Jan. 24, 2003<br /><br />Steve Roy<br />MSFC, Huntsville, Ala.<br />(Phone: 256/544-0034)<br /><br />RELEASE: 03-015<br /><br />INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION EXPEDITION SIX SCIENCE OPERATIONS<br />STATUS REPORT FOR THE WEEK ENDING JAN. 24, 2003<br /><br />Expedition Six Zeolite Crystal Growth research was successfully completed<br />this week aboard the International Space Station.<br /><br />Commander Ken Bowersox removed the 19 sample tubes from the crystal growth<br />furnace on Monday following a 15-day processing run. The samples were<br />stowed for return on the ULF-1 Space Shuttle mission to the Station. The<br />goal of this experiment is to grow larger, more perfect zeolites for study<br />on Earth. Zeolites are used in many manufacturing processes, including<br />petroleum refining. Improving zeolites could make gasoline production more<br />efficient or lead to ways of storing and using clean-burning hydrogen for<br />fuel.<br /><br />Also on Monday, the Payload Operations Center and the Station crew<br />successfully upgraded software for EXPRESS Rack 1 in the Destiny lab. This<br />upgrade is expected to make science operations smoother. Two racks have<br />received the new software, with three more scheduled. EXPRESS Racks provide<br />Station experiments with utilities such as power, cooling, fluids,<br />communications and more.<br /><br />The crew also inspected the sample containers for the Investigating the<br />Structure of Paramagnetic Aggregates from Colloidal Emulsions (InSPACE)<br />experiment in preparation for processing once the Microgravity Science<br />Glovebox is repaired. One of six sample containers was discovered to be<br />cracked. However, an identical backup sample container was intact, so the<br />science team expects to complete all its objectives for the experiment with<br />minimal impact.<br /><br />InSPACE is designed to obtain basic data on magnetorheological fluids - a<br />new class of "smart materials" that can be used to improve or develop new<br />brake systems, seat suspensions, robotics, clutches, airplane landing gear,<br />and vibration damper systems. The Glovebox, which provides a sealed work<br />volume for crews to work safely with experiments involving fumes, fluids or<br />flames, lost power on Nov. 20, 2002. Repair parts will be launched next<br />month aboard a Russian Progress resupply ship, which should restore the<br />Glovebox to working order.<br /><br />Also on Tuesday, the crew completed the 90-day checkout with the Gas<br />Analyzer System for Metabolic Analysis Physiology (GASMAP), used for<br />periodic assessment of crew aerobic capacity. It analyzes human metabolics,<br />cardiac output, lung diffusing capacity, lung volume, pulmonary function and<br />nitrogen washout. Crewmembers activate the GASMAP hardware and perform a<br />full functional health check every 90 days.<br /><br />On Wednesday, Bowersox conducted the third round of research with the<br />FOOT/Ground Reaction Forces During Space Flight (FOOT) experiment. FOOT is<br />designed to characterize the stress on the bones and muscles in the lower<br />extremities in microgravity.<br /><br />Beginning today, the crew will conduct five days of research with the Renal<br />Stone experiment. The crew is taking potassium citrate pills or a placebo<br />to study a possible preventative for kidney stones in space. The<br />microgravity environment of the Station results in several changes in the<br />human body, including changes in fluid metabolism and bone loss that<br />increase the chance of kidney stone formation during and after flight. As<br />part of the experiment, they collect urine samples and record their food,<br />fluid, exercise and medication to assess environmental influences other than<br />microgravity.<br /><br />Crew Earth Observation crew photography opportunities for today include<br />Buenos Aries, Argentina; the Tuamotu Archipelago, air quality over Southeast<br />Africa, Cape Town and Johannesburg, South Africa, and Patagonian glaciers.<br /><br />On January 28th, the crew and ground controllers are scheduled to begin<br />operations with the Earth Knowledge Acquired by Middle School Students<br />(EarthKAM) experiment for Expedition Six.<br /><br />The Payload Operations Center at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in<br />Huntsville, Ala., manages all science research experiment operations aboard<br />the International Space Station. The center is also home for coordination<br />of the mission-planning work of a variety of international sources, all<br />science payload deliveries and retrieval, and payload training and payload<br />safety programs for the Station crew and all ground personnel.<br /><br />-end-