Новости МКС

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Moving Water in Space - 8K Ultra HD

NASA Johnson

Опубликовано: 5 июл. 2019 г.

Water in space behaves... differently. Surface tension and capillary flow can be harnessed to move fluids in more efficient ways. What looks like fun could actually help us improve systems for moving fluids in microgravity, in things like fuel tanks for space travel.

(1:29)

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Christina H Koch‏Подлинная учетная запись @Astro_Christina 30 мин. назад

Weekend barbershop on the @Space_Station was open for business! First Alexey taught me how to cut @AstroHague's and then he trusted me on his own. That's life with a population of 3!

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https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2019/07/08/biology-spacesuit-work-while-new-crew-trains-for-launch/

Biology, Spacesuit Work While New Crew Trains for Launch

Mark Garcia
Posted Jul 8, 2019 at 2:11 pm on


Expedition 60 crewmembers pose for pictures with their Sokol launch and entry suits July 5 during pre-launch preparations at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

Three Expedition 60 crewmembers are orbiting Earth supporting a variety of biology research and spacesuit servicing today. A trio of soon-to-be International Space Station residents are in Kazakhstan awaiting a launch to their new home in space in less than two weeks.

NASA astronauts Christina Koch and Nick Hague collected their blood samples Monday morning for spinning in a centrifuge. The samples were then stowed in a science freezer for later analysis by scientists on Earth.

Koch then went on to work on a pair of U.S. spacesuits, cleaning cooling loops and replacing components. She also watered plants growing inside the Columbus laboratory module for the two-part VEG-04 space agriculture study.

Hague wrapped up last week's CubeSat deployment activities by retracting the deployer hardware back inside Japan's Kibo laboratory module. The NASA astronaut later tested new adjustable LED lights installed throughout the orbiting lab to increase crew health and wellness.

Commander Alexey Ovchinin focused mainly on computer maintenance and lab cleaning in the Russian segment of the station. Toward the end of the day, the veteran cosmonaut explored space exercise techniques and photographed landmarks on Earth.

Back on Earth at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, three new station residents are in final training ahead of their July 20 launch. Cosmonaut Alexander Skvortsov will lead astronauts Andrew Morgan and Luca Parmitano aboard the Soyuz MS-13 crew ship during their six-hour ride to the space station.

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Expedition 60 Inflight Interview with NYPD - July 8, 2019

NASA Video

Опубликовано: 8 июл. 2019 г.

New York City Students to Speak with NASA Astronauts on Space Station Aboard the International Space Station, NASA astronauts Nick Hague and Christina Koch answered questions from students participating in the New York Police Department's (NYPD) Youth Strategies Divisions programs through an Earth-to-space call July 8. The programs aim to reduce youth violence, prevent drug use, promote child safety and improve relationships between police and young people in their communities through inspiration and learning.

(23:36)

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https://ria.ru/20190709/1556332044.html

Источник назвал дату следующего выхода астронавтов НАСА в открытый космос
Вчера, 03:03

МОСКВА, 9 июл - РИА Новости. Следующий выход астронавтов НАСА в открытый космос с борта Международной космической станции (МКС) состоится в конце лета, сообщил РИА Новости во вторник источник в ракетно-космической отрасли.

"Выход в открытый космос с борта МКС по американской программе запланирован на 28 августа", - сказал собеседник агентства.

Ранее другой источник в отрасли сообщил РИА Новости, что данный выход будет посвящен подготовке второго порта на станции для приема американских пилотируемых кораблей. По его словам, в сентябре по американской программе будут проведены три выхода для замены аккумуляторных батарей на американском сегменте МКС, а в конце года - пять выходов с целью ремонта системы охлаждения прибора для поиска антиматерии AMS-02.

В 2019 году астронавты НАСА уже осуществили три выхода в открытый космос: два - в марте, один - в апреле.

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В настоящее время на борту МКС находится экипаж из россиянина Алексея Овчинина и американцев Ника Хейга и Кристины Кук.

