Tag: Soyuz

Advanced Tech and Life Science on Station Today Promoting Health

The Soyuz MS-25 crew ship is pictured docked to the Prichal docking module as the space station soared into an orbital sunset above the Indian Ocean.
The Soyuz MS-25 crew ship is pictured docked to the Prichal docking module as the space station soared into an orbital sunset above the Indian Ocean.

Nanomaterials manufacturing, 3D bioprinting, and astronaut eye health were the main research topics aboard the International Space Station on Friday. The Expedition 71 crew members also continued servicing spacesuits and conducted an emergency drill.

The SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft recently delivered to the orbital outpost a biotechnology study to demonstrate the in-space production of nanomaterials that mimic DNA. NASA Flight Engineers Jeanette Epps and Mike Barratt worked on the second portion of that experiment on Thursday mixing then treating the research samples for analysis. Epps began her day mixing solutions in the Life Science Glovebox to create specialized nanomaterials. During the afternoon, Barratt applied sound and light treatments to the samples then stowed them aboard Dragon for analysis back on Earth. Results may lead to advanced therapies for space-caused and Earthbound health conditions.

The duo partnered back together at the end of the day for eye scans using standard medical imaging gear found in an optometrist’s on Earth. Barratt operated the hardware with guidance from doctors on the ground peering into Epp’s eyes and examining her retina and optic nerve for the B Complex eye health investigation.

Cardiac cell printing was back on the schedule on Thursday as NASA Flight Engineer Matthew Dominick operated the BioFabrication Facility located inside the Columbus laboratory module. He swapped sample cassettes inside the bioprinter then processed the printed cell samples for incubation. Results may enable future space crews to print meals and medicines or doctors to manufacture organs and tissues for patients on Earth.

NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson joined Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub and practiced a simulated emergency return to Earth. The trio trained on a computer on the steps necessary to quickly enter the Soyuz crew ship and undock from the station for a controlled descent back to Earth.

Next, Dyson spent the rest of her day analyzing microbe samples, conducting a health checkup, and replacing orbital plumbing components. Kononenko and Chub activated a pair of Orlan spacesuits, installed components on the suits, then performed leak checks ahead of a Roscosmos spacewalk planned for April 25.

Flight Engineer Alexander Grebenkin started his day with blood tests then attached electrodes to himself that will monitor his heart activity for 24 hours. Afterward, he worked on Roscosmos life support maintenance before installing imagery hardware to study Earth’s upper atmosphere.

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 Checks Eyes and Ears, Works on Bioprinting and Spacesuits

Astronaut Jeanette Epps works in the BioFabrication Facility portable glovebag to print cardiac cell samples for the Redwire Cardiac Bioprinting Investigation.
Astronaut Jeanette Epps works in the BioFabrication Facility portable glovebag to print cardiac cell samples for the Redwire Cardiac Bioprinting Investigation.

Biomedical research and space physics consumed the Expedition 71 crew’s science schedule aboard the International Space Station on Wednesday. The seven orbital residents also worked on spacesuits and cargo operations throughout their workday.

Three NASA astronauts participated in eye checks giving doctors insights on microgravity’s effect on the human body. Flight Engineers Matthew Dominick, Mike Barratt, and Jeanette Epps took turns scanning each other’s eyes with the Ultrasound 2 device. Doctors on the ground monitored the scans in real-time viewing the crewmembers’ cornea, lens, and optic nerve. Afterward, Epps operated standard medical imaging hardware and viewed Dominick’s retina and optic nerve for the B Complex eye health investigation.

Dominick and Barratt also worked throughout the day transferring cargo inside the SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft. Additionally, Barratt installed new gear inside the Combustion Integrated Rack for a study to improve fire safety in space.

Epps earlier split her day between a 3D bioprinting study and physics hardware swaps. First, she operated the BioFabrication Facility and printed cardiac cell samples for an experiment that may see future crews print meals and medicines on demand or doctors create replacement organs and tissues for patients on Earth. Next, she replaced components in the Fluids Integrated Rack for an experiment that could improve thermal systems for both spacecraft and Earth systems.

