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

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

Mission Update
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Watch the launch live beginning at 7:00 a.m. EST on launch day on NASA TV.

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NOTMAR

NAVAREA IV 1047/2017 (12,25)

WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC.
VIRGINIA.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, ROCKET LAUNCHING
   110730Z TO 110815Z, 120700Z TO 120800Z,
   130645Z TO 130730Z, 140615Z TO 140700Z,
   150600Z TO 150645Z, 160530Z TO 160615Z,
   170515Z TO 170600Z, 180445Z TO 180530Z,
   190430Z TO 190515Z, 200400Z TO 200445Z,
   210330Z TO 210415Z NOV IN AREAS BOUND BY:
   A. 37-55-17N 075-24-57W, 37-31-33N 074-14-46W,
   36-55-00N 073-56-31W, 36-55-18N 074-55-48W,
   37-41-06N 075-35-41W.
   B. 28-50-39N 062-19-46W, 30-46-34N 064-20-52W,
   29-05-49N 066-25-42W, 27-13-04N 064-25-05W.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 210515Z NOV 17.

( 050336Z NOV 2017 )

Local NM - Mariners Notice
 

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https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2017/11/08/cygnus-training-respiratory-health-and-performance-studies-today/

Cygnus Training, Respiratory Health and Performance Studies Today
Mark Garcia
Posted on November 8, 2017

Two astronauts are training for Monday's planned arrival of Orbital ATK's newest Cygnus cargo craft dubbed the S.S. Eugene Cernan. The crew is also analyzing the International Space Station's atmosphere and studying how crew performance adapts to microgravity.

Спойлер

Orbital ATK is counting down to a Veteran's Day launch of its Cygnus spacecraft atop an Antares rocket from Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. The rocket is scheduled to blast off Saturday at 7:37 a.m. EST with about 7,400 pounds of science gear and crew supplies packed inside Cygnus.

Commander Randy Bresnik and Flight Engineer Paolo Nespoli are training today to capture Cygnus with the Canadarm2 robotic arm. Nespoli will command the Canadarm2 to grapple Cygnus at 5:40 a.m. Monday when it reaches a point about 10 meters from the station. Bresnik will back up Nespoli and monitor the spacecraft's approach and rendezvous.
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Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK 6 ч. назад

#OA8 Mission Update: #Cygnus encapsulation is complete and we are prepping #Antares for roll to @VCSFA_MARS Pad 0A early tomorrow morning!

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Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK 2 ч. назад

#Antares' journey has begun! #OA8 #Cygnus

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

Viewing Map for OA-8 Launch

*Weather permitting, the launch of Antares from Wallops Island, Virginia, on November 11, 2017 may be widely visible along the East Coast. However, because this is an early morning launch, it is likely that the sun will interfere with viewing from most locations.*

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Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK 5 мин. назад

#OA8 #Antares being raised on @VCSFA_MARS Pad 0A at @NASA_Wallops! We remain on schedule for Saturday's 7:37am launch

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orbital_atk_crs-8_overview.pdf - 432666 B, 3 стр, 2017-11-07 21:28:13 UTC

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https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/wallops/2017/antares-rolls-to-the-pad

Nov. 9, 2017

Antares Rolls to the Pad



The Orbital ATK Antares rolled out to the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport's pad 0A this morning, Nov. 9, 2017, in preparation for launch at 7:37 a.m. EST, Saturday, Nov. 11, from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia's Eastern Shore. Antares will carry the company's Cygnus cargo spacecraft with more than 7,000 pounds of supplies and equipment to the International Space Station. The T-48 hour forecast shows a 95 percent probability of acceptable weather for a launch on Nov. 11.

Credit: NASA/Terry Zaperach

Last Updated: Nov. 9, 2017
Editor: Rob Garner

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https://www.nasa.gov/feature/wallops/2017/nasa-tv-coverage-set-for-antares-launch-to-the-international-space-station

Nov. 8, 2017

NASA TV Coverage Set for Antares Launch to the International Space Station

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.


