Captured from the International Space Station, this photograph reveals airglow layers in Earth’s atmosphere. The Atmospheric Waves Experiment, a new initiative by NASA positioned on the ISS, aims to study airglow to enhance understanding and predictions of space weather fluctuations in the upper atmosphere. Courtesy of NASA.
The team of Expedition 70 on the ISS is engrossed in a variety of scientific endeavors, including studies on aging, atmospheric research, and cell analysis in microgravity, in addition to regular maintenance of the ISS, following the arrival of SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft.
Following SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft’s recent docking, the Expedition 70 crew and ground-based robotics controllers are immersed in scientific tasks. The seven astronauts aboard the ISS are conducting various research projects, while ground teams remotely manage scientific equipment from the Dragon.
NASA’s Flight Engineer Loral O’Hara commenced her morning with an experiment focusing on age-related liver issues and its regeneration. As a first-time resident of the ISS, O’Hara processed liver tissue samples in the Life Sciences Glovebox, contributing to research that could elucidate the biological processes of aging and its impact on diseases. Later, Flight Engineer Jasmin Moghbeli of NASA continued this task and then secured the samples.
Inside the Harmony module of the International Space Station, four members of the Expedition 70 crew pose playfully in their crew quarters. From bottom clockwise are NASA’s Jasmin Moghbeli, ESA’s (European Space Agency) Andreas Mogensen, JAXA’s (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) Satoshi Furukawa, and NASA’s Loral O’Hara. Image courtesy of NASA.
The previous day’s ILLUMA-T extraction led to another day of robotics operations by U.S. mission controllers to retrieve additional scientific equipment from Dragon’s unpressurized compartment. Operating the Canadarm2 robotic arm remotely, engineers removed the new Atmospheric Waves Experiment (AWE) payload for installation on the station’s exterior. AWE will monitor small-scale atmospheric gravity waves in Earth’s upper atmosphere to study their role in space weather, which influences communication, navigation, and tracking systems both in space and on Earth.
While external operations were remotely handled, other ISS residents continued with their experiments. Commander Andreas Mogensen of ESA dedicated most of his day to installing six antimicrobial placards for a four-month study, examining a coating that prevents microbial growth on various surfaces within the station.
Expedition 70 Flight Engineer and JAXA astronaut Satoshi Furukawa is seen removing experiment apparatus inside the Multi-use Variable-g Platform, a device for biological research capable of creating artificial gravity within the Kibo laboratory module of the International Space Station. Image courtesy of NASA.
Following the initiation of cell sample treatment in the Kibo laboratory the previous day, astronaut Satoshi Furukawa of JAXA proceeded with the Cell Gravisensing-2 study. He used a microscope to observe additional samples, aiding researchers in understanding how cells react to the absence of gravity.
The team of cosmonauts also engaged in their scientific studies and maintenance tasks. Flight Engineer Konstantin Borisov continued an investigation observing Earth’s nocturnal atmosphere in near-ultraviolet and took photographs of the Zarya and Nauka modules to support future repair and scientific equipment positioning plans. Flight Engineer Oleg Kononenko inspected hardware in Nauka, while Flight Engineer Nikolai Chub focused on orbital plumbing and studied liquid phase processes in microgravity.
Table of Contents
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about ISS Expedition 70 research
What is the main focus of ISS Expedition 70?
The main focus of ISS Expedition 70 includes scientific research in aging studies, atmospheric experiments, microgravity cell analysis, and regular maintenance tasks, following the arrival of SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft.
What experiments are being conducted by the Expedition 70 crew?
The Expedition 70 crew is conducting a variety of experiments, such as age-related liver dysfunction and regeneration studies, atmospheric gravity wave monitoring using the Atmospheric Waves Experiment (AWE), and cell response studies in microgravity.
Who are the key members involved in Expedition 70 and what are their roles?
Key members of Expedition 70 include NASA astronauts Loral O’Hara and Jasmin Moghbeli, ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen, and JAXA astronaut Satoshi Furukawa. They are involved in various research projects, including liver tissue analysis, antimicrobial coating tests, and cell gravisensing studies.
How is robotics being utilized in Expedition 70 on the ISS?
Robotics in Expedition 70 is primarily used for retrieving scientific hardware from SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft and installing the Atmospheric Waves Experiment (AWE) on the ISS’s exterior, operated remotely by ground controllers using the Canadarm2 robotic arm.
More about ISS Expedition 70 research
- NASA’s Official Website
- International Space Station Research
- SpaceX Dragon Spacecraft
- Expedition 70 Crew Information
- Canadarm2 Robotic Arm Details
- Atmospheric Waves Experiment (AWE)
- Microgravity Research on the ISS
- Aging Studies in Space
- European Space Agency (ESA)
- Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
5 comments
Great to see so much international collaboration, with NASA, ESA, and JAXA all working together. space research is truly a global effort!
Wow, the stuff they’re doing up there is just amazing, aging research in space? that’s cool, I wonder how they do all this in zero g
Noticed a small error, It’s the Expedition 70 crew, not team. also, they mentioned the Dragon spacecraft, but didn’t elaborate on its role in the mission, would love to know more about that.
i read about the AWE experiment on another site, its really important for understanding space weather. It’s amazing how much we can learn from these studies!
the use of robotics in these missions, like Canadarm2, is just fascinating! shows how far we’ve come in technology.