Новости МКС

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https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2019/03/26/spacewalkers-swapping-places-crew-studies-brain-and-muscles/

Spacewalkers Swapping Places; Crew Studies Brain and Muscles

Mark Garcia
Posted Mar 26, 2019 at 1:58 pm


NASA astronaut Nick Hague, seemingly curtained by the International Space Station's solar arrays, retrieves batteries and adapter plates from an external pallet. He and NASA astronaut Anne McClain (out of frame) conducted a six-hour. 39-minute spacewalk to upgrade the orbital complex's power storage capacity on the Port-4 truss structure.

A pair of astronauts are trading places on the next two spacewalks as the Expedition 59 crew continues upgrades and maintenance outside of the International Space Station. The orbital residents are also conducting space research to improve life for humans on and off Earth.

NASA announced Monday that Flight Engineer Nick Hague is joining fellow NASA astronaut Christina Koch on this Friday's spacewalk. The duo will continue swapping old nickel-hydrogen batteries with new lithium-ion batteries on the station' Port-4 truss structure. Hague and astronaut Anne McClain performed the exact same work last week on the other side of the truss structure.

Hague is swapping places with McClain this Friday due to a spacesuit-sizing issue. McClain is tentatively planned to go outside on an April 8 spacewalk with Canadian Space Agency astronaut David Saint-Jacques. The spacewalkers will install truss jumpers to provide secondary power to the Canadarm2 robotic arm.

McClain and Hague successfully installed new lithium-ion batteries during a spacewalk on March 22. Ground teams checked out the power channel immediately after the spacewalk with no issues. Over the weekend, attempts to recharge one of the batteries were unsuccessful. Engineers on the ground are continuing to identify the cause of the issue and explore possible solutions. There has been no impact to standard space station operations.

Science work is always ongoing aboard the orbital lab with the crew researching blood flow to the brain and muscle adaptation in space.

Hague spent a couple of hours this morning in the Kibo lab module measuring his arterial blood pressure using waveform data. The results will inform the Cerebral Autoregulation experiment that observes the brain's blood vessels in microgravity.

Hague then joined Koch and collected leg, shoulder and back measurements for the Myotones muscle study in the Columbus lab module. Results could improve muscle rehabilitation techniques on Earth and in space.

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Anne McClain‏Подлинная учетная запись @AstroAnnimal 20 ч. назад

Coming out of the hatch last Friday is a moment I will not soon forget – and a moment I look forward to repeating on 8 April! What did it look like to me? Exactly what you see reflected on my visor

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Jonathan McDowell‏Подлинная учетная запись @planet4589 16 ч. назад

Here's another item on the spacesuit situation. Last week Anne McClain used suit 3008 (which currently has the medium-size top part). Nick Hague used large-sized suit 3003. [1/n]..


16 ч. назад

The plan for the next EVA was for Christina Koch to use 3008 and McClain to swap to using the larger 3003. But not only has she found the larger size uncomfortable, 3003 is actually out of action because its pressure sensor malfunctioned towards the end of Hague's spacewalk


16 ч. назад

So that leaves them with 3008 (medium) and 3006 (large) for Christina Koch and Nick Hague this Friday There is one other US suit on board, EMU 3004. I don't know its status, but using any other config would require resizing that would apparently mess up their schedule


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Basically the ISS has 4 complete US spacesuits and a few parts (I think there is one extra "HUT" upper section?). So overall it's not a lot to choose from.

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Anne McClain‏Подлинная учетная запись @AstroAnnimal 3 ч. назад

This decision was based on my recommendation. Leaders must make tough calls, and I am fortunate to work with a team who trusts my judgement. We must never accept a risk that can instead be mitigated. Safety of the crew and execution of the mission come first.

NASA‏Подлинная учетная запись @NASA 8:44 PDT - 26 мар. 2019 г.

We've seen your tweets about spacesuit availability for Friday's spacewalk. To clarify, we have more than 1 medium size spacesuit torso aboard, but to stay on schedule with @Space_Station upgrades, it's safer & faster to change spacewalker assignments than reconfigure spacesuits.

