Russian supply ship lifts off to International Space Station

07:30, December 07, 2019

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  SpaceX launches research facilities to Int'l Space Station

  The crowd cheers at Playalinda Beach in the Canaveral National Seashore, just north of the Kennedy Space Center, during the successful launch of the SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket, Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2018. (Photo: AP)WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 (Xinhua) -- The US space agency NASAs cargo provider SpaceX launched a Dragon spacecraft on Thursday, starting its resupply mission to the International Space Station (ISS).The spacecraft, packed with about 2,600 kg of supplies and payloads, lifted off at 12:29 p.m. US Eastern Time (1729 GMT) from Space Launch Complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in the US state of Florida.About 10 minutes later, "Dragon separation confirmed," and then "its solar arrays have deployed," according to SpaceXs official Twitter account.The reusable Dragon spacecraft previously supported two resupply missions in September 2014 and June 2017.ISS crew members will use the stations 17.6-meter robotic arm to capture Dragon and attach it to the orbiting lab on Saturday, according to SpaceX.Dragons payloads include a "robotic hotel" that allows gas leak detectors to be stored on the outside of the space station, thus enabling a quicker and simpler deployment of the instruments.The Dragon spacecraft also brought into space a new package to make subtle measurements of gravity. It may lead to the development of improved sensors that can be used for spacecraft navigation and to study Earths climate.Also, a new Earth imaging system, with high resolution across all colors of the light spectrum to provide more information about the characteristics and physical properties of a target, will be brought into the space.Soil, rocks, vegetation, snow, ice and human-made objects tend to reflect a unique spectrum of light. The imaging system can help identify specific materials in an image, according to NASA.The spacecraft will spend approximately four weeks attached to the ISS before returning to Earth with more tha...

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  NASA to launch 'robot hotel' to Int'l Space Station

  A robotic aid in the operating room was inspired by Canadarm2, the International Space Stations robotic arm. (Photo: NASA)WASHINGTON, Dec. 3 (Xinhua) -- The US space agency NASA is going to send a "robot hotel" to the outside of the International Space Station with the upcoming SpaceX commercial resupply mission.The Robotic Tool Stowage (RiTS), a protective storage unit for critical robotic tools, will be launched on Dec. 4 with SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, according to NASA.Its first residents will be two robots designed to detect leaks from the station, which are capable of "sniffing" out the presence of gases such as ammonia. The robotic tools are on board the station right now."For each of its stored tools, RiTS will provide heat and physical protection from radiation and micrometeroids, or tiny, high-speed objects hurtling through space," said Mark Neuman, RiTS hardware manager.The housing units thermal system maintains ideal temperatures for the instruments, helping them stay functional, according to Neuman. Also, it will help the space stations robotic arm, Dextre, easily locate, grab and put back those robotic tools.Deploying detection robots usually takes much longer when the tool is not externally stored. Once outside the station, those detectors currently need to wait 12 hours in space to clear itself of water vapor and other gases from inside the station."This hardware will significantly reduce time and cost for the station crew to deploy leak detection capabilities using Dextre," said Chris Craw, NASA Senior Systems Integration Lead.After its launch, the RiTS will be installed via a spacewalk by astronauts, and it will then stay on the outside of the station.NASAs commercial cargo provider SpaceX is targeting 12:51 p.m. US Eastern Time on Wednesday for the launch of its resupply mission under contract with the agency.

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  Russian boxers to boycott Olympics if sanctions not lifted

  Wires go to microphones above a logo of the Russian Olympic Committee during President of the Russian Olympic Committee Stanislav Pozdnyakovs news conference in Moscow, Russia, Monday, Dec. 9, 2019. (Photo: AP)Russian boxers will only take part in the Tokyo Olympics if doping sanctions forcing them to compete as neutral athletes are overturned, the general secretary of the Russian Boxing Federation told The Associated Press on Wednesday.Umar Kremlev said he has spoken with the Olympic boxing team and they “unanimously” rejected the conditions laid out by the World Anti-Doping Agency as punishment for manipulating doping data.The WADA sanctions, announced on Monday, ban the use of the Russian team name, flag or anthem at a range of major sports competitions over the next four years, including next year’s Olympics.“They said we won’t go without our flag and anthem,” Kremlev said. “We aren’t going for medals, but for that feeling that I brought the highest honor home for my country.”Separately, the speaker of Russia’s upper house of parliament said Russia could create an alternative to the Olympics.“This ruling shows a clear crisis in international sports institutions. I believe that Russia could host its own games at home,” Valentina Matvienko said in comments reported by the Interfax news agency.There is a precedent. After the Russian Revolution of 1917, the Soviet Union refused to compete in the Olympics and hosted its own Spartakiads — named after the ancient rebel slave Spartacus — with a strong socialist slant. However, the Soviet Union began competing at the Olympics in 1952 and Russians generally take great pride in the country’s Olympic achievements since then.If the sanctions aren’t overturned, Kremlev said Russian boxers would prefer to turn pro rather than compete at the Olympics.“A world champion (in professional boxing) is better known than an Olympic champion,” Kremlev said, adding the Russian anthem would be played before pro title fights.Kremlev s...