The Bioemulsion experiment is attempting to develop faster technologies for obtaining microorganism biomass and biologically active substance biomass for creating highly efficient environmentally pure bacteria, enzymes, and medicinal/pharmaceutical preparations.
ISS027-E-022454 (5 May 2011) --- Russian cosmonaut Alexander Samokutyaev, Expedition 27 flight engineer, uses a glovebox to service the Russian Bioemulsion science payload in the Pirs Docking Compartment of the International Space Station.
The Bioemulsion experiment is attempting to develop faster technologies for obtaining microorganism biomass and biologically active substance biomass for creating highly efficient environmentally pure bacteria, enzymes, and medicinal/pharmaceutical preparations.
May 5, 2011 is the 50th anniversary of Alan Shepard becoming the first American and second person to travel into space.
Shepard was originally slated to perform the mission in October 1960, but unplanned preparatory work delayed the launch so many times that cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin beat him into space on April 12. When he finally got the go-ahead on May 5 for the Mercury-Redstone 3 mission, he said to himself, "Don't [screw] up, Shepard." A paraphrased version of this later became known as "Alan Shepard's Prayer."
The space capsule Freedom 7 launches into space atop a Redstone rocket 50 years ago. NASA photo.
Launch and Recovery Systems Contractors
After the flight, he noted, "It’s a very sobering feeling to be up in space and realize that one’s safety factor was determined by the lowest bidder on a government contract."
The contractors he spoke of included McDonnell Aircraft (which later became McDonnell Douglas, now part of Boeing), which manufactured the Freedom 7 capsule Shepard travelled in. The capsule is now the centerpiece exhibit of the Naval Academy Visitor Center in Annapolis, Md.
The Mercury-Redstone launch vehicle which lofted the Freedom 7 capsule was manufactured by Chrysler and was based on the Redstone liquid-fueled ballistic missile, the most reliable missile at the time.
After the launch and 16-minute mission, a Sikorsky HMM-262 Seabat retrieved Shepard from the Atlantic Ocean, in one of the iconic photos from the mission:
A Marine HMM-262 Seabat helicopter retrieves Alan Shepard after his historic first American manned spaceflight on May 5, 1961. NASA photo.
Human Spaceflight and Computing
Though the launch systems were most visible part of the program, in retrospect, perhaps the most important contractor for the Mercury-Redstone 3 mission was IBM, which was hired to process flight data and to provide mission control with real-time updates and critical flight parameters. Art Cohen, the lead IBM engineer on the project, noted that the mission was "the first real-time data processing entry.
"
A schematic of the Mercury-Redstone Mission. NASA photo.
In Shepard’s 1998 oral history [PDF] of his career, he credited NASA computer work and contract money spent preparing for early missions to setting advanced modern computing technology in motion. While noting that computers would still exist, he said "We wouldn't be at the position we are today without that tremendous [impetus] that NASA had in making the computers."
Commemorating History
NASA celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Mercury-Redstone 3 mission by releasing a stamp yesterday showing Shepard, his space capsule and rocket. Donato Giancola and Phil Jordon were contracted to design the stamp.
In his message commemorating the 50th anniversary, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden singled out contractors, writing, "With our support and assistance, commercial companies will expand access to that rarefied area Alan Shepard first trod for America, allowing NASA to focus on those bigger, more challenging destinations and to enable our science missions to peer farther and farther beyond our solar system."
Submit your own ideas for this day in govcon history to tips@govwin.com.
TUCSON - The NASA Shuttle Endeavour will launch no earlier than May 10, NASA confirmed in a news release today.
Technicians are now retesting a newly-installed power distribution box, replaced after a faulty one was removed Tuesday morning from the art compartment of the shuttle, NASA says.
Mark Kelly, husband of injured U.S. Rep Gabrielle Giffords, is the commander of the mission originally scheduled to launch last Friday, but he and his team were turned around as they drove up to the launch pad after the problem was detected.
Technicians are performing additional testing to figure out whether the failure came from the power distribution box, called the Load Control Assembly 2, or from another system.
Stay tuned to News 4 Tucson and KVOA.com for continuing updates on the shuttle mission, and follow NASA Kennedy Center on Twitter for the latest information: @NASAKennedy.
All systems are no-go, NASA delays space shuttle launch at least another week Continue reading on Examiner.com: All systems are no-go, NASA delays space shuttle launch at least another week - National Space news | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/space-news-in-national/all-systems-are-no-go-nasa-delays-space-shuttle-launch-at-least-another-week#ixzz1LpSbJ0qD
0 commentsIn a development that has space shuttle Endeavour starting to look a lot like the 4 month Discovery saga, NASA has announced yet another delay to the STS-134 mission. The latest time table: Endeavour will not lift off until May 16 at the earliest. For NASA and space enthusiasts the world over, this is yet another blow to pride as another shuttle is continually being grounded by mechanical trouble.
