Archivo de la etiqueta: International Space Station

Bacteria, Cartilage, and Metal Tops Tuesday’s Research Aboard Station

Microbiology,  biotechnology, and physics were the dominant research themes aboard the International Space Station on Tuesday as the Expedition 74 crew explored how microgravity affects bacteria, cartilage growth, and metallic structure. Scientific hardware maintenance rounded out the schedule for the orbital residents to ensure continuous experimental operations.

NASA flight engineer Jack Hathaway reviewed procedures ahead of an investigation to explore how bacteria adapt to the space environment. Hathaway familiarized himself with the tools and steps he will use to study how two sets of bacterial samples respond to weightlessness. One set will be treated with an antibiotic and the second set will be left alone. After the samples are incubated for five days their DNA will be sequenced for more insight into microbial adaptation to microgravity. Results may lead to advanced efforts to reduce the risk of bacterial infection and help protect an astronaut’s immune system during a spaceflight.

NASA flight engineer Jessica Meir nourished cartilage tissue samples inside the Kibo laboratory module’s Life Science Glovebox that are growing to gain a better understanding of the function of cartilage cells and tissue in microgravity. The tissue samples are being engineered aboard the orbiting lab to understand how cartilage develops and repairs itself possibly improving astronaut fitness regimens and promoting the development of advanced implants on Earth.

NASA flight engineer Chris Williams inserted StarSteel samples, a high‑performance engineered metal or alloy, into the Mochii electron microscope to observe space-caused changes to the advanced material’s surface and structure. The physics research work may lead to the development of stronger, lighter, or more durable materials for Earth and space applications.

Flight engineer Sophie Adenot of ESA (European Space Agency) replaced a computer chip inside a research incubator located inside Kibo. Afterward, she updated the incubator’s network settings for the main internal memory chip that performs startup, runs experiments, stores data, and communicates with ground systems.

Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev took turns on Tuesday studying how living in space affects blood pressure. The duo wore a set of cuffs attached to their arms, wrist, and fingers measuring their cardiac data helping doctors keep an eye on crew health and understand how weightlessness affects the circulatory system. Next, they joined Williams and tested the custom-fitted seat liners they will sit in next month when they return to Earth inside the Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft.

Roscosmos flight engineer Andrey Fedyaev spent the first half of his shift inside the Nauka science module working on orbital plumbing and ventilation maintenance. Afterward, Fedyaev cleaned gas-liquid heat exchangers, devices that ensure the space station’s temperature and humidity remain safe and comfortable, inside the Zarya module.

Learn more about station activities by following the space station blog, @space_stationon X, as well as the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts.

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Mark A. Garcia

Stem Cell Research for Cancer, Spacesuit Work Kick Off June

The Expedition 74 crew kicked off June with a busy schedule of microgravity research harvesting stem cells, installing physics hardware, and watering plants aboard the International Space Station. Spacesuit work and life support maintenance rounded out the day for the orbital residents.

Manufacturing blood stem cells in space is a key objective of a new biotechnology investigation taking place aboard the orbiting lab. NASA flight engineer Jessica Meir harvested stem cell samples growing inside the Kibo laboratory module and placed them inside the KERMIT fluorescent microscope for observation on Monday. Flight engineer Sophie Adenot of ESA (European Space Agency) assisted Meir with the research operations collecting the samples for processing then stowing them in a science freezer for preservation and later analysis. Doctors are exploring how the stem cells self-replicate in weightlessness with an eye toward using the space environment to develop treatments for cancer and blood diseases.

Adenot started her Monday shift installing the Solid Combustion Experiment Module inside Kibo’s multi-purpose small payload rack. She then inserted a gas bottle in the combustion research device to continue studying how solid materials ignite, burn, propagate flame, and self-extinguish in microgravity. She also joined NASA flight engineer Jack Hathaway and helped him unpack hardware stowed inside the Quest airlock to make room for upcoming spacewalk preparations.

Hathway spent the majority of his time inside Quest checking out the functionality and installing batteries on a spacesuit jetpack. A spacewalker would use the jetpack, also called Simplified Aid For EVA Rescue (SAFER), to safely maneuver back to the space station in the unlikely event they became untethered from their worksite. He also activated sample-containing tubes filled with seeds and microbes for a variety of student-designed experiments in the Harmony module. Finally, he watered and photographed alfalfa plants growing inside the Columbus laboratory module’s Veggie facility for the Veg-06 study to promote food production in space.

Flight engineer Chris Williams worked throughout Monday setting up fluid physics hardware and specialized imaging gear inside Columbus. The new components will enable the observation of how fluids boil, condense, and flow in microgravity possibly leading to newer, more advanced thermal systems for future spacecraft on missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.

Cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev continued stowing spacewalking tools they used during a science hardware spacewalk on May 27. The duo also returned a set of U.S. tools, including lights, cameras, and batteries, they wore on their Orlan suits, to William who stowed them back inside Quest.

Roscosmos flight engineer Andrey Fedyaev began his shift collecting air samples for analysis from inside the Zvezda and Nauka modules. The samples are analyzed for ammonia, carbon dioxide, and other elements to determine the quality of the station’s atmosphere. During the second half of his shift, Fedyaev was back inside Nauka inspecting and cleaning a pair of laptop computers before servicing the science module’s ventilation system.

Learn more about station activities by following the space station blog, @space_stationon X, as well as the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts.

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Mark A. Garcia

Blood-Clotting Research, Spacewalk Cleanup Wrap Up Week on Space Station

The Expedition 74 crew members primarily focused their science work on blood-clotting and immune function in microgravity to advance human health on Friday. Meanwhile, spacesuit maintenance continues aboard the International Space Station following a spacewalk on Wednesday.

