Cygnus OA-8 (CRS-8 ) - Antares-230 - MARS LP-0A - 12.11.1017 12:19 UTC

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Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK 54 мин. назад

Our #Cygnus spacecraft is carrying 14 @NanoRacks cubesats to deploy after its departure from @Space_Station

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Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK 28 мин. назад

We're excited to partner with @HigherOrbits to launch student-designed experiments to @Space_Station on #OA8

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https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/2017/11/10/about-the-science-whats-on-board-oa-8/

Rob Garner
Posted on November 10, 2017

About the Science: What's on Board OA-8

Orbital ATK will launch its Antares rocket at 7:37 a.m. EST on Nov. 11, 2017, from Virginia Space's Mid Atlantic Regional Spaceport at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. The Cygnus spacecraft atop Antares is loaded with 7,400 pounds of cargo for the International Space Station. Apart from food and other equipment, much of this cargo is research-geared, supporting 300 new or ongoing scientific investigations occurring as part of the International Space Station's Expedition 53-54.

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Here are some highlights of research that will be delivered to the station:

Investigation tests bacterial antibiotic resistance in microgravity
Antibiotic resistance could pose a danger to astronauts, especially since microgravity has been shown to weaken human immune response. E. coli AntiMicrobial Satellite (EcAMSat) will study microgravity's effect on bacterial antibiotic resistance. The experiment will expose two strains of E. coli, one with a resistance gene, the other without, to three different doses of antibiotics, then examine the viability of each group. Results from this investigation could contribute to determining appropriate antibiotic dosages to protect astronaut health during long-duration human spaceflight and help us understand how antibiotic effectiveness may change as a function of stress on Earth.


EcAMSAT, undergoes thermal vacuum power management testing at NASA Ames. The test simulates the thermal vacuum and power environment of space and is an element of the spacecraft's flight validation testing program. Credit: NASA

CubeSat used as a laser communication technology testbed
Traditional laser communication systems use transmitters that are far too large for small spacecraft. The Optical Communication Sensor Demonstration (OCSD) tests the functionality of laser-based communications using CubeSats that provide a compact version of the technology. Results from OCSD could lead to significantly enhanced communication speeds between space and Earth and a better understanding of laser communication between small satellites in low-Earth orbit.

Hybrid solar antenna seeks solution to long distance communications in space
As space exploration increases, so will the need for improved power and communication technologies. The Integrated Solar Array and Reflectarray Antenna (ISARA), a hybrid solar power panel and communication solar antenna that can send and receive messages, tests the use of this technology in CubeSat-based environmental monitoring. ISARA may provide a solution for sending and receiving information to and from faraway destinations, both on Earth and in space.

Nitrogen fixation process tested in microgravity environment
The Biological Nitrogen Fixation in Microgravity via Rhizobium-Legume Symbiosis (Biological Nitrogen Fixation) investigation examines how low-gravity conditions affect the nitrogen fixation process of Microclover, a resilient and drought tolerant legume. The nitrogen fixation process, a process by which nitrogen in the atmosphere is converted into a usable form for living organisms, is a crucial element of any ecosystem necessary for most types of plant growth. This investigation could provide information on the space viability of the legume's ability to use and recycle nutrients and give researchers a better understanding of this plant's potential uses on Earth.

Life cycle of alternative protein source studied
Mealworms are high in nutrients and one of the most common sources of alternative protein in developing countries. The Effects of Microgravity on the Life Cycle of Tenebrio Molitor (Tenebrio Molitor) investigation studies how the microgravity environment affects the mealworm life cycle. In addition to alternative protein research, this investigation will provide information about animal growth under unique conditions.

Investigation studies advances in plant and crop growth in space
The Life Cycle of Arabidopsis thaliana in Microgravity investigation studies the formation and functionality of the Arabidopsis thaliana, a mustard plant with a well-known genome that makes it ideal for research, in microgravity conditions. The results from this investigation will contribute to an understanding of plant and crop growth in space, a vital aspect to long-term spaceflight missions.

