SpaceX – Space Station

Crew Works Human Research and U.S. Spacecraft Ops on Tuesday

NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick and Suni Williams smile for a selfie portrait aboard the International Space Station's Kibo laboratory module. — NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick and Suni Williams smile for a selfie portrait aboard the International Space Station’s Kibo laboratory module.

Human research and U.S. spacecraft operations were the primary activities aboard the International Space Station on Tuesday. The crew is exploring how the human body adapts to microgravity while also preparing Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft for its departure at the end of the week.

Expedition 71 Flight Engineer Matthew Dominick kicked off his day setting up wearable biomedical hardware then working out to understand how living in space affects the human heart and breathing. He first put on a vest and headband packed with sensors measuring his heart and breathing rate, blood pressure, and other health parameters. Next, he pedaled on the Destiny laboratory module’s exercise cycle while his cardio-respiratory data was recorded to a computer. Scientists will study the results to understand how weightlessness affects a crew member’s blood pressure and breathing and learn how to keep astronauts healthy on missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.

Dominick joined fellow NASA astronauts Mike Barratt and Tracy C. Dyson for eye exams as personnel on the ground monitored the checks in real time. Dyson took charge as the crew medical officer operating a medical imaging device in the Harmony module viewing her crewmates’ optic nerve, retina, and cornea. Some astronauts have reported vision issues and doctors have noted changes in eye structure that they seek to understand and counter to ensure successful long-term space expeditions.

Space physics and life support research were also on the science schedule to help NASA and its international partners design next generation spacecraft and space habitats for lunar and planetary human missions. NASA Flight Engineer Jeanette Epps opened up the Combustion Integrated Rack inside Destiny and replaced and cleaned research components for a series of fire safety investigations. The experiments explore how flames spread, how materials burn, and ways to extinguish fires in microgravity to improve safety in space. Dyson swapped out test life support gear inside the Packed Bed Reactor Experiment taking place inside Destiny’s Microgravity Science Glovebox. The investigation is exploring advanced water recovery systems for crew missions in a variety of gravity scenarios.

Dominick and Barratt also reviewed operations procedures inside the SpaceX Dragon Endeavour spacecraft ahead of the Crew-8 departure later this month. The duo then invited NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams inside Dragon bringing the pair up-to-speed with the spacecraft’s systems and crew configuration. Wilmore and Williams will return to Earth aboard another Dragon when Crew-9 ends its mission in February.

Wilmore and Williams, both veteran NASA astronauts, prepared Starliner for its weekend departure. The Starliner commander and pilot reconfigured the spacecraft’s seats for an uncrewed landing and packed cargo inside the vehicle this week for retrieval on Earth. They also returned standard visiting vehicle emergency hardware stowed inside Starliner back to the station for future mission operations.

Starliner is due to end its stay at the orbital outpost at 6:04 p.m. EDT on Friday and undock from Harmony’s forward port. The uncrewed spacecraft from Boeing will return to Earth and land in New Mexico about six hours later. Undocking coverage begins at 5:45 p.m. Friday on NASA+, the NASA app, YouTube, and the agency’s website.

In the Roscosmos segment of the orbital outpost, station Commander Oleg Kononenko checked power generation and life support systems then set up Earth observation hardware to image the atmosphere in infrared and visible spectral ranges. Flight Engineers Nikolai Chub and Alexander Grebenkin joined each other and tested an anti-gravity suit for its ability to counter the effects of weightless on the human body and help crews adjust quicker to the return to Earth’s gravity.

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

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Crew Works Spacecraft Configurations and Eye Checks on Wednesday

The last rays of an orbital sunset fade below Earth's horizon illuminating the atmosphere in this photograph from the International Space Station as it soared above the Atlantic Ocean. — The last rays of an orbital sunset fade below Earth’s horizon illuminating the atmosphere in this photograph from the International Space Station as it soared above the Atlantic Ocean.

