Space Station – Page 40 – Off The Earth, For The Earth

Ax-3 Research on Station Advancing Health and Space Tech

Astronaut Satoshi Furukawa peers at the Earth from inside the cupola as the International Space Station orbited above the south Atlantic Ocean.

Biomedical science and advanced technology topped the research schedule for the 11 crew members representing Expedition 70 and Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3). The International Space Station residents are also gearing up for the arrival of a U.S. cargo craft next week.

Cancer research and space botany were the focus of Wednesday’s biology work as the Ax-3 crew continued its busy space science schedule. Pilot Walter Villadei observed cancerous cell cultures inside the Kermit microscope to understand how microgravity conditions such as radiation affect cancer growth. Mission Specialist Alper Gezeravcı processed microbe samples growing in petri dishes for a study exploring using propolis, a natural antibacterial agent, on space station surfaces. Both experiments seek to improve health on Earth and in space.

Robotics is an important part of the Ax-3 science mission as Mission Specialist Marcus Wandt tested remotely controlling robots on Earth from the space station. The Surface Avatar study explores the orbit-to-ground control of robots that may inform future missions on Mars or asteroids. Commander and former NASA astronaut Michael López-Alegría assisted his Ax-3 crewmates throughout the day while also servicing a variety of life support hardware onboard the orbiting lab.

Station Commander Andreas Mogensen of ESA (European Space Agency) kicked off his day watching a virtual reality movie exploring VR’s potential to sustain mental health during long duration missions. He later set up the Kermit microscope and the Life Science Glovebox to support Ax-3 research. Flight Engineer Satoshi Furukawa from JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) turned off and stowed the Kermit microscope at the end of the Ax-3 cancer study. He also assisted NASA Flight Engineer Loral O’Hara cleaning cooling loops inside a pair of U.S. spacesuits.

O’Hara joined NASA Flight Engineer Jasmin Moghbeli at the end of the day and practiced on a computer capturing Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus space freighter with the Canadarm2 robotic arm. Cygnus is due to launch early next week and arrive a day-and-a-half later when Moghbeli will command the Canadarm2 to capture Cygnus as O’Hara monitors its arrival. Moghbeli spent most of Wednesday swapping out station science hardware.

The orbital outpost’s three cosmonauts remained focused on their list of Roscosmos science tasks. Veteran cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko strapped sensors to himself measuring his heart activity in microgravity for a long-running cardiac study. Flight Engineer Nikolai Chub explored futuristic robotic and spacecraft piloting techniques on a computer that may inform planetary missions. Flight Engineer Konstantin Borisov swapped out a lens on a camera pointed toward Earth then participated in a space digestion study with Chub. At the end of the day, Borisov scanned Chub’s optical nerve, retina, and cornea using standard medical imaging hardware found on Earth.

At 1 p.m. EST on Thursday, mission managers on NASA TV will discuss the upcoming SpaceX Crew-8 mission to the space station. Following that, at 2:30 p.m. the SpaceX Crew-8 mission members will introduce themselves as they count down to launch next month.

Both news conferences will be available on the NASA+ streaming service via the web or NASA app, and will air live on NASA Television, the NASA app, YouTube, and the agency’s website. Learn how to stream NASA TV through a variety of platforms including social media.

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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Station Crew Assists Ax-3 on Advanced Space Research

The four Axiom Mission 3 astronauts (front row) and the seven Expedition 70 crew members wave to the camera following a crew greeting ceremony on Jan. 20, 2024. Credit: NASA TV

The Expedition 70 crew spent Tuesday on a host of research activities and spacesuit maintenance while assisting their Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3) guests. The four Ax-3 crew members had their hands full as they explored cancer research, space botany, and robotics for Earth and space benefits.

Astronauts Andreas Mogensen, Loral O’Hara, and Satoshi Furukawa dedicated part of their schedule on Tuesday to the Ax-3 mission. The trio helped the four private astronauts get up to speed with life on orbit as well as conduct advanced microgravity science.

Mogensen from ESA (European Space Agency) spent a couple of hours ensuring the Ax-3 crewmates are familiarized with systems throughout the orbital lab. O’Hara from NASA set up the Life Science Glovebox (LSG) for an Ax-3 space botany investigation while Furukawa from JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration) activated a microscope to look at cell samples for an Ax-3 cancer study.

Ax-3 Commander Michael López-Alegría and Mission Specialist Alper Gezeravcı worked in the Kibo laboratory module’s LSG and tested the genetic editing of space-grown plants. Results may enable genetic modifications allowing plants to adapt to weightlessness and promote crew health. Ax-3 Pilot Walter Villadei peered at cell samples inside the Kermit microscope to learn how to predict and prevent cancer both on Earth and in space.

