November 2023 – Space Station

Robotics, Physics, and Biology as Crew Awaits Next Cargo Mission

Astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli works on the BioFabrication Facility, a biological printer that is testing the printing of organ-like tissues in microgravity.

The Expedition 70 crew members turned their attention toward robotics and physics research today while continuing ongoing space biology studies. The orbital septet also will soon welcome a cargo craft due to launch to the International Space Station early Friday.

NASA Flight Engineer Jasmin Moghbeli turned on the Astrobee robotic free-flyers Thursday morning for a technology demonstration inside the Kibo laboratory module. In the afternoon, she installed components called CLINGERS on the Astrobees and monitored the cube-shaped robotic devices as they conducted docking maneuvers. The experiment seeks to prove new technology that may enable future satellites to rendezvous, dock, and undock autonomously.

Astronaut Satoshi Furukawa also worked in the Kibo lab swapping samples inside the Electrostatic Levitation Furnace. The high-temperature research facility allows safe observations of thermophysical properties such as density surface tension, and viscosity of materials difficult to achieve on Earth. Furukawa from JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) then worked in the afternoon setting up the new uTitan investigation in Kibo’s Life Science Glovebox to explore a method for extracting DNA samples in microgravity.

A variety of space biology investigations were also underway aboard the station seeking to improve life on Earth and in space. NASA Flight Engineer Loral O’Hara kicked off her day configuring the Advanced Plant Habitat for an upcoming botany study to explore how the plant immune system is affected by spaceflight conditions. Commander Andreas Mogensen peered at brain cell-like samples in a microscope for the Cerebral Aging study seeking a deeper understanding of ageing processes and neurodegenerative conditions. Afterward, Mogensen from ESA (European Space Agency) printed cardiac cells using the BioFabrication Facility that is demonstrating printing organ-like tissues in microgravity.

Back on Earth at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the Roscosmos Progress 86 resupply ship stands ready to launch to the orbital outpost at 4:25 a.m. EST on Friday. The Progress 86 will orbit Earth for two days before docking to the station’s Poisk module at 6:14 a.m. on Sunday. Cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub will be on duty monitoring the resupply ship’s arrival and ready to unpack the nearly 5,600 pounds of cargo a few hours later.

Kononenko remained focus on research Thursday activating a 3D printer to learn how to print tools and supplies promoting self-sufficient crews in space. Chub studied how microgravity affects fluid systems then tested futuristic spacecraft and robotic piloting techniques on a computer. Cosmonaut Konstantin Borisov serviced ventilation systems in the Zvezda service module, loaded software on computer tablets, then wrapped up his shift deactivating Earth observation 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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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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Aging, Human Research Studies Ahead of Next Cargo Mission

Nov. 29, 2023: International Space Station Configuration. Five spaceships are parked at the space station including the SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft, the SpaceX Dragon Endurance crew spacecraft, Northrop Grumman's Cygnus space freighter, the Soyuz MS-24 crew ship, and the Progress 85 resupply ship. — Nov. 29, 2023: International Space Station Configuration. Five spaceships are parked at the space station including the SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft, the SpaceX Dragon Endurance crew spacecraft, Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus space freighter, the Soyuz MS-24 crew ship, and the Progress 85 resupply ship.

The International Space Station hosted numerous microgravity experiments on Wednesday investigating how the human body adapts to weightlessness and ways to live and work off the Earth. The Expedition 70 crewmembers also continued preparing for a cargo mission then conducted an emergency drill.

More aging research was underway aboard the orbital lab today as NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli processed samples inside the Kibo laboratory module for the Space AGE study. The biology work took place in Kibo’s Life Science Glovebox and may provide better insights into the aging process on cells and its effects on disease mechanisms both on Earth and in space.

Working in the Columbus laboratory module, NASA Flight Engineer Loral O’Hara configured and wore portable medical gear that is monitoring her blood pressure for the CIPHER human research study. She conducted other research activities throughout the day including inspecting microbial detection hardware and calibrating components inside the Combustion Integrated Rack.

Commander Andreas Mogensen began his day documenting his reactions to a new lighting system that may help astronauts maintain their circadian rhythms in outer space. The ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut then uploaded software for a technology experiment demonstrating how the Astrobee free-flying robotic helpers, and potentially future satellites, can rendezvous, dock, and undock autonomously.