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https://www.militarynews.ru/story.asp?rid=1&nid=512351&lang=RU

Десять выходов в космос из американского сегмента МКС запланированы в ближайшие полгода
09.07.2019 6:00:00

Москва. 9 июля. ИНТЕРФАКС - Десять выходов в открытый космос из американского сегмента МКС предварительно запланированы на ближайшие месяцы для астронавтов Национального управления по аэронавтике и исследованию космического пространства (NASA) и Европейского космического агентства (ESA), сообщили "Интерфаксу" в российском представительстве ESA.

"Во время нахождения на Международной космической станции (МКС) итальянского астронавта ESA Луки Пармитано предварительно запланированы 10 выходов в космос", - сказали в представительстве.

Там уточнили, что речь идет о выходах в космос как американских астронавтов, работающих на МКС, так и самого Пармитано. В частности, планируется его участие в выходах для ремонта магнитного альфа-спектрометра АМС-02.

"Пока нет подтверждения, сколько точно раз Лука Пармитано будет выходить в космос", - сказали в российском представительстве ESA, отметив, что в это количество не входят планируемые выходы в космос российских космонавтов.

Ранее российский космонавт Александр Скворцов, который вместе с Пармитано и астронавтом NASA Энрю Морганом должен отправиться на МКС 20 июля, сообщил журналистам, что итальянский астронавт примет участие "более чем в девяти выходах", однако не уточнил, во время каких выходов он будет работать за бортом станции, а во время каких - ассистировать коллегам, находясь на станции.

Скворцов и Пармитано проведут на станции 201 день, а Моргану придется задержаться на станции. В одном корабле с россиянином и итальянцем на Землю вернется астронавт NASA Кристина Кук.

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В настоящее время экипаж МКС состоит из российского космонавта Алексея Овчинина, американских астронавтов Кристины Кук и Ника Хейга.

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https://blogs.nasa.gov/stationreport/2019/07/08/iss-daily-summary-report-7082019/

ISS Daily Summary Report - 7/08/2019

NanoRacks CubeSat Deployer (NRCSD) Hardware Removal:

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As a closeout activity for NRCSD-16, the crew removed the deployers from the Multipurpose Experiment Platform(MPEP) on the JEM airlock slide table, and stowed them. NRCSD-16 successfully depolyed all 7 of its satellites last week. The NRCSD is a self-contained CubeSat deployer system for small satellites staged from the ISS. NRCSD is transported to orbit inside the Pressurized Cargo Module of ISS cargo resupply vehicles and utilizes the ISS Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) as a staging facility for operations. NRCSD is integrated with payloads (CubeSats) on the ground.

Lighting Effects:

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The crew set up the light meter using Human Research Facility (HRF) PC1 and performed the ambient meter reading. The Lighting Effects investigation studies the impact of the change from fluorescent light bulbs to solid-state light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with adjustable intensity and color and aims to determine if the new lights can improve crew circadian rhythms, sleep, and cognitive performance.

Medical Proteomics:

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The 58S crew participated in the fourth Medical Proteomics blood draw. JAXA's Medical Proteomics evaluates changes of proteins in blood serum, bone and skeletal muscles after space flight, and supports identification of osteopenia-related proteins. By combining research results for space mice, astronauts and ground patients, proteins related to osteopenia can be identified using the latest proteome analysis technique. It's anticipated that the use of the marker proteins related to osteopenia will be of benefit in the future for assessing the health of astronauts as well as osteoporosis patients on ground.

Repository:

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Blood and/or urine collections continue through Wednesday for the Flight Day (FD)120 samples for FE5/FE6. Repository supports scientific discovery that contributes to our fundamental knowledge in the area of human physiological changes and adaptation to a microgravity environment and provides unique opportunities to study longitudinal changes in human physiology spanning many missions.

VEG-04 check and MMD:

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The crew performed a routine plant check, watered the plants as appropriate, and weighed any broken leaves using the MMD (Mass Measurement Device). Similar to what was reported late last week on one of the plant pillows, a small area of mold-like substance was reported on 9 of the remaining 11 plant pillows at the base of the plants. The crew was asked to clean up the mold and water the plants in preparation for the harvest tomorrow (9-July). The research of Veg-04A focuses on the impact of light quality and fertilizer on leafy crop growth for a 28-day grow-out, microbial food safety, nutritional value, taste acceptability by the crew, and the overall behavioral health benefits of having plants and fresh food in space.

Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU)s 3006 and 3008 Maintenance:

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The crew performed ionic and particulate filtration and biocidal maintenance of EMU and Airlock cooling water loops. In addition, EMU 3008 Water Line Vent Tube Assembly (WLVTA) was removed and replaced followed by a leak check which is performed periodically as preventive maintenance.

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https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2019/07/09/space-health-and-station-gardening-fill-todays-research-schedule/

Space Health and Station Gardening Fill Today's Research Schedule

Mark Garcia
Posted Jul 9, 2019 at 2:28 pm


Expedition 60 Flight Engineer Christina Koch of NASA works on a U.S. spacesuit in the Quest airlock where U.S. spacewalks are staged aboard the International Space Station.

Biomedical research and space agriculture dominated the Expedition 60 crew's schedule today. The investigations aboard the International Space Station are helping scientists, doctors and engineers plan human missions to the Moon, Mars and beyond.

Nick Hague of NASA started Tuesday morning collecting and stowing his blood and urine samples for a pair of life science studies. His blood samples are being compared with samples from space mice, other astronauts and ground patients for changes in protein expression. Another study is comparing the biological samples taken before, during and after a spaceflight.

NASA Flight Engineer Christina Koch set up a 360-degree camera to record station gardening activities. The crew has been recording immersive, cinematic experiences throughout the year to share with audiences on Earth.

It was harvest time during the afternoon in the orbiting lab's Harmony module today. Hague and Koch were picking salad-type plants after 28 days of growth, stowing samples for analysis and taste testing the rest. The VEG-04 botany study is exploring the viability of growing fresh food in space to support astronauts on long-term missions.

Exercising in microgravity is critical to maintain a crewmember's health and ensure successful space missions. Commander Alexey Ovchinin spent Tuesday morning supporting a Russian study investigating the effectiveness of space workouts. In the afternoon, he moved on to lab maintenance changing out life support system components.

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Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight 22 ч. назад

The ISS has a Water Storage System issue related to a Controller Communication Fault due to a corrupted SD card.

Teams are working to image a new SD card on orbit to recover WSS.

Mundane? All useful lessons for the challenges they can expect during deep space missions!




21 ч. назад

Still not working: "Ground controllers loaded a separate 32 GB SD card with the WSS software with the same result - an unsuccessful checksum with an "input/output error" response."

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удалено, т.к. что входит в 10 было написано ранее словами источников - http://novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/forum/messages/forum10/topic2964/message1864555/#message1864555

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https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2019/07/10/crew-configures-hardware-to-monitor-brain-and-radiation-exposure-in-space/

Crew Configures Hardware to Monitor Brain and Radiation Exposure in Space

Mark Garcia
Posted Jul 10, 2019 at 2:28 pm


The International Space Station was orbiting 258 miles above the Bay of Bengal during an orbital nighttime when this photograph was taken of Earth's luminous atmospheric glow back-dropped by the tranquil Milky Way.

The Expedition 60 crew configured a variety of science hardware today monitoring the brain and radiation exposure. The orbital residents also had a steady day of safety gear checks and lab maintenance on the International Space Station.

Astronauts experience blood flow changes caused by living in microgravity that may cause lightheadedness or fainting upon return to Earth. The Cerebral Autoregulation investigation is measuring the waveforms of these blood flows to understand blood pressure regulation in space. Flight Engineer Nick Hague set up the experiment hardware this morning that may help doctors treat and prevent these symptoms.

Hague next assembled hardware for a high definition camera that will be installed outside the station on an upcoming spacewalk. He and NASA astronaut Christina Koch also installed communication cables and conducted voice checks to support the arrival of future commercial crew vehicles.

Radiation exposure is another concern for crewmembers working in space for months or years at a time. Koch handed a set of dosimeters, or radiation detectors, to Commander Alexey Ovchinin during the afternoon for installation on the Russian side of the orbiting lab. Several studies are monitoring neutron radiation and the  variation in the radiation environment as the station orbits Earth.

