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Updated Mar.6, 2001

Expedition

Two:

Open For

Business
Expedition Two Press Kit 

Table of Contents

Overview ....................................................................................................................... 1 

Crew............................................................................................................................... 3 

Payload Operations Center...........................................................................................5 

Experiments 

Advanced Astroculture _ (Advasc).................................................................................. 7 

Active Rack Isolation System (ARIS)— 

ARIS ISS Characterization Experiment (ARIS ICE)........................................................ 8 

Bonner Ball Neutron Detector......................................................................................... 9 

Crew Earth Observations (CEO)................................................................................... 10 

Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus (CGBA)............................................... 11 

Protein Crystal Growth—Biotechnology Ambient Generic 

(PCG-BAG) ............................................ ..................................................................... 12 

Bonner Ball Neutron Detector....................................................................................... 13 

Dosmap (Dosimetric Mapping) ..................................................................................... 14 

EXPRESS Rack............................................................................................................ 15 

Effects of Altered Gravity on Spinal Cord Excitability (H-Reflex) .................................. 16 

Human Research Facility Rack 1.................................................................................. 17 

Crewmember and Crew-Ground Interactions During 

ISS Missions (Interactions)........................................................................................... 18 

Experiment of Physics of Colloids in Space (PCS)....................................................... 19 

Payload Equipment Restraint System (PERS) ............................................................. 20 

Phantom Torso ............................................................................................................. 21 

Acceleration Measurements Aboard the International Space Station........................... 23 

Space Acceleration Measurement System II (SAMS-II) ............................................... 23 

Microgravity Acceleration Measurement System (MAMS)............................................ 24 

Sub-Regional Assessment of Bone Loss In the Axial 

Skeleton In Long-Term Space Flight ............................................................................ 25
Expedition Two Press Kit 

Overview 

Second Crew’s Flight Will See Station Open For Business 

Relieving a crew that transformed the International Space Station into a home, the 

second station crew will spend four months aboard the complex that will see the 

research outpost open for business, beginning scientific work while continuing to grow 

in size and sophistication. 

The mission of the station’s Expedition Two crew – Commander Yury Usachev and 

Flight Engineers Jim Voss and Susan Helms – will be highlighted by the arrival of the 

complex’s first major experiments; the installation and checkout of a Canadiandeveloped station robotic arm; and the installation and initial space walks from a new 

station airlock designed for both U.S. and Russian spacesuits. Already larger than any 

space station in history at the time they arrive, once Usachev, Voss and Helms 

conclude their mission, the station will have reached a significant plateau of selfreliance: able to sustain and maintain itself for long periods, capable of ongoing 

research activities and prepared to continue to grow for years to come. 

During Expedition Two, the crew will work with 18 different experiments. The research 

will include studies of the human body in space, space radiation, observations of the 

Earth, crystal growth in weightlessness and plant growth in space. 

As commander, Usachev, 43, will be responsible for the overall safety and success of the 

mission. Usachev is a veteran of three flights aboard the Mir space station and one space 

shuttle flight, logging 385 days in space. Voss, 52, will serve as Flight Engineer 1. Voss has 

flown four times on the space shuttle and logged 35 days in space. Helms will serve as 

Flight Engineer 2. She also has flown four times on the shuttle, logging 45 days in space. 

This will be the second time Usachev, Voss and Helms have been to the International 

Space Station. They first visited the station as members of the space shuttle mission STS101 crew in May 2000, a flight during which they refurbished portions of the thenuninhabited station’s electrical system and left more than 1 1/2 tons of supplies aboard. 

During Expedition Two’s flight, four space shuttle missions are scheduled to visit the 

International Space Station, as well as a new Russian Soyuz human spacecraft with a 

visiting crew and an automated Russian Progress cargo supply craft. A new Russian 

station segment, called the Docking Compartment, also may be launched during the 

crew’s stay, and Usachev and Voss are planned to perform the first station-based space 

walk to prepare for its potential arrival. 

The space walk will be fully internal to the Zvezda module’s spherical docking 

compartment, however. The two must wear Russian Orlan spacesuits and vent air from the 

compartment to reposition a docking mechanism. Depending on the tentative schedule for 

the Russian Docking Compartment’s launch, Usachev and Voss are trained to perform two 

more space walks from the station as well. Before any station-based space walk is 

conducted, Voss and Helms are planned to conduct a space walk from the space shuttle 

that brings them to the complex as part of that mission’s assembly work. 

The Soyuz spacecraft, planned to launch about midway through the crew’s stay on the 

station as a replacement emergency vehicle for a Soyuz that is already docked at the 

station, will bring a ferry crew of cosmonauts that will remain aboard the outpost for a 

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Expedition Two Press Kit

few days, transferring gear to the older Soyuz. After those activities are complete, 

expected to take about a week, the ferry cosmonaut crew will return to Earth in the older 

Soyuz. A fresh Soyuz spacecraft is planned to be launched to the station about every 

six months to ensure a crew “lifeboat” is always at the ready if needed.

The first space shuttle mission during Expedition Two, STS-102 aboard Discovery, will 

bring the Expedition Two crew to the complex as well as the first station “moving van,” 

an Italian-built logistics module. Named Leonardo, the logistics module will carry 

enhanced communications equipment, a crew health care system, two Robotics Work 

Stations, and the first research equipment to be installed in the station’s Destiny lab. 

The station crew will activate and checkout these systems during the first weeks of their 

stay aboard the station, and among the enhancements will be a broadening of the 

station’s communications capability to include high-quality television transmissions 

through U.S. satellites. The crew will spend much time thoroughly testing two robotics 

control panels, in preparation for the new station robotic arm that will arrive on the 

second shuttle flight to visit during their stay, STS-100 aboard the shuttle Endeavour.

Endeavour will launch a new generation of space robotics, a Canadian station robotic arm 

that will have the unprecedented ability to “walk” about the station’s exterior, changing ends 

as it goes. The station crew will assist with the delivery of the arm; controlling activities 

involved with its transfer to the station from the controls that will be located inside the 

Destiny Lab. Helms will do much of the robotic arm work, assisted by Voss.

The arm checkout will continue for weeks aboard the station after Endeavour has 

departed, as will further set up and scientific work in the Destiny Lab with equipment 

brought by STS-100 on a second “moving van” called Rafaello. The use of the station 

robotic arm, officially called the Space Station Remote Manipulator System, is critical for 

the success of the third space shuttle mission that will visit the station during Expedition 

Two, STS-104 aboard Atlantis.