Astronaut Satoshi Furukawa of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) was back on life support duty servicing Kibo’s Internal Thermal Control System (ITCS). The ITCS cools and rejects heat from equipment ensuring a safe operating environment aboard the space station.

The Roscosmos Progress 84 resupply ship ended its cargo mission today after six months docked to the Poisk module. The uncrewed and trash-packed Progress 84 departed the station at 2:55 a.m. EST then reentered the Earth’s atmosphere above the south Pacific Ocean for a fiery, but safe demise a few hours later.

The next cargo mission to resupply the Expedition 70 crew is counting down to launch at 4:25 a.m. on Friday from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The Progress 86 resupply ship, carrying nearly 5,600 pounds of cargo, will take a two-day trip to the orbiting lab and dock to the same port vacated by the Progress 84. Cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub reviewed procedures today for monitoring the approaching cargo craft and practiced remotely controlling the Progress 86 if necessary.

Cosmonaut Konstantin Borisov watered plants and photographed them for a space botany study. Afterward, he checked Roscosmos tablet computers then worked in the Nauka science module maintaining its ventilation systems.

At the end of the day, all four astronauts joined the three cosmonauts and simulated an emergency with ground controllers practicing their roles and responsibilities during the drill. The orbital residents located emergency systems throughout the space lab while coordinating with mission controllers from around the world.

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 Keeps Up Advanced Research Ahead of Cargo Mission Swap

The Roscosmos Progress 84 cargo craft is pictured on May 26 docked to the Poisk module a couple of days after its arrival.

The Expedition 70 crew is continuing its advanced life science work today while gearing up for a cargo mission swap at the International Space Station this week. Meanwhile, the orbital residents also ensured exercise equipment and life support systems remain in good operating condition.

The aging and immunity research taking place aboard the orbital outpost today is using the microgravity environment to gain biomedical insights impossible to achieve on Earth. Cells respond differently to weightlessness helping doctors understand how a variety of organisms from plants to astronauts adapt to life in space. Observations from the space biology experiments may provide advanced therapies to treat ailments on Earth and promote astronaut health on long-term missions.

NASA Flight Engineer Loral O’Hara started Tuesday wearing a vest and headband loaded with sensors that will record her health status for 48 hours. She will answer questions and download the medical data for the CIPHER human research experiment that is observing the long-term physiological and psychological effects of living in space. She then processed brain cell-like samples for the Cerebral Aging study that seeks to understand accelerated aging processes and neurodegenerative conditions, and possibly advance research techniques and drug development.

ESA (European Space Agency) Commander Andreas Mogensen removed blood samples from the Kubik incubator for spinning in the Human Research Facility’s centrifuge. After the samples were processed he placed them in a science freezer for later analysis for a study investigating cellular immunity in space.

NASA Flight Engineer Jasmin Moghbeli spent some time on SpaceX Dragon cargo operations then moved onto testing the operation of the COLBERT treadmill following Monday’s inspection and cleaning activities. Astronaut Satoshi Furukawa of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) replaced components inside a device that scrubs carbon dioxide from the space station’s atmosphere.

The Roscosmos Progress 86 resupply ship rolled out to its launch pad today at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The rocket, loaded with nearly 5,600 pounds of cargo, is due to launch at 4:25 a.m. EST on Friday and automatically dock to the Poisk module at 6:14 a.m. on Sunday. Cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub worked together on Tuesday preparing for its arrival. The duo installed and trained on hardware to monitor the approaching cargo craft and remotely control it if necessary.

The Progress 86 is replacing the Progress 84 spaceship that has been docked to Poisk since May 24. Progress 84, packed with trash and obsolete gear, will depart the station at 2:55 a.m. on Wednesday for a fiery, but safe reentry and disposal above the south Pacific Ocean about three-and-a-half hours later.

There was still plenty of time for research aboard the Roscosmos segment of orbiting lab on Tuesday. Kononenko studied futuristic spacecraft and robotic piloting techniques while Chub explored how electrical and magnetic fields in space may affect fluid systems. Cosmonaut Konstantin turned on an experiment to observe Earth’s nighttime atmosphere in the near ultraviolet wavelength then deactivated the gear following the study’s completion.

