Heart scans, breathing measurements, and a fitness test led the research activities aboard the International Space Station on Thursday giving doctors continuous insight into microgravity’s effect on the human body. The Expedition 73 residents also ensured the advanced science hardware and life support gear remain in tip-top shape aboard the orbital outpost.
NASA Flight Engineer Anne McClain spent her shift in the Columbus laboratory module helping researchers understand the cardiovascular risk of living and working in space during a long-term mission. She attached electrodes to her chest then performed a pair of ultrasound scans as doctors on the ground monitored in real time. Afterward, she measured her blood pressure providing more data into a crew member’s heart health and informing ways to counter space-caused symptoms such as changes in blood flow and stiffened arteries.
A sensor-packed headband and vest designed by the Canadian Space Agency is being tested for its ability to comfortably monitor vital signs while an astronaut goes about their daily activities. NASA Flight Engineer Nichole Ayers wrapped up a health monitoring session on Thursday and removed the Bio-Monitor wearable devices after 24 hours. Next, she downloaded the data collected during her sleep shift and from her workout on the Destiny laboratory module’s exercise cycle for doctors to review. Earlier in her shift, Ayers cleaned Destiny’s Microgravity Science Glovebox that hosts numerous space investigations into biology, physics, and more.
NASA Flight Engineer Jonny Kim continued cleaning up following the previous day’s installation of a new catalytic reactor in the Tranquility module. After that, he and Station Commander Takuya Onishi of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) cleaned and inspected hatch seals in the Tranquility, Harmony, and the Permanent Multipurpose modules. Onishi also removed botany hardware from a research incubator in the Kibo laboratory module supporting an investigation studying plant cell division to learn how grow to food crops in space.
Roscosmos Flight Engineers Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritskiy took turns attaching acoustic sensors to their necks measuring the sound as they exhaled rapidly for a respiratory study. The duo then split up as Ryzhikov serviced the Zvezda service module’s oxygen generator and Zubritskiy jogged on Zvezda’s treadmill while attached to electrodes for a fitness evaluation. Flight Engineer Kirill Peskov kicked off his shift with a computer test to learn how international crews and global mission controllers communicate then spent the rest of the day on plumbing and electronics maintenance duties.
Learn more about station activities by following the space station blog, @space_station on X, as well as the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts.
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