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Station Preps for Crew Swap and Continues Space Health Studies

The Expedition 73 crew is preparing to split up in early August while another crew on the ground is beginning final preparations for a launch to the International Space Station next week. Meanwhile, the orbital residents continue their human research activities, space exercise studies, and lab maintenance duties on Wednesday.

NASA Flight Engineer Anne McClain kicked off her shift packing personal items and cargo inside the SpaceX Dragon crew spacecraft she will ride back to Earth with Nichole Ayers of NASA, Takuya Onishi of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), and Kirill Peskov of Roscosmos. The four crewmates representing NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 mission have been gathering crew provisions for a couple of weeks for loading aboard Dragon preparing to end a space research mission that began on March 14. They will gather at 10:40 a.m. EDT on Friday for a news conference and discuss their upcoming departure live on YouTube.

Waiting on Earth to replace Crew-10 is NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission with Commander Zena Cardman and Pilot Mike Fincke, both from NASA, and Mission Specialists Kimiya Yui of JAXA and Oleg Platonov of Roscosmos. The Commercial Crew quartet is due to depart NASA’s Johnson Space Center on Saturday and arrive at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center to begin their countdown to a launch inside Dragon atop the Falcon 9 rocket no earlier than 12:09 p.m. EDT on Thursday, July 31.

NASA Flight Engineer Jonny Kim, on Wednesday, practiced on a computer the procedures he will use while monitoring Dragon’s rendezvous and approach with Crew-11 onboard. Dragon will automatically dock to the Harmony module’s space-facing port about a day-and-a-half after launch, the crew will enter the orbital outpost, and begin a seven-month research mission in low Earth orbit.

After her packing job, McClain focused on human research measuring her blood pressure, attaching electrodes to herself, and swapping out a sensor-packed headband and vest to comfortably measure her health data. Ayers continued packing items for return home, relocated genetic research gear, and serviced hardware that measures the vibrations caused by crew activities and orbital maneuvers that affect experiments on the station.

Station Commander Onishi began his shift on Wednesday activating and calibrating specialized video hardware that would track his movements later as he worked out on the advanced resistive exercise device (ARED). The data collected from the ARED Kinematics study helps researchers understand how exercising in microgravity affects the human body, protect muscles and bones from exercise loads on the equipment, and adjust workout plans for individual crew members to maintain maximum fitness.

Peskov continued testing the experimental lower body negative pressure suit that may help crews adjust quicker to the return to Earth’s gravity. Flight Engineer Alexey Zubritsky assisted Peskov as he tried on the suit that pulls fluids from the upper body potentially counteracting space-caused head and eye pressure.

Zubritsky later joined veteran cosmonaut and Flight Engineer Sergey Ryzhikov and set up biomedical hardware they will use to monitor how microgravity affects the digestion process after eating their breakfast on Thursday. Earlier, Ryzhikov set up hardware to image in Earth multiple wavelengths then serviced a pair of oxygen generators in the Zvezda and Nauka modules.

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

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Mark A. Garcia

Brain, Muscles, and Robotics Research to Assist Healthy Crew Tops Schedule

Brain research, electrical muscle stimulation, and robotics topped the research schedule on Tuesday helping researchers keep the crew healthy and assist them on long-term missions. The Expedition 73 crew members also worked on spacesuit maintenance, radiation checks, and more aboard the International Space Station.

The ongoing human research in space provides scientists continuous physiological data they need to review to understand how astronauts’ bodies adapt to weightlessness over long periods of time. From analyzing blood and saliva samples, cognition tests, fitness tests, and a wide variety of other studies, the insights inform ways to ensure crews maintain their wellness off the Earth.

Astronauts Anne McClain of NASA and Takuya Onishi from JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) began their day drawing their blood samples, spinning them in a centrifuge, and preserving the specimens in a science freezer for later analysis. Next, McClain took a set of tests measuring her cognitive performance to identify potential space-caused changes to her brain structure and function. At the end of her shift, McClain jogged on the COLBERT treadmill while strapped to a heart rate monitor then she wore a sensor-packed headband and vest for overnight health monitoring.

Onishi tested the artificial intelligence-powered CIMON robot assistant and its ability to command a free-flying robotic camera for JAXA’s ICHIBAN technology demonstration inside the Kibo laboratory module. In the middle of the robotics activities, Onishi also serviced a variety of science hardware including a wrist-worn sleep-wake monitor and a research incubator.