Anne McClain‏Подлинная учетная запись @AstroAnnimal 2 ч. назад

Nothing has been cancelled or postponed. US EVA 53 to upgrade @Space_Station power systems is on 29 March w/ @AstroHague and @Astro_Christina. US EVA 54 is on 8 April to install a redundant power channel for our robotic arm, tentatively @Astro_DavidS and me.

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https://spaceflightnow.com/2019/03/26/first-all-female-spacewalk-foiled-by-spacesuit-sizing-issue/

First all-female spacewalk foiled by spacesuit sizing issue
March 26, 2019 | Stephen Clark

EDITOR'S NOTE: Updated March 27 with McClain's comments.


NASA astronauts Christina Koch (left) and Nick Hague (right) during a spacesuit fit check March 18 aboard the International Space Station. Anne McClain assisted the astronauts in the suit-up procedure. Credit: NASA

NASA astronaut Nick Hague will take the place of Anne McClain on a spacewalk Friday outside the International Space Station, teaming up with crewmate Christina Koch to continue a series of battery upgrades on an excursion that would have been the first all-female spacewalk in history.

NASA officials announced the crew change Monday after McClain determined after a spacewalk last Friday that she works better in a spacesuit with a medium-sized hard upper torso. Only one medium hard upper torso, which forms the upper part of the spacesuit, is currently available for a spacewalk on the space station.

During their spacewalk last Friday, McClain and Hague connected three new lithium-ion batteries to the space station's electrical network. Hague and Koch will install three more batteries and their adapter plates during this Friday's spacewalk.

"Koch had been scheduled to conduct this spacewalk with astronaut McClain, in what would have been the first all-female spacewalk," NASA said in a statement Monday. "However, after consulting with McClain and Hague following the first spacewalk, mission managers decided to adjust the assignments, due in part to spacesuit availability on the station.

"McClain learned during her first spacewalk that a medium-size hard upper torso – essentially the shirt of the spacesuit – fits her best," the statement said. "Because only one medium-size torso can be made ready by Friday, March 29, Koch will wear it."

Under NASA's original plan, McClain was slated to wear a large hard upper torso on the upcoming spacewalk. NASA officials said they made the original spacewalk crew assignments to ensure all of the first-time space fliers currently on the space station gained spacewalking experience.

Many astronauts, including McClain, train in multiple spacesuit sizes on the ground. But an astronaut's individual sizing preferences can change once in space, where prolonged exposure to microgravity can prompt changes in the human body. Generally, a tighter spacesuit enhances an astronaut's mobility in space.

McClain, a former U.S. Army helicopter pilot, wore the medium hard upper torso last Friday and determined it fit her better than a large hard upper torso.

"This decision was based on my recommendation," McClain tweeted Wednesday. "Leaders must make tough calls, and I am fortunate to work with a team who trusts my judgement. We must never accept a risk that can instead be mitigated. Safety of the crew and execution of the mission come first."

NASA's spacesuits designed for spacewalks, known as Extravehicular Mobility Units, are modular with interchangeable hard upper torsos, arms, legs and helmets. There are currently medium, large and extra large hard upper torsos on the space station. A second medium-sized unit currently on the station would require additional time to prepare for a spacewalk, NASA said, and officials decided to keep the excursion on schedule by changing the crew assignments.

A third spacewalk in the current series is planned for April 8, when McClain will wear the medium-sized hard upper torso and be joined outside the space station by Canadian flight engineer David Saint-Jacques.

McClain became the 13th woman to conduct a spacewalk last Friday, and Koch will be the 14th this Friday.

Спойлер

NASA astronaut Nick Hague, seemingly curtained by the International Space Station's solar arrays, retrieves batteries and adapter plates from an external pallet during a March 22 spacewalk. Credit: NASA

NASA safety panel raises concerns about aging spacesuits

NASA still uses spacesuits originally developed 40 years ago for the space shuttle program. With in-orbit maintenance by astronauts, and occasional rotations back to Earth aboard commercial supply ships, NASA expects the current lot of suits to remain operational through at least 2024.