Living in space creates a higher risk in astronauts for abnormal blood clots, infections, and overactive inflammation. Flight engineers Chris Williams and Jessica Meir of NASA, along with Sophie Adenot of ESA (European Space Agency) explored this phenomena on Friday and took turns processing blood platelet samples inside the Kibo laboratory module’s Life Science Glovebox. NASA flight engineer Jack Hathaway assisted with the research operations collecting the blood platelet samples and placing them inside the KERMIT fluorescent microscope to observe potential space-caused biological changes. Doctors are studying how microgravity alters blood platelets, cell fragments that form clots and prevent bleeding, to protect human health on and off the Earth.

The astronaut quartet still had time in their schedule for more ongoing research and maintenance activities at the end of the week. Williams worked on water transfers between NASA and Roscosmos tanks. Next, he paired up with Meir for an eye exam measuring their horizontal and vertical range of vision, including peripheral vision. Earlier, Meir photographed microgreens and alfalfa plants to document plants growing in microgravity to promote space agriculture. Adenot, tried on a prototype internal spacesuit designed by ESA engineers to be comfortable and quick fitting on a spacecraft. Hathaway swapped samples inside the Advanced Space Experiment Sample Processor-4 to study how weightlessness affects drug crystals possibly leading to new pharmaceutical formulas.

The orbital outpost’s three cosmonauts continue cleaning up after a spacewalk on Wednesday to install a solar radiation experiment and remove physics and microbiology research gear. Station commander Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and flight engineer Sergei Mikaev removed lights, batteries, and tethers from a pair of Orlan suits they wore during their spacewalk then cleaned and stowed the suits inside the Poisk module. Flight engineer Andrey Fedyaev, who maneuvered the spacewalkers with European robotic arm (ERA), finalized operations with the ERA returning it to its pre-spacewalk configuration.

Learn more about station activities by following the space station blog, @space_stationon X, as well as the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts.

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Mark A. Garcia

Physics, Eye Checks, and Workout Maintenance Fill Day After Spacewalk

Space physics, eye checks, and workout gear maintenance filled Thursday’s schedule for the Expedition 74 crew members aboard the International Space Station on Thursday. Three cosmonauts are also cleaning up and relaxing following a spacewalk on Wednesday.

NASA flight engineer Chris Williams had a busy shift with a variety of research and medical duties on Thursday. Williams began his day replacing sample hardware inside the Destiny laboratory module’s Microgravity Science Glovebox to support semiconductor crystal research helping advance the commercial space economy and promoting Earth-based industries. Afterward, he took charge of eye exams and operated medical imaging gear to observe the retina, lens, and cornea of NASA flight engineers Jack Hathaway and Jessica Meir while doctors on the ground monitored. The biomedical data helps researchers detect space-caused vision issues and provide treatments to protect eye health in space.

Hathway began his shift inside the Tranquility module and inspected the advanced resistive exercise device that mimics free weights on Earth to maintain muscle and bone health in microgravity. Meir worked in the Columbus laboratory module and removed temporary hardware installed on the new European Enhanced Exploration Exercise Device (E4D) that is informing future exercise programs for long term missions farther away from Earth. Hathaway and Meir also partnered together throughout the day swapping cargo in and out of a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft that arrived at the orbital outpost on May 17.

ESA (European Space Agency) flight engineer Sophie Adenot’s first task of the day was swapping combustion research samples inside the Kibo laboratory module’s Electrostatic Levitation Furnace (ELF). The ELF enables the safe observation of materials exposed to extreme temperatures in microgravity for insights into thermophysical properties unobtainable on Earth. Next, Adenot participated in the E4D maintenance job and replaced cables that power the workout device then photographed the cable work for analysis by engineers on Earth.

Two cosmonauts who participated in a six-hour and five-minute spacewalk on Wednesday slept in on Thursday following their work outside the orbiting lab. After waking up mid-morning, station commander Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and flight engineer Sergei Mikaev cleaned their Orlan spacesuits, reconfigured the Poisk airlock for normal operations, and called down to Roscosmos mission controllers to recap their spacewalk activities from the previous day.

Roscosmos flight engineer Andrey Fedyaev, who monitored the spacewalkers and maneuvered the duo using the European robotic arm, also slept in Thursday. Following his long sleep shift, Fedyaev activated air purification units in the Zvezda and Nauka modules. Next, he returned Roscosmos space station systems and equipment back to their pre-spacewalk configurations.

Learn more about station activities by following the space station blog, @space_station on X, as well as the ISS Facebookand ISS Instagram accounts.

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Mark A. Garcia

Spacewalkers Back Inside Station After Science Hardware Work

Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev concluded their spacewalk outside the International Space Station at 4:23 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, lasting 6 hours, 5 minutes.

Kud-Sverchkov and Mikayev finished their major objectives, including collecting two completed science experiments and installing a new one. They removed a microorganism study from the exterior of the Poisk module and retrieved a cassette from the Nauka module containing data on how semiconductor materials form in microgravity. The crew also installed a device on the Zvezda service module to measure bursts of solar radiation from solar flares.

During the spacewalk, the duo photographed one of two Kurs rendezvous antennas on the Progress 94 cargo spacecraft that failed to deploy following its March launch to the space station. After collecting the imagery, they secured the antenna with a tie‑down for future dynamic operations.

This was the second spacewalk for Kud-Sverchkov and the first for Mikayev. It also was the 279th spacewalk supporting space station assembly, maintenance, and upgrades.

Learn more about station activities by following the space station blog, @space_stationon X, as well as the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts.

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Mark A. Garcia