The Biological Nitrogen Fixation and Tenebrio Molitor are student investigations in the Go for Launch! – Higher Orbits program and sponsored by Space Tango and the ISS National Lab, which is managed by the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS). The Arabidopsis thaliana investigation, also a student investigation, is a part of the Magnitude.io program, sponsored by Space Tango and CASIS.

OA-8 marks Orbital ATK's eighth cargo delivery mission to the space station, and the research on board will join many other investigations currently happening aboard the orbiting laboratory. Follow @ISS_Research for more information about the science happening on station.

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Jeff Foust‏ @jeff_foust 2 ч. назад

Henry Martin, NanoRacks: for first time we're flying full set of 14 cubesats on Cygnus external deployers; will release at 500 km altitude after Cygnus departs ISS. #OA8

1 ч. назад

Elwood Agasid of NASA discussing two of the cubesat missions on #OA8: ISARA (test of integrated Ka-band antenna) and OCSD (optical comms and prox ops).

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Orbital ATK CRS-8 Prelaunch Mission Status Briefing

NASA

Опубликовано: 10 нояб. 2017 г.

NASA commercial cargo provider Orbital ATK is scheduled to launch its eighth mission to the International Space Station at 7:37 a.m. EST Saturday, Nov. 11 from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Live launch coverage will begin at 7 a.m. on NASA Television and the agency's website. On Friday, Nov. 10 mission managers provided an overview of the mission, and status of launch operations during a prelaunch briefing. Under NASA's Commercial Resupply Services contract, Cygnus will carry about 7,400 pounds of crew supplies and hardware to the space station, including science and research in support of dozens of research investigations that will occur during Expeditions 53 and 54.

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https://www.orbitalatk.com/news-room/feature-stories/OA8-Mission-Page/default.aspx

Mission Update

...
Additoinal launch information including a launch profile, mission description and fact sheets can be found below.

Antares Launch Profile

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Orbital ATK CRS-8 Prelaunch Science Briefing

NASA

Опубликовано: 10 нояб. 2017 г.

(1:10:55)

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NASA Wallops‏Подлинная учетная запись @NASA_Wallops 1 ч. назад

Countdown has stared for an @OrbitalATK #Antares rocket to @Space_Station, delivering scientific investigations. Launch is at 7:37 a.m. ET Watch at 7 am ET: http://go.nasa.gov/2hqPYuI

11/11/2017 09:32

The countdown began on time to begin final preps for today's 7:37 a.m. EST (1237 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 3 a.m. EST (0800 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 1 a.m. EST (0600 GMT), with voice checks and opening of the prelaunch checklist at 1:22 a.m. EST (0622 GMT).

Propellant loading should begin around 90 minutes prior to liftoff.

Spaceflight Now‏ @SpaceflightNow 54 мин. назад

The Antares launch countdown is underway at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia for liftoff at 7:37am EST (1237 GMT) on a space station resupply mission. Listen to the Orbital ATK team conduct their pre-flight checks: https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/11/10/oa-8-mission-status-center/ ...

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Spaceflight Now‏ @SpaceflightNow 42 мин. назад

A cold airmass is in place over the Antares launch pad in Virginia, with the current temperature around 30 degrees Fahrenheit. But there are no weather concerns that could prohibit liftoff at 7:37am EST (1237 GMT). https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/11/10/oa-8-mission-status-center/ ...

Updated: 11/11/2017 10:25

The launch weather officer at Wallops just briefed the Antares team, and the outlook remains favorable for liftoff at 7:37 a.m. EST (1237 GMT), about one hour after sunrise on Virginia's Eastern Shore.

A cold airmass is in place over the launch base, with current temperatures on Wallops Island measured at 30 degrees Fahrenheit, and a wind chill of 20 degrees. Mostly clear skies are observed over the launch pad.

