Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellites (SPHERES) Zero Robotics (ZR): The crew provided support for a SPHERES ZR Challenge competition between students from middle schools in the United States and Russia. As part of a competition, students write algorithms for the SPHERES satellites to accomplish tasks relevant to future space missions. The algorithms were …
Marshall’s Meteoroid Environment Office’s very own Dr. Bill Cooke, created this graphic showing the idealized view through a telescope with an H-alhpa filter at maximum eclipse for 4 locations: Birmingham, which will experience a 93% eclipse, Atlanta, which will have 97% of the Sun covered, the 97% eclipse in Huntsville, and the 99.6% eclipse in Chattanooga, …
Circadian Rhythms: A crewmember removed the Armband Monitor and the Thermolab Unit mounted to their belt, completing 36 hours of monitoring for the Circadian Rhythms investigation. Circadian Rhythms investigates the role of synchronized circadian rhythms, or the “biological clock,” and how it changes during long-duration spaceflight. Researchers hypothesize that a non-24-hour cycle of light and …
The Expedition 52 crew members pulled out their medical hardware today for a variety of eye checks and other biomedical research. The station residents are also making space and packing up gear for next week’s cargo delivery aboard the SpaceX Dragon. The crew each participated in a series of eye exams throughout Thursday working with …
Human Research Program (HRP): The crew collected blood, urine and air samples today to satisfy Return minus 15 days (R-15) Cardio Ox, Flight Day 15 (FD 15) and R-15 Biochemical Profile and R-30 and Launch plus 12 days (L+12) Marrow requirements. By collecting Cardio Ox ultrasound and ECG data, along with blood and urine samples, …
A docked Russian cargo craft fired its engines today slightly raising the orbit of the International Space Station. The orbital boost sets up next month’s crew swap. The SpaceX Dragon cargo craft also received a new target launch date while the crew gets ready for a spacewalk next week. NASA astronauts Peggy Whitson and Jack …
Fluids Integrated Rack (FIR): The crew replaced the two FIR white lights. One was burned out and the other had high usage and was nearing its end of life. After replacement, the rack was powered from the ground and the Payload Developer verified both lights were functioning properly. The next FIR science operations will occur next week …
Fine Motor Skills (FMS): On Sunday a crewmember completed a series of interactive tasks during a FMS session. The FMS investigation studies how the fine motor skills are effected by long-term microgravity exposure, different phases of microgravity adaptation, and sensorimotor recovery after returning to Earth gravity. The goal of the investigation is to determine how …
The fully staffed International Space Station stepped up its life science research today studying a host of space phenomena. Two cosmonauts are also preparing for the 202nd spacewalk at the station late next week. Astronauts Randy Bresnik and Paolo Nespoli continued observing how living in space affects their muscles. The duo used electrodes and an …
Sarcolab-3: With assistance from an operator, RS and USOS crewmembers ingressed the Muscle Atrophy Research & Exercise System (MARES) chair in the Columbus module, installed the Electromyograph and Percutaneous Electrical Stimulation (PEMS) device and adjusted pads and constraints for the Sarcolab-3 knee protocol. After attaching electrodes and verifying signals the operator collected ultrasound images of …