NASA Flight Engineer Tracy C. Dyson wrapped up the bioprinting work that Epps began on Wednesday processing the printed cardiac cell samples for incubation. Dyson began her day setting up a wearable acoustic monitor that measures the station’s sound levels that crews experience. She later swapped hardware supporting a semiconductor manufacturing experiment.

Cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko, Nikolai Chub, and Alexander Grebenkin each spent about an hour on Wednesday participating in a regularly scheduled hearing assessment. The trio from Roscosmos took turns wearing a headset and listening to tones in a quiet area of the orbital lab while specialized software documented the results.

Kononenko and Chub started the day together reviewing software that simulates descending back to Earth inside the Soyuz spacecraft. Afterward, the Roscosmos duo collected Orlan spacesuit components and tested the suits for pressure leaks. The Expedition 71 crew is preparing for its first spacewalk planned for April 25.

Grebenkin continued scanning surfaces inside the Zvezda service module with an ultrasound device during the first half of his day. In the afternoon, he jogged on a treadmill while attached to sensors and electrodes measuring his health parameters for a periodic fitness test.

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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Soyuz Lands Returning O’Hara, Two Crewmates Back to Earth

The Soyuz MS-24 crew ship carrying astronaut Loral O'Hara, cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy, and spaceflight participant Marina Vasilevskaya descends to Earth beneath its main parachute. Credit: NASA TV
The Soyuz MS-24 crew ship carrying astronaut Loral O’Hara, cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy, and spaceflight participant Marina Vasilevskaya descends to Earth beneath its main parachute. Credit: NASA TV

NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara ended her time in space with a parachute-assisted landing in the Soyuz MS-24 spacecraft on the steppe of Kazakhstan, southeast of the remote town of Dzhezkazgan, at 3:17 a.m. EDT (12:17 p.m. Kazakhstan time) Saturday, April 6.

O’Hara, along with Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy, and spaceflight participant Marina Vasilevskaya of Belarus, began the journey back to Earth at 11:55 a.m. when the Soyuz undocked from the International Space Station.

O’Hara arrived at the International Space Station on Sept. 15, 2023, spending 204 days in low Earth orbit.

During her 204 days aboard the station, O’Hara experienced:

  • Approximately 3,264 orbits of Earth
  • Approximately 86,555,554 statute miles traveled
  • Eight spacecraft visiting the International Space Station, including two Roscosmos Progress cargo ships, one Northrop Grumman Cygnus cargo spacecraft, one Roscosmos Soyuz, two crewed SpaceX Dragons, and two uncrewed SpaceX Dragons.

Expedition 71 has formally begun aboard the station with NASA astronauts Michael Barratt, Matthew Dominick, Tracy Dyson, and Jeannette Epps as well as Roscosmos cosmonauts Nikolai Chub, Alexander Grebenkin, and Oleg Kononenko.

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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Loral O’Hara, Two Crewmates Returning to Earth on NASA TV

Crewmates (from left) Loral O'Hara from NASA, Oleg Novitskiy from Roscosmos, and spaceflight participant Marina Vasilevskaya will return to Earth aboard the Soyuz MS-24 crew ship.
Crewmates (from left) Loral O’Hara from NASA, Oleg Novitskiy from Roscosmos, and spaceflight participant Marina Vasilevskaya will return to Earth aboard the Soyuz MS-24 crew ship.

Live coverage of NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy, and spaceflight participant Marina Vasilevskaya of Belarus’ return to Earth is underway.

The trio began the journey back to Earth in the early morning hours when the Soyuz MS-24 spacecraft undocked from the International Space Station’s Rassvet module at 11:54 p.m. EDT. The trio are heading for a parachute-assisted landing on the steppe of Kazakhstan, southeast of the remote town of Dzhezkazgan, at 3:17 a.m. (12:17 p.m. Kazakhstan time).

Expedition 71 has formally begun aboard the station with NASA astronauts Michael Barratt, Matthew Dominick, Tracy Dyson, and Jeannette Epps as well as Roscosmos cosmonauts Nikolai Chub, Alexander Grebenkin, and Oleg Kononenko.

