Month: July 2023

The Expedition 69 crew aboard the International Space Station is keeping busy on Monday with Genes in Space operations, human health research, robotics work, and station maintenance.

NASA Flight Engineer Frank Rubio started his day removing hard drives for future return. Following last week’s session, Rubio once again booted up the Surface Avatar laptop computer in the Columbus Laboratory module and ran another session to investigate how haptic controls, user interfaces and virtual reality could command and control surface-bound robots from long distances.

NASA astronaut Woody Hoburg began his day installing a carbon analyzer that determines the quality of recovered water aboard the orbital lab. He then set up hardware for the Standard Measures investigation—research that collects a set of core measurements from astronauts related to human spaceflight before, during and after long-duration missions—then later collected saliva samples to contribute to ongoing human research.

Midday, Hoburg moved into the Japanese Experiment Module to install new ethernet cables. He ended his day with Rubio and United Arab Emirates (UAE) Flight Engineer Sultan Alneyadi in the U.S. Orbital Segment performing maintenance on the Oxygen Generation System (OGS), which converts water into oxygen and hydrogen from the Water Recovery System.

Alneyadi was also tasked with performing maintenance on Astrobee, the station’s free-flying robots that are designed to help the crew with daily duties.

NASA astronaut Stephen Bowen ran another round of the Genes in Space-10 operation to measure and analyze DNA length using fluorescent samples. The Genes in Space program includes ongoing investigations that crews aboard the station have performed for years, allowing middle and high school students to design DNA experiments that address challenges in space exploration.

Cosmonaut Commander Sergey Prokopyev spent his morning in the Zvezda module performing maintenance and ended his day continuing cargo plan preparations for the upcoming ISS Progress 85 mission. Flight Engineer Andrey Fedyaev worked in Nauka, installing brackets and stands for laptops, while Flight Engineer Dmitri Petelin carried out ongoing investigations of the behavior of liquid diffusion in microgravity.

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Two Expedition 69 crew members are preparing for the upcoming Northrop Grumman cargo resupply mission. Space biology and another round of eye exams are also underway today aboard the International Space Station.

NASA astronauts Frank Rubio and Woody Hoburg spent most of their morning reviewing procedures and completing training for Northrop Grumman’s 19^th commercial resupply mission bound for the station in August. Rubio and Hoburg will assist with the rendezvous and docking of the Cygnus spacecraft as it delivers new science investigations, hardware and supplies for the crew. The duo also worked on the BFF-Meniscus investigation, retrieving samples and printing with cells using the BioFabrication Facility—a 3D printer that investigates the feasibility of printing organ-like tissues in microgravity.

Later in the evening, Rubio assisted and guided another set of eye exams on NASA astronaut Stephen Bowen. Ahead of exams, Bowen collected saliva samples for ongoing research and replaced filters in the station’s Waste and Hygiene Compartment.

United Arab Emirates (UAE) Flight Engineer Sultan Alneyadi ran Genes in Space-10 operations which measure and analyze DNA length using fluorescent samples. The Genes in Space program consists of ongoing investigations that allow middle and high school students to design DNA experiments that address a challenge in space exploration.

Commander Sergey Prokopyev of Roscosmos wore a sensor-packed cap for the Pilot-T experiment, an investigation that provides crew members the opportunity to practice piloting techniques and explore how spacefarers may react and control spacecraft on future planetary missions. Flight Engineer Andrey Fedyaev assessed device operations in the Nauka module, and was later given an eye exam using imaging hardware that Flight Engineer Dmitri Petelin guided.

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

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Three Expedition 69 crew members completed another round of eye exams today aboard the International Space Station. Various maintenance and clean-up activities were also underway in multiple service modules.

NASA astronaut Stephen Bowen collected salvia samples early in the morning then began installation work in the Japanese Experiment Module on a system that provides fluorescent images of biological samples. Later in the day, Bowen and United Arab Emirates (UAE) Flight Engineer Sultan Alneyadi worked in tandem to troubleshoot the Advanced Resistive Exercise Device (ARED), following yesterday’s six-month maintenance. The two were joined by NASA astronaut Woody Hoburg later in the evening to complete a third round of eye exams using imaging hardware.

Ahead of the exams, Hoburg inspected a system that controls temperature and humidity in the U.S. Orbital Segment. He then spoke with grounds teams for a briefing on the Food Physiology diet. Ongoing Food Physiology investigations help researchers better understand the effects of an enhanced spaceflight diet on astronauts.