Crew Works Advanced Physics, Biology Ahead of Cargo Missions

An aurora dances in the horizon of Earth's atmosphere as city lights shine through clouds cast over Mongolia. — An aurora dances in the horizon of Earth’s atmosphere as city lights shine through clouds cast over Mongolia.

Ultra-cold space physics and immunity research were the top science objectives aboard the International Space Station on Monday. The seven-member Expedition 70 crew is also stepping up its cargo operations this week while continuing to maintain lab systems.

The coldest place in the universe may just be the orbital outpost’s Cold Atom Lab, a quantum research device that chills atoms to near absolute zero, lower than the average temperature of space. NASA Flight Engineer Jasmin Moghbeli configured components and installed hardware for a controller test of the facility that provides unique observations of atomic wave functions seen at extremely low temperatures not possible on Earth.

Moghbeli also assisted Commander Andreas Mogensen inside the Columbus laboratory module setting up the Kubik incubator first thing Monday morning. Next, Mogensen from ESA (European Space Agency) collected and processed his blood and saliva samples for the Immunity Assay biology study that is exploring cellular immunity in space. Afterward, he placed a set of samples inside a science freezer and placed another set inside Kubik for later analysis.

Astronauts Loral O’Hara and Satoshi Furukawa focused mainly on maintenance throughout Monday. O’Hara spent the afternoon inspecting the COLBERT treadmill in the Tranquility module. She photographed and cleaned components, checked pin alignment and treadmill slats, and greased axles. Furukawa from JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) worked in the Kibo laboratory module servicing gear that cools and rejects heat from equipment to ensure a safe operating environment aboard the space station.

Furukawa later partnered with Mogensen and Moghbeli loading cargo inside the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft docked to the Harmony module’s forward port. The Dragon cargo spacecraft arrived on Nov. 11 carrying about 6,500 pounds of gear including advanced science hardware to study laser communications and atmospheric gravity waves. Dragon is due to return to Earth in mid-December packed with hardware and completed science experiments for retrieval and analysis.

The Roscosmos Progress 84 resupply ship will end its mission when it departs on Wednesday after six months docked to the Poisk module. Flight Engineer Nikolai Chub packed trash and discarded gear inside the departing Progress that will reenter the atmosphere above the south Pacific Ocean for a fiery, but safe disposal. It will be replaced when the Progress 86, packed with nearly 5,600 pounds of cargo, launches at 4:25 a.m. EST on Friday and automatically docks to Poisk at 6:14 a.m. on Sunday.

Veteran cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko started his day pointing a specialized camera toward Earth to gain atmospheric and climatic data. Next, he studied how fluid systems are affected by spaceflight conditions such as electrical and magnetic fields. First-time space flyer Konstantin Borisov began Monday servicing a variety of life support and communications gear. During the afternoon, he collected air samples throughout the station’s Roscosmos modules for chemical 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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Crew Continues Biology Research, Station Upkeep on Friday

An aurora dances in the horizon of Earth's atmosphere as city lights shine through clouds cast over Mongolia while the International Space Station orbited 263 miles above. — An aurora dances in the horizon of Earth’s atmosphere as city lights shine through clouds cast over Mongolia while the International Space Station orbited 263 miles above.

The Expedition 70 crew is back to work following yesterday’s off-duty day to observe the Thanksgiving holiday. After enjoying holiday treats like chocolate, duck, quail, seafood, pumpkin spice cappuccino and more, the seven International Space Station residents focused on space biology research and station upkeep on Friday.

In the morning, Flight Engineer Jasmin Moghbeli of NASA serviced components on the BioFabrication Facility (BFF), a 3D printer used to print organ-like tissues in microgravity. She then moved on to other space biology tasks, deploying the work volume in the Life Sciences Glovebox to culture cells for the Bacterial Adhesion and Corrosion investigation, a study that examines bacterial genes in microgravity and whether they can corrode various surfaces in the orbiting laboratory. Studies of the sort help researchers better understand the effectiveness of disinfection in extreme environments.

Commander Andreas Mogensen of ESA (European Space Agency) took over Moghbeli’s work on BFF, continuing to service components throughout the afternoon. Ahead of this task, he captured images of cells for the Cerebral Aging investigation, which may provide insights to scientists on Earth on accelerated aging symptoms.

