Archivo de la etiqueta: spacestation

Life science took precedence today aboard the International Space Station as the crew explored how microgravity impacts rodent physiology. The space research can help scientists improve astronaut health and treat humans on Earth.

Four Expedition 56 crew members worked together throughout the day examining mice for the Rodent Research-7 study. The experiment observes how microbes affect the gastrointestinal, immune, metabolic, circadian, and sleep systems. Results may help doctors implement programs to keep astronauts healthy on deep space missions. Patients on Earth may also benefit from newer advanced therapies that treat internal disorders.

Commander Drew Feustel joined Flight Engineers Serena Auñón-Chancellor, Ricky Arnold and Alexander Gerst for the rodent study on Tuesday. The orbital lab researchers examined bone structure, collected blood samples and processed and stowed biological samples in science freezers.

Those samples will be returned to Earth inside the SpaceX Dragon cargo craft Aug. 3 for analysis on Earth. Dragon will be packed with station hardware and research gear when it splashes down in the Pacific Ocean. It will be retrieved by SpaceX and NASA personnel for examination by engineers and scientists.

The Expedition 56 crew members continued their work Friday on more fertility research and microbe studies aboard the International Space Station. They also worked on science gear for a study seeking advanced therapies for diseases such as Alzheimer’s and diabetes.

Commander Drew Feustel and Flight Engineer Serena Auñón-Chancellor examined biological samples for the Micro-11 fertility study. They looked at the samples through a microscope which were later stowed in a science freezer. The experiment seeks to determine if human reproduction would be possible off the Earth.

Feustel also spent some time in the morning working on the Amyloid experiment to help doctors develop advanced treatments for Alzheimer’s disease and diabetes. He collected amyloid fibril samples from the Cell Biology Experiment Facility and stowed them in a science freezer for spectroscopy and microscopic analysis back on Earth.

European astronaut Alexander Gerst and NASA astronaut Ricky Arnold were sampling the station’s atmosphere and surfaces for a pair of microbe investigations today. Gerst collected microbe samples and stowed them in a freezer for molecular analysis on Earth to identify potential pathogens on the station. Arnold processed microbial DNA using the Biomolecule Sequencer, a device that enables DNA sequencing in microgravity, to identify microbes able to survive in microgravity.

The six orbital residents living aboard the International Space Station worked on a broad array of advanced space experiments and research gear today. Today’s life science research included exploring fertility, extracting DNA from microbes and studying how the heart adapts to living in space. The crew also researched space physics observing magnetic fields, exploring the micro-properties of cement and detecting neutron radiation.

The Micro-11 experiment seeks to determine if human reproduction is possible in outer space. The study utilizes a microscope and the Microgravity Science Glovebox and observes sperm samples to determine the viability of fertility beyond Earth. DNA is being extracted from microbe samples swabbed off surfaces inside the space station. The DNA will be sequenced on Earth to help scientists understand how life adapts to microgravity. An ongoing Russian study is researching how a crew member’s heart and circulatory system adjusts to a long-term space mission.

A European astrophysics investigation is looking at how Earth’s magnetic field interacts with conductors. The study may provide insights for electrical engineers them design better space systems. Cement research is important in space and the crew has been exploring its microstructure possibly impacting the construction of future space habitats. Finally, radiation detectors have been deployed inside the orbital lab for a Canadian experiment to understand how neutrons affect astronauts.

Cancer and rodent studies were on the crew’s timeline today to help doctors and scientists improve the health of humans in space and on Earth. The crew also conducted an emergency drill aboard the International Space Station.

Flight Engineer Serena Auñón-Chancellor examined endothelial cells through a microscope for the AngieX Cancer Therapy study. The new cancer research seeks to test a safer, more effective treatment that targets tumor cells and blood vessels. Commander Drew Feustel partnered with astronaut Alexander Gerst and checked on mice being observed for the Rodent Research-7 (RR-7) experiment. RR-7 is exploring how microgravity impacts microbes living inside organisms.

Astronaut Ricky Arnold and Gerst collected and stowed their blood samples for a pair of ongoing human research studies. Arnold went on to work a series of student investigations dubbed NanoRacks Module-9 exploring a variety of topics including botany, biology and physics.

During the afternoon, all six Expedition 56 crew members joined forces to practice a simulated emergency. The orbital lab residents went over escape routes and safety procedures while coordinating communication and decision-making with mission controllers in Houston and Moscow.

Today, Expedition 56 crewmates balanced work on science investigations in between housekeeping duties aboard the International Space Station.

The crew retrieved samplers as part of the Aerosol Sampling Experiment that had been deployed the day before in Nodes 1 and 3. After connecting them to chargers, they were redeployed for a second round of sampling. The battery-powered samplers pull in air and collect particles through thermophoresis, a process in which different particle types exhibit different responses to the force of a temperature gradient. The collected cabin air particles are later returned to Earth so investigators can study them with powerful microscopes.

The Veggie facility amped up production with an additional six space algae culture bags installed by the astronauts for future studies. The Space Algae investigation will further NASA’s understanding of how plants respond and grow in spaceflight using state-of-the-art omics approaches. Algae may perceive microgravity as a physical stress, which can trigger the production of high-value compounds. Scientists plan to sequence whole genomes of the space-grown algal populations to identify genes related to growth in spaceflight and evaluate how their composition changes in low-Earth orbit.

In addition, the crew continued the organization, packing and loading of items slated for return on SpaceX’s Dragon early next month.

Space enthusiasts should tune in to NASA Television this week as the Saint Louis Science Center and NASA’s Stennis Space Center each host educational downlinks as part of NASA’s Year of Education on Station. The Earth-to-space call with the Saint Louis Science Center happens July 18 at 12:20 p.m. EDT and will include summer campers ranging from Kindergarten to 12th grade. Second to 10th graders participating in ASTRO CAMPs in Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana and Texas will get their turn to engage with station residents about living and working in microgravity the following day, July 19, at 11:30 a.m. with Stennis hosting. Watch the events unfold live on NASA TV or the agency’s website.