![\"Resilience,](\"https:\/\/blogs.nasa.gov\/spacestation\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/240\/2021\/04\/blog_iss064e004637.jpg\")
<\/a>Nervous system and robotics research were the dominant research theme aboard the International Space Station<\/a> on Thursday. The seven Expedition 64<\/a> crew members also focused on next week\u2019s crew ship move and a variety of orbital maintenance tasks.<\/p>\n This week, an ESA (European Space Agency) investigation has been under way exploring how the human nervous system adapts to different gravity environments. NASA Flight Engineers Michael Hopkins<\/a> and Victor Glover<\/a> have been strapping themselves into a specialized seat in the Columbus laboratory module<\/a> and performing a series of dexterous manipulation tasks. Results from ESA\u2019s Grip study<\/a> may lead to improved spacecraft interfaces and deeper insights into human cognition in space.<\/p>\n NASA Flight Engineer Kate Rubins<\/a> powered up the Astrobee<\/a> robotic assistant Thursday afternoon inside Japan\u2019s Kibo laboratory module<\/a>. She guided the small, cube-shaped device in various orientations as it photographed and mapped the inside of Kibo while calibrating itself. Astrobee could soon perform routine station tasks freeing up time for astronauts to conduct more space science.<\/p>\n Rubins later scanned the eyes of Glover in the U.S. Destiny laboratory module<\/a> using non-invasive imaging technology. The eye checks are part of ongoing studies to understand how weightlessness impacts an astronaut\u2019s retina.<\/p>\n NASA astronaut Shannon Walker<\/a> started her day servicing U.S. spacesuit battery components alongside Glover. Soichi Noguchi<\/a> of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency worked on Kibo\u2019s KOBAIRO<\/a> rack, installing a water refill device in the facility that explores crystal growth in semiconductors.<\/p>\n All five astronauts gathered together for a short afternoon session and reviewed Monday\u2019s upcoming relocation<\/a> of the SpaceX Crew Dragon Resilience. Rubins will stay in the station as Hopkins, Glover, Walker and Noguchi take a short ride inside Resilience from the Harmony module\u2019s forward-facing port to its zenith, or space-facing port, on Monday at 6:30 a.m. EDT. The autonomous relocation maneuver will take about 45 minutes with NASA TV<\/a> beginning its live coverage at 6 a.m.<\/p>\n Commander Sergey Ryzhikov<\/a> of Roscosmos collected air and water samples in the station\u2019s Russian segment today for later analysis. Flight Engineer Sergey Kud-Sverchkov<\/a> began gathering items for stowage aboard the Soyuz MS-17 crew ship<\/a> that will take him, Rubins and Ryzhikov home on April 17.<\/p>\n Get The Details…<\/a><\/p>\n Mark Garcia <\/p>\n Powered by WPeMatico<\/a><\/small><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Nervous system and robotics research were the dominant research theme aboard the International Space Station on Thursday. The seven Expedition 64 crew members also focused on next week\u2019s crew ship move and a variety of orbital maintenance tasks. This week, an ESA (European Space Agency) investigation has been under way exploring how the human nervous \u2026 Continue reading