Orbital "Messenger"

ROSCOSMOS - GLONASS patch.

08/26/2013

In Yakutia, are testing the satellite system "messenger." Task Gontsov to provide communication for remote areas of the North and the Far East. Another important task that can solve a constellation of satellites, space monitoring process facilities. Coming soon will be put into operation the new system of user terminals, and in the middle of September, sent into orbit three more "Gontsov." For 2015 it is planned to increase the number of orbital "Gontsov" up to 12 satellites.

Glonass-M

From Yakutsk to Nerungri, through the wilds of the taiga and impassable mountains. In the footsteps of the first Russian explorers who discovered this land in the 17th century.

Even after three-plus years of space there is still deaf. Network can not be hundreds of miles around. Because the best way of testing the satellite communication system is difficult to come up with.

"In order to be still stable relationship, we will now try to use this nizkoorbitnoy satellite system" - explains the Deputy Minister of Transport and Roads of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Alexander Tarasov.

"Messenger". So called Russian satellite communications system, which should come in every point of our country. And after a while and the world. Testing the "Runner" in these days go in Yakutia.

FAQ:

"Messenger" - a multipurpose personal satellite communication system. Includes space and ground segments. The basis - the grouping of low-orbit satellites. Created the company of "Information Satellite Systems them. Academician Reshetnev. " The first satellite "Messenger" was launched in 1996. This fall is scheduled for launch three new devices "Messenger - M".

"In the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), we have arrived in general, on the initiative of the Ministry of Transport, for the simple reason that we are determined in accordance with the terms of reference experienced R & D areas in which many remote villages not covered bond. Preoccupation of the republic itself with mobile phones are also quite small. And in these circumstances, we believe that the "Messenger" will be able to find the application in the first place, "- says chief designer of" Satellite system "Messenger" Andrey Zharov.

On the water, land and rail. The system is tested in the most remote areas of Russia. If we are going to work, then "a messenger" is not terribly personal.

"Moscow-Peter train rides. You can see that there are breaks where the connection is lost. And what to say about Siberia and the Far East, the Far North. That's what the system is used and the "Messenger", "- says CEO of" Satellite system "Messenger" Dmitry Bakanov.

Two days outside train - green sea taiga, 800 kilometers.

"Globalstar", "Inmarsat" and "Iridium" vs. "The Messenger" - Western satellite systems are competing with Russia in the resistance signal. In the data transfer rate to our companions, of course, to Western competitors so far away. But the problem with "The Messenger" a few others. In the first place - the transfer of technical information in text form. For example, the level of water in hydraulic structures, which today is especially true on the state of the bridge supports, gas pressure in the pipes or the coordinates of the vehicle.

"There is a tube that connects the north-west Russia and the Far East. Of course, no one has paved the way to get into the coverage area of ​​GSM. It paved the way to make it economically profitable: and can go through the woods and over the mountains and through sparsely populated objects. On it are found throughout tubes collection point information. Information such as pressure, temperature, the amount of pumped gas and oil. This information should be required to monitor to see if the pressure rises, there is a possibility of some state of emergency ", - says Dmitry Bakanov.

This is especially true here in Yakutia: difficult terrain, remote locations. Once you get out of the coverage area of ​​GSM, the standby channel. A built-in "GLONASS-GPS» module will identify your location. It may even be someone's lifeline.

Glonass constellation

"The recent case - is falling helicopter, when for a short time could not determine the coordinates. And we understand that there is a system "Messenger" on this helicopter, first search area could be reduced to a minimum. And even if the signal came with a delay of 6:00 in our environment ... In view of the fact that the orbital group is gaining momentum, we would still find people faster and, most importantly, the people who were alive after the fall they would have survived, "- explains the chairman of the State Committee on Science and Innovation Policy of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) Maxim Trofimov.

The first satellite "Messenger" beats the world record, he is the most tenacious of the spacecraft. Veteran working in space is the 17 th year that the outstanding case of low-orbit satellites. The normal term of operation of such devices - 3-4 years.