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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Soyuz Spacecraft Undocks to Return Three Crewmates to Earth

The Soyuz MS-24 spacecraft with three crewmates aboard slowly backs away from the space station after undocking from the Rassvet module. Credit: NASA TV
The Soyuz MS-24 spacecraft with three crewmates aboard slowly backs away from the space station after undocking from the Rassvet module. Credit: NASA TV

At 11:54 p.m. EDT on Friday, NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy, and spaceflight participant Marina Vasilevskaya of Belarus, undocked from the International Space Station in the Soyuz MS-24 spacecraft to begin the journey back to Earth. The Soyuz is heading for a parachute-assisted landing Saturday, April 6, on the steppe of Kazakhstan, southeast of the remote town of Dzhezkazgan.

NASA coverage of the crew’s deorbit burn and landing will begin at 2 a.m. on NASA+, NASA TV, the NASA app, YouTube, and the agency’s website with landing scheduled at 3:17 a.m. (12:17 p.m. Kazakhstan time).

After landing, the Soyuz MS-24 crew will split up, as per standard crew return practice, with O’Hara returning to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

With the undocking of the Soyuz MS-24 spacecraft with O’Hara, Novitskiy and Vasilevskaya, Expedition 71 officially began aboard the station. NASA astronauts Michael Barratt, Matthew Dominick, Tracy Dyson, and Jeannette Epps as well as Roscosmos cosmonauts Nikolai Chub, Alexander Grebenkin, and Oleg Kononenko make up Expedition 71 and will remain on the station until this fall.

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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Three Crew Members Departing Station Live on NASA TV

(From left) NASA astronaut Loral O'Hara, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy, and Belarus spaceflight participant Marina Vasilevskaya will ride the Soyuz MS-24 crew ship back to Earth.
(From left) NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy, and Belarus spaceflight participant Marina Vasilevskaya will ride the Soyuz MS-24 crew ship back to Earth.

Live coverage of NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy, and spaceflight participant Marina Vasilevskaya of Belarus’ departure from the International Space Station is underway.

At 11:54 p.m. EDT the Soyuz MS-24 spacecraft will undock from the Rassvet module, heading for a parachute-assisted landing at 3:17 a.m. (12:17 p.m. Kazakhstan time) on the steppe of Kazakhstan, southeast of the remote town of Dzhezkazgan.

Supporting NASA’s Artemis campaign, O’Hara’s mission helped prepare for exploration of the Moon and Mars. She is completing approximately 3,264 orbits of the Earth and a journey of more than 86.5 million miles. O’Hara worked on scientific activities aboard the space station, including investigating heart health, cancer treatments, and space manufacturing techniques during her stay aboard the orbiting laboratory.

With the undocking of the Soyuz MS-24 spacecraft with O’Hara, Novitskiy and Vasilevskaya, Expedition 71 will officially begin aboard the station. NASA astronauts Michael Barratt, Matthew Dominick, Tracy Dyson, and Jeannette Epps as well as Roscosmos cosmonauts Nikolai Chub, Alexander Grebenkin, and Oleg Kononenko make up Expedition 71 and will remain on the station until this fall.

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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Trio Boards Soyuz Crew Ship and Closes Hatch

The Soyuz MS-24 crew ship is pictured docked to the Rassvet module in January 2024 as the space station orbited 268 miles above the Tasman Sea.
The Soyuz MS-24 crew ship is pictured docked to the Rassvet module in January 2024 as the space station orbited 268 miles above the Tasman Sea.

At 8:45 p.m. EDT, the hatch closed between the Soyuz MS-24 spacecraft and the International Space Station in preparation for undocking. NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy, and spaceflight participant Marina Vasilevskaya of Belarus are scheduled to undock their Soyuz spacecraft at 11:54 p.m. to begin their journey back home.

