Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency – Page 104

Science Work, Spacewalk Preps as New Crew Readies for Launch

ISS044E030713 (08/05/2015) — Typhoon Soudelor photographed from the International Space Station on Aug. 5, 2015 while the storm was traveling in the western Pacific. The Soyuz TMA-17M (left) and the Progress 60 (right) cargo craft are visible.

The Expedition 44 crew members continued a wide variety of science experiments Friday as a pair of cosmonauts prepared for a spacewalk Monday morning. On the ground, a new Soyuz crew is preparing for their mission to swap a pair of station residents in September.

One-Year crew member Scott Kelly set up free-floating microsatellites for the long-running SPHERES-Slosh experiment which observes how liquids such as rocket fuel behave in space. New station residents Kjell Lindgren and Kimiya Yui explored vision changes in space as they scanned each other’s eyes with an ultrasound and measured their blood pressure for the Ocular Health study.

Spacewalkers Gennady Padalka and Mikhail Kornienko tested their spacesuits Friday. The cosmonauts will spend 6-1/2 hours upgrading hardware, retrieving an external experiment and photographing the exterior condition of the Russian modules.

In Russia, three new Soyuz crew members completed a series of mission simulations ahead of their departure to the Baikonur Cosmodrome launch site in Kazakhstan. Veteran cosmonaut Sergei Volkov will command the Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft when he launches Sept. 2 with fellow crew members Andreas Mogensen and Aidyn Aimbetov. Volkov will swap places with Padalka who will return to Earth Sept. 12 with Mogensen and Aimbetov.

Biomedical Studies and Russian Spacewalk Preps for International Crew

Astronaut Kjell Lindgren floats through the Destiny lab module.

The International Space Station crew worked a variety of biomedical experiments in the midst of preparations for Monday’s spacewalk. Meanwhile on the ground, a new Soyuz crew is getting ready for its launch next month to the orbital laboratory.

The orbiting crew took part in studies observing how the human body adapts to weightlessness during long duration missions in space. Scientists are looking at how astronauts interact with touch-based technologies and repair sensitive equipment for the Fine Motor Skills experiment. The crew also participated in ultrasound scans for the Sprint study to help doctors explore new experiment techniques for improving crew productivity.

A pair of cosmonauts are getting the station’s Russian segment and their tools ready for Monday’s six-hour spacewalk. They will replace external experiments and photograph the exterior condition of the Russian modules.

Back on Earth, three new Soyuz crew members are conducting mission simulations before their departure to the Baikonur Cosmodrome launch site on Aug. 18. Soyuz Commander Sergei Volkov and Flight Engineers Andreas Mogensen and Aidyn Aimbetov will launch aboard the Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft Sept. 2.

Station Residents Get Ready for Russian Spacewalk and Japanese Cargo Mission

Typhoon Souledor — ISS044E029009 (08/04/2015) — Typhoon Soudelor photographed from the International Space Station on Aug. 4, 2015 while the storm was traveling in the western Pacific. At the time it was photographed, the storm was reported to have sustained winds of more than 160 mph. See more Typhoon Soudelor photographs… https://flic.kr/s/aHskhDY5np

Two cosmonauts are getting ready for a six-hour spacewalk coming up Monday morning. Six days later Japan will launch its fifth resupply mission to the International Space Station. Both events will be covered live on NASA Television.

Russian spacewalkers Gennady Padalka and Mikhail Kornienko looked over their timeline and procedures, installed gear on their spacesuits and closed hatches to a space freighter docked to a module they will stage their spacewalk from. The duo will exit the Pirs docking compartment to replace external experiments and photograph the condition of the Russian station modules.

NASA astronaut Kjell Lindgren joined Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui for a session today to practice maneuvers they will use to capture Japan’s HTV-5 resupply ship in two weeks. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency is scheduled to launch the HTV-5 Aug. 16 for a four-day trip before being captured by Yui and Lindgren with the Canadarm2 and berthed to the Harmony module.