"At this point in orbit four satellites, one of them is old. The first generation of "Messenger-D-1" ninety-six, and three run "Runner-M". For the tactical and technical jobs that is, the grouping will be considered complete when 12 spacecraft. But now we have started to work closely on the new system "Messenger" - a "messenger-M1." The spacecraft will. And now they are spelled out 24 ", - says Dmitry Bakanov.

For those who will use the "Messenger" on the ground, it's simple and reliable. The new design of transceiver terminals made them much smaller and more mobile. And very soon, the system will also be available to private customers.

"Here's the terminalchik if you get lost in the forest, and there is a possibility of wearing it in a bag and belt. That is, you just get lost in the woods if, press a button, and your message is sent to your coordinates ", - says Andrey Zharov.

To locate the person in the taiga without location, communication and even indicative of the motion vector little chance. "Messenger" will be required to help in this situation. The system is getting closer to each person.

ROSCOSMOS Press Release: http://www.federalspace.ru/main.php?id=2&nid=20293

Images, Text, Credits: Roscosmos TV studio / ROSCOSMOS / Translation: Orbiter.ch Aerospace.

Best regards, Orbiter.ch

Astronaut Gregory H. Johnson Leaves NASA

NASA logo.

Aug. 26, 2013

NASA astronaut Gregory H. Johnson has left the agency, after a 15-year career that included more than 31 days in space, for a position with the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space.

A veteran of two space shuttle flights, Johnson served in 2008 as the pilot of STS-123, a mission vital to the construction of the International Space Station. He followed that up two years later as the pilot of STS-134, the penultimate space shuttle mission.

"Greg contributed greatly to the construction of the International Space Station, and I very much enjoyed my time in orbit with him," said Bob Behnken, chief of the Astronaut Office at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. "We are grateful for his service to NASA and wish him well in his new career."

NASA astronaut Gregory H. Johnson

Johnson earned an undergraduate degree in aeronautical engineering from the U.S. Air Force Academy. He later earned graduate degrees from Columbia University and the University of Texas, and served in the U.S. Air Force as a pilot. Johnson flew combat missions during Operations Desert Storm and Southern Watch.

Johnson joined NASA as an astronaut in 1998, and filled many technical roles including capsule communicator for the STS-126, 119, 125 and 127 missions; deputy chief and then chief of the Astronaut Safety Branch; and associate director of external programs at NASA's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. Johnson recently led the Astronaut Office's Visiting Vehicle Working Group, which helped plan and execute missions with NASA's commercial partners.

Johnson retired from the Air Force as a colonel in 2009, after more than 25 years of service. He has logged more than 5,000 flight hours in more than 50 different aircraft.

For Johnson's complete biography, visit: http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/johnson-gh.html

Image, Text, Credit: NASA.

Cheers, Orbiter.ch

Embracing Orion

ESA - Herschel Mission patch.

26 August 2013

 Herschel’s view of Orion A

This new view of the Orion A star-formation cloud from ESA’s Herschel space observatory shows the turbulent region of space that hugs the famous Orion Nebula.

The nebula lies about 1500 light years from Earth within the ‘sword of Orion’ – below the three main stars that form the belt of the Orion constellation.

In this view, the nebula corresponds to the brightest region in the centre of the image, where it is lit up by the Trapezium group of stars at its heart.

The scene is awash with turbulent star formation, the fierce ultraviolet radiation of massive new born stars blasting away their surrounding cloudy cocoons, carving ethereal shapes into the gas and dust.

Wispy tendrils rise like flames away from some of the most intense regions of star formation, while pillars of denser material withstand the searing blaze for longer.

Great arms of gas and dust extend from the Orion Nebula to form a ring, while a spine of cooler material weaves up through the scene to a halo of cloudy star-formation material above.

Artist's view of Herschel space observatory

Embedded within the red and yellow filaments are a handful of point-like sources: these are protostars, the seeds of new stars that will soon ignite and begin to flood their surrounds with intense radiation.

The black regions to the top of the image and to the bottom right may seem like voids, but actually contain hints of much fainter emission that has not been emphasised in this image.

The red ‘islands’ of emission in the bottom right are also a subtle trick of image processing for they are connected to the main cloud by much fainter emission. The bright ‘eyes’ in the two most distinct clouds indicates that the tip of each pillar has already collapsed and is forming stars.

