Stem cell co Gamida Cell raises $10m

Posted on by

Stem cell therapies developer Gamida Cell Ltd. has raised $10 million in its fifth financing round from all its investors. The company will use the proceeds to support the global commercialization of its lead cell therapy product, StemEx, as an alternative therapeutic treatment for patients with blood cancers, such as leukemia and lymphoma, who can be cured by bone marrow transplantation but do not have a matched bone marrow donor.

Gamida Cell is developing StemEx with Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (Nasdaq: TEVA; TASE: TEVA), and it is seeking a strategic partner for the product's global commercialization.

The company will also use the proceeds for the further development of other products, primarily a clinical trial of its NiCord treatment for sickle cell anemia and thalassemia.

Gamida Cell chairman Reuven Krupik said, The investors were unanimous in their decision to reinvest, understanding the importance of bringing StemEx to market as well as maintaining the companys leadership role in the stem cell industry. Gamida Cell is a game changer."

Gamida Cell completed enrollment for a pivotal Phase III clinical trial of StemEx in February, and expects results in the fourth quarter. The company plans to launch the product in 2013, and it could be the first allogeneic stem cell product in the market.

The company's current investors include Elbit Imaging Ltd. (Nasdaq: EMITF; TASE: EMIT), Clal Biotechnology Industries Ltd. (TASE: CBI), Israel Healthcare Venture, Teva, Amgen, Denali Ventures and Auriga Ventures.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - http://www.globes-online.com - on May 15, 2012

Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2012

Continued here:

Stem cell co Gamida Cell raises $10m

Vet undertakes stem cell surgery

Posted on by

Animal stem cell regenerative therapy is the newest service at the Animal Hospital of Tiffin.

"We are the official first site for the therapy in Ohio," said veterinarian Bob McClung.

The technology uses an adult animal's stem cells to heal itself.

Veterinarian Mike Brothers performed the surgery Monday on his dog, Tucker, a 2-year-old labrador retriever. It was the second surgery performed at the clinic.

Brothers said his dog's joint problems are hereditary and he's had problems since he was a puppy.

"What we've been able to do is slow down the arthritis," Brothers said. The cause of the degeneration will continue, but the fatty tissue removed from the dog can be used for future treatments.

From a piece of fatty tissue of the size removed from Tucker, McClung estimated $3.2 billion stem cells were harvested.

Each injection uses about 90 million cells, so there will be enough of the material for future treatments.

"We have basically 2 billion cells to bank," he said. "We use cryo-preservation."

In the freezing process, the cells are gradually cooled to prevent damage and stored in liquid nitrogen at temperatures of minus 80 to minus 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

Read this article:

Vet undertakes stem cell surgery

Stem cell banking firms to deploy marketing initiatives to boost sales

Posted on by

Kolkata, May 15:

Stem cell banking companies are looking at aggressive marketing initiatives to move into the mass market segment. Direct marketing to customers and reduction in price tag for storing umbilical cord blood are on the cards.

The umbilical cord blood and cord tissue are one of the richest sources of stem cells and have potential to treat over 75 serious ailments.

The average cost for storing these for a period of 21 years ranges between Rs 75,000 and Rs 90,000 in India.

According to Chennai-based Life Cell, high price points and lack of proper marketing have limited the penetration of cord blood banking in India. Affordability is the key factor in India.

Only when the prices come down will we see more customers opting for the service. We are working on it (bringing down prices), Mr Mayur Abhaya Srisrimal, Executive Director Life Cell, told Business Line.

Stem cell bankers have already rolled out easy finance options such as EMIs to make the services attractive. CordLife, for instance, offers EMI facility for 12-24 months.

This has helped boost our sales. We have been acquiring 350-400 clients each month, said Managing Director, Mr Meghnath Roy Chowdhury.

Finance, however, is not the only stumbling block. Cord blood bankers have, so far, been depending largely on hospital network for signing up clients. Bangalore-based Ms Deepa Shankar, who is expecting and is due for delivery in June, recently opted for Life Cell services through the hospital.

It's not a sustainable approach. We need to get into direct marketing for pushing up volumes growth, Mr Srisrimal points out. To strike a cord with the would-be mothers, the company has roped in Lisa Ray as brand ambassador. Ms Ray was cured of multiple myeloma courtesy stem cell therapy.

