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Eye Exams and Spacesuit Checks Today

Fluids Shifts
Fluids shift toward the upper body in space since they don’t have to fight against gravity. This results in familiar phenomena such as a puffy face. The fluid shifts also affect intra-cranial pressure and eye shape. Credit: NASA Johnson YouTube

The Expedition 48 crew continued more eye exams and ongoing research to understand how microgravity shifts body fluids toward the upper body. Two NASA astronauts also checked out U.S. spacesuit safety gear and tools.

All six crew members participated in variety of eye exams throughout the day. Some of the eye checks also coincided with the Fluid Shifts study. That research observes how fluid pressure in space affects a crew member’s head and eyes, possibly affecting vision.

Commander Jeff Williams and Flight Engineer Kate Rubins are getting ready for an Aug. 19 spacewalk to install an International Docking Adapter. The docking port, delivered by the SpaceX Dragon last month, will enable future commercial crew spacecraft from Boeing and SpaceX dock to the station. The spacewalkers checked their spacesuit safety jetpacks they would use in the unlikely event they became separated from the International Space Station.