NASA crew continues space fitness research and prepares for the arrival of the Progress 91 cargo spacecraft at the International Space Station on March 1, 2025.
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| Astronauts aboard the International Space Station engage in daily exercise routines and prepare for the arrival of the Progress 91 cargo spacecraft on March 1, 2025. File Photo Courtesy: NASA |
Houston, USA — March 1, 2025:
On March 1, 2025, Expedition 72 astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) engaged in essential research and exercises to maintain their health in space. With the arrival of the Progress 91 cargo spacecraft scheduled for later that day, the crew continued their focus on staying fit in a zero-gravity environment, which is crucial for mitigating the effects of muscle and bone loss caused by extended space missions, NASA said in a statement.
The crew's fitness regimen includes two hours of daily exercise, including treadmill jogging, cycling, and resistance exercises mimicking weightlifting on Earth. This routine is vital for combating the physical challenges posed by weightlessness.
NASA Flight Engineer Nick Hague led two significant experiments aimed at understanding how exercise impacts astronauts in space. Hague wore a sensor-packed vest and headband while cycling, transmitting health data such as heart rate and blood pressure to mission control for analysis. In another experiment, Hague used electrical stimulation to improve muscle function, which may help combat muscle atrophy and lead to more efficient workouts in space.
Astronauts Butch Wilmore, Don Pettit, and Suni Williams focused on spacesuit maintenance and laboratory cleanup. Wilmore worked on life support components in the Quest airlock, Pettit replaced an optical cartridge in the Mochii miniature scanning electron microscope, and Williams collected body samples for future analysis while inspecting materials research hardware from the European Space Agency.
The Progress 91 cargo spacecraft, launched by Roscosmos on Thursday, is bringing critical supplies, including food, fuel, and equipment, for the crew's extended mission. The spacecraft is set to dock with the ISS at 6:03 p.m. EST. Cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner will monitor the spacecraft’s arrival, with the option to remotely control its docking if necessary.
NASA will provide live coverage of the Progress 91's automated docking starting at 5:15 p.m. EST on Saturday.