Dragon spacecraft configurations topped Wednesday’s task list aboard the International Space Station as the orbital residents prepare for crew swap activities in September and October. Human research duties and lab maintenance tasks rounded out the day for the nine crewmates living and working on the orbital outpost.

Six astronauts worked throughout the day configuring the SpaceX Dragon Endeavour spacecraft’s emergency systems and updating the vehicle’s emergency procedures. The NASA astronauts split up the daylong tasks as Matthew Dominick, Mike Barratt, and Butch Wilmore worked inside the spacecraft configuring its emergency systems and computer tablets as it nears an October return to Earth with four SpaceX Crew-8 members.

NASA astronauts Tracy C. Dyson, Jeanette Epps, and Suni Williams focused on updating emergency procedures including responses to unlikely events such as a depressurization, fire, or ammonia leak aboard Dragon. The trio also documented individual roles and responsibilities for the astronauts in the event of a contingency aboard Dragon after it departs the orbital outpost.

The astronauts still had time for light science tasks and lab upkeep while ensuring Dragon is prepared for its upcoming departure. Epps watered two types of grasses growing inside the Columbus laboratory module’s Veggie space botany facility. The grasses are being studied to observe space-caused changes to photosynthesis and plant metabolism and possibly inform bioregenerative life support systems on future spacecraft. Epps also drained resupply tanks and serviced orbital plumbing systems in the Tranquility module.

In the afternoon, Dominick examined Dyson’s eyes using standard medical imaging hardware in the Harmony module. Cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub also participated in the regularly scheduled eye exams. Doctors on the ground remotely monitored both sessions to understand how living in weightlessness affects a crew member’s cornea, lens, and retina.

Kononenko and Chub kicked off their day with a cardiac study as Kononenko assisted Chub who attached sensors to himself that measured his heart rate while relaxing. The duo would then split up and work on a variety of electronics and life support systems in the station’s Roscosmos segment. Flight Engineer Alexander Grebenkin worked on orbital plumbing duties in the Nauka science module during the morning before spending the afternoon collecting station air samples for analysis.

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

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NASA’s Northrop Grumman Cygnus Completes Solar Arrays Deployment

Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus spacecraft completed the deployment of its two solar arrays at 2:21 p.m. EDT after launching at 11:02 a.m. Aug. 4 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida to the International Space Station for NASA.

Shortly after launch, the spacecraft missed its first burn slated for 11:44 a.m. due to a late entry to burn sequencing. Known as the targeted altitude burn, or TB1, it was rescheduled for 12:34 p.m., but aborted the maneuver shortly after the engine ignited due to a slightly low initial pressure state. There is no indication the engine itself has any problem at this time.

Cygnus is at a safe altitude, and Northrop Grumman engineers are working a new burn and trajectory plan. The team aims to achieve the spacecraft’s original capture time on station, which is currently slated for 3:10 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 6.

If all remains on track, NASA will provide live coverage of the spacecraft’s arrival beginning at 1:30 a.m. Aug. 6 on NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app, YouTube, X, Facebook, and the agency’s website. Additional updates will be posted as needed.

NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick will capture Cygnus using the station’s Canadarm2 robotic arm at approximately 3:10 a.m., and NASA astronaut Jeanette Epps is backup. After capture, the spacecraft will be installed on the Unity module’s Earth-facing port.

This is Northrop Grumman’s 21st commercial resupply mission for NASA.

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

Astronauts, Cosmonauts Focus on Maintenance; SpaceX Crew-9 Introduces Itself

Astronaut Tracy C. Dyson unpacks and examines research gear inside the International Space Station's Columbus laboratory module. — Astronaut Tracy C. Dyson unpacks and examines research gear inside the International Space Station’s Columbus laboratory module.

The orbital residents representing Expedition 71 and NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test switched gears on Friday and turned their attention to a host of lab maintenance activities. The nine astronauts and cosmonauts living and working aboard the International Space Station focused on spacewalking tools, computer networks, housecleaning, and inspections at the end of the week.

