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<\/a><\/figure>Cardiac research, stem cell observations, and eye checks to ensure astronaut health wrapped up the week for the Expedition 73<\/a> crew aboard the International Space Station<\/a>. The orbital residents also continued working on spacesuits and unpacked a pair of resupply ships rounding out their work week.<\/p>\n Doctors continuously study how living in weightlessness affects a crew member\u2019s circulatory system from the heart to the tiniest vessels and blood cells. The station crew is constantly monitored through a variety of devices including electrodes, ultrasounds, and blood pressure cuffs providing insights potentially informing advanced ways to protect astronaut health on future missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.<\/p>\n Station Commander Sergey Ryzhikov and Flight Engineer Alexey Zubritsky, both Roscosmos cosmonauts, continued exploring how blood circulates to and from the smallest vessels in a crew member\u2019s body. The duo once again wore sensors on their forehead, fingers, and toes that monitored blood flowing to their microcirculatory and tissue systems. The medical data may help researchers develop techniques that protect future space crews on long-duration missions and prepare them for the return to Earth\u2019s gravity.<\/p>\n NASA Flight Engineer Jonny Kim<\/a> assisted veteran Flight Engineer Mike Fincke<\/a> from NASA as he treated stem cells inside the Kibo laboratory module<\/a>\u2019s Life Science Glovebox. Fincke placed the stem cell samples inside the KERMIT fluorescence microscope so scientists could observe how the programmed cells grow and change into heart and brain cells in microgravity. Results may lead to personalized health treatments in space and advanced treatments for heart conditions and degenerative neurological disorders on Earth.<\/p>\n Kim then joined NASA Flight Engineer Zena Cardman<\/a> as she scanned his eyes in the Columbus laboratory module<\/a> using standard medical imaging gear found in a doctor\u2019s office on Earth. Cardman first attached electrodes to Kim\u2019s forehead and to the sides of his eyes that sent flashes of light to measure the electrical response of Kim\u2019s retinas. Next, she operated optical gear inside the Harmony module<\/a> that sent lightwaves into his eyes so doctors on the ground could observes the retina, cornea, and optic nerve in real time. Doctors will use the data to look for and learn how to prevent space-caused vascular structure and functional changes to a crew member\u2019s eyes.<\/p>\n Cardman, Kim and Fincke also took turns servicing spacesuits inside the Quest airlock<\/a>. The trio removed and installed batteries on the suits and swapped a life support device inside the suit that provides ventilation and cooling during a spacewalk.<\/p>\n Earlier in their shift, Kim and Fincke spent some time unpacking science, supplies, and hardware recently delivered aboard a pair cargo ships. Kim offloaded some of the new life support gear and science experiments packed inside JAXA\u2019s (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) HTV-X1 resupply ship that arrived on Oct. 29. \u00a0Fincke continued transferring some of the 11,000 pounds of\u00a0research<\/a>\u00a0and supplies packed inside Northrop Grumman\u2019s Cygnus XL cargo spacecraft.<\/p>\n JAXA Flight Engineer Kimiya Yui spent his day primarily on maintenance first inspecting filters inside the Columbus lab\u2019s BioLab<\/a> research incubator then cleaning the Tranquility module<\/a>\u2019s ventilation system. Roscosmos Flight Engineer Oleg Platonov also worked throughout the day on maintenance in the station\u2019s Roscosmos segment checking smoke detection equipment and photographing module windows for inspection.<\/p>\n Learn more about station activities by following the <\/em>space station blog<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>@space_station<\/em><\/a> on X, as well as the <\/em>ISS Facebook<\/em><\/a> and <\/em>ISS Instagram<\/em><\/a> accounts.<\/em><\/p>\n Get the latest from NASA delivered every week. <\/em>Subscribe here<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n Powered by WPeMatico<\/a><\/small><\/p>\n Get The Details…<\/a><\/p>\n Mark A. Garcia <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Cardiac research, stem cell observations, and eye checks to ensure astronaut health wrapped up the week for the Expedition 73 crew aboard the International Space Station. The orbital residents also continued working on spacesuits and unpacked a pair of resupply ships rounding out their work week. Continue reading