NASA Flight Engineer Frank Rubio was tasked with performing maintenance on the Internal Ball camera—a free-flying system that helps crews monitor operations—in the Japanese Experiment Module. Later in the day, he worked with Bowen on clean-up activities for a system that measures vibrations and acceleration of the station. Rubio ended his day performing EVA battery maintenance.

The three cosmonauts aboard the station worked independently in separate modules. Commander Sergey Prokopyev of Roscomos performed station maintenance and inspections in Zvezda, while Flight Engineer Andrey Fedyaev did the same in the Nauka module. Flight Engineer Dmitri Petelin worked in Rassvet taking equipment inventory.

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

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Eye scans and station maintenance continue for the Expedition 69 crew aboard the International Space Station today.

NASA astronaut Woody Hoburg started his day observing and taking photos of satellites that were recently deployed from a Small Satellite Orbital Deployer in the Japanese Experiment Module. He then moved into the station’s Tranquility module to troubleshoot and inspect the Air Revitalization System rack, which removes Carbon Dioxide from the air and monitors the cabin atmosphere.

Near the end of the day, Hoburg joined United Arab Emirates (UAE) Flight Engineer Sultan Alneyadi for an eye ultrasound exam following Alneyadi’s earlier set up of the equipment. Frequent exams of the sort are necessary for the crew to mitigate any noticeable effects or changes to the eyes.

NASA astronaut Stephen Bowen began his morning collecting saliva samples for ongoing research. In the afternoon, he performed six-month maintenance on the Advanced Resistive Exercise Device (ARED) and ended his day with an eye ultrasound scan as well.

NASA Flight Engineer Frank Rubio stayed busy with an abundance of tasks throughout the day. Rubio inspected tools and hardware used during Extravehicular Activities (EVAs) to ensure they’re ready for future use. Afterward, he set up the drain and replaced the exhaust filter in the station’s wastewater processor system. To wrap up his day, Rubio separated Hicari-2 samples from their cartridges in preparation for their return and future inspection. Hicari, an experiment led by the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), investigates high-quality crystal growth of semiconductors.

Flight Engineers Dmitri Petelin and Andrey Fedyaev of Roscosmos joined their crew members for end-of-day eye scans. Petelin also resumed his experimental work that studies behavior of liquid diffusion in microgravity, while cosmonaut Commander Sergey Prokopyev worked on inventory and cargo plans for the upcoming ISS Progress 85 mission.

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

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A light-duty day for the Expedition 69 crew is underway following a busy week aboard the International Space Station.

NASA astronaut Woody Hoburg began his day reconfiguring cable connections on the Multipurpose Experiment Platform. He then moved into completing computer maintenance. Following Monday’s installation of a Small Satellite Orbital Deployer, Hoburg resumed that work in the Japanese Experiment Module in preparation for future mini satellites to deploy.

NASA astronaut Stephen Bowen completed maintenance in the station’s Harmony module. Afterward, he moved around the station to document the reconfiguration of NASA payload racks which support and store research experiments aboard the orbital lab. Bowen finished out his day charging and swapping batteries on the free-flying robots, Astrobee, a task that has been ongoing all week.

After yesterday’s installation of new handle brackets on the Human Research Facility in the Destiny module, NASA Flight Engineer Frank Rubio performed a video survey of the hardware. Additionally, Rubio resumed inspections of the blankets in crew quarters, another task that began earlier in the week.

United Arab Emirates (UAE) Flight Engineer Sultan Alneyadi conducted maintenance on a system used for short-term water storage and water transportation between facilities.

Commander Sergey Prokopyev of Roscosmos carried out surveys and maintenance of the Zvezda module while Flight Engineer Dmitri Petelin continued the ongoing experiments that study the behavior of liquid diffusion in microgravity. Flight Engineer Andrey Fedyaev began his day checking the performance of computer hardware and cleaning electrical systems. After five days of the system running, he later turned off and stowed the EarthKam, a program that allows students to take photographs of Earth from a remotely controlled camera mounted to the station.

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

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Another Genes in Space investigation is underway today on the International Space Station. The Expedition 69 crew members also installed brackets, completed inspections, and observed Earth.

NASA Flight Engineer Frank Rubio took a few moments in the morning to activate the Internal Ball Camera—a free-flying system that helps the crew monitor operations—in the Japanese Experiment Module. The rest of his day was dedicated to running the Genes in Space-10 operation. This specific experiment measures and analyzes DNA length aboard the station using fluorescent samples. The Genes in Space program includes ongoing investigations that allow middle and high school students to design DNA experiments that address a challenge in space exploration.

