Expedition 74 conducts research and Soyuz drills as Crew-12 launch date shifts

Expedition 74 crew aboard the ISS set up protein-crystal and exercise research hardware and practiced Soyuz quick-return procedures, while NASA and SpaceX moved the Crew-12 launch to no earlier than 5:38 a.m. EST on Feb. 12 due to forecasted weather along the Dragon flight path.

Expedition 74 crew members aboard the International Space Station installed and prepared research equipment and refreshed spacecraft emergency procedures while mission planners adjusted a launch date for Crew-12. The team focused on biomedical and pharmaceutical experiments that take advantage of microgravity and on maintaining operational readiness for a rapid return. Flight Engineer Chris Williams handled protein-crystal hardware and exercise monitoring gear, and the Roscosmos crew practiced Soyuz return procedures. Mission teams postponed an earlier launch opportunity because of unfavorable weather forecasts along the Dragon spacecraft flight path. Activities underway: - Chris Williams installed protein-crystal cassettes into the Advanced Space Experiment Processor-4 in the Destiny laboratory module. - Williams configured biomedical and exercise hardware and tested sensors and power and data connections ahead of a scheduled exercise session to measure aerobic and cardiovascular metrics. - Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev practiced a computer simulation for quickly entering a Soyuz spacecraft, undocking, and performing manual and automated descents for an emergency return. - Kud-Sverchkov collected saliva samples and attached electrodes for 24-hour cardiac monitoring to provide data on nervous and immune system responses to spaceflight. - Mikaev conducted water transfer operations and carried out photographic inspections of windows in the Zvezda service module. - NASA and SpaceX waived a Feb. 11 launch opportunity and are targeting Crew-12 for no earlier than 5:38 a.m. EST on Feb. 12 due to forecasted weather, with conditions expected to improve on Feb. 13. Summary: The crew continued research and operational training that support studies of human health in microgravity and station safety. Mission teams rescheduled the Crew-12 launch to a later window because of weather along the flight path and will monitor conditions ahead of the planned Feb. 12 opportunity.