. 24/7 Space News .
SPACE TRAVEL
Science without gravity at the International Space Station
By Juliette COLLEN
Paris (AFP) April 21, 2021

In two decades orbiting the Earth the International Space Station has become a cutting-edge cosmic laboratory, with astronauts researching everything from black holes to disease and even gardening in microgravity.

The ISS, which orbits about 250 miles above Earth, is as large as a football field inside and divided up like a beehive into spaces where the crew can carry out experiments with guidance from researchers on the ground.

Often, the astronauts are also the guinea pigs.

More than 3,000 scientific tests have been carried out at the ISS since its manned missions began in 2000.

"From a science perspective, there have been some major discoveries," said Robert Pearlman, space historian and co-author of "Space Stations: The Art, Science, and Reality of Working in Space".

The latest mission -- named "Alpha" after Alpha Centauri, the closest star system to our own -- will be no exception.

- 'Mini-brains' -

On Thursday, US astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Akihiko Hoshide and the European Space Agency's Thomas Pesquet will blast off for the ISS aboard the SpaceX mission Crew-2.

They are likely to be busy.

Alongside work to maintain the space station itself, around a hundred experiments are in the diary for their six-month mission.

These include an acoustic technique using ultrasonic waves to move and manipulate objects or liquids without touching them.

France's Pesquet has said his favourite planned research is a study examining the effects of weightlessness on brain organoids -- mini brains created using stem cell technology.

Scientists hope this research can eventually help space agencies prepare for distant space missions which will expose crews to the rigours of space for long periods of time, and even help fight brain disease on Earth.

"It really sounds like science fiction to me," joked Pesquet, an aerospace engineer.

There is ongoing research into what are known as "tissue chips" -- small models of human organs that are made up of different types of cells and used to study things like ageing in the immune system, kidney function and muscle loss.

"We don't fully understand why, but in microgravity, cell-to-cell communication works differently than it does in a cell culture flask on Earth," said Liz Warren, senior program director at the ISS US National Laboratory, adding cells also gather together differently.

"These features allow cells to behave more like they do when inside the body. Thus, microgravity appears to provide a unique opportunity for tissue engineering."

Another important element of the mission is upgrading the station's solar power system by installing new compact panels that roll open like a huge yoga mat.

Crew-2's launch day coincides with Earth Day, and by the time the crew returns they will have also contributed to environmental research by taking 1.5 million images of phenomena like artificial lighting at night, algal blooms, and the breakup of Antarctic ice shelves.

- Experimental evolution -

The experiments are designed for the long term, beyond individual missions, said Sebastien Barde of France's Cadmos, which organises microgravity science experiments in space.

The study of weightlessness -- or microgravity -- has gone from "pioneering to something standardised", with increasingly precise methods of measurement, Barde said.

"Twenty years ago, there was no ultrasound machine on board," he added.

Claudie Haignere, the first French woman to fly in space, visited the ISS in 2001 and remembers it as rather "poorly equipped".

Now she says she it boasts "exceptional laboratories".

The astronauts also stay longer -- six months, versus a fortnight for the first manned flights -- giving researchers more time to measure the effects of microgravity on them.

- 'Enough stars' -

Spaceflight changes the human body.

It weakens muscle and bone and affects the heart and blood vessels. Some of the effects resemble a speeded-up progression of ageing and diseases on Earth.

Whilst being guinea pigs for this research, the ISS crew has also collected data on black holes, pulsars and cosmic particles to help expand our understanding of the Universe.

With the ability to grow supplemental food seen as an important step to helping humans venture deeper into Space, they have even done some experimental gardening.

In 2015, astronauts sampled their first space-grown salad and they have since tried growing radishes.

Pearlman said the discoveries range from those related to human health -- like a treatment for salmonella -- to experimental engineering.

"One very promising technology right now that's just on the cusp of happening is 3D printing body parts," he said.

Some have raised concerns about the cost of the ISS, while NASA itself is seeking to disengage as its attention shifts to deeper space.

But Barde said the space station, scheduled to retire in 2028, is the only platform for some scientists to pursue their research, whether that is in medicine or material sciences that need an environment without gravity.

He dismissed the idea that we have learned everything we need to know: "It's like wondering if you really need to enlarge a telescope, because you have seen 'enough' stars!"

juc/klm/mh/pvh

ISS A/S


Related Links
Space Tourism, Space Transport and Space Exploration News


Thanks for being there;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5+ Billed Monthly


paypal only
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal


SPACE TRAVEL
NASA astronaut, cosmonauts, land back on Earth from space station
Washington DC (UPI) Apr 17, 2021
NASA astronaut Kate Rubins, and Russian cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikiov and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov landed on Earth on Saturday after a half-year International Space Station mission. They departed the station in their Soyuz MS-17 spacecraft at 9:34 p.m. EDT Friday and landed safely under parachutes at 12:55 a.m. EDT Saturday in Kazakhstan after spending 185 days in space, NASA announced. Ryzhikiov and Kud-Sverchkov are slated to return to their training base in Star City, Russia. Rubins is sche ... read more

Comment using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.



Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

SPACE TRAVEL
Russia says to launch own space station in 2025

NASA Crew 2 science payload to carry human tissue growth studies to ISS

Astronauts need a fridge

NASA astronaut, cosmonauts, land back on Earth from space station

SPACE TRAVEL
SpaceX set to take four astronauts to ISS Thursday

DARPA awards 3 deals for work on nuclear propulsion system

Phantom Space raises $5M in seed funding to for space transportation concept

Blue Origin launches what may be final test flight before carrying people

SPACE TRAVEL
NASA's Mars helicopter succeeds in historic first flight

Key things to know about NASA's Ingenuity Mars Helicopter

NASA SpaceX Crew-2 'Go' for April 22 Launch

Space agencies plan to launch Mars sample return spacecraft by 2026

SPACE TRAVEL
Chinese rocket for space station mission arrives at launch site

Ningbo to build $3.05b rocket launchpad site

China advances space cooperation in 2020: blue book

China selects astronauts for space station program

SPACE TRAVEL
Jeff Bezos' Amazon signs rocket deal to launch network to rival SpaceX

India's telecom regulator assessing Starlink system before accepting beta

UK space firm In-Space Missions Limited Announces Major Expansion And Job Creation Plans

China to develop aerospace as strategic emerging industry

SPACE TRAVEL
Sotheby's sees $16.8 million in first NFT sale

Northrop Grumman and Intelsat make history with docking of 2nd Mission Extension Vehicle

Philippines' Duterte lifts ban on new mining deals

Fornite maker Epic Games valued at $28.7 bn in funding round

SPACE TRAVEL
As different as day and night

Researchers identify five double star systems potentially suitable for life

Study warns of 'oxygen false positives' in search for signs of life on other planets

Baked meteorites yield clues to planetary atmospheres

SPACE TRAVEL
New Horizons reaches a rare space milestone

New research reveals secret to Jupiter's curious aurora activity

NASA's Europa Clipper builds hardware, moves toward assembly

First X-rays from Uranus Discovered









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.