Mission coverage will continue on NASA+, NASA TV, the NASA app, YouTube, and the agency’s website at the following times (all EDT):

Friday, April 5

  • 11:30 p.m. – NASA’s undocking coverage begins
  • 11:54 p.m. – Undocking

Saturday, April 6

  • 2 a.m. – NASA’s coverage of deorbit burn and landing begins
  • 3:17 a.m. – Landing

The Soyuz will undock from the Rassvet module, heading for a parachute-assisted landing at 3:17 a.m. (12:17 p.m. Kazakhstan time) on the steppe of Kazakhstan, southeast of the remote town of Dzhezkazgan.

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.

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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Trio Finalizes Packing, Science Activities Before Friday Departure

Astronaut Loral O'Hara is pictured inside the cupola as the orbital complex soared 259 miles above Turkmenistan.
Astronaut Loral O’Hara is pictured inside the cupola as the orbital complex soared 259 miles above Turkmenistan.

The 10 residents aboard the International Space Station worked a half-day then went to bed early on Friday resting up before the departure of three crewmates. During their shortened day, the orbital crewmates packed the departing Soyuz crew ship and continued ongoing science tasks.

NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara along with Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy and Belarus spaceflight participant Marina Vasilevskaya are in their sleep period having gone to bed just before lunchtime. The trio is sleep-shifting before entering the Soyuz MS-24 crew ship and undocking from the Rassvet module at 11:54 p.m. EDT tonight. They will ride the Soyuz back to Earth and parachute to a landing in Kazakhstan at 3:17 a.m. on Saturday (12:17 p.m. Kazakh time). Live mission coverage will begin at 8 p.m. on Friday on NASA+, NASA TV, the NASA app, YouTube, and the agency’s website.

On Friday morning, O’Hara finished her packing work and wrapped up biomedical activities documenting her adaptation to microgravity. Novitskiy continued transferring cargo inside the Soyuz and made final checks of the spacecraft’s systems. Vasilevskaya relaxed during her shift. The threesome will wake up several hours before their departure, finalize science tasks, and complete loading the Soyuz spacecraft.

NASA Flight Engineers Matthew Dominick and Tracy C. Dyson teamed up Friday morning for biology work inside the Destiny laboratory module. The duo cleaned habitats and fed mice being observed for a study testing a gene therapy to improve eye health in space. NASA Flight Engineers Mike Barratt and Jeanette Epps gathered in the Kibo laboratory module and removed external research hardware that had been placed outside in the space environment. The gear holds samples exposed to space radiation and extreme temperatures to inform the development of advanced materials and promote the commercial space industry.

Cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Alexander Grebenkin began their day swabbing station surfaces and collecting microbe samples for analysis. Kononenko also prepared salt tablets for the departing crewmates to ingest and help with their adjustment to Earth’s gravity. Roscosmos Flight Engineer Nikolai Chub also assisted with the microbe sampling duties then stowed protein crystal growth kits inside the returning Soyuz crew ship.

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 Readies for Departure While Human Research Continues

Astronaut Loral O'Hara conducts leak checks and tries on the Sokol launch and entry suit she will wear when she returns to Earth aboard the Soyuz MS-24 crew ship.
Astronaut Loral O’Hara conducts leak checks and tries on the Sokol launch and entry suit she will wear when she returns to Earth aboard the Soyuz MS-24 crew ship.

Three International Space Station residents are in their final full day aboard the orbital outpost focusing their attention on Friday night’s departure. The rest of the Expedition 70 crew continued its human research activities ensuring crews remain healthy in space.

NASA Flight Engineer Loral O’Hara is nearing the end of her spaceflight that began on Sept. 15, 2023. She is returning to Earth with Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy and Belarus spaceflight participant Marina Vasilevskaya aboard the Soyuz MS-24 crew ship. The trio will undock from the Rassvet module at 11:54 p.m. EDT on Friday and parachute to landing inside the Soyuz in Kazakhstan at 3:17 a.m. on Saturday (12:17 p.m. Kazakh time).

Novitskiy and Vasilevskaya arrived at the station aboard the Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft with NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson on March 25. The two international crew members will be completing a 12-day mission full of science, education, and maintenance activities. Dyson will remain aboard the orbital outpost for a six-month space research mission.

