A SpaceX Dragon resupply ship approaches the International Space Station carrying more than 6,200 pounds of science experiments, crew supplies, and other cargo on March 16, 2023.
Live coverage of the departure of SpaceX’s uncrewed Dragon cargo spacecraft from the International Space Station is underway on NASA Television, the agency’s website, and the NASA app.
Following commands from ground controllers at SpaceX in Hawthorne, California, Dragon will undock at 11:05 a.m. EDT from the forward port of the station’s Harmony module and fire its thrusters to move a safe distance away from the station.
After re-entering Earth’s atmosphere, the spacecraft will make a parachute-assisted splashdown off the coast of Florida on Saturday, April 15. NASA will not broadcast the splashdown, but updates will be posted on the agency’s space station blog.
The SpaceX Dragon resupply ship is pictured approaching the space station 260 miles above the Bay of Bengal on March 16, 2023.
NASA and SpaceX officials have given the “go” for the science- and cargo-packed Dragon cargo craft to undock from the International Space Station and return to Earth. While the Expedition 69 crew finalizes Dragon cargo operations, preparations are still underway for a busy period of spacewalks set to begin on Tuesday.
An array of experiment hardware and research samples will return to Earth for analysis after Dragon undocks from the Harmony module’s forward port at 11:05 a.m. EDT on Saturday. Dragon will parachute to a splash down off the coast of Florida several hours later where support personnel from NASA and SpaceX will retrieve the vehicle. The 4,300 pounds of return cargo packed inside Dragon will then be extracted at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, where the completed research and station hardware will be shipped to scientists and engineers around the world for investigation and examination.
NASA Flight Engineer Frank Rubio is wrapping up one final space biology study today, preparing scientific samples for observation back on Earth so researchers can understand how the human body adjusts to living long-term in microgravity. Stephen Bowen and Woody Hoburg, both from NASA, are also stowing a variety of research samples inside portable science freezers that can be launched into space, installed on the station, then returned inside the Dragon spacecraft.
Other science experiments are still ongoing aboard the orbiting outpost, including a cardiac study exploring ways to offset microgravity’s effect on heart cells and tissues. UAE (United Arab Emirates) Flight Engineer Sultan Alneyadi spent Friday morning in the Kibo laboratory module treating samples for the Engineered Heart Tissues-2 experiment. Using Kibo’s Life Sciences Glovebox, Alneyadi conducted the research operations that may help doctors treat, as well as prevent, space-caused heart conditions and Earth-bound cardiac disorders.
The orbital residents are also gearing up for several spacewalks to move hardware outside the space station. Commander Sergey Prokopyev and Flight Engineer Dmitri Petelin, both Roscosmos cosmonauts, will work over three spacewalks, the first beginning at 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, to move a radiator and an experiment airlock from the Rassvet module to the Nauka science module. The duo spent Friday organizing their spacewalk tools and practicing their external maneuvers on a computer.
Roscosmos Flight Engineer Andrey Fedyaev began Friday attaching a sensor cap to himself then simulating piloting a spacecraft on a computer for a study exploring futuristic, piloting techniques on planetary missions. Afterward, he tested laptop computers inside the Zvezda service module then powered down Earth observation hardware in the Harmony module.
The SpaceX Dragon resupply ship approaches the station 261 miles above the Indian Ocean on March 16, 2023.
Biology research, cargo packing, and spacewalk preparations continue aboard the International Space Station as the Expedition 69 crew goes into a very busy April.
NASA Flight Engineers Stephen Bowen and Woody Hoburg have been working on a variety of space experiments since their delivery aboard the SpaceX Dragon cargo craft on March 16. The two astronauts, with assistance from NASA Flight Engineer Frank Rubio, are finalizing one experiment today by packing space biology samples and research hardware inside Dragon for its return to Earth this weekend. The completed study will help scientists understand how an astronaut’s body adapts to living long-term in weightlessness. They will continue more science-packing activities on Friday.
The three NASA astronauts, including UAE (United Arab Emirates) astronaut Sultan Alneyadi, will also be on duty Saturday morning completing the stowage of critical research samples and loading of used station hardware inside Dragon. Alneyadi will then activate Dragon monitoring tools and software and close the vehicle’s hatch before the U.S. cargo craft undocks at 11:05 a.m. EDT on Saturday. Dragon will parachute to a splashdown off the coast of Florida a few hours later for retrieval by SpaceX and NASA personnel. The completed research and discarded lab gear will then be sent to scientists and engineers around the world for analysis.
After Dragon completes its mission at the orbital lab, the crew’s four astronauts and three cosmonauts will relax on Sunday before turning their attention to a series spacewalks set to begin on Tuesday, April 18.
