ISS - Expedition 65 Mission patch.
Jul 9, 2021
Crew members aboard the International Space Station conducted scientific investigations during the week of July 5 that included studies of the effect of microgravity on human gripping and movement, protein crystal growth, and using capillary forces to water plants in space.
The space station has been continuously inhabited by humans for 20 years, supporting many scientific breakthroughs. The orbiting lab provides a platform for long-duration research in microgravity and for learning to live and work in space, experience that 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:
Hold tight
Image above: JAXA astronaut Akihiko Hoshide conducts a session for GRIP, which studies how spaceflight affects the grip force and movements that crew members use to manipulate objects. Image Credit: NASA.
The way humans grip and manipulate an object evolved in the presence of gravity, and we control these activities using various cues, including an object’s weight and concepts such as “up” and “down.” In microgravity, these forces and cues change. GRIP, an investigation from ESA (European Space Agency), studies how spaceflight affects the grip force and movements that crew members use to manipulate objects. Results could identify potential hazards astronauts may face when they move between environments with different levels of gravity, such as landing on Mars after a lengthy voyage in space. The study also could contribute to the design and control of touch-based interfaces such as remote controls used on future exploration of deep space or planets. Crew members conducted sessions for the investigation during the week.
Growing better protein crystals
Image above: JAXA Moderate Temp PCG hardware in the space station’s KIBO laboratory. This investigation grows high-quality protein crystals in microgravity. Image Credit: NASA.
Moderate Temp PCG, an investigation from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), grows high quality protein crystals at 20°C in microgravity and returns them to Earth for detailed analysis of the protein structures. Microgravity eliminates the phenomena of convection, which can deliver impurities to the crystal surface, thus enabling growth of higher-quality crystals. Detailed information on protein structures could contribute to the design of new drugs and the study of enzyme reactions to help treat diseases on Earth. Crystals have been growing since the experiment began in mid-June. During the week, crew members removed samples from cold stowage and packed them for return to the ground.
Watering the plants
Image above: NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei works on the Plant Water Management investigation, a demonstration of delivering water and nutrients to plant roots using capillary forces. Image Credit: NASA.
Providing plant roots with enough water and air to sustain them from germination through harvest is one of the challenges of growing plants in space. Plant Water Management demonstrates a hydroponic method that uses capillary fluidics to deliver water to single and multiple plant production chambers. Capillary forces, the interactions of a liquid with a solid surface that draw fluids up a narrow tube, continue to act in microgravity. Results could advance the ability to grow plants for food on future long-duration missions. This investigation also advances capillary-based liquid management techniques, which have many potential applications. In addition, improved understanding of water and nutrient use by plants in microgravity may help improve plant growth techniques on Earth, supporting better nutrition in water-sparse locations and improving farming methods worldwide. Crew members adjusted pump flow rates for the experiment and collected video recordings during the week.
Space to Ground: Healthy Eating: 07/09/2021
Other investigations on which the crew performed work:
- SoundSee tests monitoring the space station’s acoustic environment to detect anomalies in the sounds made by equipment such as life support infrastructure and exercise machines. This acoustic technique could provide autonomous monitoring of the functioning of such equipment.
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7860
- Functional Immune analyzes blood and saliva samples to determine the changes taking place in the immune systems of crew members during flight. Results could provide new insight into the possible health risks of long-duration space travel, including future missions to the Moon and Mars.
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=2011
- InSPACE-4 studies using magnetic fields to assemble tiny structures from colloids, or particles suspended in a liquid. Results could provide insight into how to harness nanoparticles to fabricate and manufacture new materials.
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7669
- Food Acceptability looks at how the appeal of food changes during long-duration missions. Whether crew members like and actually eat foods directly affects caloric intake and associated nutritional benefits.
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7562
- Standard Measures collects a set of core measurements from astronauts before, during, and after long-duration missions to create a data repository to monitor and interpret how humans adapt to living in space.
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7711
- Food Physiology examines the effects of an enhanced spaceflight diet on immune function, the gut microbiome, and nutritional status indicators, with the aim of documenting how dietary improvements may enhance adaptation to spaceflight.
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7870
- ISS Ham Radio provides students, teachers, parents, and others the opportunity to communicate with astronauts using ham radio units. Before a scheduled call, students learn about the station, radio waves, and other topics, and prepare a list of questions on topics they have researched.
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=337
Related links:
GRIP: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=1188
Moderate Temp PCG: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7427
Plant Water Management: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7884
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/overview.html
International Space Station (ISS): https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html
Images (mentioned), Video (NASA), Text, Credits: NASA/Ana Guzman/John Love, ISS Research Planning Integration Scientist Expedition 65.
Best regards, Orbiter.ch