Follow this link:

Stem cell banking firms to deploy marketing initiatives to boost sales

International Stem Cell Corporation Scientists to Present Pre-Clinical Research Results at American Society of Gene …

Posted on by

CARLSBAD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

International Stem Cell Corporation (OTCBB: ISCO.OB - News) (www.internationalstemcell.com) today announced that several of its leading scientists will present experimental results from three of ISCOs pre-clinical therapeutic programs.

Firstly, the application of A9 dopaminergic neurons derived from human parthenogenetic stem cells (hpSC) for the treatment of Parkinsons disease. Demonstrating functional dopaminergic neurons in vivo represents an important milestone towards the goal of creating well characterized populations of cells that could be used to develop a treatment for Parkinsons.

Secondly, the differentiation of hpSC and embryonic stem cells into cornea-like constructs for use in transplantation therapy and the in vitro study of ocular drug absorption. There are approximately ten million people worldwide who are blind as a result of damage to their cornea. Generating human corneas from a pluripotent stem cell source should increase the likelihood that people will receive treatment in the future even in the absence of suitable tissue from eye banks.

Lastly, the in vivo and in vitro characterization of immature hepatocyte derived from hpSC. Such cells could be used to develop a treatment for individuals with a liver that has been damaged by disease or sufferers of genetic disorders that inhibit normal liver function. In both cases, implanting healthy hepatocyte cells could treat the underlying disease and prolong the life of the individual.

These results not only show the progress we have made in these important programs, but also demonstrate the broad application of human parthenogenetic stem cells in the development of treatments for incurable diseases, says Dr. Ruslan Semechkin, Vice President of Research and Development.

The presentations will take place at the 15th Annual Meeting of American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy, in Philadelphia at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 17th.

About International Stem Cell Corporation

International Stem Cell Corporation is focused on the therapeutic applications of human parthenogenetic stem cells (hpSCs) and the development and commercialization of cell-based research and cosmetic products. ISCO's core technology, parthenogenesis, results in the creation of pluripotent human stem cells from unfertilized oocytes (eggs). hpSCs avoid ethical issues associated with the use or destruction of viable human embryos. ISCO scientists have created the first parthenogenic, homozygous stem cell line that can be a source of therapeutic cells for hundreds of millions of individuals of differing genders, ages and racial background with minimal immune rejection after transplantation. hpSCs offer the potential to create the first true stem cell bank, UniStemCell. ISCO also produces and markets specialized cells and growth media for therapeutic research worldwide through its subsidiary Lifeline Cell Technology (www.lifelinecelltech.com), and stem cell-based skin care products through its subsidiary Lifeline Skin Care (www.lifelineskincare.com). More information is available at http://www.internationalstemcell.com or follow us on Twitter @intlstemcell.

To receive ongoing corporate communications, please click on the following link: http://www.b2i.us/irpass.asp?BzID=1468&to=ea&s=0

Continue reading here:

International Stem Cell Corporation Scientists to Present Pre-Clinical Research Results at American Society of Gene ...

Anger, faith and rising up: Spirituality in Springsteen’s ‘Wrecking Ball’

Posted on by

By Jeffrey B. Symynkywicz

[Editor's note: The Rev. Jeffrey B. Symynkywicz is the author of the highly recommended book "The Gospel According to Bruce Springsteen." He recently delivered a sermon based on Bruce Springsteen's "Wrecking Ball," and offered to adapt it for us in the essay below.]

Photo: brucespringsteen.net

The darkness is no longer on the edge of town. It is now at the very heart of our nation.

Almost 30 years ago in My Hometown, Bruce Springsteen wrote about factory closings and jobs heading south. The tone was something of sadness, as a young man and his wife lie in bed at night, discussing whether or not to uproot their young son, in search of (perhaps) better economic prospects elsewhere. The insinuation in the song is that they will stay put. It probably wasnt a good decision.

Now, in the face of the economic devastation that came to a head with the financial meltdown of 2008, the whitewashed windows and empty stores of 1984 seem almost quaint. Thirty years of greed, speculation and unfettered, robber baron capitalism have brought, in Springsteens words, Death to My Hometown.

Even worse, perhaps, is that no one has been called to justice for the devastation. Not a single person has been prosecuted for the crimes that nearly toppled our entire financial system; instead the perpetrators walk the streets as free men now, Springsteen sings. He warns that they and their mayhem will be back unless we unite to Send the robber barons straight to hell.

