As explained by Dr. Jim Lumpp of the University of Kentucky Space Systems Lab and Kentucky Space, the installation of the second NanoRacks Platform took place Monday, and once a stray power cable had been located, the unit, hosting a couple of new CubeLabs, was successfully powered up. Finished filming the event, Astronaut Shannon Walker turned to the camera and gave "two thumbs up." Have a listen:

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The second NanoRacks Platform was installed immediately to the right of the first platform, pictured here. Each platform can host up to sixteen individual plug and play "CubeLabs," micro-labs the size of a CubeSat.

A data download from one of the new CubeLabs, KyLab-3, is scheduled for today. Look for more information on that Monday.

Wayne

[Cross posted from the IdeaFestival]

Before the "Giant Leap," there was the highest step.

In an attempt to break the speed of sound in a free fall and best a record captured in this iconic image, sometime in the near future Felix Baumgartner will step out of a gondola in a space suit and streak back to Earth. 

Red Bull will stream the event live. But broadcasting from 120,000 feet does pose challenges. Universe Today:

There will also be microphones inside the capsule and inside Baumgartner’s helmet. Those on the capsule will record sound only as long as there is air to carry the soundwaves. When Baumgartner depressurizes the capsule (just before he jumps), those ambient microphones in the capsule will stop picking up sound, but his [pressurized] helmet mic should keep working.

As for the current record, three similar leaps by Captain Joe Kittenger were part of a program of experimentation carried on a half century ago when the crushing glare of space and its effects on the human body were complete unknowns. And so a series of crewed high altitude balloon flights were carried out to see just what would happen.

The first leap nearly killed Kittenger.

Wayne

Hitching a ride earlier this year on the Terrier-Improved Malamute sounding rocket seen in these images, Frontier-1 successfully tested components that will fly on Kentucky Spaces' orbital CubeSat, KySat-1.

Kentucky Space develops relatively low cost, high-value hardware and services and nurtures the talent necessary to carry out related missions in nearspace, sub-orbit, orbit and on the International Space Station.

Wayne

[Update: installation and power up was completed at 10:25a EDT yesterday, Monday, August 23]

Delivered by Atlantis on STS-132, the second NanoRacks platform is scheduled to be installed and powered up Monday.

Hosting up to sixteen individual plug-and-play modules, each NanoRacks host offers, via Cubesat-sized modules called "CubeLabs," lab space for organizations needing inexpensive, repeatable research opportunities in micro-G. Kentucky Space enjoys regular access to the station through its strategic partnership with NanoRacks.

Kentucky Space will be at the consoles Monday morning monitoring the live video and audio feeds, and offering any necessary support. If you're viewing this blog post in your feed reader, pictures of the ground ops stations, as well as the Kentucky-built NanoRacks hosts and first CubeLabs, can be seen on the left side of the web site.

Pictured here courtesy of NASA is Astronaut Shannon Walker installing the first rack on July 12.

Wayne