Expedition 74 wrapped up the week with extra preparations for the upcoming launch and arrival of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-12 mission. The orbital trio additionally studied area physics and human analysis whereas resupplying and inventorying lab provides and instruments aboard the Worldwide House Station.
NASA Flight Engineer Chris Williams kicked off his shift with SpaceX Dragon operations. Williams first transferred some accomplished experiments, used {hardware}, and trash inside a Dragon spacecraft that arrived on August 25, 2025. Subsequent, he staged a wide range of gear that can be utilized by the 4 Crew-12 members shortly after their arrival to the area station following their launch focused for no sooner than Thursday, Feb. 11.
After lunchtime, Williams centered on science {hardware} first injecting fuel into physics experiment {hardware} put in contained in the Microgravity Science Glovebox. He was testing methods to manage spacecraft gas tank strain resulting from cryogenic gas propellants evaporating because of the encircling warmth. Subsequent, he resupplied Human Analysis Facility kits with DNA oral swabs, blood pattern tubes, and gloves to make sure ongoing biomedical analysis.
Station Commander Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Flight Engineer Sergei Mikaev, each Roscosmos cosmonauts, joined one another for a respiratory take a look at initially of their shift on Friday. The duo took turns carrying tracheal acoustic sensors that recorded their exhalation price as they carried out managed respiration maneuvers. Researchers will use the sound knowledge to evaluate how the dearth of gravity impacts a crew member’s respiratory perform.
Afterward, Kud-Sverchkov inventoried instruments all through the station’s Roscosmos phase. Subsequent, he refreshed his Soyuz spacecraft piloting abilities familiarizing himself with return to Earth operations utilizing a pc simulator. Mikaev configured knowledge and processing {hardware} that controls a wide range of analysis initiatives together with materials science, plasma physics, and superior know-how demonstrations. Lastly, he joined Kud-Sverchkov for the Soyuz descent simulations earlier than ending his shift swapping cargo out and in of the Progress 92 cargo craft.
Be taught extra about station actions by following the area station weblog, @space_station on X, in addition to the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts.
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