[ti:Astronauts Stay Busy on International Space Station Awaiting Flight Home]
[al:Science & Technology]
[ar:VOA]
[dt:2025-01-27]
[by:www.voase.cn]
[00:00.00]Two American astronauts awaiting their return flight from the International Space Station (ISS) have stayed busy carrying out a series of scientific experiments.
[00:15.65]The U.S. space agency NASA has said the pair - Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams - will remain at the ISS until late March or early April. 
[00:31.12]When they arrived at the orbiting laboratory in June 2024, the astronauts expected to stay in space for just one week.
[00:44.51]Their trip was a test flight of Boeing's Starliner spacecraft. 
[00:51.11]While Starliner safely transported the two to the ISS, the spacecraft had several problems that persuaded NASA to send it back to Earth for further testing without the astronauts onboard.
[01:09.56]NASA's current plan calls for Wilmore and Williams to fly back on a SpaceX spacecraft in late March at the earliest. 
[01:21.91]NASA has been using SpaceX's Crew Dragon to regularly carry astronauts and supplies to the ISS since 2020.
[01:34.91]The astronauts have been using their extended mission to carry out experiments. 
[01:42.05]In addition, Williams stepped out of the space station earlier this month to complete a spacewalk.
[01:50.69]Another NASA astronaut, Nick Hague, joined Williams on the spacewalk on January 16, the agency said in a statement.
[02:03.56]The two repaired a piece of equipment that helps guide the movements of the ISS.
[02:11.70]The spacewalk also included work on an X-ray telescope, as well as maintenance activities for other ISS systems. 
[02:23.76]NASA noted it was the fourth spacewalk for Hague and the eighth for Williams.
[02:31.62]The space agency said Williams was preparing for another spacewalk planned for January 30.
[02:41.46]Wilmore is expected to join Williams on that spacewalk, which NASA estimates will last about six-and-a-half hours.
[02:52.82]The two will be aiming to remove a radio antenna structure.
[02:59.10]They will also be "searching for microbes" around the ISS for use in experiments.
[03:07.39]Here is a look at other experiments Wilmore and Williams have completed during their stay:
[03:16.23]NASA said Wilmore and Williams have tested different methods for growing crops in space. 
[03:23.74]Such methods could support humans who have longer stays in space in the future.
[03:31.90]One experiment is called the Plant Water Management investigation. 
[03:38.16]NASA said this experiment "uses the physical properties of fluids...to overcome the lack of gravity and provide hydration to plants." 
[03:51.16]The experiment aims to help NASA develop hydroponic systems to support future space missions.
[04:02.20]Another experiment examines a new way to grow vegetables, plants and flowers inside the ISS to provide nutrition and beauty. 
[04:14.75]As part of this experiment, Wilmore installed a new light meter inside the ISS. 
[04:23.86]The device is designed to measure available light and to help crew members improve growing operations.
[04:34.17]NASA also said that throughout the current mission, Williams had deployed and observed three free-flying robots called Astrobee.
[04:46.36]This robotic experiment seeks to examine how such robots could assist astronauts with daily duties and maintenance work.
[04:59.74]The agency said the square-shaped robots are designed to help scientists and engineers develop and test new robotic technologies for use in microgravity environments.
[05:17.50]The assistants are also designed to help astronauts with daily tasks "and give ground controllers additional eyes and ears on the space station."
[05:30.87]Williams tested the robots' ability to map the inside of the space station and Astrobee's flight abilities.
[05:41.52]NASA astronauts visiting the ISS have a long history of capturing images of Earth from space.
[05:52.21]And this is another activity Wilmore and Williams have carried out. 
[05:58.16]The ISS gives astronauts a "window to the world" as they orbit 400 kilometers above their home planet.
[06:09.59]During their mission, NASA said the two astronauts had "captured hundreds of photographs of Earth, ranging from auroras, land, sea, orbital sunrises and sunsets, and more."
[06:27.62]Another space station tradition is for U.S. astronauts to connect with students and other interested individuals during their stay in space. 
[06:41.07]They have virtual visits with people back on Earth who can ask the astronauts how it feels to live in space and can learn about NASA's experiments aboard the ISS.
[06:56.93]In early August, Williams used ham radio technology to connect with students from Banda Aceh, Indonesia.
[07:08.22]NASA explained that students get the chance to communicate with the astronauts when the ISS passes overhead.
[07:18.84]The students can ask about research on the ISS as well as the radio wave technology that makes the communication possible.
[07:31.61]I'm Bryan Lynn.