Space Station – Off The Earth, For The Earth

Station Crew Gets Ready for Dragon Relocation and Cargo Missions

The SpaceX Dragon Freedom spacecraft is pictured docked to the International Space Station as it soared 257 miles above Hurricane Milton in the Gulf of Mexico on Oct. 8, 2024.

The Expedition 72 crew is getting ready for a port relocation maneuver this weekend as a new cargo mission counts down to a lift off next week to resupply the International Space Station. Meanwhile, stem cell research, a spacesuit check, and a host of lab maintenance kept the astronauts and cosmonauts busy on Wednesday.

NASA Flight Engineer Nick Hague will command the SpaceX Dragon Freedom spacecraft when it undocks from the Harmony module’s forward port at 6:35 a.m. EST on Sunday. He, NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov will take a short ride in Freedom and redock to Harmony’s space-facing port at 7:18 a.m. The port relocation maneuver opens up Harmony’s forward port for the upcoming Dragon cargo mission.

Hague and Wilmore took turns on Wednesday preparing for the Dragon cargo mission arriving soon after Sunday’s Dragon Freedom relocation. The duo trained on cargo operations then reviewed rendezvous procedures and monitoring tools for the approaching SpaceX Dragon cargo craft. Hague also downloaded his health data collected from electrodes and the Ultrasound 2 device for analysis by researchers.

Science and maintenance rounded out the schedule on Wednesday as Commander Suni Williams serviced stem cells and checked out a spacesuit. She worked with Wilmore inside the Kibo laboratory module inserting stem cell samples into a microscope to image for a blood disease and cancer study. Following that, Williams entered the Quest airlock and resized and configured a spacesuit ahead of spacewalks planned for 2025.

NASA Flight Engineer Don Pettit, on his fourth spaceflight, spent his morning removing the small satellite deployer from Kibo’s airlock that had earlier deployed several CubeSats into Earth orbit for a series of technology studies. Afterward, Pettit worked on orbital plumbing tasks flushing resupply tanks and transferring water to life support components.

Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner continued maintenance and inspection activities in the aft end of the Zvezda service module. Flight Engineer Aleksandr Gorbunov completed an experiment run and deactivated hardware that imaged the Earth’s nighttime atmosphere in near-ultraviolet wavelengths.

Learn more about station activities by following the space station blog, @space_station and @ISS_Research on X, as well as the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts.

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Eye Health, Cargo Packing Ahead of Dragon Relocation

The SpaceX Dragon Freedom spacecraft approaches the International Space Station for a docking on Sept. 29, 2024.

Protecting eyesight to keep crews healthy and packing cargo for an upcoming mission were the main tasks for the Expedition 72 crew aboard the International Space Station on Tuesday.

Body fluids behave differently in weightlessness resulting in an upward flow toward an astronaut’s head. This condition creates pressure on a crew member’s eyes causing changes in eye structure and vision. Commander Suni Williams and Flight Engineer Butch Wilmore, both NASA astronauts, tested a specialized thigh cuff throughout the day that may prevent the headward fluid shifts. Researchers are monitoring these fluid shifts to learn how to safeguard eye health as NASA and its international partners plan longer missions farther out into space.

Back on Earth, the next resupply mission to the orbital outpost is getting ready for launch next week aboard the SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft. NASA Flight Engineers Don Pettit and Nick Hague geared up on Tuesday for the arrival of Dragon and its shipment of new science experiments and station hardware. Pettit began packing and staging cargo that will be stowed inside Dragon after its arrival then returned to Earth for retrieval. Hague trained to use the tools that will monitor the automated approach and rendezvous of Dragon.

However, before the cargo mission blasts off toward the space station, Hague will lead Williams, Wilmore, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov on a short ride aboard the SpaceX Dragon Freedom spacecraft to a new docking port. The quartet will board Dragon on Sunday, Nov. 3, undock from the Harmony module’s forward port at 6:35 a.m. EST, then maneuver the spacecraft to Harmony’s space-facing port for a docking at 7:18 a.m. The relocation opens up the forward port for the Dragon cargo mission.

After a training session at the beginning of his shift on the Destiny laboratory module’s exercise cycle, Gorbunov installed and activated hardware to observe Earth’s nighttime atmosphere in near-ultraviolet wavelengths. His fellow cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner partnered together on maintenance and inspection duties in the aft end of the Zvezda service module.

Learn more about station activities by following the space station blog, @space_station and @ISS_Research on X, as well as the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts.

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Space Biology, Ultra-High-Res Camera Start Work Week on Station

City lights streak across Earth as a green and red aurora moves through the atmosphere in this long-exposure photograph from the space station as it soared above Lake Michigan.

Space biology and an ultra-high-resolution camera demonstration topped the research schedule aboard the International Space Station at the beginning of the week. Spacesuit checks, cargo transfers, and lab maintenance tasks rounded out the day for the Expedition 72 crew.

