New Atlas

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Spacefaring bacteria prove no match for new space station antimicrobial coating

Michael Irving March 19, 2019

Humans weren’t built for space travel. The immune system takes a beating, leaving us more vulnerable to infection. Astronauts have now tested a new antimicrobial coating on board the International Space Station (ISS), and found it kept space-faring bugs at bay for well over a year.

Space

SpaceX Crew Dragon returns to Earth after successful space station visit

David Szondy March 9, 2019

On Friday at 8;45 am EST, SpaceX's Demo-1 mission to the International Space Station ended as the unmanned Crew Dragon command capsule splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean about 230 mi (370 km) off the coast of Cape Canaveral in Florida after a six-hour flight from the space laboratory.

Demo-1 undocking from the ISS on its return voyage

Space

ISS astronauts gear up for the first all-female spacewalk

Nick Lavars March 6, 2019

Crew aboard the International Space Station are preparing to make history later this month, with NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Christina Koch set to step foot outside the orbiting laboratory as part of the first ever all-female spacewalk.

Space

SpaceX Crew Dragon Demo-1 lifts off on historic mission

David Szondy March 2, 2019

The United States took a major step toward returning to manned spaceflight when SpaceX's Crew Demo-1 mission lifted off today at 2:49 am EST atop a Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

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NASA looks to improve space weather forecasts by tracking airglow in the atmosphere

David Szondy February 25, 2019

NASA selects a new experiment for the International Space Station to monitor space weather on a global scale. The US$42 million Atmospheric Waves Experiment is slated to launch in August 2022 and will help scientists to better understand and forecast potentially dangerous space weather events.

The Atmospheric Waves Experiment will observe the Earth's airglow from the space station to help scientists ...

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NASA to test X-ray communication system on the ISS

Michael Irving February 20, 2019

Radio waves are still the main way to communicate with spacecraft, but that aging technology could soon get an upgrade that will allow faster data downloads from space. NASA is currently preparing to test out an x-ray communication system on the International Space Station.

NASA is planning to test an x-ray communication system on the International Space Station

Space Audio available

Experimental satellite successfully uses harpoon to skewer space junk

David Szondy February 17, 2019

Space has the prospect of one day getting a bit cleaner as a satellite harpooned a piece of simulated debris in low Earth orbit. The RemoveDEBRIS technology demonstrator deployed a target panel at the end of a boom, then skewered it with a metal harpoon traveling at 20 m/s (44.7 mph, 72 km/h).

The harpoon test was conducted by the RemoveDEBRIS satellite

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Genomic study shows how space travel influences the evolution of bacteria

Michael Irving January 8, 2019

It almost goes without saying that space is a pretty harsh environment. Now researchers have examined what effects that environment might have on bacteria, and found that the bugs are mutating in response – but that probably isn’t cause for concern.

Researchers have examined how the harsh environment of space may influence genetic mutations in bacteria

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NASA clears Dream Chaser spaceplane for full production

Nick Lavars December 30, 2018

Sierra Nevada Corporation is picking up the pace in its mission to carry cargo to and from the International Space Station using a next-generation spaceplane, with NASA giving its Dream Chaser vehicle the production all clear following a design and performance review.

Space

Moldy mouse food postpones SpaceX cargo launch

David Szondy December 4, 2018

A SpaceX Dragon cargo flight to the ISS has been postponed until Wednesday due to moldy mouse chow. Originally scheduled to lift off today, the unmanned CRS-16 mission has been set back until 1:16 pm December 5, 2018 EST because food bars for a rodent experiment have gone off and need replacement.

The CRS-16 mission to the ISS had to be postponed due to moldy rat food bars