#the First Spacelab Science Mission

[michaelgabrill]

40 Years Ago: STS-9 the First Spacelab Science Mission

On Nov. 28, 1983, space shuttle Columbia took to the skies for its sixth trip into space on the first dedicated science mission using the Spacelab module provided by the European Space Agency (ESA). The longest shuttle mission at the time also included many other firsts. Aboard Columbia to conduct dozens of science experiments, the […] from NASA https://ift.tt/pHK6w8N

[ricmlm]

From the Archives

On Nov. 28, 1983, space shuttle Columbia took to the skies for its sixth trip into space on the first dedicated science mission using the Spacelab module provided by the European Space Agency (ESA). This photograph was taken with a 35mm camera aimed through one of Columbia's aft flight deck windows as it passed into a brilliant sunrise.

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[valiantranchcreatorsuitcase]

SCIENCE PAGES ⚛️♒♾️🇪🇺VEIT SCHWIERTZ

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[spacenutspod]

On Oct. 18, 1993, space shuttle Columbia lifted off in support of the STS-58 Spacelab Life Sciences 2 (SLS-2) mission to conduct cutting edge research on physiological adaptation to spaceflight. The seven-member crew of STS-58 consisted of Commander John E. Blaha, Pilot Richard A. Searfoss, Payload Commander Dr. M. Rhea Seddon, Mission Specialists William S. McArthur, Dr. David A. Wolf, and Shannon M. Lucid, and Payload Specialist Dr. Martin J. Fettman, the first veterinarian in space. Dr. Jay C. Buckey  and Laurence R. Young served as alternate payload specialists. During the second dedicated life sciences shuttle mission, they conducted 14 experiments to study the cardiovascular, pulmonary, regulatory, neurovestibular, and musculoskeletal systems to provide a better understanding of physiological responses to spaceflight. The 14-day mission ended on Nov. 1, the longest shuttle flight up to that time. Left: STS-58 astronauts David A. Wolf, seated left, Shannon M. Lucid, M. Rhea Seddon, and Richard A. Searfoss; John E. Blaha, standing left, William S. McArthur, and Martin J. Fettman. Middle: The STS-58 crew patch. Right: The Spacelab Life Sciences 2 mission patch. As its name implies, SLS-2 was the second space shuttle mission dedicated to conducting life sciences research. Because of an oversubscription in the original Spacelab-4 mission, managers decided to split the research flight into two missions to optimize the science return for the principal investigators. The nine-day SLS-1 mission flew in June 1991, its seven-member crew conducting nine life science experiments. Because of her experience as a mission specialist on SLS-1, managers named Seddon as the payload commander for SLS-2. Eight of the 14 experiments used the astronauts as test subjects, and six used 48 laboratory rats housed in 24 cages in the Rodent Animal Holding Facility. Left: Liftoff of space shuttle Columbia on the STS-58 Spacelab Life Sciences 2 mission. Right: View of the Spacelab module in Columbia’s payload bay. Space shuttle Columbia’s 15th liftoff took place at 10:53 a.m. EST on Oct. 18, 1993, from Launch Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida, carrying the SLS-2 mission into space. Blaha, making his fourth trip into space and second as commander, and Pilot Searfoss on his first launch, monitored Columbia’s systems as they climbed into orbit, assisted by McArthur, also on his first flight, serving as the flight engineer. Seddon, making her third trip into space, accompanied them on the flight deck. Wolf, Lucid, and Fettman experienced launch in the shuttle’s middeck. Upon reaching orbit, the crew opened the payload bay doors, thus deploying the shuttle’s radiators. Shortly after, the crew opened the hatch from the shuttle’s middeck, translated down the transfer tunnel, and entered Spacelab for the first time, activating the module, and getting to work on the experiments, including the first blood draws for the regulatory physiology experiments. The blood samples, stored in the onboard refrigerator for postflight analysis, investigated calcium loss in bone and parameters of fluid and electrolyte regulation. Left: Dr. David A. Wolf draws a blood sample from Dr. Martin J. Fettman as part of a regulatory physiology experiment. Middle: Payload Commander Dr. M. Rhea Seddon processes blood samples.  Right: William S. McArthur uses a metabolic gas analyzer to monitor his pulmonary or lung function. During the 14-day mission, the seven-member SLS-2 crew served as both experiment subjects and operators. The majority of the science activities took place in the Spacelab module mounted in the shuttle’s payload bay, with SLS-2 marking the ninth flight of the ESA-built pressurized module since its first flight on STS-9 in 1983. The experiments had, of course, begun long before launch with extensive baseline data collection. For Lucid and Fettman, data collection for one of the cardiovascular experiments began four hours before launch and continued through ascent and for the first day or so of the mission. Both volunteered to have catheters threaded through an arm vein and into their hearts to directly measure the effect on central venous pressure from the fluid shift caused by the transition to weightlessness. Two views of the rotating dome experiment, used to measure astronauts’ motion perception, with John E. Blaha, left, and Dr. M. Rhea Seddon, as test subjects. Two views of the rotating chair, with Dr. Martin J. Fettman as the subject and Dr. M. Rhea Seddon as the operator, used to test the astronauts’ vestibular systems. A group of experiments studied the astronauts’ sensory motor adaptation to spaceflight. In one study, the astronauts placed their heads inside a rotating dome with colored dots painted on its inside surface. Using a joystick, the astronauts indicated in which direction they perceived the rotation of the dots. A rotating chair measured how reflexive eye movements change in weightlessness. Using a bungee harness to simulate falling, astronauts reported on their sensation of and their reflexes to “falling” in microgravity. A selection of the Earth observation photographs taken by the STS-58 crew. Left: The Memphis, Tennessee, area. Middle left: The Richat Structure in Mauritania. Middle right: Cyprus, Türkiye, and the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Right: Tokyo Bay. In addition to the complex set of SLS-2 experiments, the STS-58 astronauts’ activities also included other science and operational items. They conducted several experiments as part of the Extended Duration Orbiter Medical Program, including the use of lower body negative pressure as a potential countermeasure to cardiovascular changes, in particular orthostatic intolerance, as shuttle missions flew ever longer missions. The astronauts talked to ordinary people on the ground using the Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment, or ham radio. As on all missions, they enjoyed looking at the Earth. When not participating as a test subject for the various experiments or needing to monitor Columbia’s systems, Searfoss in particular took advantage of their unique vantage point, taking more than 4,000 photographs of the Earth below. Blaha and Searfoss tested the Portable In-flight Landing Operations Trainer (PILOT), a laptop computer to help them maintain proficiency in landing the shuttle. Left: STS-58 astronauts William A. McArthur, top, Martin J. Fettman, David A. Wolf, Richard A. Searfoss, John E. Blaha, M. Rhea Seddon, and Shannon M. Lucid inside the Spacelab module. Middle: McArthur operates the Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment, or ham radio. Right: Pilot Searfoss uses the Portable In-flight Landing Operations Simulator, a laptop computer to practice landing the space shuttle. On their last day in space, the astronauts finished the experiments, Wolf deactivated the Spacelab module, and they strapped themselves into their seats to prepare for the return to Earth. They fired the shuttle’s Orbital Maneuvering System engines to begin the descent from orbit. Blaha piloted Columbia to a smooth landing on Runway 22 at Edwards Air Force Base in California’s Mojave Desert on Nov. 1, after completing 225 orbits around the Earth in 14 days and 12 minutes. The astronauts exited Columbia about one hour after landing and transferred to the Crew Transport Vehicle, a converted people-mover NASA purchased from Dulles International Airport near Washington, D.C. This allowed them to remain in a supine position to minimize the effects of gravity on the early postflight measurements. While Blaha, Searfoss, and McArthur returned to Houston a few hours after landing, Seddon, Wolf, Lucid, and Fettman continued extensive data collection at the Dryden, now Armstrong, Fight Research Center at Edwards for several days before returning to Houston. Ground crews towed Columbia from the runway to the Mate-Demate Facility to begin preparing it for its ferry flight back to KSC atop the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft and its next mission, STS-62, the United States Microgravity Payload-2 mission. Left: Space Shuttle Columbia lands at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to end the 14-day STS-58 Spacelab Life Sciences 2 (SLS-2) mission. Right: The seven STS-58 SLS-2 crew members have exited Columbia and transferred to the Crew Transport Vehicle to begin postflight data collection. Summarizing the scientific return from the flight, Mission Scientist Howard J. Schneider said, “All of our accomplishments exceeded our expectations.” Program Scientist Frank M. Sulzman added, “This has been the best shuttle mission for life sciences to date.” Principal investigators published the results of the experiments from SLS-1 and SLS-2 in a special edition of the Journal of Applied Physiology in July 1996. Enjoy the crew-narrated video about the STS-58 SLS-2 mission. Explore More 11 min read 55 Years Ago: Nine Months Before the Moon Landing Article 1 day ago 13 min read 60 Years Ago: NASA Selects Its Third Group of Astronauts Article 2 days ago 7 min read 40 Years Ago: Space Shuttle Discovery Makes its Public Debut Article 3 days ago