NASA Flight Engineers Jonny Kim and Nichole Ayers teamed up inside the Columbus laboratory module and explored a method to supplement space exercise and maintain muscle health. Kim helped Ayers attach electrodes to her legs and operated biomedical gear that applied small electrical signals stimulating the muscles. Results may improve muscle function, reduce workout times, and enable lighter exercise equipment on spacecraft. Kim also worked in the Quest airlock cleaning cooling loops and inspecting components on a pair of spacesuits.

Roscosmos Flight Engineers Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky joined each other in the Zvezda service module and took turns wearing electrodes and blood pressure cuffs that measured how blood circulates to the arms and fingers in microgravity. Ryzhikov later photographed landmarks in the Indian and Pacific Oceans while Zubritsky transferred water into the station from tanks inside the Progress 92 cargo craft.

Roscosmos Flight Engineer Kirill Peskov checked radiation detectors for a monthly reading of the data then serviced orbital plumbing hardware. He also gathered with his NASA SpaceX Crew-10 crewmates McClain, Ayers, and Onishi and reviewed emergency breathing equipment inside the Dragon spacecraft they will ride back to Earth next month.

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Mark A. Garcia

Bone and Robotics Research Informing Future Missions as Crew Nears Departure

The Expedition 73 crew kicked off the week studying how to live and work in space during long-term missions including staying healthy in weightlessness and operating planetary robots from a spacecraft. The seven International Space Station (ISS) residents also replaced flight hardware and continued preparing for a crew swap beginning at the end of the month.

Scientists studies into the long-term effects of reduced gravity on an astronaut’s body enable NASA and its international partners to plan safe and successful missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. Crews move around in microgravity with minimal effort; however, this affects their bodies in a similar way to how patients on Earth confined to bedrest experience. As a result, bones and muscles atrophy without daily exercise and proper nutrition.

Just one of many human research investigations taking place on the orbital outpost, the Bone on ISS study explores an astronaut’s bone health before, during, and after a spaceflight. Station commander Takuya Onishi from JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) and Flight Engineer Nichole Ayers from NASA began their Monday with this experiment. Onishi assisted Ayers as she performed a blood draw then processed the samples for spinning in a centrifuge. The samples were stowed in a science freezer for later analysis. Results may provide insights into how an individual’s bones adjust to microgravity and help treat space-caused bone loss as well as Earthbound aging conditions.

NASA Flight Engineer Anne McClain spent her day on the CIPHER suite of 14 human research experiments tracking multiple aspects of a crew member’s health in space. She processed her blood and urine samples for preservation and analysis for more insight into bone health and cardiovascular issues. The knowledge gained may prepare an astronaut for different gravity environments such as the Moon or Mars and lead to advanced care for patients on Earth.

McClain, along with Onishi and Roscosmos Flight Engineer Kirill Peskov, spent time packing personal items for the ride back to Earth planned for early next month inside the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. Ayers began packing her gear last week.

NASA Flight Engineer Jonny Kim explored ways to control robotic vehicles on a planetary surface from an orbiting spacecraft. Working with engineers on the ground, Kim set up a laptop computer inside the Columbus laboratory module and tested space-to-ground robotic controlling methods. The experiment tests a variety of technologies including consoles, touchscreens, haptics, and virtual reality goggles that may benefit future space exploration. Results may also inform missions to asteroids and operations in disaster zones or inhospitable areas on Earth. Kim later partnered with Onishi and Ayers replacing flight hardware in the Tranquility module.

Roscosmos Flight Engineer Alexey Zubritsky assisted Peskov on Monday helping him get ready to end his stay aboard the orbiting lab. Zubritsky set up biomedical hardware and applied sensors measuring Peskov’s blood flow as he wore the experimental lower body negative pressure suit. The data is being collected to test the suit’s ability to pull fluids from the upper body and counteract space-caused head and eye pressure. The suit operations may also help a crew member adapt quicker to the return to Earth’s gravity. Zubritsky then inventoried a variety of computer and electronics hardware while Peskov reviewed Dragon departure procedures on a computer tablet.

Veteran Flight Engineer Sergey Ryzhikov videotaped his workout session on the advanced resistive exercise device helping researchers keep crews fit and healthy in space. He spent the rest of his shift replacing electronics and fire protection hardware and cleaning ventilation systems throughout the space station’s Roscosmos segment.

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

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Mark A. Garcia

Heart Scans, Hearing Tests Wrap Week as Station Gears Up for Crew Swap

The week ended aboard the International Space Station with more biomedical checks to keep astronauts fit and healthy on long-term missions in microgravity. The Expedition 73 residents are also preparing to split up in a couple of weeks while keeping up cargo and maintenance duties aboard the orbital outpost.

