A cargo-packed SpaceX Dragon spacecraft is orbiting Earth today, bound for the International Space Station. The Expedition 73 crew prepared on Monday for its arrival and reviewed procedures for an upcoming spacewalk. Approximately 6,700 pounds of new science experiments and supplies are on their way to the orbital lab.
NASA astronauts Jonny Kim and Takuya Onishi will be monitoring Dragon as it automatically docks to the station’s space-facing port on Tuesday. They joined NASA Flight Engineers Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers in reviewing plans for a May 1 spacewalk, which will prepare the station for a new rollout solar array and relocate an antenna.
The crew also spent time preparing for spacewalk operations, including standard safety procedures and tool configurations. Mission managers will provide an overview of the upcoming spacewalk during a news conference on Thursday.
Astronauts Kim and Onishi used the time to conduct various tasks, including setting up educational events and recording videos for Japanese students. The two-time space station resident also conducted leak checks on combustion science hardware and adjusted science hardware in the Combustion Integrated Rack.
The ISS crew took a break on Monday after two weeks of Soyuz crew swap activities. Roscosmos Flight Engineers Sergey Ryzhikov, Ivan Vagner, and Kirill Peskov have been adjusting to life in space since their arrival at the station earlier this month.
Source: https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2025/04/21/seven-member-expedition-73-crew-awaits-dragon-and-preps-for-spacewalk