A Dynamic Week for Expedition 69 on Space Station: Microorganisms, Machinery, and Achievements
As the International Space Station circled 262 miles above a cloudy area in Nigeria, the Soyuz MS-23 crew ship was seen attached to the Prichal docking module in a captivating display. This marked the beginning of an eventful week for Expedition 69, which commenced on Friday, August 18. The crew initiated their day with health assessments, followed by engaging in biology and physics research activities towards the week’s end. Alongside these scientific pursuits, the ISS residents diligently carried out maintenance tasks and made preparations for upcoming cargo and crew missions.
Health Assessments
The day kicked off with NASA Flight Engineer Stephen Bowen overseeing a routine health evaluation for himself and fellow astronauts Woody Hoburg from NASA and Sultan Alneyadi from the UAE. The trio affixed sensors to their bodies, linked to a tablet computer, which gauged crucial health metrics such as body temperature, blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing rate.
Maintenance and Experimentation
Subsequently, Bowen immersed himself in the Kibo laboratory module, installing the Multi-use Variable-g Platform Cell-02 hardware to delve into the behavior of microorganisms in the space environment. Hoburg dedicated some time to servicing seeds for the Plant Habitat-03 study. He also experimented with the use of Sidekick augmented reality goggles to facilitate maintenance tasks on the COLBERT treadmill.
Alneyadi, aided by Bowen, continued their involvement in the Microgravity Science Glovebox experiment, exchanging samples of graphene aerogel as part of a space manufacturing investigation. After this, Alneyadi took on the role of an educator by filming brief videos demonstrating space communication activities aimed at junior high school students. This bridged the gap between scientific endeavors and educational outreach.
NASA’s Upcoming Record and Roscosmos Activities
NASA astronaut Frank Rubio took a day off to attend to personal activities and his fitness routine. Come September 11, Rubio is set to break NASA’s single spaceflight record of 355 days, previously held by astronaut Mark Vande Hei on March 30, 2022. Rubio, along with Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin, arrived at the station on September 21, 2022. Their return to Earth is scheduled for the end of September.
Prokopyev’s week concluded with tests involving a 3D printer and exploration of piloting and robotic techniques, pertinent to forthcoming planetary missions. Petelin focused on inventorying equipment within the station’s Roscosmos segment. Additionally, he participated in assessments aimed at enhancing communication between international crews and mission controllers.
Roscosmos Flight Engineer Andrey Fedyaev’s day started with repairs to a water regeneration system, followed by a thorough inspection and cleaning of laptop computers during the afternoon.
Upcoming Ventures
In the imminent days, the ISS Progress 83 cargo craft will conclude its six-month tenure at the orbital lab by detaching from the Zvezda service module’s aft port at 7:48 p.m. EDT. It will be succeeded by the ISS Progress 85 cargo craft on August 24. This new cargo craft will dock at the same Zvezda port, two days after launching from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
Shortly after the arrival of Progress 85, the SpaceX Dragon crew spacecraft will take off from the Kennedy Space Center with four crew members on board. The SpaceX Crew-7 mission, launching just one day prior to the docking of Progress 85, will dock at the Harmony module’s space-facing side. This mission marks the beginning of a six-month space research journey for the four crew members within the orbital laboratory.
Table of Contents
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Space Exploration
What activities took place during Expedition 69 on the International Space Station?
During Expedition 69, a variety of activities occurred on the International Space Station (ISS). These included health checks, biology and physics research, maintenance tasks, and preparations for upcoming cargo and crew missions. The astronauts also engaged in experiments related to microorganisms and space manufacturing.
What were the health checks conducted by the crew?
NASA Flight Engineer Stephen Bowen led health assessments for himself and fellow astronauts Woody Hoburg (NASA) and Sultan Alneyadi (UAE). They attached sensors to monitor vital signs such as temperature, blood pressure, pulse, and respiratory rate.
What experiments were conducted during Expedition 69?
Experiments included studying the behavior of microbes in space using the Multi-use Variable-g Platform Cell-02 hardware, servicing seeds for the Plant Habitat-03 study, and exchanging graphene aerogel samples for a space manufacturing investigation. Tests involving a 3D printer and exploration of piloting and robotic techniques were also conducted.
Who is due to break NASA’s single spaceflight record during this time?
NASA astronaut Frank Rubio is set to break NASA’s single spaceflight record of 355 days, previously held by astronaut Mark Vande Hei. Rubio’s record-breaking day is scheduled for September 11.
What is the schedule for upcoming cargo and crew missions?
The ISS Progress 83 cargo craft will undock on August 18, making way for the ISS Progress 85 cargo craft to dock on August 24. Shortly after, the SpaceX Crew-7 mission is set to launch from the Kennedy Space Center, docking to the Harmony module just one day after its liftoff. This mission marks the start of a six-month space research journey for the crew.
What role did Roscosmos cosmonauts play during Expedition 69?
Roscosmos cosmonauts, including Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin, engaged in various activities such as testing a 3D printer, exploring piloting and robotic techniques, taking inventory of equipment, and improving communication practices among international crews and mission controllers.
What educational outreach efforts were made during this expedition?
UAE astronaut Sultan Alneyadi filmed short videos demonstrating space communication activities for junior high school students, bridging the gap between scientific research and education.
More about Space Exploration
- NASA’s Expedition 69 Overview
- International Space Station
- Soyuz MS-23 Crew Ship
- Microgravity Science Glovebox
- SpaceX Crewed Missions
- UAE Astronaut Sultan Alneyadi
- Roscosmos
- NASA’s Human Spaceflight Records
1 comment
ISS crew’s jugglin’ research, health stuff & gear checks. microgravity’s twistin’ things up in experiments. awe-inspirin’ teamwork!