Second ISS Spacewalk in Two Weeks on This Week @NASA – September 2, 2016

TL;DR

NASA astronauts conducted spacewalks, tracked hurricanes from the International Space Station, discovered a distant galaxy cluster, captured high-resolution images of Jupiter, and updated on the New Horizons mission to Pluto.

Transcript

“Here’s some of the stories trending This Week at NASA!” Outside the International Space Station, Expedition 48 Commander Jeff Williams and Flight Engineer Kate Rubins of NASA conducted a spacewalk Sept. 1 to retract a thermal radiator, install the first of several enhanced high definition cameras on the station’s truss and tighten bolts on a joint... Read More

Key Insights

• 🧑‍🚀 NASA astronauts successfully completed a spacewalk to perform maintenance tasks on the International Space Station.
• 🎥 The International Space Station's cameras provided valuable tracking and imagery of hurricanes in both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.
• 🤩 Researchers made an important discovery of a distant galaxy cluster with high levels of star formation.
• ✋ The Juno spacecraft captured stunning, high-resolution images of Jupiter during its first flyby.
• 🎟️ The New Horizons mission continues its exploration beyond Pluto, with upcoming encounters in the Kuiper Belt.
• 👾 NASA's ongoing missions and research contribute to a better understanding of space and our solar system.
• 🌍 International collaborations, such as the installation of the international docking adapter, are crucial for future space missions.

Questions & Answers

Q: What tasks did NASA astronauts perform during the spacewalk?

During the spacewalk, NASA astronauts retracted a thermal radiator, installed enhanced high-definition cameras, and tightened bolts on a joint of the International Space Station.

Q: What were the highlights from the hurricane tracking carried out by cameras on the International Space Station?

The cameras captured images of hurricanes Lester and Madeline moving across the Pacific, potentially threatening Hawaii. They also captured images of Hurricane Gaston in the Atlantic.

Q: What is the main objective of the upcoming Expedition 49-50 and Expedition 50/51 missions to the International Space Station?

The main objective of these missions is to deliver astronauts to the International Space Station and conduct various scientific experiments and research during their stay.

Q: What notable discovery did researchers make using data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory?

Researchers discovered the most distant galaxy cluster on record, located 11.1 billion light-years away. This cluster showed high levels of star formation.

Q: What did NASA's Juno spacecraft achieve during its first flyby of Jupiter?

During its first flyby, Juno activated its entire suite of science instruments and captured the highest-resolution views of Jupiter's atmosphere and its north and south poles.

Q: What is the New Horizons mission and its current objective?

The New Horizons mission is a spacecraft that had a historic encounter with the Pluto system in 2015. Its current objective is to explore the Kuiper Belt and encounter an ancient object in 2019.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Expedition 48 Commander and Flight Engineer conducted a spacewalk to install enhanced high-definition cameras and secure a joint on the International Space Station. They also installed the station's first international docking adapter.

• Cameras on the International Space Station captured images of hurricanes Lester and Madeline moving across the Pacific, with potential threats to Hawaii. They also captured images of Hurricane Gaston in the Atlantic.

• Upcoming crews for the International Space Station, Expedition 49-50 and Expedition 50/51, are currently undergoing training and preparations for their respective missions.

• Researchers used data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory to discover the most distant galaxy cluster on record, located 11.1 billion light-years away. The cluster shows high levels of star formation.

• NASA's Juno spacecraft completed its first orbital flyby of Jupiter, providing high-resolution images of Jupiter's atmosphere and its north and south poles.

• NASA hosted a program discussing the New Horizons mission to Pluto and beyond, featuring a presentation by Alan Stern, the principal investigator of the mission. New Horizons is currently heading towards an encounter with an ancient object in the Kuiper Belt.