Archivo de la etiqueta: iss

NASA, SpaceX CRS-33 Dragon Boost Space Station

On Dec. 29, SpaceX’s Dragon fired its thrusters for more than 19 minutes, boosting the International Space Station’s orbit.

The two Draco engines, which are located in the spacecraft’s trunk and use an independent propellant system, increased the station’s altitude by 1.6 miles at apogee, or highest point of station’s orbit, and 1.9 miles at perigee, or low point of station’s orbit, placing the station in an orbit of 263.5 x 257.8 miles.  

This Dragon spacecraft, which is supporting SpaceX’s 33rd commercial resupply mission for NASA, arrived at the orbital complex on Aug. 25 and previously performed four reboosts of the station on Sept. 3, Sept. 26, and Oct. 14, and Nov. 7. One additional reboost is planned in mid-January before Dragon returns to Earth with critical research and cargo and splashes down off the coast of California. 

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 Research, Heart Health Wrap Up Work Week Aboard Station

The Expedition 74 crew explored how living in space affects the brain and blood circulation on Friday to ensure crews stay healthy and ensure long-term mission  success. The International Space Station residents also focused on spacewalking tools and science hardware maintenance wrapping up the week.

NASA Flight Engineer Chris Williams began his shift on Friday collecting his blood and urine samples for analysis then stowing them in a science freezer. Afterward, Williams participated in a pair of tests to document potential space-caused changes to brain structure and performance for the long-running CIPHER investigation.  The first test measured his spatial cognition, or ability to orient himself in weightlessness, while the second test recorded his reactions as he practiced Canadarm2 robotic arm maneuvers during a computer simulation to capture a cargo spacecraft. Doctors will use the results to evaluate cognitive performance and develop tools to monitor and protect the brain in microgravity.

Station Commander Mike Fincke of NASA and Flight Engineer Kimiya Yui of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) took turns studying how blood flows from the brain to the heart to understand cerebral and cardiac efficiency in space. The duo wore electrodes and sensors on their neck, collarbone, and ribs measuring blood flow and volume changes that may lead to space-related cardiac issues such as blood clots or arterial stiffness.

Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev also explored vascular health wearing chest electrodes and blood pressure cuffs on the arms, wrists, and fingers for their space agency’s Endothelium human research experiment. They were studying how the inner lining of blood vessels works to keep blood flowing smoothly, regulate pressure, and prevent clots in crew members. Doctors are monitoring how weightlessness and space radiation affect a cosmonaut’s arteries, blood pressure, and heart during a spaceflight.

NASA Flight Engineer Zena Cardman was back inside the Quest airlock on Friday organizing spacewalking tools and wearing virtual reality goggles training how to operate a spacesuit emergency jetpack. The jet pack, officially called Simplified Aid For EVA Rescue, or SAFER, enables a spacewalker to maneuver safely back to the orbital outpost in the unlikely event they become untethered.

Roscosmos Flight Engineer Oleg Platonov finalized an overnight photography session that automatically photographed Earth landmarks in near-ultraviolet wavelengths during the crew’s sleep shift. Next, Platonov replaced a vacuum pump and transferred liquids during standard orbital plumbing maintenance. Finally, the first-time space flyer checked video recording gear and formatted video memory cards wrapping up his work week aboard the orbiting lab. The Expedition 74 crew members will call down to family members, share gifts and meals, and celebrate Christmas and New Year’s Eve in orbit.

Pending further mission updates in December this will be the last International Space Station blog post of 2025. The next regular blog update is planned for Monday, Jan. 5, 2026. You can also visit nasa.gov/station on the web or @space_station on X, ISS Facebook, and ISS Instagram on social media for the latest mission information.

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Mark A. Garcia

Expedition 74 Advancing Space Health and AI Research on Station

The Expedition 74 crew’s research schedule was filled with biomedical duties and artificial intelligence on Thursday to promote crew health and spark innovation on and off the Earth. Spacesuit tailoring and advanced science hardware maintenance rounded out the day for the seven residents aboard the International Space Station.

