International Space Station Expedition 10 Science Operations Status Report for the Week Ending Dec. 17, 2004
Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala.
Status Report: 04-297
International Space Station Commander/Science Officer Leroy Chiao and Russian Flight Engineer Salizhan Sharipov spent much of the week getting ready for the Christmas arrival of the Russian Progress resupply spacecraft. They continued research and maintenance activities aboard the Station.
On the science research front, Chiao conducted a scheduled photography session of the Binary Colloid Alloy Test Three. He took pictures of the samples of colloids, which is a system of fine particles suspended in a fluid such as paint, milk or ink. The colloids were mixed together during Expedition 8 and have been photographed periodically as they separated.
Possible future applications of the colloidal alloy experiments are photonic crystals for telecommunications, computer applications and extremely low threshold lasers. They may also lead to improved use of supercritical fluids for food extractions, pharmaceuticals, dry cleaning, and rocket propellants.
Chiao used the On-board Proficiency Enhancer to complete a proficiency training session of the Advanced Diagnostic Ultrasound in Microgravity experiment. This activity was in preparation for upcoming ultrasound abdominal, dental, and bone scans. The crewmembers serve as operators and test subjects in the experiment that focuses on various parts of the body. The research will be used to determine the accuracy of ultrasound in novel non-clinical conditions as a diagnostic tool for orthopedic, thoracic, and ophthalmic injury, dental and sinus infections. It's also evaluating the ability of astronauts in space, who have minimal medical training, to work with doctors on the ground and diagnose medical problems.
NASA's payload operations team at the Marshall Center coordinates science activities on Space Station.