What was once one of the most hyped-up space missions in years suddenly became became a non-event on Friday, April 29. Space shuttle Endeavour, which was scheduled to lift off at 3:47pm EDT that day, was delayed because of mechanical problems with a heater on a backup power unit. In its initial statement, NASA estimated a weekend repair, with the shuttle being able to take off the following Monday. Unfortunately, repairs could not be completed in time, causing a further delay.
Now, as that week-long delay approaches its end, NASA made another announcement, this time stating that Endeavour will not lift off until May 16 at the earliest.
As for specifics regarding the problem, two heaters designed to keep the auxiliary power unit from freezing in space are not working properly. In terms of impact on the mission, the auxiliary power unit that failed is used to power the shuttle as it goes through the all-important stage of atmospheric reentry, which is, after launch, the most dangerous part of any shuttle mission. Without the heaters to keep it warm, chances are that the power unit itself would freeze and thus be rendered unable to operate.
Naturally, one of the most-hyped space missions in years, if not decades, has gone from being day-to-day to week-to-week.
First reason for the hype: wounded Arizona representative Gabrielle Giffords, who just happens to be married to NASA astronaut Mark Kelly who, by sheer chance, just so happened to be the already-named STS-134 commander prior to the Tucson shooting. After Giffords was shot, there arose intense media speculation over what Kelly would do: would he fly or skip the mission to be with his, at the time, gravely injured wife? As things turned out, Giffords has made a surprising recovery, so much so that not only did Kelly decide to fly, but that Rep. Giffords herself will be at Kennedy to watch the launch.
As a second added piece of drama to an already big story, the First Family was planning to be in attendance for the launch. In a surprising bit of trivia, this will mark only the third time a sitting president has witnessed the liftoff of a manned space mission. The two previous times: Richard Nixon in 1969 and Bill Clinton in 1998. For a nation that prides itself on being a leader in space, the fact that only two sitting presidents have ever watched a launch is rather surprising.
In conclusion, with the mission status now anything but certain, stay tuned here and to other space news websites for updates.
This artist's concept shows a glowing patch of ultraviolet light near Saturn's north pole that occurs at the "footprint" of the magnetic connection between Saturn and its moon Enceladus. The footprint and magnetic field lines are not visible to the naked eye, but were detected by the ultraviolet imaging spectrograph and the fields and particles instruments on NASA's Cassini spacecraft. The footprint, newly discovered by Cassini, marks the presence of an electrical circuit that connects Saturn with Enceladus and accelerates electrons and ions along the magnetic field lines. In this image, the footprint is in the white box marked on Saturn, with the magnetic field lines in white and purple.
A larger white square above Enceladus shows a cross-section of the magnetic field line between the moon and the planet. This pattern of energetic protons was detected by Cassini's magnetospheric imaging instrument (MIMI) on Aug. 11, 2008.
The patch near Saturn's north pole glows because of the same phenomenon that makes Saturn's well-known north and south polar auroras glow: energetic electrons diving into the planet's atmosphere. However, the "footprint" is not connected to the rings of auroras around Saturn's poles (shown as an orange ring around the north pole in this image).
The Cassini plasma spectrometer complemented the MIMI data, with detection of field-aligned electron beams in the area. A team of scientists analyzed the charged particle data and concluded that the electron beams had sufficient energy flux to generate a detectable level of auroral emission at Saturn. Target locations were provided to Cassini's ultraviolet imaging spectrograph team. On Aug. 26, 2008, the spectrograph obtained images of an auroral footprint in Saturn's northern hemisphere.
The newly discovered auroral footprint measured about 1,200 kilometers (750 miles) in the longitude direction and less than 400 kilometers (250 miles) in latitude, covering an area comparable to that of California or Sweden. It was located at about 65 degrees north latitude.
In the brightest image the footprint shone with an ultraviolet light intensity of about 1.6 kilorayleighs, far less than the Saturnian polar auroral rings. This is comparable to the faintest aurora visible at Earth without a telescope in the visible light spectrum. Scientists have not yet found a matching footprint at the southern end of the magnetic field line.
The background star field and false color images of Saturn and Enceladus were obtained by Cassini's imaging science subsystem.
The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Calif. manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The ultraviolet imaging spectrograph team is based at the University of Colorado, Boulder. The magnetospheric imaging team is based at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Md. The Cassini plasma spectrometer team is based at the Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, Texas.
