Expedition 73 Keeps Science on Track Despite Shutdown
Even as a U.S. government shutdown unfolded on Earth, the crew of the International Space Station pressed ahead with science and maintenance tasks. The Expedition 73 team, comprised of seven crew members from multiple space agencies, demonstrated how orbital operations continue under challenging terrestrial conditions. As of Oct. 3, 2025, the ongoing research and station upkeep remained uninterrupted, underscoring the ISS’s status as a hub of international collaboration and continuous discovery.
Orbital Observation and Daily Life Aboard the ISS
Life in microgravity offers daily routines that blend science, exercise, and observation. One crew member, Kimiya Yui, shared a windowside view of the station’s orbit, noting that she balanced workouts with photograph opportunities. In a social post from Oct. 2, Yui described catching sight of the Mediterranean and a later pass over Japan’s Honshu, adding a human touch to the station’s constant work and the public’s connection to it.
Key Experiments Under Way
The Expedition 73 crew advanced several research programs designed to leverage microgravity for breakthrough results. Three notable experiments were active this week:
SHRIMP — Humidity Removal in Microgravity
NASA astronauts activated SHRIMP, the State-of-the-art Humidity Removal in Microgravity Payload. This device focuses on extracting moisture from the cabin atmosphere so water can be recycled, supporting life-support efficiency on long-duration missions. By improving humidity control, SHRIMP helps maintain comfortable, safe conditions while conserving valuable resources for future deep-space exploration.
Heat Transfer Host 2
Mike Fincke led the installation of Heat Transfer Host 2, an experiment designed to study condensation when gas becomes a liquid. Findings could inform improvements to thermal management systems for crewed spacecraft heading to distant destinations, where reliable heat rejection is critical for crew safety and equipment longevity.
Advanced Space Experiment Processor-4
Zena Cardman installed new sample cassettes for ADvanced Space Experiment Processor-4, a study supporting manufacturing of medicines in microgravity. The ability to synthesize and test pharmaceuticals in space may open pathways to safer, more effective medicines for astronauts on long missions and could have downstream effects on Earth-based production methods.
Station Keeping and Maintenance
A portion of the crew’s time is devoted to keeping the space station’s systems in top shape and preparing for future research. Notable tasks included:
Fluid Science Laboratory
Fincke and Kim spent time configuring this European Space Agency facility to study the physics of fluids in microgravity. They reorganized electrical cables, integrated components, and mounted foam coarsening samples to deepen our understanding of how fluids behave in space—a key factor in optimizing experiments and life-support operations.
Capture Bag Demo
Fincke installed the TransAstra Fly Trap Capture Bag Demo in the NanoRacks Bishop airlock, testing its ability to remain open and airtight in weightlessness. If successful, such bags could inform methods for capturing and disposing of debris in orbit, an important capability as low-Earth orbit becomes increasingly populated with spacecraft and spent hardware.
Electrostatic Levitation Furnace
Kimiya Yui updated specimen handling hardware and cables for this device, which uses lasers to heat materials to ultra-high temperatures. Data on thermo-physical properties collected here aids materials science research under microgravity, with potential applications in manufacturing advanced components for future space missions.
Crew, Spacecraft, and Logistics
As of Oct. 3, there are seven people aboard the ISS: Expedition 73 commander Sergey Ryzhikov and two other Roscosmos cosmonauts; Jonny Kim, Zena Cardman, and Mike Fincke from NASA; and Kimiya Yui from JAXA. Two docked crew spacecraft are attached to the station: SpaceX’s Dragon Endurance at Harmony and Roscosmos’ Soyuz MS-27 at Prichal. Four cargo ships are also docked: Roscosmos’ Progress MS-31 and Progress M-32, SpaceX’s CRS-33 Dragon, and Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus XL “SS William C. Willie McCool” at Unity. The ISS continues to operate as a global laboratory and a platform for discovery regardless of terrestrial political events.
Looking Ahead
With ongoing experiments, maintenance, and cargo operations, Expedition 73 remains focused on science that benefits both the space program and life on Earth. The U.S. shutdown’s impact on terrestrial agencies has not halted the station’s mission, illustrating the robustness of the ISS program and the cooperative spirit that sustains it. As the crew advances their studies in microgravity, future tasks and potential new experiments will keep the station at the forefront of human exploration.