Ax-3 Mission Specialist Marcus Wandt tested the ability to remotely control robots on Earth from the space station. Working in the Columbus laboratory module, Wandt used a laptop computer to command a team of Earth-bound robots simulating a robotic exploration mission on another planet controlled from a spacecraft.

Mogensen would go on to organize food packs, charge virtual reality hardware for a mental health study, then videotape a space physics demonstration for junior high school students. Furukawa serviced science freezers and combustion research gear before cleaning vents inside the Unity module. Furukawa wrapped up his day with eye checks with NASA Flight Engineer Jasmin Moghbeli. O’Hara operated the medical imaging gear examining the optic nerve, retina, and cornea of both astronauts. Moghbeli earlier installed and tested a camera and lights on a spacesuit helmet.

The orbiting lab’s three cosmonauts from Roscosmos focused on operations in their segment of the International Space Station. Veteran Flight Engineer Oleg Kononenko spent his day inspecting the Zvezda service module and servicing communication and computer systems in the Nauka science module. Flight Engineer Nikolai Chub photographed the condition of Zvezda’s windows then studied how microgravity conditions such as magnetic and electrical fields affect fluid physics. Flight Engineer Konstantin Borisov deactivated Earth observation gear, downloaded vibration data the station experiences while orbiting Earth, then worked on orbital plumbing duties.

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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Expedition 70 and Ax-3 Crews Working Together on Station

The SpaceX Dragon Freedom spacecraft carrying the Ax-3 crew is pictured approaching the space station above southern India.

Eleven astronauts and cosmonauts from around the world are living and working together aboard the International Space Station today. The four Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3) private astronauts met the seven Expedition 70 crew members on Saturday beginning two weeks of dual operations.

The Ax-3 crew spent the weekend getting familiar with space station systems and emergency procedures before starting Monday with a full schedule of science and media activities. Ax-3 Commander Michael López-Alegría joined Pilot Walter Villadei and studied how microgravity affects the biochemistry of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s to improve health on Earth and in space. The duo later inserted samples into a fluorescence microscope for a study seeking to prevent and predict cancer diseases to protect crews in space and humans on Earth.

Mission Specialist Alper Gezeravcı worked on a space botany experiment looking at ways to sustain spacecraft life support systems and improve crop yields on Earth. Mission Specialist Marcus Wandt explored plasma physics observing low temperature gaseous mixtures composed of ionized gas, neutral gas, and micron-sized particles. The foursome then called down to Earth at the end of the day talking to space professionals in Vienna, Austria, about their mission.

The Expedition 70 crew spent Monday on a variety of science and maintenance tasks while assisting the Ax-3 crew. The orbital residents are also preparing for an upcoming cargo mission.

NASA Flight Engineers Loral O’Hara and Jasmin Moghbeli partnered together Monday afternoon getting ready for a Cygnus cargo mission planned to launch next week. The duo reviewed Cygnus’ mission profile, rendezvous procedures, and command and control interfaces. Both astronauts will be on duty commanding the Canadarm2 robotic arm to capture Cygnus when it arrives at the orbital outpost.

Astronaut Satoshi Furukawa from JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) took turns with Moghbeli, astronaut Andreas Mogensen, and cosmonaut Konstantin Borisov for a vision test using the standard eye chart seen in doctors’ offices on Earth. Furukawa then organized food inside the Permanent Multipurpose Module and Unity module before servicing a variety of science and life support gear the rest of the day.

Mogensen worked in the Tranquility module cleaning the ventilation system before conducting a session for the VR Mental Care study exploring how virtual reality movies may improve crew morale. At the end of the day, the Expedition 70 Commander then assisted the Ax-3 crew members helping them get used to life in microgravity.

In the station’s Roscosmos segment, the three cosmonauts focused on their set of science and maintenance tasks. Borisov installed hardware for a pair of Earth observation experiments, one uses a student-controlled camera targeting landmarks on the ground, the other views the nighttime atmosphere in ultraviolet wavelengths. Veteran Flight Engineer Oleg Kononenko started his day updating computer software then studied piloting techniques future crew members may use on planetary missions. Flight Engineer Nikolai Chub attached sensors to his chest for a heart study, inventoried medical gear, then cleaned station cameras.

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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Four Ax-3 Astronauts Board Station and Meet Expedition 70 Crew

The four Axiom Mission 3 astronauts (front row) gather with the Expedition 70 crew inside the International Space Station's Harmony module. Credit: NASA TV — The four Axiom Mission 3 astronauts (front row) gather with the Expedition 70 crew inside the International Space Station’s Harmony module. Credit: NASA TV

Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3) astronauts Michael López-Alegría, Walter Villadei, Marcus Wandt, and Alper Gezeravci are now aboard the International Space Station following Dragon’s hatch opening at 7:13 a.m. EST, Saturday, Jan. 20.

