August 2023 – Page 3 – Space Station

Exercise, Physics, and Robotics Research Ahead of Cargo Mission

The Strait of Hormuz connects the Gulf of Oman with the Persian Gulf in this photograph from the space station. The Soyuz MS-23 crew ship (right) and a portion of the Cygnus space freighter (lower left) can also be seen.

Exercise, physics, and robotics were the main science objectives aboard the International Space Station on Wednesday. The Expedition 69 crew also expanded the orbital lab’s stowage volume while it waits for upcoming cargo and crew missions.

The lack of gravity while living and working in space requires crew members to exercise every day for two hours to maintain muscle and bone health. Doctors evaluate the effectiveness of space exercise to ensure astronauts remain healthy in microgravity and are prepared to return to Earth’s gravity environment.

NASA astronauts Stephen Bowen and Woody Hoburg began the day taking turns pedaling on the station’s exercise cycle while attached to sensors and wearing a breathing mask. The two flight engineers were being observed by support personnel on the ground to monitor their aerobic fitness after living in space since March 2.

Bowen later joined NASA Flight Engineer Frank Rubio to complete the installation of an overhead stowage platform in the Quest airlock. Rubio wrapped up the platform work installing an oxygen recharge tank to transfer oxygen to Quest. The new platform expands the equipment stowage volume inside the airlock. Rubio earlier began his day swapping graphene aerogel samples in the Microgravity Science Glovebox for a space manufacturing study.

Astronaut Sultan Alneyadi of the UAE (United Arab Emirates) spent his day on educational activities inside the orbital outpost. Alneyadi first set up the free-flying Astrobee robotic helper testing its operation ahead of an opportunity for students to test their software programming skills that would control the toaster-sized device. The first-time space flyer then filmed simple microgravity physics experiments for viewing on Earth by junior high school students and their teachers.

Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Andrey Fedyaev tested a specialized suit during the morning that will help them adapt to Earth’s gravity. The lower body negative pressure suit is worn a few weeks before a crew member returns to Earth and redistributes fluids that have pooled in the upper body toward the lower body. Afterward, Prokopyev activated a 3D printer then photographed the Earth below. Fedyaev tested future piloting and robotic techniques then worked on ventilation maintenance in the Zvezda service module.

Roscosmos Flight Engineer Dmitri Petelin started the Zvezda ventilation work in the morning. He then worked throughout the day on a variety of other maintenance activities including life support tasks and orbital plumbing duties.

The Roscosmos Progress 83 cargo craft is due to end its mission and depart the space station on Sunday, Aug. 20, after six months docked to the aft port of Zvezda. It will be replaced by the Progress 85 cargo craft on Aug. 24 two days after its launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome.

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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Busy Crew Assists Each Other for Space Science and Lab Upkeep

This nighttime photograph shows the Mediterranean Sea ringed by the coastal city lights of Morocco and Algeria on the African side and Spain on the European side.

The seven-member Expedition 69 crew conducted a wide variety of experimental work on Tuesday including more life science and physics research and installing new science hardware. The maintenance duties aboard the International Space Station included lab stowage work and orbital plumbing tasks.

The station astronauts split their day assisting each other on a host of space research and lab upkeep on Tuesday. NASA Flight Engineer Woody Hoburg began his day swapping samples inside the Microgravity Science Glovebox for a space manufacturing study with help from UAE (United Arab Emirates) astronaut Sultan Alneyadi.

Afterward, Hoburg moved on to support NASA Flight Engineer Stephen Bowen as he loaded the NanoRacks External Platform inside the Kibo laboratory module’s airlock to place science experiments in the harsh environment of outer space. Alneyadi wrapped up his day in the Tranquility module replacing components in the station’s bathroom, also known as the Waste and Hygiene Compartment.

Hoburg would finally end his day in the Quest airlock installing a new overhead stowage platform. Bowen and Alneyadi started the work first removing and transferring the old stowage platform. The platform replacement work increases the equipment stowage volume inside Quest.

NASA astronaut Frank Rubio also worked in Quest at the beginning of the day installing a battery charger and new components that power the spacesuits to sustain astronauts during spacewalks. Rubio ended his day inside Kibo consolidating and stowing hardware making room for upcoming activities planned inside the lab module from JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency).