[retropopcult]

Millie Hughes-Fulford (December 21, 1945 – February 4, 2021) was an American astronaut, medical investigator, molecular biologist, and professor.

She was the first woman to launch into space who was not a professional astronaut but a working scientist. Originally selected by NASA in 1983 to train for a science-dedicated space shuttle mission, her launch was delayed by the 1986 Challenger tragedy. But finally lifting off on the space shuttle Columbia on June 5, 1991, she became the first female payload specialist to enter orbit and a member of the first crew to include three women.

Aboard STS-40 Spacelab Life Sciences (SLS 1), she was part of the first Spacelab mission dedicated to biomedical studies. The SLS-1 mission flew over 3.2 million miles in 146 orbits and its crew completed over 18 experiments during a nine-day period, bringing back more medical data than any previous NASA flight. 

Hughes-Fulford was a Professor at the University of California Medical Center at San Francisco where she continued her research until her death in 2021.

[pixoplanet]

It's January 13th. On this day in 1978, NASA selected its eighth class of astronauts, nick-named the "Thirty-Five New Guys." Group 8 kicked off a new era of astronaut diversity as it included the first six 👩‍🚀 females – Shannon Lucid, Margaret Rhea Seddon, Kathryn Sullivan, Judith Resnik, Anna Fisher and Sally Ride.

Biochemist Shannon Lucid was the first American woman to make a long-duration spaceflight. In 1996, during mission Mir NASA-1, she spent 188 days in space, including 179 days aboard Mir, the Russian space station.

Physician Margaret Rhea Seddon and fellow Group 8 alumni Robert Gibson were the first American active duty astronauts to marry. In 1993, Seddon was the Payload Commander on the Extended Duration Orbiter Medical Project life science research mission, which NASA recognized as the most successful Spacelab flown to date.

On October 11th, 1984, aboard Space Shuttle mission STS-41-G, geologist Kathryn Sullivan became the first American woman to perform a spacewalk.

