The Expedition 50 crew enjoys an international Christmas dinner aboard the space station while gearing up for space walks and science in 2017.
With 2017 just around the corner, the space station crew is gearing up for January space walks, maintenance, and science research.
The Expedition 50 crew enjoys an international Christmas dinner aboard the space station while gearing up for space walks and science in 2017.
The Expedition 50 crew aboard the International Space Station spent the week working on an array of science, maintenance and spacewalking preparation to close out 2016.
Kimbrough and Flight Engineers Peggy Whitson and Thomas Pesquet are getting ready for a pair of spacewalks on Jan. 6 and 13. The spacewalks, in conjunction with remote robotics work, will complete the replacement of old nickel-hydrogen batteries with new lithium-ion batteries on the station’s truss structure. The crew performed a loop scrub on their spacesuits, reviewed spacewalking procedures and did a fit verification with their suits on Friday.
The crew participated in a variety of science experiments during the week including the Fluid Shifts study, which investigates the causes for lasting physical changes to astronauts’ eyes; performed the final harvest of the Outredgous Romaine Lettuce from the Veggie facility, which is further demonstrating the ability to grow fresh plants in space to supplement crew diets; and continued preparing the station’s Combustion Integrated Rack (CIR) for the upcoming Cool Flames Investigation, which will provide new insight into the phenomenon where some types of fuels initially burn very hot, then appear to go out — but they continue burning at a much lower temperature, with no visible flames (cool flames).
Going into New Year’s weekend, the crew will enjoy their typical off-duty time on Saturday and Sunday. They also will have Monday, Jan. 2 off.
Written By: David Huot NASA
UNIVERSAL DIGEST is pleased to be a conduit for some of NASA’s projects and work. This article and some others were written by NASA and are mostly unedited. We do not claim credit, we simply want to make them more available to the general public.
NORAD is tracking Santa as he makes his way around the world delivering presents to the population!
NORAD IS ACTIVE – A SANTA WATCH!
Universal Digest presents year two of its Santa Watch thanks to NORAD producing its ongoing visual trek as jolly old St. Nick delivers presents worldwide!
How did this NORAD idea come about? A colonel actually answered the “Red Phone” and a child was on the phone asking, “Where is Santa?” The idea took hold so now NORADSANTA.org exists to provide the beautiful video with Christmas song accompaniment. Enjoy!
Yes, people, Santa Claus is on his way via NORAD global tracking! Please inform everyone, especially your children! The time is at hand and now one must recollect on whether one was naughty or nice this past year!
Hey, children and adults alike, everywhere on our earth, please enjoy this fantastic live feed tracking our very own, lovable St. Nick, as he travels the world delivering gifts to everyone!
Please click on the official NORAD tracking website below! This is the latest version that continues the organization’s 60-year tradition of tracking Santa Claus as he treks the globe delivering presents and good cheer to people who really need it. As technology improves, so does everyone’s opportunities to enjoy this cheerful music and video presentation:
Please enjoy the ongoing live feed above. These are some snippet pictures of Santa on his way around the world:
NORAD is tracking Santa as he makes his way around the world delivering presents to the population!
And more:
NORAD SANTA TREK 1NORAD SANTA TREK 2NORAD SANTA TREK 3NORAD SANTA TREK 4NORAD SANTA TREK 5
May everyone worldwide find the joy in sharing, giving, and recognizing that every moment one can bring a positive word, action, statement and/or gesture in caring for the human condition in a world where so many are not able to find this kind of cheer to bring happiness to others. Let us all take time to not only recognize that negatives exists, let us actively do our parts, in whatever way we can to overshadow sadness, evil, and war with happiness, goodness, and peace, not just today or tomorrow, but every day from now on.
No one says it is easy or there is an immediate solution. Remember, solutions start with a first step and by staying the course, forging ahead to make life better for everyone we can. When we can cherish every moment to care and love, without reservation, we cannot lose. One day, we will look back and see all this positive work has born the fruit of happiness, now and in the future for mankind.
[Tweet “NORAD IS TRACKING SANTA NOW!”]
Before saying good eve to all with love and peace wishes, please enjoy the following YouTube video courtesy of the a Beach Boys Christmas:
God Bless each and every person and life on earth this Holiday Season!
Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition 50 Flight Engineer Peggy Whitson of NASA sent Christmas and Holiday greetings and festive imagery from the Japanese Kibo laboratory module on Dec. 18.
CHRISTMAS ABOARD THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
It is now Christmas eve aboard the International Space Station. The crew takes time to wish everyone happy holidays on earth. Soon to follow, preparations will be completed for the next spacewalk with newly adapted spacesuits.
Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition 50 Flight Engineer Peggy Whitson of NASA sent Christmas and Holiday greetings and festive imagery from the Japanese Kibo laboratory module on Dec. 18.
The six-member Expedition 50 crew from France, Russia and the U.S. is heading into the holiday weekend with spacesuit checks and eye studies. The international crew will share a Christmas meal, enjoy a light-duty weekend and take Dec. 26 off.