NASA Flight Engineers Tracy C. Dyson, Mike Barratt, and Jeanette Epps joined each other midday Friday and reorganized cargo inside the Unity module ahead of the Aug. 5 arrival of Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus space freighter. Dyson and Barratt then finished the afternoon inside the Quest airlock collecting and stowing tools used during earlier spacewalk preparations.

Epps began her day with NASA astronaut and Starliner Commander Butch Wilmore examining the Permanent Multipurpose Module for open spaces before spending her afternoon exercising. NASA Flight Engineer Matthew Dominick checked the overhead crew quarters in the Harmony module and measured its ventilation system airflows after spending his morning working out.

Wilmore also joined Starliner Pilot Suni Williams and tested cloud network connectivity using a pair of computer tablets linked to mission applications and other computer services. Williams then recorded a video for junior high and high school students demonstrating 3D printing operations in microgravity. Toward the end of the day, the NASA duo called down to Boeing mission personnel and discussed Starliner spacecraft systems and operations. The day before, NASA and Boeing managers provided a Starliner status update during a televised news conference.

Station Commander Oleg Kononenko kicked off his day synchronizing digital cameras with space station clocks. The five-time visitor to the orbital outpost worked the rest of the day with Flight Engineer Nikolai Chub continuing ongoing inspections in the aft-end of the Zvezda service module. Chub began his day conducting research activities in Zvezda before the inspection work.

The next crew to visit the International Space Station, SpaceX Crew-9, introduced itself today during a televised crew news conference live on NASA TV on Friday. Commander Zena Cardman, Pilot Nick Hague, and Mission Specialists Stephanie Wilson and Aleksander Gorbunov are counting down to a mid-August launch to the orbital lab aboard the SpaceX Dragon Endurance for a six-month mission. Earlier, mission managers from NASA and SpaceX discussed the Crew-9 mission and other upcoming missions to the orbiting lab. Watch the SpaceX Crew-9 Crew News Conference and the Mission Overview on YouTube.

Beginning Monday, July 29^th, the IMC Daily Summary will be discontinued.

To learn more about the groundbreaking science and engineering happening daily on the International Space Station, please visit the space station blog at https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/, or browse a variety of space station research resources at https://nasa.gov/iss-science.

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

Get weekly video highlights at: https://roundupreads.jsc.nasa.gov/videoupdate/

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Wednesday’s Station Research Focuses on Space Plants, Free-Flying Robotics

The Milky Way appears in the vastness of space behind the SpaceX Dragon Endeavour spacecraft docked to the space station's Harmony module. — The Milky Way appears in the vastness of space behind the SpaceX Dragon Endeavour spacecraft docked to the space station’s Harmony module.

On Wednesday, space plants and free-flying robotics dominated the science schedule aboard the International Space Station. Orbital plumbing, cargo packing, and an emergency drill rounded out the day for the nine crew members living aboard the orbital outpost.

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams of Boeing’s Crew Flight Test continued exploring ways to effectively water plants in the weightless environment. The duo took turns throughout the day in the Harmony module testing how root models and plants of various sizes would absorb water in microgravity . The Plant Water Management study looks at techniques such as hydroponics and air circulation to nourish plants growing aboard spacecraft and space habitats.

Expedition 71 Flight Engineer Tracy C. Dyson coordinated with ground controllers and tested an Astrobee robotic free flyer’s ability to autonomously maneuver and recognizes gestures inside the Kibo laboratory module. She set up the cube-shaped, toaster-sized robotic assistant ahead of a student competition to write the best algorithms that will guide the Astrobee. NASA Flight Engineer Jeanette Epps activated the Astrobee before lunchtime and removed items in Kibo allowing Dyson to access the robotic free flyer’s docking apparatus. Epps also recorded another DNA research demonstration video for students on Earth.

NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick and Mike Barratt took turns on Wednesday cleaning up orbital plumbing tools used to service the Tranquility module’s bathroom, also known as the waste and hygiene compartment. Dominick also relocated protein crystal research hardware, loaded software on the Microgravity Science Glovebox computer, then reorganized cargo and trashed stowed in the Destiny laboratory module. Barratt trained Roscosmos Flight Engineer Alexander Grebenkin on the operations of the COLBERT treadmill then audited and stowed spacesuit components.

At the beginning of the day, the crew of the SpaceX Dragon Endeavour spacecraft, Dominick, Barratt, Epps, Grebenkin, trained for the unlikely event they would need to evacuate the station in an emergency. Dyson, who rode to the station aboard the Soyuz MS-25 crew ship, also joined the quartet reviewing their emergency responses and procedures during the hourlong session.

Cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub began loading the Progress 87 cargo craft with garbage and discarded gear prior to its departure from the Zvezda service module in mid-August. Grebenkin had an off-duty day spending most of his time relaxing and working out on the treadmill and advanced resistive exercise device.

Beginning Monday, July 29^th, the IMC Daily Summary will be discontinued.

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

Get weekly video highlights at: https://roundupreads.jsc.nasa.gov/videoupdate/

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Space Plants, Healthy Humans Top Tuesday’s Research on Station

The Cygnus space freighter and its two cymbal-shaped solar arrays is pictured attached to the Canadarm2 robotic arm before its release from the space station's on July 12, 2024. — The Cygnus space freighter and its two cymbal-shaped solar arrays is pictured attached to the Canadarm2 robotic arm before its release from the space station’s on July 12, 2024.

Space agriculture and human research operations were the prime science activities aboard the International Space Station on Tuesday. The four NASA astronauts and three Roscosmos cosmonauts representing Expedition 71 and the two NASA Boeing Crew Flight Test astronauts also participated in a variety of cargo activities and lab maintenance aboard the orbiting lab.

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams spent the majority of their day testing ways to water plants growing without soil in the weightless environment of microgravity. Williams first set up the Plant Water Management hardware in the Harmony module then tested a variety of liquid flow methods while video recording the results. Following her work, Wilmore ran more tests using hydroponics and air circulation techniques to learn how to effectively nourish a variety of plants on spacecraft and space habitats.

Cosmonaut Nikolai Chub attached sensors to his chest that recorded his heart activity while he relaxed Tuesday morning. NASA Flight Engineer Matthew Dominick performed isometric mid-thigh pulls on the advanced resistive exercise device testing his strength and force production in microgravity. Doctors use the insights from the numerous space biology studies aboard the station to keep crews healthy on long-term missions.

NASA Flight Engineer Jeanette Epps began and ended her day relocating NASA and Roscosmos hardware aboard the orbital outpost. In the middle of her shift, Epps replaced hardware in the station’s bathroom located in the Tranquility module then transferred radiation data, including electrons, protons, neutrons, and gamma-rays, collected from optical fibers to a computer.

NASA Flight Engineers Tracy C. Dyson and Mike Barratt spent most of the day inside SpaceX Dragon Endeavour configuring the spacecraft for cargo packing operations. Dominick, commander of Endeavour, pitched in to help update software, synchronize data, and charge batteries on the spacecraft’s computer tablets.

Commander Oleg Kononenko kicked off his day inside the Nauka science module continuing to explore the capabilities of a 3D printer in microgravity. He later worked on cargo transfers inside the Soyuz MS-25 crew ship docked to the Prichal docking module. Flight Engineer Alexander Grebenkin worked on household duties throughout Tuesday including orbital plumbing, reviewing inspection tasks, and cleaning smoke detectors, before ending his shift photographing Earth landmarks.

At the end of the day, all nine space station residents gathered together and practiced an emergency drill in response to unlikely scenarios such as a fire, a pressure leak, or a chemical release. The crew reviewed individual responsibilities, practiced evacuation techniques, and coordinated communications with mission controllers on the ground.

Beginning Monday, July 29^th, the IMC Daily Summary will be discontinued.

