ATV Johannes Kepler launched carrying 100 kg of oxygen (O2). The gas is being transferred in several stages to the International Space Station (see our previous post here); a fresh transfer took place on 6 May.

Meanwhile, for the astronauts, transferring of supplies from the ATV to the ISS (‘cargo ops’) continue. On 5 May, ESA astronaut Paolo Nespoli And NASA astronaut Ron Garan again spent several hours on ATV cargo operations. The activities mainly consisted of finishing unpacking items from ATV’s rack bay S1, started yesterday, and trashing packing material (more cargo ops have taken place since).

At ATV-CC, ground controllers continue their monitoring of the vessel, including the Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS).

And we finish up this sunny Thursday with a stunning photo taken by the crew and published earlier in NASA’s Image of the Day Gallery.

Sunset Over South America Credit: NASA

Sunset Over South America Credit: NASA The Expedition 27 crew photographed this sunset over western South America from aboard the International Space Station. The station crew sees, on average, sixteen sunrises and sunsets during a 24-hour orbital period. Each changeover between day and night on the ground is marked by the terminator, or line separating the sunlit side of Earth from the side in darkness.