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Category Archives: Space Flight

Space News: NASA to conduct unprecedented twin experiment

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Consider a pair of brothers, identical twins. One gets a job as an astronaut and rockets into space. The other gets a job as an astronaut, too, but on this occasion he decides to stay home. After a year in space, the traveling twin returns home and they reunite.

Are the identical twins still identical?

NASA is about to find out.

In March of 2015, NASA astronaut Scott Kelly will join cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko on a one-year mission to the International Space Station.

Their lengthy stay aims to explore the effects of long-term space flight on the human body.

The interesting thing about Scott is, he's a twin. His brother Mark is also an astronaut, now retired.

While Scott, the test subject, spends one year circling Earth at 17,000 miles per hour, Mark will remain behind as a control.

We will be taking samples and making measurements of the twins before, during, and after the one-year mission, said Craig Kundrot of NASA's Human Research Program at the Johnson Space Center. For the first time, we'll be able two individuals who are genetically identical.

The experiment harkens back to Einstein's Twin Paradox, a thought experiment in which one twin rockets to the stars at high speed while the other stays home.

According to Einstein's theory of relativity, the traveling twin should return younger than his brother strange but true.

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Space News: NASA to conduct unprecedented twin experiment

Marking Day of Human Space Filght, online astronaut encourages exploration: Always carry duct tape

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11 April 2014 The necessity for international cooperation in space and the universal utility of duct tape were among insights revealed when the United Nations sent a former astronaut into cyberspace today to inspire young people to explore new frontiers on the anniversary of the first human space flight.

Takao Doi, an expert on space applications with the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), who was an astronaut prior to joining the world Organization, conducted a Twitter chat to answer questions about his experiences ahead of the International Day of Human Space Flight, celebrated on 12 April.

On that day in 1961, Yuri Gagarin of the Soviet Union bThe exploration of outer space is a truly global undertaking and I hope that the International Day of Human Space Flight will inspire young people, in particular, to strive towards new frontiers of knowledge and understanding.ecame the first human to go into space. Fifty years later, the UN General Assembly declared the International Day to mark the new era that had dawned and to encourage peaceful uses of outer space that would benefit all people.

Mr. Doi flew in the space shuttles Columbia and Endeavour, in 1997 and 2008, respectively, undertaking a space walk in the first mission and visiting the International Space Station in the second.

Answering questions in todays Twitter chat, he compared the experience of walking in space to swimming in a scuba suit, and said that the space station was much larger than people imagined as big as a football field, lots of live and work space.

Asked if duct tape is ever used to temporarily repair equipment in space, Mr. Doi wrote, All the time! Duct tape is an astronaut's best friend, carry it everywhere.

UNOOSA space applications expert and astronaut Takao Doi (right) works outside the space shuttle Columbia in 1997. Photo: NASA

Takao Doi was aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour mission STS-123 as it blasted off on 11 March 2008. Photo: NASA

On his 2008 mission, Takao Doi visited the International Space Station, above. Photo: NASA

In the gravity-free environment of the Space Shuttle Endeavour the crew gathers for a group photo. Photo: NASA

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Marking Day of Human Space Filght, online astronaut encourages exploration: Always carry duct tape

Astronauts share love of space with students

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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) - Do you think there is life on other planets?

How do you take a shower in space?

What do you know about black holes?

The questions came rapid-fire to astronauts Scott Tingle and Andrew Feustel, who stood Thursday afternoon in front of more than 500 Happy Hollow Elementary School students, fascinated by the Purdue University graduates experiences working for NASA.

Try to avoid them if you can, answered Feustel, who was on the final space shuttle mission to the Hubble Space Telescope, after the black hole question.

The astronauts visit to Happy Hollow was part of the astronaut reunion at Purdue this week. Nine of Purdues 23 astronauts were welcomed back to share their stories and inspire the future of space flight, the Journal & Courier reported (http://on.jconline.com/1qFV91j ).

