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Crew Supports Skin and Plant Studies During Spacewalk Preps

The way skin heals and how plants grow in space are critical research topics aboard the International Space Station. NASA and its international partners glean insights from the scientific data to boost human health and plan successful crewed missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.

Skin ages faster in microgravity and researchers seek to understand the space-caused molecular processes that may advance wound healing treatments for both astronauts and Earthlings. Expedition 67 Flight Engineers Kjell Lindgren and Jessica Watkins, both from NASA, spent the majority of Wednesday inside the Kibo laboratory module continuing the ongoing skin healing research. The duo, with partial assistance from astronauts Bob Hines of NASA and Samantha Cristoforetti of ESA (European Space Agency), performed the biomedical research inside Kibo’s Life Science Glovebox practicing surgical techniques including biopsies, suture splints, and wound dressing.

Hines then wrapped up his workday in ESA’s Columbus laboratory module supporting the XROOTS space botany investigation. The NASA astronaut mixed a nutrient solution and recirculated fluids to nourish radishes and mizuna greens growing inside Columbus’ Veggie botany research system. The experiment uses hydroponic and aeroponic methods as a way to promote space agriculture and sustain crews on long-term space missions.

Cristoforetti started her day charging spacesuit video camera batteries, servicing the U.S. oxygen generation system, and documenting her meals for a nutrition study. Following her mid-afternoon support for the skin study, Cristoforetti finished her day performing light plumbing duties and checking portable fire extinguisher components.

Cosmonauts Oleg Artemyev and Denis Matveev began their day studying the tasks and maneuvers they will use to configure the European robotic arm on an upcoming spacewalk. The pair from Roscosmos also checked Orlan spacesuit components and systems. Flight Engineer Sergey Korsakov spent Wednesday maintaining laptop computers and electronics systems throughout the orbiting lab’s Russian segment.

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Mark Garcia

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Vein Scans, Blood Tests on Station Prolong Astronaut Health

Vein scans and human research samples comprised the majority of the research schedule for the Expedition 67 crew members on Tuesday. Spacesuit work is also ongoing aboard the International Space Station as the cosmonauts prepare for a spacewalk.

Three astronauts took turns on Tuesday morning using the Ultrasound 2 device to scan each other’s neck, shoulder, and leg veins. NASA Flight Engineers Kjell Lindgren, Bob Hines, and Jessica Watkins started the day inside the Columbus laboratory module with researchers on the ground remotely guiding the biomedical study. The ultrasound scans produce an echo that bounces off human tissue converting it to a video signal that is downlinked to Earth in real-time for analysis. Scientists view the imagery to observe how microgravity affects crew health.

The crew members also regularly collect their own blood, saliva, and urine samples, stowing the specimens in science freezers for later analysis. Shortly after Lindgren woke up on Tuesday, he spun his blood samples in a centrifuge for the Phospho-aging study to understand space-caused accelerated bone loss and muscle atrophy. ESA (European Space Agency) Flight Engineer Samantha Cristoforetti collected her blood and urine samples during the afternoon for future examination. Earlier, she documented her meals for a nutrition study then swapped material samples inside the Electrostatic Levitation Furnace, a high-temperature research facility.

Cristoforetti and Watkins also spent time inside the U.S. Quest airlock servicing a U.S. spacesuit. The duo split their day on a variety of suit activities including swapping components and cleaning cooling loops. Hines spent his afternoon charging computer tablets and downloading security updates for the devices.

Commander Oleg Artemyev and Flight Engineer Denis Matveev spent the day activating and inspecting a pair of Orlan spacesuits, testing their communication systems, and performing leak checks. The two cosmonauts have been busy this week preparing for an upcoming spacewalk to prepare the European robotic arm for payload operations on the station’s Russian segment. Flight Engineer Sergey Korsakov worked throughout Tuesday maintaining electronics systems and life support hardware inside the orbiting lab’s Russian modules.

Learn more about station activities by following the space station blog, @space_station and @ISS_Research on Twitter, as well as the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts.

Get weekly video highlights at: http://jscfeatures.jsc.nasa.gov/videoupdate/

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Mark Garcia

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Crew Studies Muscles, Skin Healing During Spacewalk Preps

Space biology kicked off the week for the Expedition 67 crew on Monday to help NASA and its international partners support astronauts on long spaceflight missions. Two cosmonauts are also preparing for a spacewalk to continue outfitting the International Space Station’s third robotic arm.

NASA Flight Engineers Kjell Lindgren and Bob Hines began Monday morning with muscle measurements inside the Columbus laboratory module. Using the Myotones device the pair measured the biochemical properties of their neck, back, and leg muscles. By understanding how weightlessness impacts muscular tone, stiffness, and elasticity, doctors can better evaluate crew health and develop effective space fitness strategies.

Lindgren downloaded the muscle data captured from the Myotones device to a laptop computer connected to Columbus’ European Physiology Module, a research rack that supports neuroscientific, cardiovascular, and physiological studies. Afterward, the two-time station resident collected and stowed urine samples in a science freezer for later analysis.

Hines then went over to the Kibo laboratory module to continue studying how wounds heal in space. He joined Flight Engineers Jessica Watkins of NASA and Samantha Cristoforetti of ESA (European Space Agency) and practiced surgical techniques such as biopsies, suture splints, and wound dressing, inside Kibo’s Life Science Glovebox. Researchers are exploring the molecular processes behind space-caused skin aging that may impact the way wounds heal and possibly improve skin healing treatments for both astronauts and Earthlings.

Cosmonauts Oleg Artemyev and Denis Matveev continued setting up their tools and Orlan spacesuits today ahead of another planned spacewalk to configure the European robotic arm (ERA) for payload operations on the station’s Russian segment. Roscosmos Flight Engineer Sergey Korsakov spent his morning on computer maintenance inside the Nauka multipurpose laboratory module before switching to orbital plumbing duties during the afternoon.

Learn more about station activities by following the space station blog, @space_station and @ISS_Research on Twitter, as well as the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts.

Get weekly video highlights at: http://jscfeatures.jsc.nasa.gov/videoupdate/

Get the latest from NASA delivered every week. Subscribe here: www.nasa.gov/subscribe

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Mark Garcia

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