Related links:

Herschel: ESA's giant infrared observatory: http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Herschel

Herschel overview: http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Herschel_overview

Online Showcase of Herschel Images OSHI: http://oshi.esa.int/

Herschel: http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Operations/Herschel

Herschel in depth: http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/area/index.cfm?fareaid=16

Herschel Science Centre: http://herschel.esac.esa.int/

Images, Text, Credits: ESA / Herschel /  Ph. André, V. Könyves, N. Schneider (CEA Saclay, France) for the Gould Belt survey Key Programme.

Greetings, Orbiter.ch

NASA's Spitzer Telescope Celebrates 10 Years in Space

NASA - SPITZER Space Telescope patch.

Aug. 23, 2013

Image above: A montage of images taken by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope over the years. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech.

Ten years after a Delta II rocket launched NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, lighting up the night sky over Cape Canaveral, Fla., the fourth of the agency's four Great Observatories continues to illuminate the dark side of the cosmos with its infrared eyes.

The telescope studied comets and asteroids, counted stars, scrutinized planets and galaxies, and discovered soccer-ball-shaped carbon spheres in space called buckyballs. Moving into its second decade of scientific scouting from an Earth-trailing orbit, Spitzer continues to explore the cosmos near and far. One additional task is helping NASA observe potential candidates for a developing mission to capture, redirect and explore a near-Earth asteroid.

"President Obama's goal of visiting an asteroid by 2025 combines NASA's diverse talents in a unified endeavor," said John Grunsfeld, NASA's associate administrator for science in Washington. "Using Spitzer to help us characterize asteroids and potential targets for an asteroid mission advances both science and exploration."

Image above: Massive stars can wreak havoc on their surroundings, as can be seen in this new view of the Carina nebula from NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech.

Spitzer's infrared vision lets it see the far, cold and dusty side of the universe. Close to home, the telescope has studied the comet dubbed Tempel 1, which was hit by NASA's Deep Impact mission in 2005. Spitzer showed the composition of Tempel 1 resembled that of solar systems beyond our own. Spitzer also surprised the world by discovering the largest of Saturn's many rings. The enormous ring, a wispy band of ice and dust particles, is very faint in visible light, but Spitzer's infrared detectors were able to pick up the glow from its heat.

Perhaps Spitzer's most astonishing finds came from beyond our solar system. The telescope was the first to detect light coming from a planet outside our solar system, a feat not in the mission's original design. With Spitzer's ongoing studies of these exotic worlds, astronomers have been able to probe their composition, dynamics and more, revolutionizing the study of exoplanet atmospheres.

Other discoveries and accomplishments of the mission include getting a complete census of forming stars in nearby clouds; making a  new and improved map of the Milky Way's spiral-arm structure; and, with NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, discovering that the most distant galaxies known are more massive and mature than expected.

Images above: The spectacular swirling arms and central bar of the Sculptor galaxy are revealed in this new view from NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech.

"I always knew Spitzer would work, but I had no idea that it would be as productive, exciting and long-lived as it has been," said Spitzer project scientist Michael Werner of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., who helped conceive the mission. "The spectacular images that it continues to return, and its cutting-edge science, go far beyond anything we could have imagined when we started on this journey more than 30 years ago."

In October, Spitzer will attempt infrared observations of a small near-Earth asteroid named 2009 DB to better determine its size, a study that will assist NASA in understanding potential candidates for the agency's asteroid capture and redirection mission. This asteroid is one of many candidates the agency is evaluating.

Spitzer, originally called the Space Infrared Telescope Facility, was renamed after its launch in honor of the late astronomer Lyman Spitzer. Considered the father of space telescopes, Lyman Spitzer began campaigning to put telescopes in space, away from the blurring effects of Earth's atmosphere, as early as the 1940s. His efforts also led to the development and deployment of NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, carried to orbit by the space shuttle in 1990.

In anticipation of the Hubble launch, NASA set up the Great Observatories program to fly a total of four space telescopes designed to cover a range of wavelengths: Hubble, Spitzer, the Chandra X-ray Observatory and the now-defunct Compton Gamma Ray Observatory.

