The Expedition 70 crew continues packing the SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft whereas additionally maintaining microgravity analysis for NASA and its companions to advance humanity on Earth and in area.
NASA and SpaceX are suspending the Friday, Dec. 15, undocking of a SpaceX Dragon cargo resupply spacecraft from the International Space Station attributable to unfavorable climate situations on account of a chilly entrance passing by means of the splashdown zones off the coast of Florida.
Joint groups proceed to judge climate situations to find out the perfect alternative for Dragon to autonomously undock from the area station with the following obtainable alternative no sooner than 5:05 p.m. EST Saturday, Dec. 16.
Climate allowing for the Saturday undocking, protection of Dragon’s departure will start at 4:45 p.m. on the NASA+ streaming service through the web or the NASA app. Protection additionally will air reside on NASA Tv, YouTube, and on the company’s website. Discover ways to stream NASA TV by means of quite a lot of platforms together with social media.
After re-entering Earth’s ambiance, the spacecraft will splash down off the coast of Florida, which is not going to be broadcast on NASA TV. Comply with updates on return plans on the company’s area station weblog.
Astronauts Jasmin Moghbeli of NASA and Satoshi Furukawa of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Company) continued securing baggage full of return cargo and discarded gadgets inside Dragon for the undocking and return to Earth’s gravity. Moghbeli additionally joined NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara and tended to organic samples on the station that may quickly be stowed aboard Dragon.
Commander Andreas Mogensen of ESA (European House Company) turned his consideration to the Northrop Grumman Cygnus spacecraft scheduled to depart later this month. Moghbeli joined Mogensen readying the non-public cargo craft for its robotic detachment from the Unity module and launch again into Earth orbit for descent.
In the meantime, a big selection of area science to enhance life for astronauts in area and other people on Earth is ongoing aboard the orbiting lab. The seven area station residents explored how weightlessness impacts vegetation, robotics, and extra.
O’Hara labored within the Kibo laboratory module including water to the Advanced Plant Habitat to arrange for an upcoming experiment observing how microgravity impacts a plant’s immunity system. Furukawa configured a pair of toaster-sized, Astrobee robotic free-flyers and examined their potential to autonomously dock with each other.
Cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub joined one another at the start of their shift and took turns pedaling on an train cycle. The Roscosmos flight engineers assisted one another connected electrodes to one another and picked up blood strain measurements through the periodic bodily health analysis. Flight Engineer Konstantin Borisov additionally participated within the train check on the finish of his shift.
Kononenko later joined Borisov within the afternoon checking an incubator and a centrifuge holding egg samples for an area biology research. Chub wrapped up his day engaged on the Elektron oxygen generator and altering out smoke detectors.
Axiom House has introduced the launch date for its third non-public astronaut mission to the station for no sooner than Jan. 9, from Florida. Commander Michael Lopez-Alegria will lead Pilot Walter Villadei and Mission Specialists Alper Gezeravci and Marcus Wandt aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and keep aboard the orbital outpost for a two-week analysis mission.
Study extra about station actions by following the area station weblog, @space_station and @ISS_Research on X, in addition to the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts.
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