Final cargo items are loaded into the Orbital ATK's Cygnus spacecraft at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility. Cygnus will be carried to the International Space Station aboard an Antares rocket Nov. 11.
Credits: NASA/Patrick Black

NASA TV also will air two prelaunch briefings Friday, Nov. 10. At 11 a.m. mission managers will provide an overview and status of launch operations, and at 3 p.m. scientists and researchers will discuss some of the investigations and technology demonstrations to be delivered to the station.

The Cygnus cargo spacecraft will launch on Orbital ATK's upgraded Antares rocket from Pad 0A of Virginia Space's Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, located at Wallops. Following launch on Nov. 11, NASA TV coverage of the spacecraft's solar array deployment will begin at 9 a.m. and a post-launch news briefing will held at approximately 10 a.m.

Спойлер

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.

Cygnus will carry several CubeSats that will conduct a variety of missions, from technology demonstrations of laser communication and increased data downlink rates to an investigation to study spaceflight effects on bacterial antibiotic resistance. Other experiments will advance biological monitoring aboard the station and look at various elements of plant growth in microgravity that may help inform plant cultivation strategies for future long-term space missions. The spacecraft will also transport a virtual reality camera to record a National Geographic educational special on Earth as a natural life-support system.

Cygnus will arrive at the station on Monday, Nov. 13. Expedition 53 Flight Engineers Paolo Nespoli of ESA (European Space Agency) and Randy Bresnik of NASA will use the space station's robotic arm to capture Cygnus at about 5:40 a.m. NASA TV coverage of rendezvous and capture will begin at 4:15 a.m.

After Canadarm2 captures Cygnus, ground commands will be sent to guide the station's robotic arm as it rotates and attaches the spacecraft to the bottom of the station's Unity module. Coverage of installation will begin at 7 a.m.

Cygnus will remain at the space station until Dec. 4, when the spacecraft will depart the station and deploy several CubeSats before its fiery re-entry into Earth's atmosphere as it disposes of several tons of trash.

If the launch does not occur on Saturday, Nov. 11, the next launch opportunity is 7:14 a.m., Sunday, Nov. 12 with NASA TV coverage starting at 6:45 a.m.

This Cygnus spacecraft is named in honor of the former astronaut Eugene "Gene" Cernan, the last human to step foot on the Moon during the Apollo 17 mission. Cernan set records for both lunar surface extravehicular activities and longest time in lunar orbit. He died in January 2017.

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PRELAUNCH NEWS CONFERENCE ON NASA TV

Спойлер

Friday, Nov. 10 (L-1 day): A prelaunch status briefing will be held at Wallops NASA Visitor Center auditorium at 11 a.m. NASA TV will provide live coverage, as well as streaming Internet coverage.
Participants will be:

[/li]
• Dan Hartman, International Space Station Program, NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston
• Camille Alleyne, International Space Station Program Science Office, NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston
• Frank DeMauro, Vice President and General Manager of the Advanced Programs Division, Orbital ATK
• Kurt Eberly, Antares Deputy Program Manager, Orbital ATK
• John Dickerson, test director, Wallops Flight Facility
  

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WHAT'S ON BOARD SCIENCE BRIEFING ON NASA TV

Спойлер

Friday, Nov.10 (L-1 day): A science, research and technology briefing will be held at the NASA Visitor Center auditorium at 3 p.m. NASA Television will provide live coverage, as well as streaming Internet coverage.

Participants will include:

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• Camille Alleyne, International Space Station Program Science Office and Patrick O'Neill, CASIS
• Henry Martin, NanoRacks and Cassie Wong, CRS Systems Engineer, Orbtial ATK
• Elwood Agasid, deputy program manager of the Small Spacecraft Technology Program (OCSD/ ISARA)
• Stevan Spremo, project manager for EcAMSat at Ames
• Michelle Lucas, founder and president at Higher Orbits, and Frank Culbertson, Orbital ATK
• Abigail Youngker, student, Team Saguaro Snakes
• Heath Mills, CEO, Space Technology and Advanced Research Systems, Inc.
  

