Crew Begins New Week With Focus on Biological Studies

Nepal seen from the space station
Astronaut Scott Kelly tweeted this picture over the weekend as the station passed over Nepal which was struck by a major earthquake. Credit: @StationCDRKelly

The Expedition 43 crew kicked off a new week by focusing on a number of biological experiments.

The crew participated in the Sprint study which evaluates the use of high intensity, low volume exercise training to minimize loss of muscle, bone, and cardiovascular function in crew members during long-duration missions.

Crew members also took part in Ocular Health checkouts as scientists search to better understand the vision changes some astronauts experience during spaceflight. They also collected samples for the Microbiome experiment which investigates the impact of space travel on both the human immune system and an individual’s microbiome.

Station commander Terry Virts did some troubleshooting on the Japanese airlock in preparation for the upcoming Robotics Refueling Mission-2 (RRM-2) operations. RRM-2, a joint study between NASA and the Canadian Space Agency, investigates satellite repair and servicing techniques in space. Operators on the ground use the station’s special purpose dexterous manipulator, better known as Dextre, on the end of the Canadarm2, for fine robotics manipulation. Engineers are looking to determine whether it’s possible to refuel satellites and test electrical connections robotically.

8 thoughts on “Crew Begins New Week With Focus on Biological Studies”

  1. Hi, I teach Chemistry and Research Methods at Arizona Agribusiness & Equine Center in Arizona. Our Science Club was wondering if your team was currently using lunar hydroponics and, if you do, what crops grow best for you under the conditions? The students and myself are all proud of the hard work you are doing in space.

  2. This is wonderful. It’s always thrilling to learn something new about the procedure going out in space, especially for people like me who are working in the field of biology. It is for sure that we all feel proud of all the work you did, and congratulations!

  3. What a Biotechnology!
    Once I had imagined such this.,,.
    Plant the coral on the moon and make air
    on the moon.

  4. Universe itself has already begun before we humanbeings had been created. The history of it is
    much more longer than we humankind..Exploration for space is far beyond our imagination. I would like to
    applaud to itself.

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