Expedition 73 has ended and NASA astronaut Jonny Kim has returned to Houston and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky have returned to Moscow. The trio is now readapting to Earth’s gravity after dwelling aboard the Worldwide House Station in weightlessness for 245 days.
Expedition 74 is now underway with veteran NASA astronaut Mike Fincke as commander main six flight engineers together with NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Chris Williams, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Company) astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Platonov, Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev.
Fincke spent his Wednesday primarily contained in the Tranquility module changing orbital plumbing elements on the waste and hygiene compartment, the station’s restroom. The veteran astronaut additionally ready cargo and life assist racks for elimination and reinstallation all through the orbital outpost’s U.S. phase. The rack switch work will proceed into subsequent week.
Cardman processed stem cell samples for stowage in a science freezer forward of their return to Earth subsequent yr for a research demonstrating on-orbit pharmaceutical manufacturing and regenerative medication. She additionally measured air move all through the U.S. modules and printed out an up to date spacewalking guidelines.
Williams exercised for analysis whereas pedaling on the Future laboratory module’s train cycle. He labored out sporting respiration gear and electrodes measuring his cardio output and cardiovascular well being. Afterward, he powered on a fluorescent analysis microscope then collected carbon dioxide waste samples from an atmospheric cleaner for evaluation.
Yui reviewed the rack elimination and alternative steps that he Cardman and Williams will help Fincke with over the following a number of days. He then labored contained in the Kibo laboratory module servicing an experimental carbon dioxide elimination gadget.
Flight Engineers Kud-Sverchkov and Mikaev, who’ve been aboard the station with Williams since Nov. 27, had a light-weight responsibility day on Wednesday with a while put aside for photographic inspections and Elektron oxygen generator upkeep. Flight Engineer Oleg Platonov started his shift on orbital plumbing duties within the station’s Roscosmos phase. Subsequent, he assisted Mikaev with the Elektron job then wrapped up his shift putting in {hardware} that allows the European robotic arm to be remotely managed from Earth.
Study extra about station actions by following the house station weblog, @space_station on X, in addition to the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts.
Get the newest from NASA delivered each week. Subscribe here.