Commander Sergey Prokopyev and Flight Engineer Dmitri Petelin will exit the station’s Poisk airlock in their Russian Orlan spacesuits. From there, the duo will maneuver to the Earth-facing side of the station and start the work of moving a radiator and an experiment module from the Rassvet module to the Nauka multipurpose laboratory module. Roscosmos Flight Engineer Andrey Fedyaev will assist the spacewalkers operating the European robotic arm (ERA) from inside Nauka.
The trio from Roscosmos has spent the last few weeks gearing up for the logistics spacewalks, reviewing the procedures, and practicing the ERA robotics maneuvers. The three cosmonauts have also found time for some research and maintenance activities while readying the Orlan spacesuits, collecting spacewalking tools, and organizing Poisk’s airlock.
The last rays of an orbital sunset penetrate Earth’s horizon in this photograph from the space station as it orbited off the coast of southern Argentina.
The Expedition 69 astronauts are finalizing a space biology study this week before packing it inside a cargo craft for return to Earth. The cosmonauts are also relaxing today ahead of more preparations for a series of spacewalks at the International Space Station.
Return cargo operations are under way at the orbiting lab as the astronauts finalize a variety of experiments and pack station hardware inside the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. Samples and research gear from numerous experiments that have been taking place aboard the station will parachute back to Earth inside Dragon after it undocks from the station on Saturday at 11:05 a.m. EDT. SpaceX and NASA personnel will retrieve Dragon off the coast of Florida several hours later so scientists and engineers can begin analyzing the completed space research and used station gear.
NASA Flight Engineers Stephen Bowen, Woody Hoburg, and Frank Rubio worked throughout the day on a study that will soon be completed and loaded inside Dragon. The trio serviced biological samples being observed to understand how an astronaut’s body adapts to living long-term in weightlessness. At the end of the week, the crew will wrap up the biology science operations and pack the microgravity-exposed research samples inside Dragon for analysis in laboratories on Earth.
UAE (United Arab Emirates) Flight Engineer Sultan Alneyadi worked on a pair of different technology experiments on Wednesday. He first worked on a 3D printer to demonstrate manufacturing tools, components, and even experiments on the orbital outpost. Afterward, he collected and stowed samples in a science freezer for a study exploring the biomanufacturing of pharmaceuticals in space.
Three cosmonauts from Roscosmos had the day off on Wednesday in commemoration of Cosmonautics Day following several days of spacewalk preparations. The trio consisting of Commander Sergey Prokopyev and Flight Engineers Dmitri Petelin and Andrey Fedyaev will continue on Thursday readying Orlan spacesuits, organizing spacewalking tools, and studying procedures for a series of spacewalks set to begin on April 18.
Prokopyev and Petelin will exit the Poisk module during all three spacewalks and maneuver toward the Earth-facing side of the station. From there, the duo will move a radiator and an experiment airlock from the Rassvet module to the Nauka science module. Fedyaev will be inside the station operating the European robotic arm during the excursion assisting the spacewalkers.
The SpaceX Dragon resupply ship approaches the station above the Indian Ocean near Madagascar on March 16, 2023.
Cardiac research to advance human health on Earth and in space was the main research objective aboard the International Space Station on Tuesday. The Expedition 69 crew members are also packing a cargo craft for its return to Earth and preparing for a series of spacewalks.
Flight Engineers Woody Hoburg of NASA and Sultan Alneyadi of UAE (United Arab Emirates) took turns supporting the Cardinal Health 2 experiment on Tuesday. The study is taking place inside the Kibo laboratory module and aims to prevent space-caused heart conditions and Earth-bound cardiac disorders. The duo treated engineered heart tissue samples inside Kibo’s Life Sciences Glovebox to help doctors understand gravitational stresses on cardiovascular cells and tissues. Observations may lead to potential treatments advancing heart health for astronauts and Earthlings.
Samples from Cardinal Health 2 and other experiments will soon be packed inside the SpaceX Dragon cargo craft for analysis by researchers on the ground. NASA Flight Engineers Frank Rubio and Stephen Bowen partnered together on Tuesday, readying the Dragon for its departure on Saturday when it will undock from the Harmony module’s forward port at 11:05 a.m. EDT. The duo packed a variety of research gear and station hardware, securely strapping them inside Dragon. The U.S. space freighter will parachute to a splashdown off the coast of Florida several hours later for retrieval by SpaceX and NASA support personnel.
Two cosmonauts continue gearing up for a series of spacewalks set to begin on Tuesday, April 18. Commander Sergey Prokopyev and Flight Engineer Dmitri Petelin will work over three spacewalks to maneuver an experiment airlock and a radiator from the Rassvet module to the Nauka science module. The duo spent the day readying their Orlan spacesuits inside the Poisk module, checking for pressure leaks, and installing suit batteries and other components.