Springsteens tone isnt one of resignation any longer. Wrecking Ball presents a word of prophecy and judgment, with plenty of blame to go aroundand plenty of work for all of us to do.

There are other allusions to Born in the U.S.A. here, as well. We Take Care of Our Own speaks of the promise from sea to shining sea, with American flags again waving in the breeze. But like the priest and the Levite in the parable of the Good Samaritan, we have come answer the question, Who is my neighbor? much too narrowly, Springsteen believes. The years have killed something in us, and the American spirit is circling the wagons and drawing in on ourselves. Almost in desperation, he cries out for eyes that can see, and hearts filled with mercy. But the only answer that comes the refrain, We take care of our own, over and over sounds like the icy sarcasm of a Scrooge, slamming the door in the face of the solicitors ask him for charity.

All higher values seem to have left the field. From Easy Money the shallowness of a life lived for material gain alone were led to being Shackled and Drawn, part of a universal chain gang, cogs in a great neo-feudal economic machine. But while for working people, all notions of the dignity of labor lie buried by the side of the road, Up on Bankers Hill, the partys going strong, Springsteen sings, and again, our memory drifts to earlier times. In Mansion on the Hill from Nebraska, a young boy and his sister also listen to the music coming from a big house on the edge of town. Back in 1982, even amid the grittiness and starkness of Nebraska, there was still some sense of longing and at least a glimpse of hope. Now, 30 years later, it is as though the young boy is again standing at the foot of the rich mans hill, but this time with his legs in irons.

Visit link:

Anger, faith and rising up: Spirituality in Springsteen’s ‘Wrecking Ball’

New Book Asks Others to “Love Your Neighbor as Yourself”

Posted on by

Author Tenzin Norbu converts a Christian idea into a Buddhist philosophy.Omaha, NE (PRWEB) May 14, 2012 Follow the path to enlightenment. Live a life of universal love. It is possible for every living being to become a Buddha.Based on the idea of loving one's neighbor as oneself, author Tenzin Norbu pens his new book "Ocean of Compassion" (published by WestBow Press). Norbu offers understanding ...

View post:

New Book Asks Others to “Love Your Neighbor as Yourself”

Temple fair in the clouds

Posted on by

Prayers in Paragon Hall. New iPad apps on meditation centres. A haunted house in which earthly desires stalk you like inexorable ghosts. A "dharma boy band" of singers interpreting their tunes through the spiritual looking glass. Then monks as film programmers picking movies that discuss virtues and vices in diverse voices. In short, Buddhism in a new setting: Buddhism in a mall.

Some ask why. Or others ask: why not? As part of the Sumbuddha Jayanti celebration to mark the 2,600th anniversary of Lord Buddha's enlightenment, Buddhadasa Indapanno Archives together with city of Bangkok will host two major events with the aim to bring the prophet's teachings close to the urban environment and throwing open the door to the study of the religion.

Tomorrow the "Lan Bodhi Festival: Temple in the Clouds" opens at Royal Paragon Hall and runs until Sunday, May 20. In early June, the first International Buddhist Film Festival opens at SF Cinema at CentralWorld, where 30 films with Buddhist-related themes will be shown, including a section of movies curated by respected monks (see sidebar on page 6).

Minus only the ferris wheel, the Lan Bodhi Fair is designed to be a colourful rendition of Buddhist-related activities, with the motif of transporting a temple fair into Bangkok's biggest shopping centre. There will be praying sessions, traditional ngan wat games (dunks, for instance, in which players throw balls at symbolic, wordly vices), lectures, concerts, and booths promoting Buddhist activities. More than 100 Buddhist organisations will come together to enliven the fair, and the underlying concept is clearly to make the thought of Buddhism less boring, more in tune with the pace of urban life, and bringing the religion closer to the people.

The Lan Bodhi Fair _ the title signifies the tree under which Lord Buddha attained enlightenment _ and the International Buddhist Film Festival were initiated by Buddhadasa Indapanno Archives, an organisation set up mainly to preserve the writing of revered abbot Buddhadasa Bhikku and to promote the learning of Buddhism. Run by laypeople, the archives have sought guidance from several monks in coming up with the two events. In trying to bring Buddhism into the new playing surroundings, in this case a luxurious mall, the organisers aren't just taking a proactive step in re-adjusting the image of the religion, but also asking devouts to have an open-mind to the new and provocative way that Buddhism might be accessed and appreciated.

