Belgian User Support and Operation Centre
Ongoing Operational Support
October 21, 2003 - Spanish Soyuz Mission Cervantes
The work that brings along some extra stress for everybody involved is the activation of Nanoslab. Nanoslab studies the kynetics of zeolite formation. Zeolites are porous minerals on nanometer scale used for industrial processes.
The activation of Nanoslab is a very delicate phase, because it failed during the Odissea mission with Frank De Winne. The failure investigation proved that the NANOSLAB electronic control box was the source of the failure. The NANOSLAB sample container, illustrated below, is therefore reflown. The experiment is the same as for the Odissea mission except for it’s duration (30 h. instead of 50 h.)
Nanoslab was succesfully activated today at 12h23 GMT as foreseen in the in flight timeline. All seems to be nominal.
 Nanoslab container |
 Nanoslab container |
 Nanoslab container detail |
Just like yesterday the European astronaut takes care of the Promiss2 experiment. Goal is a good understanding of protein crystal growth processes. At the B.USOC, the responsible scientists are already looking at the first results. At 11h18 GMT they send what is called a "correction table" to the ISS. This demand for small changes in the set up op the experiment is part of the normal procedures for the realisation of Promiss.
Promiss team
Even after short duration space flights the incidence of post-flight orthostatic intolerance (difficulties in maintaining a standing position for over a few minutes), being one of the aspects of cardiovascular deconditioning, is about 20% and long-duration space flight markedly increases the incidence of orthostatic intolerance. That is why today, Pedro Duque prepares another Belgian experiment: Cardiocog. The objectives of this study are:
- to evaluate changes in cardiovascular function induced by long-term periods in microgravity,
- to compare altered function to pre- and post-flight data,
- to compare continuous microgravity effects on the cardiovascular system to short periods of microgravity
