Expedition 59 – Page 3 – Spaceflight Now

Astronauts say NASA up to challenge of near-term moon landings

April 1, 2019 William Harwood

The three U.S. astronauts aboard the International Space Station said Monday they’re ready to sign up for a trip to the moon if NASA can meet the Trump administration’s newly stated goal of returning Americans to the lunar surface within the next five years.

Hague, Koch complete another spacewalk to connect new batteries

March 29, 2019 William Harwood

With plans for the first all-female spacewalk derailed by suit sizing issues, astronauts Christina Koch and Nick Hague floated outside the International Space Station Friday for a revised excursion to help fix a solar array battery problem and to connect a second set of replacement batteries as originally planned.

First all-female spacewalk foiled by spacesuit sizing issue

March 26, 2019 Stephen Clark

NASA astronaut Nick Hague will take the place of Anne McClain on a spacewalk Friday outside the International Space Station, teaming up with crewmate Christina Koch to continue a series of battery upgrades on an excursion that would have been the first all-female spacewalk in history.

Spacewalkers hook up new batteries outside International Space Station

March 22, 2019 William Harwood

Astronauts Anne McClain and Nick Hague floated outside the International Space Station Friday to complete the installation of powerful new batteries in the lab’s solar power system, a complex task that began in 2017. Another set of batteries will be installed during another spacewalk next Friday.

Space station crew back at six with successful Soyuz docking

March 15, 2019 William Harwood

A Russian cosmonaut and his NASA co-pilot, five months after riding out a dramatic launch abort last October, finally made it into orbit Thursday and, along with a NASA astronaut making her first flight, docked with the International Space Station six hours later to boost the lab’s crew back to six.

Live coverage: Two Americans, one Russian launch to space station

March 14, 2019 Stephen Clark

Russian commander Alexey Ovchinin, NASA co-pilot Nick Hague and astronaut Christina Koch lifted off aboard a Soyuz rocket Thursday from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, heading for the International Space Station to raise the research outpost’s crew complement back to six. The Soyuz booster launched at 1914 GMT (3:14 p.m. EDT), and docking at the space station occurred at 0101 GMT (9:01 p.m. EDT).

Crew of Soyuz launch abort set for second try

March 13, 2019 William Harwood

Five months after a frightening launch abort, cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin and NASA flight engineer Tyler “Nick” Hague, along with first time flier Christina Koch, are set for liftoff Thursday on a six-hour flight to the International Space Station, boosting the lab’s crew back to six.

Soyuz booster rolled out in Kazakhstan for next space station crew launch

March 12, 2019 Stephen Clark

A Soyuz rocket arrived at a historic launch pad in Kazakhstan on Tuesday, where ground crews lifted the booster vertical to begin final preparations for liftoff Thursday with two Americans and one Russian heading for the International Space Station.

Astronaut Jeanette Epps bumped from space station flight

January 19, 2018 Stephen Clark

NASA said Thursday that rookie astronaut Serena Auñón-Chancellor will replace Jeanette Epps on an expedition set for launch to the International Space Station in June.

First German commander among astronauts named for station flights

May 18, 2016 Stephen Clark

International Space Station managers have named crew members to future expeditions to the research lab in 2017 and 2018, including the first German commander of a space mission and Canada’s third astronaut to fly a long-duration residency on the complex.