Exercise, Science Gear, and Robotics Top Station Research Schedule
Human research, combustion, and robotics were the scientific priorities aboard the International Space Station on Tuesday. The seven-member Expedition 71 crew also continued ongoing cargo operations and hardware maintenance.
Exercising daily in weightlessness counteracts space-caused bone and muscle loss preserving crew health during long-term missions. Researchers frequently monitor a crew members exercise sessions to learn how microgravity affects a variety of physiological parameters. On Tuesday morning, NASA Flight Engineers Matthew Dominick and Mike Barratt attached sensors to their chests and strapped on breathing gear then took turns pedaling on an exercise cycle. Doctors will use the data from the periodic fitness test that measures oxygen uptake and heart activity and evaluate the astronauts' aerobic capacity.
After the exercise session, Dominick powered down the workout gear and partially stowed the biomedical hardware. The pair then joined each other and tested the installation of a helmet on a spacesuit. Barratt also worked on cargo operations inside the Cygnus space freighter berthed to the Unity module since Feb. 1.
NASA Flight Engineer Tracy C. Dyson split her day between combustion hardware and a robotics demonstration. She spent her morning in the Kibo laboratory module swapping samples and replacing hardware inside the Solid Combustion Experiment Module. The research device is located in Kibo's Multi-Purpose Small Payload Rack and enables flame and fuel research to promote fire safety on spacecraft. Next, she tested the operations of the Astrobee free-flying robotic assistant for a competition that uses student-written algorithms to control and maneuver the devices.
NASA astronaut Jeanette Epps began her day setting up Actiwatches that monitor crew sleep-wake cycles. Then she spent the afternoon stowing sample collection hardware and servicing a pair of Kubik incubators that can house small organisms for space biology investigations.
In the Roscosmos segment of orbital outpost, Commander Oleg Kononenko and Flight Engineer Nikolai Chub tested communications with the Progress 86 resupply ship then conducted seat fit checks in the Soyuz MS-25 crew ship. Kononenko then tested a 3D printer and configured cameras while Chub spent the rest of his day on life support maintenance. Flight Engineer Alexander Grebenkin was back on robotics duty operating the European robotic arm and scanning the Rassvet module's docking port.
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