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POST-LAUNCH NEWS CONFERENCE ON NASA TV

Спойлер

Saturday, Nov. 11:A post-launch news conference will occur at about 10 a.m. and NASA Television will provide live coverage, as well as streaming Internet coverage.

Participants will be:

[/li]
• Dan Hartman, International Space Station Program manager
• Frank DeMauro, Vice President and General Manager of the Advanced Programs Division, Orbital ATK
• Kurt Eberly, Antares Deputy Program Manager, Orbital ATK
  

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NASA TV LAUNCH COVERAGE

Saturday, Nov. 11 (Launch day): NASA TV live coverage will begin at 7 a.m. EST. For NASA TV downlink information, schedules and links to streaming video, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

IN-FLIGHT NASA TV COVERAGE

If launch occurs Nov. 11, NASA TV will provide live coverage of the arrival of the Cygnus cargo ship to the International Space Station. NASA TV will cover the rendezvous and grapple of Cygnus on Nov. 13. beginning at 4:15 a.m. EST with grapple taking place at approximately 5:40 a.m.

NASA WEB PRELAUNCH AND LAUNCH COVERAGE

Prelaunch and launch day coverage of the Orbital ATK CRS-8 flight will be available on the NASA website. Coverage will include live streaming beginning at 1:15 a.m. on the Wallops Ustream site. Live coverage on the NASA website begins at 7 a.m. on launch day. Photos of the launch will be available shortly after liftoff. For questions about countdown coverage, contact Keith Koehler at 757-824-1579. You can follow countdown coverage on our launch blog at:

http://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital

Learn more about the Orbital ATK CRS-8 mission by going to the mission home page at:

http://www.nasa.gov/orbitalatk

TWITTER

The Wallops Twitter feed will be updated throughout the launch countdown. To access the feed, visit:

http://www.twitter.com/NASA_Wallops

FACEBOOK

The Wallops Facebook feed will be updated throughout the launch countdown. To access the feed, visit:

http://www.facebook.com/NASAWFF

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Kathryn Hambleton
 Headquarters, Washington
 202-358-1100
kathryn.hambleton@nasa.gov

Keith Koehler
 Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia
 757-824-1579
keith.a.koehler@nasa.gov

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Last Updated: Nov. 9, 2017
Editor: Rob Garner

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https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2017/11/09/crew-tests-new-workouts-and-lights-as-rocket-preps-for-launch/

Crew Tests New Workouts and Lights as Rocket Preps for Launch
Mark Garcia
Posted on November 9, 2017


The Orbital ATK Antares rocket, with the Cygnus spacecraft onboard, is raised into vertical position at the launch pad Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017 at Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

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The Orbital ATK Cygnus cargo craft is encapsulated inside the Antares rocket and now stands vertical at the launch pad at Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Cygnus is due to launch Saturday at 7:37 a.m. EDT with about 7,400 pounds of new science experiments and fresh supplies for the Expedition 53 crew.

Cygnus will unfurl its cymbal-like UltraFlex solar arrays less than two hours after launch as it begins a two-day trip to the International Space Station. Astronaut Paolo Nespoli will command the Canadarm2 from the Cupola to grapple Cygnus when it arrives Monday morning at 5:40 a.m. Commander Randy Bresnik will back up Nespoli and monitor the approach and rendezvous.

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https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/2017/11/09/oa-8-launch-blog-kicks-off-antares-rolls-to-the-pad/

OA-8 Launch Blog Kicks Off; Antares Rolls to the Pad
Rob Garner
Posted on November 9, 2017

Orbital ATK will launch its Cygnus spacecraft into orbit to the International Space Station, targeted for 7:37 a.m EST Nov. 11, 2017, from Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Cygnus will launch on an Antares rocket carrying crew supplies, equipment and scientific research to crewmembers aboard the station. The spacecraft, named the S.S. Gene Cernan after former NASA astronaut Eugene "Gene" Cernan, who is the last person to have walked on the moon, will deliver scientific investigations including those that will study communication and navigation, microbiology, animal biology and plant biology. Live NASA TV coverage will begin at 7 a.m. EST on Nov. 11.

