process of microstructure formation happens in space," Radlinska said.

Despite the prolific use of concrete, the process of solidification when mixing cement and water "has been fascinating scientists for the last 50 years," she said. "And for the last 50 years, despite the current technology and instrumentation that we have, we still don't understand that process completely."

Radlinska's team sent up multiple pouches with cement and water for astronauts to mix on the space station. The samples will come back to Earth for comparison with the results obtained from similar pouches mixed on the ground, according to Juliana Neves, a graduate researcher on the experiment at Penn State.

The investigation will ultimately help address two questions, Radlinska said: "How can we use it more sustainably on Earth, and how can we make usage of raw materials present in space and make a concrete-like cement binder in space?"

A commercially-developed device launched aboard the Cygnus mission will test a method of separating liquids in microgravity for Zaiput Flow Technologies, a Massachusetts-based company. The mechanism will use surface tension, instead of gravity as used on Earth, to separate water from an organic solvent, demonstrating a method that could be employed by future expeditions synthesizing chemicals in space or on another planet to produce water and rocket fuel.

The Cygnus supply ship also delivered equipment for astronauts to install outside the space station on a spacewalk scheduled for June 14. The Cygnus also demonstrated during Thursday's rendezvous the first use of a new communications system to allow the station crew to establish radio links with the approaching cargo freighter.

The same proximity communications system will be used by Boeing and SpaceX commercial crew vehicles as they rendezvous with the orbiting complex, and Thursday's demonstration was a step toward verifying the radio functions as intended.

Nine CubeSats packaged inside the Cygnus pressurized cabin will be transferred into the station's Japanese Kibo lab, wh ere astronauts will place them in an airlock for retrieval by a robotic arm, which will position the nanosatellites for release into orbit in the coming months.

The nine CubeSats set for release from the space station are:

[/li]
• CubeRRT, a 6U CubeSat developed at Ohio State University with NASA funding to test a new signal processor to mitigate radio interference impacting microwave radiometer measurements of soil moisture, atmospheric water vapor, sea surface temperature and winds from orbit.
• EQUiSat, a 1U CubeSat developed by Brown University with NASA support as an educational outreach mission, with a secondary objective of demonstrating a new type of battery in space.
• HaloSat, a 6U CubeSat developed at the University of Iowa in partnership with NASA to detect X-ray gas emissions around the Milky Way galaxy.
• MemSat, a 1U CubeSat developed at Rowan University in partnership with NASA, will test a memristor device that could be flown on future satellites to make them more energy efficient and more resilient to power failures.
• RadSat-g, a 3U CubeSat developed at Montana State University in partnership with NASA, will test a new radiation tolerant computer system.
• RainCube, a 6U CubeSat developed at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, will demonstrate the viability and performance of a new expandable Ka-band precipitation radar that can be packaged into a volume to fit in a nanosatellite.
• TEMPEST-D, a 6U CubeSat developed at Colorado State University in partnership with NASA, is a risk mitigation mission for a planned constellation of Earth observation CubeSats that will track the steps in the formation of clouds, precipitation and storms.
• EnduroSat One, a 1U CubeSat developed in Bulgaria, carries an amateur radio payload.
• Radix, a 6U CubeSat owned by a commercial company known as Analytical Space, will test a laser communications terminal planned for use on a future constellation of orbiting data relay nanosatellites to enable high-speed optical downlinks to Earth.
  

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/144561.jpg)
Artist's concept of the TEMPEST-D CubeSat. Credit: Blue Canyon Technologies/Colorado State University

The Cygnus spacecraft is named for J.R. Thompson, the former chief operating officer at Orbital Sciences Corp. who died last year. Thompson served in multiple management positions at Orbital, overseeing development of the Antares rocket and other vehicles in the company's launcher family.

He had a lengthy career at NASA before joining Orbital Sciences, including stints as the space agency's deputy administrator and as director of the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Thompson was manager of the space shuttle main engine development project at Marshall in the 1970s, and he previously served as a liquid propulsion systems engineer on the J-2 engine that flew on the Saturn 5 moon rocket.

Before the Cygnus spacecraft's planned July 15 departure from the station, it will conduct a brief maneuver to reboost the research lab's orbit. It will be the first time a commercial U.S. cargo vehicle has attempted a space station reboost, a capability currently only provided by Russian spacecraft.

Visiting space shuttles and Europe's Automated Transfer Vehicle also provided reboost services before their retirement.

The orbit-raising maneuver will only nudge the space station into a slightly higher orbit, and mission planners have penciled in the reboost demonstration for a time when the research complex is already in the proper orientation for the maneuver, soon after the docking of a Russian Progress cargo freighter in early July.

At that time, the Cygnus spacecraft's main engine, which faces Earth during most of the ship's stay at the space station, will be aligned roughly parallel with Earth's surface with the station's direction of travel, or velocity vector.

"We'll test it out and see if it works, and it definitely opens up options for us in the future," said Kirk Shireman, NASA's space station program manager at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. "We'll continue to have to reboost. The station is reboosted several times a year, and at the end of life, we'll have to deboost the station, and of course, you have to do that very carefully. It's a very large station, and we want to put it in at a specific place over the planet. We'll need a lot of capability at that time as well."

"Our team is excited," said Frank DeMauro, vice president and general manager of Orbital ATK's advanced programs division. "We hope to be able to do that test toward the end of our stay on the ISS, and hopefully that's another aspect of Cygnus that NASA can use in the future."

After leaving the space station, Cygnus will fire its engine to climb into a higher orbit, to an altitude of roughly 310 miles (500 kilometers), for deployment of six more CubeSats.

The final CubeSat deployments include four "Lemur-2" payloads for Spire Global, which builds and operates a fleet of nanosatellites surveying Earth's atmosphere and tracking maritime traffic. The Aerospace Corp.'s AeroCube 12A and 12B spacecraft will also be released to demonstrate new star-tracker imaging sensors, a variety of nanotechnology payloads, advanced solar cells, and an electric propulsion system on one of the two satellites, according to NanoRacks, which provided accommodations for the CubeSats on the Cygnus mission.

At the end of the mission, Cygnus will drop out of orbit and burn up over the South Pacific Ocean with several tons of trash no longer needed on the space station.

Orbital ATK is one of two current providers of commercial resupply services to the station through a contract with NASA. Thursday's delivery marked the ninth successful berthing of a Cygnus spacecraft at the research outpost, and the eighth operational cargo delivery by Orbital ATK.

Counting a launch failure in 2014, the OA-9 flight is the ninth of 11 resupply runs under Orbital ATK's first cargo transportation contract with NASA, which is valued at $2.89 billion, according to the space agency's inspector general.

The agency's other cargo transportation provider, SpaceX, has launched 14 operational logistics missions to date under a $3.04 billion Commercial Resupply Services, or CRS, contract encompassing 20 flights. SpaceX's Dragon capsule also returns several tons of experiments and hardware to Earth on each mission, a capability not offered by any of the station's other U.S., Russian and Japanese supply ships currently in operation.

Like Orbital ATK, SpaceX has suffered one launch failure on a resupply flight.

Orbital ATK and SpaceX have separate follow-on contracts to continue resupplying the space station from 2020 through 2024, along with newcomer Sierra Nevada Corp. Each of the three cargo transportation providers is guaranteed a minimum of six missions under the terms of the new contracts, bringing the total number of flights anticipated by Orbital ATK and SpaceX to 17 and 26, respectively.

Here's a summary of the cargo delivered to the space station by Orbital ATK and SpaceX on their operational missions to date. (NOTE: SpaceX's Dragon capsule is capable of carrying pressurized and unpressurized cargo, and the numbers below include both types of equipment. Mass numbers are sourced from NASA, which on recent missions has only provided cargo masses that include packaging and other stowage materials. If known, the mass figures do not include commercial CubeSats and payloads not transferred into the space station.)

