Space news

Spacesuit and life support maintenance were the main focus on Thursday while the Expedition 73 still had time set aside for space biology research aboard the International Space Station.

Life science was back on the schedule for Wednesday as the Expedition 73 crew studied how living in space affects eye structure and cellular immunity. The International Space Station residents also maintained the upkeep of exercise gear, life support components, and orbital plumbing hardware.

Biomedical research topped the science schedule aboard the International Space Station on Tuesday helping doctors understand how weightlessness affects the cardiovascular and immunity systems. The Expedition 73 crew members also continued their Earth observation studies, robotic inspections duties, and advanced life support maintenance.

At 1:44 a.m. EDT, the unpiloted SpaceX Dragon spacecraft splashed down off the coast of California, marking the return of the company’s 32nd commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station for NASA.

At 12:05 p.m. EDT, the unpiloted SpaceX Dragon spacecraft undocked from the zenith, or space-facing, port of the International Space Station’s Harmony module following a command from ground controllers at SpaceX.

NASA’s live coverage of undocking and departure of the agency’s SpaceX 32nd commercial resupply services mission is underway on NASA+. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms.

NASA and SpaceX now are targeting 12:05 p.m. EDT Friday, May 23, for the undocking of company’s 32nd commercial resupply services mission from the International Space Station. Live coverage of Dragon spacecraft undocking and departure begins at 11:45 a.m. on NASA+. Mission teams will continue to review weather conditions off the coast of California ahead of Dragon's departure from the orbital complex.

Boeing’s Starliner landed safely at 12:01 a.m. Eastern time on Saturday, Sept. 7 (1o:01 p.m. Mountain time, on Friday, Sept. 6).  After an extended stay at the International Space Station, Starliner’s reusable crew module touched down at its designated landing site, White Sands Space Harbor at the U.S. Army’s White Sands Missile Range in New […]

Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft undocked from the International Space Station on Friday, Sept. 6, with separation confirmed at 6:04 p.m. Eastern time. The reusable crew module is expected to land at 12:01 a.m. Eastern time (10:01 p.m. Mountain time) Saturday at White Sands Space Harbor at the U.S. Army’s White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. […]

Since Starliner’s Crew Flight Test (CFT) launch on June 5, Boeing and NASA have conducted extensive testing of its propulsion system in space and on the ground. Those tests include: 7 ground tests of a Reaction Control System (RCS) thruster pulled from the Starliner-1 Service Module: 1 launch-to-docking test with more than 1,000 pulses to […]

Practiced, prepared, checked out, refilled, and inspected – the Starliner team is proceeding through checklists to be ready for return when a date is chosen. They spent Tuesday practicing for undocking during an integrated simulation with the International Space Station. Teams occupied their consoles in the Mission Control Center in Houston and in Boeing’s Mission […]

Spacecraft thrusters tested and helium system checked in second successful docked hot fire test. The Starliner team completed a docked hot fire test of the spacecraft’s Reaction Control System (RCS) thrusters Saturday afternoon, and monitored its helium system, providing additional data points for the Crew Flight Test’s return to Earth. With Starliner flight director Chloe […]

Boeing CST-100 Crewed Flight Test (CFT): The CFT crew continued assisting the ISS crew with various audits and housekeeping.  They also performed CloudNet Testing and STEMonstration Earth Science activities. Payloads: Sleep in Orbit: A crewmember transferred the MicroSD memory card into a Columbus Payload Laptop to allow the ground to downlink data. The Sleep in …

Boeing CST-100 Crewed Flight Test (CFT): Today, the CFT crew performed checkouts and measurements in preparation for a future potential CFT undock. They also assisted the ISS crew in NanoRacks Airlock (NRAL) restow operations. Payloads: KIBO Robot Programming Challenge 5: Preparation activities and the Robo-Pro Challenge #5 Technical Rehearsal were performed using JEM Camera Robot …

Thruster testing and inspections on the ground lead to meaningful findings prior to Starliner’s return. With ground testing of a Reaction Control System (RCS) thruster complete and disassembly and inspections concluding, the Starliner team is reviewing data that will aid in future missions and pave the way for NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams […]

