Expedition 74 runs exercise and biomedical research as crew readies Thursday spacewalk

Exercise research and biomedical science filled the schedule aboard the International Space Station on Tuesday as Expedition 74 prepared for a spacewalk later this week. Commander Mike Fincke of NASA set up video gear and calibrated hardware on the Tranquility module to monitor how his body responds to workouts on the advanced resistive exercise device (ARED), then performed squats while researchers on the ground monitored.

NASA said insights from the study will help doctors adjust spaceflight workouts to maximize muscle and bone health and could benefit athletic training and rehabilitation on Earth. NASA Flight Engineers Zena Cardman and Chris Williams conducted two eye checks in the Columbus laboratory.

Cardman operated hardware that sent light signals to electrodes around Williams’ eyes while biomedical software recorded retinal responses, then used medical imaging gear to examine his retina, cornea and lens. The downlinked data will help researchers understand and treat potential space-caused changes to eye anatomy and function.

Fincke and Cardman are scheduled to begin a six-and-a-half-hour spacewalk at 8 a.m. EST on Thursday, with live NASA+ coverage starting at 6:30 a.m. The pair will finalize preparations Wednesday by organizing tools, checking spacesuits, and reviewing procedures with Williams and JAXA Flight Engineer Kimiya Yui.

Key Topics

Science, International Space Station, Tranquility Module, Ared, Zena Cardman, Spacewalk