Once he returns home, we will repeat our earlier tests - taking blood and urine samples to determine his nutritional status after spending about four months in space. It is going to be really exciting for us when he returns. I'm sure he will be able to give us lots of feedback about the questionnaire, as this was the first time it was actually used in flight. We did preliminary tests on him six months before launch and again 10 days before launch. He will also do the questionnaire, and collect urine samples during the mission.
Nutrition is important for maintaining crew health before, during, and after long term space flight.
Our nutritional status assessment profile will evaluate crew members' vitamin and mineral status, body composition, antioxidant, protein and bone health. We need to make sure that our astronauts are eating enough food, as this is critical for keeping them healthy. Data from previous missions show that they lose weight, including muscle, during space flight. Because of this, we pay close attention to the amount of calories and protein they eat. Space flight also results in bone loss and increased loss of calcium in the urine, which could increase the risk for developing kidney stones.