ISS - Expedition 66 Mission patch.
Dec 10, 2021
Crew members aboard the International Space Station conducted scientific investigations during the week of Dec. 6 that included testing operational support from artificial intelligence, monitoring changes in the vascular system, and demonstrating a heat transfer system.
The space station has been continuously inhabited by humans for 21 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.
Image above: This image shows the south Pacific Ocean east of New Zealand from the seven-windowed cupola as the International Space Station orbits 267 miles above. Image Credit: NASA.
Here are details on some of the microgravity investigations currently taking place:
A little help, please
A technology demonstration from ESA (European Space Agency), Cimon examines how support from an artificial intelligence (AI) assistant affects crew efficiency and acceptance. Long-term spaceflight missions involve a heavy workload and can create a substantial amount of stress for crew members. Operational support from an AI assistant like Cimon could help crew members complete more tasks, allowing more time for relaxation and reducing stress during flight. During the week, crew members set up and activated the Cimon hardware.
Analyzing aging arteries
Astronauts return to Earth with carotid arteries that appear “older” than when they launched, and daily aerobic or cardio exercise sessions may not be sufficient to counteract this effect. An investigation from the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), Vascular Aging, analyzes these changes using artery ultrasounds, blood samples, oral glucose tolerance testing, and wearable sensors. Results could help researchers assess the risks to astronaut cardiovascular health and potentially point to mechanisms to reduce those risks. The investigation also may provide insight to guide investigation of increased arterial stiffness associated with aging on Earth. Crew members performed scans and blood pressure measurements for the investigation during the week with guidance from the ground team.
Boiling off the heat
Animation above: NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei works on FBCE, an investigation that tests a two-phase heat transfer system in microgravity. Animation Credit: NASA.
Longer space missions need to generate more power, which will produce more heat that must be dissipated from the spacecraft. Single-phase heat transfer systems currently in use employ a liquid such as water or ammonia to remove heat from one location and move it to another, with the liquid remaining in the same phase. Two-phase systems use the source of heat to boil the liquid, changing the liquid into another phase, a gas, through vaporization. Vaporization and condensation exchange more heat energy, so a two-phase system can be smaller and provide more efficient heat removal than a one-phase system. FBCE tests two-phase heat transfer in microgravity, collecting data to help validate numerical simulation tools for use in designing these systems. This research is a joint effort between the Purdue University Boiling and Two-Phase Flow Laboratory (BTPFL) and the NASA Glenn Research Center. During the week, crew members configured the station’s Fluids Integrated Rack (FIR), installed FBCE hardware, and conducted operations for the investigation.
Other investigations involving the crew:
Image above: ESA astronaut Matthias Maurer holds an array of surfaces for Touching Surfaces, an investigation that seeks to determine the most suitable design for antimicrobial surfaces for spacecraft and habitats. Image Credit: NASA.
- Touching Surfaces tests antimicrobial surfaces as a method for reducing microbial contamination aboard the space station. Results from this ESA investigation could help determine the most suitable design for antimicrobial surfaces for spacecraft and habitats as well as for terrestrial applications such as public transportation and clinical settings.
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=8540
- RFID Recon tests using a wireless radio frequency identification (RFID) reader to identify tagged cargo and determine its location on the space station. This technology could help crew members find items more quickly and efficiently.
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7722
- T2 AR tests using augmented reality (AR) to help crew members inspect and maintain the space station’s T2 Treadmill. On future space missions, crew members need to perform such tasks without assistance from the ground due to significant time delays in communications, and AR assistance also could improve crew safety.
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7587
- Airborne Particulate Monitor (APM) measures and quantifies the concentration of small and large particles in spacecraft air. These data can be used to create a map of particles, helping to maintain cabin air quality and protect astronaut health.
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7936
- Four Bed CO2 Scrubber demonstrates technology to remove carbon dioxide from a spacecraft, one of three such demonstrations for the space station’s Exploration Environmental Control and Life Support Systems (ECLSS). Carbon dioxide removal systems in future spacecraft are key to helping to maintain the health of crews and ensure mission success.
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7635
- JEM Water Recovery System, an investigation from Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), tests a technology to increase the recovery of drinkable water from urine, which could become a vital part of ECLSS for future space travel and also provide water regeneration in dry regions or post-disaster on Earth.
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=2049
- InSPACE-4 studies magnetic assembly of structures from colloids, or particles suspended in a liquid in microgravity. Results could lead to more advanced materials for space applications, including thermal shields, protection from micrometeorites, energy production, and sensors for robotic and human missions.
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7669
- ReSWARM demonstrates autonomous on-orbit robotic activity, testing coordination among multiple robots, robots and cargo, and robots and the environment in which they operate. The investigation uses the station’s free-flying Astrobee robots.
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=8425
- 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
Space to Ground: December Arrivals: 12/10/2021
Related links:
Expedition 66: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition66/index.html
Cimon: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7639
Vascular Aging: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7644
FBCE: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=2064
Fluids Integrated Rack (FIR): https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Facility.html?#id=351
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), Animation (mentioned), Video (NASA), Text, Credits: NASA/Carrie Gilder/John Love, ISS Research Planning Integration Scientist Expedition 66.
Best regards, Orbiter.ch
