ejbehr@rs6000.cmp.ilstu.edu (Eric Behr) (06/07/91)
POCC Status Report SLS-1 JUNE 6, 1991 Members of the Spacelab Life Sciences 1 crew are busy conducting their second day of research in orbit. Most of today's activities are related to baroreflex, pulmonary function, and muscle protein metabolism studies. The baroreflex studies focus on how the human blood pressure and heart regulation mechanisms work in microgravity. The pulmonary function tests are the first studies of lung function in space. Cardiovascular data to help determine cardiac output (the amount of blood pumped out of the heart per minute) also is being gathered today. This activity was delayed yesterday while a critical piece of hardware was allowed to stabilize. The device, the Gas Anaylzer Mass Spectrometer, is now functioning properly. Finally, crewmembers will be injected with tracers that will give information related to body fluid volumes. The crew which awoke at approximately 5 a.m. Central Time began its 12-hour research day about 7 a.m. Yesterday the crew had a smooth and productive first day in space accomplishing a majority of planned science activities. Scheduled metabolic studies were fully accomplished as were the activities related to the immunology studies. Cardiovascular data including echocardiographs, blood pressure readings, heart rate readings, and central venous pressure measurements were all accomplished. The central venous pressure catheter that had been inserted into one of the Payload Specialists previous to flight was removed as planned. -- Eric Behr, Illinois State University, Mathematics Department Internet: ejbehr@rs6000.cmp.ilstu.edu Bitnet: ebehr@ilstu