Mar 14 2018

From The Space Library

MEDIA ADVISORY M18-044 NASA Television Coverage Set for Space Station Crew Launch, Docking

Two American astronauts and a Russian cosmonaut are ready for their journey to the International Space Station that begins on Wednesday, March 21. Live coverage will air on NASA Television and the agency’s website.

At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, NASA astronauts Drew Feustel and Ricky Arnold, and cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, are set to launch in the Soyuz MS-08 spacecraft at 1:44 p.m. EDT (11:44 p.m. Kazakhstan time) March 21.

After a two-day flight, the new crew members will dock to the station’s Poisk docking module at 3:41 p.m. Friday, March 25. About two hours later, hatches between the Soyuz and the station will open, and the new residents will be greeted as part of the Expedition 55 crew by station commander Anton Shkaplerov of Roscosmos, Scott Tingle of NASA and Norishige Kanai of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).

Coverage of Expedition 55 launch and docking activities is as follows (all times EDT):

Wednesday, March 21

• 12:45 p.m. – Soyuz MS-08 launch coverage (launch at 1:44 p.m.)

Friday, March 23

• 3 p.m. – Docking coverage (docking scheduled for 3:41 p.m.)
• 5 p.m. – Hatch opening and welcome coverage

A full complement of video of the crew’s pre-launch activities in Baikonur will air on NASA TV in the days preceding launch.

The crew members of Expedition 55-56 will continue work on hundreds of experiments in biology, biotechnology, physical science and Earth science aboard the International Space Station, humanity’s only permanently occupied microgravity laboratory. This crew continues the long-term increase in U.S. crew size from three to four, allowing NASA to maximize time dedicated to research on the space station.

During his flight, former educator Ricky Arnold will wrap up NASA’s Year of Education on Station, an initiative to engage students and educators in human spaceflight and science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers.

RELEASE 18-014 NASA Honors Legacy of Renowned Astrophysicist Stephen Hawking

The following is a statement from acting NASA Administrator Robert Lightfoot on the passing of visionary physicist Stephen Hawking, who died at his home in Cambridge, England, early Wednesday morning.

“Today, the world lost a giant among men, whose impact cannot be overstated. Our condolences go out to the family and friends of Stephen Hawking.

“Stephen’s breakthroughs in the fields of physics and astronomy not only changed how we view the cosmos, but also has played, and will continue to play, a pivotal role in shaping NASA’s efforts to explore our solar system and beyond.

“Along with groundbreaking and inspiring work came another attribute that made Stephen a hero not just to younger generations, but also to his peers. A longtime friend to NASA, Stephen was a passionate communicator who wanted to share the excitement of discovery with all.

“His loss is felt around the world by all he inspired with his work and his personal story of perseverance.”

MEDIA ADVISORY M18-043 NASA to Highlight Science Launching on Next Resupply Mission to Space Station

NASA will host a media teleconference at 11 a.m. EDT Monday, March 19, to discuss a number of science investigations and instruments launching in April to the International Space Station on the next SpaceX commercial resupply mission. Audio of the teleconference will stream live on NASA’s website.

To participate in the teleconference, media must contact Stephanie Schierholz at 202-358-1100 or stephanie.schierholz@nasa.gov by 5 p.m. Friday, March 16, for dial-in information.

Pete Hasbrook, associate program scientist for the International Space Station Program at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, and Michael Roberts, deputy chief scientist at the Center for Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS), will kick off the call with an overview of the research and technology aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft.

Also participating in the briefing will be:

• Torsten Neubert, National Space Institute at the Technical University of Denmark – Neubert, principal investigator for the Atmosphere-Space Interactions Monitor (ASIM), will discuss how this Earth observatory will study severe thunderstorms and their role in the Earth’s atmosphere and climate. In addition to space applications, ASIM will help improve current atmospheric models that guide long- and short-term climate predictions.
• Stephanie Murphy and Mark Gittleman, Alpha Space Test and Research Alliance – Murphy, founder of Alpha Space, and Gittleman, the company’s president and chief executive officer, will discuss Alpha Space’s Materials International Space Station Experiment flight facility (MISSE-FF). MISSE will be permanently installed on the exterior of the orbiting laboratory and provide the ability to test materials, coatings, and components in the harsh environment of space, with flight opportunities for experimenters approximately every six months. Testing on MISSE may benefit a variety of industries, including advanced manufacturing of products ranging from protective clothing for astronauts to solar cells.
• Kim de Groh, NASA’s Glenn Research Center – De Groh, a senior materials research engineer, will talk about how exposing 138 polymer and composite samples to the space environment, via MISSE-FF, will provide critical data to improve predictions of materials durability for spacecraft and component lifetimes in low-Earth orbit.
• Elaine Horn-Ranney, Tympanogen, Inc. – Principal investigator for research about wound healing, Horn-Ranney will discuss this investigation into improving the process of antibiotic release from gels that can cover large wounds, a medical advancement that could be used to treat military combat wounds and reduce the occurrence and severity of systemic infection and inflammation.
• Randall German, San Diego State University – German will discuss the Gravitational Effects on Distortion in Sintering (of Metal Powders) experiment delivered in the NASA Sample Cartridge Assembly that seeks to better understand how the lack of gravity affects a process used to produce high-performance products from metal powders. This research could lead to improved manufacturing techniques and has potential as a way to perform in-space fabrication and repair.
• Dr. Guy Trudel, University of Ottawa and Ottawa Hospital in Ontario – Trudel, a physician and principal investigator for the MARROW study, will discuss an investigation that looks at the effect of microgravity on bone marrow, blood cells produced in marrow, recovery after space missions, and the application of this data to future space explorers as well as healthcare providers on Earth.

SpaceX is targeting no earlier than 4:30 p.m. April 2 for the launch of its Dragon spacecraft on a Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.