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

Get weekly video highlights at: https://roundupreads.jsc.nasa.gov/videoupdate/

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Space Biology, Spacesuits, and Dragon Training Top Day for Astronauts, Cosmonauts

NASA astronaut and Expedition 71 Flight Engineer Mike Barratt works on spacewalking hardware aboard the International Space Station's Unity module. — NASA astronaut and Expedition 71 Flight Engineer Mike Barratt works on spacewalking hardware aboard the International Space Station’s Unity module.

Life science and docked spacecraft training were the prime tasks aboard the International Space Station on Tuesday. The nine orbital residents also split their day on a variety of maintenance tasks including spacesuit work and orbital plumbing.

NASA astronauts Tracy C. Dyson and Matthew Dominick kicked off their day collecting biological samples and data to understand how living in weightlessness affects the human body. Dyson first processed her saliva samples and stowed them in a science freezer for later analysis. She then attached an acoustic monitor near her ear to measure station noise levels a crew member experiences in a 24-hour period. Dominick removed brain wave sensors from his ears that recorded his sleep patterns then he filled out a questionnaire documenting his sleep quality.

Dyson also worked in the Columbus laboratory module and studied the ability to remotely control robots on a planetary surface from a spacecraft for the Surface Avatar experiment. Dominick spent the afternoon in the Tranquility module checking the performance of components on the waste and hygiene compartment, the orbital outpost’s bathroom.

NASA Flight Engineer Jeanette Epps photographed Dyson during her robotics experiment. She then spent the afternoon reconfiguring life support gear before removing batteries from spacesuits at the end of the day. NASA Flight Engineer Mike Barratt started his day inspecting spacesuit safety jetpacks that would be used to maneuver safely back to the station in the unlikely event a spacewalker became untethered from the orbital lab.

Epps and Barratt also joined Dominick and Roscosmos Flight Engineer Alexander Grebenkin midday and reviewed standard SpaceX Dragon Endeavour spacecraft emergency undocking procedures. The SpaceX Crew-8 quartet docked to the station on March 5 and is due to return to Earth aboard Endeavour in late August.

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, representing Boeing’s Crew Flight Test, took turns during the morning pedaling on an exercise cycle while attached to heart and breathing sensors that measured their aerobic capacity. The duo then split up as Wilmore serviced a pair of research freezers that preserve scientific samples and Williams installed hardware on an experiment that is exploring atmospheric reentry and thermal protection systems.

The Roscosmos segment’s three cosmonauts including Grebenkin had their day packed with continuing space research and laboratory upkeep duties. Expedition 71 Commander Oleg Kononenko spent the morning working on ventilation systems in the Nauka science module then completed his day studying futuristic spacecraft and robotic piloting techniques. Flight Engineer Nikolai Chub replaced life support gear in the Zarya module then joined Grebenkin for a photographic inspection of panels inside the Zvezda service module. Grebenkin earlier jogged on a treadmill for a regularly scheduled physical fitness test.

NASA’s Johnson Space Center remained closed to all but essential personnel today following Hurricane Beryl’s landfall near Matagorda, Texas. Mission Control continues to support International Space Station and NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test mission. If employees feel safe to do so, the center will be open for on-site work beginning Wednesday.

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

Get weekly video highlights at: https://roundupreads.jsc.nasa.gov/videoupdate/

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Crews Wrap Week; Managers Provide Starliner, Spacewalk, and Cargo Updates

The Starliner spacecraft on NASA's Boeing Crew Flight Test approaches the International Space Station while orbiting 263 miles above Quebec, Canada, on June 6. — The Starliner spacecraft on NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test approaches the International Space Station while orbiting 263 miles above Quebec, Canada, on June 6.

The Expedition 71 crew members packed a U.S. cargo craft, cleaned up the International Space Station, studied futuristic piloting techniques, and conducted eye exams on Friday. NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test astronauts spent the end of their workweek reconfiguring a space botany facility.