By the time all of you grow up, youll have more opportunities to get involved in the space program, Feustel told the kids. You can help pave the way.

The astronauts said they are enjoying the chance to reconnect with their old colleagues at Purdue, which has graduated 23 astronauts, including the first and most recent men to walk on the moon.

When I got the letter that said they wanted to plan this, to me its always a chance, sort of a mini reunion of some of the astronaut corps that I worked with very closely when I first was assigned with NASA, said Loren Shriver, who has logged 16 days in space and who helped deploy the Hubble Space Telescope in 1990. Purdue has had so many astronauts graduate. Its an excellent opportunity to reunite with old acquaintances.

Purdues astronaut reunion features several events:

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Astronauts share love of space with students

Heart Of The James Webb Space Telescope Complete

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Image Caption: In this photo, engineers install NIRSpec in the heart of Webb. Credit: NASA/Chris Gunn

[ Watch The Video: NIRSpec Instrument Gets Integrated Into Webbs ISIM ]

Laura Betz, NASA

The last piece of the James Webb Space Telescopes heart was installed inside the worlds largest clean room at NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.

What looked like a massive black frame covered with wires and aluminum foil, the heart or Integrated Science Instrument Module (ISIM) now contains all four of Webbs science instruments. Together, these instruments will help unlock the history of our universe, from the first luminous glows after the Big Bang, to the formation of stellar systems capable of supporting life on planets like Earth, to the evolution of our own solar system.

Teams of engineers recently navigated very cramped spaces with delicate materials and finished surgically implanting the last of the four instruments that will fly on the Webb telescope the Near-Infrared Spectrograph, or NIRSpec.

Weighing about as much as an upright piano (about 430 pounds, or 196 kilograms), the NIRSpec was suspended from a moveable counterweight called the Horizontal Integration Tool, or HIT. From below, the engineering team was tasked with painstakingly moving this vital instrument to its final position inside the large black composite frame, officially called the Integrated Science Instrument Module (ISIM).

As the team maneuvered this crucial instrument through very tight, hard to reach spaces inside the Webb telescopes heart, they ensured there was no unintentional contact with the frame because the instruments materials are very stiff but brittle. Disturbing any of those materials could have caused major setbacks that could damage NIRSpec.

Part of the challenge is that this instrument cannot be installed in a straight linear move. In order to avoid interference with already installed systems, the instrument will have to follow a special pattern kind of like a dance, said Maurice te Plate, the European Space Agencys (ESA) Webb system integration and test manager at Goddard. During the crucial phases of the installation, the room is kept very silent because whenever there is a potential issue one of the engineers must hold the process until everything is checked out so they can proceed.

Engineers needed NIRSpecs six individual feet or legs to align with six designated saddle points on the ISIM within the width of a little more than that of a human hair. To hit their marks, these engineers had rehearsed these complicated movements, performing simulations and precise calculations on both sides of the ocean.

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Heart Of The James Webb Space Telescope Complete

UN Outer Space Office celebrates International Day of Human Space Flight

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VIENNA, 10 April (UN Information Service) To mark the anniversary of the historic first human space flight the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) is organizing a variety of events this year as well. The exploration of outer space is a truly global undertaking and I hope that the International Day of Human Space Flight will inspire young people, in particular, to strive towards new frontiers of knowledge and understanding, says the new Director of UNOOSA, Simonetta Di Pippo, in hervideo message for the International Day of Human Space Flightcelebrated on 12 April.

On 11 April, UNOOSA will launch the third edition in the series Messages from Space Explorers to future generations. This collection of messages from men and women who have travelled into space serves as a tribute to their achievements and is an inspiration for future generations. The present edition contains 57 messages from 20 countries, including from the first woman in space, the pilot of the Apollo 16 Lunar Module, the current Administrator of NASA and from the first Chinese woman in space, and will be available on the UNOOSA website athttp://www.unoosa.org/oosa/mse/index.html

A unique exhibition showcasing examples of handwritten messages UNOOSA has received from the many men and women who have travelled into space after Gagarins historic flight can be viewed in the Vienna International Centre from 7 to 18 April. The exhibition can be visited as part of the regular guided tours organized by theUNIS Vienna Visitors Serviceduring these two weeks.

