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The microbiological studies of the Apollo 17 command module pre- and postflight samples are reported. A total of 20 types of microorganisms were identified on preflight and 14 on postflight samples. Changes in biochemical character due to subculture and storage of Bacillus isolates are also reported.
The results are presented of the postflight analysis of the ascent propulsion system (APS) performance during the Apollo 15 Mission. The information presented includes: (1) calculated performance values for the APS lunar liftoff burn; (2) disucssion of analysis techniques, problems and assumptions; (3) comparison of postflight analysis and preflight prediction; (4) reaction control system (RCS) duty cycle included in the APS performance analysis; (5) transient performance analysis; and (6) the APS propellant consumption values.
An evaluation is presented of the approach and landing performance of a Kalman filter aided inertial navigation system using flight data obtained from a series of approaches and landings of the CV-340 aircraft at an instrumented test area. A description of the flight test is given, in which data recorded included: (1) accelerometer signals from the platform of an INS; (2) three ranges from the Ames-Cubic Precision Ranging System; and (3) radar and barometric altimeter signals. The method of system evaluation employed was postflight processing of the recorded data using a Kalman filter which was designed for use on the XDS920 computer onboard the CV-340 aircraft. Results shown include comparisons between the trajectories as estimated by the Kalman filter aided system and as determined from cinetheodolite data. Data start initialization of the Kalman filter, operation at a practical data rate, postflight modeling of sensor errors and operation under the adverse condition of bad data are illustrated.
The present studies were undertaken to assess the effects of the environment of space flights on the cellular division of the human immune system. Peripheral blood absolute lymphocyte counts were determined at various preflight and postflight intervals for the 21 crewmen of Apollo Missions 7-13. Mean lymphocyte numbers tended to exhibit a delayed significant but fluctuating increase shortly after recovery, although a variety of responses was seen in individual astronauts. The in vitro reactivity of lymphocytes, reflected by RNA and DNA synthesis rates by unstimulated and PHA-stimulated lymphocytes tissue-cultured preflight and postflight from the same participants, was found to remain within previously established normal ranges. These results indicate that functional integrity of cellular immune potential as reflected by in vitro techniques is maintained during this spaceflight experience.
Exercise response tests were conducted preflight and postflight on Apollo missions 7 to 11. The primary objective of these tests was to detect any changes in the cardiopulmonary response to exercise that were associated with the space flight environment and that could have limited lunar surface activities. A heart-rate-controlled bicycle ergometer was used to produce three heart rate stress levels: 120 beats per minute for 6 minutes; 140 beats per minute for 3 minutes and 160 beats per minute per 3 minutes. Work load, blood pressure and respiratory gas exchange were measured during each stress level. Significant decreases were observed immediately postflight in the following dependent variables at a heart rate of 160 beats per minute: work load, oxygen consumption, systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure. No changes occurred in work efficiency at 100 watts or the ventilatory equivalent for oxygen at 2.0 liters per minute.
A cosmic radiation dose to the Apollo 17 crew of 1.3 R was calculated from the specific activities of Na-24 in their postflight urine specimens. The specific activities of K-42, Cr-51, Co60, and Sb-124, introduced by injection into the astronauts, are extremely high in these specimens. The Fe-59 and Cs-137 levels are also reported and appear to be normal. The concentrations of Na, K, Rb, Cs, Ca, Sr, Ba, Cr, Fe, Co, Ag, Au, Zn, Cd, Hg, Sn, As, Sb, Se, Br, Sc, La, Sm, Eu, Tb, Hf, Ta, and Th were measured in urine specimens from the Apollo 17 astronauts by neutron activation analysis. Strontium, barium, gold, cadmium, lanthanum, samarium, europium, terbium, thorium, and tin are reported for the first time. The concentrations or excretion rates of bromine and the alkali metals exhibit singificantly reduced postflight levels and are generally lower than values observed for previous missions. Chromium concentrations reflect radiochromium injections.
To support the medical research and the maintenance of crew health during the three Skylab missions, a medical operational support team was organized. The functions of this team ranged from medical data management to medical systems engineering monitoring during the flights. The capability to expand preflight and postflight medical research and analysis was supplied through the use of the Skylab mobile laboratories. These mobile laboratories were not only capable of being transported to the recovery ship for postflight use, but also served as a preflight test area for gathering crewman baseline data. The laboratories contained experiment hardware identical to that of the flight orbital workshop and a laboratory diagnostic facility that duplicated many of the capabilities of ground-based clinical laboratories.
To assess the effects of space flight on cardiac electrical properties, vectorcardiograms were taken on the 9 Skylab astronauts during the flights of 28, 59, and 84 days. The Frank lead system was used and observations were made at rest; during 25%, 50% and 75% of maximum exercise; during a short pulse of exercise (150 watts, 2 minutes); and after exercise. Data from 131 in-flight tests were analyzed by computer and compared to preflight and postflight values. Statistically significant increase in QRS vector magnitude (six of nine crewmen); T vector magnitude (five of nine crewmen); and resting PR interval duration (six of nine crewmen) occurred. During exercise the PR interval did not differ from preflight. Exercise heart rates inflight were the same as preflight, but increased in the immediate postflight period. With the exception of the arrhythmias, no deleterious vectorcardiographic changes were observed during the Skylab missions.
The identification of flight anomalies, the determination of their causes, and the approaches taken for corrective action are described. Interrelationships of the broad range of disciplines involved with the complex systems and the team concept employed to ensure timely and accurate resolution of anomalies are discussed. The documentation techniques and the techniques for management of anomaly resolution are included. Examples of specific anomalies are presented in the original form of their progressive documentation. Flight anomaly resolution functioned as a part of the real-time mission support and postflight testing, and results were included in the postflight documentation.
