NASA announced that the
Expedition 16 and 17 crews began work on Bioemulsion, a Russian microorganism
project.
Also they began
working on ELITE-S2, an Italian Space Agency project that studies connections
between the brain, motion and visualization in the absence of gravity.
ELaboratore Immagini
Televisive – Space 2 (ELITE-S2) will investigate the connection between the
brain, visualization and motion in the absence of gravity. By recording and
analyzing the three-dimensional motion of astronauts, this study will help
engineers apply ergonomics into future spacecraft designs and determine the
effects of weightlessness on breathing mechanisms for long-duration missions.
Results might also be applied to neurological patients on the ground with
impaired motor control.
Expedition 17
Commander Sergei Volkov and Expedition 16 Flight Engineer Yuri Malenchenko
installed a temperature sensor switching unit as well as other hardware into
the newly arrived Soyuz. Volkov also performed a Soyuz communications link
check with Expedition 17 Flight Engineer Oleg Kononenko.
The mission had a
large impact in the media also thanks to the boarding of Korean astronaut
So-yeon Yi, who declared she had had a great first experience in space. The
first day on board of the orbiting station was spent discussing safety
procedures with the outgoing crew and since then and until her return, So-yeon
Yi will conduct a series of scientific tests.
On Saturday, she has
also prepared a very special moment for the Russian holiday Cosmonautics day.
The event celebrates the anniversary of Yuri Gagarin's first human space flight
on April 12th, 1961.
Yi cooked traditional
Korean food, including the fermented cabbage dish kimchi, for her crewmates and
sang some traditional Korean melodies.
According to the
Associated Press, the mission was considered a top priority for the South
Korean government who has made a $20 million deal with