STS-104 will bring a new airlock to the station. Called the Joint Airlock Module, it will 

allow space walks from the station using either U.S. or Russian spacesuits. Helms must 

use the station’s robotic arm to lift the new airlock out of the shuttle’s payload bay and 

attach it to the station. Usachev, Voss and Helms will spend much of their time in the 

weeks after STS-104 departs setting up and checking out the new airlock. The 

operations of the airlock will be needed during the fourth shuttle mission to visit the 

station while Expedition Two is aboard, STS-105 aboard Discovery.

STS-105 will bring a “moving van” logistics module to the station again and Discovery 

will provide a ride back to Earth for Usachev, Voss and Helms. They will be relieved by 

the Expedition Three crew – Commander Frank Culbertson and cosmonauts Vladimir 

Dezhurov and Mikhail Turin. 

During the time that Discovery is docked with the station, the STS-105 shuttle 

astronauts will perform the first space walks from the station’s new airlock. Using the 

station airlock as the starting point for space walks will be the norm, even when the 

shuttle is docked to the station, from that point on. The plan to use the station airlock 

during shuttle missions will allow internal hatches between the station and shuttle to 

remain open longer.

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Expedition Two Press Kit 

Crew 

EXPEDITION TWO CREW BIOS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Jim Voss (Col., USA, Ret.), 52, will return to the International Space 

Station (ISS) for a second time as both Mission Specialist 3 (MS 3) on 

the STS-102 crew and as Flight Engineer-1 for the second long duration, 

or Expedition Two, crew, which will spend four months on the orbital 

complex. Voss previously flew on STS-44 in 1991, STS-53 in 1992, STS69 in 1995 and STS-101 in 2000. He will be seated on the middeck 

during Discovery’s climb to orbit. Voss will join Susan Helms, another 

Expedition Two crewmember, for the first space walk of the STS-102 

mission, and is scheduled to conduct at least one space walk during his 

stay on the ISS. Voss will be among those responsible for transferring cargo from the 

Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module to the ISS, and will trade places with Expedition 

One Flight Engineer Sergei Krikalev during crew transfer operations while Discovery is 

docked to the station. During his four months on the ISS, Voss will work with Helms in the 

operation of the new Canadian-built Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS), 

conduct checkouts of the soon-to-be installed U.S. Airlock and perform experiments on the 

first science racks in the U.S. Laboratory Destiny. 

Susan Helms (Col., USAF), 43, is one of three crewmembers to return 

to the International Space Station on Discovery’s flight. Helms is making 

her fifth flight into space, having previously flown on STS-54 in 1993, 

STS-64 in 1994, STS-78 in 1996 and STS-101 in 2000. She will be 

seated on the middeck for launch. During STS-102, Helms will serve as 

Mission Specialist 4 (MS 4) and will join Jim Voss for the flight’s first 

space walk. She will also act as the choreographer for the mission’s 

second space walk, to be performed by Andy Thomas and Paul 

Richards, operating from Discovery’s aft flight deck. Helms will be the 

last Expedition Two crewmember to swap orbiting homes with an Expedition One 

crewmember, moving over to the ISS to trade places with Expedition One Commander Bill 

Shepherd. At that point, crewmate Yury Usachev will become ISS Commander. In addition, 

Helms will be responsible for the transfer of vital systems racks from the Leonardo module 

to the ISS for installation in the U.S. Laboratory Destiny. During her four-month stay on the 

ISS, Helms will serve as Flight Engineer-2. She’ll conduct checkouts with and the operation 

of the new Canadian-built Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS), use the 

SSRMS to move the U.S. Airlock from the shuttle’s cargo bay to the ISS and will perform 

experiments on the first science racks in Destiny. 

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Yury Usachev, 43, is making his fourth flight into space on the STS-102 

mission and will be the first Russian commander of the International 

Space Station during the four-month increment of the Expedition Two 

crew. During STS-102, Usachev will be designated Mission Specialist 5 

(MS 5). Usachev flew as a flight engineer during two long duration 

missions to the Mir Space Station in 1994 and 1996 and was a mission 

specialist during the STS-101 mission of Atlantis in 2000 along with 

crewmates Jim Voss and Susan Helms. Usachev has logged 386 days 

in space and six space walks. Usachev, who will be seated on 

Discovery’s middeck for launch, will be the first Expedition Two crewmember to move into 

the ISS, a few hours after docking. He will trade places with Expedition One Pilot Yuri 

Gidzenko to insure that a Soyuz vehicle expert will be available to fly the craft home in the 

event of a contingency. He will officially become Expedition Two commander of the ISS 

after Expedition One Commander Bill Shepherd trades places with Helms near the end of 

docked operations. During his four months on the ISS, Usachev will be responsible for the 

safety of his crew and the success of the mission, is scheduled to conduct at least one 

space walk with Voss and will assist Voss and Helms in the checkout and operation of the 

Canadian-built Space Station Remote Manipulator System after it is delivered to the ISS 

this spring. 

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Expedition Two Press Kit 

The Payload Operations Center 

The Payload Operations Center at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., is 

the world’s primary science command post for the International Space Station. 

The Payload Operations team is responsible for managing all science research experiments 

aboard the station. The center also is home for coordination of the mission-planning work of a 

variety of international sources, all science payload deliveries and retrieval, and payload 

training and payload safety programs for the station crew and all ground personnel. 

State-of-the-art computers and communications equipment deliver round-the-clock reports 

from science outposts around the planet to systems controllers and science experts staffing 

numerous consoles beneath the glow of wall-sized video screens. Other computers stream 

information to and from the space station itself, linking the orbiting research facility with the 

science command post on Earth. 

The completed space station will boast six fully equipped laboratories, nearly 40 payload 

"racks" or experiment storage facilities, and more than 15 external payload locations for 

conducting experiments in the vacuum of space. 

Managing these science assets -- as well as the time and space required to accommodate 

experiments and programs from a host of private, commercial, industry and government 

agencies worldwide -- makes the job of coordinating space station research a critical one. 

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Expedition Two Press Kit 

The Payload Operations Center (POC) continues the role Marshall has played in management 

and operation of NASA’s on-orbit science research. In the 1970s, Marshall managed the 

science program for Skylab, the first American space station. Spacelab -- the international 

science laboratory carried to orbit in the early '80s by the space shuttle for more than a dozen 

missions -- was the prototype for Marshall’s space station science operations. 

