ISS - Expedition 57 Mission patch.
Oct. 22, 2018
Last week, three Expedition 57 crew members stayed busy aboard the International Space Station after the climb to orbit of two crewmates was aborted in early October. The trio in orbit continued science and maintenance aboard the orbiting laboratory.
Image above: This week, as a part of the Plant Habitat-1 investigation, activities were performed to measure chlorophyll fluorescence parameters of growing plants. Image Credit: NASA.
Last week the crew studied fluid dynamics, crystallography, ways to improve crew sleeping habits, and battery life in space. Read more for details about this week’s science:
SPHERES investigations soar through the station as crew members conduct tests
Three free-flying, bowling-ball sized spherical satellites know as Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellites (SPHERES), used inside the space station to test a set of well-defined instructions for spacecraft performing autonomous rendezvous and docking maneuvers, are used for a variety of investigations aboard the orbiting lab.
Animation above: NASA astronaut Serena M. Auñón-Chancellor conducts test runs for the SPHERES Tether-Slosh investigation. Animation Credit: NASA.
The SPHERES Tether Slosh investigation combines fluid dynamics equipment with robotic capabilities aboard the station. In space, the fuels used by spacecraft can slosh around in unpredictable ways making space maneuvers difficult. This investigation uses two SPHERES robots tethered to a fluid-filled container covered in sensors to test strategies for safely steering spacecraft such as dead satellites that might still have fuel in the tank.
Last week, crew members performed test runs of the investigation’s test points. Learn more about the SPHERES program here: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/news/students_spheres_satellites
Space-grown crystals optimize research in space
International Space Station (ISS). Image Credit: NASA
A crew member used pipettes to mix varying viscosity solutions into the crystallization plates for BioServe Protein Crystallography (BPC-1) last week. BPC-1 seeks to demonstrate the feasibility of conducting protein crystal growth in real time aboard the space station. Crew members can observe crystal formation and adjust for follow-on experiments. This approach optimizes a scientist’s ability to grow crystals in microgravity without having to wait for samples to return to Earth and re-launch.
Investigation tests adjustable lighting options to encourage better sleep
The hazards of lost sleep can range from on-the-job errors to chronic disease. Every day people all around the world experience disruptions in circadian rhythm, or the body’s natural regulator for sleep and wake cycles based on a 24-hour schedule. This instinctual process can be disrupted by abnormal work schedules, extensive traveling between time zones, and by daily life for space station crew members, who could experience 16 sunrises a day.
The Lighting Effects investigation studies the impact of the change from fluorescent light bulbs to solid-state light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with adjustable intensity and color and aims to determine if the new lights can improve crew circadian rhythms, sleep, and cognitive performance.
Image above: This week, power and data umbilical cables, as well as fluid and waste gas umbilicals, were mated in preparation for LSR activation in November. Image Credit: NASA.
Last week, crew members performed a numerical and color discrimination visual test at a designated location. Information collected during this investigation could be used to develop more efficient lighting both in space and on Earth. Learn more about adjusting to sleep disruptions, on ground and in space, here: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/astronauts_improve_sleep
Investigation studies battery life in space
Last week, the crew tested a sampling of alkaline batteries as a part of the Zero-g Battery Testing investigation. Some crewmembers have reported that batteries on orbit do not last as long as they do on the ground. In this investigation, crew members install several sets of batteries into a standard camera flash, identify batteries that fail to work, and return them to the ground for analysis. Results from this investigation could lead to development of better batteries for use in space and on the ground.
Other work was done on these investigations:
- Food Acceptability examines changes in how food appeals to crew members during their time aboard the station. Acceptability of food – whether crew members like and actually eat something – may directly affect crew caloric intake and associated nutritional benefits: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7562
- BCAT-CS studies dynamic forces between sediment particles that cluster together: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7668
- The Cold Atom Lab produces clouds of atoms that are chilled to much colder temperatures than the average temperature of deep space. At these low temperatures, atoms have almost no motion, allowing scientists to study fundamental behaviors and quantum characteristics that are difficult or impossible to probe at higher temperatures: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Facility.html?#id=7396
- Radi-N2 measures neutron radiation levels aboard the orbiting laboratory using Space Bubble Detectors: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=874
- The Life Support Rack captures carbon dioxide from cabin air and recovers 50% of its oxygen for use by the crew: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Facility.html?#id=7751
- JAXA LT PCG contributes to the development of new drugs by revealing disease-related protein structure, and to the production of new catalysts for the environmental and energy industries: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=2031
Space to Ground: A Successful Failure: 10/19/2018
Related links:
Expedition 57: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition57/index.html
SPHERES: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=303
SPHERES Tether Slosh: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7381
BioServe Protein Crystallography (BPC-1): https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7729
Lighting Effects: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=2013
Zero-g Battery Testing: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7712
Spot the Station: https://spotthestation.nasa.gov/
Space Station Research and Technology: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/index.html
International Space Station (ISS): https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html
Images (mentioned), Animations (mentioned), Video (NASA), Text, Credits: NASA/Michael Johnson/Vic Cooley, Lead Increment Scientist Expeditions 57/58.
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