MDA Space Aurora

Tag Archives: International Space Station

The Making of the European Space Agency's ATV-2

See how the European Space Agency’s ATV-2 nicknamed the Johannes Kepler was made. From pieces and parts to mighty spacecraft sitting atop of Ariane 5 launcher. The Johannes Kepler will carry approximately 6.6 tonnes of cargo to the International Space Station on a resupply mission. ESA’s ATV’s are sent on resupply missions approximately every 17 months.

Read More »

Canadian Robot Dextre Gets to Work

Canada’s Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator or Dextre for Short having past its final exams in December is now officially on the job. It was 11 days ago that the Japanese H-2B Transfer Vehicle (HTV2) or as it is known as, Kounotori2, docked with the International Space Station with the help of another Canadian robot, Canadarm2.

Read More »

Replacement Astronaut Steve Bowen Trains with STS-133 Crew

Astronaut Steve Bowen, who is replacing Tim Kopra on the crew of STS-133, trained the week of January 24 with the remaining members of space shuttle Discovery’s mission to the International Space Station. The training took place at the virtual reality lab, space shuttle simulator and neutral buoyancy laboratory at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Kopra was replaced when a bicycle injury suffered January …

Read More »

Canadian Built Dextre Passes Final Exam on the International Space Station

After several delays Canada’s robotic handyman named Dextre aboard the International Space Station (ISS) has passed its final exam and is now ready for full duties. Dextre, short for Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator, was designed and built by MacDonald Dettwiler (MDA) for the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). Dextre along with Canadarm-2 on the ISS are known as the Mobile Servicing System (MSS).

Read More »

Soyuz TMA-20 Launches Expedition 26 to the ISS

A Russian Soyuz rocket lifted off at 2:09 p.m. EST with the Expedition 26 crew onboard headed to the International Space Station. The crew includes Russian cosmonaut Dmitry Kondratyev, American astronaut Catherine Coleman and from the European Space Agency Italian Paolo Nespoli.

Read More »