The POC is the focal point for incorporating research and experiment requirements from all 

international partners into an integrated space station payload mission plan. 

Four international partner control centers -- in the United States, Japan, Russia and one 

representing the 11 participating countries of Europe -- prepare independent science plans for 

the POC. Each partner’s plan is based on submissions from its participating universities, 

science institutes and commercial companies. 

The U.S. partner control center incorporates submissions from Italy, Brazil and Canada until 

those nations develop partner centers of their own. The U.S. center’s plan also includes 

payloads commissioned by NASA from the four Telescience Support Centers in the United 

States. Each support center is responsible for integrating specific disciplines of study with 

commercial payload operations. They are: 

• Marshall Space Flight Center, managing microgravity (materials sciences, biotechnology 

research, microgravity research, space product development) 

• Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif., managing gravitational biology and ecology 

(research on plants and animals) 

• John Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, managing microgravity (fluids and combustion 

research) 

• Johnson Space Center in Houston, managing human life sciences (physiological and 

behavioral studies, crew health and performance) 

The POC combines inputs from all the partners into a Science Payload Operations master 

plan, delivered to the Space Station Control Center at Johnson Space Center to be integrated 

into a weekly work schedule. All necessary resources are then allocated, available time and 

rack space are determined, and key personnel are assigned to oversee the execution of 

science experiments and operations in orbit. 

Delivery of Payloads to the Station 

Once payload schedules are finalized, the POC oversees delivery of experiments to the space 

station. These will be constantly in cycle: new payloads will be delivered by the space shuttle, 

or aboard launch vehicles provided by international partners; completed experiments and 

samples will be returned to Earth via the shuttle. 

This dynamic environment provides the true excitement and challenge of science operations 

aboard the space station. 

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Expedition Two Press Kit 

Experiments 

Advanced Astroculture (Advasc) 

Principal Investigators: Tad Theno and Eric Brunsell, Chief Program Scientists for 

Space Explorers Inc., and Dr. Weijia Zhou, Wisconsin Center for 

Space Automation and Robotics (WCSAR), University of 

Wisconsin-Madison. 

Co-Principal 

Investigator: Dr. Bratislav Stankovic, WCSAR. 

Overview 

The Advance Astroculture will be the first plant growth facility installed in the ISS. It has two 

middeck lockers and builds on a smaller experiment flown on eight previous space flights 

on the space shuttle and on space station Mir. Objectives are (1) to determine whether 

Arabidopsis, a member of the Brassica plant family that includes species such as cabbage 

and radishes, can complete its seed-to-seed life cycle in microgravity; (2) to determine the 

impact of microgravity on the gene expression levels – the plant’s traits that are determined 

genetically; and (3) to compare the chemical characteristics of the seeds produced in space 

with seeds harvested on Earth. 

Operations 

Advanced Astroculture provides a completely enclosed, environmentally controlled plant 

growth chamber. It requires no power during shuttle ascent and descent. Before the flight, 

scientists will plant seeds in a root tray using a dry rooting material similar to peat moss. 

The seed tray will be attached to the growth chamber. Reservoirs in the growth unit will be 

loaded with water and nutrient solutions that plants need to live while aboard the ISS. 

The experiment is configured as two middeck lockers that insert separately into a Space 

Station EXPRESS Rack. One locker contains the support systems and the other contains 

the plant growth chamber and ancillary hardware. This arrangement allows the support 

system to remain on board, while the shuttle transports plant growth units to and from the 

ISS with different experiments. 

The experiment units will be aboard Flight 6A. It operates automatically for 50 to 55 days. 

During the plant growth period, the crew will sample nutrients, gases and plant transpiration 

inside the plant growth chamber three times -- early, middle and late in the experiment. 

After the flight, investigators can analyze the samples to determine how healthy the plants 

were during various growth phases. The crew will monitor the plants’ status by checking 

displays on the front panel of the support system unit and by observing the plant video. 

Science telemetry and video will be transmitted to scientists in their operations center at the 

University of Wisconsin-Madison via the Telescience Resource Kit (TReK) system. 

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Expedition Two Press Kit 

Experiments 

Active Rack Isolation System (ARIS)— 

ARIS ISS Characterization Experiment (ARIS ICE) 

Principal Investigator: Jim Allen, The Boeing Co., Houston, Texas. 

Project Manager: Albert Reville, The Boeing Co., Huntsville, Ala. 

Program Manager: Naveed Quraishi, International Space Station Program Office, 

 NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas. 

Overview 

Even in the virtually gravity-free environment of the International Space Station, tiny 

potential vibrations or disturbances—such as those caused by crew exercise—can upset 

the delicate balance of sensitive science experiments. The Active Rack Isolation System 

(ARIS) acts as a vibration absorber to help isolate them. By acting as a buffer between the 

experiment and these vibrations, ARIS will protect delicate experiments housed in 

EXPRESS Rack No. 2 from outside influences that could potentially affect research results. 

The EXPRESS Rack, which stands for EXpedite the PRocessing of Experiments to the 

Space Station, is a standardized payload rack system that transports, stores and supports 

experiments aboard the space station. 

A related experiment to the ARIS system, the ARIS ISS Characterization Experiment (ARIS 

ICE), is a separate payload created to characterize ARIS' on-orbit performance. In addition 

to generating controlled disruptions on and off the rack, ARIS ICE will enable real-time 

monitoring of the on-orbit vibration isolation capabilities of various ARIS configurations. 

History/Background 

A prototype of the ARIS system was tested during the STS-79 mission, a 1996 flight during 

which Space Shuttle Atlantis docked with the Russian Space Station Mir. To simulate the 

weight of future scientific payloads, five lockers within the ARIS rack on STS-79 were filled 

with 375 pounds of Russian food packages delivered to the Mir crew during the mission. 

After the ARIS system was activated, the astronauts conducted an extensive series of tests 

that indicate ARIS was successful in reducing the impact of off-board disturbances. 

Benefits 

The ISS will permit long-duration microgravity experiments in an environment similar to 

Earth-based laboratories—minus the gravity. The ARIS system will enhance the ability of 

scientists to conduct these experiments. By countering vibrational disturbances that could 

potentially damage the research results of certain delicate experiments, ARIS will play a 

key role in the success of this permanent laboratory in space. 