New science experiments are due to be launched to the orbiting lab soon aboard the SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft. One of those experiments seeks to overcome space-caused immune dysfunction as well as prevent aging conditions on Earth. NASA Flight Engineer Don Pettit began configuring research hardware in the Kibo laboratory module on Monday to accommodate the upcoming investigation. Flight Engineer Butch Wilmore and Commander Suni Williams, both NASA astronauts, assisted Pettit setting up components inside Kibo to house the study’s biological samples.

Wilmore went on and tested the Sphere Camera-2 for its ability to capture live action, ultra-high-resolution imagery in microgravity. The footage and hardware will be returned to Earth to evaluate the space-hardened camera and a newer version for their potential to capture future planetary and mission photography. Williams swapped desiccants that absorb moisture inside a variety of science freezers ensuring the preservation of samples. The duo then joined each other at the end of the day for a conference with mission controllers on the ground.

NASA Flight Engineer Nick Hague began his shift with cargo duties inside the Northrop Grumman Cygnus spacecraft. Next, the two-time station visitor wore the Canadian Space Agency’s Bio-Monitor vest and headband filled with sensors to record his health data as he worked throughout the rest of the day. Afterward, Hague serviced life support hardware and other components on a spacesuit inside the Quest airlock.

Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin, on his third station mission, worked in the Progress 89 cargo craft installing air ducts and transferring fluids to and from the Zvezda service module. Flight Engineer Aleksandr Gorbunov jogged on the Tranquility module’s treadmill after an equipment training session from Williams. Flight Engineer Ivan Vagner spent his day on inspection activities inside the aft end of Zvezda.

Learn more about station activities by following the space station blog, @space_station and @ISS_Research on X, as well as the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts.

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NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 Astronaut Returns to Houston

After an overnight stay at Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola in Florida, the NASA astronaut was released and returned to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston Saturday. The crew member is in good health and will resume normal post-flight reconditioning with other crew members.

As part of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 mission, the astronaut was one of four crewmates who safely splashed down aboard their SpaceX Dragon spacecraft near Pensacola on Oct. 25. The crew members completed a 235-day mission, 232 days of which were spent aboard the International Space Station conducting scientific research.

To protect the crew member’s medical privacy, specific details on the individual’s condition and identity will not be shared.

Learn more about station activities by following the space station blog, @space_station and @ISS_Research on X, as well as the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts.

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NASA Provides Update on Agency’s SpaceX Crew-8 Health

After safely splashing down on Earth as part of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 mission Friday, a NASA astronaut experienced a medical issue. NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin were flown together to Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola in Florida.

After medical evaluation at the hospital, three of the crew members departed Pensacola and have arrived at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

The one astronaut who remains at Ascension is in stable condition under observation as a precautionary measure. To protect the crew member’s medical privacy, specific details on the individual’s condition or identity will not be shared.

During its return to Earth, the SpaceX Dragon executed a normal entry and splashdown. Recovery of the crew and the spacecraft was without incident. During routine medical assessments on the recovery ship, the additional evaluation of the crew members was requested out of an abundance of caution.

We’re grateful to Ascension Sacred Heart for its support during this time, and we are proud of our team for its quick action to ensure the safety of our crew members.

The Crew-8 crew members splashed down aboard their Dragon spacecraft near Pensacola, Florida, to complete a 235-day mission, 232 days of which were spent aboard the International Space Station conducting scientific research.

NASA will provide additional information as it becomes available.

Learn more about station activities by following the space station blog, @space_station and @ISS_Research on X, as well as the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts.

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NASA Provides Agency’s SpaceX Crew-8 Mission Update

The following is attributed to Cheryl Warner, news chief, NASA’s Office of Communications:

“Following NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 mission’s safe splashdown and recovery off Florida’s coast early Friday morning, NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin were taken to a local medical facility for additional evaluation. The crew exited the Dragon spacecraft onto a recovery ship for standard post-flight medical evaluations. Out of an abundance of caution, all crew members were flown to the facility together. NASA will provide additional information as it becomes available.”

Splashdown! NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 Returns Safely to Earth

he SpaceX Dragon Endeavour spacecraft is seen as it splashes down in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Pensacola, Florida, at 3:29 a.m. EDT, returning Crew-8 to Earth. Photo credit: NASA+

NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, as well as Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin, splashed down safely in their SpaceX Dragon spacecraft off the coast of Pensacola, Florida, at 3:29 a.m. EDT, completing a seven-month science mission aboard the International Space Station.

Teams on the SpaceX recovery ship, including two fast boats, are securing Dragon and ensuring the spacecraft is safe for recovery. As the fast boat teams complete their work, the recovery ship will move into position to hoist Dragon onto the main deck with the Crew-8 crew members inside. Once on the main deck, the crew will be taken out of the spacecraft and undergo medical checks before a short helicopter ride to board a plane for NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

NASA and SpaceX will hold a media teleconference later this morning at 5 a.m. EDT to discuss the Crew-8 mission and the crew’s return to Earth. NASA will stream live coverage of the teleconference on the agency’s YouTube channel. Participants include:

Richard Jones, deputy manager, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program
Bill Spetch, operations and integration manager, NASA’s International Space Station Program
William Gerstenmaier, vice president, Build & Flight Reliability, SpaceX

Learn more about commercial crew and space station activities by following @commercial_crew, @Space_Station, @ISS_Research on X, as well as the Commercial Crew Facebook, ISS Facebook, and ISS Instagram accounts.