There is less than a 5 percent chance of weather conditions exceeding launch commit limits. At launch time, the weather office predicts a few low-level clouds, scattered high-level clouds, light northerly winds, and a temperature of 27 to 29 degrees Fahrenheit.

The low temperature constraint for an Antares launch is 20 degrees.

"We are currently not tracking any issue and are not expecting any at T-0."

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11/11/2017 10:43

The Antares launch team is powering up the vehicle for pre-launch tests at this time.

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Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight 5 ч. назад

FEATURE ARTICLE: Antares ready for Cygnus CRS-8 mission to the ISS - https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/11/antares-cygnus-crs-8-iss/ ... - By William Graham. Additional Antares and Cygnus renders by Nathan Koga (@kogavfx) #Antares #OA8 #Cygnus

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Antares ready for Cygnus CRS-8 mission to the ISS
November 10, 2017 by William Graham

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https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/11/11/photos-antares-rocket-stands-atop-virginia-launch-pad/

Photos: Antares rocket stands atop Virginia launch pad
November 11, 2017 Stephen Clark

Orbital ATK's seventh Antares rocket stands ready for launch with a Cygnus supply ship Saturday on a two-day flight to the International Space Station.

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The two-stage Antares rocket, standing 139 feet (42.5 meters) tall, is set for liftoff at 7:37 a.m. EST (1237 GMT) Saturday from pad 0A at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Wallops Island, Virginia.

Nearly 7,400 pounds (3,350 kilograms) of scientific hardware, crew supplies and spare parts are packed inside the Cygnus spacecraft to replenish the station's stockpile of research and provisions.

These photos from Wallops Island were captured on Friday evening, the day before the Antares rocket's scheduled liftoff.

Read our full story for details on the mission.


Credit: Alex Polimeni/Spaceflight Now


Credit: Alex Polimeni/Spaceflight Now


Credit: Alex Polimeni/Spaceflight Now


Credit: Alex Polimeni/Spaceflight Now


Credit: Alex Polimeni/Spaceflight Now


Credit: Alex Polimeni/Spaceflight Now


Credit: Alex Polimeni/Spaceflight Now


Credit: Alex Polimeni/Spaceflight Now


Credit: Alex Polimeni/Spaceflight Now


Credit: Alex Polimeni/Spaceflight Now

IMG WIDTH=675 HEIGHT=450]https://assets.cdn.spaceflightnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/11080734/oa_8_pad-12.jpg[/IMG];
Credit: Alex Polimeni/Spaceflight Now


Credit: Alex Polimeni/Spaceflight Now


Credit: Alex Polimeni/Spaceflight Now

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http://spaceflight101.com/cygnus-oa8/cargo-overview/

Cygnus OA-8 Cargo Overview

Cygnus OA-8 is the eighth operational cargo-delivery mission by Orbital ATK's Cygnus spacecraft under NASA's Commercial Resupply Services Program to keep the International Space Station stocked up on supplies and deliver new experiments. The mission features a demonstration of the TangoLab laboratory facility to allow Cygnus to double as a temporary science module and the craft will deploy a record number of CubeSats after departing the Space Station following a planned one-month stay.

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Photo: NASA

The mission is officially designated Cygnus OA-8E to denote it is part of an extension to the original Commercial Resupply Service 1 contract to bridge a gap to the start of CRS-2 missions that will cover the Station's cargo needs through the first half of the 2020s. Under the extension, Orbital ATK received an additional three mission orders through February 2019 while CRS-1 partner SpaceX received a contract extension of eight additional Dragon 1 missions starting in late 2017 and running through 2020.