Cargo transfers continued throughout Friday as Flight Engineer Loral O’Hara of NASA spent the morning unstowing items from the Dragon spacecraft that arrived to the station last week. In the afternoon, she completed some orbital plumbing, testing the tank capacity of the Brine Processor.

Flight Engineer Satoshi Furukawa of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) was also tasked with orbital plumbing in the morning, setting up the drain in the wastewater processing system. Throughout the rest of the day, he continued with station upkeep, cleaning and inspecting hatches.

The Roscosmos trio living and working in microgravity—Flight Engineers Nikolai Chub, Oleg Kononenko, and Konstantin Borisov— spent Friday prepping the Progress 84 spacecraft ahead of its undocking from the Poisk module at 2:55 a.m. EST Wednesday, Nov. 29. Kononenko also powered up a 3D printer to demonstrate printing tools and parts in space.

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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More Space Biology, Lab Upkeep Day Before Thanksgiving

Four Expedition 70 crewmates wish a Happy Thanksgiving from the International Space Station to the Earth below. Watch the video on YouTube. Credit: NASA TV

All seven members of the Expedition 70 crew spent Wednesday continuing its space biology research and maintaining the upkeep of the International Space Station. The orbital septet will also observe the Thanksgiving holiday and share a traditional turkey meal aboard the space laboratory.

Astronauts Jasmin Moghbeli, Satoshi Furukawa, and Andreas Mogensen kicked off the day with a periodic health evaluation checking each other’s temperature, blood pressure, pulse, and respiratory rate. The trio also took turns using an otoscope examining their ear canals and eardrums. Doctors are constantly monitoring how living and working in microgravity affects an astronaut’s health.

Afterward, NASA’s Moghbeli processed liver stem samples inside the Life Science Glovebox for the Space AGE investigation exploring regenerative medicine technology. Furukawa from JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) worked in the Kibo laboratory module’s airlock removing lithium-ion batteries and installing research gear to be exposed to the space environment. Mogensen from ESA (European Space Agency) wore a specialized vest filled with sensors monitoring his heart and breathing for the Cardiobreath blood pressure study.

NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara performed orbital plumbing tasks in both the station’s Tranquility module and the SpaceX Dragon Endurance spacecraft. She then filmed a video for students on Earth demonstrating how to use a microscope in the microgravity environment of the space station.

In the orbiting lab’s Roscosmos segment, five-time station visitor and cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko swapped out life support and electronics gear. He also joined cosmonaut Nikolai Chub and tested communications with the Progress 84 cargo craft that is due to undock from the Poisk module and depart at the end of the month. Chub also partnered with Flight Engineer Konstantin Borisov for abdomen scans using an ultrasound device after breakfast to learn how microgravity affects the digestive system. Borisov later worked on ventilation systems in the Rassvet module.

On Thursday, the entire seven-member crew will take the day off, relax, and enjoy a hearty meal. The seven crewmates from four countries are due to enjoy a Thanksgiving feast with items such as turkey, duck, quail, seafood, and cranberry sauce. Treats awaiting the crew include chocolate, pumpkin spice cappuccino, rice cake, and mochi. Crew preference is also considered when planning festive meals in space.

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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Space Biology, Manufacturing Research Helping Plan Future Long-Term Missions

Astronaut Andreas Mogensen operates a microscope to capture imagery of brain cell-like samples for the Cerebral Ageing space biology study. — Astronaut Andreas Mogensen operates a microscope to capture imagery of brain cell-like samples for the Cerebral Aging space biology study.

Astronaut health, an aging study, and cargo operations kept the Expedition 70 crew busy on Tuesday. The International Space Station residents also explored space manufacturing and downloaded radiation data.

Scientists representing NASA and its international partners are collecting a multitude of physiological and psychological data from crew members living on the orbital outpost. The observations from the CIPHER suite of 14 human research experiments will help researchers and mission planners understand health issues astronauts may face on future missions. Insights from the space biology study will be especially useful when crews begin traveling longer and farther away from Earth toward the Moon, Mars, and beyond.

NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara spent most of Tuesday contributing to the CIPHER study processing blood and urine samples and participating in a cognition test. She processed the samples in a centrifuge and stowed them in a science freezer for later analysis. Results from the sample analyses and cognition tests will help doctors and astronauts prepare for long-term radiation exposure, isolation, extreme distances, and closed environments.

