3D printing, space navigation, and human research filled the science schedule aboard the International Space Station on Thursday. The Expedition 72 crew members are helping researchers plan missions farther away from Earth with less support from mission controllers.
The International Space Station is orbiting higher today after the Progress 91 cargo craft fired its thrusters for over 17 minutes while docked to the Zvezda service module. The reboost places the orbital outpost at the correct altitude for the arrival of the Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft and its three crew members next week.
Exercise research was back on the science schedule for the Expedition 72 crew on Tuesday ensuring astronauts stay healthy and in shape while living and working in weightlessness. The International Space Station residents also continued a host of other microgravity research exploring robotics, combustion, and more.
Several Expedition 72 crew members began Monday attaching a variety of sensors to themselves and exercising so researchers can see how their bodies are adapting to living and working in microgravity. The International Space Station crewmates also kept up their science maintenance and life support duties at the beginning of the week.
At 6:55 a.m. EDT, the S.S. Richard “Dick” Scobee Northrop Grumman Cygnus spacecraft was released from the Canadarm2 robotic arm, which earlier detached Cygnus from the Earth-facing port of the International Space Station’s Unity module. At the time of release, the station was flying about 260 miles over the Pacific Ocean.
Live coverage of the departure of the S.S. Richard “Dick” Scobee Northrop Grumman’s uncrewed Cygnus cargo spacecraft from the International Space Station is underway on NASA+, with its release from the robotic arm scheduled for 6:55 a.m. EDT. Coverage will conclude following departure from station.
The Expedition 72 crew members explored ways to protect their immune and circulatory systems in microgravity and tested robotic docking procedures aboard the International Space Station on Thursday. The orbital residents also finished packing a U.S. cargo craft ahead of its departure on Friday.
Vision studies, a blood investigation, and more were underway aboard the International Space Station on Wednesday informing scientists how astronauts adapt to long duration spaceflight. The knowledge gained from the ongoing investigations is helping NASA and its international partners protect crews while planning missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
Bone, muscle, and blood studies topped the research schedule aboard the International Space Station on Tuesday as the Expedition 72 crew continued exploring how microgravity affects human physiology. The orbital residents are also preparing for cargo missions coming and going at the orbital lab while keeping up life support maintenance.
Four Expedition 72 astronauts took a well-deserved break on Monday following last week’s busy period of crew swap activities and advanced microgravity research. The rest of the International Space Station residents kicked off the week with ongoing space science and life support maintenance duties.