Heart research was on the Roscosmos work schedule for Flight Engineer Andrey Fedyaev as he attached sensors to himself for a study measuring his cardiac performance in microgravity. Commander Sergey Prokopyev installed and configured hardware to image Earth’s nighttime atmosphere in the ultraviolet wavelength. Flight Engineer Dmitri Petelin started his day checking for leaks between the ISS Progress 84 cargo craft and the Poisk module. In the afternoon, Petelin swapped cargo between Poisk and the Zarya module to accommodate the next Soyuz crew to visit the station in mid-September.

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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Crew Studies Life Science to Improve Health on Earth and in Space

Cosmonaut Sergey Prokopyev (top) is pictured in his Orlan spacesuit during a six-hour and 35-minute spacewalk for upgrades on the International Space Station on Aug. 9, 2023.

Life science to benefit humans on Earth and in space was the top research priority aboard the International Space Station on Monday. The Expedition 69 crew also worked on housekeeping tasks and cargo craft duties to start the workweek.

Research in microgravity reveals new phenomena that would be impossible to discover or observe in Earth’s gravity environment. The unique insights help scientists and doctors promote innovations and develop advanced therapies benefitting humans living on and off the Earth.

Two astronauts partnered together on Monday investigating how to produce stem cells in space using the Life Science Glovebox inside the Kibo laboratory module. Flight Engineers Frank Rubio of NASA and Sultan Alneyadi of UAE (United Arab Emirates) worked in the glovebox servicing stem cell samples that give rise to blood and immune cells with the potential to improve blood disease and cancer therapies on Earth. The StemCellEX-H Pathfinder biotechnology study may expand commercial and research opportunities in space as well as patient remedies on Earth.

NASA Flight Engineer Stephen Bowen wore a specialized vest and headband that monitored his cardiac activity and blood pressure while pedaling on an exercise cycle. The Bio-Monitor wearable sensors are being tested for their ability record astronaut health data without impeding normal activities. Bowen wore the biomedical gear as he exercised for the Cardiobreath cardiovascular and respiratory experiment that seeks to improve crew health.

NASA astronaut Woody Hoburg spent his day mostly on maintenance work with some time set aside for a space manufacturing study. He worked throughout the day unpacking hardware stowed in the Quest airlock so he could prepare it for the installation of a new overhead stowage platform. After lunchtime, Hoburg swapped graphene aerogel samples in the Microgravity Science Glovebox to learn how to manufacture a superior, more uniform structure in weightlessness. The SUBSA-μgGA physics study seeks to benefit Earth and space industries for better power storage, environmental protection, and chemical sensing.

Cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin tested hardware that can remotely control an approaching or departing spacecraft from the Zvezda service module. The duo activated the telerobotically operated rendezvous unit, or TORU, and evaluated its operation with the docked ISS Progress 83 (83P) cargo craft. The 83P is due to end its six-month stay at the orbital lab on Sunday. It will be replaced on Aug. 24 when the ISS Progress 85 resupply ship docks to Zvezda’s rear port two days after its launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

Roscosmos Flight Engineer Andrey Fedyaev had the day off on Monday spending time on personal activities and his daily two-hour workout. After lunch, Fedyaev spent about a half-hour checking life support gear in the Nauka science module.

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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Crops and Manufacturing Studies as Station Orbits Higher

Astronaut Sultan Alneyadi sets up physics research hardware in the Destiny laboratory module's Microgravity Science Glovebox to create a superior graphene aerogel. — Astronaut Sultan Alneyadi sets up physics research hardware in the Destiny laboratory module’s Microgravity Science Glovebox to create a superior graphene aerogel.

Botany and physics topped the research schedule as spacewalk cleanup duties continued aboard the International Space Station on Friday. The Expedition 69 crew also focused on life support maintenance as a U.S. cargo craft fired it engines to boost the orbital outpost.

Sustaining crews independently of cargo missions and taking advantage of microgravity for better manufacturing techniques are key targets for NASA’s and its international partners’ research programs. Friday’s science specifically looked at growing crops in space and advancing manufacturing techniques.

NASA Flight Engineer Frank Rubio set up seed bags for the Plant Habitat-03B study to understand how characteristics of plants grown in space change from one generation to the next. Results may inform ways to grow repeated generations of space crops to support future crewed missions. UAE (United Arab Emirates) astronaut Sultan Alneyadi worked in the Microgravity Science Glovebox servicing samples to learn how to manufacture superior graphene aerogel in microgravity. The SUBSA-μgGA physics study seeks to benefit Earth and space industries for better power storage, environmental protection, and chemical sensing.

