NASA Space Station Status Report 9 July 2004
Aboard the International Space Station, work is focused
on science, spacesuit troubleshooting and routine maintenance
as the Expedition 9 crew is sailing through its twelfth week
in space.
Commander Gennady Padalka and Flight Engineer Mike Fincke
turned their attention this week to a human science
investigation to better understand the ability to quickly and
remotely transmit medical data to the ground. The application
may also find benefits on Earth, allowing for much quicker
injury diagnosis for patients at remote locations by doctors
based at hospitals. Early diagnosis and treatment through
such “telemedicine” could ultimately save lives.
The crew conducted the Advanced Diagnostic Ultrasound in
Micro-G (ADUM) experiment. Fincke set up the equipment, after
which he and Padalka performed the ultrasound bone scans on
each other. They took turns scanning the other’s shoulder,
elbow, knee and ankle. The team on the ground at the Payload
Operations Center at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center,
Huntsville, Ala., monitored the experiment, which was
videotaped and photographed for downlink.
This research will be used to determine the accuracy of
ultrasound in novel clinical conditions including orthopedic,
thoracic and ophthalmic injury, and dental/sinus infections;
and to assess the ultrasound as a feasible option for
monitoring in-flight bone alterations.
Fincke conducted additional troubleshooting work on the U.S.
spacesuits with assistance from Mission Control. The
Extravehicular Mobility Units (EMU) have cooling problems,
which have tentatively been traced to pumps inside the suits.
These pumps circulate water through the suit to keep
spacewalkers cool or warm. More work is planned for the week
of July 19 to pinpoint the problem more precisely. Repair
parts for the suits are scheduled to arrive at the Station on
the next Progress supply spacecraft on Aug. 14.
The next spacewalk using Russian Orlan suits is planned for
Aug. 3. During the spacewalk, the crew will retrieve science
experiments, install others, and prepare the outside of the
Zvezda module’s docking port for next year’s planned first
flight of the European supply spacecraft called the Automated
Transfer Vehicle.
The crew also took time this week to simulate an onboard fire
during an emergency drill, and exercised the full contingency
plan with flight controllers in Houston and Moscow. Similar
drills are conducted periodically aboard the orbiting
laboratory to maintain the crew’s emergency preparedness.
For information about NASA and agency missions on the
Internet, visit:
Information about crew activities on the Space Station,
future launch dates and Station sighting opportunities from
Earth is available on the Internet at:
Details about Station science operations are available on an
Internet site administered by the Payload Operations Center
at Marshall Space Flight Center at:
