New Crew Journeys to the Space Station on This Week @NASA – October 21, 2016 | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

Astronauts launch to the ISS, Cygnus cargo spacecraft successfully launched, Juno mission experiences reboot, Jupiter's magnetic fields and aurora found to be bigger and more powerful than expected, UAS Traffic Management test conducted.

Key Insights

• 🧑‍🚀 Astronauts launched to the ISS, restoring the station's crew complement.
• 🚀 The successful launch of the Cygnus cargo spacecraft marked the first from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility since a launch mishap two years ago.
• 🪐 Juno mission experienced a reboot, but data from the first flyby of Jupiter revealed surprising insights about the planet's magnetic fields and aurora.

Transcript

“Here’s some of the stories trending This Week at NASA!” On Oct. 19, NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough and his Expedition 49-50 crewmates, Sergey Ryzhikov and Andrey Borisenko, of the Russian Space Agency Roscosmos, launched aboard a Soyuz spacecraft to the International Space Station from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Two days later, when th... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: What happened during the launch of the Cygnus cargo spacecraft?

The Cygnus cargo spacecraft successfully launched from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility, carrying over 5,100 pounds of cargo to support science investigations on the ISS.

Q: What caused the Juno spacecraft to enter safe mode and what were the implications?

A software performance monitor likely induced a reboot of Juno's onboard computer, causing it to enter safe mode. Unfortunately, this prevented the collection of science data during its second close flyby of Jupiter.

Q: What did data from Juno's first close flyby of Jupiter reveal?

Data from the first flyby showed that Jupiter's magnetic fields and aurora are larger and more powerful than initially thought. Additionally, Juno's Microwave Radiometer instrument provided the first glimpse below Jupiter's cloud deck, being able to see up to 250 miles below.

Q: What was the purpose of the UAS Traffic Management test conducted by NASA?

The UAS Traffic Management test aimed to refine research on managing drone air traffic. Currently, FAA regulations require drone operators to have visual contact with other aircraft, limiting the potential applications for drones.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• NASA astronauts Shane Kimbrough, Sergey Ryzhikov, and Andrey Borisenko launched to the International Space Station (ISS) on a Soyuz spacecraft, bringing the station back to its full crew complement.

• The Cygnus cargo spacecraft launched successfully from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility, carrying over 5,100 pounds of cargo to support various science investigations on the ISS.

• The Juno mission to Jupiter experienced a reboot, causing it to enter safe mode and prevent the collection of science data during its second close flyby of Jupiter. However, data from the first flyby revealed Jupiter's magnetic fields and aurora to be larger and more powerful than expected.

• NASA conducted a test of the UAS Traffic Management research platform, aiming to safely manage drone air traffic and refine previous research.