Robotics controllers are scheduled to detach the Cygnus space freighter from the Unity module on July 12 and release it into Earth orbit for disposal over the South Pacific Ocean ending a five-and-a-half-month mission at the orbital lab. NASA Flight Engineer Matthew Dominick spent most of Friday loading trash and discarded gear inside the Cygnus with assistance from fellow NASA astronauts Jeanette Epps and Tracy C. Dyson. Cygnus was captured by the Canadarm2 robotic arm on Feb. 1 with over 8,200 pounds of science experiments and crew supplies.

At the end of the day, Epps operated standard medical imaging gear found in an optometrist’s office on Earth and peered into Dyson’s eyes. She examined Dyson’s cornea, retina, and lens to help flight surgeons understand and counteract microgravity’s effect on crew vision.

Earlier, Dyson collected and stowed excess space station hardware for disposal. Epps spent her morning inside the Kibo laboratory module troubleshooting an airflow sensor then reorganizing the JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) module for upcoming cargo operations.

NASA Flight Engineer Mike Barratt started his day routing cables and reprogramming communications systems inside the Columbus laboratory module. In the afternoon, he stowed hardware and components used earlier in the week for advanced orbital plumbing in the Tranquility module’s bathroom. Afterward, Barratt refilled supply kits in Columbus’ two Human Research Facility racks with biomedical gear including sample tubes and needles.

Starliner’s Commander and Pilot, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, partnered together inside Kibo on Friday for space botany work. The duo removed the Plant Habitat growth chamber from Kibo’s EXPRESS rack, replaced its camera and carbon dioxide sensors, then reinstalled the research device. The Plant Habitat has enabled the growth of small crops of lettuce, tomatoes, and more in microgravity for both research and consumption.

NASA and Boeing continue to evaluate Starliner’s propulsion system performance before returning to Earth from the orbiting lab. NASA and Boeing leaders participated in a media teleconference today to discuss Starliner and station operations.

NASA is now targeting the end of July for the next spacewalk outside the space station. This change allows teams on the ground to continue to troubleshoot and understand the water leak in the service and cooling umbilical unit that forced an early end to a spacewalk on Monday, June 24.

Working in the Roscosmos segment, Flight Engineer Nikolai Chub started his day practicing planetary spacecraft and robotic piloting techniques future crew members may use. Afterward, he conducted two sessions of an investigation exploring ways to create new materials on the lunar surface. Flight Engineer Alexander Grebenkin worked throughout the day inventorying medical kits and cleaning fans inside the Rassvet module. Finally, Station Commander Oleg Kononenko replaced thermal components inside Roscosmos’ life support hardware.

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

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Cargo, Science, and Spacewalk Preps Fill Station’s Day

The first rays of an orbital sunrise reflect off the International Space Station's roll-out solar arrays that overshadow and augment the orbital outpost's main solar arrays. — The first rays of an orbital sunrise reflect off the International Space Station’s roll-out solar arrays that overshadow and augment the orbital outpost’s main solar arrays.

Six NASA astronauts aboard the International Space Station had a day filled with cargo packing, orbital plumbing, and a spacewalk conference. The orbital outpost’s three cosmonauts from Roscosmos spent their day testing a 3D printer, collecting microbial air samples, and servicing life support gear.

Expedition 71 Flight Engineers Tracy C. Dyson, Mike Barratt, Matthew Dominick, and Jeanette Epps worked throughout Wednesday packing trash and discarded cargo inside Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus cargo space freighter. Cygnus is targeted to complete a five-and-a-half-month mission in mid-July and depart the station’s Unity module before descending into Earth’s atmosphere for a fiery, but safe disposal above the South Pacific Ocean.

In the midst of the cargo work, Dominick videotaped the location of station hardware stowed in the starboard side of the Columbus laboratory module. Epps swapped sample cartridges inside the Materials Science Laboratory, a research furnace that safely exposes metals, alloys, polymers, and other materials to high temperatures to discover new applications for Earth and space industries. Dyson and Barratt continued spacesuit and tool configurations in the Quest airlock.