Aging is a key research topic aboard the space station as researchers study microgravity’s effect on brain cell-like samples. NASA Flight Engineer Jasmin Moghbeli was busy during the morning treating some of those samples inside the Kibo laboratory module’s Life Science Glovebox. The Cerebral Aging study may provide insights unachievable on Earth into accelerated aging symptoms, neurodegenerative diseases, and hypersensitivity to ultraviolet radiation on a molecular level. Results may promote advanced health treatments on Earth and in space.

Morale is also a very important characteristic to ensure mission success during long periods in deep space. Scientists are exploring the hypothesis that virtual reality experiences onboard a spacecraft may lead to less stress and greater mental relaxation. Commander Andreas Mogensen from ESA (European Space Agency) took part in that study today, VR Mental Care, wearing VR goggles and a controller, and watching a 360-degree movie to understand its stabilizing effect on the nervous system.

Astronaut Satoshi Furukawa from JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) worked inside the SpaceX Dragon Endurance crew spacecraft checking orbital plumbing gear with assistance from Mogensen. In the Harmony module’s port adjacent to Endurance, Moghbeli worked on cargo transfers inside the Dragon cargo spacecraft as O’Hara photographed some of the specially delivered gear.

3D printing in space is critical as crews traveling farther in space will be less dependent on cargo missions launched from Earth. Veteran cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko printed test samples in a 3D printer to learn how to manufacture tools and supplies on demand in microgravity. The five-time station resident also attached sensors to himself measuring his cardiac activity for a long-running Roscosmos experiment.

Roscosmos Flight Engineer Konstantin Borisov assisted Kononenko with the cardiac sensor attachments, checked camera hardware, then downloaded monthly radiation detection data. Flight Engineer Nikolai Chub explored how spaceflight conditions such as spacecraft vibrations, electric fields, and magnetic fields affect fluid 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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Crew Studies Biology and Works in Dragon as Station Turns 25

The space station is pictured from the SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour during its departure and flyaround on Nov. 8, 2021.

Space biology and Dragon work were the top duties at the beginning of the week for the Expedition 70 crew. The International Space Station also turned 25 years old today with its first module having orbited Earth since 1998.

Eye scans were on the biomedical research schedule for four astronauts on Monday afternoon. Commander Andreas Mogensen kicked off the exams activating the Ultrasound 2 device then setting up communications gear allowing doctors on the ground to remotely monitor the activities. Mogensen from ESA (European Space Agency) then took turns with flight engineers Loral O’Hara, Jasmin Moghbeli, and Satoshi Furukawa in the Columbus laboratory module participating in the regularly scheduled eye exams.

Mogensen partnered with Moghbeli from NASA at the end of the day and practiced SpaceX Dragon Endurance undocking and landing procedures on the crew spacecraft’s computers. Mogensen earlier unpacked medical supply kits from Endurance and stowed them inside the orbital outpost. O’Hara from NASA and Furukawa from JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) worked inside Endurance as well configuring orbital plumbing gear in the vehicle that has been docked to the station since Aug. 27.

O’Hara later worked on a space botany study to promote STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education among tribal members. Five varieties of seeds provided by the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma are exposed to microgravity for several months then returned to Earth and planted next to the same seeds left on Earth for comparison. Furukawa turned off a microscope in the Kibo laboratory module and removed samples for a study that was observing how cells sense gravity or the lack gravity. He then stayed in Kibo setting up research hardware and connecting an incubator for an upcoming experiment to observe stem cell growth that may support regenerative medicine technology.

In the Roscosmos segment of the space station, veteran cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko spent the day inside the Nauka science module checking its airlock, ventilation, and docking systems. Flight Engineer Nikolai Chub attached sensors to himself monitoring his cardiac activity then cleaned air ducts inside the Nauka and Poisk modules. Flight Engineer Konstantin Borisov wore a sensor-packed cap that recorded his responses while practicing futuristic planetary and robotic piloting techniques on a computer.

On Nov. 20, the International Space Station passes 25 years since the first module launched into orbit. The Zarya module lifted off in November 1998 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan and would shortly be joined by the Unity module less than a month later. Through this global endeavor, 273 people from 21 countries now have visited the unique microgravity laboratory that has hosted more than 3,000 research and educational investigations from people in 108 countries and areas.