The Office will also be conducting a live Twitter Chat with astronaut and UN Expert on Space Applications, Takao Doi, on 11 April starting at 15:00 CEST. Mr. Doi, who was an astronaut prior to joining the United Nations, will concentrate on the Offices Human Space Technology Initiative and the importance of human space flight. Participants can send questions to @UNOOSA using #OOSAChat from today.

On the International Day of Human Space Flight

Fifty years after 12 April 1961, when Yuri Gagarin became the first human to go into space, the United Nations General Assembly declared 12 April as the International Day of Human Space Flight in celebration of this new era of human endeavour.

UNOOSA implements the decisions of the General Assembly and of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space and its two Subcommittees, the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee and the Legal Subcommittee. The Office is responsible for promoting international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space, and assisting developing countries in using space science and technology. UNOOSA deals with a wide range of scientific, technical, legal and policy aspects of space activities and works closely with countries and their space agencies, as well as other international organizations. Located in Vienna, Austria, UNOOSA maintains a website atwww.unoosa.org

For further information, please contact:

SineadHarvey United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) Telephone: (+43-1) 26060-8718 Email: sinead.harvey[at]unoosa.org

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UN Outer Space Office celebrates International Day of Human Space Flight

Space History Photo: M2-F1 in Tow Flight

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In this historic photo from the U.S. space agency, the M2-F1 lifting body is seen under tow at the Flight Research Center (later redesignated the Dryden Flight Research Center), Edwards, California. The wingless, lifting body aircraft design was initially conceived as a means of landing an aircraft horizontally after atmospheric reentry. The absence of wings would make the extreme heat of re-entry less damaging to the vehicle.

In 1962, Dryden management approved a program to build a lightweight, unpowered lifting body as a prototype to flight test the wingless concept. It would look like a "flying bathtub," and was designated the M2-F1, the "M" referring to "manned" and "F" referring to "flight" version. It featured a plywood shell placed over a tubular steel frame crafted at Dryden. Construction was completed in 1963. The first flight tests of the M2-F1 were over Rogers Dry Lake at the end of a tow rope attached to a hopped-up Pontiac convertible driven at speeds up to about 120 mph. These initial tests produced enough flight data about the M2-F1 to proceed with flights behind a NASA C-47 tow plane at greater altitudes. The C-47 took the craft to an altitude of 12,000 feet where free flights back to Rogers Dry Lake began.

Each weekday, SPACE.com looks back at the history of spaceflight through photos (archive).

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Space History Photo: M2-F1 in Tow Flight