Спойлер

The Orbital ATK Antares rolled out to the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport's pad 0A this morning, Nov. 9, 2017, in preparation for launch at 7:37 a.m. EST, Saturday, Nov. 11, from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia's Eastern Shore. Antares will carry the company's Cygnus cargo spacecraft with more than 7,000 pounds of supplies and equipment to the International Space Station. The T-48 hour forecast shows a 95 percent probability of acceptable weather for a launch on Nov. 11. Credit: NASA/Terry Zaperach

Aside from the unseasonable cold temperatures, weather conditions look excellent (95 percent favorable) for Saturday's launch attempt with no real concerns at this time, according to the latest forecast for the launch range.

A strong cold front will move through the Wallops Region Friday morning, ushering in the coldest airmass of the season. Gusty northwesterly winds will accompany the frontal passage on Friday, with winds possibly gusting as high as 30-35 mph. A broad area of Canadian high pressure will quickly build in behind the front, centering over the Great Lakes Region and ridging south toward the Wallops Region for Saturday morning's launch. This will bring mostly clear and cold conditions for Saturday morning, with temperatures expected to bottom out in the mid to upper 20s.


This map shows the visibility of the upcoming launch of Orbital ATK's CRS-8 mission from Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, with numeric values indicating the time (in seconds) after liftoff the Antares rocket and Cygnus spacecraft may be visible.

Related links

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• Payload details
• More on NASA TV coverage
  

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https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/news/Orbital-Gene-Cernan-Supply-Delivery

Nov. 8, 2017

Orbital ATK's S.S. Gene Cernan to Deliver Supplies to Space Station

Orbital ATK will launch its Cygnus spacecraft into orbit to the International Space Station, targeted for November 11, 2017, from Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Cygnus will launch on an Antares rocket carrying crew supplies, equipment and scientific research to crewmembers aboard the station. The spacecraft, named the S.S. Gene Cernan after former NASA astronaut Eugene "Gene" Cernan, who is the last person to have walked on the moon, will deliver scientific investigations including those that will study communication and navigation, microbiology, animal biology and plant biology.

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

Investigation tests bacterial antibiotic resistance in microgravity

Спойлер

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.
Credits: NASA

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CubeSat used as a laser communication technology testbed

Спойлер

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.


The Optical Communications and Sensor Demonstration (OCSD) project uses CubeSats to test new types of technology in Earth's orbit. This work was funded by NASA's Small Spacecraft Technology Program under the Space Technology Mission Directorate.
Credits: NASA/Ames Research Center

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Hybrid solar antenna seeks solution to long distance communications in space

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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.

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Nitrogen fixation process tested in microgravity environment

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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.

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Life cycle of alternative protein source studied

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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.

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Investigation studies advances in plant and crop growth in space

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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.

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Спойлер

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. 

Jenny Howard
International Space Station Program Science Office
Johnson Space Center

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Last Updated: Nov. 9, 2017
Editor: Michael Johnson

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https://blogs.nasa.gov/orbital/2017/11/09/antares-raised-at-launch-pad-0a/

Antares Raised at Launch Pad-0A
Rob Garner
Posted on November 9, 2017

The Orbital ATK Antares rocket, with the Cygnus spacecraft onboard, is raised into the vertical position on launch Pad-0A, Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017 at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Orbital ATK's eighth contracted cargo resupply mission with NASA to the International Space Station will deliver 7,400 pounds of science and research, crew supplies and vehicle hardware to the orbital laboratory and its crew.