Boeing CST-100 Crewed Flight Test (CFT): Today, the CFT crew assisted the ISS crew by installing the ArgUS 1-1 Multi Payload Platform in the NanoRacks Airlock (NRAL).  They also assisted the ISS crew in the Butterfly iQ Scans and stowage management in the Columbus Module. Payloads: ArgUS 1-1: The assembled ArgUS 1-1 plate was installed …

Boeing CST-100 Crewed Flight Test (CFT): The CFT crew assisted the ISS crew by performing payload activities. They completed the ArgUS 1-1 sub-payloads installation and several Thor-Davis sessions. Payloads: ArgUS 1-1: The ArgUS 1-1 sub-payloads were installed onto the ArgUS Multi Payload Platform and stowed in the NanoRacks Airlock (NRAL). More information about this investigation …

Boeing CST-100 Crewed Flight Test (CFT): Today, the CFT crew assisted the ISS crew by performing stowage clearing operations to prepare for the ArgUS installation operations. They also uploaded new software into the Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) Laptop Computer (MLC). Payloads: JEM Internal Ball Camera 2: The JEM Internal Ball Camera Robot 2 was setup …

Ground testing of a Starliner Reaction Control System (RCS) thruster at White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico is complete, and teams are now turning their attention to data reviews. The test objective was to observe thruster degradation so teams could get a better understanding of why some thrusters were deselected in-flight and what, if […]

Boeing CST-100 Crewed Flight Test (CFT): Today, the CFT crew assisted the ISS crew with a few payload activities and completed Onboard Training for Backup Flight Control Proficiency. Payloads: Electro-static Levitation Furnace (ELF): The ELF cartridge holder containing the latest melted sample was removed and replaced with a new sample holder and sample. The completed …

Boeing CST-100 Crewed Flight Test (CFT): Today, the CFT crew assisted the ISS crew by completing the ongoing Plant Water Management 6 (PWM-6) activities. Payloads: Plant Ultraviolet-B (Plant UV-B): A laptop was connected and setup in preparation for future Plant UV-B operations. More information on this experiment can be found here. Plant Water Management 6 …

Boeing CST-100 Crewed Flight Test (CFT): Today, the CFT crew assisted the ISS crew by completing a Waste Hygiene Compartment (WHC) Filter Removal & Replacement (R&R), and completing various hydroponic flow tests with Plant Water Management 6 (PWM-6) hardware. Payloads: Lumina: The crew power-cycled the Lumina hardware, and transferred the science data to a Station …

Boeing CST-100 Crewed Flight Test (CFT): Today, the CFT crew assisted the ISS crew by performing a USOS food audit and continuing to complete different payload activities. Payloads: Combustion Integrated Rack (CIR): Fuel Oxidizer Management Assembly (FOMA) Calibration was performed. The upper rack doors were opened, the bottle valves were closed, the pressure in the …

Northrup Grumman 20 (NG-20) Cygnus Departure: Today, Cygnus unberthed from the Node 1 Nadir Common Berthing Mechanism (CBM) using the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS), then maneuvered to the release position and released for departure at 6:03 AM CST. Cygnus, filled with waste/trash from the space station packed by the crew, will perform a …

Boeing CST-100 Crewed Flight Test (CFT): Today, the CFT crew performed Extravehicular (EVA) maintenance activities and assisted the ISS crew in various payload operations. Payloads: Genes in Space Molecular Operations and Sequencing (GiSMOS):  Wastewater was collected and DNA extraction was performed on the sample. More information on this experiment can be found here.  ISS Ham Radio: …

On the Starliner crew’s 35th day in space, Crew Flight Test Commander Butch Wilmore brought the focus back to day one. “Launch was spectacular! I mean, truly amazing,” Wilmore said. During the first press conference between Wilmore, pilot Suni Williams, and the media, he praised Starliner for its precision. “The spacecraft performed unbelievably well,” Wilmore […]

Boeing CST-100 Crewed Flight Test (CFT): Today, the CFT crew completed the ongoing Fluid System Servicer (FSS) refills, and purged and stowed the FSS and associated jumpers, and then participated in the on-orbit emergency simulation. The CFT crew also held a PAO event to answer questions from the media. Payloads: Cerebral Autoregulation: Cerebral Autoregulation measurement …