Heart scans and hearing tests were the main research tasks on Friday with doctors on the ground reviewing the downlinked health data to ensure the crew is safely adapting to living and working in weightlessness.

NASA Flight Engineers Jonny Kim and Anne McClain began their day with human research activities in the Columbus laboratory module. The duo first set up and activated medical gear before Kim collected and recorded McClain’s blood pressure while researchers on the ground monitored in real time. Next, Kim scanned McClain’s chest with the Ultrasound 2 device as ground personnel observed her blood flow to understand the cardiovascular risks of spaceflight.

Station Commander Takuya Onishi of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) joined NASA Flight Engineer Nichole Ayers and took turns participating in a computerized hearing test. The astronauts often use the Quest airlock since it is a quiet module, wear headphones, and respond to tones emitted during the test. The station’s multiple life support systems and science hardware operate continuously affecting the orbital outpost’s acoustic environment and audiologist’s are studying its impact on the crew’s hearing.

McClain, Ayers, and Onishi are now turning their attention to the end of their mission and return to Earth targeted for early August. The trio spent the second of half of Friday reviewing SpaceX Dragon departure procedures on computer tablets. They arrived at the station with Roscosmos Flight Engineer Kirill Peskov as NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 members docking to the Harmony module’s forward port aboard Dragon on March 15.

Before the Crew-10 quartet leaves, NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission is targeted to launch no earlier than July 31 with Commander Zena Cardman of NASA leading Pilot Mike Fincke of NASA and Mission Specialists Kimiya Yui of JAXA and Oleg Platonov of Roscosmos. Once aboard the space station, the Commercial Crew foursome will spend several months studying stem cell production methods to develop advanced cures, new ways to treat bacterial infections, space agriculture techniques, and more.

Peskov joined fellow cosmonaut Alexey Zubritskiy and continued unpacking some of the nearly three tons of food, fuel, and supplies delivered recently aboard the Progress 92 resupply ship after it docked to the Poisk module. Veteran cosmonaut and Flight Engineer Sergey Ryzhikov, on his third spaceflight, ended his week servicing communications and life support gear throughout the space station’s Roscosmos segment.

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

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Mark A. Garcia

Human Research on Station Helping Keep Long Term Crews Healthy

Heart scans, breathing measurements, and a fitness test led the research activities aboard the International Space Station on Thursday giving doctors continuous insight into microgravity’s effect on the human body. The Expedition 73 residents also ensured the advanced science hardware and life support gear remain in tip-top shape aboard the orbital outpost.

NASA Flight Engineer Anne McClain spent her shift in the Columbus laboratory module helping researchers understand the cardiovascular risk of living and working in space during a long-term mission. She attached electrodes to her chest then performed a pair of ultrasound scans as doctors on the ground monitored in real time. Afterward, she measured her blood pressure providing more data into a crew member’s heart health and informing ways to counter space-caused symptoms such as changes in blood flow and stiffened arteries.

A sensor-packed headband and vest designed by the Canadian Space Agency is being tested for its ability to comfortably monitor vital signs while an astronaut goes about their daily activities. NASA Flight Engineer Nichole Ayers wrapped up a health monitoring session on Thursday and removed the Bio-Monitor wearable devices after 24 hours. Next, she downloaded the data collected during her sleep shift and from her workout on the Destiny laboratory module’s exercise cycle for doctors to review. Earlier in her shift, Ayers cleaned Destiny’s Microgravity Science Glovebox that hosts numerous space investigations into biology, physics, and more.

NASA Flight Engineer Jonny Kim continued cleaning up following the previous day’s installation of a new catalytic reactor in the Tranquility module. After that, he and Station Commander Takuya Onishi of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) cleaned and inspected hatch seals in the Tranquility, Harmony, and the Permanent Multipurpose modules. Onishi also removed botany hardware from a research incubator in the Kibo laboratory module supporting an investigation studying plant cell division to learn how grow to food crops in space.

Roscosmos Flight Engineers Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritskiy took turns attaching acoustic sensors to their necks measuring the sound as they exhaled rapidly for a respiratory study. The duo then split up as Ryzhikov serviced the Zvezda service module’s oxygen generator and Zubritskiy jogged on Zvezda’s treadmill while attached to electrodes for a fitness evaluation. Flight Engineer Kirill Peskov kicked off his shift with a computer test to learn how international crews and global mission controllers communicate then spent the rest of the day on plumbing and electronics maintenance duties.

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

Get the latest from NASA delivered every week. Subscribe here. 

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Joshua A. Finch