Koch started her morning inspecting breathing masks and fire extinguishers. She checked the emergency equipment for correct pressure measurements and any signs of physical damage on hoses and bottles. Ovchinin continued the replacement of more Russian life support system components during his morning.

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Christina H Koch‏Подлинная учетная запись @Astro_Christina 8 июл.

Back to work and loaded with #MondayMotivaton! Working with cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin to replace a power strip for a Russian module. Our closets on the @Space_Station can be just about anywhere!

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Andrew Morgan‏Подлинная учетная запись @AstroDrewMorgan 7 ч. назад

Quarantine life: @astro_luca and I just hanging around! This tilt table simulates the sensation of blood and body fluids shifting more towards the head in microgravity. This is one of a few different activities to help us prepare physiologically for microgravity.




4 ч. назад

Pre-launch quarantine part #2. Spin me round, round: more physiologic preparation for spaceflight. This spinning chair can help desensitize the vestibular (balance) system and may help with our transition through the initial disorientation we experience in microgravity.

Video

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https://ria.ru/20190711/1556405731.html

Источник: НАСА планирует доставить на МКС новые солнечные батареи
03:25

МОСКВА, 11 июл - РИА Новости. Четыре новые солнечные батареи планируется привезти на Международную космическую станцию (МКС) в 2021-2022 годах на грузовых кораблях Dragon для установки на американском сегменте станции, сообщил РИА Новости в четверг источник в ракетно-космической отрасли.

Сейчас на американском сегменте МКС работают восемь солнечных батарей. Однако со временем из-за воздействия космических условий эффективность их функционирования падает.

"В 2021-2022 годах на грузовых кораблях Dragon на МКС будут доставлены четыре новых солнечных батареи", - сказал собеседник агентства.

Он отметил, что солнечные батареи рулонного типа будут развернуты поверх существующих американских батарей. По словам источника, данный тип солнечных батарей был испытан на МКС в июне 2017 года.

Установка новых батарей потребует выполнения выходов астронавтов в открытый космос с борта станции, добавил он.

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Expedition 60 InFlight with BBC World News and WRAL TV July 10, 2019

NASA Video

Опубликовано: 10 июл. 2019 г.

(25:30)

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https://blogs.nasa.gov/stationreport/2019/07/09/iss-daily-summary-report-7092019/

ISS Daily Summary Report - 7/09/2019

Human Research Facility (HRF) GDS tank photo:

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The crew took photos of the pressure gauges on the HRF Gas Delivery System (GDS) gas cylinders which support the Portable Pulmonary Function System (PFS). This is a nominal, periodic requirement to monitor the pressures in the system. The Portable PFS is an autonomous multi-user facility supporting a broad range of human physiological research experiments under the condition of weightlessness in the areas of respiratory, cardiovascular and metabolic physiology. Portable PFS also represents an evolution to the existing PFS onboard the ISS.

MERLIN4 Install:

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MERLIN4 was installed in EXPRESS Rack 8 in preparation to support the Biofabrication Facility in the SpX-18 timeframe. The MERLIN was powered up today, checked out, and will be powered off Wednesday. The MERLIN incubators are capable of storing samples at temperatures from -20.0°C to +48.5°C. MERLIN is part of the Cold Stowage Fleet of hardware which includes Minus Eighty Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI) and General Laboratory Active Cryogenic ISS Experiment Refrigerator (GLACIER), Polar, and Coldbags.

The ISS Experience:

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The crew set up the camera system and captured a crew quarters discussion and Veg-04A harvest targets. The ISS Experience creates a virtual reality film documenting daily life aboard the ISS. The 8 to 10 minute videos created from footage taken during the six-month investigation cover different aspects of crew life, execution of science aboard the station, and the international partnerships involved. The ISS Experience uses a Z-CAM V1 Pro Cinematic Virtual Reality (VR) 360-degree camera with nine 190° fisheye lenses.