The duo also assisted NASA Flight Engineer Woody Hoburg who worked throughout Friday swapping life support gear in the Tranquility module. A failed heat exchanger was removed and a new one was installed then connected to new low temperature loop hoses. NASA Flight Engineer Stephen Bowen aided his crewmates on Friday photographing Alneyadi’s research work and helping Hoburg during his life support maintenance. Bowen later removed sensors that measured his blood pressure and downloaded the data to doctors on the ground.

Cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin continued cleaning their spacesuits and stowing tools and accessories following Wednesday’s spacewalk to install orbital debris shields and relocate a portable workstation. Roscosmos Flight Engineer Andrey Fedyaev assisted with the spacewalk cleanup work finalizing operations with the European robotic arm and stowing medical kits on Friday.

The Northrop Grumman Cygnus cargo spacecraft’s delta velocity thruster fired at 10:35 a.m. EDT Friday for 22 minutes, 48 seconds in a reboost of the International Space Station. The planned maneuver was designed to further refine the phasing for the Roscosmos Progress 85 cargo spacecraft launch on Tuesday, Aug. 22, from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, and its docking to the station Thursday, Aug. 24. It was one of two scheduled reboosts to target the proper trajectory for the Roscosmos Soyuz MS-24 launch and two-orbit rendezvous to the orbiting complex on Sept. 15, as well as the Soyuz MS-23 undocking and landing on Sept. 27.

The reboost also continued the certification of the use of Cygnus as a second spacecraft currently capable of conducting such a maneuver. The Cygnus reboost increased the station’s altitude by 3/10 of a mile at apogee and 2.8 miles at perigee and put the space station in an orbit of 262.5 x 257.6 statute miles.

Crew members who will soon fly aboard NASA’s SpaceX Crew-7 mission will enter quarantine Friday in one of the major milestones before they head to the launch site in Florida to start their mission to the International Space Station. The company’s Falcon 9 rocket is targeted to launch Crew-7 no earlier than 3:49 a.m. EDT on Friday, Aug. 25 from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy.

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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Following Science, Spacewalk Cleanup a Planned Cygnus Boost Approaches

Astronaut Woody Hoburg poses for a portrait inside the vestibule that separates the Unity module from the Cygnus space freighter's hatch. — Astronaut Woody Hoburg poses for a portrait inside the vestibule that separates the Unity module from the Cygnus space freighter’s hatch.

The Expedition 69 crew is continuing to unpack a U.S. cargo craft before it fires engines to reboost the International Space Station on Friday. The orbital residents are also continuing their science and maintenance activities while cleaning up the day after a spacewalk.

NASA astronauts Frank Rubio and Stephen Bowen continued unpacking some of the several tons of science and supplies still packed inside the Cygnus space freighter on Thursday. Cygnus will also fire it engines on Friday reboosting the orbital outpost. This will raise the station to the correct altitude for the upcoming arrival of a Roscosmos cargo craft in two weeks. The station will also be in the proper phasing for a Soyuz crew swap mission planned in mid- to late September.

Rubio also opened up the Combustion Integrated Rack to troubleshoot the computer electronics inside. Bowen monitored his blood pressure throughout the day and swapped samples in the Microgravity Science Glovebox for a space manufacturing study.

NASA Flight Engineer Woody Hoburg spent his day on inflight maintenance as he replaced charcoal filters in the Harmony module and loaded new software on a tablet computer. UAE (United Arab Emirates) astronaut Sultan Alneyadi organized food bags, helped Rubio unload the Cygnus cargo craft, then finally replaced window scratch panes in the cupola.

Commander Sergey Prokopyev and Flight Engineer Dmitri Petelin are cleaning their Orlan spacesuits and stowing spacewalking gear following Wednesday’s spacewalk. The duo spent six hours and 35 minutes in the vacuum of space installing orbital debris shields and relocating a portable workstation on the Roscosmos segment of the space station.

Flight Engineer Andrey Fedyaev is returning the European robotic arm (ERA) to its stowage configuration on the Nauka science module. Fedyaev commanded the ERA during Wednesday’s spacewalk moving the workstation from the Rassvet module to Nauka and testing its ability to maneuver a spacewalker with Prokopyev attached for the first time.

