![\"NASA](\"https:\/\/blogs.nasa.gov\/spacestation\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/240\/2022\/10\/blog_iss068e017867.jpg\")
<\/a>The Expedition 68<\/a> crew kicked off the work week preparing for a U.S. cargo mission delivering new science experiments and unpacking a recently arrived resupply ship. The International Space Station<\/a> residents also picked a tomato crop today while working on a new toilet.<\/p>\n Northrop Grumman\u2019s Cygnus space freighter is targeting a launch to the space station at 5:50 a.m. EST on Sunday, Nov. 6<\/a>. It will arrive for a robotic capture at 5:50 a.m. on Nov. 8, carrying about 8,200 pounds of research gear, crew supplies, and station hardware. Some of the experiments arriving inside Cygnus will explore 3D bioprinting<\/a> of human tissue, the impact of microgravity on ovaries<\/a>, and growing repeated generations<\/a> of space crops.<\/p>\n NASA Flight Engineers Nicole Mann<\/a> and Josh Cassada<\/a> trained on a computer today to monitor Cygnus\u2019 automated approach and rendezvous and practice its robotic capture. The duo will be inside the seven-window cupola<\/a> when the science-packed vehicle nears a point about 30 feet (10 meters) from the station\u2019s Unity module<\/a>. Mann will then command the Canadarm2 robotic arm<\/a> to reach out and capture Cygnus as Cassada backs her up. Controllers on the ground will then take over and remotely maneuver Cygnus and install it on Unity where it will stay for 11 weeks of cargo activities.<\/p>\n It was harvest day aboard the orbiting lab as astronaut Koichi Wakata<\/a> picked a small crop of tomato plants grown inside the Columbus laboratory module<\/a>. The tomatoes were grown without soil using hydroponic and aeroponic nourishing techniques for the XROOTS<\/a> botany study. The experiment is demonstrating space agricultural methods to sustain crews on long term space flights farther away from Earth where resupply missions become impossible.<\/p>\n NASA Flight Engineer Frank Rubio<\/a> worked in the Tranquility module<\/a> servicing a new toilet system, part of the station\u2019s Waste and Hygiene Compartment. The advanced microgravity plumbing work required Rubio to swap and inspect several components and sensors prior to returning the space toilet to operations. Meanwhile, the older toilet inside Tranquility is still in operation.<\/p>\n The ISS Progress 82<\/a> resupply ship is still being unpacked after its docking to the Poisk module<\/a> on Oct. 27. Commander Sergey Prokopyev<\/a> and Flight Engineer Dmitri Petelin<\/a> offloaded a variety of lab hardware, crew clothing, and medical kits on Monday for organizing and stowing throughout the station. Flight Engineer Anna Kikina<\/a> worked on video and computer maintenance then photographed plume monitoring sensors attached to the Poisk module.<\/p>\n Learn more about station activities by following the\u00a0space station blog<\/a>,\u00a0@space_station<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0@ISS_Research<\/a>\u00a0on Twitter, as well as the\u00a0ISS Facebook<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0ISS Instagram<\/a>\u00a0accounts.<\/p>\n Get weekly video highlights at:\u00a0http:\/\/jscfeatures.jsc.nasa.gov\/videoupdate\/<\/a><\/p>\n Get the latest from NASA delivered every week. Subscribe here:\u00a0www.nasa.gov\/subscribe<\/a><\/p>\n Get The Details…<\/a><\/p>\n Mark Garcia <\/p>\n Powered by WPeMatico<\/a><\/small><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Expedition 68 crew kicked off the work week preparing for a U.S. cargo mission delivering new science experiments and unpacking a recently arrived resupply ship. The International Space Station residents also picked a tomato crop today while working on a new toilet. Northrop Grumman\u2019s Cygnus space freighter is targeting a launch to the space \u2026 Continue reading
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