Orbital ATK: 40,117 pounds delivered to space station on eight successful CRS missions

[/li]
• Orb-1/Antares 120: Jan. 9, 2014; 2,780 pounds (1,261 kilograms)
• Orb-2/Antares 120: July 13, 2014; 3,293 pounds (1,494 kilograms)
• Orb-3/Antares 130: Oct. 28, 2014; 4,883 pounds (2,215 kilograms) *Launch failure*
• OA-4/Atlas 5-401: Dec. 6, 2015; 7,383 pounds (3,349 kilograms) *First enhanced Cygnus*
• OA-6/Atlas 5-401: March 22, 2016; 7,228 pounds (3,279 kilograms)
• OA-5/Antares 230: Oct. 17, 2016; 4,870 pounds (2,209 kilograms)
• OA-7/Atlas 5-401: April 18, 2017; 7,442 pounds (3,376 kilograms) *With packaging*
• OA-8/Antares 230: Nov. 12, 2017; 7,118 pounds (3,229 kilograms) *With packaging*
• OA-9/Antares 230: May 21, 2018; 7,205 pounds (3,268 kilograms) *With packaging*
  

SpaceX: 60,534 pounds delivered to space station on 13 successful CRS missions

[/li]
• CRS-1/Falcon 9: Oct. 7, 2012; 881 pounds (400 kilograms)
• CRS-2/Falcon 9: March 1, 2013; 1,267 pounds (575 kilograms)
• CRS-3/Falcon 9: April 18, 2014; 4,605 pounds (2,089 kilograms)
• CRS-4/Falcon 9: Sept. 21, 2014; 4,883 pounds (2,215 kilograms)
• CRS-5/Falcon 9: Jan. 10, 2015; 5,108 pounds (2,317 kilograms)
• CRS-6/Falcon 9: April 14, 2015; 4,184 pounds (1,898 kilograms)
• CRS-7/Falcon 9: June 28, 2015; 5,410 pounds (2,454 kilograms) *Launch failure*
• CRS-8/Falcon 9: April 8, 2016; 6,743 pounds (3,059 kilograms)
• CRS-9/Falcon 9: July 18, 2016; 4,914 pounds (2,229 kilograms)
• CRS-10/Falcon 9: Feb. 19, 2017; 5,319 pounds (2,413 kilograms)
• CRS-11/Falcon 9: June 3, 2017; 5,721 pounds (2,595 kilograms)
• CRS-12/Falcon 9: Aug. 14, 2017; 6,208 pounds (2,816 kilograms)
• CRS-13/Falcon 9: Dec. 15, 2017; 4,861 pounds (2,205 kilograms) *With packaging*
• CRS-14/Falcon 9: April 2, 2018; 5,835 pounds (2,647 kilograms) *With packaging*
  

[свернуть]

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185441.jpg)Ricky Arnold‏Подлинная учетная запись @astro_ricky (https://twitter.com/astro_ricky) 17 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/astro_ricky/status/999645147594928129)

After transiting #Australia (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Australia?src=hash) & the atolls of #Indonesia (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Indonesia?src=hash), @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) arrives to @Space_Station (https://twitter.com/Space_Station) carrying science & supplies to our outpost in space.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/163857.jpg)(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/163858.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/163859.jpg)
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Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/34363.jpg)Oleg Artemyev‏Подлинная учетная запись @OlegMKS (https://twitter.com/OlegMKS) 6 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/OlegMKS/status/999648431294636032)

The @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) cargo ship docked to the @Space_Station (https://twitter.com/Space_Station) earlier this morning. The Spacecraft arrived at the station with approximately 3,35 tons of cargo, supplies and scientific experiments.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/163846.jpg)(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/163847.jpg)(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/163848.jpg)(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/163849.jpg)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/34363.jpg)Oleg Artemyev‏Подлинная учетная запись @OlegMKS (https://twitter.com/OlegMKS) 17 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/OlegMKS/status/999647961998069760)

#Видео (https://twitter.com/hashtag/%D0%92%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE?src=hash): грузовой корабль Cygnus перед стыковкой с МКС

.

#Video (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Video?src=hash): @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) arrives to @Space_Station (https://twitter.com/Space_Station)

Video (https://twitter.com/i/videos/tweet/999647961998069760) (0:32)

Цитировать"We actually started engaging NASA on this topic in the fall of last year," said Mr. DeMauro.  "We have a large engine on the back of the spacecraft that puts out a lot more thrust [than the 32 maneuvering thrusters on Cygnus], and this is the engine we use for orbit raising burns.
"And so we started talking with NASA at the program office about the possibility of Cygnus providing some form of orbit raising capability using that engine.  And one of the things we decided to do earlier this year is to put this Detailed Test Objective in place and at least work through the process of seeing if we could get that approved by NASA and of course specifically the safety review panel."
The NASA program office showed great interest in this potential capability from Cygnus, and NASA and its safety office have been moving through the process of performing the various analyses needed to ensure that using Cygnus while berthed to the Node-1 nadir port to reboost the ISS does not impart dangerous thrust loads onto the structure of the Station.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185347.jpg)Scott D. Tingle‏Подлинная учетная запись @Astro_Maker (https://twitter.com/Astro_Maker) 21 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/Astro_Maker/status/999726676668960769)

Catching Cygnus!

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/163970.jpg)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186158.jpg)金井 宣茂‏Подлинная учетная запись @Astro_Kanai (https://twitter.com/Astro_Kanai) 9 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/Astro_Kanai/status/999611659168698368)

シグナス宇宙船が到着しました！ 今、軌道上にいるクルーの中で、ロボットアームの操縦経験が一番ある、ティングル飛行士による見事なキャプチャーでした。

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/163856.jpg)

ЦитироватьПрибыл корабль Cygnus!

Это был великолепный захват астронавтом Тинглом, у которого лучший опыт управления роботизированной рукой.

ЦитироватьSpace to Ground: Cold Hard Science: 05/25/2018

NASA Johnson (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmheCYT4HlbFi943lpH009Q)

Опубликовано: 25 мая 2018 г.

ЦитироватьCrew Begins Unloading Cygnus, Works Science Ahead of June Crew Swap

Mark Garcia (https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/author/magarcia/)
Posted May 25, 2018 at 12:10 pm

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131448.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/HS37o6)
This view taken from inside the Cupola shows the Orbital ATK space freighter moments before it was grappled with the Canadarm2 robotic arm on May 24, 2018.

The Cygnus resupply ship from Orbital ATK (https://www.nasa.gov/orbital) is now open for business and the Expedition 55 (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition55/index.html) crew has begun unloading the 7,400 pounds of cargo (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/news/OA9_research) it delivered Thursday morning. ...

There are now four spaceships parked at the International Space Station, the newest one having arrived to resupply the crew early Thursday morning. Astronauts Drew Feustel (https://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/biographies/andrew-j-feustel) and Norishige Kanai (http://iss.jaxa.jp/en/astro/biographies/kanai/index.html) opened Cygnus' hatches shortly after it was installed to the Unity module. The cargo carrier will remain attached to the station until July so the astronauts can offload new supplies and repack Cygnus with trash.
...

ЦитироватьOrbital ATK Cygnus OA-9 Berthing to the International Space Station - May 24, 2018

NASA Video (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_aP7p621ATY_yAa8jMqUVA)

Опубликовано: 25 мая 2018 г.

ЦитироватьOrbital ATK Cygnus OA-9 Capture at the International Space Station - May 24, 2018

NASA Video (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_aP7p621ATY_yAa8jMqUVA)

Опубликовано: 25 мая 2018 г.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186040.jpg)Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) 4 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1001154352587902977)

ARTICLE:
Cygnus OA-9E delivers the science, won't be used as experiment module this flight -

https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2018/05/cygnus-oa-9e-science-wont-experiment-module-flight/ ... (https://t.co/xMeUUZcmuQ)

- By Chris Gebhardt (@ChrisG_NSF (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF))

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Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186343.jpg)Chris G - NSF‏ @ChrisG_NSF (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF) 8 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF/status/1001189215428804608)

Cygnus now being unpacked of 1,000 of lbs of #equipment (https://twitter.com/hashtag/equipment?src=hash) & #supplies (https://twitter.com/hashtag/supplies?src=hash), including scientific experiments to be performed over coming weeks & months. Unlike the previous #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash), OA-9E will not be used as a #experiment (https://twitter.com/hashtag/experiment?src=hash) module extension of the @Space_Station (https://twitter.com/Space_Station). https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2018/05/cygnus-oa-9e-science-wont-experiment-module-flight/ ... (https://t.co/HgYRnzL0WP)

ЦитироватьАмериканский космический грузовик 12 июля впервые приподнимет орбиту МКС
Москва. 9 июня. INTERFAX.RU - Первый в истории маневр Международной космической станции (МКС) при помощи американского космического грузовика будет предпринят в середине июля. Об этом сообщил "Интерфаксу" источник в ракетно-космической отрасли в субботу.
"Американский космический грузовик Cygnus впервые в истории приподнимет орбиту МКС 12 июля", - сказал источник.
Дата выбрана в промежутке между стыковкой российского грузового корабля Прогресс МС-09 и расстыковкой Cygnus.
Если испытания пройдут удачно, коррекция орбиты будет производиться поочередно российскими и американскими кораблями.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186040.jpg)Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) 1 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1014176149423972357)

Cygnus mission designations are now getting renamed after Orbital ATK was taken over by Northup Grumman.

