Archivo de la etiqueta: International Space Station

Robotics and Space Biology Fill Research Schedule on Station

The Expedition 70 crew focused its research on robotics, artificial organs, and eye checks aboard the International Space Station today. The orbital septet also worked on a variety of life support and science maintenance tasks throughout Wednesday.

NASA Flight Engineer Loral O’Hara began Tuesday configuring an experiment that will explore how CubeSats fitted with a robotic arm might be used to repair larger satellites. She set up hardware inside the Destiny laboratory module’s Microgravity Science Glovebox for the experiment that seeks to demonstrate the on-orbit survey and repair of satellites.

Afterward, O’Hara moved to the Kibo laboratory module and treated and stowed samples that will be analyzed to understand reproductive health and bone loss in microgravity. NASA Flight Engineer Jasmin Moghbeli cleaned up Kibo’s Life Science Glovebox and stowed the research hardware following O’Hara’s sample work.

Earlier in the day, Moghbeli assisted Commander Andreas Mogensen from ESA (European Space Agency) as he swapped out components that analyze elements in the space station’s air. At the end of the day, Moghbeli scanned the eyes and retinas of Mogensen and O’Hara using standard medical imaging gear, analogous to ultrasound imaging, found in a doctor’s office on Earth.

Flight Engineer Satoshi Furukawa from JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) spent his day working with a pair of microscopes. During the morning, Furukawa activated the Confocal microscope to image organoid culture samples for an investigation exploring regenerative medicine, or the creation of artificial organs in microgravity. In the afternoon, the two-time station resident from JAXA set up the Kermit microscope for a ground-commanded check out of its imaging ability during a vibration test.

Veteran cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko continued his inspections inside the Zvezda service module then videotaped and photographed his crewmates at work aboard the orbital lab. Roscosmos Flight Engineer Nikolai Chub tested a laptop computer in the Nauka science module, transferred fluids into the Progress 86 cargo craft, and photographed panels inside the Poisk module at the end of the day. Cosmonaut Konstantin Borisov spent his day cleaning ventilation systems and electronics gear in the Nauka and Zvezda modules.

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

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Mark Garcia

Crew Keeps Up Pace With Space Biology, Life Support Duties

Space biology and life support maintenance were the main focus for the Expedition 70 crew on Tuesday. The orbital residents aboard the International Space Station also studied future piloting techniques and fluid physics rounding out the research schedule.

NASA astronauts Loral O’Hara and Jasmin Moghbeli joined Commander Andreas Mogensen from ESA (European Space Agency) for biology research inside the Kibo laboratory module. The trio worked during the morning in Kibo’s Life Science Glovebox to learn how microgravity affects reproductive health and bone loss.

In the afternoon, O’Hara removed the Bio-Monitor vest and headband she was wearing that are demonstrating the ability to comfortably monitor and record an astronaut’s health data. Moghbeli inspected orbital plumbing gear in the orbital outpost’s Roscosmos segment. Mogensen ended his shift reviewing procedures for photographing the Moon illuminated by light reflected from Earth.

Flight Engineer Satoshi Furukawa from JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) spent his day primarily servicing life support hardware and science gear. Furukawa’s main task took place inside the Columbus laboratory module as he connected and disconnected internal thermal control components. Afterward, he removed a carbon dioxide incubator controller from inside the Space Automated Bioproduct Laboratory, a life science and physics research facility.

Cosmonaut Nikolai Chub worked throughout Tuesday on a pair of different experiments for Roscosmos. He first wore a cap filled with sensors that monitored his reactions as he practiced futuristic spacecraft and robotic piloting techniques on a computer. Next, he studied how liquids behave in microgravity conditions including temperature changes and electrical and magnetic fields.

Veteran cosmonaut and five-time station resident Oleg Kononenko spent Tuesday inspecting and photographing sections inside the Zvezda service module. Flight Engineer Konstantin Borisov continued working on drill batteries then inspected and photographed structural elements inside the Nauka and Zarya modules.

The Cygnus space freighter completed its stay in space when it reentered Earth’s atmosphere at 1:22 p.m. EDT today for a fiery, but safe destruction over the Pacific Ocean. Cygnus departed the orbital lab on Dec. 22, after four-and-a-half months berthed to the station’s Unity module. The private resupply ship from Northrop Grumman launched over 8,200 pounds of science and cargo to the Expedition 70 crew on Aug. 1 from Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

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

Get weekly video highlights at: https://roundupreads.jsc.nasa.gov/videoupdate/

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Mark Garcia

Advanced Biomedical and Tech Research Starts Week for Crew

The work week kicked off with drug therapy research and DNA analysis aboard the International Space Station to promote health on Earth and in space. The seven Expedition 70 crew members also had time for advanced technology studies including robotics, fiber optics, and future piloting techniques.

NASA Flight Engineer Loral O’Hara explored ways to optimize treatment methods for breathing conditions on Earth. She treated samples inside the Harmony module for the investigation that may advance health therapies and prevent tubing contamination for liquid flows. NASA Flight Engineer Jasmin Moghbeli extracted DNA to identify bacteria collected from station water samples. Moghbeli’s work is demonstrating hardware that can analyze microbes to protect crew health and spacecraft life support systems on future missions.

