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Expedition 71 Crew Conducts Medical Exams and Spacecraft Maintenance Aboard ISS

Written by  Thursday, 11 April 2024 10:17
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Los Angeles CA (SPX) Apr 10, 2024
Wednesday's activities for Expedition 71 aboard the International Space Station centered around biomedical research and space physics, engaging the seven-member crew in a range of scientific tasks and maintenance operations. Three NASA astronauts, Flight Engineers Matthew Dominick, Mike Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, were involved in ocular examinations to study the impact of microgravity on
Expedition 71 Crew Conducts Medical Exams and Spacecraft Maintenance Aboard ISS
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Apr 10, 2024

Wednesday's activities for Expedition 71 aboard the International Space Station centered around biomedical research and space physics, engaging the seven-member crew in a range of scientific tasks and maintenance operations.

Three NASA astronauts, Flight Engineers Matthew Dominick, Mike Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, were involved in ocular examinations to study the impact of microgravity on human physiology. Utilizing the Ultrasound 2 device, they performed eye scans to monitor conditions of the cornea, lens, and optic nerve with real-time guidance from Earth-based medical teams. Epps later conducted further examinations using medical imaging equipment to analyze Dominick's retina and optic nerve as part of the B Complex eye health study.

Cargo transfer tasks were also a part of the day's work, with Dominick and Barratt handling logistics inside the SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft. Barratt's efforts extended to installing new equipment in the Combustion Integrated Rack to aid fire safety research in microgravity environments.

Jeanette Epps dedicated her time to advancing a 3D bioprinting study, operating the BioFabrication Facility to produce cardiac cell samples. This experiment aims to enable the printing of food and medical supplies in space, potentially revolutionizing medical treatment on Earth with bioprinted organs and tissues. She also replaced components in the Fluids Integrated Rack to enhance thermal management systems applicable in space and on Earth.

NASA Flight Engineer Tracy C. Dyson concluded the bioprinting experiments started by Epps, processing the bioprinted cardiac cells for further analysis. Dyson's additional assignments included setting up an acoustic monitoring device to track noise levels on the station and updating hardware for a semiconductor manufacturing experiment.

The station's Russian segment saw Cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko, Nikolai Chub, and Alexander Grebenkin engaging in auditory health assessments. Each spent time in a controlled environment listening to specific tones while software captured the data, contributing to ongoing health monitoring.

Kononenko and Chub began their day with software reviews for Soyuz descent simulations and later prepared Orlan spacesuits for upcoming extravehicular activities, checking for pressure integrity. The first spacewalk of their mission is scheduled for April 25.

Grebenkin's tasks included scanning the Zvezda service module with an ultrasound device and conducting a fitness evaluation while jogging on a treadmill equipped with health monitoring sensors.

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