Admired by many as a strict and forward-looking cleric, Jayasaro Bhikku is one of the consultants. He told us in an email about the challenge of bringing a big Buddhist event to the unlikely venue of a downtown mall: ''This project is not aimed at promoting or preserving the essence of Buddhism. It is meant to be an open door into the Buddhist world, a portal. It might also be compared to an artistic provocation _ The Paragon Provocation.''

Jayasaro Bhikku is actually the one who initiated the idea of a film festival as a means to promote Buddhism. ''Speaking as someone who considers Shakespeare and Ken Loach amongst his earliest teachers,'' he said, '' I believe in the power of drama to deal with topics like meaning and meaninglessness, love and hate, kindness and cruelty, selfishness and selflessness, justice and injustice, revenge and forgiveness, heroism and cowardice, wisdom and foolishness in stories that engage the emotions and provide memories that last a lifetime.''

At the fair this weekend, at least three new iPad apps will be launched. One of them is a nationwide guide to Buddhist retreats and meditation centres; another is an interactive e-book of the famous Kalanukrom, a timeline history of Buddhism told in paralell with world history, written by Phra Payut Payuto.

Shifting into a more exciting gear, Pod Moderndog, Arak 'Pe' Amornsupasiri and Tul Waitoonkiat are three headline rockers who will perform at the fair. It's not clear how loud they would be allowed to be, but Santi Opaspakornkij, one of the event's publicists, says that the musicians will show the audience how to interpret their songs along the line of spiritualism. Even a love song, for instance, can lead to the lesson of impermanence.

''Buddhism doesn't have to be dull,'' says the publicist. ''This way we hope to reduce the prejudice that some people may still have with learning the religion. We simply try move closer to everyone.''

Visit link:

Temple fair in the clouds

Church offers young people a better way to celebrate Memorial Day

Posted on by

Bishops Billy and Catherine Baskin, spiritual leaders at New Way Fellowship Praise and Worship Center, invites the community to the Praise Overflow Weekend (POW) a "very special" two-day outreach event geared to youth and young adults ages 18-35.

"We believe when they [youth and young adults] are reached, they will in turn, impact and aid in the transformation of our city, county and the society at large," said Trolena Brown, a member of the church at 16800 NW 22nd Ave. in Miami Gardens.

The event will begin at 7 p.m. on May 26, with a gospel concert to feature national recording artist Anthony Evans, Jr, recently seen on NBC's "The Voice." Evans is the son of internationally known radio and television minister the Rev. Dr. Tony Evans.

On May 27, the worship service will feature Pastor Jermaine Johnson of Branch Worship Center in Conyers, Ga., as the guest speaker.

Brown said the Memorial Day weekend in South Florida is usually associated with alcohol, crime and violence. "The concert," she said, "will serve as a safe and uplifting alternative to young adults and families during the weekend. Our ministry strongly believes that our efforts will help decrease crime and negative activities , but we need the support of our community."

Everyone is invited to the two-day event. For more information call the church office at 305-625-7246 and ask for Carolyn Banks.

Yoga and meditation

The Universal Truth Center for Better Living (UTC) at 21310 NW 37th Ave. in Miami Gardens, will present the Rev. Ellen Grace O'Brian, a Kriya Yoga instructor, who will lecture on discipleship and awakening spiritual revelations in everyone , at 10 a.m. Saturday.

According to a press release from UTC, O'Brian is the senior minister and spiritual director at the Center for Spiritual Enlightenment in San Jose, Calif., which is a ministry in the spiritual tradition of Kriya Yoga, serving people from all faith backgrounds seeking self-realization and God-realization.

Her lecture topic is, "The Way to Discipleship," and in the workshop, O'Brian will discuss how people can embrace their chosen spiritual path.

See the rest here:

Church offers young people a better way to celebrate Memorial Day

Space station astronaut shares a groovy trip

Posted on by

Don Pettit / NASA

This is a composite of 18 time-exposure images photographed from a mounted camera on the International Space Station, from approximately 240 miles above Earth. The image is filled with star trails and spiraling reflections from the space station's solar arrays.

By Alan Boyle

Flying on the International Space Station is the world's biggest high, and a series of psychedelic time-exposure images engineered by NASA astronaut Don Pettit proves it.

