A tempest over the southeast Pacific Ocean was photographed from the International Space Station, which was 268 miles over Chile’s central coast on July 24, 2023. Image source: NASA
Expedition 69’s team on the ISS was actively engaged in various scientific investigations, prepared for the incoming Cygnus cargo spacecraft, and mapped out plans for an impending spacewalk. Crucial studies examined the effects of microgravity on different scientific disciplines.
The Expedition 69 crew was fully occupied with a diverse range of research on the International Space Station on Thursday, August 3, 2023. Concurrently, the crew will be welcoming a U.S. cargo vehicle on Friday, followed by preparations for a spacewalk the following week.
Four astronauts, hailing from NASA and the UAE (United Arab Emirates), resumed their work following a day’s break on Wednesday. On Thursday, the foursome was immersed in investigating the influence of microgravity on biology, physics, and robotics.
Microgravity Research Insights
NASA Flight Engineer Stephen Bowen handled blood samples to examine alterations in the immune system in zero-gravity. His NASA colleague, Flight Engineer Frank Rubio, alternated samples within the Materials Science Laboratory, a research center developed to find new uses for existing materials and to innovate new or improved substances. Flight Engineer Woody Hoburg supervised Astrobee robotic assistants, guided by student-crafted algorithms, to support the Astrobee-Zero Robotics contest for young individuals. Astronaut Sultan Alneyadi spent the day maintaining life support systems and acquainting himself with the BioFabrication Facility, a 3D biological printer.
NASA astronaut and Expedition 69 Flight Engineer Stephen Bowen engaged in research activities on July 28, 2023, utilizing the Columbus laboratory module’s BioFabrication Facility (BFF). The BFF serves as a research platform for printing organ-like tissues and testing the feasibility of fabricating human organs in space.
Following their scientific duties, all four flight engineers convened to connect with the upcoming SpaceX Crew-7 visitors. They talked about the planned crew transition expected by the month’s end. They ended their day with a conference call with mission control to discuss the arrival of Cygnus on Friday.
Cygnus is scheduled for capture at 5:55 a.m. EDT (2:55 a.m. PDT) on Friday, August 4, commanded by Hoburg who will use the Canadarm2 robotic arm to seize the U.S. supply ship. Rubio will serve as backup, monitoring Cygnus as it arrives laden with over 8,200 pounds of science equipment and supplies. Cygnus embarked on its journey to the station after launching at 8:31 p.m. on Tuesday from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.
A mere five days post Cygnus’ arrival, Commander Sergey Prokopyev and Flight Engineer Dmitri Petelin will embark on the year’s 10th spacewalk, exiting the Poisk airlock in their Orlan spacesuits. This week, they reviewed protocols for when they install micrometeoroid orbital debris shields and relocate hardware on the orbital lab’s exterior on August 9.
The Roscosmos pair paused their spacewalk preparation today to study the impact of living in space on digestion and explore how future crews might operate planetary spacecraft and robots. Flight Engineer Andrey Fedyaev also joined in the space digestion study before strapping electrodes to himself for a 24-hour session to measure his cardiac activity and blood pressure.
Table of Contents
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Microgravity research
What were the main activities of Expedition 69 aboard the International Space Station?
Expedition 69 crew members on the International Space Station were engaged in diverse scientific research, focusing on the impacts of microgravity on fields like biology, physics, and robotics. They also prepared for the arrival of the Cygnus cargo craft and planned for an upcoming spacewalk.
What kind of research did the astronauts conduct related to microgravity?
NASA Flight Engineer Stephen Bowen conducted research on how the immune system changes in weightlessness using blood samples. Fellow NASA Flight Engineer Frank Rubio worked with samples inside the Materials Science Laboratory to discover new applications for materials. Flight Engineer Woody Hoburg supervised the Astrobee robotic assistants for a youth robotics competition. Astronaut Sultan Alneyadi familiarized himself with the BioFabrication Facility, a 3D biological printer.
When is Cygnus expected to arrive at the International Space Station?
Cygnus is scheduled to be captured on Friday, August 4, 2023, at 5:55 a.m. EDT (2:55 a.m. PDT). Flight Engineer Woody Hoburg will command the Canadarm2 robotic arm to reach out and grapple the U.S. resupply ship.
What is the purpose of the upcoming spacewalk by Commander Sergey Prokopyev and Flight Engineer Dmitri Petelin?
The spacewalk, scheduled for August 9, 2023, will involve installing micrometeoroid orbital debris shields and relocating hardware on the exterior of the orbital lab.
How did the Roscosmos astronauts spend their time on the International Space Station?
Apart from spacewalk preparations, the Roscosmos astronauts studied how living in space affects digestion and explored ways future crews could pilot planetary spacecraft and robots. Flight Engineer Andrey Fedyaev participated in a space digestion study and monitored his heart activity and blood pressure with attached electrodes for 24 hours.
More about Microgravity research
- NASA’s International Space Station Page: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html
- Information about Cygnus: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/structure/launch/cygnus.html
- Astrobee-Zero Robotics Competition: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/ames/astrobee-zero-robotics-competition-for-fall-2022
- BioFabrication Facility (BFF) Overview: https://www.nasa.gov/ames/research/space-biosciences/biofabrication-facility
- Details about Expedition 69: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition69/index.html
- Microgravity Research: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments_category/physical.html
- Information about Orlan spacesuits: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/spacewalking-in-russian-spacesuits
- Roscosmos Official Website: http://en.roscosmos.ru/
2 comments
expedition 69, exploring microgravity’s impacts on biology & physics – fascinating stuff! thumbs up for the astronauts’ hard work!
wow, this is soooo cool! space station, microgravity, and robots, all in one text! cant wait to see cygnus arrive!