Flight Engineer Chris Williams of NASA began his day collecting his blood and urine samples, processing them, then stowing them in a science freezer for later analysis. He also swapped out a sensor-packed Bio-Monitor vest and headband for a dry set and began a second day of health monitoring for the long-running CIPHER human research study. Doctors will examine his biomedical samples after they are returned to Earth and analyze his downlinked heart and lung activity to understand how microgravity is affecting his body.

Roscosmos Flight Engineers Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev took turns testing a voice-based artificial intelligence system that records crew members vocally documenting their activities for more efficient reporting. The cosmonauts also each spent an hour in a quiet portion of the station wearing noise-reducing headphones for a computerized hearing test and responding to pre-programmed tones.

Flight Engineer Kimiya Yui of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) spent his shift working on a pair of scientific instruments supporting a variety of experiments ranging from biology to physics. He started inside the Kibo laboratory module and set up a biology research imaging system that uses luminescence to observe tissues and genes in microgravity for deeper insights into disease mechanisms. Next, he moved into the Destiny laboratory module and powered on the KERMIT fluorescence microscope to image flat liquid crystal films to help engineers design advanced screen displays for touchpads and instrumentation panels.

Station Commander Mike Fincke of NASA spent most of his day working on spacesuits in the Quest airlock. Fincke began his shift adjusting the length of the arms and legs on one spacesuit. Next, Fincke practiced installing emergency jet packs on the spacesuits with assistance from Williams and Yui. The jet pack, officially called Simplified Aid For EVA Rescue, or SAFER, is attached to the back of the spacesuit and enables a spacewalker to safely maneuver back to the station in the unlikely event they become untethered from the orbital outpost.

NASA Flight Engineer Zena Cardman worked primarily on computer and life support maintenance throughout Thursday. Cardman first worked in the Columbus laboratory module setting up a laptop computer and adjusting its settings so it can run specialized science experiment software. Afterward, she worked in the Tranquility module replacing atmospheric cleaning components that remove harmful contaminants from the air, such as ammonia, that can cause eye, skin, or respiratory irritation.

Flight Engineer Oleg Platonov worked throughout Thursday inside the station’s Roscosmos segment servicing a variety of life support equipment ensuring the orbital outpost operates in tip-tip shape. Platonov spent the first half of his shift replacing atmospheric monitoring hardware in the Zvezda service module and filling a water processing assembly tank. After lunchtime, the first-time space flyer cleaned the ventilation system inside the Nauka science module.

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

Today’s Advanced Exercise, Physics Research Benefits Earth and Space Industries

Exercise and physics research were the top scientific duties aboard the International Space Station on Wednesday advancing human health and industries both on the ground and in space. The Expedition 74 crew members also continued working on spacesuits and practiced an emergency drill.

Doctors continuously monitor astronauts’ health using sensors, tests, and sample collections to understand the long-term effects of spaceflight, helping to keep crews fit for future missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond while also advancing medical treatments on Earth. A key part of this effort is exercise to prevent space-caused muscle and bone loss. During workouts and daily activities, astronauts periodically wear the sensor-packed Bio-Monitor vest and headband that monitors heart health, respiratory health, and more for up to 48 hours. The data can be monitored by doctors on Earth in real-time or downloaded to the ground for later review.

NASA Flight Engineer Chris Williams put on the Bio-Monitor wearables early Wednesday beginning a two-day health monitoring session. Afterward, he exercised on the advanced resistive exercise device (ARED)—that mimics free weights on Earth—then jogged on the COLBERT treadmill helping counter the effects of microgravity and providing doctors insight into his heart, lung, muscle, and bone health in weightlessness. The Bio-Monitor, a Canadian Space Agency-designed biomedical device, has been in operational use aboard the station since January 2019.

Williams later assisted NASA Flight Engineer Zena Cardman inside the Quest airlock as she installed charged lithium-ion batteries into a pair of spacesuits.

