![\"Expedition](\"https:\/\/blogs.nasa.gov\/spacestation\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/240\/2019\/09\/iss060e001486.jpg\")
Expedition 60<\/span><\/a> is the midst of a busy week aboard the <\/span>International Space Station<\/a><\/span>, even with yesterday\u2019s launch scrub of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) HTV-8 \u201cKounotori\u201d cargo vehicle. While JAXA teams are meeting to discuss a forward plan and assess launch opportunities, mission operations and scientific investigations are moving forward in orbit.\u00a0 <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Half the crew \u2014NASA astronauts<\/span> Christina Koch<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>Andrew Morgan<\/span><\/a> ESA (European Space Agency) crewmate<\/span><\/span> Luca Parmitano<\/a>\u2014 spent part of their day reviewing spacewalk procedures and training for an upcoming<\/span><\/span> series of spacewalks to upgrade batteries during a maintenance activity for the outpost.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Morgan also assisted NASA astronaut <\/span>Nick Hague<\/a> and cosmonaut<\/span><\/span> Alexander Skvortsov<\/a> of Roscosmos with additional work in support of <\/span>Fluid Shifts<\/a><\/span>, again evaluating a <\/span>Chibis Lower Body Negative Pressure suit as a potential countermeasure for explorers having trouble maintaining adequate blood pressure during phases of egress and landing.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Koch, meanwhile, performed necessary maintenance for the <\/span>Rodent Research-17<\/a> experiment, temporarily relocating the rodent occupants to clean out the habitats and restock them with new food bars. This investigation <\/span><\/span>evaluates the physiological, cellular and molecular effects of microgravity, testing the theory that the cosmic environment can accelerate aging. As researchers gain a better understanding of immune, bone and muscle disease processes, new therapies in space and on Earth can beneficially result.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Parmitano rounded out the busy day by performing a self-guided ultrasound for the ground team in support of the <\/span>Vascular Echo<\/a><\/span> study, which examines changes in blood vessels and the heart in astronauts. It\u2019s been observed that Expedition crew members return to Earth with stiffer arteries than they had before going into space. This experiment will provide insight into potential countermeasures to maintain crew health and improve quality of life for everyone \u2026 including those of us on Earth.<\/span><\/p>\n Get The Details…<\/a><\/p>\n Catherine Williams <\/p>\n Powered by WPeMatico<\/a><\/small><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Expedition 60<\/a> is the midst of a busy week aboard the International Space Station<\/a>, even with yesterday\u2019s launch scrub of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) HTV-8 \u201cKounotori\u201d cargo vehicle. While JAXA teams are meeting to discuss a forward plan and assess launch opportunities, mission operations and scientific investigations are moving forward in orbit.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n Half the crew \u2014NASA astronauts Christina Koch<\/a> and Andrew Morgan<\/a> ESA (European Space Agency) crewmate Luca Parmitano<\/a>\u2014 spent part of their day reviewing spacewalk procedures and training for an upcoming series of spacewalks to upgrade batteries during a maintenance activity for the outpost.\u00a0<\/p>\n Morgan also assisted NASA astronaut Nick Hague<\/a> \u2026 Continue reading Decoding Human Biology at Top of Task List for Station Residents<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
Expedition 60 Flight Engineer Christina Koch of NASA playfully demonstrates how fluids behave in the weightless environment of microgravity aboard the International Space Station. Credit: NASA <\/p>\n