On the ISS Status, they are now calling the current mission "OA/NG-9". I would suspect the next will be NG-10.

ЦитироватьISS Daily Summary Report – 7/02/2018

OA-9 Hatch Closure:
The crew has completed loading all trash into the Cygnus vehicle and have closed both the Cygnus and N1 Nader hatches; in this configuration, the crew can temp-stow cargo in the N1 Deck 2 (NO1D2) area. Power and data cables to the spacecraft will remain connected, however, until closer to the planned unberth date of 15-July.

ЦитироватьМосква. 4 июля. INTERFAX.RU - Частный американский космический грузовик через неделю впервые в истории "приподнимет" орбиту Международной космической станции, сообщил "Интерфаксу" источник в ракетно-космической отрасли.
"Назначено время маневра. Двигатели корабля Cygnus, пристыкованного к МКС, будут запущены в 23:25 по Москве 10 июля", - сказал источник.
Маневр займет одну минуту. "Ожидается выдача импульса 6 см/c. При этом орбита станции увеличится на 100 м", - сказал источник.
Ранее сообщалось о переносе маневра на два дня раньше запланированного на 12 июля маневра.
Дата выбрана в промежутке между стыковкой российского грузового корабля "Прогресс МС-09" и расстыковкой Cygnus.
"Маневр при помощи американского корабля будет произведен через 15 часов после стыковки российского космического грузовика с МКС", - сказал источник...

ЦитироватьNASA Television Upcoming Events
Watch NASA TV (https://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html#public)

July 15, Sunday        
8:15 a.m. – Coverage of the Departure of the Northrop Grumman Cygnus CRS-9 Cargo Craft from the International Space Station (Release scheduled at 8:35 a.m. ET)  (All Channels)

Цитироватьtnt22 пишет:
Текущая конфигурация МКС по состоянию на 02:00 UTC 2018-07-10

 https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/208862.png
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/208862.png)

ЦитироватьThe engine on Northrup Grumman's Cygnus cargo ship (https://go.nasa.gov/2x8pV2b) fired for 50 seconds Tuesday at 4:25 p.m. EDT to reboost the station in a test designed to verify an additional capability to adjust the station's altitude, if required. The brief engine firing raised the station's altitude by about 295 feet. Cygnus will depart the station on Sunday (https://www.nasa.gov/feature/northrop-grumman-cygnus-launches-arrivals-and-departures/) after delivering several tons of supplies and science experiments back in May for the six crewmembers on board.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185703.jpg)Northrop Grumman‏Подлинная учетная запись @northropgrumman (https://twitter.com/northropgrumman) 53 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/northropgrumman/status/1016801947721060352)

We're proud that our #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) spacecraft played a key role in successfully boosting the @Space_Station (https://twitter.com/Space_Station)'s altitude today. #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) will depart the station on Sunday after delivering supplies and experiments back in May for the crew members on board. #NorthropGrumman (https://twitter.com/hashtag/NorthropGrumman?src=hash)

ЦитироватьКоррекция орбиты МКС с использованием двигателя корабля Cygnus прошла успешно

Космос (http://tass.ru/kosmos) | 11 июля, 0:31 UTC+3

НЬЮ-ЙОРК, 11 июля. /ТАСС/. Орбита Международной космической станции (МКС) во вторник вечером была успешно скорректирована с использованием двигателя американского грузового корабля Cygnus. Об этом корреспонденту ТАСС сообщил представитель Центра пилотируемых космических полетов имени Линдона Джонсона в Хьюстоне (штат Техас) Дэниел Хуорт.

"Коррекция прошла успешно, - сказал он. - В результате 50-секундного включения двигателей корабля высота полета станции поднялась на 295 футов (около 90 метров). Двигатель корабля работал в штатном режиме".

Первоначально планировалось, что за счет включения двигателя корабля примерно на 60 секунд высота орбиты поднимется в среднем на 156 метров.
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Состыкованный сейчас со станцией корабль Cygnus отделится от нее 15 июля в 15:15 мск.

ЦитироватьCygnus OA-9 Reboost Developmental Test Objective (DTO):Today ground controllers used the Cygnus Delta-V Engine (DVE) to perform a 50-second reboost of ISS. The burn, with a Time of Ignition (TIG) of 3:24:50 PM CT, changed ISS velocity by ~0.05 m/s. Specialists will review data taken during today's DTO in order to verify the feasibility of using Cygnus engines to perform future ISS reboosts.

ЦитироватьThe Cygnus resupply ship (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/structure/launch/orbital.html) will complete its stay at the orbital Sunday at 8:35 a.m. EDT after 52 days attached to the Unity module. Gerst of ESA (European Space Agency) will use the Canadarm2 robotic arm to release Cygnus back into Earth orbit backed up by Auñón-Chancellor of NASA. Cygnus will remain in orbit until July 30 supporting engineering activities before it is deorbited to burn up harmlessly over the Pacific Ocean.

ЦитироватьU.S. cargo craft tests reboost capability at International Space Station
July 11, 2018 (https://spaceflightnow.com/2018/07/) | Stephen Clark (https://spaceflightnow.com/author/stephen-clark/)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/144660.jpg)
The Russian Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft, left, and Northrop Grumman Cygnus cargo craft, right, are seen attached to the International Space Station in June. Credit: NASA

A commercial Northrop Grumman Cygnus supply ship berthed at the International Space Station fired its main engine for 50 seconds Tuesday in a test of the spacecraft's ability to reboost, and possibly eventually deorbit, the massive research outpost.

Ground controllers at Northrop Grumman's mission operations center in Dulles, Virginia, uplinked commands for the Cygnus spacecraft, attached to the space station's Unity module, to ignite its main engine at 4:25 p.m. EDT (2025 GMT) Tuesday.

Before the brief reboost burn, engineers at NASA's mission control center in Houston commanded the space station to re-orient itself to prepare for the Cygnus engine firing, pointing the cargo craft's thruster along the station's direction of travel in orbit more than 250 miles (400 kilometers) above Earth.

The Cygnus spacecraft's BT-4 main engine, supplied by IHI Aerospace of Japan, fired for 50 seconds Tuesday. The engine produces around 100 pounds of thrust, and the maneuver raised the orbit of the roughly 450-ton space station by 295 feet (90 meters).

Спойлер

Frank DeMauro, vice president and general manager of Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems' advanced programs division, said the maneuver went according to plan Tuesday.

"It's been a good day," DeMauro said in an interview with Spaceflight Now after the reboost test. "Today, all told, seemed to go very well. NASA was happy with the maneuver, and we certainly were (pleased) with the performance of the spacecraft.

"The spacecraft performed exactly as we expected," DeMauro said. "We had an on-time ignition of the engine, and an on-time shutdown."

Tuesday's thruster firing was a demonstration of the Cygnus spacecraft's orbit-raising capability before NASA and Northrop Grumman use the Cygnus main engine for longer, more significant reboosts on future missions, which could launch with extra propellant for the job.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/144680.jpg)
The Cygnus spacecraft's main engine is visible on the rear of the supply ship's service module (image left) between the two circular solar arrays. This image was captured May 24 as the spacecraft approached the space station. Credit: NASA

It was the first time a U.S. spacecraft has raised the space station's orbit since the retirement of the space shuttle.

