Salyut-8/Mir Biomedical Experiments

By Marcia S. Smith,Formerly with the, Science Policy Research Division of the Library of Congress, Congressional Research Service

1981-1987

Mir Biomedical Experiments

The Biostoykost (biostability) experiment was conducted begin­ ning in June 1987. It was developed to study the possibility of using various polymer compounds as structural materials for new space instruments and equipment. 51 In October 1987, mention was made of the Biryza installation for studying the dynamics of physical-chemical processes in zero gravity. The report said the cosmonauts were calibrating the thermostat and carried out a test called Color to study the mechanism and peculiarities of formation of the three-dimensional structures in the course of chemical oscillatory reac­ tions. The processes were registered on color film. 52

MEDICAL/BIOLOGICAL

Few specific references were made to medical experiments during the Mir missions, possibly because they have become so rou­ tine that the press does not think they merit reporting. The only new device mentioned was a data recording system called Gamma. 53 The cardiograph used on Salyut 7 was transferred to Mir by the Soyuz T-5 crew.

Medical

The crew continued exercises, and the deputy director of the In­ stitute of Biomedical Program, Dr. Grigoriev, commented that Kizim and Solovyev continued the Sprint regimen (perhaps mean­ing Sport, the new regimen used on Salyut 7) and he did not envi­ sion any time in the near future where exercise time could be re­ duced significantly. (General Shatalov gave a candid interview in which he expressed doubts about the need for all the exercise, how­ ever—see Chapter 5). Grigoriev went on to comment that experi­ence gained in a cosmonaut's first spaceflight improves their per­formance in future missions and gives them certain psychological advantages. It may be that their physiological systems, primarily the regulatory ones, retain a memory of the previous spaceflight making it easier to adapt. 54

The crew conducted experiments on July 3 related to "mastering techniques for clinical blood analyses in zero gravity" for the first time. 55 When the Syrian cosmonaut was aboard, studies were made of the cardiovascular system, and further blood studies using a centrifuge on board the space station to analyze blood taken from the crew. They also did the Kontrast experiment, described as the "study of the frequency-contrast characteristics of the visual system of man." 56

Plant Growth

Little was said about plant growth experiments, although it was clear they continued on Mir. There was one 1986 reference to the Soyuz T-15 crew having performed plant experiments on Mir and t aken them over to Salyut 7, but otherwise no indication of what they were doing. The crew was reported to be working on the Fiton and Rost experiments in June 1987 for studying the development of high order plants and of various biological specimens in weightless­ ness. 57 There was another reference to Fiton in July. 58

After the Syrian crew left, the Soyuz TM-2/TM-3 crew per­ formed plant growth experiments with three month old seedlings of cedar trees and chlorophytum. 59

References:

A. SOVIET SPACE PROGRAMS: 1981-87, PILOTED SPACE ACTIVITIES, LAUNCH VEHICLES, LAUNCH SITES, AND TRACKING SUPPORT PREPARED AT THE REQUEST OF Hon. ERNEST F. HOLLINGS, Chairman, COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION, UNITED STATES SENATE, Part 1, MAY 1988, printed for the use of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON, D.C. 1988

51 Moskovskaya Pravda, June 27, 1987, p. 2.

52 TASS, 1146 GMT, October 9, 1987.

53 TASS, 1702 GMT, April 11, 1986.

54 Meditsinskaya Gazeta, August 6, 1986, p. 3.

55 TASS, 1308 GMT, July 3, 1987.

56 Moscow Domestic Service, 1300 GMT, December 18, 1986; TASS, 1635 GMT, July 27, 1987.

57. TASS, 0928 GMT, June 2, 1987.

58 Moscow Domestic Service, 0600 GMT, July 10, 1987.

59 Trud, August 5,1987, p. 1.