The spacesuits designed for spacewalks are more rugged and capable than suits used by astronauts during launch and landing on Russian Soyuz spacecraft and the new SpaceX Crew Dragon and Boeing CST-100 Starliner crew capsules.

NASA originally built 18 life support backpacks for the shuttle-era EMUs, and 11 of them are still certified for spaceflight, according to a 2017 report by NASA's inspector general examining the agency's spacesuit projects. Five of the life support units — the most complex part of the suits — were destroyed on missions, including two each on the Challenger and Columbia space shuttle accidents, and one on a SpaceX cargo rocket that failed during launch.

The shuttle-era spacesuits were not intended to remain in space for years at a time, as they now do on the space station. NASA's inspector general wrote in 2017 that "the spacesuits are operating in a different environment onboard the ISS with longer periods between refurbishment and some maintenance tasks performed on-orbit.

"This has made several of the EMU's design inadequacies more prominent," the inspector general wrote, highlighting concerns about water leaks and the limited ability for astronauts to make repairs in space. The agency's internal watchdog also noted limitations in spacesuit sizing, and the gloves' propensity to cause hand injuries,

NASA is working on a new spacesuit concept called the Exploration EMU, which could be ready for a demonstration spacewalk outside the space station in 2023. The modernized spacesuit would also be designed for spacewalks on missions venturing farther from Earth, such as the moon's vicinity.

In the 2017 report on NASA's spacesuit projects, the agency's inspector general said NASA has spent nearly $200 million in spacesuit development efforts since 2007.

"Despite this investment, the agency remains years away from having a flight-ready spacesuit capable of replacing the EMU or suitable for EVA use on future exploration missions," the inspector general wrote at the time.

More recently, members of the independent Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel, or ASAP, discussed the spacesuit development efforts in a meeting March 7.

"EVA suit maintenance remains a challenge and a high priority," said Richard Williams, a former NASA chief health and medical officer who sits on the safety panel.

Williams said March 7 that NASA is now studying whether to extend the lifetime of the current spacesuits to 2028.

Patricia Sanders, the ASAP chair, urged NASA to prioritize a next-generation spacesuit.

"Rather than continuing to spend resources on extending the life of existing suits, it would be very good if they can get on with, in a more expeditious way, a replacement suit, which we believe would be useful in the long run," Sanders said.

"They're doing heroic things to extend the life of the current suit, but we really have to be thinking long term," said Susan Helms, a former space shuttle and space station astronaut and ASAP member.

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https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2019/03/27/spacewalks-preps-and-more-brain-research-at-station-today/

Spacewalks Preps and More Brain Research At Station Today

Mark Garcia
Posted Mar 27, 2019 at 11:52 am


NASA astronauts Christina Koch (left) and Nick Hague are fitted in U.S. spacesuits and check out spacewalk cameras inside the Quest airlock.

Two days away from the second International Space Station spacewalk of 2019 and the Expedition 59 crew is studying the human brain and an astronaut's wake-sleep cycle in space.

Flight Engineers Nick Hague and Christina Koch will exit the Quest airlock Friday for about 6.5 hours of battery swaps to upgrade the station's power storage capacity. The duo will set their spacesuits to battery power about 8:20 a.m. EDT Friday signifying the start of their spacewalk. NASA TV will begins its live coverage at 6:30 a.m.

While Hague and Koch were organizing their spacewalk tools today, the duo had time to research how blood flows to the brain in microgravity. Koch took Doppler waveform measurements of her arterial blood pressure for the Cerebral Autoregulation study. Hague then closed out the brain blood-flow experiment and stowed its gear in the Kibo lab module.

Astronaut David Saint-Jacques of the Canadian Space Agency was back on spacesuit duty today cleaning cooling loops, checking tools and readying the SAFER jetpacks. He later worked on a wearable device, the Actiwatch Spectrum (AWS), which measures an astronaut's daily wake-sleep cycle, or circadian rhythm. The AWS provides doctors insights into sleep quality, sleep onset and ambient light quality aboard the orbital lab.

NASA astronaut Anne McClain also assisted with the spacesuit work today checking the SAFER jet packs and reconfiguring the U.S. spacesuits. She also worked on a science freezer and trashed obsolete ultrasonic hardware designed to detect pressure leaks.