Near-Infrared Camera Integrated into James Webb Space Telescope

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Lockheed Martin and the University of Arizona have delivered the primary imaging instrument of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center. The new Near Infrared Camera, or NIRCam, has been successfully integrated within the heart of the telescope, known as the Integrated Science Instrument Module (ISIM). The integration completes the suite of four instruments that together will explore the mysteries of the deep universe upon launch in 2018.NIRCam will function as the central imaging component of JWST. Designated one of the NASAs three highest mission priorities, the Webb telescope is a joint project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Canadian Space Agency.NIRCam was designed, built, and tested by a University of Arizona / Lockheed Martin team at the companys Advanced Technology Center in Palo Alto, Calif., under the leadership of Principal Investigator Marcia Rieke, a Regents Professor at the Arizona Department of Astronomy/Steward Observatory. Lockheed Martin is responsible for the optical, mechanical, structural, thermal and electronic precision mechanisms and the control software of NIRCam, while its advanced infrared detector arrays come from Teledyne Imaging Systems.Integration of NIRCam into ISIM is a major step forward in the progress of the Webb telescope, said Jeff Vanden Beukel, Lockheed Martin NIRCam program director. Now, NIRCam and the other instruments will be tested to prove their ability to function as a unit.As the space telescopes prime camera, NIRCam will make JWST the most powerful space telescope ever built, enabling it to peer deeper into space and further back in time than any other instrument before. With its 6.5-meter (21-foot) mirror, JWST will allow observation of the most distant objects in the universe.The instrument operates out to wavelengths about ten times that of visible light, letting it search for the first galaxies. It is the cosmic redshift that has moved the outputs of these first light sources into the infrared where NIRCam operates. We will survey selected regions on the sky to find candidates; the other instruments on JWST can then probe these objects in detail to test if they really are that young, Rieke explained. NIRCam can also peer through the clouds of gas and dust that hide the first stages when stars and planets are born and will provide insights into how planetary systems form and evolve around distant stars.NIRCam is comprised of many cutting-edge technologies, such as the infrared detector arrays themselves, a complex optical system based on lenses rather than the mirrors used in most infrared instruments, and devices to measure the optical performance of the JWST telescope and allow adjustments to keep it operating correctly.Upon launch, JWST will be operated as an observatory open by competitive proposal to astronomers worldwide. The astronomy community is eagerly anticipating data from the mission, which is not only much larger than Hubble but covers the longer-wavelength infrared spectral range with unprecedented capabilities.Contact:Buddy Nelson+1 (510) 797-0349buddy.nelson@lmco.comHeadquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 115,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The Corporations net sales for 2013 were $45.4 billion.

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Near-Infrared Camera Integrated into James Webb Space Telescope

Purdue Astronauts to Discuss Past, Future Space Flight

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West Lafayette, IN (PRWEB) April 09, 2014

Eight Purdue University NASA astronaut alumni will discuss their experiences in space and their thoughts on what's ahead for human space flight at a public forum Saturday (April 12).

Purdue President Mitch Daniels will moderate the forum, "A Conversation with Our Astronauts," which begins at 7 p.m. in Elliott Hall of Music. Daniels is co-chair of a National Research Council committee that is reviewing and making recommendations on the future of the U.S. human spaceflight program.

Purdue has had 23 graduates become astronauts, including the late Neil Armstrong, the first person to walk on the moon, and Eugene Cernan, the most recent person to walk on the moon. Purdue graduates flew on Gemini and Apollo flights, 47 space shuttle missions and on the International Space Station.

The astronauts who are expected to be at the forum are:

On Thursday and Friday (April 10 and 11), the astronauts will be on campus and in the community, meeting with students and faculty.

Also expected for those days are:

For highlights of Purdue's space-related research and historic NASA milestones, go to http://www.purdue.edu/newsroom/releases/2014/Q2/purdue-has-legacy-of-space-research,-nasa-milestones.html.

More information about the astronauts and Purdue in space is available at http://www.purdue.edu/space/.

Writer: Judith Barra Austin, 765-494-2432, jbaustin(at)purdue(dot)edu

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Purdue Astronauts to Discuss Past, Future Space Flight

Webb telescope's heart complete, final instrument installed

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18 hours ago In this photo, engineers install the NIRSpec instrument in the heart (or ISIM) of NASA's James Webb Space Telescope. Credit: NASA/Chris Gunn

The last piece of the James Webb Space Telescope's heart was installed inside the world's largest clean room at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.

What looked like a massive black frame covered with wires and aluminum foil, the heart or Integrated Science Instrument Module (ISIM) now contains all four of Webb's science instruments. Together, these instruments will help unlock the history of our universe, from the first luminous glows after the Big Bang, to the formation of stellar systems capable of supporting life on planets like Earth, to the evolution of our own solar system.

Teams of engineers recently navigated very cramped spaces with delicate materials and finished surgically implanting the last of the four instruments that will fly on the Webb telescope the Near-Infrared Spectrograph, or NIRSpec.