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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Space Biology Research Wraps Up Crew’s Work Week

The sun's first rays begin illuminating Earth's atmosphere as the space station orbited 260 miles above the central United States. — The sun’s first rays begin illuminating Earth’s atmosphere as the space station orbited 260 miles above the central United States.

Bacteria, brain aging, and gravity-sensing cells were the main research subjects aboard the International Space Station on Friday. The seven Expedition 70 crew members also worked on computers, communications gear, and life support maintenance to wrap up the work week.

NASA Flight Engineer Loral O’Hara explored how microorganisms grow in microgravity, the potential damage they cause to spacecraft, and ways to disinfect the harmful bacteria. She inoculated microbe samples inside the Life Science Glovebox that will be compared to uninoculated samples. The NASA-sponsored Bacteria Adhesion and Corrosion study takes place in the Kibo laboratory module and aims to keep space crews and humans on Earth healthy.

Commander Andreas Mogensen from ESA (European Space Agency) viewed cell samples under a microscope for the Cerebral Aging experiment. The study looks at brain cell-like samples to understand accelerated aging symptoms seen in patients on Earth and observed in astronauts on long-term space missions.

Astronaut Satoshi Furukawa from JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) prepared different cell samples for observation inside the Confocal Microscope then closed out the Cell Gravisensing biology Investigation. Earlier in the day, he swapped hard drives on a laptop computer then assisted O’Hara continuing to unpack the SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft.

NASA Flight Engineer Jasmin Moghbeli spent her day in the Harmony module configuring a variety of NASA and Roscosmos hardware. She first calibrated an ultrasonic inspection device that uses high-frequency sound waves to analyze materials, Afterward, Moghbeli checked space-to-ground, VHF, and inter-module communication systems.

Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko researched 3D printing techniques to learn how to manufacture tools and supplies in space and reduce dependence on cargo missions from Earth. Cosmonaut Nikolai Chub spent his day on life support and electronics maintenance. Cosmonaut Konstantin Borisov configured Soyuz crew ship and Progress resupply ship laptop computers then continued his photographic analysis of the station’s Roscosmos modules.

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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Station Research Benefits Humans on Earth, Crews in Space

Astronaut Loral O'Hara uses a portable glovebag to replace components on a biological printer that tests the printing of organ-like tissues in microgravity. — Astronaut Loral O’Hara uses a portable glovebag to replace components on a biological printer that tests the printing of organ-like tissues in microgravity.

A variety of research taking place today on the International Space Station is helping NASA and its partners support crews living and working off the Earth. The ongoing Expedition 70 investigations are informing ways to improve human health and plan future missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.

Astronauts Loral O’Hara and Satoshi Furukawa joined each other in the Columbus laboratory module for vein scans using the Ultrasound 2 device. Doctors on the ground assisted the duo monitoring how weightlessness affects the neck, shoulder, and leg veins, and learning how to keep crews healthy.

O’Hara from NASA also teamed up with fellow NASA Flight Engineer Jasmin Moghbeli and worked in the Tranquility module throughout Thursday. Both astronauts were clearing hardware from the Bishop airlock to make space for the NanoRacks External Platform. Bishop will open its door to space and the platform will be retrieved by the Canadarm2 robotic arm for scientific operations outside of the orbital laboratory. The external research gear is designed to carry experiments for exposure to the vacuum of outer space.

Furukawa from JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) collected cell samples from an incubator and placed them inside the Confocal Microscope to observe how they sense microgravity. He also swapped a gas bottle inside the Electrostatic Levitation Furnace then assisted O’Hara and Moghbeli with the NanoRacks work.

Commander Andreas Mogensen from ESA (European Space Agency) began his day with a conference with ESA managers, charged portable electronics inside the SpaceX Dragon Endurance spacecraft, then set up Earth science hardware. The two-time station visitor then supported a student-designed space botany experiment, analyzed station water samples, and serviced spacesuit batteries.

Veteran Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko practiced futuristic piloting techniques that may be used to operate spacecraft and robots on potential planetary missions. Flight Engineer Nikolai Chub tested a 3D printer for its ability to manufacture tools and supplies without assistance from Earth. Flight Engineer Konstantin Borisov worked on orbital plumbing duties inside the Nauka science module then conducted a photographic analysis of the station’s Roscosmos modules.

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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