A postflight preliminary technical evaluation is presented of the returned samples of aluminum antimonide (AlSb) syntectic compound and lead-zinc (PbZn) monotectic immiscible processed during the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project (ASTP) mission. The returned cartridges, extracted ampoules, and removed samples were examined in detail. A genesis of the experiment is given along with a summary of the efforts and various scheduled tests up to the ASTP mission. A tentative characterization plan is developed from the postflight preliminary examination which makes use of the limited number of available samples and is based on the initial observations. It is indicated that a higher degree of compositional homogeneity in aluminum antimonide was achieved under flight test conditions.
The design of the leg volume measuring system employed for the M092 portion of the Skylab missions required the development of a system sensitive to large and small volume changes at the calf of the leg. These changes in volume were produced in response to the orthostatic stress of a Lower Body Negative Pressure Device (LBNPD) or by venous occlusion. The cardiovascular responses of the Apollo crewman associated with the postflight evaluations indicate varying decrements of orthostatic tolerance. The postflight changes indicate a slightly diminished ability of the cardiovascular system to function effectively against gravity following exposure to weightlessness. The objective of the Skylab LBNP experiments (M092) was to provide information about the magnitude and time course of the cardiovascular changes associated with prolonged periods of exposure to weightlessness. The equipment, signal processing, and analysis of the leg volume data obtained from the M092 experiment of the Skylab 2 Mission are described.
A description is given of a simple and reliable system for recording information which in a postflight analysis will make it possible to determine the orientation of the telescope beam for any arbitrary time during the flight. The system provides a continuous in-flight photographic reference to the pole star. Questions of system design are considered and instrumental details are presented. Attention is also given to aspects of calibration and postflight analysis.
Studies were conducted to evaluate specific aspects of man's immunologic and hematologic systems that might be altered by or respond to the space flight environment. Biochemical functions investigated included cytogenetic damage to blood cells, immune resistance to disease, regulation of plasma and red cell volumes, metabolic processes of the red blood cell, and physicochemical aspects of red blood cell function. Measurements of hematocrit value showed significant fluctuations postflight, reflecting observed changes in red cell mass and plasma volume. The capacity of lymphocytes to respond to an in vitro mitogenic challenge was repressed postflight, and appeared to be related to mission duration. Most other deviations from earth function in these systems were minor or transient.
Blood pressure, heart rate, and percentage increase in leg volume were continuously recorded for the Inflight Lower Body Negative Pressure (LBNP) experiment conducted during the first manned Skylab mission. Data were collected over a 5-month preflight period as well as at approximately 3-day intervals throughout the mission. Individual variations in cardiovascular responses to LBNP during the preflight period continued to be demonstrated inflight, and measurements of the calf showed that a large volume of fluid was shifted out of the legs early in the flight. A much greater increase in leg volume occurred during inflight LBNP than in preflight tests. Resting heart rates tended to be low early in the flight and to increase slightly as it progressed, while resting blood pressure varied. The LBNP protocol was a greater stress inflight, and the tests had to be stopped early on three occasions due to impending syncopal reactions. Inflight LBNP responses seemed to predict the degree of postflight orthostatic intolerance. Postflight responses to LBNP during the first 48 hours were characterized by marked elevations in heart rate, instability in blood pressure, and considerably elevated systolic and diastolic pressures both at rest and during stress.
The cardiovascular responses of the Apollo crewmen associated with postflight evaluations indicate varying decrements of orthostatic tolerance. The postflight changes indicate a slightly diminished ability to the cardiovascular system to function effectively against gravity following exposure to weightlessness. The objective of the Skylab LBNP experiments (M092) was to provide information about the magnitude and time course of the cardiovascular changes associated with prolonged periods of exposure to weightlessness. This report details the equipment, signal processing and analysis of the leg volume data obtained from the M092 experiment of the Skylab 3 Mission.
The objectives of the biochemical studies conducted for the Apollo program were (1) to provide routine laboratory data for assessment of preflight crew physical status and for postflight comparisons; (2) to detect clinical or pathological abnormalities which might have required remedial action preflight; (3) to discover as early as possible any infectious disease process during the postflight quarantine periods following certain missions; and (4) to obtain fundamental medical knowledge relative to man's adjustment to and return from the space flight environment. The accumulated data presented suggest that these requirements were met by the program described. All changes ascribed to the space flight environment were subtle, whereas clinically significant changes were consistent with infrequent illnesses unrelated to the space flight exposure.
During stressful exercise of the m. gastrocnemius, preflight and postflight surface electromyograms (EMG) were taken from each of the Skylab II astronauts. Measurements on the muscle were made once 5 days before launch, and four times postflight on recovery day, 4 days after recovery, 16 days after recovery and 29 days after recovery. It was hypothesized that the disused gastrocnemius would exhibit dysfunction characteristics similar to those found in laboratory studies on disuse and of pathologically astrophied muscle, and that physical stress would be associated with heightened fatigability in the muscle. Both hypotheses were sustained. The results showed significant shifts of the predominant frequency of the gastrocnemius into higher than normal bands which suggests a relationship between muscle disuse characteristics and pathologic dysfunction characteristics. It was concluded that the spectrally analyzed EMG is a sensitive measure of muscle dsyfunction that is associated with disuse. Antigravity muscles exhibit heightened susceptibility to fatigue when subjected to lengthy weightlessness.
Treatment and prevention of the physiologic problems of spacecrews are discussed. Preflight procedures, inflight monitoring and medication, and postflight examination are described. Specific factors covered include: medical screening and astronaut selection; health stabilization and exposure prevention; preflight medical examinations and training; biomedical data; medical kits; diagnosis and treatment; and implications of postflight findings.