On August 30th, 1984, aboard Space Shuttle Discovery's maiden voyage (STS-41-D), Electrical engineer Judith Resnik became the first Jewish American to make the journey to space. Unfortunately, she died in the 1986 💥 Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster.

On November 8th, 1984, aboard Space Shuttle mission STS-51-A, chemist Anna Fisher became the first mother to fly in space. She's currently working as a station Capsule Communicator (CAPCOM) and a developer on the Orion Project.

On June 18th, 1983, aboard Space Shuttle mission STS-7, physicist Sally Ride became the first American woman to fly in space. After the Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster, she served on two investigations into the cause of the accident. Four members of Thirty-Five New Guys died in the Challenger Disaster – Resnik, Ronald McNair, Ellison Onizuka, and Dick Scobee.

The diversity of Thirty-Five New Guys wasn't limited to 👩‍🚀 females. The group also included the first three 👨🏾‍🚀 African American astronauts – McNair, Guion Bluford, and Frederick Gregory; and the first 👨‍🚀 Asian American astronaut – Onizuka.

Astronaut Group 8 was NASA's first selection of astronaut candidates since August 1969. Due to the long delay between the last 🚀 Apollo lunar mission in 1972 and the first flight of the Space Shuttle in 1981, few astronauts from the older groups stayed with NASA. Since Group 8, a new group of candidates has been selected roughly every two years. ☮️ Peace… Jamiese of Pixoplanet

[spaceexp]

New Research Launching to Station Aboard Northrop Grumman’s 13th Resupply Mission

Northrop Grumman - NG CRS-13 Cygnus Mission patch. Jan. 29, 2020 Investigations studying tissue culturing, bone loss and phage therapy will be launching, along with more scientific experiments and supplies, to the International Space Station on a Northrop Grumman Cygnus spacecraft. The vehicle launches no earlier than Feb. 9 from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

Image above: The Northrop Grumman Antares rocket, with a Cygnus resupply spacecraft onboard, launches from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility, Saturday, November 2, 2019, in Virginia. Image Credit: NASA. This is the second mission under Northrop’s Commercial Resupply Services-2 contract with NASA. These resupply missions help NASA deliver critical research to the orbiting lab and increase its ability to conduct new investigations. Here are details on some of the scientific investigations Northrop Grumman’s 13th commercial resupply services mission (NG CRS-13) is delivering to the space station: Better tissue and cell culturing in space Mobile SpaceLab, a tissue and cell culturing facility, offers investigators a quick-turnaround platform to perform sophisticated microgravity biology experiments. Such experiments are critical for determining how microgravity affects human physiology and identifying ways to mitigate negative effects. The platform can work in multiple configurations, allowing investigators to tailor the facility to their needs. Mobile SpaceLab launches and returns on resupply spacecraft. It performs experiments autonomously with ground monitoring. The crew is responsible for moving the payload from the resupply vehicle to a designated ISS EXPRESS Rack and back to a vehicle for return to ground. This process allows investigators to get their research in orbit quickly and gather sophisticated data using the automated capabilities. Experiments can run for up to one month.

Image above: NASA astronaut Tim Kopra commanded the International Space Station’s Canadarm2 robotic arm to release the Cygnus spacecraft on June 14, 2016. After Cygnus was a safe distance away, ground controllers at Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio initiated the sequence for Saffire-1, the first in a series of fire experiments. Saffire-IV will launch on NG-13. Image Credit: NASA. A close-up view The Mochii investigation provides an initial demonstration of a new miniature scanning electron microscope (SEM) with spectroscopy. Mochii will demonstrate real-time, on-site imaging and measurements of micro- and nanostructures aboard the space station. This capability could accelerate answers to many scientific inquiries and mission decisions and serve the public as a powerful and unique microgravity research platform. The ability to identify small particles is needed for crewed flight and deep space exploration beyond low-Earth Orbit (LEO) since samples cannot be sent back to Earth. Rapid identification of these particles can help keep crews and vehicles safe. Examining bone loss in microgravity

Image above: Commander Peggy Whitson works on the OsteoOmics bone cell study that uses the Microgravity Science Glovebox inside the U.S. Destiny laboratory in May 2017. OsteoOmics investigates the molecular mechanisms that dictate bone loss in microgravity by examining osteoblasts, which form bone, and osteoclasts, which dissolve bone. Image Credit: NASA. Crew members experience bone loss in orbit, stemming from the lack of gravity acting on their bones. OsteoOmics investigates the molecular mechanisms that dictate this bone loss by examining osteoblasts, cells in the body that form bone, and osteoclasts, which dissolve bone. A better understanding of these mechanisms could lead to more effective prevention of astronaut bone loss during space missions. Understanding the cellular mechanisms of bone loss associated with microgravity also helps researchers better understand bone loss associated with a wide range of disorders. This insight could help identify better preventative care and therapeutic treatments for people who experience bone loss due to diseases such as osteopenia and osteoporosis or from prolonged bed rest. Fighting viruses with phages Bacteriophages, or phages, are viruses that specifically invade and destroy bacteria. Discovered in 1915, phages have been used to fight infectious diseases, most notably in Eastern Europe. With increasing types of bacteria developing resistance to antibiotics, phage therapy offers a possible alternative to traditional antibiotics. In addition, phages can eliminate harmful bacteria without causing large-scale damage to the body’s beneficial bacterial population or microbiome. Scientists also can evolve phages in the laboratory to remain potent even if phage-resistant bacteria develop. Phage Evolution examines the effects of microgravity and radiation exposure on phage and bacterial host interactions, including phage specificity for a bacterial host and host resistance to specific phages. A better understanding of the effects of microgravity and cosmic radiation on bacteriophages and hosts could result in significant developments for phage technology, ultimately helping protect the health of astronauts on future missions. (Do not) light my fire The Spacecraft Fire Experiment-IV (Saffire-IV) investigation examines fire development and growth in different materials and environmental conditions, fire detection and monitoring, and post-fire cleanup capabilities. It is part of a series of fire investigations conducted in the Cygnus resupply vehicle after its departure from space station, eliminating exposure of humans or occupied spacecraft to fire danger. Saffire-IV contributes to fire safety efforts in similar environments on Earth, from submarines to mines, and helps improve general understanding and modeling of fire phenomena. Related links: Northrop Grumman Cygnus: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/structure/launch/northrop-grumman.html NG CRS-13: https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-invites-media-to-northrop-grumman-s-february-space-station-launch Mobile SpaceLab: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Facility.html?#id=7692 Mochii: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Facility.html?#id=7657 OsteoOmics: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=1149 Phage Evolution: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=8079 Saffire-IV: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=1923 Space Station Research and Technology: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/index.html Commercial Resupply: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/structure/launch/index.html International Space Station (ISS): https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html Images (mentioned), Text, Credits: NASA/Michael Johnson/JSC/International Space Station Program Science Office/Melissa Gaskill. Greetings, Orbiter.ch Full article