NASA now has commercial resupply contracts with Northrop Grumman, formerly Orbital ATK, and SpaceX to carry cargo to and from the space station. Neither company's spacecraft had tried a reboost maneuver at the space station until Tuesday.

Russian Progress cargo freighters, and the propulsion system on the space station's Russian Zvezda service module, have conducted nearly all of the research lab's orbital maneuvers since the end of the space shuttle program, with the exception of a few reboosts by the European Space Agency's now-retired Automated Transfer Vehicle. Russian mission controllers typically plan several reboost maneuvers per year to counteract the effects of atmospheric drag, which gradually pulls the space station closer to Earth.

Emergency orbit adjustments are also sometimes needed to move the space station out of the way of space junk.

DeMauro said NASA and Northrop Grumman managers began discussing the Cygnus spacecraft's reboost capability last year.

"Now that we were successful today, we hope that we can look toward performing this service in the future, on future missions, and be part of the system that raises the station's orbit, as they do periodically," DeMauro said Tuesday.

Using the Cygnus spacecraft for reboosts "definitely opens up options for us in the future," said Kirk Shireman, NASA's space station program manager, in a press briefing after the Cygnus mission's launch May 21 from Wallops Island, Virginia.

Future Cygnus spacecraft could also be used to lower the station's orbit, helping guide it toward a controlled, destructive re-entry over the remote Pacific Ocean when officials decided to retire the science outpost. The Trump administration has proposed to end direct federal funding for the station in 2025 as NASA turns its attention to deep space exploration, but the research complex could continue flying under commercial management, or under the current government-run international partnership if Congress balks at the White House plan.

"We'll continue to have to reboost ... and at the end of life, we'll have to deboost the station, and of course, you have to do that very carefully," Shireman said. "It's a very large station, and we want to put it in at a specific place over the planet. We'll need a lot of capability at that time as well."

Up to now, Russia has been charged with deorbiting the station, overseeing a plan that would include the launch of multiple robotic Progress freighters in succession to bring down the complex.

"The (Cygnus) spacecraft, as it's currently configured, is really well-suited for the orbit-raising," DeMauro said. "For deorbit, we'd probably have to modify the spacecraft a little bit, maybe add some more thrust, and we could do that by adding more engines. We look at this (test) today as a stepping stone to orbit-raising, and that would be a stepping stone toward the eventual future deorbit of the ISS."

Shireman said in May that officials do not plan to use SpaceX's Dragon cargo capsule for reboosts.

"The reason is more the way the Dragon is configured," Shireman said. "It returns (to Earth), so it carries some extra mass up that Cygnus doesn't have to, and it has the trunk. Really, it's limited by the amount of fuel."

Dragon spaceships return to Earth with parachute-assisted splashdowns in the Pacific Ocean, bringing home equipment and research samples. The Cygnus cargo ships burn up on re-entry, and NASA uses them to dispose of trash.

An upgraded version of the Dragon spacecraft outfitted to carry astronauts will dock with a different port on the space station, a position that could better allow the next-generation crew craft to conduct orbit-raising burns. But Shireman said he expects Cygnus missions to do more reboosts going forward.

"Cygnus has the capabiltiy relatively easily," Shireman said. "We could add on some capability to actually take a lot more propellant up to space station, and do much larger reboosts with Cygnus. I think that's the path we're looking at for right now."

The current Cygnus mission, known as OA-9, is the ninth operational Cygnus resupply flight to the International Space Station, including one spacecraft lost in a launch failure. Future missions will be renamed after Northrop Grumman's acquisition of Orbital ATK last month, with the next Cygnus flight slated for November likely to be called NG-10.

The Cygnus spacecraft arrived at the station May 24 — three days after launching on an Antares rocket from Virginia — and delivered 7,205 pounds (3,268 kilograms) provisions, experiments and other hardware. Astronauts have unpacked the craft's pressurized compartment and replaced the cargo with trash in anticipation of the supply ship's departure Sunday.

Release of the Cygnus spacecraft from the station's robotic arm is planned at 7:35 a.m. EDT (1135 GMT) Sunday, and the cargo craft will raise its orbit later Sunday for deployment of six CubeSats.

Northrop Grumman's control team plans to conduct several more tests of the spacecraft later this month before its scheduled re-entry July 30 over the South Pacific Ocean.

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ЦитироватьThe Northrop Grumman Cygnus space freighter (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/structure/launch/northrop-grumman.html) has been packed full of trash and is due to leave the space station Sunday morning. Flight Engineer Alexander Gerst (http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Human_Spaceflight/Astronauts/Alexander_Gerst) will command the Canadarm2 robotic arm to release Cygnus at 8:35 a.m. EDT as Auñón-Chancellor backs him up. It will orbit Earth until July 30 for engineering studies before burning up harmlessly over the Pacific Ocean.

ЦитироватьJuly 11, 2018
MEDIA ADVISORY M18-104

Coverage Set for Departure of US Cargo Ship from International Space Station

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/207800.jpg) (https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/iss053e311637_0.jpg)
Cygnus cargo spacecraft is set to depart the International Space Station nearly two months after delivery of several tons of supplies and scientific experiments to the orbiting laboratory.
Credits: NASA

Nearly two months after Orbital ATK, now part of Northrop Grumman, delivered several tons of supplies and scientific experiments to the International Space Station aboard its Cygnus cargo spacecraft, the spacecraft is set to depart the orbiting laboratory Sunday, July 15. Live coverage of unberthing and release will air on NASA Television and the agency's website (https://www.nasa.gov/live).

Expedition 56 Flight Engineers Alexander Gerst of ESA (European Space Agency) and Serena Auñón-Chancellor of NASA will use the station's Canadarm2 robotic arm to release Cygnus, dubbed the SS "J.R. Thompson," after a leader in the aerospace industry. Live coverage will begin at 8:15 a.m. EDT for a scheduled release at 8:35 a.m.

Спойлер

Following its release, Cygnus will deploy a series of NanoRacks customer CubeSats. The cargo craft will then remain in orbit for an additional two weeks to allow the Cygnus flight control team to conduct engineering tests. The satellite deployment will not be broadcast on NASA TV.

Cygnus is scheduled to deorbit with thousands of pounds of trash on Monday, July 30, as it burns up harmlessly over the Pacific Ocean while entering Earth's atmosphere. The spacecraft's deorbit will not be broadcast on NASA TV.

Cygnus launched May 21 on an Antares rocket from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia and arrived at the station on May 24, carrying a variety of science and technology investigations (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/news/OA9_research).

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Last Updated: July 13, 2018
Editor: Sean Potter

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186027.jpg)Intl. Space Station‏Подлинная учетная запись @Space_Station (https://twitter.com/Space_Station) 11 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/Space_Station/status/1017808388628140032)

.@NASA (https://twitter.com/NASA) TV will televise when @Astro_Alex (https://twitter.com/Astro_Alex) releases the #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) cargo craft with the @CSA_ASC (https://twitter.com/csa_asc) #Canadarm2 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canadarm2?src=hash) starting at 8:15am ET Sunday. We'll also answer your #AskNASA (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AskNASA?src=hash) questions. https://www.nasa.gov/live  (https://t.co/yuOTrYN8CV)

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ЦитироватьАмериканский космический грузовик Cygnus в воскресенье покинет МКС

00:30 15.07.2018 (обновлено: 07:45 15.07.2018)

ВАШИНГТОН, 15 июл – РИА Новости. Американский грузовой космический корабль Cygnus покинет Международную космическую станцию (МКС) в воскресенье, сообщило НАСА.

Планируется, что грузовой корабль будет отстыкован от станции в 15.35 мск при помощи механического манипулятора Canadarm2. После этого с него будет запущена группа кубсатов для частной компании NanoRacks.

Как сообщили в НАСА, Cygnus будет оставаться на орбите около двух недель для проведения различных экспериментов. Он сойдет с орбиты 30 июля и затем сгорит в верхних слоях атмосферы Земли над Тихим океаном.

