Star trails, an aurora, and Earth's atmospheric glow highlight this long-duration photograph taken from the International Space Station as it orbited 259 miles above the North Pacific Ocean.
Star trails, an aurora, and Earth’s atmospheric glow highlight this long-duration photograph taken from the International Space Station as it orbited 259 miles above the North Pacific Ocean.

The Expedition 72 crew’s space biology research on Thursday explored how the human immune and digestion systems react to weightlessness to improve health on Earth and in space. The seven residents aboard the International Space Station also worked on a variety of other experiments while continuing the upkeep of the orbital lab.

NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Nick Hague , Expedition 72 Commander and Flight Engineer respectively, partnered together in the Kibo laboratory module processing cell samples using the Life Science Glovebox. The duo was exploring how spaceflight and radiation affect the immunity system and blood clotting possibly providing insights to advance health protecting astronauts in space and humans on Earth.

Space physics is also a key science topic as researchers study phenomena that can only be observed in the microgravity environment to build stronger, higher quality materials benefitting Earth and space industries. Working in Kibo’s Electrostatic Levitation Furnace (ELF), a research facility that exposes materials to high temperatures, NASA Flight Engineers Don Pettit and Butch Wilmore removed samples from inside the device stowing them for return to Earth. The ELF enables measurements of thermophysical properties unobtainable on the ground.

Roscosmos cosmonauts Ivan Vagner and Aleksandr Gorbunov scanned their stomachs with an ultrasound device after breakfast again to observe how the gastrointestinal tract, part of the digestion system, changes in microgravity. The ultrasound scans, just one part of the long-running study, were looking at the system’s biochemistry, organs, and vessels.

Vagner later joined Roscosmos Flight Engineer Alexey Ovchinin and checked out a pair of Orlan spacesuits ahead of a planned spacewalk. Vagner then packed trash inside the Progress 88 resupply ship ahead of its departure next week. Ovchinin also took inventory of Roscosmos cargo and serviced communications gear. Gorbunov finished his charging video camera batteries and conducting orbital plumbing.

Learn more about station activities by following the space station blog, @space_station and @ISS_Research on X, as well as the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts.

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