For more information about the Cassini-Huygens mission visit http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov and http://www.nasa.gov/cassini .
Image credit: NASA/JPL/JHUAPL/University of Colorado/Central Arizona College/SSI
A larger white square above Enceladus shows a cross-section of the magnetic field line between the moon and the planet. This pattern of energetic protons was detected by Cassini's magnetospheric imaging instrument (MIMI) on Aug. 11, 2008.
The patch near Saturn's north pole glows because of the same phenomenon that makes Saturn's well-known north and south polar auroras glow: energetic electrons diving into the planet's atmosphere. However, the "footprint" is not connected to the rings of auroras around Saturn's poles (shown as an orange ring around the north pole in this image).
The Cassini plasma spectrometer complemented the MIMI data, with detection of field-aligned electron beams in the area. A team of scientists analyzed the charged particle data and concluded that the electron beams had sufficient energy flux to generate a detectable level of auroral emission at Saturn. Target locations were provided to Cassini's ultraviolet imaging spectrograph team. On Aug. 26, 2008, the spectrograph obtained images of an auroral footprint in Saturn's northern hemisphere.
The newly discovered auroral footprint measured about 1,200 kilometers (750 miles) in the longitude direction and less than 400 kilometers (250 miles) in latitude, covering an area comparable to that of California or Sweden. It was located at about 65 degrees north latitude.
In the brightest image the footprint shone with an ultraviolet light intensity of about 1.6 kilorayleighs, far less than the Saturnian polar auroral rings. This is comparable to the faintest aurora visible at Earth without a telescope in the visible light spectrum. Scientists have not yet found a matching footprint at the southern end of the magnetic field line.
The background star field and false color images of Saturn and Enceladus were obtained by Cassini's imaging science subsystem.
The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Calif. manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The ultraviolet imaging spectrograph team is based at the University of Colorado, Boulder. The magnetospheric imaging team is based at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Md. The Cassini plasma spectrometer team is based at the Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, Texas.
For more information about the Cassini-Huygens mission visit http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov and http://www.nasa.gov/cassini .
Image credit: NASA/JPL/JHUAPL/University of Colorado/Central Arizona College/SSI
Image above: President Barack Obama boards Air Force One at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida after his visit and tour of Kennedy Space Center. Photo credit: NASA
The crew members for space shuttle Endeavour's STS-134 mission are Commander Mark Kelly, Pilot Gregory H. Johnson and Mission Specialists Michael Fincke, Greg Chamitoff, Andrew Feustel and European Space Agency astronaut Roberto Vittori.
During the 14-day mission, Endeavour and its crew will deliver the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) and spare parts including two S-band communications antennas, a high-pressure gas tank and additional spare parts for Dextre.
The crew members for space shuttle Endeavour's STS-134 mission are Commander Mark Kelly, Pilot Gregory H. Johnson and Mission Specialists Michael Fincke, Greg Chamitoff, Andrew Feustel and European Space Agency astronaut Roberto Vittori.
During the 14-day mission, Endeavour and its crew will deliver the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) and spare parts including two S-band communications antennas, a high-pressure gas tank and additional spare parts for Dextre.
Final flight of Endeavour pushed back due to heater glitch.
Victoria Jaggard
at Kennedy Space Center
National Geographic News
Published April 29, 2011
Hours before its planned liftoff from Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the space shuttle Endeavour had endured pouring rain and nearby lightning—but was still on target for launch, based on weather conditions.
Instead, it was a problem with a line of small heaters that ultimately forced NASA to scrub today's 3:47 p.m. launch attempt.
NASA's next try will be no earlier than Monday morning, launch officials said today.
A planned launch of an Atlas V rocket from Kennedy on May 6 means that the shuttle lift-off can push to no later than May 4.
After that date, the next possible launch attempt for Endeavour wouldn't come until May 9.
Shuttle Delayed by Heater Failure
Endeavour's crew of six veteran astronauts, led by mission commander Mark Kelly, had already boarded their bus for the launch pad when the scrub was announced at 12:19 p.m. ET.
The trouble was caused by failed heaters in one of the shuttle's auxiliary power units (APUs), which provide hydraulic power for the craft's engine nozzles, landing gear, and other moving parts used in flight.
The APU hydraulics are driven by a fuel called hydrazine, Mike Moses, NASA's launch integration manager for the shuttle program, said today during a press briefing.
Without heaters, hydrazine could freeze in the chilly environment of space, creating buildups of frozen fuel. This could cause problems during atmospheric reentry, as thawing chunks of hydrazine could trigger leaks of combustable fuel.