The first launch of the re-engined Antares – Photo: NASA

Orbital ATK's Cygnus made its first launch in 2013 atop the company's Antares rocket followed by a pair of operational missions before Antares encountered a catastrophic launch failure on the Orb-3 mission in October 2014 – causing a long stand-down of Antares launch operations. While Antares was being redesigned to use new engines, a pair of Cygnus missions launched on Atlas V rockets to keep up a steady chain of supplies headed to ISS. Although the revamped Antares successfully debuted in October 2016, Orbital ATK placed the OA-7 mission on an Atlas V to ensure it could keep up its obligations to NASA and avoid excessive pressure in getting the second Antares 200 rocket to the launch pad.

Starting with OA-8E, all remaining Cygnus missions under CRS-1 will be flying on Antares 230 rockets that now use Russian-built RD-181 engines instead of the AJ26 engines that were implicated in the failure of Orb-3 and had also shown problems on the test stand. Offering a higher performance, the RD-181 also allow Cygnus to be loaded with a greater cargo mass for delivery to the International Space Station.


Cygnus Mission Profile – Credit: Orbital ATK


OA-8 Processing – Photo: NASA

The Cygnus OA-8E mission is carrying a total cargo upmass of 3,338 Kilograms, comprised of the typical mixture of science investigations, crew supplies, maintenance gear and spacewalk equipment.

The spacecraft is also hosting a NanoRacks CubeSat Deployer loaded with 14 CubeSats for deployment after Cygnus departs ISS into an independent orbit around 500 Kilometers in altitude to give the satellites additional lifetime compared to deployment directly into the ISS orbit. The experiment hardware aboard the Cygnus OA-8E satellite supports dozens of over 250 experiments underway as part of ISS Expeditions 53/54, taking advantage of having four crew members on the U.S. segment to ramp up the Station's science program.

[/li]
• Total Cargo Upmass: 3,338 kg
• Total Pressurized Cargo: 3,229 kg
• Science Investigations: 740 kg
• Crew Supplies: 1,240 kg
• Vehicle Hardware: 851 kg
• Spacewalk Equipment: 132 kg
• Computer Resources: 34 kg
  

[/li][li]Unpressurized Cargo: 109 kg
[/li][/LIST]

The Cygnus OA-8 spacecraft has been named the S.S. Gene Cernan after former Astronaut Eugene Cernan who passed away in January 2017. Cernan flew as part of Project Gemini, traveled to the Moon and back on Apollo 10 in the 'grand rehearsal' for the historic Apollo 11 mission and returned to the Moon in 1972, becoming the last human to leave a footprint on the Moon under program Apollo.

OA-8 is set for liftoff in November 2017 and is booked for a month-long stay at the Space Station to facilitate the transfer of internal cargo to the Space Station and the demonstration of the TangoLab system. Two powered polar freezers will launch aboard the Cygnus, loaded with cold stowage items including various samples to be exposed to the space environment.

ExoLab and Arabidopsis thaliana

The "Life Cycle of Arabidopsis thaliana in Microgravity" experiment studies the morphology and physiology of thale cress using modular growth chambers for microgravity studies. Plants are grown fr om germinated seeds under automated light, temperature and nutrient conditions while cameras document the growth at every stage to determine plant viability and the effectiveness of the cultivation modules and nutrient treatment.


Photo: magnitude.io

The experiment is flown on an ExoLab experiment platform designed by magntitude.io as a new type of educational tool to bring together classrooms and the International Space Station for an investigation of the effects of microgravity on living things, accompanied by lesson material for grades 6 through 8. "Working with school districts across the United States along with the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space, Magnitude.io seeks to provide an extraordinary exobiology experience mapped to accepted local science standards while dramatically reducing the cost to access experiments in space," the company said on its project website.

The initiative includes a space-based experiment to be performed in December 2017 and ground-based experiments schools can perform in identical ExoLab facilities procured fr om magnitude.io. Students can look for relationships between the environmental conditions found on Earth and in the space environment that may impact how the plants develop and grow.