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Photo Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls


Photo Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

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NASA HQ PHOTO‏Подлинная учетная запись @nasahqphoto 1 ч. назад

Images from the rollout of the Antares rocket and "SS Gene Cernan" @OrbitalATK #Cygnus cargo vehicle are posted: https://flic.kr/s/aHsm8Mbnfd 

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NASA Wallops‏Подлинная учетная запись @NASA_Wallops 3 ч. назад

The @OrbitalATK Antares rocket, with the Cygnus spacecraft aboard, has been raised at @VCSFA_MARS launch Pad-0A here at Wallops. Weather forecast is 95-percent favorable for the launch, scheduled at 7:37 a.m. EST Saturday, Nov. 11.

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New Small Satellite Missions Launching To Space

NASA's Ames Research Center

Опубликовано: 9 нояб. 2017 г.

On November 11, 2017, NASA will launch four new small satellite missions to space from the Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Each mission will demonstrate critical new capabilities for small spacecraft.

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https://www.iss-casis.org/press-releases/international-space-station-u-s-national-lab-payloads-prepped-for-orbital-atk-crs-8-launch/

International Space Station U.S. National Lab Payloads Prepped for Orbital ATK CRS-8 Launch

November 2, 2017

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL. (November 2, 2017) – The Orbital ATK Cygnus vehicle is slated to launch to the International Space Station (ISS) no earlier than November 11, 2017 from Wallops Flight Facility. The Cygnus spacecraft will carry a dozen ISS National Laboratory payloads to conduct research across a variety of areas aimed at improving life on Earth. In addition to the diverse research launching to the ISS National Lab, multiple payloads focused on enabling future research missions will be part of the CRS-8 manifest. Thus far in 2017, the ISS National Lab has sponsored more than 100 separate experiments that have reached the station.

Below highlights ISS National Lab sponsored investigations as part of the Orbital ATK CRS-8 mission:

Biological Nitrogen Fixation via Rhizobium-Legume Symbiosis
Higher Orbits, Michelle Lucas

Спойлер

This project was developed by the Higher Orbits Go for Launch! student competition Orbital ATK Division winning team, the Saguaro Snakes (Gilbert, AZ). The project is focused on establishing a baseline for plant growth in extraterrestrial colonies. Microclover, a resilient and drought-tolerant legume will be grown in microgravity to determine the effect of the space environment on the nitrogen-fixation process and micro-green growth. Insight gained from this experiment could be useful in ongoing efforts to create a self-sufficient greenhouse in microgravity, which would necessitate a soil nitrogen source for exploratory purposes.
Hardware Partner: Space Tango

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Cost-effective High E-Frequency Satellite (CHEFSat)
Naval Research Laboratory (Washington, DC)

Спойлер

The Cost-effective High E-Frequency Satellite (CHEFSat) tests and prepares consumer communications technology for use in space. The growing range of devices, components, and miniaturized technology available in the consumer market represents a boon for space exploration and cost management. CHEFSat seeks to validate a consumer-grade radio frequency device for wider space use by testing its safety and effectiveness in a working CubeSat deployed from the ISS.
Hardware Partner: NanoRacks

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E. coli AntiMicrobial Satellite (EcAMSat)
Stanford University, A.C. Martin, Ph.D. (Stanford, CA)

Спойлер

The E. coli AntiMicrobial Satellite (EcAMSat) investigation seeks to determine the lowest dose of antibiotic needed to inhibit growth of Escherichia coli (E. coli), a bacterial pathogen that causes infections in humans and animals. The experiment will expose wild-type (naturally occurring in nature) and mutant strains of E. coli to three different antibiotic concentrations and then examine the viability of each group using a dye that reveals metabolic activity. As the first mission in the 6U satellite platform configuration, EcAMSat also serves to demonstrate the capabilities of this technology. EcAMSat is being developed through a partnership between NASA's Ames Research Center with support from the NASA Space Life and Physical Sciences Research and Applications Program and the Stanford University School of Medicine.
Hardware Partner: NanoRacks

