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This Week at NASA | New ISS Crew; Orion Test Flight Update; more

Uploaded 11/28/2014

New ISS Crew; Orion Test Flight Update; more

NASA’s Terry Virts and Expedition 42/43 crewmates, Anton Shkaplerov of the Russian Federal Space Agency and the European Space Agency’s Samantha Cristoforetti, launched Nov. 23 at 4:01 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, from Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Almost six hours later, their Soyuz spacecraft docked to the International Space Station – where they joined Expedition 42 Commander Barry Wilmore of NASA, and Flight Engineers Alexander Samokutyaev and Elena Serova of Roscosmos – returning the station crew to its full complement of six people. Also, First 3-D printed object in space, Orion flight test update, New airborne Earth Science missions and Happy Thanksgiving from space.

 

TRANSCRIPT

 

New crew launches to ISS

NASA’s Terry Virts and Expedition 42/43 crewmates, Anton Shkaplerov of the Russian Federal Space Agency and the European Space Agency’s Samantha Cristoforetti, launched Nov. 23 at 4:01 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, from Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Almost six hours later, their Soyuz spacecraft docked to the International Space Station – where they joined Expedition 42 Commander Barry Wilmore of NASA, and Flight Engineers Alexander Samokutyaev and Elena Serova of Roscosmos – returning the station crew to its full complement of six people.

First 3-D printed object in space

On Nov. 24 ground controllers uploaded instructions for the station’s recently installed 3-D printer to make the first 3-D printed part in space — a spare faceplate for the printer itself. The 3-D printer uses a process formally known as additive manufacturing to heat a plastic filament and extrude it one layer at a time to build parts. The device is part of the station’s 3-D Printing in Zero-G Technology Demonstration, which aims to show the printer can be used to make parts and tools on long duration spaceflights.

Orion flight test update

Following completion of the recent Flight Readiness Review, NASA has the “go” to proceed toward the December 4 first flight test of the Orion spacecraft from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The FRR is a rigorous assessment of the spacecraft and the mission operations and support functions needed to successfully complete the flight. The two-orbit, 4.5 hour test of the uninhabited Orion will evaluate many of the systems critical to safety before the capsule begins carrying crews to new destinations in the solar system, including an asteroid and on the journey to Mars.

New airborne Earth Science missions

NASA has approved 5 new airborne Earth science missions to begin in 2015. The new campaigns will cover a wide range of research, including the long-range transport of air pollution across the Pacific, the impact of tiny airborne particles from living organisms on ocean ecosystems, identifying the amount and sources of regional carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases and other investigations. NASA’s host of Earth Science missions are designed to help answer some of the critical challenges facing our planet today and in the future.

Happy Thanksgiving from space!

(SOT: Barry Wilmore-ISS Downlink Message 2014)
“This is smoked turkey. So I’m going to have some smoked turkey.”

Space station Commander Barry Wilmore, recently talked about his Thanksgiving Day menu and how thankful he is for the opportunity to work on the important research conducted aboard the station.

(SOT: Barry Wilmore)
“So with that, I say to all of you there, Happy Thanksgiving, may it be a blessed day for every one of you. Don’t eat too much!”

And that’s what’s up this week @NASA.

(c)2014 NASA | SCVTV
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