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Photos of Earth - Questions and answers with David Saint-Jacques live from space

Canadian Space Agency

Опубликовано: 27 мар. 2019 г.

During the launch of the Exploring Earth initiative, Canadian Space Agency astronaut David Saint-Jacques answers the following question, live from the International Space Station: Can you explain how you take photos of Earth from the Space Station? (Credits: Canadian Space Agency, NASA)

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Recognizing countries from space - Questions and answers with David Saint-Jacques live from space

Canadian Space Agency

Опубликовано: 27 мар. 2019 г.

During the launch of the Exploring Earth initiative, Canadian Space Agency astronaut David Saint-Jacques answers the following question, live from the International Space Station: How do you recognize all the countries that you fly over? (Credits: Canadian Space Agency, NASA)

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https://nasa.tumblr.com/post/183755220359/spacewalk-reassignments-whats-the-deal

Spacewalk Reassignments: What's the Deal?

On Friday, March 29, Christina Koch and Anne McClain were scheduled to perform a spacewalk together to upgrade the power systems of the International Space Station. It would have been the first all-female spacewalk in human history. While disappointing to many people, after the last spacewalk was completed on March 22, NASA changed the assignments to protect the safety of the crew and the timing of the mission. Now, Christina Koch and Nick Hague will be performing this upcoming spacewalk, leaving lots of people wondering: What's the deal?

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1.   Why did the availability of spacesuit sizes affect the schedule?

Spacesuits are not "one size fits all." We do our best to anticipate the spacesuit sizes each astronaut will need, based on the spacesuit size they wore in training on the ground, and in some cases astronauts train in multiple sizes.

McClain trained in both a medium and a large on Earth. However, living in microgravity can change the size of your body! In fact, Anne McClain has grown two inches since she launched to the Space Station.

McClain realized that the medium she wore during the March 22 spacewalk was a better fit for her in space. She had planned to wear a large during the March 29 spacewalk.

In a tweet, McClain explained: "This decision was based on my recommendation. Leaders must make tough calls, and I am fortunate to work with a team who trusts my judgement. We must never accept a risk that can instead be mitigated. Safety of the crew and execution of the mission come first."

To provide each astronaut the best fitting spacesuit during their spacewalks, Koch will wear the medium torso on March 29, and McClain will wear it again on April 8.

2.   Why is spacesuit sizing so important?

The spacesuit is a mini spaceship that keeps our astronauts alive while they are spacewalking!

Astronauts train several hours on Earth in the Neutral Buoyancy Lab for every hour they spend spacewalking. Spacewalks are the most physically demanding thing we ask astronauts to do, which is why an optimally fitted spacesuit is important to completing the assigned tasks and overall mission!

3.   How come you don't have enough spacesuits in the right size?

We do have enough torsos. The spacesuit takes into account more than 80 different body measurements to be configured for each astronaut. The suit has three sizes of upper torso, eight sizes of adjustable elbows, over 65 sizes of gloves, two sizes of adjustable waists, five sizes of adjustable knees and a vast array of padding options for almost every part of the body.

In space, we have two medium hard upper torsos, two larges and two extra larges; however, one of the mediums and one of the extra larges are spares that would require 12 hours of crew time for configuration.

Configuring the spare medium is a very methodical and meticulous process to ensure the intricate life support system — including the controls, seals, and hoses for the oxygen, water and power as well as the pressure garment components — are reassembled correctly with no chance of leaks. 

Nothing is more important than the safety of our crew!

12 hours might not seem like a long time, but the space station is on a very busy operational schedule. An astronaut's life in space is scheduled for activities in five minute increments. Their time is scheduled to conduct science experiments, maintain their spaceship and stay healthy (they exercise two hours a day to keep their bones and muscles strong!).

The teams don't want to delay this spacewalk because two resupply spacecraft – Northrop Grumman Cygnus and SpaceX cargo Dragon – are scheduled to launch to the space station in the second half of April. That will keep the crew very busy for a while!