[womeninspaceexploration]

Materials Science Experiments Conducted at MSFC

In another first for NASA, an all-female crew of scientific experimenters began a five-day exercise on December 16, 1974, to test the feasibility of experiments that were later tested on the Space Shuttle/Spacelab missions. The experimenters, Dr. Mary H. Johnston (seated, left), Ann F. Whitaker and Carolyn S. Griner (standing, left to right), and the crew chief, Doris Chandler, spent spend eight hours each day of the mission in the Marshall Space Flight Centers General Purpose Laboratory (GPL). They conducted 11 selected experiments in materials science to determine their practical application for Spacelab missions and to identify integration and operational problems that might occur on actual missions.

Image # :565782

Date: November 13, 1974

N81 in the Small Magellanic Cloud

A NASA Hubble Space Telescope "family portrait" of young, ultra-bright stars nested in their embryonic cloud of glowing gases. The celestial maternity ward, called N81, is located 200,000 light-years away in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC), a small irregular satellite galaxy of our Milky Way. Hubble's exquisite resolution allows astronomers to pinpoint 50 separate stars tightly packed in the nebula's core within a 10 light- year diameter - slightly more than twice the distance between earth and the nearest star to our sun. The closest pair of stars is only 1/3 of a light-year apart (0.3 arcseconds in the sky). This furious rate of mass loss from these super-hot stars is evident in the Hubble picture that reveals dramatic shapes sculpted in the nebula's wall of glowing gases by violent stellar winds and shock waves. A pair of bright stars in the center of the nebula is pouring out most of the ultraviolet radiation to make the nebula glow. Just above them, a small dark knot is all that is left of the cold cloud of molecular hydrogen and dust the stars were born from. Dark absorption lanes of residual dust trisect the nebula. The nebula offers a unique opportunity for a close-up glimpse at the firestorm' accompanying the birth of extremely massive stars, each blazing with the brilliance of 300,000 of our suns. Such galactic fireworks were much more common billions of years ago in the early universe, when most star formation took place. The "natural- color" view was assembled from separate images taken with the Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2, in ultraviolet light and two narrow emission lines of ionized Hydrogen (H-alpha, H-beta).

Image # : PR98-25

Date: September 24, 1997

[hell-yeahfilm]

AN IMPROBABLE ASTRONAUT

From his earliest days, decorated military veteran and retired astronaut Bridges had an undeniably adventurous spirit. His book, split into three sections, first explores his quest to learn everything about space travel during an inquisitive youth, then his full immersion in the NASA program, and, finally, his emergence as a key leader in numerous Air Force interstellar projects. Beginning at age 5, the author displayed a lively imagination and explorative spirit as he scoured the forests around his suburban Georgia home in search of bears and buried treasure. Born during World War II, Bridges writes fondly of his early life as the son of a registered nurse mother and a father formerly enlisted in the Army Air Corps. Though the family was preoccupied with work, this aspect afforded the shy author and his sister, Eva Mae, many opportunities for “testing boundaries” even after they relocated to his beloved grandparents’ tobacco farm. In high school, Bridges developed an affinity for science and engineering, marveling at how Soviet space explorers launched an artificial satellite into an elliptical low Earth orbit. With his family���s immense support, he decided to pursue a career in space travel: “I didn’t care how improbable that might be. I saw it as my great adventure.” His strenuous years training at the Air Force Academy provide plenty of stories of camaraderie, cadet scandals, and his marriage to his first love, Benita, in 1967 (they are still together). After flying fighter jets in the Vietnam War, he saw his career trajectory soar, spanning intensive training in pilot school with rocket-powered aircraft, working at the Pentagon, and becoming a NASA astronaut candidate.