While packing personal items for return, O’Hara found time to swap brain organoid samples inside a fluorescence microscope for a neurodegenerative disease study. She was assisted by fellow astronauts Dyson and Matthew Dominick who also set up the samples for imaging following the previous day’s test drug injections into the brain organoids. The new drug therapy may prevent and treat Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis on Earth.

Dyson earlier strapped on a specialized cap and attached sensors to herself to simultaneously measure her blood flow, blood pressure, and electrical heart activity for a brain blood flow regulation study. Dominick joined NASA Flight Engineers Mike Barratt and Jeanette Epps for neck, shoulder, and leg vein scans with the Ultrasound 2 device. The trio then moved on to eye checks as Barratt operated the standard medical imaging hardware and viewed Dominick’s and Epps’ retina, optic nerve, and cornea. The biomedical exams inform doctors of the effects of weightlessness on the human body and may lead to treatments for space-caused and Earthbound conditions.

Station Commander Oleg Kononenko and Flight Engineer Nikolai Chub spent their day on a variety of maintenance activities including inspecting Roscosmos segment windows and updating the station’s inventory management system. Flight Engineer Alexander Grebenkin started his day with orbital plumbing work before moving on and investigating futuristic spacecraft and robotic piloting techniques that may be used on planetary missions.

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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Brain Research Tops Science Schedule Ahead of Crew Departure

Astronaut Mike Barratt processes brain organoid samples to learn how microgravity affects the central nervous system and ways to counteract neurodegenerative conditions.
Astronaut Mike Barratt processes brain organoid samples to learn how microgravity affects the central nervous system and ways to counteract neurodegenerative conditions.

Brain research topped the science schedule on Wednesday while the Expedition 70 crew kept up its cargo work. Three individuals also continue focusing on their departure from the International Space Station this weekend.

The Human Brain Organoid Models for Neurogenerative Disease and Drug Discovery (HBOND) investigation on the station is helping researchers understand how microgravity affects the central nervous system. Results may also shed light on ways to prevent and treat Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis on Earth. NASA astronauts Mike Barratt and Tracy C. Dyson treated brain organoid samples exposed to Parkinson’s and multiple sclerosis with a drug injection for the neurodegenerative disease study today. Those samples will be analyzed under the KERMIT fluorescence microscope to evaluate the effectiveness of the drug treatment.

Barratt then moved on and cleaned cupola window scratch panes in preparation for the total eclipse of the sun on April 8 before joining NASA Flight Engineer Loral O’Hara for an eye exam. O’Hara imaged Barratt’s retina, optic nerve, and cornea using standard medical imaging hardware with support from doctors on the ground. Earlier in the day, O’Hara operated the Ultrasound 2 device and scanned the neck, shoulder, and leg veins on NASA Flight Engineer Jeanette Epps. The eye and vein exams were part of regularly scheduled medical checkups ensuring astronauts remain healthy in space. O’Hara also spent a few moments with Dyson replacing batteries on and calibrating chemical sensors.

NASA Flight Engineer Matthew Dominick started his day exploring how the brain regulates blood flow in weightlessness. He wore a specialized cap and attached sensors to himself measuring his blood flow, blood pressure, and electrical heart activity simultaneously. Results may help counteract Earthbound and space-caused blood pressure issues such as light-headedness or fainting. Dominick then spent the rest of the day on a variety of cargo and cleaning tasks. Epps and Barratt also continued unpacking some of the more than 6,000 pounds of science and supplies aboard the SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft.

Cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy continued stowing equipment and readying the Soyuz MS-24 spacecraft that he, O’Hara, and Belarus spaceflight participant Marina Vasilevskaya will ride back to Earth on April 6. O’Hara packed personal items for return aboard the Soyuz as well as excess gear that will be returned aboard the Dragon spacecraft. Vasilevskaya spent her day researching how diet affects microbes that live in a crew member’s gut system.

Station Commander Oleg Kononenko gathered science hardware and radiation detectors for return to Earth aboard the Soyuz spacecraft. Flight Engineer Nikolai Chub explored futuristic spacecraft and robotic piloting techniques then collected station microbe samples for analysis. Flight Engineer Alexander Grebenkin assisted Chub with the microbe collections and also serviced computer and video gear throughout the 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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