ISS crew members prepare space botany study and pack Dragon capsule for return

ISS crew members prepare space botany study and pack Dragon capsule for return
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Nov 30, 2024

After a Thanksgiving break, the Expedition 72 crew resumed its busy schedule aboard the International Space Station (ISS) with a focus on preparing a botany experiment and packing the SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft for its journey back to Earth. The day's activities underscored the importance of advancing scientific research while managing essential logistics in orbit.

NASA Flight Engineers Nick Hague, Don Pettit, and Butch Wilmore concentrated on loading equipment and scientific results into the Dragon spacecraft. Dragon, which arrived on Nov. 5 with over 6,000 pounds of supplies and research materials, is slated to undock from the station's Harmony module on Thursday, Dec. 5.

In addition to cargo work, Pettit took time to engage with students in Caltanissetta, Italy, answering their questions about life aboard the ISS during an amateur radio session. Elsewhere, Hague managed scientific operations in the BioLab Incubator, replacing radiant-resistant Arthrospira C micro-algae samples with fresh ones. These samples will be exposed to varying light intensities to study their cellular growth, potentially improving life support systems and fresh food cultivation for future space missions.

Station Commander Suni Williams dedicated her efforts to plant science, preparing equipment for the Advanced Plant Habitat experiment. She collected water samples and installed the Plant Habitat-07 science carrier, which will host "Outredgeous" romaine lettuce. The experiment aims to examine how varying water levels impact lettuce growth and nutrient content in microgravity, offering insights for improving crop production both in space and on Earth.

Later in the day, Williams collaborated with Hague to conduct an ultrasound examination, focusing on his neck, shoulder, and knee veins as part of ongoing health monitoring.

Meanwhile, Roscosmos Flight Engineers Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner focused on maintenance tasks in the Nauka and Zarya modules, including cable rerouting and lighting assessments. Vagner also continued unpacking supplies from the recently arrived Progress 90 cargo spacecraft. Flight Engineer Aleksandr Gorbunov spent time working on computer systems before concluding his day with piloting drills in the Pilot-T simulator.