Ax-3 docked to the orbital complex at 5:42 a.m. while the spacecraft was flying 262 miles above the Pacific Ocean, west of South America. It is the third mission with an entirely private crew to arrive at the orbiting laboratory.

The Axiom Space crew are joining Expedition 70 crew members aboard station, including NASA astronauts Jasmin Moghbeli and Loral O’Hara, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Andreas Mogensen, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Furukawa Satoshi, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Konstantin Borisov, Oleg Kononenko, and Nikolai Chub.

Next up, the station crew members will take part in a welcome ceremony aboard the International Space Station.

Axiom Space astronauts are expected to depart the space station Feb. 3, pending weather, for a return to Earth and splashdown at a landing site off the coast of Florida.

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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Ax-3 Docks to Station Aboard Dragon Spacecraft

The SpaceX Dragon Freedom spacecraft carrying four Axiom Mission 3 astronauts is pictured docked to the space station shortly after an orbital sunrise. Credit: NASA TV

Axiom Mission 3 astronauts Michael López-Alegría, Walter Villadei, Marcus Wandt, and Alper Gezeravci arrived at the International Space Station at 5:42 a.m. EST Saturday, Jan. 20. Dragon docked to the orbital complex while the spacecraft was flying about 262 miles over the Pacific Ocean, west of South America.

Live coverage continues on the NASA+ streaming service, NASA Television, the NASA app, and the agency’s website for hatch opening and crew remarks.

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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Ax-3 Mission Approaching Station Live on NASA TV

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying four Axiom Mission 3 astronauts aboard the Dragon Freedom spacecraft launches from the Kennedy Space Center. Credit: NASA/Chris Swanson

The NASA+ streaming service, NASA Television, the NASA app, and the agency’s website are providing live coverage for the arrival of the Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3) to the International Space Station. Ax-3 astronauts Michael López-Alegría, Walter Villadei, Marcus Wandt and Alper Gezeravci are scheduled to dock as early as 5:40 a.m. EST Saturday, Jan 20, to the space-facing port of the station’s Harmony module.

The NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX teams are now conducting integrated operations which begins during the spacecraft’s approach to the International Space Station. NASA maintains mission responsibility during integrated operations, which continues during the crew’s stay aboard the orbiting laboratory conducting science, education, and commercial activities, and concludes once Dragon exits the area of the space station.

When Axiom Space Mission 3 arrives to the International Space Station, it will be the third mission with an entirely private crew to visit the orbiting laboratory.

The welcome ceremony is expected to start shortly after the Dragon’s hatch opens at approximately 7:20 a.m. Live mission coverage will end with the conclusion of the ceremony.

The third all private astronaut mission lifted off at 4:49 p.m. EST Thursday, Jan. 18, on a Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

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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Station Awaits Dragon Carrying Four Ax-3 Astronauts

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Kennedy Space Center carrying four Axiom Mission 3 astronauts aboard the Dragon Freedom spacecraft. Credit: SpaceX

The seven-member Expedition 70 crew will welcome the third private astronaut mission from Axiom Space to the International Space Station on Saturday. The Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3) mission lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Thursday carrying four astronauts aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. The foursome will conduct a two-week research and education mission on the orbital outpost.

Station Flight Engineers Loral O’Hara and Jasmin Moghbeli, both from NASA, will be on duty monitoring Dragon when it begins its automated approach and rendezvous. Dragon will dock to the forward port on the station’s Harmony module at around 4:19 a.m. EST on Saturday. About an hour-and-a-half later, the hatches will open and Ax-3 Commander Michael Lopez-Alegria will enter the space station followed by Pilot Walter Villadei and Mission Specialists Alper Gezeravci and Marcus Wandt.

Coverage will air live beginning at 2:30 a.m. Saturday on the NASA+ streaming service, NASA TV, the NASA app, YouTube, and the agency’s website. Learn how to stream NASA TV through a variety of platforms, including social media.

Lopez-Alegria, a dual citizen of the United States and Spain, is making his second visit to the station as a private astronaut from Axiom Space. This will be Lopez-Alegria’s sixth time to space. The three other Ax-3 crew members, Villadei from Italy, Gezeravci from Turkey, and Wandt from Sweden, are each making their first flight to space.

