Stem Cell Research Continues on the International Space Station

Saturday - February 17 2024, 18:17 UTC - 9 months ago

The Expedition 70 crew members are busy living and working on the International Space Station, conducting stem cell research and preparing for a cargo delivery from Earth. Their experiments and tasks provide valuable information on the effects of microgravity on the human body, both for astronauts and those on Earth.

The exploration and research of space continue to push the boundaries of human knowledge and capabilities. With the Expedition 70 crew on board, the International Space Station (ISS) is constantly buzzing with activity, including the latest experiment on stem cell research. As the crew prepares for a cargo delivery from Earth, they also conduct daily maintenance and experiments that provide valuable insights into the effects of microgravity on the human body.

On Friday, two cosmonauts positioned themselves to monitor the automatic docking of the Progress 87 cargo craft, which launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Loaded with essential supplies, the cargo craft is scheduled to dock with the ISS on Saturday morning, providing the astronauts with much-needed food, fuel, and equipment.

Meanwhile, in the Kibo Laboratory, NASA astronaut Loral O'Hara and JAXA Flight Engineer Satoshi Furukawa continue their research on stem cells. Their experiment, known as Microgravity Associated Bone Loss-A (MABL-A), aims to understand the effects of microgravity on bone marrow stem cells. This research not only provides valuable information for astronauts in space, but also for those on Earth who suffer from aging-related bone conditions.

Assisted by ESA Commander Andreas Mogensen, NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli takes over the stem cell research in the afternoon. In addition, the astronauts also have their daily maintenance tasks, such as conducting repairs in the Bishop Airlock and analyzing bacteria samples collected earlier in the week.

In the Roscosmos segment, Flight Engineer Konstantin Borisov performs a distillation cycle on the water processing unit. Later, he conducts an experiment to analyze Earth's nighttime atmosphere in near-ultraviolet. All of these activities and discoveries continue to advance our understanding of the universe and pave the way for future space exploration.