Image above: This infrared image from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope shows the Helix nebula, a cosmic starlet often photographed by amateur astronomers for its vivid colors and eerie resemblance to a giant eye. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ.of Ariz.

"The majority of our Great Observatory fleet is still up in space, each with its unique perspective on the cosmos," said Paul Hertz, Astrophysics Division director at NASA headquarters in Washington. "The wisdom of having space telescopes that cover all wavelengths of light has been borne out by the spectacular discoveries made by astronomers around the world using Spitzer and the other Great Observatories."

Spitzer ran out of the coolant needed to chill its longer-wavelength instruments in 2009, and entered the so-called warm mission phase. Now, after its tenth year of peeling back the hidden layers of the cosmos, its journey continues.

SPITZER Space Telescope. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

"I get very excited about the serendipitous discoveries in areas we never anticipated," said Dave Gallagher, Spitzer's project manager at JPL from 1999 to 2004, reminding him of a favorite quote from Marcel Proust: "The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes."

JPL manages the Spitzer Space Telescope mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Science operations are conducted at the Spitzer Science Center at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. Data are archived at the Infrared Science Archive housed at the Infrared Processing and Analysis Center at Caltech. Caltech manages JPL for NASA. For more information about Spitzer, visit http://spitzer.caltech.edu and http://www.nasa.gov/spitzer .

Images (mentioned), Text, Credits: NASA / J.D. Harrington / JPL / Whitney Clavin.

Best regards, Orbiter.ch

SCISAT - From dawn to twilight

CSA-ASC - SCISAT-1 Mission patch / CSA-ASC - SCISAT-1 Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment (ACE) patch.

Aug. 23, 2013

SCISAT is completing 10 years in space. We are very proud of the unique measurement capabilities of this small Canadian satellite and of the large role that this space mission plays in monitoring stratospheric ozone and its associated chemistry.

Stratospheric ozone exists in a delicate balance of many chemical elements. SCISAT's solar-occultation instruments measure a wide range of gases, helping to monitor recovery of the ozone layer and address the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer and the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.

The tenth anniversary of the first science data download from SCISAT will be marked by a scientific workshop at York University in October 2013!

Launched on August 12, 2003, SCISAT helps a team of Canadian and international scientists improve their understanding of the depletion of the ozone layer, with a special emphasis on the changes occurring over Canada and in the Arctic.

SCISAT/ACE: an important asset for international environmental policy

SCISAT focuses its attention in the stratosphere, where the ozone layer is located. SCISAT is providing the most accurate measurements to date of chemicals that affect ozone, which blocks the sun's biologically damaging ultraviolet radiation and prevents most of it from reaching the Earth's surface.

It measures more than 30 different molecules, which is "more thorough than anything that's up there," said Peter Bernath, a University of Waterloo chemistry professor who heads the SCISAT science team.

 CSA-ASC - SCISAT-1 in orbit

Ozone—comprised of three atoms of oxygen—is constantly being created and destroyed by natural chemical processes in the atmosphere. The amount of ozone present at any given time varies depending on the balance between the processes of creation and destruction.

Industrial activities on Earth produce chemicals— notably chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)—that affect this balance by destroying stratospheric ozone. They not only reduce the ozone shield around the globe, they actually eat large holes in the ozone layer over the Antarctic each year, and also cause significant losses over the Arctic. In the past two decades, average ozone levels over Canada have dropped about 6%, while severe declines of 20—40% have occurred over the Arctic in the spring.

Lockheed TriStar launches Pegasus with SCISAT-1, August 12th, 2003

The Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment (ACE) on SCISAT was launched into a 650-kilometre-high, high-inclination orbit that takes it over the polar regions of the Earth, as well as tropical and mid-latitude locations. It measures chemical molecules that influence the distribution of stratospheric ozone, particularly in the Arctic. These data are making an important contribution to international environmental policy making aimed at protecting the ozone layer, such as the Montreal Protocol that bans certain CFCs.

SCISAT observations are also helping scientists better understand the effects of atmospheric chemistry, clouds and small particles (such as aerosols) on Earth's climate.