The shuttle does have two other APUs, and if one had failed after launch, "it would not have been a bad day," Moses said. Flight engineers have contingency plans in place to safely shut off a malfunctioning APU.
But since the issue was discovered before launch, shuttle launch director Mike Leinbach made the decision to scrub.
"We don't like lifting off without redundancy, especially in a critical system like this one," Leinbach said.
(Also see "Space Shuttle Launch to Put Giant Ray Detector in Space.")
Despite Scrub, Obama Makes Space Center Visit
To troubleshoot the problem, engineers first have to empty the shuttle's giant external fuel tanks—which had been filled just this morning with liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen in preparation for launch.
When the tanks are empty—they take 24 hours to drain fully—technicians will be able to safely access the shuttle's avionics bay at the back of the craft to determine the extent of the APU glitch.
The problem could be a faulty thermostat, which would be relatively quick and easy to fix, Leinbach said. But if the thermostat isn't to blame, the glitch may trace to a switchbox called the load control assembly (LCA).
If something is wrong with the LCA, Leinbach said, the fix would be more expensive and time-consuming, possibly pushing the launch to May 9, at the earliest.
In the meantime, the shuttle crew has gone back into quarantine—remaining in special quarters to prevent contracting any illnesses before flight.
The delay means the crew will have a few days more to relax and spend time with their families before Endeavour makes its final flight.
The astronauts also enjoyed a post-scrub meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama, who arrived at Kennedy this afternoon with his family as part of a planned visit to see the launch.
"Hopefully we can lure him back for another launch in the future," said Kennedy Space Center director Robert Cabana.
at Kennedy Space Center
National Geographic News
Published April 29, 2011
Hours before its planned liftoff from Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the space shuttle Endeavour had endured pouring rain and nearby lightning—but was still on target for launch, based on weather conditions.
Instead, it was a problem with a line of small heaters that ultimately forced NASA to scrub today's 3:47 p.m. launch attempt.
NASA's next try will be no earlier than Monday morning, launch officials said today.
A planned launch of an Atlas V rocket from Kennedy on May 6 means that the shuttle lift-off can push to no later than May 4.
After that date, the next possible launch attempt for Endeavour wouldn't come until May 9.
Shuttle Delayed by Heater Failure
Endeavour's crew of six veteran astronauts, led by mission commander Mark Kelly, had already boarded their bus for the launch pad when the scrub was announced at 12:19 p.m. ET.
The trouble was caused by failed heaters in one of the shuttle's auxiliary power units (APUs), which provide hydraulic power for the craft's engine nozzles, landing gear, and other moving parts used in flight.
The APU hydraulics are driven by a fuel called hydrazine, Mike Moses, NASA's launch integration manager for the shuttle program, said today during a press briefing.
Without heaters, hydrazine could freeze in the chilly environment of space, creating buildups of frozen fuel. This could cause problems during atmospheric reentry, as thawing chunks of hydrazine could trigger leaks of combustable fuel.
The shuttle does have two other APUs, and if one had failed after launch, "it would not have been a bad day," Moses said. Flight engineers have contingency plans in place to safely shut off a malfunctioning APU.
But since the issue was discovered before launch, shuttle launch director Mike Leinbach made the decision to scrub.
"We don't like lifting off without redundancy, especially in a critical system like this one," Leinbach said.
(Also see "Space Shuttle Launch to Put Giant Ray Detector in Space.")
Despite Scrub, Obama Makes Space Center Visit
To troubleshoot the problem, engineers first have to empty the shuttle's giant external fuel tanks—which had been filled just this morning with liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen in preparation for launch.
When the tanks are empty—they take 24 hours to drain fully—technicians will be able to safely access the shuttle's avionics bay at the back of the craft to determine the extent of the APU glitch.
The problem could be a faulty thermostat, which would be relatively quick and easy to fix, Leinbach said. But if the thermostat isn't to blame, the glitch may trace to a switchbox called the load control assembly (LCA).
If something is wrong with the LCA, Leinbach said, the fix would be more expensive and time-consuming, possibly pushing the launch to May 9, at the earliest.
In the meantime, the shuttle crew has gone back into quarantine—remaining in special quarters to prevent contracting any illnesses before flight.
The delay means the crew will have a few days more to relax and spend time with their families before Endeavour makes its final flight.
The astronauts also enjoyed a post-scrub meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama, who arrived at Kennedy this afternoon with his family as part of a planned visit to see the launch.
"Hopefully we can lure him back for another launch in the future," said Kennedy Space Center director Robert Cabana.