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Effects of Microgravity on the Life Cycle of a Tenebrio molitor
Higher Orbits, Michelle Lucas

Спойлер

The Effects of Microgravity on the Life Cycle of Tenebrio Molitor (Tenebrio Molitor) experiment aboard the ISS investigates how the microgravity environment of space affects the mealworm life cycle. Mealworms represent good test subjects because they are well-studied organisms. An automated laboratory apparatus images mealworm growth from larval to adult life stages and then returns samples to Earth based labs for more detailed analysis. This project was conceived by the Higher Orbits AIAA Division winning team – Operation Galaxy X (Herndon, VA).
Hardware Partner: Space Tango

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Integrated Solar Array and Reflectarray Antenna (ISARA)
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (Pasadena, CA) and Aerospace Corporation (El Segundo, CA)

Спойлер

The Integrated Solar Array and Reflectarray Antenna (ISARA) prepares a new hybrid antenna and power system for space applications by demonstrating its use in CubeSat-based environmental monitoring. Advances in material science and electrical engineering have made possible a flexible solar panel that can send and receive messages. ISARA tests the performance of these new solar antennas in collecting instrumental data aboard a CubeSat deployed from the ISS and monitored by ground-based engineering crews.
Hardware Partner: NanoRacks

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Life Cycle of Arabidopsis Thaliana in Microgravity
Magnitude.IO, Ted Tagami (Berkeley, CA)

Спойлер

The Life Cycle of Arabidopsis thaliana in Microgravity (Arabidopsis thaliana) project studies the morphology and physiology of a common plant species using specialized modular growth chambers aboard the ISS. The plant under investigation grows from germinated seeds under automated light, temperature and nutrient conditions. Automated cameras image growth at every stage to determine both plant viability and the effectiveness of cultivation modules, which return to Earth for further post-mission analysis.
Hardware Partner: Space Tango

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NanoRacks-LEMUR-2
Spire Global, Inc., Jenny Barna (San Francisco, SF)

Спойлер

About 90 percent of global trade is shipped by sea; however, tracking of oceangoing ships is inefficient and many ships are unmonitored as they transit the world's oceans, far from land and out of range of ground-based beacons. The NanoRacks-LEMUR-2 satellites are part of a remote sensing satellite constellation that provides global ship tracking and weather monitoring. The satellites in this investigation are deployed from both the ISS and the visiting space vehicle, demonstrating the technology at a range of altitude bands.
Hardware Partner: NanoRacks

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Optical Communication and Sensor Demonstration (OCSD)
Siegfried Janson, Ph.D., and Richard Welle, Ph.D., The Aerospace Corporation (El Segundo, CA)

Спойлер

The Optical Communication and Sensor Demonstration (OCSD) will test specific functions of laser-based communications using automated CubeSats deployed from the ISS. Optical communication (communication using lasers) is a next-generation technology that improves the distance, accuracy, and speed of communication in space and in space-to-ground applications. OCSD readies a compact version of this technology for space by demonstrating accurate high-speed optical communication between two small satellites working closely together in low Earth orbit.
Hardware Partner: NanoRacks

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PROPCUBE-Fauna
Paul Bernhardt, Ph.D., Naval Research Laboratory (Washington, D.C.)

Спойлер

PROPCUBE-Fauna uses a CubeSat platform to collect critical data for improving communications systems. Both Earth- and space-based communications systems use the outer electrical field of the Earth's atmosphere to transmit, bend, or bounce message signals. PROPCUBE-Fauna will perform high-resolution measurements on the exact position, density, and potential vibration of this field to transmit signals in a more effective manner.
Hardware Partner: NanoRacks

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STaARS BioScience-5
Sarah Wallace, Ph.D., NASA Johnson Space Center (Clear Lake, TX)