In his early 40s, after raising two children with his wife, Bridges accepted a prestigious offer to pilot the Challenger Spacelab 2 shuttle mission in 1985. This climactic event becomes the memoir’s capstone and is narrated in exacting detail, providing a riveting account of his time manning the craft as it shot into space despite a terrifying episode of engine failure. His career would climb even higher in the Air Force before the author retired in 1996. Though the impressively written book needs no embellishment, Bridges’ story is further enhanced with generous personal photographs illustrating the many pivotal moments of his momentous career. There are shots of Bridges immersed in a water buoyancy spacewalker simulator; near the combat jets he piloted; with the Spacelab 2 crew; and during his stint as an Air Force major general, perhaps his crowning achievement. In this obvious labor of love, Bridges, at 79, reflects on a life lived to the fullest, with many dreams accomplished and countless boundaries and obstacles conquered. While he shares a somewhat overwhelming amount of detail throughout his impassioned self-portrait, what will resonate most with readers of all ages is the author’s fearless spirit and perseverance in achieving seemingly insurmountable goals. Even readers with just a casual interest in space travel and interstellar exploration will find much to savor in this admirable, inspiring, and heartfelt account. The memoir proves that with enough drive and determination, anything is possible.

from Kirkus Reviews https://ift.tt/H7mas3T

[kerbaldevteam]

KSP Weekly: A Shuttle to Remember

Welcome to KSP Weekly everyone. Yesterday, 15 years ago, the Space Shuttle Columbia was returning to Earth after a 16-day scientific research mission when it disintegrated during re-entry near the end of its 28th mission, resulting in the deaths of all seven crew members. We want to take this opportunity to commemorate Columbia and its crew.

Columbia was the first space-rated orbiter in NASA's Space Shuttle fleet. The Space Shuttle was different, new, and advanced. It launched vertically like a rocket, flew like a glider on its wings after re-entry, and landed on its wheels on runways; It also had a robotic arm capable of grabbing satellites in orbit for repair in space, or bringing them back to Earth. It launched for the first time on mission STS-1 on April 12, 1981, the first flight of the Space Shuttle program under the command of John Young. Over 22 years of service it completed 27 missions. Its construction began in 1975 and was named after the American ship Columbia Rediviva which, from 1787 to 1793, under the command of Captain Robert Gray, explored the US Pacific Northwest and became the first American vessel to circumnavigate the globe. It is also named after the Command Module of Apollo 11, the first manned landing on another celestial body. After construction, the orbiter arrived at Kennedy Space Center on March 25, 1979, to prepare for its first launch, which was delayed because of technical problems. It was finally launched on April 12, 1981, coinciding with the 20th anniversary of the first human spaceflight (Vostok 1), and returned on April 14, 1981, after orbiting the Earth 36 times, landing on the dry lakebed runway at Edwards Air Force Base in California.

The Space Shuttle Program was expanded due to the success of Columbia, and it was not long before the fleet of Shuttles was expanded by Challenger and a few years later by Discovery and Atlantis. Endeavour was the fifth and final operational shuttle built. These five shuttles flew 135 missions over the course of 30 years. Some of these included several Spacelab missions; the construction of the International Space Station (ISS); crew rotation and servicing of Mir and the ISS; servicing missions, such as to repair the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and orbiting satellites; manned experiments in LEO; carrying the HST to low Earth orbit (LEO), as well as carrying the Chandra X-ray Observatory to a higher orbit, a mission perform by Columbia itself.

Columbia's final successful mission was STS-109, the fourth servicing mission for the Hubble Space Telescope. Its next mission, STS-107, culminated in the orbiter's loss when it disintegrated during reentry, killing all seven of its crew, including the first ever Israeli astronaut. The fate of the shuttle had been decided during its take off, when a falling piece of insulation foam struck the left wing and damaged the heat protection system.

The Columbia disaster was the second fatal accident to hit the fleet (the crew of Challenger had been lost in 1986), and consequently, President Bush decided to retire the Shuttle orbiter fleet by 2010 in favor of the Constellation program and its manned Orion spacecraft. The Constellation program was later cancelled with the NASA Authorization Act of 2010 signed by President Obama. Despite the tragic missteps, we can’t undermine the legacy of the Space Shuttle program. Everyone involved should be very proud of what they achieved in a 30 year long trajectory. We can at least keep launching shuttles from the KSC and look back and honor the heroes that gave their lives in the name of exploration and science.

[Development news start here]

Another week full of hard work. At this point of the development process of update 1.4 and the Making History Expansion, the projects are looking pretty much as they will at the release. The main features and components are already implemented, but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t a lot of work ahead of us. On the contrary, at this stage we need to polish, add the final components, and ensure that everything behaves as it should.

Along those final tasks, and talking about Making History specifically, is the implementation of Tutorial Missions for the Mission Builder. We talked about this last week, and we have made a lot of progress on that this week, and now we are undergoing a review for the advanced tutorial scenarios. To give you a brief idea of what you can expect from the tutorials in terms of content, we can share with you that they’ll be divided in three categories: Basic, Intermediate and Advanced tutorials.

The basic tutorial will teach how to use the nodes and place them in succession for a mission to make sense. You’ll also learn how to save your creations in this tutorial. The intermediate tutorial will introduce additional techniques, like taking advantage of the Action Panes and tailoring specific scenarios and events, i.e., situations that change the course of a Mission, as well as taking advantage of the Scoring system. Finally, the advanced tutorial will cover how to set requirements for crew and parts, custom messages for the success and failure dialogs, the validation dialogs, and how to export your creations to let others play them. As with the base game, taking the time with the tutorials will certainly give you an edge to become an excellent mission creator.

The team has also been working on a cool feature that will allow Mission Creators to preview the light on celestial bodies while in the Mission Builder. This will be done via a slider, which will have values based on the length of the light cycle of each Celestial Body, eg: Kerbin 0-6 hours (a full rotation period on Kerbin last 6 hours). This feature will also work for tidally locked bodies, such as Mun, where its rotation period encompasses a full orbit around Kerbin (6.43 days, or 1 Kerbin Month). The slider will adjust the position of the sun given the universal time of the solar system. This tool will give creators a clear grasp of the shade of a celestial body at a certain point in a mission.

