The Canadarm2 mechanical appendage extends outward from the International Space Station, as the station circled 261 miles above the territory of Turkey. Captured below are the Sinai Peninsula, the Red Sea, and the Nile River Delta converging toward the Mediterranean Sea. Photo credit: NASA
The agenda for Expedition 70’s crew on Monday, October 23, prioritized readiness for upcoming spacewalks. Two cosmonauts from Russia’s space agency Roscosmos are slated to leave the station on Wednesday, October 25, while two NASA astronauts are preparing for their inaugural spacewalk scheduled for the following week.
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Roscosmos Cosmonaut Extravehicular Endeavor
Flight Engineers Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub plan to exit the Poisk module of the International Space Station at 2:10 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on Wednesday. Their mission objectives include the installation of communication systems, the deployment of a nanosatellite, and an inspection of the auxiliary radiator that previously suffered a coolant leak. Earlier today, both engineers focused on readying the equipment they will require during their seven-hour journey, including the addition of lighting and video recording systems to the helmets of their Orlan suits.
NASA Astronauts Prepare for Upcoming Extravehicular Activity
NASA astronauts Jasmin Moghbeli and Loral O’Hara are diligently preparing for their first spacewalk, scheduled for next Monday at 8:05 a.m. The pair will depart the station to dismantle the Radio Frequency Group—a specialized electronics box—and to replace the bearing components within a solar array’s rotary joint. Their preparations today primarily involved procedural reviews and will escalate in complexity over the course of this week. Later in the evening, they participated in a conference call with ground teams, alongside JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) Flight Engineer Satoshi Furukawa and ESA (European Space Agency) Commander Andreas Mogensen.
Ongoing Station Maintenance and Scientific Research
Last month, researchers completed the final harvest of Arabidopsis plants as part of the Plant Habitat-03 study. This experiment aims to understand how successive plant generations might inherit adaptations in the demanding environment of microgravity. Today, Commander Mogensen devoted time to organize the facility and prepare Seed Bags for their impending return to Earth. Simultaneously, Furukawa managed the replacement of a filtration unit in a wastewater treatment system.
While the majority of station inhabitants were engrossed in preparations and procedural briefings for the forthcoming extravehicular activities, Roscosmos Flight Engineer Konstantin Borisov finalized maintenance operations and executed an experiment designed to analyze the nocturnal luminosity of Earth’s atmosphere in the near-ultraviolet spectrum.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Expedition 70 Spacewalk Preparations
What is the main focus of Expedition 70’s crew on October 23?
The main focus of Expedition 70’s crew on October 23 is to prepare for upcoming spacewalks. Two Roscosmos cosmonauts are scheduled to exit the station on Wednesday, October 25, and two NASA astronauts are preparing for their first spacewalk the following week.
Who are the Roscosmos cosmonauts preparing for the spacewalk?
The Roscosmos cosmonauts preparing for the spacewalk are Flight Engineers Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub. They plan to exit the International Space Station’s Poisk module at 2:10 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on Wednesday, October 25.
What tasks will the Roscosmos cosmonauts be performing during their spacewalk?
During their seven-hour spacewalk, Kononenko and Chub will install communications hardware, deploy a nanosatellite, and inspect an external backup radiator that experienced a coolant leak.
Who are the NASA astronauts gearing up for a spacewalk?
NASA astronauts Jasmin Moghbeli and Loral O’Hara are preparing for their first spacewalk, scheduled for the following Monday at 8:05 a.m.
What tasks will the NASA astronauts undertake during their spacewalk?
The NASA astronauts will remove the Radio Frequency Group—an electronics box—and replace bearing assemblies on a solar array rotary joint.
What are the ongoing scientific research activities on the International Space Station?
Ongoing research includes the final harvest of Arabidopsis plants from the Plant Habitat-03 study. This experiment aims to understand how one generation of plants might pass on adaptations to the next in the challenging conditions of microgravity.
What maintenance and other tasks are being performed on the station?
In addition to preparing for spacewalks, the crew is also engaged in regular maintenance tasks. For example, Furukawa attended to the replacement of a filtration unit in a wastewater treatment system, and Konstantin Borisov conducted an experiment to analyze the nocturnal luminosity of Earth’s atmosphere.
What agencies are involved in the current Expedition 70 activities?
The agencies involved in Expedition 70 activities include Roscosmos (Russian Federal Space Agency), NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), and ESA (European Space Agency).
More about Expedition 70 Spacewalk Preparations
- Expedition 70 Mission Overview
- International Space Station
- Roscosmos Spacewalk Activities
- NASA Astronauts’ Spacewalk Details
- Plant Habitat-03 Research
- Earth’s Nocturnal Atmosphere Study
- JAXA and ESA Involvement in Expedition 70
- Space Station Maintenance and Research Activities
- NASA Official Website
- Roscosmos Official Website
- JAXA Official Website
- ESA Official Website
8 comments
it’s cool how international the ISS is. Roscosmos, NASA, JAXA, ESA, its like a space UN.
Wow, so much is goin’ on up there! Can’t wait for the spacewalk, sounds like a blockbuster movie in the making.
interesting stuff, especially the research on plants. Never thought bout how plants would adapt in space.
The amount of prep that goes into a spacewalk is mind-blowing. Seven hours in space, but probably months of prep.
Can’t even manage my household plants and they’re doing agriculture in space. Puts things in perspective huh.
Always amazed by the science stuff they do up there. A wastewater treatment system in space, that’s next level.
These folks are real heroes, doing complex tasks in a harsh environment. Kudos to the whole crew!
What’s the deal with the Earth’s nocturnal glow? Never heard of it, but now I’m curious. Sounds trippy.