O’Hara and Moghbeli teamed up Tuesday morning for an Instagram Live event with NASA and ESPN. The duo discussed life in space and the ability to watch live sports on the orbital outpost.

ESA (European Space Agency) Commander Andreas Mogensen observed an Astrobee robotic free flyer as it maneuvered throughout the Kibo laboratory module. Scientists on the ground also monitored as the toaster-sized device used a perching arm to grapple handrails and move inside the station rather than use propellant. Mogensen also worked on virtual reality hardware supporting an experiment to overcome isolation and confinement on long-term space missions.

Flight Engineer Satoshi Furukawa from JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) wrapped up an experiment that Mogensen had started earlier in the day to study the ability to manufacture superior fiber optic cables in microgravity. Furukawa also worked throughout Monday servicing exercise gear, life support hardware, and tablet computers.

Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko strapped on a sensor-packed helmet and practiced futuristic piloting techniques on a computer during the morning. The five-time station astronaut then spent the afternoon inventorying cargo in the station’s Roscosmos segment.

Flight Engineer Nikolai Chub worked on interior panels inside the Zvezda service module before conducting fluid physics research. Flight Engineer Konstantin Borisov downloaded data from a physics experiment to a laptop computer, worked on drill batteries, then filled an oxygen generator tank.

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

Get weekly video highlights at: https://roundupreads.jsc.nasa.gov/videoupdate/

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Mark Garcia

Crew Wraps Up Station Upkeep, Conducts Fiber Optics and Antimicrobial Investigations on Friday

A week of science and station upkeep continued on Friday aboard the International Space Station. Ahead of their off-duty weekend, the seven Expedition 70 crew members completed an array of tasks to wrap up maintenance activities and resume microgravity research investigations.

On Tuesday, NASA Flight Engineer Jasmin Moghbeli kicked off a multi-day-long study investigating the efficiency of an antimicrobial coating in space. JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) Flight Engineer Satoshi Furukawa took over this work on Friday, continuing the investigation to help researchers better understand how the coating holds up over time.

Furukawa and Moghbeli then teamed up to inspect and change out cartridges in masks that are used in the unlikely event an emergency were to occur on station. Later on, Furukawa transferred data collected earlier this week during his and NASA Flight Engineer Loral O’Hara’s acoustic monitoring sessions. At the end of the day, O’Hara configured the Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) for an ongoing fiber optics investigation.

Station Commander Andreas Mogensen of ESA (European Space Agency) spent Friday wrapping up tasks conducted earlier this week—stowing spacesuit hardware and charging the VR Mental Care battery. In the evening, Mogensen performed a VR for Exercise session, which focuses on the use of a virtual reality environment for biking aboard the orbiting laboratory. Not only does this mitigate bone and muscle loss that occurs in low-Earth orbit, but can increase motivation for daily exercise and boost morale.

The Roscosmos trio split up their duties Friday, carrying out ongoing tasks from the week. Flight Engineer Oleg Kononenko removed and replaced hardware in the Zvezda service module, while Flight Engineer Nikolai Chub completed some orbital plumbing. Meanwhile, Flight Engineer Konstantin Borisov performed an experiment that studies the glow of Earth’s nighttime atmosphere in near-ultraviolet.

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

Get weekly video highlights at: https://roundupreads.jsc.nasa.gov/videoupdate/

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Abby Graf

Spacesuit Loop Scrubs and Routine Station Maintenance for Crew on Thursday

Another day of station upkeep is underway aboard the International Space Station on Thursday. The Expedition 70 crew spent most of the day on spacesuit and station maintenance, auditing equipment, and wrapping up experiments started earlier this week.

In the morning, NASA Flight Engineer Jasmin Moghbeli was joined by ESA (European Space Agency) Commander Andreas Mogensen to perform a loop scrub on spacesuits that will be used during upcoming spacewalks this year. Moghbeli then reconfigured the hardware to initiate iodination, which is performed to remove contaminants from transfer loops.

Mogensen had a busy rest of the day, completing a VR Mental Care session, which demonstrates the use of virtual reality for mental relaxation. He then moved on to station upkeep—restocking the battery pantry and completing monthly maintenance on the orbital lab’s treadmill—before rounding out the day with a hearing assessment.

NASA Flight Engineer Loral O’Hara began the day setting up a microphone to be worn on her shoulder to take sound measurements around the station and then completed some orbital plumbing tasks, removing and replacing the filter in the waste and hygiene compartment.

Earlier in the week, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) Flight Engineer Satoshi Furukawa hydrated and incubated production packs for the BioNutrients-1 investigation. On Thursday, Furukawa retrieved the samples to inspect and photograph, which will help researchers better understand on-demand production of human nutrients over long-duration missions. He then wrapped up his day installing the Robotics Work Station for upcoming research.

All three cosmonauts aboard the station continued audit and inventory tasks that started earlier this week. Flight Engineer Oleg Kononenko inventoried the Rassvet module, while Flight Engineer Nikolai Chub audited medical kits and Flight Engineer Konstantin Borisov audited light units throughout Roscosmos segments. Borisov also ran a Pilot-T session, an ongoing experiment to practice piloting techniques, while Chub replaced the carbon monoxide sensor in the Zarya module.

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

Get weekly video highlights at: https://roundupreads.jsc.nasa.gov/videoupdate/

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Abby Graf