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<\/a><\/figure>Expedition 73<\/a> wrapped up the work week continuing to study fluid physics and stem cells, preparing for next week\u2019s new crew arrival, and unpacking a U.S. cargo spacecraft. The International Space Station<\/a> residents also serviced exercise gear, performed life support system troubleshooting, and analyzed the orbital outpost\u2019s microbial environment.<\/p>\n NASA Flight Engineer Zena Cardman<\/a> primarily spent her day on research first starting in the Destiny laboratory module<\/a> and installing fluid samples inside a fluorescence microscope<\/a>. Scientists on the ground will image the samples to observe how particles behave inside fluids<\/a>. Results may inform commercial in-space manufacturing techniques and improve optical materials and pollution removal operations. Cardman then moved to the Kibo laboratory module<\/a> and processed stem cells samples inside the Life Science Glovebox<\/a>. Afterward, she stowed the samples in a portable science freezer<\/a> for preservation and return to Earth for analysis. Scientists are exploring how microgravity affects the stem cells programmed to change into heart and brain cells<\/a> that may lead to advanced treatments for cardiac and neurological disorders.<\/p>\n Cardman also assisted Flight Engineers Mike Fincke<\/a> of NASA and Kimiya Yui of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) as they continued transferring new science<\/a> and supplies from inside the Northrop Grumman\u2019s Cygnus XL cargo spacecraft. Cygnus XL arrived on Sept. 18<\/a> delivering over 11,000 pounds of cargo resupplying the orbital residents.<\/p>\n Northrop Grumman\u2019s Cygnus XL cargo spacecraft, supporting the company\u2019s 23rd commercial resupply mission to the International Space Station\u00a0for NASA, will be uninstalled from the\u00a0Earth-facing port of the space station\u2019s\u00a0Unity module on Monday, Nov. 24. The cargo spacecraft will remain attached to the station\u2019s Canadarm2\u00a0robotic arm until Monday, Dec. 1, clearing the way for\u00a0the arrival of the crewed Roscosmos Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft on Thursday, Nov. 27.\u00a0<\/p>\n NASA, Northrop Grumman, and Roscosmos coordinated the spacecraft\u2019s movement\u00a0to prevent any unnecessary structural\u00a0loads from being\u00a0imparted on Cygnus XL and its solar arrays when the Soyuz spacecraft docks to the Rassvet module, which is the adjacent docking port. The maneuver will be conducted by the robotics officer in Mission Control Center at NASA\u2019s Johnson Space Center in Houston, while agency astronauts Jonny Kim and Zena Cardman monitor from inside the orbital complex.<\/p>\n Cygnus XL will be reattached to the space station Dec. 1, and will remain there\u00a0until no earlier than March 2026,\u00a0when it is scheduled to depart and dispose of several thousand pounds of trash during its destructive re-entry into Earth\u2019s atmosphere.\u00a0<\/p>\n Fincke then used a computer to test the performance of a pressure management device, gear that saves station air during visiting vehicle pressurization activities, inside the Unity module<\/a>. Yui also assisted NASA Flight Engineer Jonny Kim<\/a> in the Tranquility module<\/a> correctly positioning and centering the COLBERT treadmill<\/a>, tightening its bolts, and activating the exercise device for operations. Kim then drained recycle tanks and configured emergency breathing masks. Yui swapped batteries inside a wireless environmental monitor then joined Kim again at the end of their shift servicing a vacuum cleaner.<\/p>\n Roscosmos cosmonaut and station Commander Sergey Ryzhikov began preparing for next week\u2019s arrival of three new crew members aboard the Soyuz MS-28 crew spacecraft. Flight Engineer Alexey Zubritsky joined him rearranging cargo and making space inside the Rassvet module<\/a>. The Soyuz MS-28 will dock to Rassvet on Nov. 27<\/a> carrying NASA astronaut Chris Williams<\/a> and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Mikaev and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov. Ryzhikov also began packing cargo inside the Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft<\/a> that will return him, Zubritsky, and Kim to Earth in early December. Zubritsky collected microbe samples swabbed from inside the station\u2019s Roscosmos segment for analysis to protect crew health.<\/p>\n Roscosmos Flight Engineer Oleg Platonov focused on maintenance at the end of the week beginning his shift replacing components on the Zvezda service module<\/a>\u2019s toilet. Next, Platonov inspected the Zarya module<\/a> to identify workspace before completing his shift working on the Nauka science module<\/a>\u2019s ventilation system.<\/p>\n Learn more about station activities by following the <\/em>space station blog<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>@space_station<\/em><\/a> on X, as well as the <\/em>ISS Facebook<\/em><\/a> and <\/em>ISS Instagram<\/em><\/a> accounts.<\/em><\/p>\n Get the latest from NASA delivered every week. <\/em>Subscribe here<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n Powered by WPeMatico<\/a><\/small><\/p>\n Get The Details…<\/a><\/p>\n Mark A. Garcia <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Expedition 73 wrapped up the work week continuing to study fluid physics and stem cells, preparing for next week\u2019s new crew arrival, and unpacking a U.S. cargo spacecraft. The International Space Station residents also serviced exercise gear, performed life support system troubleshooting, and analyzed the orbital outpost\u2019s microbial environment. Continue reading