ISS - Expedition 62 Mission patch.
March 13, 2020
Scientific investigations conducted the week of March 9 aboard the International Space Station included studies of human heart tissue and gene expression in plants. The crew also began unloading and setting up new scientific investigations that arrived on the SpaceX-20 resupply mission.
Image above: Expedition 62 crewmembers Andrew Morgan, Oleg Skripochka and Jessica Meir (top to bottom) inside the SpaceX Dragon resupply ship shortly after opening the freighter’s hatch. The crew wore portable breathing gear during the initial operations while testing for particles and airway irritants that may have dislodged during Dragon’s launch and ascent to space. Image Credit: NASA.
Now in its 20th year of continuous human presence, the space station provides a platform for long-duration research in microgravity and for learning to live and work in space. Experience gained on the orbiting lab supports Artemis, NASA’s program to go forward to the Moon and on to Mars.
Here are details on some of the microgravity investigations currently taking place:
The human heart in space
Scientists know that microgravity exposure causes changes in the cardiovascular function of astronauts. Engineered Heart Tissues looks at how adult human heart tissue functions in space using a unique three-dimensional culture of adult human cardiac muscle tissue embedded with graphene-derived materials and an external magnet-based sensor. The sensor records contractions in the muscle tissue non-invasively, providing real-time data on how the tissues mature and perform. A better understanding of how heart function changes in space could help scientists find ways to prevent or mitigate those changes on future long space missions.
During the week, crew members performed a cell culture media exchange in the Life Science Glovebox (LSG) for this investigation.
Comparing bone loss in real and simulated microgravity
Image above: NASA astronaut Jessica Meir works on the OsteoOmics-02 investigation, which compares bone cells in space with samples levitated magnetically on Earth. Image Credit: NASA.
OsteoOmics investigates the molecular and metabolic changes that occur in genetic expression in osteoblasts, cells in the body that form bone, in real and analog or simulated microgravity. During the week, crew members exchanged cell culture media in the remaining viable BioCells. The previous week, the crew removed some contaminated Biocells and the cause of the contamination is under discussion. Bone loss occurs during spaceflight as well as from disease or extended bed rest on Earth. OsteoOmics determines whether magnetic levitation accurately simulates microgravity by comparing bone cells levitated in a high-field superconducting magnet and cells flown aboard the space station.
Analyzing the genetics of plants in microgravity
The crew conducted operations for Space Cells-01, which examines gene expression changes and genetic mutations in hemp and coffee plant cells in microgravity. The cell cultures are spending approximately one month on the space station before returning to Earth for analysis of their physical structure and gene expression and comparison to preflight analyses. Results could help identify new varieties of plants or new chemical expressions and improve understanding of how plants manage the stress of space travel.
Learning more about how plants adapt to the harsh environment of space contributes to efforts to grow plants for food in space, a critical capability on future missions that last longer and venture farther from resupply capabilities. Improved understanding of how plants manage the stress of space travel also could advance research on plants that are better able to adapt to drought and temperature extremes on Earth.
Image above: The cities of southeast China glitter as the International Space Station passes 259 miles above the Asian continent. The brightest lights at right center are from the city of Shanghai on the coast of the East China Sea. Image Credit: NASA.
Other investigations on which the crew performed work:
- Phage Evolution examines the effects of microgravity and radiation exposure on phage and bacterial host interactions, including phage specificity for a host and host resistance to specific phages. Bacteriophages, or phages, are viruses that specifically invade and destroy bacteria.
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=8079
- The JAXA Mouse Habitat Unit-5 (MHU-5) investigation examines the effects of partial gravity on mice, analyzing alterations in gene expression caused by partial gravity and the possible effects on development of germ cells, which carry genetic information and expression to subsequent generations.
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=8150
- Dose Distribution Inside the International Space Station - 3D (DOSIS-3D), sponsored by the ESA (European Space Agency, uses active and passive detectors to determine radiation doses inside the space station.
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=177
- The STaARS BioScience-9 investigation examines the rates of production of isobutene from a genetically modified Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria. Isobutene is a widely used biofuel, and producing it from cultures aboard spacecraft could enhance the sustainability of future long-duration missions.
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7783
Animation above: NASA astronaut Andrew Morgan prepares to conduct operations growing crystals for the JAXA Moderate Temp PCG investigation. Animation Credit: NASA.
- The JAXA Protein Crystal Growth Experiment at moderate temperature (JAXA MT PCG) grows protein crystals of biological macromolecules by the counter-diffusion technique or permeation method.
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7427
- Standard Measures captures an ongoing, optimized set of measures from crew members to characterize how their bodies adapt to living in space. Researchers use these measures to create a data repository for high-level monitoring of the effectiveness of countermeasures and better interpretation of health and performance outcomes.
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7711
- Food Acceptability examines the effect of repetitive consumption of the food currently available during spaceflight. “Menu fatigue” resulting from a limited choice of foods over time may contribute to the loss of body mass often experienced by crew members, potentially affecting astronaut health, especially as mission length increases.
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7562
Space to Ground: 20x: 03/13/2020
Related links:
Expedition 62: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition62/index.html
Engineered Heart Tissues: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=8217
Life Science Glovebox (LSG): https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Facility.html?#id=7676
OsteoOmics: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=1149
Space Cells-01: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=8223
ISS National Lab: https://www.issnationallab.org/
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), Animation (mentioned), Video (NASA), Text, Credits: NASA/Michael Johnson/John Love, Lead Increment Scientist Expedition 62.
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