Two-phase Flow (TPF):

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The crew configured the valve settings to support the ongoing JAXA Two-phase flow (TPF) experiment. The last run of this series is expected to be completed this Wednesday. TPF investigates the heat transfer characteristics of flow boiling in the microgravity environment. This experiment provides a fundamental understanding of the behaviors of bubble formation, liquid-vapor flow in a tube, and how heat is transferred in cooling systems.

Veg-04A Harvest:

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The crew harvested the Veg-04A Mizuna plants from both Veggie facilities. Approximately half of the leaves will be returned to the ground for analysis, and half of the leaves are available for crew consumption. Both the ground analysis and crew tasting of the leaves will compare differences between the plants grown in blue light and plants grown in red light. The research of Veg-04A focuses on the impact of light quality and fertilizer on leafy crop growth for a 28-day grow-out, microbial food safety, nutritional value, taste acceptability by the crew, and the overall behavioral health benefits of having plants and fresh food in space.

Redundant United States Crewed Vehicle (USCV) Communications (RUC) Cable:

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The crew gathered hardware in preparation for tomorrow's planned RUC cable routing. The new cable will provide voice path redundancy during nominal and emergency USCV mission scenarios in the future.

Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SSRMS) Fine Characterization Operations:

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Last night, Robotics Ground Controllers powered up the Mobile Servicing System (MSS) and maneuvered the SSRMS and the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM) to grasp the Mobile Base System (MBS) port H-Fixture. Then, the Auto-Wiggle commissioning was executed successfully which is a new software feature that will improve Remote Power Control Module (RPCM) R&R operations. A special software patch was loaded to perform SSRMS Force Moment Sensor (FMS) fine characterization. In addition, the SPDM Arm2 grasped the MBS port H-Fixture again and then the ground team characterized the SPDM Arm in all different directions and orientations at a certain force and moment to create loads on the SSRMS FMS sensor.

Water Storage System (WSS) Controller Communication Fault Status:

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After determining that the Secure Digital (SD) card that provides the operating system for WSS was corrupted based on testing on July 5, ground teams imaged the original WSS 8 Gigabyte (GB) SD Card with the WSS software and attempted to run a checksum. The checksum was not successful and resulted in an "input/output error." Ground controllers then loaded a separate 32 GB SD card with the WSS software with the same result. To determine whether the software successfully loaded, the crew installed each SD card into WSS and the ground attempted to power on WSS. Each attempt was unsuccessful. Ground teams are working a forward plan.

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https://blogs.nasa.gov/stationreport/2019/07/10/iss-daily-summary-report-7102019/

ISS Daily Summary Report - 7/10/2019

Cerebral Autoregulation:

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The crew gathered items and set up in preparation for experiment sessions on Thursday and Friday. As the body's most important organ, the brain needs a strong and reliable blood supply, so the brain is capable of self-regulating blood flow even when the heart and blood vessels cannot maintain an ideal blood pressure. This investigation tests whether this self-regulation improves in the microgravity environment of space.

JAXA Education Payload Operation (EPO) Dry Run:

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In preparation for a late Increment 60 event with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) crew member, the JEM camera robot (ball camera) was set up and checked out. The Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) Internal Ball Camera is a free floating, remote-controlled panoramic camera that helps crews monitor operations in the JEM. Similar to current consumer-grade ball cameras, the JEM Internal Ball Camera is charged with a standard USB cable and provides real-time video and image downloads to remote operators.

Radi-N2 Retrieval:

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The crew retrieved all 8 detectors and transferred them to the Russian Segment for processing. The objective of this Canadian Space Agency investigation is to better characterize the ISS neutron environment, define the risk posed to the crew members' health, and provide the data necessary to develop advanced protective measures for future spaceflight. It's been recognized that neutrons make up a significant fraction (10-30%) of the biologically effective radiation exposure in low-Earth orbit. The bubble detectors used in the investigation are designed detect neutrons and ignore all other radiation.

Veg-04A Questionnaire:

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Following the successful harvest and crew consumption of the Mizuna leaves on Tuesday, the crew completed a questionnaire giving details of the activity. The research of Veg-04A focuses on the impact of light quality and fertilizer on leafy crop growth for a 28-day grow-out, microbial food safety, nutritional value, taste acceptability by the crew, and the overall behavioral health benefits of having plants and fresh food in space.

