Cargo operations and spacewalks preparations topped the schedule aboard the International Space Station on Wednesday. The Expedition 71 crew members additionally labored on biomedical analysis and reviewed procedures for a simulated emergency.
NASA astronauts Tracy C. Dyson and Mike Barratt kicked off their day swapping cargo out and in of the SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft that arrived on the orbital outpost on March 23. Afterward, NASA Flight Engineers Matthew Dominick and Jeanette Epps took over the cargo transfers and wrapped up the work earlier than lunchtime. Dragon is because of undock from the Harmony module’s space-facing port and return to Earth on the finish of the month.
The quartet regrouped within the afternoon and took part in a pair of house biology actions to assist medical doctors perceive how the human physique adapts to weightlessness. First, Barratt operated the Ultrasound 2 gadget and scanned Dyson’s neck, shoulder, and leg veins as a part of frequently scheduled medical checkups. Barratt then joined Dominick and Epps to attempt on and check a garment which will assist crews modify faster to the return to Earth’s gravity after a long-term house mission. The threesome then measured the circumference of the waist and proper leg throughout the garment match verify.
Cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub proceed making ready for this yr’s first spacewalk. The duo from Roscosmos had been as soon as once more accumulating instruments, configuring spacesuits, and readying the Poisk airlock for his or her deliberate seven-hour spacewalk scheduled for April 25. The pair additionally took turns throughout the morning sporting a cap filled with sensors whereas practising on a pc futuristic spacecraft and robotic piloting strategies which may be used on planetary missions. Flight Engineer Alexander Grebenkin labored all through the day servicing quite a lot of life assist {hardware} and video gear within the house station’s Roscosmos phase.
On the finish of the day, all seven orbital residents gathered collectively and watched a video describing the operation of emergency simulation software program. Subsequent, the crewmates familiarized themselves with emergency {hardware}, equivalent to respiration masks, and procedures, together with closing hatches and evacuation paths.
Be taught extra about station actions by following the house station weblog, @space_station and @ISS_Research on X, in addition to the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts.
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