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Expedition Two Press Kit 

Experiments 

Bonner Ball Neutron Detector 

Principal Investigator: Dr. Tateo Goka, National Space Development Agency of Japan 

(NASDA) 

Project Manager: Takao Akutsu, National Space Development Agency of Japan 

(NASDA) 

Overview 

Traveling in space can be dangerous for humans because of the large amounts of radiation 

present, especially during times of extreme solar flare activity. In the future, radiation will 

pose a critical concern to crewmembers that engage in long-duration missions to Mars or 

other planets. High doses of radiation can kill cells and damage tissue, leading to cancer 

and cataracts. It can even cause injury to the central nervous system. 

Monitoring devices have been flown on several space shuttle missions and the Russian 

Space Station Mir to provide data on how to protect space flight crews from the effects of 

radiation. The measurements yielded valuable information, but it was limited to radiation 

doses on the external part of the body. 

The Bonner Ball Neutron Detector measures neutron radiation. Neutrons are uncharged 

atomic particles that have the ability to penetrate living tissues. Neutron radiation can affect 

the blood-forming marrow in the mineral bones of human beings and other animals. By 

operating the Bonner Ball in space, neutron radiation information can be collected and used 

for the development of safety measures to protect crewmembers during long-duration 

space flights. 

History/Background

The Bonner Ball Neutron Detector first flew during STS-89 to perform neutron radiation 

measurements inside the space vehicle during a trip to the Russian Space Station Mir. This 

was the first time neutron radiation was measured by an active detector inside the space 

shuttle. Active detectors use power to record and transmit data to Earth from space. 

Previous measurements were recorded passively, which meant data had to be returned to 

Earth for analysis. 

During the STS-98 mission, the Bonner Ball was able to differentiate between neutron and 

proton radiation. Protons are positively charged subatomic particles. Neutron radiation is 

more common than proton radiation, which rarely is produced naturally on Earth. 

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Expedition Two Press Kit 

Experiments 

Crew Earth Observations (CEO) 

Principal Investigator: Kamlesh Lulla, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston Tex. 

Payload Developer: Sue Runco, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, Tex. 

Overview 

By allowing photographs to be taken from space, the Crew Earth Observations (CEO) 

experiment provides people on Earth with data needed to better understand our planet. The 

photographs—taken by crewmembers using handheld cameras—record observable Earth 

surface changes over a period of time, as well as more fleeting events such as storms, 

floods, fires and volcanic eruptions. 

Orbiting 220 miles above the Earth, the International Space Station offers an ideal vantage 

point for crewmembers to continue observational efforts that began in the early 1960s when 

space crews first photographed the Earth. This experiment on the space station began 

during Expedition One, STS-97 (ISS Assembly Flight 4A), and is planned to continue 

through Expedition Two as well as through the life of the space station. 

History/Background 

This experiment has flown on every crewed NASA space mission beginning with Gemini in 

1961. Since that time, astronauts have photographed the Earth, observing the world’s 

geography and documenting events such as hurricanes and other natural phenomena. 

Over the years, space crews also have documented human impacts on Earth—city growth, 

agricultural expansion and reservoir construction. The CEO experiment aboard the ISS will 

build on that knowledge. 

Benefits 

Today, images of the world from 10, 20 or 30 years ago provide valuable insight into Earth 

processes and the effects of human developments. Photographic images taken by space 

crews serve as both primary data on the state of the Earth and as secondary data to be 

combined with images from other satellites in orbit. Worldwide more than one million users 

log on to the Astronaut Earth Photography database each year. Through their photography 

of the Earth, space station crewmembers will build on the time series of imagery started 35 

years ago—ensuring this record of Earth remains unbroken. 

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Expedition Two Press Kit 

Experiments 

Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus (CGBA) 

Principal Investigators: Dr. David Klaus, BioServe Space Technologies, University of 

Colorado, Boulder, and Dr. Raymond Lam, Bristol-Myers Squibb 

Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Wallingford, Conn. 

Project Manager: Cooperative agreement managed by John West, Office of 

Space Product Development, NASA Marshall Space Flight 

Center, Huntsville, Ala., and technical management by BioServe 

at the University of Colorado, Boulder 

Overview 

The goal of the research conducted in the Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus 

(CGBA) payload is to develop commercial uses of the unique microgravity environment 

encountered in space in the field of life sciences. The CGBA hardware is able to support 

many standard biological laboratory techniques that have been adapted to operate in 

space. The experiments are designed to further our understanding of how gravity 

influences various biophysical and biochemical actions. Applications of this knowledge are 

geared toward creating or improving various biologically derived products or enhancing the 

processes used to create them. The industry-sponsored investigations supported by CGBA 

focus on how the space environment can be used as a “tool” to provide a “value added” 

factor to a commercial product, process or service. 

History/Background 

The CGBA is a commercial payload sponsored by NASA’s Space Product Development 

Program at the Marshall Space Flight Center. BioServe Space Technologies builds and 

manages the apparatus. BioServe is a NASA Commercial Space Center jointly located 

within the Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department at the University of Colorado in 

Boulder and the Division of Biology at Kansas State University in Manhattan. Bristol-Myers 

Squibb Pharmaceutical Research Institute in Wallingford, Conn., is BioServe’s sponsoring 

commercial partner for this research. Since 1991, BioServe has flown payloads in space on 

18 missions—16 shuttle flights and twice on board the Russian Space Station Mir—for a 

total of 414 days in orbit. The CGBA has flown on 14 of these flights. 

Benefits 

Gaining a better understanding of what is causing the stimulated production of antibiotics in 

space is helping scientists to design experiments that attempt to mimic this increase in 

productivity on Earth. These experimental techniques may lead to development of methods 

for improving production efficiency in terrestrial pharmaceutical processing facilities. 

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Expedition Two Press Kit 

Experiments 

Protein Crystal Growth—Biotechnology Ambient Generic 

(PCG-BAG) 

Project Manager: Todd Holloway, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala.

Overview 

Structural biological experiments conducted in the Biotechnology Ambient Generic 

Diffusion-controlled Crystallization Apparatus for Microgravity (BAG DCAM) may provide a 

basis for understanding the function of important macromolecules and possibly contribute 

to the development of new macromolecules. The scope of biological macromolecules 

includes proteins, polysaccharides and other carbohydrates, lipids and nucleic acids of 

biological origin, or those expressed in plant, animal, fungal or bacteria systems. 

