ISS - Expedition 68 Mission patch.
Feb 24, 2023
Crew members aboard the International Space Station conducted scientific investigations during the week of Feb. 20 that included evaluating the benefits of growing plants on the space station, demonstrating robotic hopping maneuvers, and testing an instrument to measure air particles.
Here are details on some of the microgravity investigations currently taking place aboard the orbiting lab:
Plant Psychology
Image above: Dwarf tomato plants growing on the International Space Station. For the HRF Veg investigation, crew members provide feedback on the behavioral health benefits of having live plants and fresh food in space and rate qualities of produce available from other plant investigations. Image Credit: NASA.
A NASA phased research project called the Pick-and-Eat Salad-Crop Productivity, Nutritional Value, and Acceptability to Supplement the ISS Food System studies growing plants to provide fresh food and enhance the overall living experience for crew members on future long-duration missions. One of the projects, HRF Veg, examines the behavioral health benefits of having live plants and fresh food in space. Crew members complete surveys on their mood after interacting with live plants and they rate the flavor, texture, and other qualities of produce from different plant investigations when it is available. During the week, crew members completed questionnaires for the investigation.
Hop on Over
Astrobatics demonstrates a way for a robot to execute a hopping or self-toss maneuver for propulsion using the station’s free-flying Astrobees. Hopping between locations rather than traversing a surface could enable robots to move faster and use less propellant. This capability could expand the mobility of robotic vehicles for missions such as assisting crews, servicing equipment and structures, removing orbital debris, conducting on-orbit assembly, and exploring surfaces on the Moon or Mars. The technique could advance applications for terrestrial robotics as well. Crew members set up and performed a session for the investigation during the week.
Monitoring Air Quality
Image above: This blue box is an inlet for the Airborne Particulate Monitor investigation, which measures and quantifies the concentration of particles in the station’s air. The data could support better design for environmental monitoring of future space vehicles and habitats. Image Credit: NASA.
Crew members aboard the space station need clean air to breathe. Requirements limit the allowable concentrations of particulate matter in the cabin air, but no measurement exists to verify whether these requirements are met. Airborne Particulate Monitor demonstrates an instrument to measure and quantify the concentration of both small and large particles in the station’s air. The data could shed light on the sources of particles and determine the efficiency of current filtration systems, supporting better design for environmental monitoring of future space vehicles and habitats. Such monitoring becomes more important as mission duration increases. The technology has applications in environmental monitoring and air pollution studies on Earth as well. During the week, crew members checked on the monitor.
Other Investigations Involving the Crew:
- Myotones, an investigation from ESA (European Space Agency), monitors changes in the properties of muscles during spaceflight. Results could support development of better countermeasures for future space missions as well as alternative rehabilitation treatments for those experiencing the effects of aging and restricted mobility on Earth.
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7573
Animation above: NASA astronaut Josh Cassada works on Sphere Camera-1, an investigation to evaluate the performance of an ultra-high-resolution camera in microgravity. Animation Credit: NASA.
- Sphere Camera-1, sponsored by the ISS National Lab, evaluates the performance of an ultra-high-resolution camera in microgravity. Results could support development of cameras with greater resolution, detail, and sharpness for imaging needs on future exploration missions, including to the Moon and Mars.
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=8815
- Mochii demonstrates a miniature scanning electron microscope to measure tiny particles on the space station that can cause vehicle and equipment malfunctions. Rapid, onboard identification of these particles can help keep crews and vehicles safe, a critical capability for future missions where samples cannot be sent back to Earth.
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Facility.html?#id=7657
- Cerebral Autoregulation, a Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) investigation, tests whether this ability improves in microgravity. A better understanding of how blood flow changes in space could lead to improved treatments and possible countermeasures for space-related lightheadedness.
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=1938
- ISS Ham Radio provides students, teachers, and others the opportunity to communicate with astronauts using amateur radio units. Before a scheduled call, students learn about the station, radio waves, and other topics, and prepare a list of questions based on the topics they have researched.
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=337
- PK-4, a collaboration between ESA and State Space Corporation Roscosmos, studies complex plasmas, low-temperature mixtures of ionized gas, neutral gas, and micron-sized particles. Results could shed light on plasma phenomena in space and lead to new research methods and improvement in spacecraft designs and industries that use plasmas on Earth.
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=1192
Space to Ground: 4 for 6: Feb. 24, 2023
The space station, a robust microgravity laboratory with a multitude of specialized research facilities and tools, has supported many scientific breakthroughs from investigations spanning every major scientific discipline. The ISS Benefits for Humanity 2022 publication details the expanding universe of results realized from more than 20 years of experiments conducted on the station.
ISS Benefits for Humanity 2022: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/benefits/index.html
Related links:
Expedition 68: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition68/index.html
HRF Veg: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=8434
Astrobatics: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7841
Astrobees: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Facility.html?#id=1891
Airborne Particulate Monitor: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7936
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
Animation (mentioned), Images (mentioned), Video (NASA), Text, Credits: NASA/Ana Guzman/John Love, ISS Research Planning Integration Scientist Expedition 68.
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