On Wednesday, NASA Flight Engineer Nichole Ayers actively participated in the Drain Brain 2.0 human research experiment within the Columbus laboratory module. This study involved wearing neck and chest electrodes to precisely measure oscillations in blood flow from her brain to her heart. In parallel, Ax-4 private astronaut Tibor Kapu contributed to the Cerebral Hemodynamics investigation by wearing a specialized cap that used doppler ultrasound to image blood flow in his cerebral artery. Veteran astronaut and Ax-4 Commander Peggy Whitson provided assistance to Kapu, helping with the biomedical hardware and taking his blood pressure within the Tranquility module. These two distinct studies are supported by different organizations, with Drain Brain 2.0 aiming to prevent space-induced blood clots and Cerebral Hemodynamics focusing on protecting crew visual processing and perception in microgravity.
Later, Ayers joined her fellow station crewmates, Commander Takuya Onishi of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) and NASA Flight Engineer Anne McClain, for comprehensive eye checks. This involved the use of high-resolution, near-infrared medical imaging hardware. McClain spearheaded the B Complex optical investigation in the Harmony Module, as Ayers and Onishi looked into the ocular device while ground-based doctors meticulously examined their optic nerves in real time. Researchers are exploring the potential of B vitamin supplements as a method to safeguard crew vision in the microgravity environment.
NASA Flight Engineer Jonny Kim commenced his shift by meticulously inspecting portable emergency hardware, including fire extinguishers and breathing masks. Following his lunch period, he joined his Soyuz MS-27 crewmates, Sergey Ryzhikov and Sergey Zubritskiy, both flight engineers from Roscosmos. Together, they engaged in practicing the use of respirator masks, preparing for the unlikely event of a chemical leak onboard the orbital outpost.
Ryzhikov and Zubritskiy began their shift by repairing a Roscosmos treadmill located in the Zvezda service module. Ryzhikov also donned virtual reality glasses for a study designed to observe how a crew member's balance and visual perception adapt to microgravity. Zubritskiy dedicated his time to servicing research physics hardware that measures neutron radiation. Flight Engineer Kirill Peskov spent his shift in the orbital outpost's Roscosmos segment, focusing on servicing orbital plumbing gear and activating Earth observation equipment.
Ax-4 crewmates Shubhanshu Shukla and Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski collaborated in the Columbus module, investigating the application of near-infrared technology to record brain activity for the development of brain-computer interfaces. Uznanski-Wisniewski wore a specialized cap connected via Bluetooth to a laptop computer, recording his brain activity, while Shukla diligently optimized the signal quality and calibrated the hardware. The pair also captured and downlinked video footage of crew activities for the Astronaut Mental Health study. Additionally, Shukla examined muscle cell stem cultures through a microscope to gain insights into the muscle repair process in weightlessness.
The next uncrewed cargo mission, Progress 92, is on schedule for launch at 3:32 PM (local time) on Thursday from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Progress 92 is anticipated to dock with the Poisk module at 5:27 PM (local time) on Saturday, delivering approximately three thousand pounds of vital food, fuel, and supplies for the residents of the orbiting laboratory.