NASA astronaut Woody Hoburg started his day reorganizing and consolidating stowage in the Columbus Laboratory Module. He then moved into the Destiny module with NASA astronaut Stephen Bowen to install drawer handle brackets to the Human Research Facility. Hoburg also completed a safety video survey of the station that will allow the ground team to assess the orbital lab’s current configuration.

Additionally, Bowen gathered items that will be disposed on Northrop Grumman’s 19^th commercial resupply mission launching no earlier than Tuesday, August 1.

United Arab Emirates (UAE) Flight Engineer Sultan Alneyadi spent his day charging and swapping batteries on Astrobee—the station’s free-flying robots—inspecting blankets and blanket covers in crew quarters, and observing and photographing Earth from the Window Observational Research Facility.

Commander Sergey Prokopyev of Roscosmos charged and reconfigured a cordless, portable microscope then prepped and ran the 3D printer in the Zvezda service module. Flight Engineer Dmitri Petelin continued his work that began two days ago, running experiments that studies the behavior of liquid diffusion in microgravity, while Flight Engineer Andrey Fedyaev installed cables in Zvezda.

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

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The Expedition 69 crew continues work started yesterday and last week and begins new tasks on the International Space Station today.

Following yesterday’s start of installing new hardware to the station’s wastewater processor system, NASA astronaut Woody Hoburg spent his day in the Tranquility module completing further tasks to finish out the system upgrade.  With the help of United Arab Emirates (UAE) Flight Engineer Sultan Alneyadi, the two worked together to install new hoses and pumps that will more efficiently process wastewater.

Ahead of the installation assists, Alneyadi once again sported the Dreams headband overnight for sleep monitoring. Following his morning activities of wrapping up the assessment, he configured and stowed the headband for future astronaut use.

NASA astronauts Stephen Bowen and Frank Rubio worked together to remove and replace the toilet system, part of the station’s Waste and Hygiene Compartment, in the Tranquility module. Bowen also charged and swapped batteries in Astrobee, the free-flying robots aboard the orbital lab. He ended his day setting up Actiwatch—a sleep-wake activity monitor that crew members wear overnight on their wrists—and inspecting the conditions of blankets and blanket covers in crew quarters for future replacements.

In addition to the toilet system replacement, Rubio connected cables, hoses, and bags to the Japanese Experiment Module Water Recovery System located in the Kibo Laboratory.

Cosmonaut Commander Sergey Prokpyev spent much of his day in the Zvezda service module surveying and performing system maintenance. Flight Engineer Dmitri Petelin continued his prep of a cargo unload plan he began last week for the upcoming ISS Progress 85 mission. After starting the EarthKAM software two days ago, Flight Engineer Andrey Fedyaev went back and configured the camera with a new lens. Additionally, he took up-to-date photos of the Multipurpose Laboratory Module, or Nauka, for future installation of additional handrails.

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

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Four Expedition 69 crew members aboard the International Space Station primarily worked in conjunction on Tuesday as they completed clean-up tasks and performed ultrasound scans.

After donning the Dreams headband overnight for sleep monitoring, United Arab Emirates (UAE) Flight Engineer Sultan Alneyadi started his day concluding the recording and filling out a questionnaire. Alneyadi, along with NASA astronauts Stephen Bowen, Woody Hoburg, and Frank Rubio, then moved into the orbital lab’s Destiny module for clean-up activities. Tasks included organizing, sorting, and relocating items stowed in the module.

Ahead of clean-up activities, Hoburg spent most of his morning reconfiguring and installing new hardware to a system that recycles and processes wastewater located in the Tranquility module. Bowen collected water samples from the Potable Water Dispenser for in-flight analysis that will help determine the water quality on the station. The system advances water sanitization methods while reducing microbial growth to provide water for crew consumption and food preparation. Rubio set up the Internal Ball Camera—a free-flying system that helps the crew monitor operations—in the Japanese Experiment Module.

Near the end of the day, the quartet moved onto health activities that helps doctors understand how astronauts adapt to microgravity by scanning arteries. Using the Ultrasound 2 device, Alneyadi, Hoburg, Bowen and Rubio all completed ultrasound scans of their necks, clavicles, shoulders, and back of their knees.

Cosmonaut Commander Sergey Prokopyev reviewed and sorted inventory in the Zarya module. Flight Engineer Dmitri Petelin completed an experiment that studies the behavior of liquid diffusion in microgravity, while Andrey Fedyaev performed station maintenance.

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

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