This picture, showing the station's truss structure in the foreground and Earth's airglow in the background, is actually a composite of 18 different exposures. A couple of other pictures in the series step things up a notch by putting together 47 exposures. Here's Pettit's explanation of the process, as laid out in the NASA Twitter gallery:

"My star trail images are made by taking a time exposure of about 10 to 15 minutes. However, with modern digital cameras, 30 seconds is about the longest exposure possible, due to electronic detector noise effectively snowing out the image. To achieve the longer exposures, I do what many amateur astronomers do. I take multiple 30-second exposures, then 'stack' them using imaging software, thus producing the longer exposure."

This isn't the only experiment Pettit has been conducting during his stint on the space station. A wide variety of scientific tests are under way in orbit, ranging from studies of human health in zero-G to the chemistry of Scotch whisky in weightlessness. Pettit has shown off some pretty trippy experiments in a couple of space station videos, including the creation of antibubbles within bubbles and the sight ofsonic water dropletsrockin' out to the sounds of ZZ Top. As Pettit says in one of the videos: "Oh, wow!" Check out the full "Science Off the Sphere" series, presented in cooperation with the American Physical Society.

NASA astronaut Don Pettit injects bubbles inside bubbles in microgravity.

Don Pettit demonstrates water oscillations on a speaker in microgravity.

More about the space station:

See the article here:

Space station astronaut shares a groovy trip

SpaceX to attempt historic private launch to space station this week (+video)

Posted on by

If successful, the unmanned flight will mark the first time a privately built spaceship has docked with the International Space Station.

The private spaceflight company SpaceX is preparing to launch a robotic capsule to the International Space Station this week, following a series of delays that postponed the historic first flight of a commercial spacecraft to the orbiting outpost.

SpaceX is slated to launch itsDragon capsuleto the space station atop the company's own Falcon 9 rocket on May 19 from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Liftoff is set for 4:55 a.m. EDT (0855 GMT).

The test flight was originally scheduled to occur on April 30, but has been delayed several times to complete final checks of the spacecraft's flight software.

The Dragon launch will now occur shortly after three new crewmembers arrive at the orbiting complex. A Russian Soyuz spacecraft, carrying NASA astronaut Joe Acaba and Russian cosmonauts Gennady Padalka and Sergei Revin, is slated to blast off from Kazakhstan tonight (May 14), and will arrive at the station on May 17.

The test flight of the unmanned Dragon capsule is designed to assess the spacecraft's ability to carry cargo to the orbiting outpost. If successful, it will mark the first time a privately built spaceship has docked with the $100 billion space station. [Gallery: Dragon, SpaceX's Private Spacecraft]

Over the past few weeks, SpaceX engineers have been preparing theFalcon 9 rocketand testing the capsule's docking software. After Dragon reaches orbit, the spacecraft will embark on a three-day chase of the space station before making its planned rendezvous.

As the capsule approaches, two astronauts aboard the station Don Pettit of NASA and Andre Kuipers of the European Space Agency will grab onto Dragon using the outpost's robotic arm and manually attach it to the complex.

Hawthorne, Calif.-based SpaceX has a $1.6 billion contract with NASA to fly 12 robotic cargo missions to the space station as part of the agency's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services program. The upcoming Dragon flight is designed to test the spacecraft's ability to ferry supplies to and from the station.

Eventually, the company intends to use a version of Dragon to carry up to seven passengers to low-Earth orbit.

Visit link:

SpaceX to attempt historic private launch to space station this week (+video)

SpaceX to attempt historic private launch to space station this week

Posted on by

If successful, the unmanned flight will mark the first time a privately built spaceship has docked with the International Space Station.

The private spaceflight company SpaceX is preparing to launch a robotic capsule to the International Space Station this week, following a series of delays that postponed the historic first flight of a commercial spacecraft to the orbiting outpost.

SpaceX is slated to launch itsDragon capsuleto the space station atop the company's own Falcon 9 rocket on May 19 from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Liftoff is set for 4:55 a.m. EDT (0855 GMT).

The test flight was originally scheduled to occur on April 30, but has been delayed several times to complete final checks of the spacecraft's flight software.