O’Hara and Moghbeli had light duty on the orbital outpost on Friday ahead of a busy day of dual crew operations on Saturday. The two NASA astronauts began Friday with housecleaning tasks and computer maintenance before taking the afternoon off. Astronauts Andreas Mogensen from ESA (European Space Agency) and Satoshi Furukawa from JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) helped out with the lab tidying duties before splitting up to service science hardware and tablet computers. The ESA and JAXA duo also had a light duty day taking half the day off at the end of the week.

The station’s three cosmonauts from Roscosmos stayed busy throughout Friday focusing on their schedule of science and maintenance. Five-time station flight engineer Oleg Kononenko started his day installing software on a computer in the Nauka science module then inspected surfaces inside the Zvezda service module. Flight Engineer Nikolai Chub jogged on a treadmill for a fitness assessment before studying how magnetic and electrical fields affect fluid physics. Flight Engineer Konstantin Borisov spent his day on a variety of life support and orbital plumbing work in the space station’s Roscosmos segment.

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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Ax-3 Go for Launch; Crew Continues Space Botany and Fluid Research

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the Dragon crew ship atop blasts off on April 9, 2022, from NASA's Kennedy Space Center carrying the first private astronauts to the space station during Axiom Mission-1. Credit: SpaceX — The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the Dragon crew ship atop blasts off on April 9, 2022, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center carrying the first private astronauts to the space station during Axiom Mission-1. Credit: SpaceX

Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3) is go for launch as four private astronauts gear up to head to the space station later this afternoon. Space botany and fluid research continue into Thursday for the Expedition 70 crew members as they await the arrival of Ax-3.

The third private astronaut mission to the International Space Station is scheduled to lift off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 4:49 p.m. EST today, Jan. 18. Ax-3 crew members, Commander Michael López-Alegría, Pilot Walter Villadei of Italy, Mission Specialist Alper Gezeravcı of Turkey, and ESA (European Space Agency) project astronaut Marcus Wandt of Sweden, will launch aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. Scheduled to arrive to the station at 5:15 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 20, the quartet will spend about two weeks conducting science and research in microgravity before returning to Earth.

After yesterday’s initial harvest aboard the orbital lab, the second and third round of wild-type tomatoes were harvested from Plant Habitat-06 by NASA Flight Engineer Loral O’Hara. The investigation takes a look at the physiological and genetic responses to defense activation and immune function in tomatoes during spaceflight. O’Hara also spent part of her day checking hardware for the upcoming arrival of Ax-3.

Fluid research that began yesterday continued into Thursday as Flight Engineers Jasmin Moghbeli of NASA and Satoshi Furukawa of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) performed root tests for root zone, flow resistance, phase distribution, and stability in Plant Water Management 5. In the evening, the duo then conducted ultrasounds of their necks, clavicles, shoulders, and behind their knees.

ESA (European Space Agency) Commander Andreas Mogensen took over work with Plant Management 5, testing the performance of the separator and water trap before draining and stowing the facility.

Two Cosmonauts teamed up in the afternoon—Flight Engineers Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub—to remove and replace the heat exchanger unit in the air conditioning system. Kononenko later conducted a cargo audit in the Prichal module. Flight Engineer Konstantin Borisov ran a Pilot-T session in the morning, an ongoing experiment to practice piloting techniques, before performing a storage audit in the Nauka module.

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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Ax-3 Launch Date Adjusted; Crew Harvests Plants and Conducts Fluid Research

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the company's Dragon spacecraft aboard is seen on the launch pad at Launch Complex 39A ahead of Axiom Mission 3 launch. Credit: SpaceX — A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the company’s Dragon spacecraft aboard is seen on the launch pad at Launch Complex 39A ahead of Axiom Mission 3 launch. Credit: SpaceX

As part of NASA’s efforts to open access to space, SpaceX and Axiom Space now are targeting no earlier than 4:49 p.m. EST Thursday, Jan. 18, for launch of the third private mission to the International Space Station. The date adjustment for Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3) allows additional time for SpaceX to complete data analysis of the parachute system energy modulator—the straps that connect the Dragon spacecraft’s parachute bag to the parachute door.

Following Dragon’s return on its 29th commercial resupply services mission to station, SpaceX observed some of the stitches didn’t pull through in the expected manner. While there is built-in margin through multiple energy modulators, SpaceX felt it was prudent to evaluate recent test data and this condition has been corrected on Ax-3. These straps are folded and stitched together such that when they pull apart, the connecting stitches intentionally break, allowing the straps to pull apart at a constant force. This regulates the amount of load applied to the main parachutes, which takes place as the parachute door and drogues extract the mains out of the spacecraft during the handoff from drogues to mains.

