ejbehr@rs6000.cmp.ilstu.edu (Eric Behr) (06/10/91)
POCC STATUS #4 SLS-1
SLS-1
POCC STATUS REPORT #4
JUNE 8, 1991
The Spacelab Life Sciences 1 mission has begun the fourth day
of inflight activities about an hour ahead of schedule.
Today's physiological measurements include a continuation of
the baroreflex studies using the baroreflex neck cuff that
was used yesterday as well as a continuation of the
cardiopulmonary assessments being carried out to look at lung
function in space and the distribution of blood flow through
the lung. The daily collection of blood, urine, and the daily
measurements of body mass will be carried out as well. The
lymphocyte study will be continued with procedures that
include not only labeling and fixation of the lymphocyte
cells, but also spinning the cells at varied levels of
gravity in the centrifuge onboard.
A health check of the rats will take place today and some
very focussed hardware verification tests will be performed
that are related to the particulate containment capabilities
of the Research Animal Holding Facility (RAHF). The RAHF is
one of the hardware elements that house the rats and that
provide the environmental control systems. A test of this
facility was carried out successfully yesterday and today's
tests are related to the animal transfer units that are used
to move animals out of the RAHF to the General Purpose Work
Station (GPWS) and back to the RAHF. Finally, hardware
verification tests will be carried out on a Surgical Work
Station to evaluate the effectiveness and convenience of the
restraining features of this facility. The Surgical Work
Station is being considered for use in the Health Maintenance
Facility aboard Space Station Freedom
SLS-1
POCC STATUS REPORT #5
JUNE 9, 1991
The crew aboard the orbiter Columbia are entering their fifth
day of science activities and once again are ahead of
schedule. Initial activity for the day includes the routine
urine collections and body mass measurements. The major
science to be carried out today includes the continuation of
the studies related to examining cardiovascular function both
at rest and under conditions of exercise. Initially,
echocardiographic images will be obtained from the
crewmembers while they are at rest. Following this procedure,
the crewmembers will begin exercising. In addition to the
previous levels of exercise that have been performed at 30%
and 60% of maximum, the crew will exercise to the level of
90% and 100% and carry out measurements of heart rate, blood
pressure, cardiac output, and look at the gas exchange
dynamics in the lung.
A new procedure will be carried out today related to the
examination of cardiovascular function. The compliance or
elasticity of the veins in the legs will be measured using
the System for Venous Occlusion Plethysmography (SVOP). This
system allows for an examination of blood pressure and blood
flow in the leg which is important to understand more fully
the fluid shift phenomena known to occur in space. Another
major activity will be the pulmonary function test which is a
continuation of similar activities carried out yesterday.
The hardware verification test of the Medical Restraint
System (MRS) was successfully carried out yesterday. The
assembly of this clinical examination table, which is slated
for potential use on the Space Station Freedom, went very
smoothly and the restraining features for both a patient and
a clinician were shown to be effective. In addition, an
acoustical examination was carried out in the middeck of the
orbiter to establish a vibrational acoustic profile of this
area.
--
Eric Behr, Illinois State University, Mathematics Department
Internet: ejbehr@rs6000.cmp.ilstu.edu Bitnet: ebehr@ilstu