Blogs

Multi-purpose Small Payload Rack (MSPR): The crew set up the MSPR Payload Control Box and completed configuration for the Florescence Microscope. The MSPR is a multipurpose payload rack system used in the JEM. It has two workspaces and a worktable that can be used for wide fields of space environment utilization including science and educational …

Three Expedition 60 crewmates aboard the International Space Station spent the day servicing a variety of research hardware. Back on Earth, three different rockets are preparing to replenish the orbiting lab with a new crew and more science and supplies. NASA astronauts Christina Koch and Nick Hague have been working on an array of science …

Saibo Experiment Rack Clean Bench (CB) Checkout: The crew completed the yearly relief valve check of the CB in the JAXA Saibo Rack. Saibo includes a Clean Bench glovebox with microscope that isolates the organisms being studied, and Cell Biology Experiment Facility (CBEF) that includes incubator and centrifuges. Hermes Facility: The crew installed the HERMES …

The International Space Station is set to receive a few more crewmembers on Saturday followed by a new docking port next Tuesday. Meanwhile, the orbiting Expedition 60 residents serviced a multitude of science hardware today while maintaining communication and life support systems. The Soyuz MS-13 spacecraft that will launch three new residents to the station …

Multi-purpose Small Payload Rack (MSPR): The crew performed the Florescence Microscope setup and inserted a test sample in preparation for upcoming Space Moss activities following SpX-18 arrival. The MSPR is a multipurpose payload rack system used in the JEM. It has two workspaces and a worktable that can be used for wide fields of space …

Muscle Tone in Space (Myotones): The crew gathered hardware for tomorrow’s scheduled Myotones operations. The investigation observes the biochemical properties of muscles during long-term exposure to the spaceflight environment. Results from this investigation are expected to provide insight into principles of human resting muscle tone which could lead to the development of new strategies for …

Two rockets will be rolling out to their launch pads this week in Kazakhstan and Florida to blastoff to the International Space Station. The orbiting Expedition 60 trio will be welcoming three new crewmates Saturday and receive more science experiments and crew supplies next Tuesday, July 23. First-time space flyer Andrew Morgan of NASA is …

Astrobee:  The crew continued commissioning of the Astrobee experiment including collecting data inside the JEM for localization, and assisting with a series of movements using the Astrobee Free Flyer for mobility testing. The ground team noted they learn something from each of the steps in the commissioning and adjust future activities as needed. The robots …

The International Space Station is gearing up for a pair of spaceships launching next weekend to deliver a new crew and more science and supplies. The Expedition 60 crew is also testing a new robotic assistant and learning how long-term weightlessness impacts crew performance. Three people are at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan counting down …

Cell Biology Experiment Facility (CBEF) Humidifier Fill: In preparation for the JAXA Space Moss experiment arriving on SpX-18, the crew performed a CBEF humidifier refilling activity.  The experiment grows mosses on the ISS and on Earth to determine how microgravity affects their growth, development, gene expression, photosynthetic activity, and other features. Tiny plants without roots, …