Weighing about as much as an upright piano (about 430 pounds, or 196 kilograms), the NIRSpec was suspended from a moveable counterweight called the Horizontal Integration Tool, or HIT. From below, the engineering team was tasked with painstakingly moving this vital instrument to its final position inside the large black composite frame, officially called the Integrated Science Instrument Module (ISIM).

As the team maneuvered this crucial instrument through very tight, hard to reach spaces inside the Webb telescope's heart, they ensured there was no unintentional contact with the frame because the instrument's materials are very stiff but brittle. Disturbing any of those materials could have caused major setbacks that could damage NIRSpec.

"Part of the challenge is that this instrument cannot be installed in a straight linear move. In order to avoid interference with already installed systems, the instrument will have to follow a special pattern kind of like a dance," said Maurice te Plate, the European Space Agency's (ESA) Webb system integration and test manager at Goddard. "During the crucial phases of the installation, the room is kept very silent because whenever there is a potential issue one of the engineers must hold the process until everything is checked out so they can proceed."

Engineers needed NIRSpec's six individual feet or legs to align with six designated "saddle" points on the ISIM within the width of a little more than that of a human hair. To hit their marks, these engineers had rehearsed these complicated movements, performing simulations and precise calculations on both sides of the ocean.

This video is not supported by your browser at this time.

As they moved the instrument into position they also slowly transferred its weight off of the HIT to bolt it into place. Securing NIRSpec inside the heart was a major mission milestone, and was the first real physical contact between NIRSpec and the ISIM. Teams from ESA, NASA, and Airbus Defence and Space, in Ottobrunn, Germany, have been working on this instrument for more than 10 years.

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Webb telescope's heart complete, final instrument installed

CSU Researcher to Examine Health Impacts of Space Travel in NASA-Funded Twin Study

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When NASA sends an identical twin to the International Space Station next year, a Colorado State University researcher will be among just a few hand-picked scientists studying him and his brother to measure impacts of space travel on the human body.

Susan Bailey, an associate professor in CSUs Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, is heading one of only 10 projects selected last month to receive funding from NASA for a three-year study of astronauts Scott and Mark Kelly.

Baileys research focuses on chromosomal features, called telomeres, which help protect the body from aging and the cancer-causing effects of radiation. Radiation exposure is a particular concern during space flight and therefore of special interest to NASA because astronauts are bombarded by subatomic particles from the sun and other sources.

Starting in March 2015, Scott Kelly will spend 12 months on the space station, while Mark remains on Earth as an experimental control. Scientists will conduct tests on the genetically identical twins to isolate the effects detected in Scotts body that can be attributed to life in space.

In the CSU project, the first study of its kind, Bailey will use blood tests taken before, during and after the flight to focus on the twins chromosomes. Each chromosome has a protective end-cap called a telomere, which Bailey compares to the plastic tip on a shoelace that keeps the lace from unraveling. As cells divide and replicate during the course of human life, the chromosomes divide as well, and the telomeres gradually erode, eventually leading to the natural death of cells.

Bailey says the erosion rate of these end-caps reveals a lot about a persons aging process and health. For instance, studies have shown that nonsmokers who get regular exercise often have longer telomeres than those who have unhealthy lifestyles. In her NASA research project, Bailey plans to gather baseline data on the twins telomeres, then examine how the various demands of life in space like exposure to radiation, limited diet, and physical and psychological stress affect those caps on Scotts chromosomes.

Taking care of your telomeres is an important thing to do, and having a healthy lifestyle is a big part of that, she says, adding that previous studies have shown radiation can deteriorate the end caps in as little as five days. Can you imagine a more stressful thing than strapping yourself in a rocket or living in space for a year?

Bailey will also study the 50-year-old twins levels of telomerase, an enzyme that restores telomeres and extends the life of cells. The substance is not typically active in the body after birth, with a few exceptions like in cancer cells, which have a competitive advantage over regular cells because telomerase gives them immortal status.

