![\"NASA](\"https:\/\/blogs.nasa.gov\/spacestation\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/240\/2024\/11\/blog_iss072e146896.jpg\")
<\/a>The Expedition 72<\/a> crew members began the week exploring the numerous ways living in space affects the human body to develop advanced therapies promoting health on and off the Earth. The orbital residents are also preparing for the departure of a cargo ship and the arrival of another this week at the International Space Station<\/a>.<\/p>\n Preventing space-caused changes in eye pressure, inflammation, and blood clotting were the dominant research themes aboard the orbital outpost on Monday. The insights can be achieved only in the microgravity environment and may provide new strategies researchers can use to treat space-caused and Earthbound symptoms and conditions.<\/p>\n NASA Flight Engineers Nick Hague<\/a> and Butch Wilmore<\/a> tested a thigh cuff<\/a> as a way to draw body fluids into their extremities. In microgravity, the human body adjusts by eliminating fluids no longer needed in an astronaut\u2019s torso and head. The fluid shifts can apply pressure to an astronaut\u2019s eyes affecting eye structure and vision. Wilmore assisted Hague at the beginning of the day, imaging his eyes to measure his retina\u2019s thickness then attaching the tight-fitting, fluid-shifting thigh cuffs to both of his legs. Next, Wilmore conducted scans with the Ultrasound 2<\/a> device to observe Hague\u2019s cardiac activity and collected blood pressure measurements. Hague had a second round of the same tests at the end of the day before stowing the biomedical hardware. The data was downloaded for doctors on the ground to analyze the effectiveness of the thigh cuff that may help protect astronauts on missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.<\/p>\n NASA Flight Engineer Don Pettit<\/a> serviced biology hardware in the Kibo laboratory module<\/a> to prepare for an upcoming study exploring ways to prevent space-caused inflammatory changes. He installed components inside Kibo\u2019s artificial gravity-generating incubator<\/a> to observe how weightlessness and radiation affect the immune system, bones, and muscles creating symptoms that are similar to age-related issues on Earth. Insights may lead to therapies counteracting the stresses of living in space as well as aging conditions on Earth.<\/p>\n Commander Suni Williams<\/a> inserted cell samples inside a fluorescence microscope<\/a> that scientists remotely controlled to observe inflammation and immunity response changes in microgravity. Researchers seek to identify genes regulated by gravitational forces and understand their impact on the human immune system to protect astronaut health on future missions.<\/p>\n A Roscosmos cargo mission swap is due to take place beginning at 7:53 a.m. EST on Tuesday when the trash-packed Progress 88<\/a> resupply ship undocks after six months attached to the Poisk module<\/a>. The next cargo craft to replace it, the Progress 90, has already rolled out to its launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Loaded with about 5,500 pounds of cargo, the Progress 90 will launch at 7:22 a.m. on Thursday for a two-day trip to the station. The space delivery will arrive at 9:35 a.m. on Saturday for an automated docking to Poisk beginning another six-month cargo mission.<\/p>\n Cosmonaut Flight Engineers Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner trained on Monday for the departure and arrival of the two Progress spacecraft. The Roscosmos duo practiced operating on a computer the telerobotically operated rendezvous unit, or TORU, in the unlikely event it would be necessary to remotely control the Progress spacecraft if they lost their automated capabilities. The duo then split up as Vagner closed the Progress 88 hatch and checked for leaks while Ovchinin serviced the treadmill inside the Zvezda service module<\/a>. Flight Engineer Aleksandr Gorbunov assisted Ovchinin with the treadmill maintenance and synchronized cameras with space station clocks.<\/p>\n Learn more about station activities by following the\u00a0space station blog<\/a>,\u00a0@space_station<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0@ISS_Research<\/a>\u00a0on X, as well as the\u00a0ISS Facebook<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0ISS Instagram<\/a>\u00a0accounts.<\/p>\n Get the latest from NASA delivered every week. Subscribe here:\u00a0www.nasa.gov\/subscribe<\/a><\/p>\n Powered by WPeMatico<\/a><\/small><\/p>\n Get The Details…<\/a><\/p>\n Mark Garcia <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Expedition 72 crew members began the week exploring the numerous ways living in space affects the human body to develop advanced therapies promoting health on and off the Earth. The orbital residents are also preparing for the departure of a cargo ship and the arrival of another this week at the International Space Station. \u2026 Continue reading
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