At the beginning of the day, Prokopyev took part in a cardiac study with assistance from Flight Engineer Andrey Fedyaev. Fedyaev attached sensors to Prokopyev and photographed the experiment activities that monitors a cosmonaut’s blood circulation in microgravity. Fedyaev then spent the rest of his day on computer maintenance, station window inspections, and a fitness test on a treadmill.
The official Expedition 69 crew portrait with (from left) Frank Rubio, Dmitri Petelin, Sultan Alneyadi, Woody Hoburg, Stephen Bowen, Andrey Fedyaev, and Sergey Prokopyev.
The Expedition 69 crew members began the week conducting a variety of space research and preparing for upcoming spacewalks. Cargo activities are also picking up this week aboard the International Space Station as a U.S. space freighter nears its departure and return to Earth.
The SpaceX Dragon cargo craft is nearing the end of its mission after docking to the Harmony module’s forward port on March 16. NASA Flight Engineer Stephen Bowen and Woody Hoburg partnered together throughout Monday loading finalized science experiments and used station hardware inside Dragon for analysis on Earth. Bowen spent the majority of his day with the cargo packing while Hoburg assisted him then cleaned and inspected Dragon’s docking system. Dragon is due to leave the station and splash down off the coast of Florida at the end of the week.
UAE (United Arab Emirates) astronaut Sultan Alneyadi split his day on a pair of life science experiments first studying botany then the human heart. He started his day inside the Kibo laboratory module cleaning the Advanced Plant Habitat and stowing seed samples in a science freezer for a study that explored space-caused genetic changes in plants. In the afternoon, he was in the U.S. Destiny laboratory module looking at heart tissue samples in a microscope to observe microgravity-induced changes in heart cells and learn how to prevent cardiac disorders on Earth and in space.
NASA Flight Engineer Frank Rubio spent his day primarily servicing science hardware and inspecting emergency gear. He first installed research gear inside Kibo’s airlock that will soon be exposed to the vacuum of space. Next, he spent the afternoon checking portable fire extinguishers, oxygen bottles, and breathing masks throughout the U.S. segment on the orbital outpost.
Meanwhile, preparations for a series of spacewalks from Roscosmos are ongoing this week at the space station. Commander Sergey Prokopyev and Flight Engineer Dmitri Petelin are studying the procedures they will use to move a radiator and an experiment airlock from the Rassvet module to Nauka multipurpose laboratory module over a set of spacewalks set to begin in mid-April. Flight Engineer Andrey Fedyaev will assist the duo monitoring their excursions, operating the European robotic arm, and helping them in and out of their Orlan spacesuits.
UAE (United Arab Emirates) astronaut Sultan Alneyadi seemingly juggles food canisters from the UAE in the microgravity environment of the space station.
Heart research and space physics topped the microgravity research schedule aboard the International Space Station on Friday. The Expedition 69 crew also continues packing a U.S. cargo craft while gearing up for a series of upcoming spacewalks.
A variety of research into microgravity’s affect on the human heart has been ongoing aboard the orbital outpost for several years. The most recent investigation is observing how gravitational forces affect cardiac muscle cells and tissues. NASA Flight Engineer Woody Hoburg set up the Life Sciences Glovebox in the Kibo laboratory module on Friday and serviced tissue samples for the Engineered Heart Tissues-2 space biology study. The experiment is testing new, innovative therapies to counteract heart symptoms in space, as well as prevent cardiac disorders on Earth.
NASA Flight Engineer Frank Rubio collected and stowed microbe samples in a science freezer for the BioFilms investigation. The samples will be analyzed back on Earth helping engineers develop antimicrobial surfaces to protect astronauts and space hardware. Rubio also continued a study Hoburg and NASA Flight Engineer Stephen Bowen worked on all week to understand how the human body adapts to weightlessness. He wrapped up his day loading the SpaceX Dragon cargo craft with finalized space experiments and used station hardware for return to Earth later this month.
Bowen joined UAE (United Arab Emirates) astronaut Sultan Alneyadi and retrieved physics research hardware from inside Kibo’s airlock. The space physics gear, containing a variety of materials, had been placed outside the station and exposed to the harsh vacuum of space. MISSE, or Materials International Space Station Experiment, enables government and private sectors to study how extreme temperatures, radiation, and micrometeoroids affect materials, coatings, and components. Results may improve the design of space hardware promoting long-term mission success.