Спойлер

Принадлежащий частной компании Orbital ATK корабль Cygnus прибыл на МКС 24 мая, доставив несколько тонн материалов для научных экспериментов, провиант и предметы первой необходимости для экипажа. На прошлой неделе НАСА впервые протестировало возможности Cygnus для корректировки орбиты международной космической станции. Как сообщили в НАСА по итогам теста, в результате краткосрочного включения двигателя корабля орбита МКС была поднята примерно на 90 метров.

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Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185703.jpg)Northrop Grumman‏Подлинная учетная запись @northropgrumman (https://twitter.com/northropgrumman) 10 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/northropgrumman/status/1018458207713456128)

The S.S. J.R. Thompson #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) has been unberthed from @Space_Station (https://twitter.com/Space_Station) and is currently being maneuvered to release position. We remain on track for release at 8:35 am ET this morning.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185703.jpg)Northrop Grumman‏Подлинная учетная запись @northropgrumman (https://twitter.com/northropgrumman) 2 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/northropgrumman/status/1018465193297436673)

#Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) has reached its release position, and our teams are now initializing the spacecraft's guidance, navigation and control system in preparation for release

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67516.jpg)Jonathan McDowell‏Подлинная учетная запись @planet4589 (https://twitter.com/planet4589) 31 сек. назад (https://twitter.com/planet4589/status/1018468480633442305)

The robot cargo ship SS J.R. Thompson (Cygnus OA-9E) was unberthed from the ISS at about 1026 UTC and is on the end of the Canadarm-2 robot arm awaiting release into orbit

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67516.jpg)Jonathan McDowell‏Подлинная учетная запись @planet4589 (https://twitter.com/planet4589) 6 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/planet4589/status/1018469126203944960)

The Thompson will maneuver to a higher orbit and deploy a set of cubesats, then carry out two weeks of engineering tests before being deorbited to burn up over the Pacific

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186040.jpg)Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) 3 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1018470123613708289)

MCC-H gives a GO for release on time. RWS view (Robotic Work Station).

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Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185703.jpg)Northrop Grumman‏Подлинная учетная запись @northropgrumman (https://twitter.com/northropgrumman) 57 сек. назад (https://twitter.com/northropgrumman/status/1018471302502510592)

Today #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) is removing approximately 6,600 lbs of disposable cargo from the @Space_Station (https://twitter.com/Space_Station), a new record for the spacecraft! This critical task keeps the station clean and functional for the crew.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185703.jpg)Northrop Grumman‏Подлинная учетная запись @northropgrumman (https://twitter.com/northropgrumman) 2 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/northropgrumman/status/1018472075848306688)

.@Space_Station (https://twitter.com/Space_Station) crew is GO for release of our CRS-9 #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash)! We remain on track for release at 8:35 am ET

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185703.jpg)Northrop Grumman‏Подлинная учетная запись @northropgrumman (https://twitter.com/northropgrumman) 2 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/northropgrumman/status/1018472443663601664)

After its departure, #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) will release six CubeSats from its @NanoRacks (https://twitter.com/NanoRacks) deployer on board. These shoebox-sized satellites will perform various tasks including weather tracking and solar panel testing.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67516.jpg)Jonathan McDowell‏Подлинная учетная запись @planet4589 (https://twitter.com/planet4589) 18 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/planet4589/status/1018475168631582720)

The J.R. Thompson has been released b Canadarm-2 at about 1236 UTC, carrying about 3000 kg of cargo for deorbit disposal and six cubesats for deployment

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185703.jpg)Northrop Grumman‏Подлинная учетная запись @northropgrumman (https://twitter.com/northropgrumman) 16 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/northropgrumman/status/1018476264179593222)

Departure burn complete! #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) will now go on to release six CubeSats from its on-board @NanoRacks (https://twitter.com/NanoRacks) deployer later today

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185339.jpg)NASA‏Подлинная учетная запись @NASA (https://twitter.com/NASA) 7 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NASA/status/1018482012313841671)

CORRECTION: The #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) cargo spacecraft was released at 8:37 am ET. Details: https://go.nasa.gov/2uBNADV  (https://t.co/0NAWYilSs4)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186040.jpg)Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) 31 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1018477307437166592)

Good departure. Cygnus has departed the Keep Out Sphere (KOS).

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(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/166657.jpg)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186040.jpg)Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) 24 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1018481704615469057)

OA-9E Cygnus has departed the Approach Ellipsoid and that concludes the vehicle's ISS phase of the mission. ISS teams send praise to all involved with the mission. Cygnus will poop out six CubeSats over the next 24 hours and then conduct a destructive re-entry on July 30.

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ЦитироватьAstronauts Release U.S. Spacecraft Completing Cargo Mission

Mark Garcia (https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/author/magarcia/)
Posted Jul 15, 2018 at 8:57 am

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131498.jpg)
The Cygnus cargo craft slowly departs the space station after its release from the Canadarm2 robotic arm. Credit: NASA TV

Expedition 56 Flight Engineers Alexander Gerst of ESA (European Space Agency) and Serena Auñón-Chancellor of NASA commanded the International Space Station's Canadarm2 robotic arm to release the Cygnus cargo spacecraft at 8:37 a.m. EDT. At the time of release, the station was flying 253 miles above the Southeastern border of Colombia. Earlier, ground controllers used the robotic arm to unberth Cygnus.

Спойлер

The departing spacecraft will move a safe distance away from the space station before deploying a series of CubeSats. Cygnus will remain in orbit for two more weeks to allow a flight control team to conduct engineering tests.

Cynus is scheduled to deorbit with thousands of pounds of trash on Monday, July 30, as it burns up harmlessly over the Pacific Ocean while entering the Earth's atmosphere. The satellite deployment and deorbit burn will not be broadcast on NASA Television.

The spacecraft arrived on station May 24 delivering cargo for Orbital ATK's (now Northrop Grumman's) ninth contracted mission under NASA's Commercial Resupply Services contract.

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ЦитироватьАмериканский космический грузовик Cygnus покинул МКС

16:01 15.07.2018

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/133130.jpg)
© NASA (https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/cygnus-spacecraft-attached-to-space-stations-unity-module)

МОСКВА, 15 июл — РИА Новости. Американский грузовой космический корабль Cygnus, прибывший к Международной космической станции (МСК) 24 мая, отстыковался от станции, трансляцию ведет НАСА.

Грузовой корабль был отстыкован от станции в 15.37 мск при помощи механического манипулятора Canadarm2.
Как сообщили в НАСА, Cygnus будет оставаться на орбите около двух недель для проведения различных экспериментов. Он сойдет с орбиты 30 июля и затем сгорит в верхних слоях атмосферы Земли над Тихим океаном.
...

Цитировать

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/151486.png)

Northrop Grumman's Cygnus Spacecraft Begins Secondary Mission in Space

"S.S. J.R. Thompson" departs International Space Station and successfully completes international space station reboost
July 15, 2018

DULLES, Va. – July 15, 2018 –Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) announced that its Cygnus™ spacecraft, following a highly successful stay at the International Space Station, has departed from the station to begin the next phase of its mission. While docked with the station, Cygnus performed a reboost experiment for the International Space Station demonstrating the spacecraft's capability to raise the orbiting laboratory's orbit. The "S.S. J.R. Thompson" is now set to deploy six CubeSats in orbit before reentry into the Earth's atmosphere. This mission marks the fifth time that Cygnus has been used for NanoRacks CubeSat deployments during its secondary payload mission phase.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/190724.jpg)
From May 24, 2018 when the CRS-9 "S.S. J.R. Thompson" Cygnus arrived at the International Space Station and delivered approximately 7,400 pounds of cargo to astronauts on board. The spacecraft successfully departed from the station on July 15. 

Cygnus departed from the International Space Station at 8:37 a.m. ET. Five days before departure, the space station reoriented itself and Cygnus fired its thrusters for the International Space Station reboost demonstration, making Cygnus the first American spacecraft to reboost the station since the retirement of the Space Shuttle fleet seven years ago. The spacecraft spent 52 days at the station before leaving with more than 6,600 pounds (over 3,000 kilograms) of disposable cargo, a new record for Cygnus.

"This mission once again demonstrates the expanded capabilities for Cygnus and paves the way for future mission objectives," said Frank Culbertson, president, space systems group, Northrop Grumman. "Cygnus performed extremely well during the International Space Station orbit raising experiment, and now the next phase of our extended orbital mission is ready to begin with the deployment of six CubeSats."

