Crew Status
Today, Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3) Commander Michael López-Alegría, Pilot Walter Villadei, Mission Specialist Alper Gezeravcı, and Mission Specialist Marcus Wandt completed their ninth full day (flight day 12) on the International Space Station (ISS).
Highlights of the Day
The Ax-3 crew is in the second half of their mission on the ISS and are starting to wrap up and complete many of the research projects and experiments they have been charged to execute. The astronauts are also actively engaging with schools, organizations, and media located in their regions.
Research
As part of the Extremophyte Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) project, Gezeravcı worked in the Life Sciences Glovebox to harvest and preserve plant samples for ground return. He also took photographs of algae samples for the Algalspace study and then inserted them into the Glacier freezer for cryogenic preservation.
Gezeravcı provided audio samples for the Vokalkord experiment, which uses an artificial intelligence system to detect over 70 types of disease by analyzing respiratory, speaking, and cough sounds.
Wandt completed another Orbital Architecture assessment with the fNIRS headcap to document his cognitive performance, stress levels, and stress recovery rate.
Outreach
Today, MLA reunited and spoke with his Ax-1 crewmates Larry Connor, Eytan Stibbe, and Mark Pathy.
Villadei conducted an outreach event with children and doctors from a pediatric hospital in Italy. He discussed life on the ISS and answered questions from the participants.
Tomorrow at 3:25 a.m. CT, Villadei will participate in a live outreach engagement with representatives from the Italian Space Agency (ASI) along with teachers and students in Italy. During the event, he will highlight the ASI-led experiments and research activities on the ISS and participate in a Q&A. Watch the event live, here.
Gezeravcı will do another outreach event with high school students in Türkiye.
Media
The Ax-3 crew participated in an on-orbit science briefing with Axiom Space Chief Scientist Dr. Lucie Low. The crew provided an update on the microgravity research, science experiments, and technology demonstrations they have been conducting while on the space station. Watch the event, here.