Boeing CST-100 Crewed Flight Test (CFT): Today, the CFT crew continued with ongoing Fluid System Servicer (FSS) refills and assisted the ISS crew with various payload operations. Payloads: Cerebral Autoregulation: Cerebral Autoregulation hardware was gathered and setup in preparation for future data measurements. More information on this experiment can be found here. Combustion Integrated Rack/Solid …

Boeing CST-100 Crewed Flight Test (CFT): The CFT crew completed the Fluid System Servicer (FSS) Refill of the LAB and COL Low Temperature Loop (LTL) Pump Package Assembly (PPA) Accumulators.  The CFT crew also continued assisting the ISS crew in Cygnus Cargo Transfer operations. Payloads: Hicari-II: Sample (S/N 010) was separated from the Hicari-II cartridge …

Boeing CST-100 Crewed Flight Test (CFT): The CFT crew assisted the ISS crew with the Enhanced European Exploration Exercise Device (E4D) Rack Swap. Payloads: Astrobee/Integrated System for Autonomous and Adaptive Caretaking-16 (ISAAC-16): The crew cleared the experiment area and assisted with the ISAAC-16 science session. Although issues were experienced with one of the two Astrobees, …

Starliner crew enters fourth week on orbit while teams prepare for ground testing NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams climbed into Starliner at the International Space Station and worked with Boeing flight controllers and engineers on Tuesday, July 2, during power up of the spacecraft. The teams on-console in NASA’s Mission Control Center in […]

Boeing CST-100 Crewed Flight Test (CFT): The CFT crew continues to assist the ISS crew with maintenance and stowage activities.  Today the CFT crew finished configuring the failed Pressure Control and Pump Assembly (PCPA) for return and completed a Waste Hygiene Compartment (WHC) Piping and Hose Remove and Replace (R&R). Payloads: Actiwatch Plus (AWP): The …

Boeing CST-100 Crewed Flight Test (CFT): The CFT crew continued assisting the ISS crew in cargo transfer and stowage cleanup activities.  The CFT crew also tested the air flow of the Plant Habitat Air Pump-Filter and performed a bi-weekly housekeeping inspection. Payloads: B Complex: A crewmember consolidated the contents of the partially filled supplement bottle …

Integrated Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) Low Earth Orbit User Modem and Amplifier Terminal (ILLUMA-T) Jettison: Over the weekend, ground operators prepared ILLUMA-T for jettison by grappling the lasercom experiment with the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS).  The payload was released from the station at 11:18 AM on Saturday, June 29th. After release, the …

During a media teleconference Friday, leaders from NASA and Boeing provided an update about Starliner’s Crew Flight Test. The integrated Starliner team continues to evaluate the spacecraft’s propulsion system performance and complete other forward work before scheduling undocking from the International Space Station. Listen to a full replay of the teleconference. “Our goal is to bring Butch […]

Boeing CST-100 Crewed Flight Test (CFT): Today, the CFT crew completed various activities to assist the ISS crew in restoring payload capabilities. The crew completed an activity to replace the Combustion Integrated Rack (CIR) Manifold-1 Bottle and an activity to perform a CO2 Sensor Remove & Replace (R&R) in the Plant Habitat facility. Payloads: CIR/Solid …

Week in Review: Starliner crew wraps up third week in space Wednesday started as any other morning on-orbit for Starliner’s maiden crew, astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams. Their exercise routine was followed by organizing cargo inside the Permanent Multipurpose Module. But the nominal day quickly changed when a satellite broke apart at an altitude […]

Boeing CST-100 Crewed Flight Test (CFT): Today, the CFT crew spent time rebuilding the Pressure Control and Pump Assembly (PCPA) SN007 as practice before rebuilding the PCPA SN002 as a viable spare PCPA for the Urine Processor Assembly (UPA). Payloads: ExPRESS Rack-6 Laptop (ELC-6): The hard drive was swapped on ELC-6 as part of laptop …

