ISS Operations Update – March 31, 2016
Experiments:
Circadian Rhythms Experiment – Thermolab Study [The BLR48 and Circadian Rhythms Study will examine the role of synchronized circadian rhythms and possible maintenance during long-duration spaceflight and addresses the impacts to crew members’ health and wellbeing. Understanding how the dark/light cycle and sleep shifting affects circadian rhythms and with that the performance of the crew members will enable scientists to develop new sleep shifting techniques for crew members in space and shift workers on Earth.]
ENERGY Experiment Session Start [Energy = Astronaut’s Energy Requirements for Long-Term Space Flight – Human Research Payload. ENERGY measures changes in energy balance during long term space flight, adaptations in the components of the Total Energy Expenditure and it will derive an equation for the energy requirements of astronauts. For the crew members, ENERGY includes a special diet, urine sampling, oxygen uptake measurements and diet logging.]
Integrated Resistance and Aerobic Training Study (Sprint) [This study evaluates a high-intensity, low-volume exercise protocol to minimize the loss of muscle, bone and cardiovascular function but also minimizing the time spent with daily exercise. To asses the protocol, crew members conduct regular measurements of VO2max, heart rate (HR) response to submaximal exercise and ventilatory threshold. Monthly ultrasounds of the thigh and calf are used to evaluate spaceflight-induced changes in the muscle volume. Post-flight data on muscle and bone mass is compared to pre-flight measurements and to data from control subjects that use the regular exercise protocol.]
Strata-I Payload Installation [Strata-I investigates the properties and behavior of regolith, the impact-shattered soil found on asteroids, comets, the Moon and other airless bodies. Regolith is different from soil on Earth in that it contains no living material. The behavior of regolith in microgravity is virtually unknown and has obvious implications when attempting to anchor a spacecraft in regolith. Strata-1 also studies how regolith interacts with spacecraft and spacesuit material and whether it is possible to process large volumes of regolith.]
Study of cardiovascular system under graded physical load on VELO
Identification – Micro-Accelerometer Data Download [The Identification Payload records structural dynamics data inside the individual modules of the Russian Segment to provide structural data to improve spacecraft design.]
Interactions Experiment [‘Vzaimodeistviye’ (Interactions) looks at psychological aspects of long duration space flight during which different cultures come together aboard a Spacecraft such as ISS and seeks to improve crew interactions aboard ISS and with teams on the ground.]
Systems/Maintenance:
Nominal Inspections/Servicing Tasks (Morning Inspection, Caution & Warning Panel Check, Sozh System Maintenance) (Russian Crew)
Cell Biology Experiment Facility (CBEF) Reconfiguration – Video cable configuration between CBEF and Video Compressrion Units for multi-channel support.
Extravehicular Mobility Units: Bundling of EMUs #3003 & #3010 for stowage and retrieval of #3005 & #3008 to set up for regular loop scrubs.
Other Activities:
Weekly Tagup with Russian Flight Control Team
OBR-5 (Education-5 project) – VELIKOE NACHALO (“Great Beginning”) – Education Event during which Russian crew members respond to questions from the public concerning space flight
PAO Event
