Expedition 74 Crew Photos: April-May 2026 | International Space Station

Expedition 74 Crew Photos: April-May 2026 | International Space Station

From left, Expedition 74 flight engineers Sophie Adenot of the European Space Agency and Jessica Meir of NASA pose for a portrait inside the International Space Station’s cupola on Mother’s Day. Adenot, who has a son, and Meir, who has a daughter, join hands to form a heart and wear T‑shirts celebrating motherhood.

European Space Agency astronaut and Expedition 74 flight engineer Sophie Adenot speaks to students on the ground using the International Space Station's ham radio. The ARISS, or Amateur Radio on the International Space Station, program gives students around the world the opportunity to talk directly with crew members aboard the orbital outpost, inspiring them to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and math.

European Space Agency astronaut and Expedition 74 flight engineer Sophie Adenot works inside the Kibo laboratory module’s Life Science Glovebox, processing blood stem cell samples to learn how to produce larger quantities of clinical‑grade stem cells in space. Results from this biotechnology investigation may lead to improved stem‑cell qualities, potentially enhancing treatments for blood diseases and cancer while also expanding commercial opportunities in space.

NASA astronaut and Expedition 74 flight engineer Jessica Meir works inside the International Space Station's Harmony module conducting a biotechnology investigation to observe how tiny, engineered materials that mimic DNA behave in microgravity. Meir pointed a light-measuring device, called a spectrophotometer, at the DNA-like sample materials housed in small transparent containers to analyze their ability to form stable structures. Doctors on Earth will use the research data to learn how to improve and develop future treatments, or nano-therapies, that target cancer cells more precisely.

NASA astronauts Jack Hathaway and Chris Williams, both Expedition 74 flight engineers prepare the NanoRacks External Platform—carrying three scientific payloads—for installation inside the Kibo laboratory module’s airlock where it will be placed outside in the vacuum of space. The payloads will test ultra‑high‑resolution hyperspectral imagery, measure radio signals passing through Earth’s ionosphere, and help doctors identify space‑sensitive proteins while evaluating mobility and neuromuscular health therapies. 

NASA astronaut and Expedition 74 flight engineer Chris Williams speaks to students on the ground using the International Space Station's ham radio. The ARISS, or Amateur Radio on the International Space Station, program gives students around the world the opportunity to talk directly with crew members aboard the orbital outpost, inspiring them to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and math.

NASA astronaut and Expedition 74 flight engineer Jack Hathaway installs the NanoRacks External Platform—carrying three scientific payloads—inside the Kibo laboratory module’s airlock for placement outside in the vacuum of space. The payloads will test ultra‑high‑resolution hyperspectral imagery, measure radio signals passing through Earth’s ionosphere, and help doctors identify space‑sensitive proteins while evaluating mobility and neuromuscular health therapies.

Station Update: At 6:37 a.m. EDT on May 17, 2026,, the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft docked to the forward port of the International Space Station’s Harmony module, carrying nearly 6,500 pounds of food, supplies, and equipment for the Expedition 74 crew. This is the 34th SpaceX commercial resupply services mission to the space station for NASA.

In addition to cargo for the crew aboard the space station, Dragon is delivering several new experiments, including a project  to determine how well Earth-based simulators  mimic microgravity conditions, a bone scaffold made from wood that could produce new treatments for fragile bone conditions like osteoporosis, and equipment to help researchers evaluate how red blood cells and the spleen change in space. The Dragon spacecraft also will carry a new instrument to study charged particles around the Earth that can impact power grids and satellites, an investigation that could provide a fundamental understanding of how planets form, and an  instrument designed to take highly accurate measurements of sunlight reflected by Earth and the Moon.

The mission launched at 6:05 p.m. May 15 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral in Florida.

Expedition 74 Crew
Station Commander: Sergey-Kud Sverchkov (Russia)
Roscosmos (Russia) Flight Engineers: Andrey Fedyaev, Sergei Mikaev

European Space Agency Flight Engineer: Sophie Adenot

NASA Flight Engineers: Jessica Meir, Jack Hathaway, Chris Williams

An international partnership of space agencies provides and operates the elements of the International Space Station (ISS). The principals are the space agencies of the United States, Russia, Europe, Japan, and Canada.

Learn more about station research:
https://www.nasa.gov/international-space-station/space-station-research-and-technology/

Image Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center
Dates: April 18-May 13, 2026

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