Redundant United States Crewed Vehicle (USCV) Communications (RUC) Cable:

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The crew successfully installed and checked out the new RUC cable today. RUC provides voice path redundancy during nominal and emergency USCV mission scenarios in the future. The new configuration converted the Shuttle era Docked Audio Interface Unit (DAIU) to a backup Russian Audio Interface Unit (RAIU) within the Audio Subsystem.

International Docking Adapter (IDA)3 Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Preparations:

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In preparation for the IDA3 EVA which is planned no earlier than August 15, the crew assembled a boom and External High Definition Camera (EHDC). The crew also performed a checkout of the Node 2 Zenith IDA Control Panel during which they sent a series of commands to the panel and verified light statuses.

Portable Emergency Provisions (PEPS) Audit:

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The crew completed the annual audit and inspection of the PEPs including the Portable Breathing Apparatus (PBA), Quick Don Mask (QDM), Pre-Breathe Mask, Extension Hose Tee Kit and QDM Harness maintenance. The audit and inspection ensures that each emergency provision is free of damage.

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https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2019/07/11/crew-sequences-dna-researches-blood-pressure-and-tests-time-perception-today/

Crew Sequences DNA, Researches Blood Pressure and Tests Time Perception Today

Mark Garcia
Posted Jul 11, 2019 at 12:51 pm


The International Space Station was orbiting above the Caspian Sea at an altitude of 256 miles when this photograph was taken of the Volga River.

The International Space Station is a unique orbiting laboratory that helps NASA and its partners explore what happens to humans living off the Earth. The Expedition 60 crew is contributing to the microgravity research everyday learning what it takes to live and work successfully in space.

NASA astronauts Christina Koch and Nick Hague began Thursday morning investigating how space radiation-damaged DNA repairs itself. The Genes in Space-6 study sequences DNA samples inside the Biomolecule Sequencer and observes the mutation and molecular repair mechanisms.

Koch then measured her blood pressure to help doctors understand and treat lightheadedness symptoms some astronauts have experienced upon returning to Earth. During the afternoon, she swapped fuel bottles that support flame, fuel and soot experiments taking place inside the Combustion Integrated Rack.

Hague set up a virtual reality camera inside Europe's Columbus laboratory module to record a cinematic, immersive experience of his science activities in the afternoon. He recorded himself exploring the hypothesis that astronauts working in space perceive time differently affecting mission performance.

Commander Alexey Ovchinin spent all day ensuring the upkeep of the Russian segment of the space station. The veteran cosmonaut swapped out life support system components and tested communications and electronics gear.

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https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/news/spx18-research

July 5, 2019

Science Soars to the Space Station on SpaceX CRS-18

Dozens of scientific experiments are scheduled to travel to the International Space Station aboard a Dragon cargo spacecraft in late July. This 18th SpaceX Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract mission for NASA blasts off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on a Falcon 9 rocket. The springboard to NASA's missions to the Moon and Mars, the space station also provides opportunities for other U.S. government agencies, private industry, and academic and research institutions to conduct microgravity research. Such research can lead to the development of new technologies, medical treatments and products that improve life on Earth.

Read more about some of the scientific investigations traveling to the microgravity laboratory on the Dragon.

These microbes rock


Sphingomonas desiccabilis, one of three microbes chosen for the BioRock experiment, seen growing on basalt. Run by a research team from the University of Edinburgh in the UK, BioRock tests how altered states of gravity affect biofilm formation on the International Space Station.
Credits: UK Centre for Astrobiology/University of Edinburgh

Microbes growing on the surface of rocks can gradually break down those rocks and extract minerals. This natural process enables a process called bio-mining. Common on Earth, bio-mining could eventually help explorers on the Moon or Mars acquire needed materials, lessening the need to use precious resources from Earth and reducing the amount of supplies that explorers must take with them. Microgravity affects the interaction between microbes and rocks, though, and may restrict bacterial growth. The BioRock investigation examines these interactions as well as physical and genetic changes in the microbes. The discoveries could support future acquisition of materials in space and advance development of life support systems with microbial components.

