Key portions of the International Space Station are visualized on August 12, 2021, from a window on Russias most recent addition to the orbiting laboratory, the Nauka Multipurpose Laboratory Module. From left to right are Japans Kibo laboratory module with its connected Exposed Facility where a range of experiments are positioned in the vacuum of space, consisting of: the Japanese robotic arm connected to Kibo; the Leonardo Multipurpose Logistics Module connected to the Tranquility module; and the seven-windowed cupola and the Bigelow Expandable Module, or BEAM, connected to Tranquility. Credit: NASA
Tuesday was a busy day aboard the International Space Station (ISS) as the 11 crew members divided their time between innovative area research study and upkeep of the orbital lab. Four astronauts also began turning their attention to returning house to Earth, ending a mission that began in April.
2 of the brand-new Expedition 68 crewmates focused their science activities on growing crops in space and navigating free-flying robotics. For the XROOTS area botany study, NASA Flight Engineer Frank Rubio nourished veggies and photographed their development progress.
Astronauts (from left) Jessica Watkins, Bob Hines, Kjell Lindgren, and Samantha Cristoforetti talk with reporters on Earth about their spaceport station objective. Credit: NASA TELEVISION
Novice NASA Flight Engineers Nicole Mann and Josh Cassada invested the majority of their day on maintenance and crew orientation activities. Mann gathered a water sample and replaced a sensor in the U.S. Destiny lab modules oxygen generation system. Cassada switched parts on the stations bathroom, or Waste and Hygiene Compartment, and later on joined Rubio and evaluated how to set up and eliminate helmets on the Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) spacesuits. Mann and Cassada likewise trained on the operation of station exercise gear consisting of the Destiny modules exercise bike and the COLBERT treadmill.
Four astronauts are preparing to return to Earth quickly aboard the SpaceX Dragon Freedom team ship. The foursome including Freedom Commander Kjell Lindgren, Pilot Bob Hines and Mission Specialists Jessica Watkins and Samantha Cristoforetti invested Tuesday packing up freight and personal products, charging computer system tablets, and downloading deorbit data needed to target Freedoms reentry into Earths atmosphere and splashdown off the coast of Florida.
Enjoy the four departing astronauts farewell remarks from the spaceport station:
The three cosmonauts onboard the ISS focused on station research study and lab maintenance tasks on Tuesday. Two-time station visitor Sergey Prokopyev worked on hardware and then investigated how international teams and objective controllers can improve interactions. Newbie area flyer Dmitri Petelin checked the Zvezda service modules ventilation system and after that studied innovative Earth photography methods. New Flight Engineer Anna Kikina, who has been aboard the station less than a week, explored future spacecraft and robotic piloting methods and later signed up with Petelin for the Earth photography session.
Newbie area flyer Dmitri Petelin inspected the Zvezda service modules ventilation system and then studied sophisticated Earth photography techniques.
Key portions of the International Space Station are visualized on August 12, 2021, from a window on Russias newest addition to the orbiting lab, the Nauka Multipurpose Laboratory Module. From left to right are Japans Kibo laboratory module with its attached Exposed Facility where a variety of experiments are put in the vacuum of area, including: the Japanese robotic arm attached to Kibo; the Leonardo Multipurpose Logistics Module attached to the Tranquility module; and the seven-windowed cupola and the Bigelow Expandable Module, or BEAM, connected to Tranquility. Mann and Cassada also trained on the operation of station exercise equipment including the Destiny modules exercise bike and the COLBERT treadmill.