SpaceX proactively wanted to inspect the energy modulators on the Ax-3 parachutes and the team removed the parachute door this past week, inspected the energy modulators, correct alignment of the modulators, and then re-installed the doors.

SpaceX and NASA continue to work together on future flight hardware procedures.

For more information, listen to a replay of the Axiom Mission 3 prelaunch news conference.

Aboard the space station, the first wild-type tomatoes from Plant Habitat-06 were harvested aboard the orbital lab today by NASA Flight Engineer Loral O’Hara. Part of an ongoing suite of experiments, this specific investigation takes a look at the physiological and genetic responses to defense activation and immune function in tomatoes during spaceflight.

While space botany was underway, two crew members conducted fluid research with the Plant Water Management 5 system. In the morning, NASA Flight Engineer Jasmin Moghbeli prepped fluids and primed the facility after installing it yesterday. Moghbeli also tested the hydroponic flow of the system. ESA (European Space Agency) Commander Andreas Mogensen later took over, spot checking the fluidic test cell. Mogensen also completed a VR Mental Care session, which demonstrates the use of virtual reality for mental relaxation.

JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) Flight Engineer Satoshi Furukawa was tasked with a suite of maintenance activities throughout the day. He performed tech troubleshooting in the morning, then set up the Internal Ball Camera in the Kibo Laboratory. Afterward, he analyzed water samples from the water processor assembly before cleaning air quality monitor vents. His day wrapped with some routine orbital plumbing.

Maintenance and research were at the forefront of Wednesday’s schedule for the Roscosmos trio. Flight Engineer Konstantin Borisov replaced dust collector filters in the Zarya module, then inspected the thermal control system pump panel that was installed yesterday. Flight Engineer Oleg Kononenko conducted additional maintenance in the Zvezda service module, then moved on to record vibrations of structural elements in the Poisk module. To wrap up the day, Flight Engineer Nikolai Chub completed an experiment that investigates liquid phases in microgravity.

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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Crew Preps for Private Astronaut Arrival as Ax-3 Mission Nears Launch

The SpaceX Dragon Freedom spacecraft is pictured docked to the space station on May 28, 2023, during Axiom Space's second private astronaut mission, Axiom Mission-2. — The SpaceX Dragon Freedom spacecraft is pictured docked to the space station on May 28, 2023, during Axiom Space’s second private astronaut mission, Axiom Mission-2.

Four private astronauts are readying for launch to the International Space Station this week while the Expedition 70 crew ramps up microgravity research and maintenance tasks after yesterday’s off-duty day.

The third private astronaut mission to the station, Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3), is scheduled to liftoff from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 5:11 p.m. EST Wednesday, Jan. 17. Ax-3 crew members, Commander Michael López-Alegría, Pilot Walter Villadei of Italy, Mission Specialist Alper Gezeravcı of Turkey, and ESA (European Space Agency) project astronaut Marcus Wandt of Sweden, will make the trek to the orbital lab aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, docking at 5:15 a.m. Friday, Jan. 19. The quartet will spend about two weeks conducting science and research in microgravity before heading home.

Ahead of Ax-3 arrival, NASA Flight Engineer Loral O’Hara spent most of the day prepping station for new visitors. O’Hara inspected the airflow in crew quarters, prepped sleep accommodations for crew occupancy, and cleaned the liners and vents where the four private astronauts will sleep while aboard the orbital outpost.

ESA (European Space Agency) Commander Andreas Mogensen also prepped for Ax-3, completing training for Dragon rendezvous and docking. Afterward, he set up ECHO, which is equipped with motorized probs, for ground teams to perform remote maintenance activities.

While O’Hara and Mogensen prepped for Ax-3 crew arrival, other crew members took to space botany and biology tasks. NASA Flight Engineer Jasmin Moghbeli spent the day working with Plant Habitat-06, thinning wild-type tomato seedlings. Afterward, she set up and installed the Plant Water Management 5 hardware to the Maintenance Work Area.

JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) Flight Engineer Satoshi Furukawa removed culture units from the microscope used for the Space Organogenesis investigation, which pursues to develop advanced 3D organ culture system with hiPSC-derived organoids. Additionally, Furukawa collected water samples from the station’s potable water dispenser for in-flight analysis.

The Roscosmos trio—Flight Engineers Oleg Kononenko, Nikolai Chub, and Konstantin Borisov—performed an array of maintenance activities on Tuesday. Kononenko replaced hardware in the Zvezda service module, while Chub replaced the thermal control system pump panel in the Zarya module. Afterward, Chub conducted an experiment studying liquid phases in microgravity, while Borisov distilled samples from the Roscosmos segment water management system and conducted maintenance on the station’s vacuum cleaner.

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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