Station Commander Mike Fincke worked throughout Wednesday servicing a variety of exercise gear and science hardware. He first installed kinematics hardware on the ARED that monitors the muscle and bone forces crews experience when exercising in space. Researchers use the visual data to adjust workout programs to maximize crew fitness in microgravity. Next, he swapped a pair of hard drives and injected gas into the experimental Zero Boil-Off Tank being tested for its ability to preserve cryogenic fluids in spacecraft fuel tanks.

Flight Engineer Kimiya Yui of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) started his shift inside the Kibo laboratory module checking for gas leaks inside combustion research hardware. Next, he powered on a fluorescence microscope to observe changes in the formation of flat liquid crystal films in microgravity. Results from the study may advance screen displays for touchpads and instrumentation panels benefitting both Earth and space hardware.

At the end of their shift, all four astronauts joined the cosmonauts from Roscosmos—Sergey Kud-Sverchkov, Sergei Mikaev, and Oleg Platonov—and conducted an emergency drill. The orbital septet practiced their responses to unlikely events such as a depressurization, a chemical leak, or a fire onboard the orbital outpost. The seven crewmates used computer tablets and reviewed the procedures and communication protocols they would use in coordination with mission controllers on the ground.

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

Stem Cells, Robotics, and Spacesuits Top Station Crew Day

Stem cell research, a student robotics challenge, and spacesuit maintenance dominated the schedule aboard the International Space Station on Tuesday. The Expedition 74 crew also rounded out its shift with Earth observations and cargo transfers throughout the day.

Repairing damaged organs or tissues is a key objective for a technology demonstration taking place onboard the orbital outpost that seeks to transform stem cells into any human cell type that are superior to those manufactured on Earth. The stem cells are reprogrammed from adult skin or blood cells and may lead to advances in regenerative medicine and cancer therapies. Station Commander Mike Fincke treated samples for the stem cell tech demo inside the Kibo laboratory module’s Life Science Glovebox then prepared them for preservation in cold stowage. The experiment hardware and research samples were launched to the station in October aboard JAXA’s (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) HTV-X1 cargo craft.

JAXA Flight Engineer Kimiya Yui spent his shift testing a pair of small robotic helpers ahead of an upcoming student challenge to program and maneuver the free-flying devices on the station. The main objective was a technical rehearsal of the toaster-sized Astrobee’s ability to identify and find hidden objects throughout the Kibo lab. The second objective was to monitor the Int-Ball 2, a small sphere-shaped robotic camera designed by JAXA, as it autonomously worked alongside Astrobee and recorded its search activities. Code written by student teams will operate the two robots together and will be judged for its accuracy, speed, and efficiency.

NASA Flight Engineers Zena Cardman and Chris Williams partnered together during the first half of their shift on Tuesday and resized a pair of spacesuits inside the Quest airlock. The duo adjusted the suits’ arms, legs, and waist ahead of a pair of maintenance spacewalks planned for early 2026. Afterward, Cardman moved on and cleaned and inspected hatch seals throughout the space station’s U.S. segment. Williams assisted Fincke and Yui during the second half of their shift as they loaded the HTV-X1 cargo craft with obsolete science hardware before the resupply ship’s departure in late January.

Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Platonov and Sergei Mikaev took part in a pair of Earth observation activities documenting the effects of natural and man-made conditions on the ground. Platonov turned off and uninstalled imagery hardware that automatically photographed landmarks from Asia to Africa during the crew’s sleep shift. Mikaev set up a digital multi-spectral camera linked to hardware that automatically operates and aligns the camera to target specific locations on Earth.

Roscosmos Flight Engineer Sergey Kud-Sverchkov, on his second spaceflight, spent Tuesday inside the Nauka science module cleaning smoke detectors ensuring the safety gear operates in tip-top shape. Kud-Sverchkov also spent a few moments with his cosmonaut crewmates Platonov and Mikaev reviewing procedures for unlikely emergency events such as a depressurization, a chemical leak, or a fire onboard the orbital outpost.

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