24 Apr 2025
Biotechnology research exploring DNA-like nanomaterials, microbes, and eye health topped the science schedule aboard the International Space Station on Wednesday. The Expedition 73 crew is also continuing its spacewalk preparations and unpacking the SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft.
Scientists are using the orbital outpost’s microgravity environment to advance the manufacturing of DNA-inspired nanomaterials and improve therapies to treat a variety of ailments in space and on Earth. NASA Flight Engineers Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers on Thursday set up hardware in the Kibo laboratory module’s Life Science Glovebox and mixed solutions that will be used to create the synthetic nanomaterials that mimic biochemical processes during research operations planned for Friday. Results may offer the possibility of expanding the commercialization of space and benefit the quality of life for humans living on and off the Earth.
Ayers also scanned the eyes of Commander Takuya Onishi of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) using standard medical imaging gear to understand the risk of spaceflight on an astronaut’s vision. Researchers are studying why some astronauts are more likely to experience space-caused eye conditions than others and whether it is genetics or a vitamin issue. Onishi also collected hardware and retrieved microbe samples from a science freezer to begin exploring how weightlessness affects microorganisms that decompose organic matter potentially benefitting space agriculture.
Onishi then joined NASA Flight Engineer Jonny Kim and reviewed the procedures they will use to assist McClain and Ayers who are scheduled to exit the orbital outpost for a spacewalk on May 1. Onishi and Kim will help the spacewalkers suit up, guide them in and out of the Quest airlock, and monitor their tasks during the six-and-a-half-hour spacewalk. McClain and Ayers will install a modification kit on the station’s port side truss structure preparing it for a new rollout solar array then relocate an antenna that communicates with visiting vehicles. Kim also continued unpacking some of the 6,700 pounds of science and supplies packed aboard the SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft that arrived on Tuesday.
The three cosmonauts aboard the space station took a test on a computer tablet measuring how they are socially adapting to living in space. Veteran cosmonaut Sergey Ryzhikov partnered with first-time space flyers Alexey Zubritsky and Kirill Peskov for the study exploring how international crews communicate with each other and mission controllers from around the world. Results may inform crew selection methods, improve mission training techniques, and benefit inflight support.
The International Space Station is orbiting higher after the Progress 91 resupply ship fired its engines for over ten minutes on Wednesday while docked to the Zvezda service module’s aft port. The reboost places the orbiting laboratory at the correct altitude for the arrival of the Progress 92 cargo craft planned for July.
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Astronaut Nichole Ayers prepares mixture tubes containing research samples for the Nanoracks Module-9 series of student-designed space experiments.