Additionally, the developers are busy improving a Vessel/Part selector feature for part related nodes based on feedback provided by our dedicated testers. With this tool, Mission Creators will be able to determine the vessel and the part that will be affected by the node. A Creator will select the vessel through a drop down menu on the Setting Action Pane (SAP) and then will be able to select the part through a vessel visualizer found in the Graphic Action Pane (GAP).

Having expanded the part catalogue for the game also means that it has become important to balance them and specify where new parts should be located in the Tech Tree. Tasks need to be carefully assessed to give each part a role and place in the game, which can turn out to be more complicated than it seems.

Moreover, this week we began the process of wrapping up our part configurations and file organization for the new parts. All told, between Making History and 1.4, we are including about 75 new parts, not counting mesh and texture variants (include those, and we're at over 100).

With that many parts, there is a lot of work. From more mundane tasks like asset consolidation, tags, and localization, to more interesting tasks like picking out manufacturers, part names, and flavor text for part descriptions.

One thing we have said for a while now is that the parts should be viewed as being 'reminiscent of' rather than 'replicas of' historic parts. We've carried this over to the part names as well. So while you won't find an RD-108, AJ-10, or an F1, you will see their analogues in the RK-7 'Kodiak', RE-J10 'Wolfhound', and KE-1 'Mastodon'.

We have also (finally!) done our balance pass of all of the monopropellant tanks, as well as the Xenon tanks. The QA and Dev teams spent a lot of time figuring out how to make these tanks follow consistent rules without causing major issues for our players.  

Monopropellant tanks will follow the same wet/dry ratios as our liquid fuel and LFO tanks. Xenon tanks were all over the map, but have now been standardized, and on the whole, will end up with a slightly lower dry mass, and a bit higher fuel capacity.

We're also taking a hard look at the new pods, decouplers, etc. to make sure their mass, crash tolerance, cost, etc. are all consistent.  The guiding design principle is that the new parts should complement the existing part lineup, without forcing players to either use the new parts exclusively, or hobble them to where they are only useful in the context of the expansion.

As always, all of this will still have to go through another round or two of QA. And while this effort is not all encompassing (we're focusing on expansion parts and our fuel tanks - both old and new), we're happy to finally begin zeroing in on better standardization and consistency across our part catalog.

By the way, we have an awesome treat for you. Back when we announced the expansion, we mentioned that we were including a new vintage-spacesuit for Making History, well here it is.

[Click here for high-res pictures]

The spacesuit will come in three different colors, veteran crew members will get their own (orange) and the blue and brown suits will be used for EVA and IVA. Here’s where you’ll help us out! Which color would you rather have for each situation? Click here to enter the poll.

In other news, while we continue to compile feedback and reports regarding Kerbal Space Program Enhanced Edition, several issues have been already solved and our friends at BlitWorks have delivered a new build to be revised and tested by our QA team. If everything goes well, this means that we will be able to release our first console patch fairly soon. In the meantime, you can still help us out by providing us with feedback and by reporting issues in the Bugtracker. Here’s also the Bug Reporting Guide we shared with you last week in case you missed it.

Finally, we encourage you to participate in our latest KSP Challenge - Lithobraking! This time around, the challenge consists of landing on an atmosphereless body with no engines run after 1000 meters radar altitude, and safely landing by using parts to dampen the crash. Are you up to the challenge? Check it out and share your creations!

That’s it for this week. Be sure to join us on our official forums, and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Stay tuned for more exciting and upcoming news and development updates!

Happy launchings!

*Information Source:

Dunbar, B. (n.d.). Space Shuttle Overview: Columbia (OV-102). Retrieved February 01, 2018, from https://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/shuttleoperations/orbiters/columbia_info.html

(n.d.). Retrieved February 01, 2018, from https://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/resources/orbiters/columbia.html

[science-wiser-blog]

Blog Post #12 Roberta Bondar

Photo of Roberta Bondar, by NASA - Government of Canada, Canadian Space Agency, Mission STS-42 http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/missions/sts-042.asp Dr. Roberta Bondar has an extremely impressive educational background. She has worked extensively in several areas of sciences. As an undergraduate student she worked at the Federal Department of Fisheries and Forests, she worked for six years on spruce budworm genetics and achieved a Bachelor of Science Degree in Zoology and Agriculture (B.Sc), a Master of Science Degree in Pathology (M.Sc), a Doctorate in Neurobiology (Ph.D.),  and a Doctor of Medicine Degree (M.D).  While obtaining her degrees from 1964 until 1977, she attended the University of Guelph, University of Western Ontario, University of Toronto, and McMaster University. In 1981 Dr. Bondar was acknowledged as a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada for neurology. Aside from her iconic educational background, Dr. Bondar was a licensed skydiver, an aquatic diver, a professional photographer of natural landscapes, as well as a private pilot. Because of Dr. Bondar’s specific areas of expertise, and her flying experience as a private pilot, she was recruited in 1983, along with five others forming Canada's first astronaut program. On January 22–30, 1992,  Dr. Roberta Bondar flew on the NASA Space Shuttle “Discovery” spending 8 days, 1 hour, and 15 minutes in space, while conducting experiments in the Spacelab. She was the first woman in space.

Eight months after returning from her mission, Dr. Bondar left the space agency participated in many speaking opportunities, wrote two books, and pursued a career in photography. Considering her education, involvement with the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada for neurology, her training, scientific research, experience with the Canadian Space Program—Dr. Roberta Bondar without a doubt, possessed extremely high skills and demonstrated the competencies of critical thinking, problem-solving, collaboration, communication, creativity ( her photography career, and being an author of two published books) and innovation (through leadership, experimenting with new strategies, techniques/ perspectives through inquiry research all throughout her career).

