![\"NASA](\"https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/iss074e0573327\/iss074e0573327~large.jpg?w=1920&h=1280&fit=clip&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\")
<\/a><\/figure>A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with a Dragon cargo spacecraft atop stands ready to launch to the International Space Station<\/a> at 6:50 p.m. EDT today<\/a>, weather permitting, from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The uncrewed Dragon, packed with about 6,500 pounds of science experiments, crew supplies, and lab hardware<\/a> for the Expedition 74<\/a> crew, will orbit Earth for half-a-day before approaching the orbital outpost for an automated docking to the Harmony module<\/a>\u2019s forward port at 7:35 a.m. on Thursday. Watch\u00a0NASA\u2019s live launch coverage\u00a0beginning\u00a0at 6:30 p.m. on\u00a0NASA+<\/a>,\u00a0Amazon Prime<\/a>, and the agency\u2019s\u00a0YouTube<\/a>\u00a0channel.\u00a0<\/p>\n NASA flight engineers Chris Williams<\/a>, Jessica Meir<\/a>, and Jack Hathaway<\/a> joined flight engineer Sophie Adenot of ESA (European Space Agency) for part of the day on Wednesday reviewing Dragon cargo operations then calling down to flight controllers for a mission readiness review. The quartet will begin unpacking critical, time-sensitive research samples packed inside Dragon\u2019s portable science freezers just a few after hours after the cargo spacecraft\u2019s arrival. Hathaway and Adenot will also be on duty Thursday monitoring Dragon during its automated approach and rendezvous.<\/p>\n Williams assisted Hathway on Wednesday as he worked in the Tranquility module<\/a> configuring hardware and making space for the installation of a new water recycling system reducing the need to resupply water from Earth. Williams then tested using voice commands on a free-flying robotic camera<\/a> that could assist astronauts with video and photography activities.<\/p>\n Meir swapped out materials research hardware<\/a> inside the Kibo laboratory module<\/a>\u2019s airlock for placement into the external environment of space for exposure and testing. Adenot wore the sensor-packed Bio-Monitor<\/a> vest and headband that monitored her heart and breathing activity<\/a> while she pedaled on an exercise cycle<\/a>. The two astronauts wrapped up their shift together in the Columbus laboratory module<\/a> with Meir scanning Adenot\u2019s leg veins with the Ultrasound 3<\/a> biomedical device looking for potential signs of space-caused blood clots. <\/p>\n Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergey Mikaev, station commander and flight engineer respectively, started their shift reviewing procedures they will use on an upcoming spacewalk for external lab maintenance. Kud-Sverchkov then collected and stowed his saliva samples for analysis while Mikaev serviced scientific control and data processing hardware. Roscosmos flight engineer Andrey Fedyaev pedaled on exercise cycle for a fitness test then performed maintenance on\u00a0 Roscosmos computer systems.<\/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":" A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with a Dragon cargo spacecraft atop stands ready to launch to the International Space Station at 6:50 p.m. EDT today, weather permitting, from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Continue reading