The Dragon launch will now occur shortly after three new crewmembers arrive at the orbiting complex. A Russian Soyuz spacecraft, carrying NASA astronaut Joe Acaba and Russian cosmonauts Gennady Padalka and Sergei Revin, is slated to blast off from Kazakhstan tonight (May 14), and will arrive at the station on May 17.

The test flight of the unmanned Dragon capsule is designed to assess the spacecraft's ability to carry cargo to the orbiting outpost. If successful, it will mark the first time a privately built spaceship has docked with the $100 billion space station. [Gallery: Dragon, SpaceX's Private Spacecraft]

Over the past few weeks, SpaceX engineers have been preparing theFalcon 9 rocketand testing the capsule's docking software. After Dragon reaches orbit, the spacecraft will embark on a three-day chase of the space station before making its planned rendezvous.

As the capsule approaches, two astronauts aboard the station Don Pettit of NASA and Andre Kuipers of the European Space Agency will grab onto Dragon using the outpost's robotic arm and manually attach it to the complex.

Hawthorne, Calif.-based SpaceX has a $1.6 billion contract with NASA to fly 12 robotic cargo missions to the space station as part of the agency's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services program. The upcoming Dragon flight is designed to test the spacecraft's ability to ferry supplies to and from the station.

Eventually, the company intends to use a version of Dragon to carry up to seven passengers to low-Earth orbit.

Read the original:

SpaceX to attempt historic private launch to space station this week

US-Russian crew blasts off on trip to International Space Station

Posted on by

ALMATY, Kazakhstan A three-man crew blasted off from a space center in southern Kazakhstan Tuesday morning on board a Russian-made Soyuz craft for a four-and-half-month stay at the International Space Station.

NASA astronaut Joseph Acaba and Russian cosmonauts Gennady Padalka and Sergei Revin set off from the Baikonur facility as scheduled at 9:01 a.m. local time.

Russia's space agency says the craft is due to dock with the space station Thursday morning Moscow time and will join the three astronauts currently staying at the orbiting laboratory.

The crew, which is being commanded by retired 53-year old Russian Air Force Col. Padalka, will immediately get to work preparing for the arrival next week of privately owned SpaceX's Dragon Capsule. It will be the first time a private company has launched space station supplies.

The space station is currently occupied by Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko, NASA astronaut Don Pettit and Holland's Andre Kuipers.

Padalka is a seasoned space traveler, having spent a total of 585 days in space on three previous missions on board the now-defunct Mir station and the current International Space Station. Inglewood, California-native Acaba, who turns 45 on Thursday, on the day that Soyuz is due to dock, makes his second venture into space after his maiden orbital voyage on the shuttle in 2009. Revin, 46, is making his first trip to space.

Until NASA either brings a new craft online or private companies are able to arrange manned trips to the orbiting station, the Soviet-designed Soyuz spacecraft will remain the only means to deliver crews to the orbiting outpost.

The Russian space program has been blighted by a string of technical glitches in the recent past, raising questions over its dependability.

Tuesday's launch had been pushed back by two months due to depressurization of the spacecraft's descent module during the ground testing phase. It was the second significant postponement of a manned Russian launch in the space of a year.

A Russian Mars moon probe crashed to Earth in January in what the nation's space agency described as the result of cosmic radiation.

Read the original post:

US-Russian crew blasts off on trip to International Space Station

Russian Soyuz (finally) lifts off for space station (+video)

Posted on by

A Russian Soyuz rocket, with three astronauts aboard, is due at the International Space Station Thursday. On Saturday, the SpaceX 'Dragon' will follow.

A Russian rocket launched three astronauts toward the International Space Station late Monday night (May 14), kicking off a two-day journey to the huge orbiting lab.

NASA astronaut Joe Acaba and Russian cosmonauts Gennady Padalka and Sergei Revin launched aboard aSoyuz spacecraftfrom Kazakhstan's Baikonur Cosmodrome Monday at 11:01 p.m. EDT.

The Soyuz is slated to dock with thespace stationshortly after midnight EDT (0400 GMT) on Thursday (May 17). Once aboard, the three spaceflyers will bring the orbiting complex back to its full complement of six residents. Their fellow Expedition 31 crewmembers NASA's Don Pettit, Dutchman Andre Kuipers and cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko have had the station to themselves since April 27.

