Busy day of research, lab maintenance, and cargo operations aboard ISS

Busy day of research, lab maintenance, and cargo operations aboard ISS
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Feb 10, 2025

The crew members of Expedition 72 dedicated their Thursday to a range of scientific investigations, station maintenance, and logistical operations aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The astronauts and cosmonauts worked together to ensure the orbital laboratory remains in optimal condition for ongoing research.

NASA Flight Engineers Nick Hague and Don Pettit focused on assessing and documenting the layout of racks within the U.S. segment of the space station. They recorded video footage of rack configurations, enabling ground engineers to evaluate cable safety and arrangement. Later in the day, Hague packed cargo and disposed of waste inside the Northrop Grumman Cygnus cargo craft, which has been docked at the station since August 6, 2024. Meanwhile, Pettit worked in Japan's Kibo module, reorganizing cargo and securing a small satellite deployer.

Commander Suni Williams of NASA engaged in crucial life support maintenance, removing carbon dioxide extraction equipment and inspecting cable connections within the Tranquility module's Life Support Rack. Following this, she assisted in organizing Cygnus cargo before performing maintenance in the station's waste and hygiene compartment, also housed in Tranquility.

NASA Flight Engineer Butch Wilmore focused on computer system upkeep, configuring a laptop for an upcoming electronics test and updating software on a tablet. Later, he performed inventory checks on food supplies and reviewed crew dietary plans to ensure sufficient nutrition for the upcoming mission schedule.

The three Roscosmos cosmonauts aboard the ISS balanced their time between scientific experiments and maintaining their section of the station. Flight Engineer Aleksandr Gorbunov concluded an experiment from the Plasma Kristall-4 study, which explores the formation of plasma crystals from charged particles in microgravity. He then joined fellow cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin in a communications study designed to enhance coordination between international crews and mission control centers worldwide. Ovchinin also contributed to a cardiac study alongside Flight Engineer Ivan Vagner, wearing sensors to monitor how microgravity impacts the heart's electrical activity.

In addition to their research, the Russian crew members completed routine maintenance, servicing ventilation systems and life support equipment to uphold a stable environment aboard the ISS.