ACE measures the absorption of solar light by the atmosphere at sunrise and sunset. Different atmospheric constituents absorb different wavelengths of light in characteristic ways—a signature by which they can be identified. This technique is what allows ACE to make extremely accurate measurements.

Canada's SCISAT satellite

The trade-off for this precision is that SCISAT takes measurements in a limited number of locations. Other satellites do provide more global coverage, but their data are not as accurate. "That's why there's great value in combining the two," said Bernath.

With its instrument performing so well, SCISAT is now moving beyond its original mandate and providing excellent data related not only to ozone depletion, but also to climate change, and air quality and pollution. "There are many things we're doing now that we really didn't know we could do," Bernath said.

ACE has been used to measure the distribution of several molecules correlated with air pollution and biomass burning, providing data that complements the observations of the MOPITT satellite. "Together, they give you a picture of what's going on, and it's not a good picture. A lot of pollution that come from industrial activity travels all over the globe," Bernath noted.

ACE observations are also useful in climate studies. For example, they've shown that previously observed increases in the amount of water vapour being injected into the stratosphere have stopped. Water vapour is the most powerful natural greenhouse gas and plays a key role in the Earth's climate. "No one knew why it was increasing and we don't know why it stopped, so there are quite a few mysteries left," said Bernath.

Originally intended to last two years, ten years later the satellite is still operational and Bernath hopes it will continue to function beyond that. "It's been a real success."

SCISAT: Science team members and roles

The Canadian SCISAT mission is a partnership of universities, government, and industry. A scientific team of researchers from around the world, led by Professor Peter Bernath of the University of Waterloo is conducting in the Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment (ACE) which aims to measure and understand the chemical processes that control the distribution of ozone in the Earth's atmosphere, particularly in the northern latitudes.

Related links:

University of Waterloo: http://www.ace.uwaterloo.ca/

For more information about Canadian Space Agency (CSA-ASC), visit: http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/index.html

Images, Text, Credits: CSA-ASC / NASA.

Greetings, Orbiter.ch

ROSCOSMOS - Russian Dnepr rocket launches with Arirang-5

ROSCOSMOS logo.

August 22, 2013

South Korea’s Arirang-5 satellite was launched on Thursday atop a Russian Dnepr rocket. The launch took place at 14:39 UTC (20:39 local time) from Site 370/13 at the Dombarovsky launch site near Russia’s border with Kazakhstan.

Russian Dnepr rocket launch

Arirang-5, or KOMPSat-5, is the fourth satellite in South Korea’s Arirang program. Arirang is also known as the Korea Multi-Purpose Satellite, or KOMPSAT, program.

Arirang-5 is a radar imaging satellite, the first to be developed and operated by South Korea. Developed by KARI, with participation from the South Korean aerospace industry, Arirang-5 is based around the satellite bus developed for Arirang-2.

Russian Dnepr rocket description

It has a fuelled mass of approximately 1,400 kilograms (3,100 lb), and is expected to function for at least five years. The spacecraft will be powered by a pair of deployable solar arrays, generating upwards of 1,400 watts. These will charge lithium ion batteries, with a capacity of around 100 amp-hours.

KOMPSat-5 spacecraft

Data will be relayed to the ground via an x-band downlink, providing a data rate in the region of 310 megabits per second. A lower data-rate s-band transceiver will be used to relay telemetry and commands between the satellite and its ground stations.

Thursday’s launch was the first Dnepr launch in two years. The next launch is scheduled for November, carrying DubaiSat-2 and twenty six secondary payloads.

For more information about Korean Aerospace Research Institute (KARI), visit: http://www.kari.re.kr

Images, Text, Credits: ROSCOSMOS / KARI.

Cheers, Orbiter.ch

Spacewalkers Install Camera Platform, Inspect Station

ISS - Expedition 36 Mission aptch / ISS - International Space Station patch.

Aug. 22, 2013

Two Russian cosmonauts wrapped up a 5-hour, 58-minute spacewalk at 1:32 p.m. EDT Thursday, completing the replacement of a laser communications experiment with a new platform for a small optical camera system, the installation of new spacewalk aids and an inspection of antenna covers.