RECOMMENDED: Are you scientifically literate? Take the quiz

The launch was a long time coming for Acaba, Padalka and Revin. They were supposed to lift off on March 29, but their flight was delayed for six weeks after a botched pressure test rendered their original Soyuz capsule unusable and forced a new one into service. [Photos: New Expedition 31 Mission Begins]

A four-month stay

The three newcomers will live aboard the station for four months, eventually returning to Earth in mid-September, NASA officials said.

The veteran cosmonaut Padalka already has two long-duration stints aboard the space station under his belt, but the experience will be a new one for the other two astronauts aboard the Soyuz. Acaba visited the station for less than two weeks on his lone previous spaceflight, the shuttle Discovery's STS-119 mission in 2009. And Monday's launch marked Revin's first trip to orbit.

Acaba said he's looking forward to his extended stay aboard the station.

See the rest here:

Russian Soyuz (finally) lifts off for space station (+video)

Space X set to launch first commercial flight to ISS

Posted on by

Nasas space shuttle fleet may be landing in museums, but the next step in space exploration is already underway as private concerns work to get into the ground floor of commercial flight to near-Earth orbit and possibly beyond. On Saturday, May 19, the company Space X plans to reach a major milestone by launching the first commercial craft bound for the International Space Station. Nasas ISS programme manager Mike Suffredini has dubbed it one of those historic launches. But there is much that could go wrong in what amounts to a test flight, and the launch has already been delayed repeatedly to make sure everything comes together correctly. Space takes longer and is more expensive than people expect, notes Scott Pace, director of the Space Policy Institute at the George Washington University in Washington. Space Xs Dragon spacecraft is to embark upon a three-day flight to the ISS and undertake a series of complicated docking manoeuvres in order to establish that it can safely attach to the orbiting station. This will be only the third flight for Dragon. The flight carries significant risk, but Space X has vowed that if any part of the mission does not succeed it will learn and try again. The unmanned Dragon capsule will blast off atop a Falcon 9 rocket from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida and carry 521kg of cargo, mainly food for astronauts living on the station. If all goes as planned it will return to Earth with 660kg of discarded cargo. Nasa and Space X have said they were confident about the mission but stressed it was a test flight and that the docking to the station would be particularly difficult. The shift toward commercial spaceflight comes as part of an Obama administration review of space policy amid the retirement of the space shuttle fleet. Nasa will shift its focus to longer distance goals with the aim of eventually reaching an asteroid and later Mars while handing over routine space station flights to commercial providers. The US doesnt have its own government access to the space station, so it is reliant on private providers, and for cargo that is a reasonable bet, Pace said. But he expressed worries that the next step - commercial crew access - will be considerably more difficult. With the retirement of the shuttle, US astronauts can only reach the station via Russian Soyuz spacecraft, while cargo can be delivered on Russian, European and Japanese craft. The Space X advance would be good news not only for Nasa, but also for international partners. We wish Space X all the success in this matter because it is an important step to have access to space, Andreas Diekmann, who heads the European Space Agencys Washington office, said, noting the need for a US means to reach the station. Space X was awarded a possible $396mn contract, of which it has so-far received $381mn, to develop its capsule. It is under contract for 12 supply flights to the station. In 2010, Space X was the first private company to send a commercial craft into orbit. If all goes well, the company eventually plans to convert the Dragon capsule to allow it to also bring astronauts aloft - but it will likely be years before the first astronaut blasts off in a private rocket. The Dragon is to remain at the station for two weeks for the ISS crew to unload cargo, before the capsule re-enters the atmosphere and splashes down off the California coast. I think weve got a pretty good shot, but it is worth emphasizing that there is a lot that can go wrong in a mission like this, Space X chief Elon Musk said last month. The most complex part of the mission will be the docking to the station, and Nasa and Space X will take a series of steps to be sure the station and its resident astronauts are safe as the craft approaches. If any aspect of the approach looks to be compromised, the docking could be called off at the last minute. Finally, two astronauts aboard the ISS will use the stations robotic arm to grab the Dragon capsule and attach it to a port on the station. Nasa noted that the cargo aboard the craft is expendable, in case the Dragon fails to make it to the ISS or back home. Musk warned against placing too much value on the flight, saying that a failure should not be used as an argument to discredit commercial space flight. There should be doubt about our resolve, he said. We will get to the space station whether on this mission or a future one. Another company, Orbital Sciences Corporation, is set for its first flight to the ISS late this year.

More here:

Space X set to launch first commercial flight to ISS