The fundamental goal for growing biological macromolecular crystals is to determine their 

structure and the biological processes in which they are involved. Scientists select 

macromolecules, crystallize them, and analyze the atomic details—often by using X-ray 

crystallography. By sending an intense X-ray beam through a crystal, scientists try to 

determine the three-dimensional atomic structure of the macromolecule. Understanding 

these structures may impact the studies of medicine, agriculture, the environment and other 

biosciences. 

Microgravity—the near weightlessness of space—offers an environment which sometimes 

allows the growth of macromolecular structures—crystals—that show greater detail when 

exposed to X-ray diffraction than those grown on Earth. 

History/Background 

The Diffusion-controlled Crystallization Apparatus for Microgravity has flown on the 

following space shuttle/Russian Space Station Mir missions: STS-73, STS-76(M3), STS74(M4), STS-81(M6), STS-84(M6) and STS-89(M8). 

Benefits 

With science being performed on the International Space Station, scientists are no longer 

restricted to relatively short-duration flights to conduct structural biology experiments. This 

research will enable the more accurate mapping of the three-dimensional structure of 

macromolecules. Once the structure of a particular macromolecule is known, it may 

become much easier to determine how these compounds function. Every chemical reaction 

essential to life depends on the function of these compounds. 

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Expedition Two Press Kit 

Bonner Ball Neutron Detector 

Principal Investigator: Dr. Tateo Goka, National Space Development Agency of Japan 

(NASDA) 

Project Manager: Takao Akutsu, National Space Development Agency of Japan 

(NASDA) 

Overview 

Traveling in space can be dangerous for humans because of the large amounts of radiation 

present, especially during times of extreme solar flare activity. In the future, radiation will 

pose a critical concern to crewmembers that engage in long-duration missions to Mars or 

other planets. High doses of radiation can kill cells and damage tissue, leading to cancer 

and cataracts. It can even cause injury to the central nervous system. 

Monitoring devices have been flown on several space shuttle missions and the Russian 

Space Station Mir to provide data on how to protect space flight crews from the effects of 

radiation. The measurements yielded valuable information, but it was limited to radiation 

doses on the external part of the body. 

The Bonner Ball Neutron Detector measures neutron radiation. Neutrons are uncharged 

atomic particles that have the ability to penetrate living tissues. Neutron radiation can affect 

the blood-forming marrow in the mineral bones of human beings and other animals. By 

operating the Bonner Ball in space, neutron radiation information can be collected and used 

for the development of safety measures to protect crewmembers during long-duration 

space flights. 

History/Background 

The Bonner Ball Neutron Detector first flew during STS-89 to perform neutron radiation 

measurements inside the space vehicle during a trip to the Russian Space Station Mir. This 

was the first time neutron radiation was measured by an active detector inside the space 

shuttle. Active detectors use power to record and transmit data to Earth from space. 

Previous measurements were recorded passively, which meant data had to be returned to 

Earth for analysis. 

During the STS-98 mission, the Bonner Ball was able to differentiate between neutron and 

proton radiation. Protons are positively charged subatomic particles. Neutron radiation is 

more common than proton radiation, which rarely is produced naturally on Earth. 

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Expedition Two Press Kit 

Experiments 

Dosmap (Dosimetric Mapping) 

Principal Investigator: Dr. Guenter Reitz, Deutsches Zentrum fur Luft und Raumfahrt 

(German Space Agency) 

Overview 

Radiation constitutes one of the most important hazards for humans during long-duration 

space missions. Leaving Earth’s surface exposes human beings to a wide spectrum of 

radiation particles and energies. The International Space Station provides shielding, but 

some radiation gets through. 

Dosimetric Mapping, or Dosmap, attempts to record and map the different types of 

radiation that get inside the space station and ultimately could cause harm to humans—

including causing cataracts and cancer. 

Dosmap’s radiation detection devices are called dosimeters. Because of the variety of 

particles and energies that make up radiation, no single type of dosimeter is capable of 

providing sufficient information to study radiation, so several different types of dosimeters 

are used in this experiment. 

Radiation gathered by the dosimeters will provide scientists information on the nature and 

distribution of radiation inside the space station. 

History/Background 

Since balloon launches in the 1940s, scientists have been measuring radiation in Earth’s 

upper atmosphere and beyond. Radiation experiments have been part of many human 

space missions, including Space Station Mir, measuring radiation exposure to spacecraft 

and space travelers. Specific missions during which some type of Dosmetric Mapping 

equipment was used include STS-9; STS-61; Cosmos 1887, Bion 8; Cosmos 2044, Bion 9; 

STS-42; Cosmos 2229, Bion 10; STS-55; STS-65; Euromir 95; STS-76; STS-79; STS-81; 

STS-84; and STS-86. 

Benefits 

The Dosimetric Mapping system research will help scientists more accurately predict the 

radiation exposure space station crewmembers will experience in space. The result will be 

the development of countermeasures to prolong human exposure to radiation during space 

travel. 

The Dosmap is one of three radiation-measuring experiments that will fly on board the 

space station during Expedition Two. 

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Expedition Two Press Kit 

Experiments 

EXPRESS Rack 

Project Manager: Annette Sledd, NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, 

Huntsville, Ala. 

Overview 

The EXPRESS Rack is a standardized payload rack system that transports, stores and 

supports experiments aboard the International Space Station. EXPRESS stands for 

EXpedite the PRocessing of Experiments to the Space Station, reflecting the fact this 

system was developed specifically to maximize the station’s research capabilities. The 

EXPRESS Rack system supports science payloads in several disciplines, including biology, 

chemistry, physics, ecology and medicine. It was successfully tested during the 1997 STS94 mission. 

Operations 

With its standardized hardware interfaces and streamlined approach, the EXPRESS Rack 

enables quick, simple integration of multiple payloads aboard the International Space 

Station. EXPRESS Racks stay on orbit continually, while subracks containing experiments 

are exchanged in the EXPRESS Racks as needed – remaining on the space station for 

three months to several years. 

The first two EXPRESS Racks will be installed in the ISS during ISS Mission 6A, in April 

2001. Later shuttle flights will handle the exchange of experiments or payload hardware. 

Each EXPRESS Rack is housed in an International Standard Payload Rack – a 

refrigerator-size container that acts as the EXPRESS Racks’ exterior shell. Each rack can 

be divided into segments, whether as large as half the entire rack or as small as a 

breadbox. The first two EXPRESS Racks have eight middeck locker locations and two 

drawer locations each. 