The mission began May 21 when Cygnus launched aboard a Northrop Grumman Antares™ rocket from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Upon arrival at the orbiting laboratory, Cygnus delivered approximately 7,400 pounds (3,350 kilograms) of cargo and science experiments to the astronauts, marking the company's ninth operational mission to the International Space Station.

Following unberthing, the "S.S. J.R. Thompson" will raise its orbit above the International Space Station and use a NanoRacks CubeSat deployer to release six CubeSats into orbit. Four of the CubeSats will join Spire Global's commercial weather satellite constellation for global ship and weather tracking. The NanoRacks manifest also includes the AeroCube 12A and 12B satellites. These two CubeSats come from the Aerospace Corporation and test new star tracker imagers and high-efficiency solar panels.

The mission is expected to end July 30 when Cygnus will execute a safe, destructive reentry into the Earth's atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean. Stay informed with real-time updates on the science experiments aboard Cygnus through Northrop Grumman's Twitter account: https://twitter.com/northropgrumman.

Спойлер

Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company providing innovative systems, products and solutions in autonomous systems, cyber, C4ISR, strike, and logistics and modernization to customers worldwide. Please visit news.northropgrumman.com (http://www.news.northropgrumman.com/) and follow us on Twitter, @NGCNews (http://www.twitter.com/ngcnews), for more information.

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ЦитироватьCygnus OA-9 Departs the International Space Station

Space Videos (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdF5d0UwSJJunRcRVzP1uDg)

Опубликовано: 15 июл. 2018 г.

ЦитироватьNorthrop Grumman CRS-9 Cygnus unberthing time-lapse

SciNews (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjU6ZwoTQtKWfz1urL7XcbA)

Опубликовано: 15 июл. 2018 г.

The Northrop Grumman Cygnus CRS-9 cargo spacecraft was unberthed from the International Space Station's Earth-facing port of the Unity module by the robotic Canadarm2. The entire operation lasted approximately one hour and was performed by ground controllers on 15 July 2018.

ЦитироватьAstronauts Release U.S. Spacecraft Completing Cargo Mission

NASA Video (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_aP7p621ATY_yAa8jMqUVA)

Опубликовано: 15 июл. 2018 г.
1 час назад

ЦитироватьNorthropGrummanCygnus OA9 Release July15 2018 1215 677546

NASA Video (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_aP7p621ATY_yAa8jMqUVA)

Опубликовано: 15 июл. 2018 г.
10 минут назад

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186040.jpg)Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) 2 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1018596792043261955)

Per OA-9E Cygnus. Orbit will now be ABOVE the ISS for CubeSat releases. Four Spire Global's commercial weather satellite constellation. Also AeroCube 12A and 12B satellites from the Aerospace Corporation and test new star tracker imagers and high-efficiency solar panels.

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ЦитироватьCygnus cargo ship released fr om space station, heads for extended mission
July 15, 2018 (https://spaceflightnow.com/2018/07/) | Stephen Clark (https://spaceflightnow.com/author/stephen-clark/)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/144689.jpg)
The Cygnus supply ship flies away from the International Space Station after release from Canadarm 2 on Sunday. Credit: NASA TV/Spaceflight Now

Closing out 52 days at the International Space Station, an automated Northrop Grumman Cygnus cargo craft left the research outpost Sunday to climb into a higher orbit for deployment of six CubeSats and further engineering experiments, before de-orbiting over Pacific Ocean later this month.

European Space Agency astronaut Alexander Gerst, at the controls of the station's Canadian-built robotic arm, sent the command to release the Cygnus spacecraft a few hours after the supply ship was removed from a berthing port on the station's Harmony module.

Snares on the robot arm's hand opened and released the Cygnus spacecraft at 8:37 a.m. EDT (1237 GMT) Sunday, while the space station soared 253 miles (407 kilometers) over southeastern Colombia.

The Cygnus supply ship completed a departure burn moments later, and cameras aboard the station showed the visiting cargo freighter — now loaded with trash — flying away from the research complex, backdropped with brilliant views of planet Earth.

Спойлер

"It was really cool watching Cygnus depart," astronaut Serena Auñón-Chancellor radioed from the space station. "(It's) almost a little surreal to watch a cargo vehicle like that depart the station, and to see it from a distance. And just think, this was a normal day at the office."

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/144714.jpg)
The Cygnus spacecraft was released from the space station's robot arm at 8:37 a.m. EDT (1237 GMT). A SpaceX Dragon cargo capsule is seen attached to the station, wh ere it has been parked since arriving July 2. Credit: NASA TV/Spaceflight Now

The flight plan called for the Cygnus spacecraft to climb into a higher orbit later Sunday, setting the stage for the release of six CubeSats for Spire Global and Aerospace Corp. The six CubeSats, each around the size of a shoebox, will deploy in pairs from a NanoRacks carrier module mounted on the Cygnus spacecraft over the course of several hours late Sunday and early Monday.

The CubeSats include four "Lemur-2" payloads for San Francisco-based Spire Global, which builds and operates a fleet of nanosatellites surveying Earth's atmosphere and tracking maritime traffic. The Aerospace Corp.'s AeroCube 12A and 12B spacecraft will also be released to demonstrate new star-tracker imaging sensors, a variety of nanotechnology payloads, advanced solar cells, and an electric propulsion system on one of the two satellites.

The launch and deployment of the Lemur-2 and AeroCube nanosatellites was arranged through Houston-based NanoRacks, which provided the CubeSat carrier module on the Cygnus spacecraft.

Following the CubeSat deployments, ground controllers at Northrop Grumman's Cygnus control center in Dulles, Virginia, will put the spacecraft through additional testing over the next two weeks, then uplink commands for the supply ship to fire its engine and drop out of orbit July 30.

The station crew packed around 6,600 pounds (3,000 kilograms) of trash into the Cygnus spacecraft's Italian-built cargo compartment for disposal during the ship's destructive re-entry late this month.

The Cygnus spacecraft arrived at the station May 24 — three days after launching on an Antares rocket from Virginia — and delivered 7,205 pounds (3,268 kilograms) provisions, experiments and other hardware. Astronauts unloaded the cargo and replaced it with garbage tagged for disposal.

The items carried to the station by the Cygnus spacecraft included NASA's Cold Atom Laboratory, a quantum physics experiment to explore the nature of ultra-cold matter, probing the behavior of atoms chilled to extreme temperatures colder than the vacuum of space.

The Cygnus spacecraft, named the S.S. J.R. Thompson after a former NASA deputy administrator and Orbital ATK executive, also delivered nine other CubeSats that were transferred into the station for deployment through the Japanese airlock.

Another first for the Cygnus cargo mission was a test of the supply ship's reboost capability Tuesday. The Cygnus cargo freighter became the first U.S. spacecraft to raise the station's altitude since the retirement of NASA's space shuttle fleet in 2011.

The Cygnus only raised the station's altitude by around 295 feet (90 meters) during a 50-second firing of the ship's main engine, but future maneuvers could employ longer burns for more significant reboosts.

Russian Progress cargo freighters, and the propulsion system on the space station's Russian Zvezda service module, have conducted nearly all of the research lab's orbital maneuvers since the end of the space shuttle program, with the exception of a few reboosts by the European Space Agency's now-retired Automated Transfer Vehicle. Russian mission controllers typically plan several reboost maneuvers per year to counteract the effects of atmospheric drag, which gradually pulls the space station closer to Earth.

NASA plans to use future Cygnus missions for additional orbit-raising burns. There are no plans to use SpaceX's Dragon capsules for reboosts because the Cygnus propulsion system is better-suited for the job, according to Kirk Shireman, NASA's space station program manager.

The Cygnus spacecraft received a new corporate owner while berthed at the International Space Station, thanks to Northrop Grumman's acquisition of Orbital ATK in June.

NASA has multibillion-dollar contracts with Northrop Grumman and SpaceX for station resupply flights. The Cygnus mission concluding this month is the ninth operational cargo mission conducted by Northrop Grumman under a contract valued at $2.89 billion, according to the NASA's inspector general.