At the end of the workday, the four NASA astronauts gathered in the Destiny laboratory module for a video conference with mission controllers on the ground. The quartet called down to the NASA engineers and discussed procedures and readiness for an upcoming spacewalk.

NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams started their morning with exercise sessions before organizing cargo packed inside the Permanent Multipurpose Module. The duo then spent the afternoon working to remove and replace a failed pressure control and pump assembly module that is part of the Tranquility module’s bathroom, or waste and hygiene compartment.

Station Commander Oleg Kononenko from Roscosmos spent all day Wednesday testing a 3D printer and its ability to manufacture space hardware on demand. Flight Engineer Nikolai Chub spent half his day servicing plumbing hardware in the Nauka science module before working out on the advanced resistive exercise device and jogging on a treadmill during the afternoon. Flight Engineer Alexander Grebenkin’s list of duties included collecting more microbial air samples for analysis and maintaining electronics systems.

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

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Astronauts Work on Science Gear, Cosmonauts Take Day Off

Astronaut Tracy C. Dyson checks out an Astrobee robotic free-flyer for the Zero Robotics, an educational contest, tech demonstration. — Astronaut Tracy C. Dyson checks out an Astrobee robotic free-flyer for the Zero Robotics tech demonstration for an educational contest to write robot-controlling software.

The four astronauts aboard the International Space Station had a full schedule of science activities on Thursday while the three cosmonauts took the day off and spent time relaxing in the microgravity environment.

The Expedition 71 crew services not only life support systems and electronics gear, but also research hardware to ensure the ongoing operation and integrity of a multitude of science experiments. Thursday was no exception as the four on-duty astronauts from NASA worked on a multipurpose science rack, a fluid physics rack, and a CubeSat deployer.

Flight Engineer Tracy C. Dyson began her morning in the Columbus laboratory module replacing computer hardware in an EXPRESS rack. The rack, one of ten aboard the station, hosts and supports a variety of payloads and experiments. Astronauts as well as scientists on the ground can also monitor and control the rack facilities.

Working in the Destiny laboratory module, Flight Engineer Mike Barratt also replaced computer gear but inside the Fluids Integrated Rack. This rack enables research to understand how liquids behave in weightlessness potentially informing the design of fuel tanks and hydraulic systems for spacecraft.

The computers that support the different science hardware can store and downlink the research data. They also enable communications between payloads and other station components including the ability to command and control the space investigations.

Over in the Kibo laboratory module, Flight Engineer Matthew Dominick removed an empty CubeSat deployer from inside Kibo’s airlock. The deployer is routinely packed with CubeSats, grappled by the Japanese robotic arm in the depressurized airlock, and pointed away from the station to release the shoe box-sized satellites into Earth orbit. The CubeSats are developed by international educational and governmental organizations for numerous public research objectives.

Dominick and Barratt also partnered together and reviewed SpaceX Dragon Endeavour spacecraft procedures to maintain their operational proficiency. Dominick and Barratt are Commander and Pilot, respectively, for the SpaceX Crew-8 mission along with Mission Specialists Jeanette Epps of NASA and Alexander Grebenkin of Roscosmos. All four are also Expedition 71 Flight Engineers.

Epps and Barratt also took turns working in the Waste and Hygiene Compartment, the orbital lab’s bathroom, located in the Tranquility module. Barratt reinstalled and activated hardware that had been removed earlier in the week for orbital plumbing maintenance. Epps wrapped up the work stowing gear that had been replaced inside Tranquility.

The orbital outpost’s three cosmonauts including Grebenkin, Commander Oleg Kononenko, and Flight Engineer Nikolai Chub relaxed on Thursday taking time out for their regularly scheduled workouts. The trio from Roscosmos will be back on duty Friday for more science, cargo, and lab upkeep duties.

For the latest on Boeing’s Crew Flight Test please visit NASA’s blog. NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are targeted to launch aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft to the orbital lab no earlier than 6:16 p.m. EDT on Friday, May 17.

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

Get weekly video highlights at: https://roundupreads.jsc.nasa.gov/videoupdate/

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