One-Year crew member Scott Kelly participated in a number of human research experiments today, including the Sleep ISS-12, Fine Motor Skills and Habitability studies. He also scanned Lindgren’s and Yui eyes with assistance from doctors on the ground for the Ocular Health study.

Cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko worked on maintenance in the station’s Russian segment.

Station Crew Works Medical Science and Preps Russian Spacesuits

Two Expedition 44 astronauts worked on important medical studies today while a pair of Russian spacewalkers checked out their spacesuit systems.

Flight Engineers Kjell Lindgren of NASA and Japanese astronaut Kimiya performed vision tests and blood pressure measurements as part of ongoing Ocular health checkouts. Lindgren also reviewed procedures for the Cardio Ox study that looks for any cardiovascular health risks associated with long duration spaceflight.

Yui also continued preparing communications gear for controlling the Japanese HTV cargo vehicle in advance of Japan’s fifth cargo mission to the International Space Station. One-Year crew member Scott Kelly also continued work to return one U.S. spacesuit to service, performing a series of checkouts and analysis for the ground.

Cosmonauts Gennady Padalka and Mikhail Kornienko spent some time looking at their Russian Orlan spacesuits before Monday’s upcoming spacewalk. Their fellow cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko checked Russian life support gear, updated inventory systems and participated in biomedical research.

Station Crew Begins Week with Russian and U.S. Spacesuit Work

NASA Astronauts Kjell Lindgren and Scott Kelly — NASA astronauts Kjell Lindgren and Scott Kelly work inside the U.S. Destiny lab module. Credit: NASA TV

A pair of cosmonauts is getting ready for a spacewalk on the Russian side of the International Space Station. Meanwhile, a NASA astronaut checked out a U.S. spacesuit after last week’s maintenance work.

Commander Gennady Padalka and One-Year crew member Mikhail Kornienko will exit the Pirs docking compartment next Monday for six hours of experiment replacement work and photographic inspections of the Russian modules. They checked their Orlan spacesuits today for leaks and reviewed their spacewalk tasks and procedures.

One-Year crew member Scott Kelly worked throughout Monday scrubbing the loops of a spacesuit and testing its systems. His fellow NASA astronaut, Flight Engineer Kjell Lindgren, worked on an IMAX camera ahead of upcoming high definition, 3-D filming of the Earth.

Cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko worked on Russian maintenance and science experiments. Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui collected biological samples for stowage in a science freezer and checked out communications gear ahead of the Aug. 16 launch of Japan’s fifth HTV-II resupply spacecraft.

Crew Getting Ready for Spacewalk and Japanese Cargo Mission

Japan's first H-II Transfer Vehicle — Japan’s first H-II Transfer Vehicle is seen in 2009 attached to the end of the International Space Station’s robotic arm, Canadarm2.

NASA astronauts Scott Kelly and Kjell Lindgren are wrapping up U.S. spacesuit maintenance today. Cosmonauts Gennady Padalka and Mikhail Kornienko are also moving along with their preparations for an Aug. 10 spacewalk.

All three cosmonauts, including Flight Engineer Oleg Kononenko, also worked on Russian biomedical experiments. The trio explored such things as stress caused by living in space as well as the causes and countermeasures of bone loss in microgravity.

Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui worked on setting up and running a session with the Capillary Flow Experiment-2 fluid physics study. He also assisted Kelly and Lindgren with spacesuit maintenance.

Meanwhile, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is getting ready for its fifth resupply mission to the International Space Station. JAXA will launch the H-II Transfer Vehicle-5 (HTV-5) no earlier than Aug. 16 delivering new science gear to the space station.

More Spacewalk Preps and Advanced Space Research for Crew

Astronauts Scott Kelly and Kjell Lindgren work inside the Quest airlock replacing a fan pump separator in a U.S. spacesuit. Credit: NASA TV

A pair of cosmonauts are preparing for Russian spacewalk while a pair of NASA astronauts are working on a U.S. spacesuit. Meanwhile, another cosmonaut and a Japanese astronaut are working a variety of microgravity research and orbital maintenance.