Photo: magnitude.io

The ExoLab facility is hosted by the TangoLab facility and is designed based on the CubeSat specification, measuring 10 x 10 x 22 centimeters in size (2 CubeSat Units) and hosting a series of sensors and the plant growth chamber itself. Sensor equipment on ExoLab includes luminosity, temperature, carbon dioxide and humidity sensors as well as a camera to document plant growth. The system transmits its data through the Station's WiFi network and data will be accessible online after downlink fr om orbit.

Arabidopsis thaliana has been chosen as a model organism for the experiment since it is a very well understood species and has been used in numerous previous space experiments. It is particularly well suited for a space-based experiment due to its small size and fast growth rate, allowing multiple plants to be studied.

Tenebrio Molitor

Tenebrio Molitor, going by the full name of "Effects of Microgravity on the Life Cycle of Tenebrio Molitor," explores how the microgravity environment affects the life cycle of mealworms which are considered good test subjects since they are well-studied organisms. The automated experiment apparatus, also hosted in the TangoLab facility, will collect regular imagery of mealworm growth stages fr om larva to adult life to be compared to mealworms developing on Earth with sample returned to Earth for additional laboratory analysis after exposure to space.


TangoLab aboard ISS – Photo: NASA/SpaceTango

Mealworms are of profound importance on Earth since they are able to survive on a minimal fiber-based diet while representing the most popular source of alternative protein in the developing world and considered critical for future Earth population maintenance. A space-based experiment looking into the adaptation or altered growth phases in mealworms may highlight new, possibly more efficient methodologies for mealworm growth and harvesting for consumption on Earth or – further down the line – as protein supplements on long-duration space missions to distant targets. Another interest prospect of efficient mealworm growth could be their ability to degrade polysterene in waste disposal.

The Tenebrio M olitor expe riment hosts several larvae of the same reproductive phase placed in a ventilated container that also provides oats to serve as mealworm food and carrot slices to provide water. Imaging is provided at regular intervals over the course of the mission for the identification of visual effects of potential morphological responses to microgravity. The hypothesis of the experiment is that mealworms will grow larger and reach maturity faster in the space environment, compared to Earth-based control experiment runs.

Biological Nitrogen Fixation

The "Biological Nitrogen Fixation in Microgravity via Rhizobium-Legume Symbiosis" experiment looks into how microgravity conditions can affect the nitrogen fixation process in a well-known legume – microclover. Hosted by the TangoLab module, the experiment features a plant support chamber and sensors to track the atmospheric nitrogen content throughout the mission to assess nitrogen capture rates in microgravity and allow comparison to Earth-based experiments followed by detailed lab analysis of returned plant samples.


Photo: NASA/SpaceTango

Nitrogen fixation through biological processes (BNF) is crucial in Earth's Nitrogen Cycle as it represents the conversion of atmospheric nitrogen into soil nitrogen that is usable by plants. Legumes are very efficient when it comes to this process and often develop a symbiotic relationship with prokaryotic bacteria in order to convert atmospheric nitrogen into organic compounds in the nodules of the root system of the plant.

This particular experiment looks at the symbiosis between microclover and rhizobium bacteria to acquire a better understanding of the fixation process in a microgravity environment which could potentially advance technology in the field of commercial soil nutrition.

The experiment facility contains a wetted, loamy soil mix, several sprouted microclover seeds and various sensors. Regular measurements of gaseous nitrogen within the sealed experiment chamber will be used to quantify the fixation rate while nitrate measurements in the soil media occur pre- and post-flight. A camera system documents the plant growth process over time.

Understanding the nitrogen fixation processes in space will be of importance for future mission designs with landed habitat missions wh ere crews would rely on plant growth as food source. Earth-applications are supported by analyzing the nitrogen cycling abilities of a plant frequently used for soil conservation.

STaARS BioScience-5

STaARS BioScience-5 studies how Staphylococcus aureus – an opportunistic bacterium that is a common cause for skin infections – loses its harmful properties and characteristic yellow-golden color when exposed to microgravity. Experiments such as this can exploit the unique environment found on the Space Station to reveal previously unknown regulatory processes that naturally occur on Earth but are not detectable using traditional laboratory methods and could offer pathways to disarming pathogens through medication.