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Northrop Grumman's next Cygnus mission to the space station is scheduled for liftoff in November, again aboard an Antares booster launched from Wallops Island, Virginia.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186266.jpg)NanoRacks‏Подлинная учетная запись @NanoRacks (https://twitter.com/NanoRacks) 14 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NanoRacks/status/1018833033246527489)

More #Lemurs (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Lemurs?src=hash) are in orbit, deployed last night from #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash). Congratulations to @SpireGlobal (https://twitter.com/SpireGlobal) on your newest fleet of #CubeSats (https://twitter.com/hashtag/CubeSats?src=hash)!

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186266.jpg)NanoRacks‏Подлинная учетная запись @NanoRacks (https://twitter.com/NanoRacks) 6 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NanoRacks/status/1018861712240467968)

We welcome the newest #LEMURs (https://twitter.com/hashtag/LEMURs?src=hash) to orbit! Congratulations @SpireGlobal (https://twitter.com/SpireGlobal) - always a pleasure teaming with you to grow the Spire #CubeSat (https://twitter.com/hashtag/CubeSat?src=hash) constellation.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186061.jpg)Spire‏ @SpireGlobal (https://twitter.com/SpireGlobal) 4 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/SpireGlobal/status/1018783815861489664)

For those keeping score at home, the new satellite names are: LEMUR2-TOMHENDERSON, LEMUR2-YUASA, LEMUR2-ALEXANDER, and LEMUR2-VU

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Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185566.jpg)Alexander Gerst‏Подлинная учетная запись @Astro_Alex (https://twitter.com/Astro_Alex) 4 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/Astro_Alex/status/1018797668296994816)

A last orbit past the Southern Aurora. We undocked and released the Cygnus cargo space ship with the #ISS (https://twitter.com/hashtag/ISS?src=hash) robotic arm yesterday, about to complete a flawless science & cargo mission. #Horizons (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Horizons?src=hash)

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Спойлер

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Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/187505.jpg) (https://vk.com/olegmks) Космонавт Олег Артемьев (https://vk.com/olegmks)
три часа назад (https://vk.com/wall-145399996_3187)

Вчера американский грузовой корабль Cygnus покинул космическую станцию.

Отстыковка произошла с помощью манипулятора Canadarm2. На одной из фотографий мы с Дрю представили себя на рабочем места манипулятора, но на самом деле корабль отстыковывали Алекс и Серина.

https://cs611901.vkuservideo.net/18/u3913067/videos/6033523d1b.1080.mp4 (https://cs611901.vkuservideo.net/18/u3913067/videos/6033523d1b.1080.mp4)
(video (https://cs611901.vkuservideo.net/18/u3913067/videos/6033523d1b.1080.mp4) 0:28 )

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Спойлер

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https://pp.userapi.com/c845416/v845416156/9fe00/l1sLCB284S4.jpg
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Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186061.jpg)Spire‏ @SpireGlobal (https://twitter.com/SpireGlobal) 3 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/SpireGlobal/status/1018894041595854848)

Today, we welcomed our first four ADS-B (plane tracking) enabled satellites to orbit! Thanks to everyone @NanoRacks (https://twitter.com/NanoRacks) @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK) #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash) @Space_Station (https://twitter.com/Space_Station) for the support.

ЦитироватьNanoRacks Completes Fifth External Cygnus Deployment, Six More CubeSats in Orbit

July 16, 2018

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/121450.jpg)

Dulles, Virginia July 16, 2018 –Yesterday evening, NanoRacks successfully deployed six CubeSats from the Company's CubeSat deployer mounted on the outside of the Cygnus spacecraft. This brings the overall count to 223 small satellites deployed into low-Earth orbit.

The ninth contracted resupply mission from Orbital ATK (now Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems) launched on May 21, 2018, carrying NanoRacks' fifth mission providing opportunities for CubeSat deployment from Cygnus after the vehicle departs from the International Space Station. Prior to launch, the NanoRacks External Cygnus Deployer (http://nanoracks.com/products/external-cygnus-deployment/) is installed on the exterior of the Cygnus service module with the capability to deploy satellites after the spacecraft completes its primary space station commercial resupply mission.

The Cygnus spacecraft was raised to over 480 kilometers after departing the International Space Station before the CubeSats were released.

NanoRacks deployed the following satellites:

[/li]
• Lemurs (4 Satellites) – Spire Global, Inc.
• AeroCube 12A – Aerospace Corporation
• AeroCube 12B – Aerospace Corporation
  

Спойлер

"This mission truly builds on NanoRacks vision of repurposing in-space hardware," says NanoRacks Chief Technology Officer, Mike Lewis. "This Cygnus spacecraft carried out a primary mission to the Space Station, re-boosted the Station, and then deployed numerous small satellites from a diverse group of customers. We're proud to remain a key player in these mission-extending operations while simultaneously providing reliable opportunities for the satellite community.

Last week, NanoRacks completed the Company's 14th CubeSat deployment mission (http://nanoracks.com/14th-cubesat-deployment-from-iss/) from the International Space Station.

NanoRacks would like to thank Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems and the NASA International Space Station Program Office for their continued support of NanoRacks satellite deployment programs.

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Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67516.jpg)Jonathan McDowell‏Подлинная учетная запись @planet4589 (https://twitter.com/planet4589) 3 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/planet4589/status/1018954538441760771)

Latest TLEs for the SS J.R. Thompson cargo ship show it in the higher 477 x 482 km orbit where it deployed the Lemurs and Aerocubes. No TLEs for any of the recent cubesat deploys yet

ЦитироватьОтстыковка американского грузового корабля Cygnus. 15.07.18

Oleg A (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3WTLNvjfzpo-cdk6LgbVTg)

Опубликовано: 16 июл. 2018 г.

Цитировать

Spire's First 4 ADS-B Equipped Satellites Enter Orbit

JULY 16 2018

Today was an important day for Spire and for the aviation industry as 4 new LEMUR2 satellites entered orbit carrying Spire's new AirSafe payload alongside their usual suite of ship and weather tracking sensors. They begin the process of adding complete global plane tracking coverage to our constellation of nanosatellites.

Aircraft tracking is a critical need globally. Ground-based tracking only goes so far and the expense of operating ground sites in remote locations is often so cost prohibitive that no one wants to be the company that does it. By putting aircraft tracking onto Spire satellites, we will alleviate those concerns and fill the large gaps in coverage.

These satellites mark the 78th through 81st LEMUR2 satellites to reach orbit (bringing our current total in orbit to 61). Spire's satellites are launched in Low Earth Orbit where they experience short (under 5 year) lifespans. By launching and replacing satellites often, Spire is consistently increasing the capability of the constellation. Today's deployment is a great example of how this strategy can bring entirely new technologies to orbit quickly.

Like any LEMUR2 satellites, these four will be put through a battery of tests. Once passed, they will enter production mode where they produce data for all of Spire's products – including Spire AirSafe.

ЦитироватьISS Daily Summary Report – 7/16/2018

Cygnus Unberth:
On Saturday, the crew completed the Node1 vestibule depressurization and started the associated vestibule leak checks. On Sunday, once the crew completed leak check activities, robotics ground controllers used the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) to uninstall the Cygnus vehicle from the ISS at 5:04am CDT. At 7:36am CDT, the crew released Cygnus and monitored its departure. Cygnus will free-fly for 15 days prior to re-entry and will deploy external NanoRacks satellites above and behind ISS during that time. ...