Experiments in EXPRESS Racks may be controlled by the ISS crew or remotely from the 

ground by the Payload Rack Officer at the Payload Operations Center at Marshall Space 

Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. The EXPRESS Rack system was developed by NASA’s 

Marshall Center and built by the Boeing Co. in Huntsville. Eight EXPRESS Racks are 

being built for use on the ISS. 

Benefits 

By housing, supporting and transporting ISS experiments, the EXPRESS Rack could play a 

key role in the development of better medicines, more powerful computer chips or lighter 

metals. Similarly, by reducing the time, complexity and expense historically associated with 

orbital research, the EXPRESS Rack system will help achieve these advances more 

quickly and for less money. 

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Expedition Two Press Kit 

Experiments 

Effects of Altered Gravity on Spinal Cord Excitability (H-Reflex) 

Principal Investigator: Dr. Douglas Watt, McGill University, Montreal, Canada 

Project Engineer: Luc Lefebvre, McGill University, Montreal, Canada

Overview 

Experiments performed on space shuttle missions and on Skylab and Mir have shown that 

exposure to weightlessness causes changes in a person’s neurovestibular system—

changes related to the inner ear, equilibrium and awareness of body or limb orientation. In 

the H-Reflex experiment planned for Expedition Two of the International Space Station, 

researchers for the Canadian Space Agency are seeking additional information on changes 

to the human neurological system that occur during long-duration space flights. 

Researchers already know prolonged weightlessness results in a loss of muscle strength 

and decreased bone density. Currently, the only known treatment for this problem is inflight exercise. But does exercise work on a long space flight? 

A goal of the H-Reflex experiment is to help researchers determine if exercise could be 

made more effective on long space flights. The experiment measures spinal cord 

excitability—its ability to respond to stimuli. Researchers believe that spinal cord excitability 

decreases during prolonged space flight. If this proves true, they hypothesize that in-flight 

exercise would be less effective and the crews will have to work harder and longer to 

achieve any benefit. If spinal cord excitability does decrease on prolonged flights, 

researchers may be able to reverse the effect and lower the amount of exercise now 

required in space and thus increase crewmember productivity during the flight. 

History/Background 

Related experiments flew on eight previous space shuttle missions (STS-9, STS-41G, STS61, STS-40, STS-42, STS-52, STS-58 and STS-78) and on Skylab. 

Benefits 

Studies such as the H-Reflex experiment will enable researchers to better understand and 

assess the physiological risks of long-duration space flight and help them better prepare 

crews for those flights. By knowing how a crewmember’s body is affected in space, 

scientists can reduce the risk of acute and chronic health problems, increase productivity 

and make the spacecraft more habitable. Benefits from the H-Reflex study range from the 

obvious—potential improvement of crewmember health—to the less obvious—the potential 

for improving health care on Earth. 

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Expedition Two Press Kit 

Experiments 

Human Research Facility Rack 1 

Project Manager: Dennis Grounds, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston 

Overview 

The Human Research Facility, the first rack-sized payload to be installed in the U.S. 

Laboratory module of the International Space Station, provides an on-orbit laboratory that 

will enable life science researchers to study and evaluate the physiological, behavioral and 

chemical changes in human beings induced by space flight. 

The Human Research Facility is a rack which provides services and utilities to experiments 

and instruments installed within it. These include electrical power, command and data 

handling, cooling air and water, pressurized gases and vacuum. 

The first of two Human Research Facility racks will be transported to the ISS during the 

second expedition. Launch aboard the space shuttle is scheduled for mission STS-102, 

part of space station mission 5A.1. The second will launch in 2002 and will also be located 

in the U.S. Laboratory. 

History/Background 

Experiments conducted on board Spacelab, the space shuttle and the Russian Space 

Station Mir have required unique equipment to be transported for individual investigations. 

The Human Research Facility is unique to the ISS because its standardized equipment can 

support multiple experiments, reducing the amount of equipment transported to and from 

the space station. 

The development phase began in 1996 with the formation of a science working group made 

up of non-NASA researchers and medical practitioners. They defined the needs of 

prospective science experiment investigators and assisted NASA in designing and 

developing the rack and its hardware. 

Benefits 

Areas of concern to human well-being and performance, such as renal stone risk, bone 

density deterioration and the effects of ionizing radiation, will be studied using the Human 

Research Facility system and hardware. The human research will contribute to improving 

the scientific foundation of our understanding of the processes related to life, health and 

disease; strengthening the scientific underpinning of programs to assure safe and 

productive human space flight; and developing various applications of space technologies 

relevant to solutions of scientific and medical problems on Earth. 

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Expedition Two Press Kit 

Experiments 

Crewmember and Crew-Ground Interactions During 

ISS Missions (Interactions) 

Principal Investigator: Dr. Nick Kanas, Veterans Administration Medical Center, 

San Francisco, Calif. 

Overview 

Space flight places humans in an environment unlike any found on Earth. The nearly 

complete absence of gravity is perhaps the most prominent obstacle that astronauts face. It 

requires a significant modification of living and working habits by the astronauts. Not only 

do they have to learn to adapt to the way they perform routine operations, such as eating, 

moving and operating equipment, but they must also learn to adjust to the internal changes 

that their bodies experience and to the psychosocial stressors that result from working 

under isolated and confined conditions. 

The Interactions experiment will identify and characterize important interpersonal and 

cultural factors that may impact the performance of the crew and ground support personnel 

during International Space Station missions. The study will examine—as it did in similar 

experiments on the Russian Space Station Mir—issues involving tension, cohesion and 

leadership roles in the crew in orbit and in the ground support crews. The study will have 

both the crewmembers and ground control personnel complete a standard questionnaire. 

History/Background 

NASA performed similar “interaction” studies during the Shuttle/Mir Program in the late 

1990s. That experiment examined the crewmembers’ and mission control personnel’s 

perception of tension, cohesion, leadership and the crew-ground relationship. 

Benefits 

Because interpersonal relationships can affect crewmembers in the complicated day-to-day 

activities they must complete, studies such as this are important to crew health and safety 

on future long-duration space missions. Findings from this study will allow researchers to 

develop actions and methods to reduce negative changes in behavior and reverse gradual 

decreases in mood and interpersonal interactions during the ISS missions—and even 

longer missions, such as an expedition to Mars. 