Clad in Orlan spacesuits, Expedition 36 Flight Engineers Fyodor Yurchikhin and Alexander Misurkin began their second spacewalk within the span of a week when they opened the hatch to the International Space Station’s Pirs docking compartment at 7:34 a.m.

Image above: Flight Engineer Fyodor Yurchikhin works outside the Pirs docking compartment of the International Space Station during an Expedition 36 spacewalk. Image Credit: NASA TV.

As the two spacewalkers moved out to the first worksite on the Zvezda service module, they carried a combination EVA workstation and biaxial pointing platform upon which a small optical camera system will be installed during a future spacewalk.  After attaching the assembly  to a temporary stowage location, Yurchikhin and Misurkin removed the External Onboard Laser Communications System, which was installed on Zvezda in August 2011 during an Expedition 28 spacewalk.

Another Walk in Space for Russian Cosmonauts

With the laser communications experiment removed and temporarily stowed with its protective cover, the two spacewalkers began to install the camera platform before noticing that its base plate was not properly aligned.  Initially, Russian mission controllers told the spacewalkers to stand down on the installation, and Yurchikhin carried the platform back into the Pirs airlock. However, after determining that the alignment issue with base plate of the EVA workstation and biaxial pointing platform could be corrected after its installation, Russian flight controllers directed the spacewalkers to retrieve the platform from the airlock and install it at as planned on the starboard side of Zvezda. Two cameras, scheduled to be delivered to station aboard a Progress cargo craft in November, will be mounted on the platform during a spacewalk planned for December.

Image above: Flight Engineer Alexander Misurkin takes a look at a materials exposure experiment during an Expedition 36 spacewalk. Image Credit: NASA TV.

Misurkin and Yurchikhin then headed to various locations on Zvezda to inspect six antennas that are used to assist in providing navigation data during the rendezvous and docking of European Automated Transfer Vehicle cargo ships. The inspection involved work to check out the antenna covers and tighten screws on any loose covers. Flight Engineer Chris Cassidy observed one of the covers floating away from the station on Monday (video below), and Russian station officials wanted to determine its origin and insure that the remaining covers are secure.

Unidentified object floating outside station? Sort of...

While Yurchikhin completed the installation of some gap spanners – devices used to assist future spacewalkers in their movement from one module to another -- on the port side of Zvezda, Misurkin then headed over to the Poisk Mini-Research Module-2 where he used a test kit to collect a particulate sample from under a swath of thermal insulation near Poisk’s hatch. He also photographed a materials exposure experiment and associated cabling along Poisk.

Due to time constraints, the relocation of a foot restraint from the hull of Zvezda to the new spacewalk workstation was deferred to a later excursion.

This was the 173rd spacewalk in support of space station assembly and maintenance, the 8th in Yurchikhin’s career and the third for Misurkin.

Image above: Flight Engineers Fyodor Yurchikhin and Alexander Misurkin unfurl a Russian flag near the end of Thursday's spacewalk in commemoration of Russian Flag Day. Image Credit: NASA TV.

For the duration of Thursday’s spacewalk, Cassidy and station Commander Pavel Vinogradov were isolated to the Poisk module and their Soyuz TMA-08M spacecraft, while Flight Engineers Karen Nyberg of NASA and Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency were free to move about the U.S. segment of the complex.

Nyberg spent much of her day working with the InSpace-3 experiment, which examines colloidal fluids classified as smart materials, transitioning to a solid-like state in the presence of a magnetic field.  The InSPACE-3 team believes the knowledge gleaned from this investigation may contribute to new technologies and new manufacturing processes based on the idea of having these nanoparticles act as self-assembling building blocks for larger structures.

Parmitano meanwhile rerouted an exhaust port on the Amine Swingbed. This technology demonstration is testing a smaller, more efficient carbon dioxide removal system. Size and efficiency are key factors as NASA begins building the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle that will take astronauts deeper into space than ever before.

For more information about International Space Station, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html

Images (mentioned), Video, Text, Credits: NASA / NASA TV.

Greetings, Orbiter.ch