The Roscosmos trio got a late start on Thursday after sleeping in following a good night’s rest. During their cleanup activities, Prokopyev and Petelin also called down to mission controllers to discuss the previous day’s spacewalk activities.

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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Cosmonauts Finish Spacewalk Installing Shields and Relocating Hardware

Cosmonaut Sergey Prokopyev rides the European robotic arm for the first time during a spacewalk in this view from fellow cosmonaut Dmitri Petelin's helmet cam. Credit: NASA TV — Cosmonaut Sergey Prokopyev rides the European robotic arm for the first time during a spacewalk in this view from fellow cosmonaut Dmitri Petelin’s helmet cam. Credit: NASA TV

Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin concluded their spacewalk outside the International Space Station at 5:19 p.m. EDT after 6 hours and 35 minutes.

Prokopyev and Petelin attached three debris shields to the Rassvet module and tested the sturdiness of a work platform affixed to the end of the European robotic arm attached to the Nauka multipurpose laboratory module.

This was the eighth spacewalk in Prokopyev’s career, and the sixth for Petelin. It was the tenth spacewalk at the station in 2023 and the 267th spacewalk for space station assembly, maintenance, and upgrades.

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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Cosmonauts Begin Spacewalk for Station Upgrade Work

Spacewalkers Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin are pictured working outside the space station during the installation of an experiment airlock on the Nauka science module on May 3.

Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin began a spacewalk at 10:44 a.m. EDT to attach three debris shields to the Rassvet module outside the International Space Station and to test the sturdiness of a work platform that will be affixed to the end of the European robotic arm attached to the Nauka multipurpose laboratory module.

Coverage of the spacewalk continues on NASA Television, the NASA app, and the agency’s website.

Prokopyev is wearing an Orlan spacesuit with red stripes, while Petelin is wearing the suit with blue stripes. This is the eighth spacewalk in Prokopyev’s career, and the sixth for Petelin. It is the tenth spacewalk at the station in 2023 and the 267th spacewalk for space station assembly, maintenance, and upgrades.

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.

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

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Cosmonauts Exiting Station for Spacewalk Soon Live on NASA TV

Roscosmos spacewalker Sergey Prokopyev works outside the space station during the installation of an experiment airlock on the Nauka science module on May 3.

NASA coverage is underway for today’s spacewalk with Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin. The duo will exit out of the International Space Station’s Poisk module about 10:45 a.m. EDT to attach three debris shields to the Rassvet module. They also will test the sturdiness of a work platform that will be affixed to the end of the European robotic arm attached to the Nauka multipurpose laboratory module.

Coverage of the spacewalk is on NASA Television, the NASA app, and the agency’s website.

Prokopyev is wearing the Orlan spacesuit with red stripes, while Petelin is wearing the suit with blue stripes.

This will be the eighth spacewalk in Prokopyev’s career, and the sixth for Petelin. It will be the tenth spacewalk at the station in 2023 and the 267th spacewalk for space station assembly, maintenance, and upgrades.

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.

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

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Cancer Therapy, Agriculture Studies One Day Before Spacewalk

Cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin are pictured during a spacewalk on May 12 to deploy and activate a radiator on the Nauka science module.

Stem cells and space botany were the top research objectives for the Expedition 69 crew on Tuesday while still working to unpack a new U.S. cargo craft. Two cosmonauts are also “go” to exit the International Space Station on Wednesday for more upgrades on the orbital lab.

Life science in microgravity enables researchers to observe biological phenomena and achieve unique insights that would be impossible in Earth’s gravity environment. Scientists then apply the new knowledge potentially improving a variety of Earth-bound conditions including human health and agriculture.

Two experiments aboard the station today addressed new cancer therapies and ways to grow crops in space. NASA Flight Engineer Frank Rubio worked in the Kibo laboratory module servicing stem cell samples for the StemCellEX-H Pathfinder study that seeks to improve therapies for blood diseases and cancers such as leukemia. UAE (United Arab Emirates) astronaut Sultan Alneyadi harvested leaves from thale cress plants that are similar to cabbage and mustard for the Plant Habitat-03 experiment to learn how to grow food and sustain crews on future space missions.

