Space life

Astronaut Loral O’Hara shows off spacewalking tools aboard the International Space Station. The Expedition 70 crew worked throughout Tuesday on space physics and human research aboard the International Space Station . Two astronauts are also gearing up for a spacewalk on Thursday to determine if microorganisms can survive the harsh environment of outer space. Tuesday morning, the orbital residents focused their science activities on a variety of physics research hardware. NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara installed new components and reconnected power and data cables on the Cold Atom Lab , a device that observes the quantum behavior of atoms chilled to near absolute zero. Flight Engineer Satoshi Furukawa of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) set up combustion experiment gear in the Kibo laboratory module to study how microgravity affects flames and improve fire safety on spacecraft. O’Hara then joined fellow NASA Flight Engineer Jasmin Moghbeli in the Columbus laboratory mod...

At approximately 1 p.m. EDT Oct. 9, NASA flight controllers in mission control at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, using cameras on the International Space Station exterior, observed flakes emanating from one of two radiators on the Roscosmos Nauka Multipurpose Laboratory Module (MLM). The flight control team informed the crew aboard the space station of the potential leak, and NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli confirmed the presence of the flakes from the cupola windows, after which the crew was asked to close the shutters on U.S. segment windows as a precaution against contamination. The crew aboard station was never in any danger. Roscosmos confirmed that the observed leak is on Nauka’s backup radiator, which is mounted to the outside of the module. The radiator was delivered to the space station on the Rassvet module during space shuttle mission STS-132 in 2010. It was transferred to the Nauka during a Roscosmos spacewalk in April. The primary radiator on Nauka is worki...

(From left) Astronauts Andreas Mogensen and Loral O’Hara try on their spacesuits and test the suits’ components aboard the Quest airlock in preparation for their upcoming spacewalk. Spacewalk preparations topped the schedule for the Expedition 70 crew aboard the International Space Station on Friday. NASA managers previewed the spacewalks at the end of the week that will see astronauts exiting the orbital lab to collect microbe samples and service a variety of hardware. Flight Engineer Loral O’Hara of NASA and space station Commander Andreas Mogensen of ESA (European Space Agency) will exit the space station on Oct. 12 for a planned six-hour spacewalk. The duo will swab external station surfaces with specialized tools collecting samples of microorganisms for analysis. Scientists will process the samples to determine the types of microbes that may survive in the vacuum of space. The duo was joined on Friday by astronauts Jasmin Moghbeli of NASA and Satoshi Furukawa of JAXA (J...

From left, astronauts Andreas Mogensen, Loral O’Hara, and Jasmin Moghbeli are pictured in their spacesuits training for spacewalks on Earth. Credit: NASA Spacesuit preparations took a break on Thursday as the Expedition 70 crew turned its attention it to human research including behavioral studies, eye exams, and a fitness evaluation. The International Space Station residents also focused on an array of science hardware maintenance and orbital plumbing tasks. NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara spent her day participating in the CIPHER human research study to understand how living in space affects an astronaut’s mind and body. She practiced simulated robotics maneuvers on a computer to assess changes in her cognition and brain function. She also processed blood and urine samples for insights into her immune and heart health. The experiment is observing the combined effects of radiation, isolation, long distances, microgravity, and closed environments on crews. Two flight engineers, Ja...

Astronauts Andreas Mogensen and Loral O’Hara work on a pair of spacesuits inside the International Space Station’s Quest airlock. The Expedition 70 crew continues preparing for a pair of spacewalks for science and maintenance outside the International Space Station . The orbital residents are also studying space piloting, observing Earth, and working on a treadmill today. NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Andreas Mogensen are getting ready for their first spacewalk set to begin at 10 a.m. EST on Oct. 12 . The duo will use specialized tools to collect microbe samples from specific areas outside of the station. Scientists want to analyze the types of microbes that may be able to survive the harsh environment of outer space. NASA TV will broadcast both a spacewalk preview briefing and the upcoming spacewalks. The preview briefing, set for 1 p.m. EDT on Friday, will highlight next week’s spacewalk activities, as well as another spacewalk schedule...

Astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli prepares for spacewalk training at Johnson Space Center’s Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory with assistance from astronaut Tracy C. Dyson. Spacewalk preparations and exercise gear maintenance were the primary tasks for the Expedition 70 crew aboard the International Space Station on Tuesday. Hearing tests and a variety of science and hardware tasks rounded out the day’s plan for the orbital crewmates. Three astronauts are stepping up preparations for a pair of spacewalks planned this month for science and maintenance. Both spacewalks, planned for Oct. 12 and 20, will be broadcast live on NASA TV, on the agency’s app , and website . The first spacewalk will see ESA (European Space Agency) Commander Andreas Mogensen and NASA Flight Engineer Loral O’Hara swabbing external station surfaces for microbes. They will carefully collect microbe samples from specific areas on the station using specialized tools. The samples will later be analyzed to determine the typ...

The official Expedition 70 crew portrait with (top row from left) Nikolai Chub, Konstantin Borisov, Oleg Kononenko, Satoshi Furukawa, and Loral O’Hara. In the front row are, Andreas Mogensen and Jasmin Moghbeli. The Expedition 70 crew is beginning its first full week together following last week’s departure of the station’s longest-serving crew at 371 days . The seven International Space Station residents kicked off Monday with human research and space physics, as well as spacesuit work and life support maintenance. NASA Flight Engineer Jasmin Moghbeli started her day setting up the Echo ultrasound system in the Columbus laboratory module for the Vascular Aging study. She scanned her neck, leg, and heart with support from ground personnel to help doctors understand accelerated aging-like symptoms that occur in a crew member’s arteries while living in space. Moghbeli also worked on station hardware as she set up a lighting system that will be placed outside the Kibo laboratory...