Crew Studies Cardiac Health and Unpacks Cygnus, Progress Spacecraft

Expedition 73 kicked off the week with ultrasound scans for cardiac research and unloading new science experiments delivered last week aboard the Cygnus XL cargo craft. Spacesuit work and computer networking maintenance rounded out the day aboard the International Space Station.

NASA Flight Engineers Mike Fincke and Jonny Kim joined each other on Monday in the Columbus laboratory module to continue learning how living and working in space affects cardiovascular health. Fincke led the biomedical investigation scanning Kim’s chest with the Ultrasound 2 device to identify signs of space-caused plaque buildup or accelerated aging-like symptoms in the arteries. Kim also wore sensors that measured his cardiac activity during the scans for the CIPHER human research investigation. Doctors collect the health data from astronauts before, during, and after a spaceflight and compare it to data collected from other astronauts to gain clearer insights into crew health.

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