NASA astronauts Stephen Bowen and Woody Hoburg focused their day primarily on orbital maintenance. Bowen replaced air filters in the Destiny laboratory module while Hoburg monitored the performance of the advanced resistive exercise device for troubleshooting in the Tranquility module. The duo also had time set aside for some science activities as Bowen processed his blood samples for analysis and Hoburg tested station potable water samples for quality.

All four astronauts continued unpacking some of the 8,200 pounds of science and supplies delivered aboard the Cygnus space freighter on Friday. Cargo activities will be ongoing until late October when Cygnus departs the station completing a three-month orbital stay.

Two cosmonauts are ready to begin the 10^th spacewalk at the station this year to install orbital debris shields and relocate hardware on the orbital outpost’s Roscosmos segment. Commander Sergey Prokopyev and Flight Engineer Dmitri Petelin have completed their procedure reviews and Orlan spacesuit configurations and will begin a six-and-a-half-hour spacewalk at 10:45 a.m. EDT on Wednesday. NASA TV, on the agency’s app and website, begins its live spacewalk coverage at 10:15 a.m.

Flight Engineer Andrey Fedyaev will support the two spacewalkers on Wednesday as he commands the European robotic arm (ERA) from inside the Nauka science module during the planned six-hour and 30-minute excursion. Fedyaev started his day joining Prokopyev and Petelin for the final spacewalk procedures review. He then spent the rest of the day configuring the ERA preparing it for hardware transfers during Wednesday’s spacewalk.

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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Crew Unpacks New Science and Readies for Next Spacewalk

The Cygnus cargo craft approaches the International Space Station on Aug. 4 while orbiting 261 miles above the coast of the Garabogazköl Basin in Turkmenistan.

A U.S. cargo craft is open for business at the International Space Station and two cosmonauts are gearing up for a spacewalk on Wednesday. The Expedition 69 crew also kicked off the work week exploring high temperature physics and ways to make semiconductor crystals.

NASA Flight Engineer Frank Rubio worked throughout Monday unpacking some of the 8,200 pounds of science and supplies delivered aboard Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus space freighter on Friday. A couple of the new experiments include investigations looking at the formation of 3D neuron cell structures and an Astrobee robotic free-flyer to assist astronauts. News crew supplies include food, water, life support gear, and spacewalking hardware.

Flight Engineers Stephen Bowen of NASA and Sultan Alneyadi of UAE (United Arab Emirates) worked on a pair of different space physics investigations on Monday. Bowen swapped out samples inside the Electrostatic Levitation Furnace that explores the thermophysical properties of materials subjected to high temperatures in microgravity. Alneyadi set up new hardware in the Microgravity Science Glovebox to improve the technology of producing semiconductor crystals.

NASA Flight Engineer Woody Hoburg began his day on science maintenance work swapping out research gear and inspecting a rack in the Columbus laboratory module. He also serviced new Cold Atom Lab hardware inside the Destiny laboratory module. The Cold Atom Lab observes the quantum behavior of atoms chilled to temperatures near absolute zero. Hoburg also joined his crewmates and assisted Rubio as he unloaded cargo from inside Cygnus.

Two cosmonauts are in final preparations for the year’s 10^th spacewalk out of the station set to begin at 10:45 a.m. on Wednesday. Commander Sergey Prokopyev and Flight Engineer Dmitri Petelin will exit the Poisk airlock in their Orlan spacesuits and spend about six and a half hours installing micrometeoroid orbital debris shields and relocating hardware. The duo from Roscosmos spent Monday configuring communications gear and checking their spacesuits for leaks. This will be Prokopyev’s and Petelin’s sixth spacewalk together since their first on Nov. 17, 2022.

Roscosmos Flight Engineer Andrey Fedyaev spent his day primarily on life support tasks. He started Monday replacing heat exchanger fans in the Nauka science module. In the afternoon, Fedyaev worked on the Zvezda service module’s Elektron oxygen generator that splits reclaimed water into oxygen and hydrogen.

On Aug. 5, the Progress 83 spacecraft’s thrusters fired for three minutes, 16 seconds in a planned avoidance maneuver to provide the International Space Station an extra measure of distance away from a predicted track of a debris fragment.

The thruster firing occurred at 10:03 p.m. EDT, and the maneuver had no impact on station operations, including the trajectory phasing for either the upcoming Roscosmos Progress 85 cargo launch on Tuesday, Aug. 22, and SpaceX Crew-7 launch on Aug. 25.