Dragon Deorbit Burn Complete; Next Up, NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 Splashdown

NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick is seen inside the SpaceX Dragon capsule as NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 crew members return to Earth on Oct. 25, 2024. Dragon is scheduled to splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Pensacola, Florida, at 3:29 a.m. EDT. Photo credit: NASA+

After 236 days in space, NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, as well as Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin, are less than an hour away from returning to Earth on the agency’s SpaceX Crew-8 mission.

The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft completed its deorbit burn as expected ahead of splashdown targeted for approximately 3:29 a.m. EDT off the coast of Pensacola, Florida.

Upon splashdown, Crew-8 will have orbited the Earth 3,776 times and traveled approximately 100,132,895 statute miles. In their 232 days spent aboard the space station, they also saw the arrival and departure of eight visiting spacecraft.

Four minutes before splashdown, the drogue parachutes will deploy at about 18,000 feet in altitude while Dragon is moving approximately 350 miles per hour. Less than a minute later, the main parachutes will deploy at about 6,000 feet in altitude while the spacecraft is moving approximately 119 miles per hour.

NASA’s live coverage will continue on NASA+ and the agency’s website until the crew is recovered from the spacecraft.

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 Prepares for Deorbit Burn

NASA’s live coverage continues as NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, as well as Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin, make their return to Earth inside the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft on the agency’s SpaceX Crew-8 mission. Splashdown is scheduled for approximately 3:29 a.m. EDT off the coast of Pensacola, Florida. Recovery teams are taking positions in the recovery zone.

The critical deorbit burn is scheduled to start at 2:39 a.m. EDT and will last approximately eight minutes.

Live coverage of Crew-8’s return begins at 2:15 a.m. EDT on NASA+ and the agency’s website. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms, including social media.

Expedition 72 Back to Work as Crew-8 Heads to Earth

The Milky Way appears in the vastness of space behind the SpaceX Dragon Endeavour spacecraft docked to the space station's Harmony module. — The Milky Way appears in the vastness of space behind the SpaceX Dragon Endeavour spacecraft docked to the space station’s Harmony module.

Seven Expedition 72 crew members remain aboard the International Space Station after the four SpaceX Crew-8 members entered the Dragon Endeavour spacecraft and departed the orbital outpost on Wednesday.

Crew-8 Commander Matthew Dominick, Pilot Mike Barratt, and Mission Specialists Jeanette Epps and Alexander Grebenkin are orbiting Earth today inside Endeavour nearing the end of a seven-and-a-half-month mission. The Commercial Crew quartet is targeting a splashdown off the coast of Florida at 3:29 a.m. EDT on Friday that will be streamed live on NASA+ beginning at 2:15 a.m. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms, including social media.

Meanwhile, four NASA astronauts aboard the station slept in on Thursday following their support of the departed Crew-8 mission. Commander Suni Williams along with Flight Engineers Butch Wilmore, Nick Hague, and Don Pettit were on shift late Wednesday monitoring systems when Dragon undocked at 5:05 p.m. from the Harmony module’s space-facing port. The quartet was back to work on Thursday working on standard maintenance duties and research tasks.

Williams spent her shift in the Quest airlock cleaning cooling loops on a spacesuit and checking the suit’s other components. Pettit inspected fire extinguishers and breathing masks throughout the station’s U.S. segment ensuring they were in good operating condition.

Human research and technology studies were on the science portion of the schedule informing researchers how to successfully live and work in space long-term. Hague collected his saliva and urine samples for stowage in a science freezer and later analysis to understand microgravity’s effect on the human body. Wilmore set up the Sphere Cam-2 and filmed activities in the Destiny laboratory module in ultra-high resolution testing its ability to provide highly detailed mission imagery on future missions.

The three Roscosmos cosmonauts aboard the station worked a full shift on Thursday focusing on their complement of lab upkeep and space research. Three-time station visitor Alexey Ovchinin spent Thursday servicing life support hardware in the Zvezda service module. Flight Engineer Ivan Vagner photographed points on Earth testing a technique to determine the space station’s position in orbit, while first-time space flyer Aleksandr Gorbunov worked on orbital plumbing and labeled the contents of medical cabinets.

NASA and SpaceX now are targeting no earlier than Monday, Nov. 4 for the launch of the agency’s SpaceX 31st commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station due to ongoing operations including Crew-9 port relocation and spacecraft integration for the cargo flight.

The company’s Dragon spacecraft will liftoff from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida and deliver food, supplies, and science investigations to the orbiting laboratory.

NASA will provide additional updates and information on launch and docking when available.

Learn more about station activities by following the space station blog, @space_station and @ISS_Research on X, as well as the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts.

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