ISS - Expedition 56 Mission patch.
Sept. 17, 2018
As the Expedition 56 crew continued to await the delayed arrival of Japan’s HTV-7 resupply, scientific operations continued aboard the International Space Station including research on life science and Earth observation.
International Space Station (ISS)
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has postponed the scheduled launch of the HTV-7 resupply vehicle from the Tanegashima Space Center in southern Japan. A new launch date has not yet been determined.
Learn more about the science happening on station below:
Crew members observe Hurricane Florence as it moves toward land
The space station’s unique vantage point makes it an ideal platform for observing and reporting on developing storms. The Tropical Cyclone investigation demonstrates the feasibility of studying these powerful storms from space, which would contribute to alerting populations and governments around the world when a dangerous storm is approaching.
Image above: Astronaut Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency photographed Hurricane Florence as it headed toward the East Coast of the United States. As the orbital lab flew 250 miles above the storm, the crew captured photo and video of Florence.
Final week of rodent research operations occurs, samples stowed for analysis
Spaceflight has an impact on many human systems. Rodent Research-7 investigates how the microgravity environment of space affects the community of microorganisms in the gastrointestinal tract, or microbiota.
The study also evaluates relationships between system changes, such as sleep-wake cycle disruption, and imbalance of microbial populations. This will aid in identification of contributing factors and support development of countermeasures to protect astronaut health during long-term missions, as well as to improve the treatment of gastrointestinal, immune, metabolic and sleep disorders on Earth.
The investigation’s final operations occurred last week as the crew performed bone densitometer scans and collected and stowed samples in the Minus Eighty Degree Celsius Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI).
New carrier installed in plant biology investigation
Understanding how plants grow and thrive in harsh environments, both on Earth and in space, can contribute to advancements in agriculture. The Advanced Plant Habitat Facility (Plant Habitat) is a fully-automated facility used to conduct plant bioscience research by providing a large, enclosed, environmentally-controlled chamber aboard the space station.
Animation above: The Plant Habitat-1 investigation compares differences in genetics, metabolism, photosynthesis, and gravity sensing between plants grown in space and on Earth. This investigation provides key insights on major changes occurring in plants exposed to microgravity.
Last week, a new science carrier was installed into the Plant Habitat facility. Watering is planned for Tuesday of this week.
Space to Ground: Above the Storm: 09/14/2018
Other work was done on these investigations: Microbial Tracking-2, Glacier, Time Perception, BCAT-CS, ISS HAM, Atomization, Radi-N2, Airway Monitoring, Food Acceptability, Cold Atom Lab, and Team Task Switching.
Related links:
Expedition 56: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition56/index.html
Tropical Cyclone: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=1712
Rodent Research-7: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7425
MELFI: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Facility.html?#id=56
Plant Habitat: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Facility.html?#id=2036
Plant Habitat-1: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=2032
Microbial Tracking-2: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=1663
Glacier: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Facility.html?#id=342
Time Perception: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7504
BCAT-CS: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7668
ISS HAM: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=337
Atomization: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=282
Radi-N2: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=874
Airway Monitoring: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=1067
Food Acceptability: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7562
Cold Atom Lab: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Facility.html?#id=7396
Team Task Switching: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7538
Spot the Station: https://spotthestation.nasa.gov/
Space Station Research and Technology: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/index.html
International Space Station (ISS): https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html
Images, Animation, Video, Text, Credits: NASA/Michael Johnson/Yuri Guinart-Ramirez, Lead Increment Scientist Expeditions 55 & 56.
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