The International Space Station is set to deploy a new series of CubeSats as the Expedition 58 crew configures research hardware to enable a variety of space experiments.
Japan’s Kibo laboratory module airlock has been set up with a small satellite deployer loaded with several CubeSats. Astronaut Anne McClain finished the installation work Wednesday, depressurized the airlock and maneuvered the deployer outside Kibo.
She and fellow astronaut David Saint-Jacques will monitor and photograph the CubeSat deployments planned for Thursday around noon EST. The CubeSats will study Earth’s ionosphere and satellite communication techniques.
McClain next inventoried Rodent Research gear trashing some hardware to make extra space aboard the lab. She later swapped a hard drive on a laptop computer dedicated to meteor observations then attached sensors to her head and chest for the Circadian Rhythms study.
Saint-Jacques installed new electronics on the Kubik incubator upgrading the device that houses biology experiments on seeds, cells and small animals. He later swapped parts in the Combustion Integrated Rack that permits safe research into fuel and flames aboard the orbital lab.
Commander Oleg Kononenko started Wednesday researching microgravity’s effect on heart rate and breathing. He later explored advanced photography tools and techniques to better detect targets of interest on Earth.