Two cosmonauts are preparing for a series of spacewalks set to begin at the end of April for logistics work on the Roscosmos side of the space station. Commander Sergey Prokopyev and Flight Engineer Dmitri Petelin reviewed on Friday the procedures for the upcoming spacewalks that will see them move a radiator and an experiment airlock from the Rassvet module to Nauka multipurpose laboratory module. The duo was joined by Flight Engineer Andrey Fedyaev who will assist the spacewalkers in and out of their Orlan spacesuits and monitor the spacewalking activities.
The Soyuz MS-23 crew ship with three Expedition 69 crew members aboard is pictured shortly after relocating from the Poisk module and docking to the Prichal docking module. Credit: NASA TV
Three Expedition 69 crewmates are relaxing today after relocating their Soyuz crew ship to another port. Meanwhile, the other four International Space Station residents continued a variety of space research while maintaining orbital lab systems. Axiom Space also announced its second private mission to the orbital outpost.
NASA Flight Engineer Frank Rubio took a 37-minute ride inside the Soyuz MS-23 crew ship Thursday morning alongside Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin. The trio undocked from the Poisk module at 4:45 a.m. EDT and docked to the Prichal docking module, on the opposite side of the station, at 5:22 a.m. The relocation maneuver opens up Poisk’s airlock for a series of upcoming spacewalks in Orlan spacesuits and frees its docking port for the ISS Progress 84 resupply mission.
After a couple of hours of pressure and leak checks, the Soyuz and Prichal hatches opened with assistance from Roscosmos Flight Engineer Andrey Fedyaev. Rubio, Prokopyev, and Petelin then reentered the station, completed some Soyuz closeout tasks, and went to sleep early. They will be back on duty Friday for ongoing microgravity research and upcoming mission preparations.
Two NASA astronauts spent Thursday continuing their research into how living long-term in weightlessness changes the human body. NASA Flight Engineers Stephen Bowen and Woody Hoburg have been teaming up for the biology study before its return to Earth aboard the SpaceX Dragon resupply ship later this month. Scientists on the ground will use the observations to learn how to counteract space-caused symptoms and keep astronauts healthy as NASA prepares for human missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
UAE (United Arab Emirates) Flight Engineer Sultan Alneyadi spent his day on a pair of different experiments studying both space physics and biotechnology. Alneyadi first swapped sample hardware inside the Materials Science Laboratory‘s low gradient furnace that supports research into new applications for existing materials or new and improved materials. Afterward, the UAE astronaut peered through a microscope at protein crystals for the Monoclonal Antibodies study that may improve the development of drugs on Earth.
Fedyaev, who earlier assisted his crewmates during their Soyuz relocation, worked on ventilation maintenance inside the Zvezda service module. He ended his day inside the Nauka multipurpose laboratory module inspecting and photographing cables.
Axiom Space announced its next private astronaut mission to the space station today. The Axiom-2 crew is, retired NASA astronaut and Mission Commander Peggy Whitson, Pilot John Shoffner, and Mission Specialists Ali Alqarni and Rayyanah Barnawi, all three first-time space flyers. Axiom-2 is targeting a launch to the station no earlier than 10:43 p.m. EDT on May 8 aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft.
The Soyuz MS-23 crew ship with three Expedition 69 crewmates aboard is pictured shortly after docking to the Prichal docking module. Credit: NASA TV
The Soyuz MS-23, with Expedition 69 crew members Frank Rubio of NASA, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin aboard, has successfully docked to the Prichal module on the Earth-facing side of the International Space Station at 5:22 a.m. EDT.
This was the 26th spacecraft relocation in space station history. The move makes room for the arrival of the uncrewed Roscosmos Progress 84 cargo spacecraft later this year and frees the Poisk airlock for the upcoming Roscosmos spacewalks in April and May.
Rubio, Prokopyev, and Petelin are scheduled to return to Earth aboard the Soyuz MS-23 spacecraft upon undocking Sept. 27.
The Soyuz MS-23 crew ship slowly backs away from the station carrying three Expedition 69 crewmates to a new docking port. Credit: NASA TV
The Soyuz MS-23, with Expedition 69 crew members Frank Rubio of NASA, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin aboard, has undocked from the Poisk module on the space-facing side of the complex, and is on its way to redock to the Prichal module on the Earth-facing side of the outpost.
Redocking is planned for 5:23 a.m. airing live on NASA Television, the NASA app, and the agency’s website.
This will be the 26th spacecraft relocation in station history. The move will make room for the arrival of the uncrewed Roscosmos Progress 84 cargo spacecraft later this year and frees the Poisk airlock for the upcoming Roscosmos spacewalks in April and May.
Rubio, Prokopyev, and Petelin are scheduled to return to Earth aboard the Soyuz MS-23 spacecraft upon undocking Sept. 27.
