Update on Space Station’s Expandable Module on This Week @NASA – June 3, 2016

TL;DR

NASA’s June 3, 2016 update reports that crews equalized BEAM’s internal pressure and performed leak checks after its full expansion on May 28. The module adds about 565 cubic feet of habitable volume, and Jeff Williams will be its first entrant when safe. Other stories cover an Antares engine test, a Facebook Live call, quiet supersonic technology, mixed reality, and NASA-themed stamps. Read on for the key facts.

Transcript

“Here’s some of the stories trending This Week at NASA!” Activities aboard the International Space Station during the first week in June included continued operations with the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) – which was fully expanded on May 28. The follow-up work included equalizing BEAM’s internal pressure and conducting leak checks to ... Read More

Key Insights

• ❓ The International Space Station continues to conduct operations with the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module for studying expandable habitats.
• 👨‍🚀 NASA engages with social media platforms, such as Facebook, to connect the public with astronauts and share knowledge about space exploration.
• 🚀 Orbital ATK is preparing for future launches with Antares rocket after a 2014 mishap.
• 👶 NASA explores new technologies in supersonic flight and unmanned aircraft systems integration.
• 😒 NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory uses mixed reality technology to study space and spacecraft development.

Questions & Answers

Q: What is the latest update on the International Space Station’s Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM)?

BEAM was fully expanded on May 28, after which crews worked to equalize its internal pressure and conduct leak checks. These checks are intended to ensure the module’s structural integrity before NASA’s Jeff Williams opens the hatch and enters it.

Q: What is the purpose and size of BEAM?

BEAM is a technology demonstration designed to study expandable habitats in space. It is more than 13 feet long, about 10.5 feet in diameter, and adds about 565 cubic feet of habitable volume to the station.

Q: Who will be the first person to enter BEAM?

NASA astronaut Jeff Williams will open the hatch and become the first person to enter the inflatable experimental habitat. Entry will occur when the module is considered safe following pressure equalization and leak checks.

Q: What happened during the International Space Station’s Facebook Live call with Mark Zuckerberg?

The station crew spoke with Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg during an Earth-to-space Facebook Live call on June 1. NASA astronauts Tim Kopra and Jeff Williams and ESA astronaut Tim Peake answered questions submitted by social media followers through NASA’s Facebook page.

Q: Why was the Antares rocket hot fire test significant?

On May 31, Orbital ATK’s upgraded dual RD-181 engines fired at 100 percent power for 30 seconds at Pad-0A. The test was a key milestone intended to show that the rocket’s first stage and the launch pad were ready for upcoming flights after not being used for a launch since a 2014 mishap.

Q: When were Kate Rubins and her Expedition 48-49 crewmates scheduled to launch?

Kate Rubins, Anatoly Ivanishin, and Takuya Onishi were scheduled to launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on June 24. Their planned International Space Station mission was to last four months.

Q: What technologies did NASA present for quieter supersonic flight and mixed reality?

NASA demonstrated how its Quiet Supersonic Technology, or QueSST, aims to replace a loud sonic boom with a quieter, more community-friendly sonic “thump.” JPL also presented mixed-reality technology that can help users study Mars from Earth or examine the inner workings of a spacecraft that has not yet been built.

Q: What NASA images appeared on the new U.S. Postal Service Forever stamps?

Ten Forever stamps featured iconic NASA images, including the “Blue Marble” image of Earth in the “Views of Our Planets” collection. Two “Pluto Explored” stamps showed the New Horizons spacecraft and Pluto, commemorating the July 2015 Pluto flyby.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Activities on the International Space Station in June included operations with the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM).

• The station crew had a live video call with Mark Zuckerberg on June 1st, answering questions from social media followers.

• NASA conducted a hot fire test of Orbital ATK Antares rocket's upgraded dual RD-181 engines and participated in ceremonial activities at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center.