Expedition 70 Crew Continues Microgravity Research While Axiom Mission 3 Crew Returns to Earth

Saturday - February 10 2024, 23:57 UTC - 9 months ago

Expedition 70 crew continues important microgravity research while Axiom Mission 3 crew returns to Earth. NASA, ESA, JAXA, and Roscosmos astronauts and cosmonauts all performed various experiments and maintenance tasks on Friday. The Ax-3 crew splashed down in the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft off the coast of Florida after an 18-day stay on the ISS.

The Expedition 70 crew aboard the International Space Station (ISS) was in the middle of their shift on Friday when the Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3) crew returned to Earth. The seven orbital residents were conducting various microgravity research experiments while the Ax-3 crew splashed down off the coast of Florida.

NASA astronauts Jasmin Moghbeli and Loral O'Hara were busy processing bone cells and swapping optical fiber samples inside the Kibo laboratory module on Friday afternoon. These experiments are part of the Microgravity Associated Bone Loss-A investigation and the Flawless Space Fibers study, which aim to gain insight into bone loss and produce superior optical fibers in space compared to those manufactured on Earth.

Meanwhile, ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen conducted an aerobics and fitness test while stationary biking. He also stowed centrifuge-spun and incubated blood samples in a science freezer for later analysis on the adaptability of the human immune system in weightlessness. JAXA astronaut Satoshi Furukawa spent his day performing maintenance on the station's restroom and exercise equipment.

Roscosmos cosmonauts, Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub, focused on training for the departure of the Progress 85 resupply ship next week. Kononenko also packed the Progress 85 with trash while Chub investigated potential spacecraft and robotic piloting techniques. Flight Engineer Konstantin Borisov spent his day cleaning smoke detectors inside the Nauka science module.

In contrast to the busy Expedition 70 crew, the Axiom Mission 3 crew returned to Earth on Friday afternoon after spending 18 days aboard the ISS. Commander Michael López-Alegría, Pilot Walter Villadei, and Mission Specialists Alper Gezeravcı and Marcus Wandt splashed down in the SpaceX Dragon Freedom spacecraft off the coast of Florida.

Overall, the Expedition 70 crew continued their important microgravity research while also preparing for the return of their fellow Ax-3 crew members.