Photo: Tom Kyler, Space Technology and Advanced Research Systems, Inc.

Staph aureus is named for its golden color as 'aurum' is the Latin word for gold. It is a member of the normal flora of the body and is not always pathogenic, though in around 30% of its carriers can cause skin and respiratory infections and food poisoning. In spaceflight-analog cultures, the cartenoid responsible for the bacterium's characteristic color is drastically repressed, representing a significant and easy-to-read biological indicator of a response to the spaceflight environment. Furthermore, pigmentation is a tracer for the virulence of many pathogenic microbes including methicillin-resistant Staph aureus (MRSA).

The biochemical mechanisms for cartenoid synthesis within S. aureus are well understood, but the regulatory factors affecting their production are largely uncharacterized and knowledge is also incomplete on whether microbes can regulate their pigment production in favor of survival under changing environmental conditions. Understanding the mechanisms behind pigment production and virulence is critical when attempting to develop treatments. Furthermore, knowledge on the antioxidant properties of pigments may also be beneficial in promoting human health.

The use of the actual space environment for further studies of S. aureus may yield additional information on previously undiscovered regulatory pathways. STaARS BioScience-5 hosts automated culturing equipment to grow S. aureus in space and deliver cultures to an observation chamber at regular intervals to employ a microscope to study morphological changes of the bacteria cells while a spectro-photometer provides precise information on pigment concentration at various points in the experiment.

The experiment is conducted using the Nexus Lab hardware and is part of the late stowage items prior to launch, being ferried to the Space Station in cold stowage wh ere the samples are scientifically stable for two weeks. Upon arrival at ISS, the NexusLab is installed in the STaARS-1 Experiment Facility wh ere the experiment will run for ten days before being placed into cold stowage for return. A second experiment performed after the initial space-based experimentation will look at the interaction of a proprietary drug on a specific cell type.

CubeSats

EcAMSat

The E. coli AntiMicrobial Satellite (EcAMSat) is a 6U CubeSat dedicated to an investigation on whether and how microgravity affects the antibiotic resistance of E. coli, a well-known bacterial pathogen for gastro-intestinal infection in humans and animals.


Photo: NASA

Developed in a collaboration between NASA's Ames Research Center and Stanford University, the mission uses heritage from the PharmaSat project flown in 2009 with a number of upgrades.

The overall objective of the experiment is determining the lowest concentration of antibiotic that inhibits bacterial growth.

>> Detailed Satellite Overview

ISARA

ISARA – the Integrated Solar Array and Reflectarray Antenna – is a technology demonstration CubeSat undertaken by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory to demonstrate a Ka-Band reflectarray antenna that will boost data rates for small-satellite missions from a baseline of 9.6kbit/s to over 100Mbit/s while doubling as a solar array – combining two essential satellite functions into one integrated system for a modest increase in spacecraft mass.


Image: NASA/JPL

Data budgeting and power generation have become two fundamental issues for CubeSat missions: sensors like cameras, meteorological instruments and onboard computing elements have reached a stage of miniaturization wh ere small CubeSats can generate a data volume matching that of flagship satellite missions.

>> Detailed Satellite Overview

OCSD B & C

The Optical Communications and Sensor Demonstration is a CubeSat technical demonstration mission by the Aerospace Corporation dedicated to testing of a small laser communications system that could increase the volume of data downlinked by small satellite missions. Furthermore, the satellite tests a cost-efficient optical sensing system for spacecraft rendezvous and stationkeeping.


Photo: Aerospace Corp.

The Aerospace Corporation was sel ected for the OCSD project by NASA in 2012 under the Small Spacecraft Technology Program. The goal of the project was the in-flight validation of a number of Commercial Off-the-Shelf components and subsystems, in particular communications and proximity operations capabilities.