4.   Why has there not already been an all-female spacewalk?

NASA does not make assignments based on gender.

The first female space shuttle commander, the first female space station commander and the first female spacewalker were all chosen because they the right individuals for the job, not because they were women. It is not unusual to change spacewalk assignments as lessons are learned during operations in space.

McClain became the 13th female spacewalker on March 22, and Koch will be the 14th this Friday – both coincidentally during Women's History Month! Women also are filling two key roles in Mission Control: Mary Lawrence as the lead flight director and Jaclyn Kagey as the lead spacewalk officer.

5.   When will the all-female spacewalk happen?

An all-female spacewalk is inevitable! As the percentage of women who have become astronauts increases, we look forward to celebrating the first spacewalk performed by two women! McClain, Koch (and Hague!) are all part of the first astronaut class that was 50 percent women, and five of the 11 members of the 2017 astronaut candidate class are also women.

You can watch the upcoming spacewalk on March 29 at 6:30 ET, which is one in a series to upgrade the station's power technology with new batteries that store power from the solar arrays for the station to use when it is in orbital night.
Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com

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1,616 notes

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Mar 27th, 2019

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https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2019/03/28/astronauts-ready-after-robotics-sets-up-worksite-for-friday-spacewalk/

Astronauts Ready After Robotics Sets Up Worksite for Friday Spacewalk

Mark Garcia
Posted Mar 28, 2019 at 11:36 am


NASA astronaut Nick Hague is tethered to the International Space Station during a six-hour, 39-minute spacewalk to upgrade the orbital complex's power storage capacity.

Astronauts Nick Hague and Christina Koch have configured their spacesuits and reviewed procedures for tomorrow's spacewalk at the International Space Station. Robotics controllers also readied the Port-4 (P4) truss structure so the spacewalkers can continue battery swaps and power upgrades outside the orbital lab.

Hague and Koch will set their spacesuits to battery power Friday around 8:20 a.m. inside the Quest airlock. They will exit Quest to swap old nickel-hydrogen batteries with new lithium-ion batteries on the P4 truss. NASA TV will begin its live coverage of the scheduled 6.5-hour spacewalk Friday at 6:30 a.m.

Ground specialists in Mission Control remotely commanded the Canadarm2 robotic arm and its "robotic hand" Dextre to set up the P4 worksite throughout week. The fine-tuned robotics maneuvers transferred the batteries between an external pallet and the P4 worksite over several days.

NASA astronaut Anne McClain is tentatively scheduled to join Canadian Space Agency astronaut David Saint-Jacques on April 8 for another spacewalk. The spacewalkers will install truss jumpers to provide secondary power to the Canadarm2.

Meanwhile, McClain collected her blood and urine samples today for ongoing human research. She spun the samples in a centrifuge and stowed them in a science freezer for later analysis. Saint-Jacques worked on computer electronics maintenance throughout the day.

Expedition 59 commander Oleg Kononenko and Alexey Ovchinin, both of Roscosmos, stayed focused on activities in the station's Russian segment on Thursday. The duo spent the morning on life support maintenance before checking docked vehicle communications and photographing windows in the Zvezda service module.

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STEMonstrations: Solar Energy

NASA Johnson

Опубликовано: 26 мар. 2019 г.

Solar energy is a key element in keeping the International Space Station functional as it provides a working laboratory for astronauts in the unique microgravity environment. Astronauts rely on this renewable energy source to power the electronics needed for research and survival. In this episode, Expedition 55/56 Flight Engineer Ricky Arnold explains the process of generating power from the solar arrays on the space station to produce electricity for astronauts as they orbit approximately 250 miles above the earth's surface.

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https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2019/03/28/nasa-tv-broadcasts-live-spacewalk-coverage-friday-morning/

NASA TV Broadcasts Live Spacewalk Coverage Friday Morning

Mark Garcia
Posted Mar 28, 2019 at 3:22 pm


NASA astronaut Anne McClain takes a "space-selfie" with her helmet visor up 260 miles above the Earth's surface during a spacewalk on March 22, 2019.

