Tag: ISS
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OBSS Sensor Protect for Soyuz Flyaround and WLEIDS Status Reviewed
NASA is gearing up for what will be a jammed packed STS-133, along with the possibility of a Soyuz fly-around during Discovery’s docked mission still under consideration. To this end, NASA has created a plan to protect Discovery OBSS (Orbiter Boom Sensor System) sensor packages during the proposed maneuver. The vehicle’s Wing Leading Edge Impact Detection…
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Cosmonauts complete Russian Spacewalk on ISS
Two Russian Cosmonauts stepped outside the International Space Station (ISS) on Wednesday to perform a spacewalk on the Russian Segment (RS) of the orbital outpost. The spacewalk – which was expected to last around six hours, but was completed in under five hours – comes amid a busy time on the ISS, with the ATV-2 launch,…
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Ariane 5 launches ATV-2 for journey to the ISS
Arianespace’s launch of the European Space Agency ATV-2 (Automated Transfer Vehicle 2) spacecraft on a multi-month mission to deliver thousands of pounds of supplies to the leading orbital outpost has lifted off at the second attempt at 21:50 GMT on Wednesday, following a scrub late in Tuesday’s countdown. The mission is set to hold the distinction…
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STS-133: NASA Considering Soyuz Flyaround to Photograph Discovery and ISS
NASA managers are investigating a proposed plan that would see a Soyuz spacecraft undock from the International Space Station (ISS) during the upcoming STS-133 mission in order to take photographs of the orbital outpost, along with its record number of attached Visiting Vehicles (VVs) and the docked Space Shuttle Discovery. A Family Portrait: During the STS-133 mission,…
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International Resupply Vehicles Impact ISS On-Orbit Stowage
The recent flurry of Visiting Vehicle (VV) activity at the International Space Station (ISS) has created a logistics challenge for ISS managers, who are tasked with meticulously choreographing where and when the new cargo will be stowed aboard the ISS. Current ISS Stowage Overview: An ISS Stowage Status document, available to download in full on…
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Canada’s “Dextre” robotic hand performs first ever operational tasks
Canada’s Special Purpose Dextrous Manipulator (SPDM), also known as “Dextre” or the “Canada Hand”, is, for the first time since its launch in March 2008, being used for operational purposes aboard the International Space Station (ISS) this week. The operations are in support of Japan’s H-II Transfer Vehicle-2 (HTV-2) mission. SPDM overview: The SPDM is…
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ISS crew successfully capture HTV-2 for berthing to Station
After less than a week in space, Japan’s HTV-2 spacecraft was successfully grappled by the ISS crew via the SSRMS (Space Station Remote Manipulator System), ahead of berthing to Node-2 Nadir – which was completed at 0951 EST. Over the coming days, the ISS crew will remove external payloads from HTV-2 before moving the spacecraft to a…
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HTV-2 Resupply Craft launches towards Space Station
Representing the third spaceflight of 2011, JAXA’s HTV-2 vehicle, atop the H-IIB rocket, launched at 1537 JST (0137 CST) from the Tanegashima Space Center in southern Japan. With its second flight, the HTV will deliver thousands of pounds of internal and external cargo to the International Space Station (ISS) and serve as a means for…
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ISS Crew open 2011 spacewalk marathon with 27th Russian EVA
The International Space Station (ISS) Expedition 26 crew have conducted the Russian EVA-27 on Friday, marking the first in what is currently planned to be a total of 10 Shuttle and ISS EVAs in 2011. Projected to be a six hour EVA, the spacewalk began with hatch opening at 2:29 PM GMT and ended well ahead of schedule at…
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NASA Managers Discuss Prospect of Bigelow Inflatable on ISS
International Space Station Program (ISSP) managers at NASA’s Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston held a two-day meeting this week to discuss the prospect of adding a Bigelow Aerospace inflatable module to the ISS. The Technical Interchange Meeting (TIM) ran on Wednesday 12th and Thursday 13th January. ISS Inflatable Module: The purpose of the ISS…