Boeing CST-100 Crewed Flight Test (CFT): The CFT crew performed various maintenance and cargo activities to assist the ISS crew. They completed an activity to help organize the PMM and an activity to remove the Urine Processor Assembly (UPA) Pressure Control and Pump Assembly (PCPA) Motor from PCPA SN002 in support of the PCPA Motor …

Boeing CST-100 Crewed Flight Test (CFT): The CFT crew performed a variety of systems activities to assist the ISS crew. The crew completed Urine Processor Assembly (UPA) Troubleshooting, Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Airlock Deconfiguring, and an activity to remove the UPA Pressure Control and Pump Assembly (PCPA) Motor from PCPA SN007 in support of the PCPA …

USOS Extravehicular Activity (EVA) #90 Radio Frequency Group (RFG) Retrieval Part 2.5:Today’s RFG Retrieval 2.5 EVA was terminated shortly following Airlock Hatch opening and prior to crew egress due to an Airlock SCU water leak. The Airlock was safely repressed and the EV crew doffed their suits. The Expedition 71 EVA series is being reevaluated …

NASA and Boeing leadership are adjusting the return to Earth of the Starliner Crew Flight Test spacecraft with agency astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams from the International Space Station. The move off Wednesday, June 26, deconflicts Starliner’s undocking and landing from a series of planned International Space Station spacewalks while allowing mission teams time […]

Boeing CST-100 Crewed Flight Test (CFT): The crew performed CFT Departure Preparation and crew conferences with the ground team to prepare for CFT undock. Systems: Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) Latching End Effector A (LEE A) Survey:The ground team is in the process of completing a survey of LEE A using remote commanding. The …

Starliner has completed 77 of the original 87 flight-test objectives, with the remaining 10 to occur between undocking and landing. Crew Flight Test (CFT) astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are testing more capabilities of the Starliner spacecraft and contributing to International Space Station operations. The entire CFT team is taking advantage of the additional […]

Boeing CST-100 Crewed Flight Test (CFT): The CFT crew completed a variety of systems activities to assist the ISS crew. They completed a PMM Endcone scavenge activity, a Chotherm Remove and Replace (R&R), a Crew Provisions Refresh, Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC) Wring Collector (COT) R&R, and CST-100 Stowage Audit and Seat Adjustments. Payloads: Astrobee: The …

Boeing CST-100 Crewed Flight Test (CFT): The CFT crew completed a variety of systems activities to assist the ISS crew. They completed a Contingency Water Container – Iodine (CWC-I) reorganization, Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Cleaning, Cygnus Trash Gather, and a Life Science Glovebox (LSG) Sleeve Check. Payloads: Genes in Space Molecular Operations and Sequencing …

Teams from NASA and Boeing now are targeting no earlier than 10:10 p.m. EDT Tuesday, June 25, for the undocking of the Starliner spacecraft from the International Space Station. For the primary undocking opportunity, NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, the first crew to fly aboard Starliner, would land about 4:51 a.m. on Wednesday, […]

Boeing CST-100 Crewed Flight Test (CFT): Today, the CFT crew completed a variety of activities to assist the ISS crew and further operations on-orbit. They completed Gaucho Lung operations, Columbus Smoke Detector Cleanings, Genes in Space Molecular Operations and Sequencing (GiSMOS) operations, an International Docking Adapter (IDA) Multi-Layer Insulation (MLI) Reseat, and Crew Departure Preparations. …

ISS Reboost: Friday, the ISS performed a reboost using the SM Aft 87P R&D thrusters at 11:40 PM CDT. This is one in a series of reboosts to set up proper phasing conditions for Progress 89P launch in August. The burn duration was 23 minutes 25 seconds with a delta-V of 2.0 m/s. Boeing CST-100 …

Boeing CST-100 Crewed Flight Test (CFT): Today, the CFT crew completed a CFT Crew Conference, a CST-100 Piloting Assessment, and a CST-100 Life Raft Assessment as part of the ongoing CST testing being conducted. Payloads: Plasma Kristall-4 (PK-4): The crew connected the USB hard drive to the PK-4 unit. PK-4 looks at complex or “dusty” …