The SpaceX Dragon resupply ship approaches the International Space Station carrying more than 6,200 pounds of science experiments, crew products, and other freight, to renew the Expedition 68 crew. A selection of experiment hardware and research study samples will return to Earth for analysis after Dragon undocks from the Harmony modules forward port at 11:05 a.m. EDT on Saturday, April 15. The 4,300 pounds of return freight packed inside Dragon will then be extracted at NASAs Kennedy Space Center, where the completed research study and station hardware will be shipped to researchers and engineers around the world for examination and assessment.
The SpaceX Dragon resupply ship approaches the International Space Station on March 16, 2023, carrying more than 6,200 pounds of science experiments, team supplies, and other freight, to replenish the Expedition 68 crew. Both spacecraft were flying 260 miles above the Bay of Bengal at the time of this photo. Credit: NASA
NASA Flight Engineer Frank Rubio is finishing up one final space biology study today, preparing clinical samples for observation back on Earth so researchers can understand how the human body gets used to living long-term in microgravity. Stephen Bowen and Woody Hoburg, both from NASA, are also stowing a range of research study samples inside portable science freezers that can be launched into area, set up on the station, then returned inside the Dragon spacecraft.
Other science experiments are still continuous aboard the orbiting outpost, including a heart research study exploring methods to offset microgravitys impact on heart cells and tissues. UAE (United Arab Emirates) Flight Engineer Sultan Alneyadi invested Friday early morning in the Kibo lab module treating samples for the Engineered Heart Tissues-2 experiment. Utilizing Kibos Life Sciences Glovebox, Alneyadi performed the research study operations that might assist doctors treat, as well as avoid, space-caused heart conditions and Earth-bound cardiac disorders.
The orbital citizens are also gearing up for several spacewalks to move hardware outside the area station. Commander Sergey Prokopyev and Flight Engineer Dmitri Petelin, both Roscosmos cosmonauts, will work over 3 spacewalks, the first start at 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, to move an experiment and a radiator airlock from the Rassvet module to the Nauka science module. The duo spent Friday organizing their spacewalk tools and practicing their external maneuvers on a computer.
Roscosmos Flight Engineer Andrey Fedyaev began Friday by attaching a sensor cap to himself and then replicating piloting a spacecraft on a computer system for a research study checking out futuristic, piloting methods on planetary missions. Afterward, he evaluated notebook computer inside the Zvezda service module and after that powered down Earth observation hardware in the Harmony module.
The SpaceX Dragon resupply ship approaches the International Space Station on March 16, 2023, carrying more than 6,200 pounds of science experiments, team supplies, and other freight, to replenish the Expedition 68 crew.
The SpaceX Dragon resupply ship approaches the International Space Station carrying more than 6,200 pounds of science experiments, team materials, and other freight, to replenish the Expedition 68 team. Both spacecraft were flying 261 miles above the Indian Ocean at the time of this photo. Credit: NASA
The Dragon freight craft has actually been offered the go-ahead to undock from the ISS and return to Earth with a series of experiments and research study samples, while the ISS team gets ready for numerous spacewalks and continuous research.
NASA and SpaceX authorities have actually provided the “go” for the science- and cargo-packed Dragon freight craft to undock from the International Space Station (ISS) and return to Earth. While the Expedition 69 crew settles Dragon freight operations, preparations are still underway for a hectic period of spacewalks set to begin on Tuesday, April 18.
An array of experiment hardware and research samples will return to Earth for analysis after Dragon undocks from the Harmony modules forward port at 11:05 a.m. EDT on Saturday, April 15. Dragon will parachute to a crash off the coast of Florida numerous hours later where support workers from NASA and SpaceX will obtain the lorry. The 4,300 pounds of return freight loaded inside Dragon will then be extracted at NASAs Kennedy Space Center, where the finished research study and station hardware will be shipped to researchers and engineers all over the world for investigation and evaluation.