Спойлер

This set of STaARS experiments will be conducted in a new facility on the ISS, the NEXUS Lab, which was designed and built by SpacePharma. Dr. Wallace will be completing a two-part experiment that began on SpaceX CRS-12 involving Staphylococcus aureus (a common skin pathogen). Her experiment examines microgravity-induced molecular alterations that cause S. aureus to change color from its normal gold to clear and that cause the bacteria to lose pathogenicity. By elucidating the mechanisms within S. aureus that change during growth in microgravity, this research could to lead to drug discovery and new therapies. This investigation also serves as a validation study for the NEXUS lab, which seeks to provide researchers with another reliable option for life science research on the ISS.
Hardware Partners: SpacePharma and STaARS

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VUZE – National Geographic Channel
Matthew Zymet, National Geographic (Washington, D.C.)

Спойлер

The National Geographic Channel–Virtual Reality Educational Video for Television Series "One Strange Rock" will transport a virtual reality camera to the ISS to record a National Geographic special on the Earth as a natural life-support system. Crew onboard the ISS will record a series of virtual reality pieces for incorporation into a larger documentary about the natural history of the Earth and the solar system. Each episode features a different crew member and uses next-generation virtual reality technology to address different topics related to our planet and the space program.
Hardware Partner: NanoRacks

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This launch manifest adds to an impressive list of experiments from previous missions in 2017 including research in the areas of stem cells, cell culturing, protein crystal growth, external platform payloads, Earth observation, and remote sensing as well as student experiments. To learn more about these investigations and other space station research, visit www.spacestationresearch.com.

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https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/11/09/antares-rocket-rolled-to-virginia-launch-pad-for-station-cargo-run/

Antares rocket rolled to Virginia launch pad for station cargo run
November 9, 2017 Stephen Clark

A commercial Antares rocket rolled out of a hangar on a one-mile trip to its launch pad on Virginia's Eastern Shore on Thursday, ready for final countdown preparations ahead of liftoff Saturday morning on a cargo delivery flight to the International Space Station.

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An Antares rocket rolls out to pad 0A at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia on Thursday morning. Credit: Orbital ATK

The two-stage Antares launcher, assembled and operated by Orbital ATK, emerged fr om its horizontal integration building at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in the predawn hours Thursday. A self-propelled transporter carried the rocket on a mile-long trip south to launch pad 0A, a complex owned by the Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority, a state agency chartered to attract commercial space business to the region.

The rocket rolled out in steady rain at the spaceport, and the Antares second stage and payload shroud were protected by a weather shield for the approximately two-hour transfer.

Ground crews engaged hydraulic cylinders to lift the 139-foot-tall (42.5-meter) rocket vertical at pad 0A later Thursday. Technicians then began connecting propellant and other fluid lines between the launch pad and the Antares booster.

Orbital ATK's automated Cygnus spaceship, christened the S.S. Gene Cernan after the late moonwalker, is fastened on top of the Antares rocket with approximately 7,385 pounds (3,350 kilograms) of cargo and supplies for the space station and its six-person crew.


Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

There is a 95 percent chance of favorable weather for Saturday's launch attempt, and officials said sub-freezing temperatures expected overnight before launch should not be a problem.

Temperatures are forecast to be between 25 and 30 degrees Fahrenheit at launch time Saturday, above the 20-degree limit for an Antares launch.

Climate-controlled air routed through ducts leading into the Antares rocket will ensure the Cygnus spacecraft, its engines and avionics remain within acceptable temperature and humidity constraints. Three environmental control umbilicals will blow air into the Antares payload fairing, the intertank section between the first stage's liquid oxygen and kerosene tanks, and into the booster's aft bay.

"Those three volumes, we keep them nice and cozy in cold weather, and we keep them cool in hot weather, and that enables us to launch in a variety of conditions," said Kurt Eberly, Orbital ATK's Antares program manager, in a Facebook Live event Thursday previewing the flight.

"Aside from those cold temperatures ... the rest of the key conditions look really excellent," Eberly said. "The winds are benign, they're from a good direction coming from the north. Upper level winds look pretty calm as well."