Bioprinting tissues in space


The Biofabrication Facility created by Techshot, a 3D printer capable of manufacturing human tissue in microgravity.
Credits: Techshot Inc.

Scientists and medical professionals have long dreamed of using three-dimensional (3D) biological printers to produce usable human organs. But printing the tiny, complex structures found inside human organs, such as capillary structures, has proven difficult in Earth's gravity. Microgravity eliminates the need for scaffolding structures to support complex tissue shapes, and the BioFabrication Facility (BFF) provides a platform to attempt printing of biological tissues on the space station. This investigation could serve as a first step toward achieving the ability to fabricate entire human organs in space.


How silica rolls in space

Goodyear Tire investigation evaluates the creation of silica fillers using traditional techniques but in microgravity, potentially yielding results not possible on Earth. A better understanding of silica morphology and the relationship between silica structure and its properties could improve the silica design process, silica rubber formulation, and tire manufacturing and performance on the ground. Such improvements could include increased fuel efficiency, which would reduce transportation costs and help to protect Earth's environment.


Moss grows fat on an orbiting craft

Mosses, tiny plants without roots, need only a small area for growth. These plants show changes in biomass and photosynthesis rate in response to changes in gravity. These traits could prove an advantage for the potential use of mosses as a source of food and oxygen in space and future bases on the Moon or Mars. Space Moss compares mosses grown aboard the space station with those grown on Earth to determine how microgravity affects growth, development, gene expression, photosynthesis, and other features. The investigation also provides a better understanding of the mechanisms of moss response to microgravity, with potential applications for engineering plants to grow better on Earth.

How space gets on our nerves

Space Tango-Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells examines how microglial cells grow and move in 3D cultures and changes in gene expression that occur in microgravity. Microglia are a type of immune defense cell found in the central nervous system. Understanding the way nerve cells grow and survive along with the accompanying changes in gene expression in microgravity is essential to protecting astronaut health, particularly on long-duration missions.

This long-term cell culture investigation is also the first to use human-induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) in microgravity to study Parkinson's disease and multiple sclerosis. Adult cells genetically programmed to return to an embryonic stem cell-like state, iPSCs potentially could provide an unlimited source of any type of human cell for therapeutic purposes. This research could provide valuable insights into the processes of these diseases and lead to improved prevention and treatments.

Connecting with the space station


The International Docking Adapter 3 as it is packed into the SpaceX Dragon at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on June 19. IDA 3 is intended to support future U.S. crewed vehicles visiting the station.
Credits: NASA

International Docking Adapters or IDAs serve as physical points for connecting spacecraft to the space station. Any spacecraft can be designed to use IDAs, from new commercial spacecraft to other yet-to-be designed international vehicles. IDA systems have become more sophisticated than previous docking systems. For example, lasers and sensors allow the station and spacecraft to talk to each other digitally, sharing distance cues and enabling automatic alignment and connection.

IDA 3 attaches to the Harmony node and can accommodate Commercial Crew Program (CCP) vehicle dockings, including the first spacecraft to launch astronauts from U.S. soil since the space shuttle.

Building better bones in space


Interior view of an incubator cassette from the Bioculture System used by the Cell Science 02 investigation.
Credits: NASA photo by Dominic Hart

The Cell Science-02 investigation examines the effects of microgravity on healing and tissue regeneration and on the agents that induce that healing. The investigation improves understanding of how selected growth factors affect tissue regeneration at the molecular and biochemical level and contributes to developing better countermeasures against loss of bone density experienced by astronauts in space. The investigation also has potential applications for those with impaired healing of serious wounds and for treating bone loss due to osteoporosis on Earth.

These are just a few of the hundreds of investigations currently underway aboard the space station. 

Melissa Gaskill
International Space Station Program Science Office
Johnson Space Center

Last Updated: July 11, 2019
Editor: Michael Johnson

[tnt22]

Space to Ground: Farm-to-Table: 07/12/2019

NASA Johnson

Опубликовано: 12 июл. 2019 г.

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