Commander Gennady Padalka and One-Year crew member Mikhail Kornienko are getting their tools and gear ready for a six-hour spacewalk planned for Aug. 10. They will exit the Pirs docking compartment in their Russian Orlan spacesuits for a photographic inspection of the station’s Russian segment, retrieval of an experiment, window cleaning and surface sampling. The duo also spent time Wednesday logging their food and liquid intake for the Korrektsiya biomedical experiment.

One-Year crew member Scott Kelly and Flight Engineer Kjell Lindgren were back at work again in the Quest airlock installing a fan pump separator in a spacesuit. New Flight Engineer Kimiya Yui analyzed microbes then moved on to a fluid physics experiment. Cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko worked on Russian maintenance tasks before exploring how microgravity disturbs the motion of crew members for the Motocard study.

Russian and U.S. Spacesuit Work Ahead of August Spacewalk

Two cosmonauts are getting ready for the first spacewalk from the International Space Station since March. Two NASA astronauts are also working to bring a U.S. spacesuit back to service.

The three newest Expedition 44 crew members joined Commander Gennady Padalka during their afternoon for a familiarization session with emergency equipment inside the orbital lab. Having arrived just last week, new flight engineers Oleg Kononenko, Kjell Lindgren and Kimiya Yui are still getting used to their new home in space.

Padalka and One-Year crew member Mikhail Kornienko checked out Russian spacesuit gear ahead of an Aug. 10 spacewalk. The duo will replace external experiments and photograph the exterior condition of the space station’s Russian segment.

Lindgren and One-Year crew member Scott Kelly worked on a U.S. spacesuit replacing internal parts to return the unit to service. Kelly also continued more research for the Twins study comparing him to his Earth-bound twin brother and ex-astronaut Mark Kelly.

Station Avoids Satellite Fragment, Spacewalk Preps Start

The new Soyuz TMA-17M spacecraft is pictured docked to the Rassvet module.

The International Space Station moved out of the way of a piece of satellite debris late Saturday night. There were no impacts to crew safety or operations. The maneuver may replace one of three reboosts planned for the orbital laboratory ahead of the Sept. 2 launch of the Expedition 45/Visiting Taxi Crew.

Commander Gennady Padalka and One-Year crew member Mikhail Kornienko are getting ready for an Aug. 10 spacewalk. They will work outside for six hours replacing experiments and equipment and photographing the condition of the station’s Russian segment.

The six-member Expedition 44 crew also moved full speed ahead with more science and maintenance work. One-Year crew member Scott Kelly worked on the Twins experiment that compares his adaptation in space with his Earth-bound brother and ex-astronaut Mark Kelly. NASA astronaut Kjell Lindgren tended to lettuce plants being grown for the Veggie study then moved on to U.S. spacesuit maintenance.

Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui looked at how microorganisms can affect a crew member’s immune system in space for the Microbiome study. Cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko worked on unpacking gear from the new Soyuz TMA-17M spacecraft, stowing discarded gear in the ISS Progress 58 space freighter and updating the station’s inventory management system.

Six-Member Expedition 44 Crew Back to Work After Docking Activities

NASA astronaut Kjell Lindgren — NASA astronaut and new Expedition 44 crew member Kjell Lindgren works inside the Destiny laboratory module. Credit: NASA TV

The International Space Station is at full strength now with six crew members from Japan, Russia and the United States. The newly-expanded orbital team got together today to review their roles and responsibilities in the event of an emergency in space.

New station residents Oleg Kononenko, Kjell Lindgren and Kimiya Yui will be familiarizing themselves with their new home in space over the next few days. While they adapt to their new workplace the trio will also be getting up to speed with daily science research and orbital maintenance tasks.

Lindgren spent some time with the Veggie botany experiment before working on a spacesuit battery. Yui explored protein crystal growth with the potential to help scientists create advanced drugs on Earth then moved on to cargo transfers from the brand new Soyuz TMA-17M spacecraft. Kononenko looked at the effect of space radiation on viruses, researched protein crystals and checked out Russian space hardware.