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Expedition Two Press Kit 

Experiments 

Experiment of Physics of Colloids in Space (PCS) 

Principal Investigator: Prof. David Weitz, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass. 

Co-Investigator: Prof. Peter Pusey, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK 

Project Manager: Michael Doherty, NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland 

Overview 

A colloid is a system of fine particles suspended in a fluid. Paint, milk and ink are some 

common examples. Though these products are routinely produced and used, scientists still 

have much to learn about the underlying properties of colloidal systems. Understanding 

their properties may allow scientists to manipulate the physical structures of colloids—a 

process called “colloidal engineering”—for the manufacture of new materials and products. 

The PCS experiment planned for Expedition Two beginning with International Space 

Station Mission 6A (STS-100, April 2001) and concluding with the return of the samples on 

Flight UF-2 will gather data on the basic physical properties of colloids by studying three 

different colloid sample types. This experiment represents the first in-depth study of the 

growth and properties of colloidal superlattices—formed from mixtures of different-sized 

colloidal particles—performed in a microgravity environment. Scientists hope to better 

understand how colloid structures grow and behave with the long-term goal of learning how 

to control their growth to create new materials. 

The experiment will focus on the growth and behavior of three different classes of colloid 

mixtures of tiny manmade particles of either polymethyl methacrylate or silica or 

polystyrene; these will include samples of binary colloidal crystal alloys, samples of colloidpolymer mixtures and samples of colloidal gels. Binary colloidal crystal alloys are 

dispersions of two different size particles in a stabilizing fluid. Colloid-polymer mixtures are 

solutions of mono-disperse particles mixed with a polymer in a stabilizing fluid, where the 

phase behavior—solid, liquid and gas—is controlled by the concentration of the polymer. 

Colloidal gels include aqueous solutions of particles, in this case aggregated on-orbit with a 

salt solution, to form fractal structures. The structure, stability and equilibrium properties of 

all the samples, as well as their structure, dynamics and mechanical properties, will be 

studied. 

History/Background 

The first generation experiments by these investigators in microgravity were Glovebox 

experiments with binary colloidal crystal alloys and colloid-polymer mixtures, flown on the 

Russian Space Station Mir and on the STS-95 mission in October 1998. 

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Expedition Two Press Kit 

Experiments 

Payload Equipment Restraint System (PERS) 

Payload Developer: David Reynolds, Lead Systems Engineer, NASA Flight Project 

Directorate Office, Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala. 

Overview 

The Payload Equipment Restraint System (PERS) is the result of a project involving 

NASA and industrial design students at Auburn University in Auburn, Ala. 

PERS provides convenient access and restraint of tools, hardware and payload equipment 

aboard the International Space Station. It consists of modular components that assist the 

space station crew in controlling and carrying payload equipment and tools in the 

microgravity, or near-weightless, environment of space. 

History/Background 

PERS began when NASA gave the problem of restraining loose equipment in space to an 

industrial design class at Auburn University. A Marshall Space Flight Center project 

manager and Auburn professors supervised 36 students in 12 teams as they tackled the 

design and fabrication challenge. 

The students submitted more than 360 innovative ideas, and ultimately 12 concepts were 

selected for prototype development. The teams presented their proposals and prototypes to 

program managers and engineers at Marshall in late 1998. Marshall managers selected 

three for further development. Those were presented to the astronaut corps and ISS 

Program managers in 1999. 

An Auburn student who led one of the student design teams was hired by a NASA 

contractor to further develop the equipment with NASA engineers and program managers. 

In late 1999, NASA directed fabrication of the development units that flew aboard NASA’s 

KC-135 aircraft in early 2000 for testing and evaluation. The findings from those test flights 

resulted in the final design that was qualified for flight. 

Benefits 

By having tools, hardware and payload equipment efficiently restrained—and not floating 

freely about the space station—crewmembers can reduce the set-up time for experiments 

and increase the amount of time devoted to science on the space station. PERS will benefit 

the crews for the life of the space station. 

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Expedition Two Press Kit 

Experiments 

Phantom Torso 

Principal Investigator: Dr. Gautam Badhwar, Johnson Space Center, Houston 

Project Manager: Frank Gibbons, Lockheed-Martin 

Overview 

Traveling in space can be dangerous for human beings because of the large amounts of 

radiation, especially during times of extreme solar flare activity and eventual crewed 

missions to Mars or other planets. 

To learn more about how to protect astronauts from the effects of radiation, monitoring 

devices have flown on several space shuttle missions and the Russian space station Mir. 

The measurements yielded valuable information, but were limited to radiation doses on the 

external part of the body. 

The Phantom Torso experiment is the first to also measure the effects of radiation on 

organs inside the body, especially blood-forming organs. The Torso is a “phantom” 

because it is not human, but so close to being human that scientists cannot tell the 

difference between a human X-ray and an X-ray of the Phantom. 

The Phantom Torso is similar to torsos used to train radiologists on Earth, and is equivalent 

in height and weight to an average adult male. Covered with a Nomex “skin,” the interior is 

horizontally sliced into 34 sections 1-inch (2.3 centimeters) thick. Each slice is embedded 

with two kinds of detectors: passive detectors, which use no power and will be read after 

the torso returns to Earth; and active detectors that will measure real-time radiation doses 

on the brain, thyroid, heart and lung area, stomach and colon. Data collected from the 

active detectors is transmitted by the crew on board the International Space Station to 

scientists on Earth every 10 days. Passive detectors on the Nomex will be used for 

comparison. Radiation measurements on the ISS exterior will be taken. Data will be 

downlinked every 10 days. 

Benefits 

The Phantom Torso will help scientists more accurately predict the radiation exposure 

astronauts will experience inside their bodies – especially to critical blood-forming organs. 

Scientists also will learn how long human beings can remain in space before dangerous 

levels of radiation are absorbed by the body. The experiment may lead to 

countermeasures to safely prolong human exposure to radiation. There are benefits on 

Earth, as well. This experiment is teaching scientists more about the use of embedded 

devices for data collection and how to monitor real-time data. This could prove beneficial to 

radiation monitoring of commercial airline crews and military flight crews. 

