The International Space Station (ISS) is an island of international cooperation and scientific research. As of July 2024, the ISS has been hosting a variety of spacecraft, including the Boeing Starliner, SpaceX Dragon Endeavour, Soyuz MS-25, and the Russian Progress 87 and 88 resupply ships. The current mix of 5 vehicles and 12 astronauts ensures that the ISS is a bustling beehive of activity, supporting a diverse range of scientific experiments and international visitors. But soon, in the days and weeks to come two more spacecraft and four more astronauts will join the activities.
Northrop Grumman NG-21 Mission
Scheduled to launch this Saturday, the Northrop Grumman NG-21 mission is poised to deliver critical supplies to the ISS. Upon arrival, the Cygnus spacecraft will bring food, equipment, and scientific experiments to support the station’s crew and research activities. The ISS’s robotic arm, Canadarm2, will play a crucial role in capturing the NG-21 resupply spacecraft. Operated remotely by astronauts aboard the ISS, Canadarm2 will grapple the Cygnus vehicle and berth it to the station, demonstrating the sophisticated capabilities of robotic technology in space operations.
NG-21 is targeting August 3rd at 11:28am for a liftoff from LC-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. A SpaceX Falcon9 rocket will be used to deliver the resupply ship to the ISS. The first stage booster will return to launch site (RTLS) at LZ-1. This will bring the total number of spacecrafts docked at the ISS to six.
Crew-9 Mission
Currently targeting August 18th, NASA’s Crew-9 mission is set to launch with four more astronauts for a 6 month stay. This will bring the total number of people living in space aboard the ISS to 16.
The four astronauts are:
- Zena Cardman (USA, NASA) – She will serve as the mission commander. This will be Cardman’s first spaceflight.
- Nick Hague (USA, NASA) – Hague will be the pilot for this mission. He is a veteran astronaut with two previous space missions, including a long duration stay on the ISS.
- Stephanie Wilson (USA, NASA) – Wilson will join as a mission specialist. She has already logged 42 days in space across three shuttle missions.
- Aleksandr Gorbunov (Russia, Roscosmos) – Gorbunov will serve as a mission specialist. This will be his first spaceflight.
Credit: NASA
The 12 other astronauts are:
- Mike Barratt – USA (NASA)
- Matt Dominick – USA (NASA)
- Jeanette Epps – USA (NASA)
- Tracy Caldwell Dyson – USA (NASA)
- Suni Williams – USA (NASA)
- Butch Wilmore – USA (NASA)
- Oleg Kononenko – Russia (Roscosmos)
- Nikolai Chub – Russia (Roscosmos)
- Alexander Grebenkin – Russia (Roscosmos)
- Andreas Mogensen – Denmark (ESA – European Space Agency)
- Satoshi Furukawa – Japan (JAXA – Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency)
- Thomas Pesquet – France (ESA – European Space Agency)
The Status of Starliner
NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, who embarked on the Boeing Starliner Crew Flight Test (CFT) mission, have been actively contributing to the International Space Station (ISS) operations since their arrival on June 6, 2024. They were initially scheduled for a brief mission of about eight days, but their stay has been extended due to several technical issues with the Starliner spacecraft, including helium leaks and a valve problem in the service module.
The latest projections indicate that Williams and Wilmore need to return to Earth before Crew 9 in mid-August 2024. However, this timeline is dependent on the successful completion of ongoing tests and the coordination with upcoming crew rotations. Arrival of Crew 9 necessitates the departure of the Starliner to free up docking space on the ISS
While aboard the ISS, Williams and Wilmore have integrated seamlessly into the daily operations and have been involved in a variety of tasks:
- Scientific Research: They have been assisting with numerous scientific experiments in areas such as biology, biotechnology, physical sciences, and Earth sciences. Their work contributes to the ongoing research aimed at understanding the effects of long-term space travel on the human body and other scientific inquiries that are only possible in microgravity.
- Maintenance and Spacewalks: The astronauts participate in station upkeep, helping with both routine maintenance and special tasks that had been waiting for additional hands. They have also supported spacewalks and other critical operational activities.
- Starliner Evaluations: A huge portion of their time has been dedicated to the evaluation of the Starliner spacecraft. They have been involved in troubleshooting and testing the spacecraft’s systems, especially focusing on the propulsion system and the helium leaks in the service module. This testing is crucial for the future operational readiness of the Starliner for longer missions.
Despite the technical issues, NASA and Boeing have stated that the Starliner remains safe and capable of returning the astronauts to Earth if an emergency arises. The spacecraft’s service module, which houses the problematic thrusters and helium leaks, is designed to separate, and burn up upon reentry, ensuring that these issues do not impact the crew’s safety during landing.
Docking and Visiting Vehicles
The ISS is equipped with multiple docking ports to accommodate visiting vehicles. Currently, the ISS can host up to seven spacecraft simultaneously, leveraging its various modules like Harmony, which has multiple docking adapters. This configuration ensures that the station can manage the arrival and departure of various missions without significant disruptions to ongoing operations.