I believe, that because of Dr. Roberta Bondar’s many achievements in science degrees, especially with regards to her Bachelor of Science Degree in Zoology and Agriculture, her experience working for 6 years on spruce budworms, paired with her involvement and scientific expertise in the Canadian Space Program—she would be the most qualified person to help me understand and provide solutions to the declining bee population. Her Bachelor of Science Degree in Zoology and Agriculture, assures me that she would have a strong understanding of the ecological issue, and likely would have a number of equally important solutions to the many factors causing the population of bees to decline.   As previously mentioned in blog post #11, Icarus (International Cooperation for Animal Research Using Space) tracks the activity of animals and insects, through an antenna on the International Space Station. The GPS tags on the selected species transmit information to the Icarus Operations Center in Russia. This data is used to study endangered species, how other species change their migration paths as the planet warms and how ecosystems are affected by invasive species, diseases, loss of habitat, etc. Martin Wikelski, the founder and director of Icarus intends to add honeybees to the list of species being tracked and studied as soon as a light enough tracking device is developed for the bees. Dr. Roberta Bondar’s immense scientific knowledge and her experience with both the Canadian Space program and the research she performed in the Spacelab (similar to the International Space Station) would qualify her as an extremely paramount addition to the Icarus Initiative. Assuming Icarus developed a suitable tracking device for honey bees, her scientific knowledge and experience would make her an asset to the Icarus Operations Center. Dr. Bondar’s history without a doubt is proof that she has the required qualifications and ability to analyze the data being received from the honey bees being tracked.  With that information, I have no doubt she would be able to answer many of the currently unanswered questions and propose a number the solutions to sustain this ecological issue.

Sources: CBC Archives: Roberta Bondar Blasts Off 1992 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N61Bv9lknIc Icarus https://www.icarus.mpg.de/en Icarus initiative: Wildlife Observation from Space https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_KNyhQMjOY#action=share Wikipedia, Roberta Bondar https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roberta_Bondar

[hofculctr]

One Giant Leap Apollo 11@ 50

SIGNATURE SPEAKER: Dr. Mae Jemison

Dr. Mae C. Jemison leads 100 Year Starship (100YSS), a bold, far-reaching nonprofit initiative to ensure the capabilities for human travel beyond our solar system within the next 100 years.

Jemison, the first woman of color to go into space, serving six years as a NASA astronaut. Aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour's, STS-47 Spacelab -J mission in September 1992, she performed experiments in material science, life sciences, and human adaptation to weightlessness.

Tuesday, April 2, 6:30 p.m.

Toni and Martin Sosnoff Theater, John Cranford Adams Playhouse, South Campus Admission: Free

More info and to register: https://www.hofstra.edu/commun…/…/culctr-one-giant-leap.html

[museologist]

The first African-American woman in space, Dr. Mae C. Jemison was born on October 17, 1956 in Decatur, Alabama but considers Chicago, Illinois her hometown. She received a Bachelor in Chemical Engineering (and completed the requirements for a Bachelor in African and Afro-American studies) at Stanford University in 1977. Dr. Jemison also received a Doctorate degree in medicine from Cornell University in 1981. After medical school she did post graduate medical training at the Los Angeles County University of Southern California Medical Center. She also developed and participated in research projects on the Hepatitis B vaccine and rabies. Jemison was a General Practitioner and attending graduate Engineering classes in Los Angeles when she was named an astronaut candidate in 1987. She flew her first flight as a science mission specialist on STS-47, Spacelab-J, in September 1992. #womeninscienceday #womeninscience

[egglybagelface96]

Dr. Edward G. Gibson - One of six men chosen in June 1965 to be part of NASA’s first astronaut group that focused on an individual’s academic background, substituting the former prerequisite of having test pilot experience with a 53-week course to earn Air Force pilot wings. Gibson in particular was the first of ‘the scientists’ to get an active crew assignment of any kind, a role as part of astronaut support crew and CAPCOM for the Apollo 12 lunar landing. Gibson also participated in the design and testing of many elements of the Skylab station. As part of his preparation for the Skylab program, Gibson studied solar physics extensively, ultimately writing an introductory textbook, The Quiet Sun, that is still used as a reference handbook for heliophysics.

Gibson was the science-pilot of Skylab 4, the third and final manned visit to the Skylab space station, launched November 16, 1973, and concluded February 8, 1974. This was the longest mission (84d 1h 15m) in the history of manned spaceflight to date. Gibson was accompanied on the record-setting 34.5-million-mile flight by Gerald Carr (CDR) and William Pogue (PLT). They successfully completed 56 experiments, 26 science demonstrations, 15 subsystem detailed objectives, and 13 student investigations during their 1,214 revolutions of the earth. Gibson was the crewman primarily responsible for the 338 hours of Apollo Telescope Mount operation, which made extensive observations of solar processes.

Gibson resigned from NASA in December 1974 to do research on Skylab solar physics data as a senior staff scientist with the Aerospace Corporation of Los Angeles, California. Beginning in March 1976, he served for 1 year as a consultant to ERNO Raumfahrttechnik GmbH, in West Germany, on Spacelab design under the sponsorship of a U. S. Senior Scientist Award form the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. In March 1977, Dr. Gibson returned to the Astronaut Office Astronaut candidate selection and training as Chief of the Scientist-Astronaut Candidates.