>> Detailed Satellite Overview

PropCube 2

PropCube 2 is the third of three PropCube satellites developed by the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS), flying under the Propagation CubeSat series to study artificial ionization in Earth's ionosphere.


Photo: Naval Research Lab

Developed by the NPS, the satellites use a commercial 1U CubeSat platform provided by Tyvak NanoSatellite Systems integrated with purpose-built sensors to measure ionospheric electron density and irregularities.

Featuring UHF and S-Band receivers, the satellites are tasked with measuring total ionospheric electron content, plasma irregularities by their amplitude and phase scintillations, and artificial ionospheric disturbances.

>> Detailed Satellite & Project Overview

Lemur-2

Several Lemur-2 satellites, operated by Spire Global, are launching aboard the Cygnus OA-8 mission to replenish and expand the company's constellation dedicated to obtaining global atmospheric measurements for operational meteorology and tracking ship traffic across the planet for various commercial applications.


Photo: Spire

Lemur-2 was inaugurated in 2015 with the launch of four satellites atop an Indian PSLV, introducing the STRATOS and SENSE instruments.

>> Lemur-2 Overview

Asgardia 1

Asgardia 1 is a proof-of-concept / outreach mission operated by Asgardia Space, the self-proclaimed 'Space Nation'. The 2.8-Kilogram 2U CubeSat hosts a 512-gigabyte Solid State Drive that launches with pre-loaded data to demonstrate long-term data storage and data integrity in the challenging radiation environment in Low Earth Orbit. Two radiation sensors are also part of the satellite's payload to map solar flux and measure accumulated radiation dose on the outside and inside of the satellite.


Image: Asgardia Space

Asgardia, officially the 'Space Kingdom of Asgardia,' is a proposal to create a new nation that will allow for access to outer space free of the control of other nations. In the current system under the Outer Space Treaty, governments have to authorize and supervise all space activities, be it by a government agency, commercial entity or private individual. By creating an independent nation, the project hopes to avoid restrictions imposed by the current system. Members of the public were invited to 'become citizens' by signing Asgardia's constitution and the intent is to apply for membership to the United Nations in 2018.


Image: Asgardia Space

The project was initiated in 2016 by Russian scientist and businessman Igor Ashurbeyli who also serves as Head of Nation, though the intent is to move to a democratic system.

The Asgardia 1 satellite project is reportedly self-funded by Ashurbeyli. The file storage on the nanosatellite is to be loaded with personal files from the first 1.5 million members of Asgardia (=Asgardians) with data allocations of 500 kilobytes for the first 100,000 members, 200kB for the next 400,000 and 200kB for the next million. Files submitted can be images, music, video or text provided the uploader holds the copyright to the media they submit. Additional data will be up/downloaded fr om the satellite through the GlobalStar satellite constellation.

Built, launched and deployed by NanoRacks, the Asgardia 1 satellite and the data it contains will fall under U.S. jurisdiction.

CHEFsat

CHEFsat, going by the full name of Cost-effective High E-Frequency Satellite, is a 3U CubeSat mission dedicated to demonstrating consumer communications technology for use in space. The mission is operated by the Naval Research Lab.

According to information released by NASA, "CHEFSat specifically readies a consumer-grade radio frequency device for wider space use by testing its safety and effectiveness in a working CubeSat." Miniaturization of various electronic components for consumer devices has not gone unnoticed by the aerospace sector and offers an opportunity of integrating small-sized electronics into satellites to reduce power consumption and free up payload volume. Further details on the satellite and its payload are not available.

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11/11/2017 11:09

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

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11/11/2017 11:23

Orbital ATK's engineering team is working an issue on the hydraulics system on the Antares rocket's transporter-erector-launcher, the retractable support tower next to the booster.

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11/11/2017 11:38

Orbital ATK's management team is on console in the launch control center as engineers continue to run through pre-launch testing.

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11/11/2017 11:44

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.

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11/11/2017 11:57

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.