ISS - Expedition 58 Mission patch.
March 6, 2019
The members of Expedition 58 aboard the International Space Station continued preparing for several spacewalks planned for the near future and conducted a number of science experiments. The crew also prepared for the arrival of SpaceX Demo-1 flight test which launched from Kennedy Space Center at 2:49 a.m. EST Saturday, March 2, and docked the next day.
Here are details about some of the science conducted last week:
The brain on microgravity
Crew members performed both the strapped-in and free-floating body configurations for NeuroMapping, an investigation into whether long-duration spaceflight causes changes to brain structure and function, motor control and multi-tasking abilities. The investigation also measures how long it takes for the brain and body to recover from such changes. Previous research and anecdotal evidence from astronauts suggests microgravity can affect movement control and cognition.
Studying gaseous flames and flammability
Image above: Astronaut David Saint-Jacques of the Canadian Space Agency is inside the U.S. Destiny laboratory module working on the Combustion Integrated Rack. Saint-Jacques replaced fuel flow controllers inside the device for the Advanced Combustion via Microgravity Experiments which are a set of five independent studies of gaseous flames. Image Credit: NASA.
Following replacement of an ACME fuel flow controller, which allows observation of different flow conditions, the crew documented its final configuration with photographs. The ACME series performed in the Combustion Integrated Rack (CIR) includes five independent studies of gaseous flames. The current experiment, Burning Rate Emulator (BRE), focuses on spacecraft fire prevention, specifically improving understanding of materials flammability and assessing existing flammability test methods in low and partial-gravity environments.
Managing satellite traffic jams
SPHERES. Image Credit: NASA
The crew set up and performed a SPHERES SmoothNav test session. This investigation develops an algorithm to collect measurements of distances between multiple small spacecraft, including those operating with different instruments, and estimates their most probable relative positions and velocities. It works with different satellite platforms and onboard sensors, which makes it adaptable if one or more satellites become inoperable, and it can use delayed measurements or those received at different frequencies.
Figuring out up from down in microgravity
Animation above: NASA astronaut Anne McClain conducts a session for the VECTION investigation, which evaluates how microgravity may disrupt an astronaut’s visual interpretation of motion, orientation, and distance. Image Credit: NASA.
VECTION determines to what extent microgravity may disrupt an astronaut’s visual interpretation of motion, orientation, and distance as well as how that interpretation may adapt in space and then again upon return to Earth. The crew deployed support hardware, including the free-float restraint system, and performed experiment sessions. These sessions are broken into three tasks: Orientation Perception, Relative Height (Motion Processing), and Depth Perception (Vection). Multiple experimental time points inflight and upon return to Earth allows for investigation of the adaptation and recovery process.
Other investigations on which the crew performed work:
- The Actiwatch waterproof, nonintrusive, sleep-wake activity monitor worn on the wrist of a crewmember. The data it collects helps determine if space travel has an impact on the sleep-wake patterns of crewmembers: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Facility.html?#id=362
- A virtual reality film documenting daily life aboard the space station, ISS Experience educates a variety of audiences about life aboard the orbiting lab and science conducted there: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7877
- The Sally Ride EarthKAM program allows students to remotely control a digital camera mounted on the space station and use it to take photographs of coastlines, mountain ranges and other features and phenomena. The images are posted online, where the public and participating classrooms can view Earth from the station’s unique vantage point: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=87
- The Team Task Switching investigation examines whether crew members have difficulty switching tasks and determines the effects of these switches in order to both reduce any negative consequences and improve individual and team motivation and effectiveness: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7538
Space to Ground: An American Dawn: 03/01/2019
Related links:
Expedition 58: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition58/index.html
Spacewalks: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/spacewalks
SpaceX Demo-1 flight test: https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-to-provide-coverage-of-spacex-commercial-crew-flight-test
NeuroMapping: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=979
ACME: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=1651
Combustion Integrated Rack (CIR): https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Facility.html?#id=317
Burning Rate Emulator (BRE): https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7629
VECTION: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7484
Space Station Research and Technology: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/index.html
International Space Station (ISS): https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html
Images (mentioned), Animation (mentioned), Video (NASA), Text, Credits: NASA/Michael Johnson/Vic Cooley, Lead Increment Scientist Expeditions 57/58.
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