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Expedition Two Press Kit 

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Expedition Two Press Kit 

Experiments 

Acceleration Measurements Aboard the International Space Station 

Acceleration 

Measurement 

Discipline: 

Program Manager: David Francisco, NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland 

Scientist: Richard DeLombard, NASA Glenn Research Center 

Overview 

Providing a quiescent microgravity, or low-gravity, environment for fundamental scientific 

research is one of the major goals of the International Space Station program. However, 

tiny disturbances aboard the space station mimic the effects of gravity, and scientists need 

to understand, track and measure these potential disruptions. Two accelerometer systems 

developed by the Glenn Research Center will be used aboard the station. Operation of 

these systems will begin with Expedition Two and continue throughout the life of the 

station. 

The Space Acceleration Measurement System II (SAMS-II) will measure accelerations 

caused by vehicle, crew and equipment disturbances. To complement the SAMS-II 

measurements, the Microgravity Acceleration Measurement System (MAMS) will record 

accelerations caused by the aerodynamic drag created as the station moves through 

space. It also will measure accelerations created as the vehicle rotates and vents water. 

These small, quasi-steady accelerations occur in the frequency range below 1 Hertz. 

Using data from both accelerometer systems, the Principal Investigator Microgravity 

Services project at the Glenn Research Center will help investigators characterize 

accelerations that influence their station experiments. The acceleration data will be 

available to researchers during the mission via the World Wide Web. It will be updated 

nominally every two minutes as new data is transmitted from the station to Glenn’s 

Telescience Support Center. A catalog of acceleration sources also will be maintained. 

Space Acceleration Measurement System II (SAMS-II) 

Project Manager: William M. Foster, Glenn Research Center 

SAMS-II will begin operations on ISS Mission 6A. It measures vibrations that affect nearby 

experiments. SAMS-II uses small remote triaxial sensor systems that are placed directly 

next to experiments throughout the laboratory module. For Expedition Two, five sensors will 

be in the EXpedite the PRocessing of Experiments to the Space Station Racks (EXPRESS) 

with experiments before launch. 

As the sensors measure accelerations electronically, they transmit the measurements to 

the interim control unit located in an EXPRESS Rack drawer. SAMS-II is designed to 

record accelerations for the lifetime of the space station. As larger, facility-size experiments 

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Expedition Two Press Kit 

fill entire space station racks in the future, the interim control unit will be replaced with a 

more sophisticated computer control unit. It will allow onboard data analysis and direct 

dissemination of data to the investigators’ telescience centers located at university 

laboratories and other locations around the world. Special sensors are being designed to 

support future experiments that will be mounted on the exterior of the space station. 

Microgravity Acceleration Measurement System (MAMS) 

Project Manager: William Foster, Glenn Research Center 

MAMS measures accelerations that affect the entire space station, including experiments 

inside the laboratory. It fits in a double middeck locker, in the U.S. Laboratory Destiny in 

EXPRESS Rack No.1. It will be preinstalled in the rack, which will be placed in the 

laboratory during Expedition Two, ISS Flight 6A. At the start of Expedition 3, MAMS will be 

relocated to EXPRESS Rack No. 4. 

The MAMS accelerometer sensor is a spare flight sensor from the Orbital Acceleration 

Research Experiment (OARE) program that characterizes similar accelerations aboard the 

space shuttle. Unlike SAMS-II, MAMS measures more subtle accelerations that only affect 

certain types of experiments, such as crystal growth. Therefore MAMS will not have to be 

on all the time. During early expeditions, MAMS will require a minimum operational period 

of 48 or 96 hours to characterize the performance of the sensors and collect baseline data. 

During later increments, MAMS can be activated for time periods sufficient to satisfy 

payload or space station requirements for acceleration data. 

MAMS will be commanded on and off from the Telescience Support Center at Glenn. 

MAMS will be activated when the crew switches on the power switch for the EXPRESS 

Rack No. 1, and the MAMS computer is powered up from the ground control center. When 

MAMS is powered on, data is sent to Glenn Research Center’s Telescience Support Center 

where it is processed and displayed on the Principal Investigator Microgravity Services 

Space Station Web site to be viewed by investigators. 

History/Background 

The Space Acceleration Measurement System (SAMS) – on which SAMS-II is based -- first 

flew in June 1991 and has flown on nearly every major microgravity science mission. 

SAMS was used for four years aboard the Russian space station Mir where it collected 

data to support science experiments. 

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Expedition Two Press Kit 

Experiments 

Sub-Regional Assessment of Bone Loss In the Axial 

Skeleton In Long-Term Space Flight 

Principal Investigator: Dr. Thomas F. Lang, University of California, San Francisco 

Project Manager: David K. Baumann, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston 

Overview 

As demonstrated by Skylab and Russian space station Mir missions, bone loss is an 

established medical risk in long-duration space flight. There is little information about the 

extent that lost bone is recovered after space flight. This experiment is designed to 

measure bone loss and recovery experienced by crewmembers on the International Space 

Station. 

Experiment Operations 

Bone loss in the spine and hip will be determined by comparing preflight and postflight 

measurements of crewmembers’ spine and hip bones using Quantitative Computed 

Tomography -- a three-dimensional technique that examines the inner and outer portions of 

a bone separately. It can determine if the loss was localized in a small sub-region of the 

bone, or over a larger area. 

Bone recovery will be assessed by comparing tomography data taken before and after 

flight, and one year later. Results will be compared with ultrasound measurements and 

Dual X-Ray Absorptiometry taken at the same times. The measurements will include Dual 

X-Ray Absorptiometry of the spine, hip and heel, and ultrasound of the heel. The 

experiment begins with the Increment Two crewmembers. Increments Three through Six 

crews also will be measured. To determine how the bone loss in space compares to the 

range of bone density in a normal adult population, crewmember bone measurements in 

the spine and hip will be compared to measurements of 120 healthy people of different 

genders and races between ages 35 and 45. 

Benefits 

This study will provide the first detailed information on the distribution of spaceflight-related 

bone loss between the trabecular and cortical compartments of the axial skeleton, as well 

as the extent to which lost bone is recovered in the year following return. The study will 

provide information that could be used in determining the frequency of crewmember 

assignments to long-duration missions, and for studying their health in older age. It also 

may be of use in the design of exercise or pharmacological countermeasures to prevent 

bone loss. Finally, comparison of bone mineral density in the hip and spine in the control 

population will help to improve understanding of the prevalence of osteoporosis between 

different race and gender sub-groups. 

25