Expedition 59 Flight Engineers Nick Hague and Christina Koch will exit the Quest airlock Friday for about 6.5 hours of battery swaps to upgrade the station's power storage capacity. The duo will set their spacesuits to battery power about 8:20 a.m. EDT Friday signifying the start of their spacewalk. Coverage will begin its live coverage at 6:30 a.m.

Watch the spacewalk on NASA TV and on the agency's website.

This will be the 215th spacewalk in support of space station assembly and maintenance. Hague will be designated extravehicular crew member 1 (EV 1), wearing the suit with red stripes. Koch will be designated extravehicular crew member 2 (EV 2), wearing the suit with no stripes.

Hague and Koch have configured their spacesuits and reviewed procedures for tomorrow's spacewalk at the space station. Robotics controllers also readied the Port-4 (P4) truss structure so the spacewalkers can continue battery swaps and power upgrades outside the orbital lab.

Спойлер

This is the second battery replacement  this month. Hague and Koch will work on a second set of battery replacements on a different power channel in the same area of the station from the recent spacewalk on March 22.

During that spacewalk, NASA Flight Engineer Anne McClain and Hague replaced some nickel-hydrogen batteries with newer, more powerful lithium-ion batteries for the power channel on one pair of the station's solar arrays. The batteries were transported to the station in September aboard the Japanese H-II Transfer Vehicle. The spacewalking work continues the overall upgrade of the station's power system that began with similar battery replacement during spacewalks in January 2017.

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https://ria.ru/20190329/1552209371.html

"Роскосмос": оставленный Маском на орбите "кузов" от Dragon-2 не грозит МКС
03:11

МОСКВА, 29 мар - РИА Новости. Оставленный на орбите негерметичный грузовой отсек ("кузов") беспилотного корабля Dragon-2 (Crew Dragon) компании Илона Маска SpaceX не создает проблем Международной космической станции (МКС) и летящим к ней грузовым и пилотируемым кораблям, сообщили РИА Новости в пятницу в пресс-службе "Роскосмоса".

Ранее сообщалось, что 2 марта к МКС был запущен корабль Dragon-2 в беспилотном режиме. На следующий день он причалил к станции в автоматическом режиме. Корабль покинул МКС 8 марта и в тот же день приводнился в Атлантическом океане. Перед сходом с орбиты Dragon-2 отделил "кузов", который внесен в открытый американский военных каталог космических объектов и находится на орбите, близкой к орбите МКС.

"Ни МКС, ни полетам кораблей, в частности предстоящему пуску "Прогресса", агрегатный отсек Crew Dragon не угрожает", - ответил представитель пресс-службы "Роскосмоса" на вопрос, угрожает ли этот объект МКС или летящим к ней кораблям.

По словам источника РИА Новости в ракетно-космической отрасли, 3 апреля "кузов" пролетит в 25 километрах от станции, однако маневра уклонения МКС от него не потребуется.

Собеседник добавил, что на 4 апреля планируется запуск грузового корабля "Прогресс МС-11", которому предстоит долететь до МКС за рекордные три часа. "Если бы старт "Прогресса" намечался на полтора-двое суток раньше, то такое сближение "кузова" со станцией могло бы повлиять на решение проводить запуск и сближение "Прогресса" с МКС", - сказал он.

Источник считает, что существующая схема отделения "кузова" Dragon-2 в непосредственной близости от МКС с учетом растущего в будущем количества этих кораблей может создать серьезную проблему отправляемым к станции кораблям.

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Упакованы и в шлюзе...

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Переходный люк закрыт

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Наружный люк шлюза открыт - с опережением графика

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Jonathan McDowell‏Подлинная учетная запись @planet4589 7 мин. назад

Astronauts Hague and Koch are beginning a spacewalk, with depressurization of the Quest airlock complete. The hatch was opened at 1139 UTC and the astronauts went onto battery power at 1142 UTC.


William Harwood‏ @cbs_spacenews 7 мин. назад

US EVA-53: Good morning; floating in the space station's Quest airlock, Christina Koch and Nick Hague switched their spacesuits to battery power at 7:42am EDT, officially kicking off a revised 6.5-hour spacewalk