Microbiology, Spacesuits, and Cargo Mission Preps Keep Crew Busy
Microbiology and spacesuit maintenance kept the Expedition 75 crew busy aboard the International Space Station on Tuesday. The orbital residents are also preparing for upcoming cargo missions at the orbital outpost. The post Microbiology, Spacesuits, and Cargo Mission Preps Keep Crew Busy appeared first on NASA Science .
SpaceX's Dragon cargo spacecraft approached the International Space Station for an autonomous docking over 261 miles above Earth on October 15, 2026. The spacecraft delivered more than 6,300 pounds of science, supplies, and solar arrays. On Tuesday, Expedition 75 crew members maintained their duties by studying how bacteria adapts to microgravity and preparing for upcoming cargo missions.
NASA's Anil Menon and CSA's Joshua Kutryk worked together in the Kibo laboratory module to explore bacterial adaptation. They processed microbe samples inside Kibo's Life Science Glovebox, preserving them for Earth return. Kutryk extracted DNA samples for purification, which would be returned for analysis.
Meanwhile, Jessica Watkins continued transferring cargo in and out of Dragon. Luke Delaney performed maintenance on the Columbus laboratory module, practicing robotic arm maneuvers and collecting water samples for Earth analysis to ensure the station's drinking water safety.
Russian crew members Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina serviced Orlan spacesuits, activating and cleaning them to ensure cosmonauts' safety during spacewalks. Sergey Teteryatnikov began his shift by swapping, inspecting, and cleaning plumbing components in the Rassvet module. Later, he installed Earth observation hardware for an automated overnight photography session of landmarks across Southeast Asia and Australia.
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