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Station Trio Back on Earth; Expedition 74 Keeps Up Science, Maintains Systems

NASA astronaut and Expedition 73 Flight Engineer Mike Fincke smiles for a portrait during research operations for the Droplets fluid physics investigation. Fincke was inside the International Space Station's Destiny laboratory module exploring how particles behave inside fluids. The microgravity study may inform commercial in-space manufacturing techniques and improve optical materials and pollution removal operations.
NASA astronaut Mike Fincke smiles for a portrait during research operations for the Droplets fluid physics investigation that explores how particles behave inside fluids. The study may inform commercial in-space manufacturing techniques and improve optical materials and pollution removal operations.
NASA

Expedition 73 has ended and NASA astronaut Jonny Kim has returned to Houston and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky have returned to Moscow. The trio is now readapting to Earth’s gravity after living aboard the International Space Station in weightlessness for 245 days.

Expedition 74 is now underway with veteran NASA astronaut Mike Fincke as commander leading six flight engineers including NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Chris Williams, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Platonov, Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev.

Fincke spent his Wednesday primarily inside the Tranquility module replacing orbital plumbing components on the waste and hygiene compartment, the station’s restroom. The veteran astronaut also prepared cargo and life support racks for removal and reinstallation throughout the orbital outpost’s U.S. segment. The rack transfer work will continue into next week.

Cardman processed stem cell samples for stowage in a science freezer ahead of their return to Earth next year for a study demonstrating on-orbit pharmaceutical manufacturing and regenerative medicine. She also measured air flow throughout the U.S. modules and printed out an updated spacewalking checklist.

Williams exercised for research while pedaling on the Destiny laboratory module’s exercise cycle. He worked out wearing breathing gear and electrodes measuring his aerobic output and cardiovascular health. Afterward, he powered on a fluorescent research microscope then collected carbon dioxide waste samples from an atmospheric cleaner for analysis.

Yui reviewed the rack removal and replacement steps that he Cardman and Williams will assist Fincke with over the next several days. He then worked inside the Kibo laboratory module servicing an experimental carbon  dioxide removal device.

Flight Engineers Kud-Sverchkov and Mikaev, who have been aboard the station with Williams since Nov. 27, had a light duty day on Wednesday with some time set aside for photographic inspections and Elektron oxygen generator maintenance. Flight Engineer Oleg Platonov began his shift on orbital plumbing tasks in the station’s Roscosmos segment. Next, he assisted Mikaev with the Elektron job then wrapped up his shift installing hardware that enables the European robotic arm to be remotely controlled from Earth.

Learn more about station activities by following the space station blog, @space_station on X, as well as the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts.

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