Bailey says that while some researchers have studied the concept that activating telomerase in healthy cells could actually improve health and possibly extend life, its a double-edged sword because stimulating telomerase could also feed cancer cells. Clinical trials are being conducted with drugs that reduce telomerase levels as a cancer-fighting strategy.

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CSU Researcher to Examine Health Impacts of Space Travel in NASA-Funded Twin Study

Image: Space launch system core stage model 'sounds' off for testing

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6 hours ago Credit: NASA/MSFC/David Olive

A 5-percent scale model of the Space Launch System (SLS) core stage fires up for another round of acoustic testing at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. SLS, NASA's new rocket, will be the largest, most powerful rocket ever built for deep space missions.

The SLS core stage, towering more than 200 feet tall with a diameter of 27.6 feet, will store cryogenic liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen that will feed the vehicle's RS-25 engines. The acoustic tests, which began in January, will show how powerful noise from the engines and boosters can impact the rocket and crew, especially at liftoff. Data from the tests will help verify the rocket's design and help develop an effective suppression system to stifle the sound.

The current test series, which began March 20, will be used to determine the noise reduction capabilities of the water suppression system at NASA's Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Miss. The system will be used for core stage "green run" testing. "Green run" testing ensures all stage and engine parts have been exposed to flight-like environments prior to use on a mission.

Explore further: Cassini captures familiar forms on Titan's dunes

(Phys.org)J-2X rocket engine testing continues at NASA's Stennis Space Center in Mississippi with the second in a series of tests conducted on Feb. 27.

(PhysOrg.com) -- NASA conducted a successful 500-second test firing of the J-2X rocket engine on Wednesday, Nov. 9, marking another important step in development of an upper stage for the heavy-lift Space Launch System (SLS). ...

NASA's progress toward a return to deep space missions continues with a new round of upcoming tests on the next-generation J-2X rocket engine, which will help power the agency's Space Launch System (SLS) to new destinations ...

(PhysOrg.com) -- NASA conducted a 40-second test of the J-2X rocket engine Sept. 28, the most recent in a series of tests of the next-generation engine selected as part of the Space Launch System architecture ...

(PhysOrg.com) -- The relocation of the RS-25D space shuttle main engine inventory from Kennedy Space Center's Engine Shop in Cape Canaveral, Fla., is underway. The RS-25D flight engines, repurposed for NASA's ...

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Image: Space launch system core stage model 'sounds' off for testing

Strike Suit Zero: Directors Cut now playing on Xbox One and PS4

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Strike Suit Zero, a popular space flight combat game that formed a successful Kickstarter project before landing on Steam, has now made its way to Xbox One and PS4. So if youre a fan of space robots and flight combat you may want to get your wallets ready, especially as this is the Directors Cut of the game.

Flight combat as a concept is a ton of fun, but there arent many games around anymore that do it well. Since Microsoft isnt going to do anything with Freelancer, and the Gundam Wing games managed to be mostly terrible, we need some new blood that delivers the best of both worlds.

Strike Suit Zero has been around for a little while now as one of the better examples of combining space flight and mech combat, and that experience has been ported to the next-gen consoles. It is being released as Strike Suit Zero: Directors Cut, which means theres a number of updates including new textures, lighting, and more polygons on screen.

These updates do make a big difference to the overall look of the game, which is demonstrated in the model comparison shots below.

Strike Suit Zero on a controller is more than a little complicated. The game has two separate sets of controls for the different flight modes you fight in. The standard attack wing uses the two thumbsticks for flight controls, and it works out really well for combat. When you switch into the Strike Suit mode, you have an additional control mechanism that is vital to the survival of your mech. The D-Pad gets used for rapid dodging, but it has to be used alongside the two sticks for control. Once you get used to it, or choose to avoid it entirely, gameplay is a lot more fun.

For $20, Strike Suit Zero: Directors Cut is a ton of fun. If youre into flight combat at all then this is a game you absolutely must add to your inventory, regardless of whether you prefer console or PC.

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Strike Suit Zero: Directors Cut now playing on Xbox One and PS4


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