[spacettf]

#TBT: ATLAS-1 Launches to Conduct Space Science -- March 24, 1992 by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center Via Flickr: This week in 1992, space shuttle Atlantis and STS-45 launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. The mission carried the first Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science on Spacelab pallets mounted in the orbiter's cargo bay. The non-deployable payload, equipped with 12 instruments, conducted studies in atmospheric chemistry, solar radiation, space plasma physics and ultraviolet astronomy. ATLAS-1 was part of a series of Spacelab missions managed by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. Today, Marshall's Payload Operations Integration Center serves as "science central" for the International Space Station, working 24/7, 365 days a year in support of the orbiting laboratory's scientific experiments. The NASA History Program is responsible for generating, disseminating, and preserving NASA’s remarkable history and providing a comprehensive understanding of the institutional, cultural, social, political, economic, technological, and scientific aspects of NASA’s activities in aeronautics and space. For more pictures like this one and to connect to NASA’s history, visit the Marshall History Program’s webpage. Image credit: NASA NASA Media Usage Guidelines

[spaceexp]

Skylab and Space Shuttle Astronaut Owen Garriott Dies at 88

Rest In Peace. April 16, 2019 Former astronaut and long-duration spaceflight pioneer Owen Garriott, 88, died today, April 15, at his home in Huntsville, Alabama. Garriott flew aboard the Skylab space station during the Skylab 3 mission and on the Space Shuttle Columbia for the STS-9/Spacelab-1 mission. He spent a total of 70 days in space.

Image above: Scientist-Astronaut Owen K. Garriott, science pilot of the Skylab 3 mission, is stationed at the Apollo Telescope Mount (ATM) console in the Multiple Docking Adapter of the Skylab space station in Earth orbit. From this console the astronauts actively control the ATM solar physics telescope. (sl3-108-1288). Image Credit: NASA. “The astronauts, scientists and engineers at Johnson Space Center are saddened by the loss of Owen Garriott,” said Chief Astronaut Pat Forrester. “We remember the history he made during the Skylab and space shuttle programs that helped shape the space program we have today. Not only was he a bright scientist and astronaut, he and his crewmates set the stage for international cooperation in human spaceflight. He also was the first to participate in amateur radio from space, a hobby many of our astronauts still enjoy today.” Garriott was born in Enid, Oklahoma. He earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Oklahoma, and master’s and doctoral degrees in electrical engineering from Stanford University, Palo Alto, California. Garriott served as an electronics officer while on active duty with the U.S. Navy from 1953 to 1956, and was stationed aboard several U.S. destroyers at sea. He then taught electronics, electromagnetic theory and ionospheric physics as an associate professor at Stanford. He performed research in ionospheric physics and has authored or co-authored more than 40 scientific papers and one book on this subject.

Image above: Hall of Fame astronaut Owen Garriott thanks the audience for their applause at the 2011 U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame induction ceremony at NASA's Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. Image Credits: NASA/Jim Grossmann. He was selected as a scientist-astronaut by NASA in June 1965, and then completed a 53-week course in flight training at Williams Air Force Base, Arizona. He logged more than 5,000 hours flying time -- including more than 2,900 hours in jet and light aircraft, spacecraft and helicopters. In addition to NASA ratings, he held FAA commercial pilot and flight instructor certification for instrument and multi-engine aircraft. Garriott was the science-pilot for Skylab 3, the second crewed Skylab mission, and was in orbit from July 28 to Sept. 25, 1973. His crewmates were Commander Alan Bean and Pilot Jack Lousma. The crew accomplished 150% of mission goals while completing 858 revolutions of the Earth and traveling some 24.5 million miles. The crew installed replacement rate gyros used for attitude control of the spacecraft and a twin pole sunshade used for thermal control, and repaired nine major experiment or operational equipment items. They devoted 305 hours to extensive solar observations and completed 333 medical experiment performances to obtain valuable data on the effects of extended weightlessness on humans. The crew of Skylab 3 logged 1,427 hours and 9 minutes each in space, setting a world record for a single mission, and Garriott spent 13 hours and 43 minutes in three separate spacewalks outside the orbital workshop.

Image above: Scientist-astronaut Owen K. Garriott, Skylab 3 science pilot, participates in the Aug. 6, 1973 extravehicular activity during which he and astronaut Jack Lousma, Skylab 3 pilot, deployed the twin pole solar shield to help shade the Orbital Workshop. Image Credit: NASA. On his second and final flight, Garriott flew as a mission specialist on the ninth space shuttle mission and the first six-person flight. He launched aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia for STS-9/Spacelab-1 from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on Nov. 28, 1983. His crewmates were Commander John Young, Pilot Brewster Shaw, Jr., fellow mission specialist Robert Parker, and Payload Specialists Byron Lichtenberg and Ulf Merbold of (ESA) European Space Agency. This six-person crew was the largest yet to fly aboard a single spacecraft, the first international shuttle crew and the first to carry payload specialists. During STS-9, the first human amateur radio operations in space were conducted using Garriott's station call, W5LFL. After 10 days of Spacelab hardware verification and around-the-clock scientific operations, Columbia and its laboratory cargo landed on the dry lakebed at Edwards Air Force Base, California, on Dec. 8, 1983. Garriott held other positions at Johnson Space Center such as deputy and later director of Science and Applications, and as the assistant director for Space and Life Science. For Garriott’s official NASA biography, visit: https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/garriott_owen.pdf Related link: Skylab: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/skylab/ Images (mentioned), Text, Credits: NASA/Jason Townsend. R.I.P., Orbiter.ch Full article