ISS Crew Demonstrates Robotics and Monitors Environmental Conditions

ISS Crew Demonstrates Robotics and Monitors Environmental Conditions
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Feb 05, 2025

The Expedition 72 crew dedicated Tuesday to advancing free-flying robotics research while performing crucial scientific tasks aboard the International Space Station. Their schedule also included evaluating the outpost's air and water quality, plus prepping a student-controlled camera for Earth observation.

NASA specialists are harnessing microgravity to refine robotic techniques that can capture, service, or clear space debris in low Earth orbit. On Tuesday, Station Commander Suni Williams aided this work by powering up the Astrobee robotic free-flyer and attaching flexible arms equipped with gecko-inspired adhesive pads. She monitored the toaster-sized Astrobee as it autonomously located and seized a "capture cube," echoing a test she conducted in December. Findings from these trials may bolster orbital infrastructure and extend satellite lifespans.

NASA Flight Engineer Don Pettit spent much of the day supporting laboratory research. He began by collecting station water samples and using the Total Organic Carbon Analyzer to confirm water quality. Next, he replaced fuel canisters inside the Combustion Integrated Rack, a secured platform that enables microgravity flame and fuel studies. He then moved an airborne particulate monitor to the Zvezda service module to measure air purity.

NASA Flight Engineer Nick Hague focused on station logistics. He transferred cargo in and out of Northrop Grumman's Cygnus resupply ship, which has been docked to the station since Aug. 6, 2024. Following that, he installed updated software on an EXPRESS rack computer supporting various investigations. Meanwhile, NASA Flight Engineer Butch Wilmore finished storing tools in the Quest airlock after last week's spacewalk, then conducted maintenance on the orbital plumbing in the Tranquility module.

Roscosmos Flight Engineer Aleksandr Gorbunov set up the EarthKAM system in the Harmony module, angling the camera toward the planet and calibrating its focus. This hardware allows students on Earth to remotely control the camera and collect detailed photographs of notable landmarks.

Flight Engineers Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner worked side by side in the Zvezda module, focusing on routine upkeep. Ovchinin also positioned gas analyzers to track carbon dioxide levels near crew quarters and workstations in the Roscosmos segment, ensuring a safe living environment on the station.