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 beginning around 1 hour, 35 minutes before liftoff.

Saturday's blastoff will be the eighth time Orbital ATK has launched a resupply mission to the space station. Orbital ATK has used its own Antares rocket launched from Virginia four times — with one launch failure in 2014 — and contracted with United Launch Alliance for three Atlas 5 flights from Cape Canaveral.

Liftoff of the commercial resupply mission, named OA-8, scheduled for 7:37:25 a.m. EST (1237:25 GMT) Saturday to begin the Antares rocket's seven-minute climb into orbit, kicking off its pursuit of the space station. There's a five-minute launch window available Saturday.


The Cygnus spacecraft, christened the S.S. Gene Cernan, before encapsulation inside the Antares rocket's payload fairing Wednesday. Credit: Orbital ATK

Two kerosene-fueled RD-181 engines, made in Russia and derived from engines used on Zenit and Atlas 5 rockets, will power the Antares' Ukrainian-built first stage booster, combining to generate around 864,000 pounds of thrust. Shutdown of the RD-181 engines is planned for T+plus 3 minutes, 34 seconds, followed by first stage separation around six seconds later.

The launch Saturday will be the second Antares mission using RD-181 engines, which Orbital ATK 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.

The RD-181 engines performed better than predicted on an Antares launch in October 2016, giving engineers confidence to loosen performance limits for the OA-8 launch. The engines produce more thrust than the AJ26s, and they will be programmed to fire around five seconds longer on Saturday's launch than on the last Antares flight.

"We flew to a delta velocity threshold," Eberly said in a press briefing earlier this year. "When we hit that, we shut down the engines. We had a lot of fuel left in the tanks. Now, we're just going to move that threshold a little higher and burn more of the fuel in the first stage. At that point in the flight regime, the acceleration is pretty high because the stage is pretty light. Most of the propellant is gone, so you actually pick up quite a bit of performance by burning just a few more seconds into that propellant residual in the tanks."

With the higher performance, the upgraded Antares can carry approximately 300 pounds more cargo than managers initially expected. The lifting of additional conservative flight constraints, coupled with further minor changes to the vehicle, will further raise the Antares rocket's payload capacity another 300 pounds in the coming years.

Once the first stage finished its job on Saturday's launch the Antares rocket's payload shroud will jettison in two halves at T+plus 4 minutes, 11 seconds. The launcher's Castor 30XL solid-fueled upper stage will ignite at T+plus 4 minutes, 23 seconds, and burn out at T+plus 7 minutes, 6 seconds, delivering the Cygnus cargo ship to an elliptical orbit less than 200 miles (300 kilometers) above Earth.

Deployment of the Cygnus supply carrier is set for T+plus 9 minutes, 3 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 Saturday and Sunday.

The Cygnus spacecraft will make a laser-guided final approach to the orbiting research lab Monday, closing to a distance of around 30 feet (10 meters) from the station. European Space Agency astronaut Paolo Nespoli, assisted by station commander Randy Bresnik, will take control of the lab's Canadian-built robotic arm to capture the Cygnus.

The arm will attach it to a port on the station's Unity module, wh ere it will stay until around Dec. 4. Astronauts will unpack experiments and supplies hauled inside the Cygnus' pressurized module, made by Thales Alenia Space in Italy, then load it with trash and other items marked for disposal.

Payloads slated for delivery to the station on the OA-8 mission include food, clothing and a multitude of research experiments.

The Cygnus spacecraft will raise its orbit to around 300 miles (500 kilometers) after departing the station in early December to release a slew of commercial and NASA-developed CubeSats, then the ship will brake out of orbit with the help of thrusters for a destructive re-entry over the South Pacific Ocean.

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Orbital ATK‏Подлинная учетная запись @OrbitalATK 1 ч. назад

It's L-1 and we're up early to give you an exclusive look at #Antares with our #Cygnus spacecraft on @VCSFA_MARS Pad 0A. Launch set for 7:37am tomorrow!

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