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185703.jpg)Northrop Grumman‏Подлинная учетная запись @northropgrumman (https://twitter.com/northropgrumman) 18 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/northropgrumman/status/1019243102148661248)

We are excited to announce that all six cubesats have successfully been deployed from our CRS-9 #Cygnus (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash)! The spacecraft will remain in orbit for another 2 weeks. #NorthropGrumman (https://twitter.com/hashtag/NorthropGrumman?src=hash)

https://video.twimg.com/amplify_video/1019243077981130752/vid/532x360/ZExXtCbXSrcz-61l.mp4?tag=3 (https://video.twimg.com/amplify_video/1019243077981130752/vid/532x360/ZExXtCbXSrcz-61l.mp4?tag=3)
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ЦитироватьNZZO
 
B4114/18 - TEMPO DANGER AREA NZD027 (EAST AUCKLAND OCEANIC FIR) IS PRESCRIBED
AS FLW:
ALL THAT AIRSPACE BOUNDED BY A LINE JOINING
30 30 00 S 131 00 00 W
50 00 00 S 131 00 00 W
50 00 00 S 160 00 00 W
30 30 00 S 160 00 00 W
30 30 00 S 131 00 00 W
ACTIVITY: SPACE DEBRIS RETURN
USER AGENCY: FOREIGN SPACE AGENCY
PRESCRIBED PURSUANT TO CIVIL AVIATION RULE PART 71 UNDER A DELEGATED
AUTHORITY ISSUED BY THE DIRECTOR OF CIVIL AVIATION. SFC - FL999, 30 JUL 20:45
2018 UNTIL 30 JUL 22:45 2018. CREATED: 10 JUL 00:17 2018

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AEROCUBE 12 DEPLOYS FROM ISS

Aerospace's latest AeroCubes deployed July 15 from the International Space Station with the goal of demonstrating new star-tracking imaging sensors and testing advanced solar cells and a variety of nanotechnology payloads.

July 16, 2018

Aerospace's latest AeroCubes deployed July 15 from the International Space Station (ISS) with the goal of demonstrating new star-tracking imaging sensors and testing advanced solar cells and a variety of nanotechnology payloads.

AeroCube 12 A and B, two nearly identical 3U CubeSats, were developed in support of the U.S. Air Force and launched May 21 on an Antares 230/Cygnus Commercial Resupply Service mission to the ISS.

Спойлер

"Our CubeSats are always pushing the technological edge, and the AeroCube 12 duo is no exception," said senior project engineer Carrie O'Quinn (https://aerospace.org/person/carrie-l-oquinn).

The star trackers being tested on AeroCube 12 have a higher sensitivity than other star trackers in the same size and weight category. These star trackers have the potential to provide future small satellites with higher precision star-tracking capability without the added mass and volume of the larger, more capable star trackers currently on the market.

The nanotechnology payloads will test new and emerging materials (including structural materials, epoxies, and cables) in a space environment. The advanced solar cells will also be tested to determine their on-orbit performance, including any degradation with exposure to the space environment.

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ЦитироватьWeather-monitoring and tech demo CubeSats deployed in orbit
July 21, 2018 (https://spaceflightnow.com/2018/07/) | Stephen Clark (https://spaceflightnow.com/author/stephen-clark/)

Fifteen CubeSats owned by NASA, Spire Global, and U.S. research institutions launched aboard a Northrop Grumman Cygnus cargo ship in May have been released into orbit, beginning missions to demonstrate miniaturized, low-cost Earth science instruments and join a commercial network of weather-monitoring nanosatellites.

Nine of the satellites were released July 13 from a NanoRacks deployer outside the International Space Station, and six more sprung out of a NanoRacks carrier module mounted to the exterior of the Cygnus supply ship July 15, hours after the automated freighter departed the station.
...
Another six nanosats were stowed aboard a deployer outside the Cygnus spacecraft itself, awaiting separation after the supply ship's departure from the space station July 15.

Спойлер

After the Northrop Grumman cargo ship left the station, it raised its orbit to an altitude of more than 300 miles (480 kilometers), setting the stage for the release of six CubeSats for Spire Global and Aerospace Corp. The six CubeSats, each around the size of a shoebox, deployed in pairs from a NanoRacks carrier module mounted on the Cygnus spacecraft over the course of several hours.

The CubeSats included four "Lemur-2" payloads for San Francisco-based Spire Global, which builds and operates a fleet of nanosatellites surveying Earth's atmosphere and tracking maritime traffic. The Lemur-2s deployed July 15 were Spire's first satellites to carry aircraft tracking receivers alongside the standard marine surveillance and weather-monitoring payloads.

The Aerospace Corp.'s AeroCube 12A and 12B spacecraft were also released to demonstrate new star-tracker imaging sensors, a variety of nanotechnology payloads, advanced solar cells, and an electric propulsion system on one of the two satellites.

The Cygnus cargo freighter is loaded with trash from the space station, and ground controllers at Northrop Grumman's operations center in Virginia will command the supply ship to re-enter the atmosphere July 30, when it will burn up over the Pacific Ocean.

With the Cygnus spacecraft's CubeSat deployments, Houston-based NanoRacks said it has accommodated the release of 223 small satellites in orbit, including 185 from the space station itself.

NanoRacks is developing a dedicated commercial airlock for the space station to support more small satellite deployments, along with other unpressurized experiments outside the research outpost.

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ЦитироватьCancer Study Prepped for Earth Return Amid Time Perception Research

Mark Garcia (https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/author/magarcia/)
Posted Jul 30, 2018 at 12:37 pm

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/131494.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/29DkWBZ)
The Cygnus space freighter was pictured July 15 , 2018, poised for release from the Canadarm2 robotic arm back into Earth orbit ending a 52-day cargo mission at the International Space Station.

... U.S. cargo craft, the Northrop Grumman Cygnus (https://www.nasa.gov/feature/northrop-grumman-cygnus-launches-arrivals-and-departures/) resupply ship released from the space station on July 15 (https://go.nasa.gov/2uBNADV), is getting ready to end its stay in space today. The Cygnus was detached from the station's Harmony module in mid-July and has been orbiting Earth for engineering research. It is due to burn up harmlessly over the Pacific Ocean at 5:07 p.m. today.

ЦитироватьNorthrop Grumman's Cygnus Spacecraft Successfully Concludes Ninth Cargo Supply Mission to the International Space Station

July 30, 2018

DULLES, Va. – July 30, 2018 – Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) announced that its "S.S. J.R. Thompson" Cygnus™ spacecraft successfully completed its ninth cargo supply mission to the International Space Station under NASA's Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-1) contract. The spacecraft removed more than 6,600 pounds (over 3,000 kilograms) of disposable cargo, a new record for Cygnus. The "S.S. J.R. Thompson" also successfully executed secondary missions that included the demonstration of Cygnus' ability to reboost the space station and the deployment of six CubeSats into orbit from a NanoRacks CubeSat deployer.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/190725.jpg)
From July 15, 2018 when Northrop Grumman's "S.S. J.R. Thompson" Cygnus spacecraft left the International Space Station after delivering approximately 7,400 pounds of cargo to astronauts on board. The spacecraft successfully concluded its ninth cargo supply mission on July 30. (Credit: NASA)

The mission officially concluded on July 30 at 5:17 p.m. ET when Cygnus performed a safe, destructive re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean east of New Zealand. The spacecraft remained docked for 52 days at the orbiting laboratory and departed the space station on July 15.

Спойлер

"From launch to our safe re-entry, the 'S.S. J.R. Thompson' performed every phase of this mission perfectly," said Frank Culbertson, president, space systems group, Northrop Grumman. "We now turn our attention toward final preparations for the next Cygnus cargo mission later this year with a continued focus on supporting the needs of the crew members aboard the International Space Station, as well as enabling crucial research programs in space."

The mission began May 21 when Cygnus launched aboard a Northrop Grumman Antares™ rocket from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Upon arrival at the orbiting laboratory, Cygnus delivered approximately 7,400 pounds (3,350 kilograms) of cargo, supplies and scientific experiments to the astronauts.

Pending NASA's specific cargo needs, Northrop Grumman is prepared to launch an additional CRS mission later this year aboard the company's Antares rocket from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility.

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ЦитироватьBye bye Cygnus

European Space Agency, ESA (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIBaDdAbGlFDeS33shmlD0A)

Опубликовано: 31 авг. 2018 г.

ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst and NASA astronaut Serena Auñón-Chancellor commanded the International Space Station's 16-m robotic arm to release a #Cygnus (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23Cygnus) supply spacecraft to burn up harmlessly over Earth.

The duo set up the robotic workstation in the European-built Cupola module to follow operations from the observatory. You can see Alexander opening the protective shutters from a window at the start of the video.

The spacecraft was released at 14:17 GMT on 15 July 2018 as the International Space Station flew over Colombia.

Cygnus spent two weeks orbiting Earth on its own allowing engineers to conduct tests as well as releasing a series of miniature satellites before ending its mission.