Blood Tests, Eye Scans on Station Helping Doctors Improve Crew Health
Blood sample collections and eye scans took a big part of the day on Tuesday as the International Space Station residents continuously explore how living in space affects their bodies. The two crews representing Expedition 71 and NASA's Boeing Crew Flight Test also trained for robotics activities, serviced spacesuits, and kept up household tasks aboard the orbital outpost.
NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick and Mike Barratt began the day collecting their blood and saliva samples to help scientists understand how microgravity affects cellular immune functions. NASA Flight Engineer Jeanette Epps gathered the samples from the duo, first stowing the saliva specimens in a science freezer, then spinning the blood samples in a centrifuge, before inserting the sample tubes inside the Kubik research incubator for later observations.
The trio joined up again for a series of eye checks with fellow astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams of NASA and cosmonauts Nikolai Chub and Alexander Grebenkin of Roscosmos. Epps, Dominick, and Chub led the eye scans using the Ultrasound 2 device to image their crewmates' cornea, lens, and optic nerve. Doctors on Earth monitored the scans in real-time ensuring the crew captured the right imagery to learn how to protect and treat crew vision issues in space.
At the end of the day, Barratt partnered with NASA Flight Engineer Tracy C. Dyson for more eye checks as the duo explored how weightlessness affects the retina's response to light. Dyson and researchers on the ground observed Barratt as sensors attached to the side of his eyes measured his retinal function during the hourlong test. The eye exam is just one of 14 studies that comprise the CIPHER investigation devoted to astronaut health and well-being.
Barratt and Dominick also teamed up inside the Kibo laboratory module to reroute cables, reorganize cargo, and clean up trash. Dominick then joined Epps on the robotics workstation simulator and practiced techniques to capture the Cygnus space freighter with the Canadarm2 robotic arm. Dyson also got ready for the Cygnus cargo mission, due to launch on Aug. 3 and arrive on Aug. 5, reviewing mission operations and cargo procedures once the Northrop Grumman spacecraft is berthed to the Unity module.
Aside from eye checks, Starliner Commander Butch Wilmore and Pilot Suni Williams hand their hands full all day with station maintenance duties. Wilmore cleaned up cargo and photographed open spaces inside the Columbus laboratory module while Williams worked in the Quest airlock servicing spacesuit components. Next, the duo gathered for a conference with Boeing mission controllers then reviewed the upcoming Cygnus cargo mission.
Grebenkin removed his body sensors and completed a 24-hour session that recorded his heart rate and blood pressure. Afterward, he photographed Earth landmarks using a specialized camera that captures image data beyond the spectral range of the human eye. Chub participated in cargo cleanup duties in the Zarya module then worked on life support and electronic systems maintenance. Commander Oleg Kononenko cleaned fans and filters in Zarya before inspecting and photographing windows in the Zvezda service module. At the end of the day, Kononenko took turns with Chub studying ways to improve communications between international crews and mission controllers.
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