Commander Shane Kimbrough scrubbed cooling loops and tested the water in a pair of U.S. spacesuits today. Kimbrough and Flight Engineers Peggy Whitson and Thomas Pesquet are getting ready for a pair of spacewalks on Jan. 6 and 13. The spacewalks, in conjunction with remote robotics work, will complete the replacement of old nickel-hydrogen batteries with new lithium-ion batteries on the station’s truss structure.
Whitson, who is spending her second Christmas in space, and Pesquet drew blood, urine and saliva samples for the Fluid Shifts study. That experiment investigates the upward flow of body fluids in space potentially causing lasting vision changes in astronauts.
In the Russian segment of the International Space Station, the three cosmonauts primarily worked on maintenance tasks and science work. Oleg Novitskiy worked on communications gear and experimented with space photography techniques. Sergey Ryzhikov worked on water transfers and a cardiac study. Andrey Borisenko worked on life support equipment before studying how a crew member learns to orient themselves in microgravity.
Earlier in the week, the ISS crew completed some work while continuing other experiments:
With Christmas approaching, Expedition 50 crew members Peggy Whitson (left) and Shane Kimbrough of NASA (right) share fresh fruit that was recently delivered by the HTV-6 cargo vehicle to the International Space Station.
The crew wrapped up part of a muscle research program while continuing other experiments to study the effects of living in space. Also, a new CubeSat deployer was installed in Japan’s Kibo laboratory module.
Scientists want to understand how the lack of gravity impacts muscles that aren’t used due to working in the microgravity environment. The Sarcolab experiment is one study that measures how the calf muscle changes in space using an ultrasound and electrode stimulators. The first part of that experiment was completed today as its gear was stowed and data downlinked for analysis on Earth.
An enhanced small satellite deployer was installed in the Kibo module replacing an older model that deployed its last CubeSat on Monday. The new CubeSat deployer has twice the satellite deployment capacity than the previous version. CubeSats scheduled for release from the new deployer will study a variety of space phenomena and enable advanced satellite communications.
Also, the crew has been working on a number of research projects:
As Christmas approaches, Commander Shane Kimbrough rests in between a pair of U.S. spacesuits inside the Quest airlock.
Commander Shane Kimbrough and NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson continued more maintenance work on the Electrostatic Levitation Furnace, a combustion research device that enables high temperature science. Whitson then worked on the Packed Bed Reactor Experiment gear that observes the behavior of gases and liquids.
Whitson and Pesquet later joined their Soyuz crewmate Oleg Novitskiy for a medical emergency drill. The three Expedition 50-51 crew members reviewed CPR procedures, medical hardware and their roles and responsibilities.
Written By: Mark Garcia NASA
UNIVERSAL DIGEST is pleased to be a conduit for some of NASA’s projects and work. This article and some others were written by NASA and are mostly unedited. We do not claim credit, we simply want to make them more available to the general public.
Please note: When multiple articles are published regarding singular/similar events during a specific time period, Universal Digest will combine detail into one article. This is still mostly unedited material written by the same author.
An emergency drill is always necessary on ISS. The docked Soyuz and Progress spacecraft are seen as the International Space Station orbited over the southern continent of Africa. Credit: Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth
Emergency drill exercises continue, as a prescribed safety procedure. Meanwhile, the crew prepares for the upcoming Christmas season.
An emergency drill is always necessary on ISS. The docked Soyuz and Progress spacecraft are seen as the International Space Station orbited over the southern continent of Africa. Credit: Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth
The six Expedition 50 crew members from France, Russia and the United States are heading into the final holidays of the year with a muscle study and Earth observations today. The astronauts also checked out fluids and combustion science gear and practiced an emergency escape drill.
French astronaut Thomas Pesquet measured his muscle and tendon response today with assistance from Russian cosmonaut Sergey Ryzhikov. Pesquet used an ultrasound while wearing electrode stimulators around his right calf muscle. The Sarcolab experiment from the European Space Agency seeks to define which muscles are used and not used when living in space.
NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson worked on replacing gear inside an integrated rack facility that contains two racks. One rack, the Fluids Integrated Rack, studies how fluids behave in space. The other rack, Combustion Integrated Rack, enables the safe research into how flames behave and materials burn in space.
Commander Shane Kimbrough swapped sample cartridges inside the Electrostatic Levitation Furnace which enables the observation of the levitation, melting and solidification materials. At the end of the workday, he joined his Soyuz crewmates Ryzhikov and veteran cosmonaut Andrey Borisenko for an emergency Soyuz descent drill. The trio practiced the escape routes and procedures they would use in the unlikely event they would need to evacuate the station aboard the Soyuz spacecraft.
Written By: Mark Garcia NASA
UNIVERSAL DIGEST is pleased to be a conduit for some of NASA’s projects and work. This article and some others were written by NASA and are mostly unedited. We do not claim credit, we simply want to make them more available to the general public.
