Bone and Robotics Research Informing Future Missions as Crew Nears Departure
The Expedition 73 crew kicked off the week studying how to live and work in space during long-term missions including staying healthy in weightlessness and operating planetary robots from a spacecraft. The seven International Space Station (ISS) residents also replaced flight hardware and continued preparing for a crew swap beginning at the end of the month.
Scientists studies into the long-term effects of reduced gravity on an astronaut’s body enable NASA and its international partners to plan safe and successful missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. Crews move around in microgravity with minimal effort; however, this affects their bodies in a similar way to how patients on Earth confined to bedrest experience. As a result, bones and muscles atrophy without daily exercise and proper nutrition.
Just one of many human research investigations taking place on the orbital outpost, the Bone on ISS study explores an astronaut’s bone health before, during, and after a spaceflight. Station commander Takuya Onishi from JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) and Flight Engineer Nichole Ayers from NASA began their Monday with this experiment. Onishi assisted Ayers as she performed a blood draw then processed the samples for spinning in a centrifuge. The samples were stowed in a science freezer for later analysis. Results may provide insights into how an individual’s bones adjust to microgravity and help treat space-caused bone loss as well as Earthbound aging conditions.
NASA Flight Engineer Anne McClain spent her day on the CIPHER suite of 14 human research experiments tracking multiple aspects of a crew member’s health in space. She processed her blood and urine samples for preservation and analysis for more insight into bone health and cardiovascular issues. The knowledge gained may prepare an astronaut for different gravity environments such as the Moon or Mars and lead to advanced care for patients on Earth.
McClain, along with Onishi and Roscosmos Flight Engineer Kirill Peskov, spent time packing personal items for the ride back to Earth planned for early next month inside the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. Ayers began packing her gear last week.
NASA Flight Engineer Jonny Kim explored ways to control robotic vehicles on a planetary surface from an orbiting spacecraft. Working with engineers on the ground, Kim set up a laptop computer inside the Columbus laboratory module and tested space-to-ground robotic controlling methods. The experiment tests a variety of technologies including consoles, touchscreens, haptics, and virtual reality goggles that may benefit future space exploration. Results may also inform missions to asteroids and operations in disaster zones or inhospitable areas on Earth. Kim later partnered with Onishi and Ayers replacing flight hardware in the Tranquility module.
Roscosmos Flight Engineer Alexey Zubritsky assisted Peskov on Monday helping him get ready to end his stay aboard the orbiting lab. Zubritsky set up biomedical hardware and applied sensors measuring Peskov’s blood flow as he wore the experimental lower body negative pressure suit. The data is being collected to test the suit’s ability to pull fluids from the upper body and counteract space-caused head and eye pressure. The suit operations may also help a crew member adapt quicker to the return to Earth’s gravity. Zubritsky then inventoried a variety of computer and electronics hardware while Peskov reviewed Dragon departure procedures on a computer tablet.
Veteran Flight Engineer Sergey Ryzhikov videotaped his workout session on the advanced resistive exercise device helping researchers keep crews fit and healthy in space. He spent the rest of his shift replacing electronics and fire protection hardware and cleaning ventilation systems throughout the space station’s Roscosmos segment.
Learn more about station activities by following the space station blog, @space_station on X, as well as the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts.
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Mark A. Garcia
