Onboard our laboratory that orbits Earth at more than 17,000 miles per hour, research is ongoing to advance our knowledge of human spaceflight and space science.
Among the most recent cargo delivered to the International Space Station (ISS) last week were supplies for many kinds of experiments. Equipment for evaluating DNA, temperature regulation, bone loss and the human heart, as well as a new solar cell arrived at the microgravity research platform.
A device was delivered to the ISS that seeks to accomplish DNA sequencing in microgravity. DNA sequencing is a method to learn about the response of living organisms to changing environments. This device, the Biomolecule Sequencer, could identify microbes and diagnose diseases. It could also monitor crew health and potentially be used to help in the detection of DNA-based life elsewhere in the solar system.
The Phase Change Heat Exchanger was also delivered to the ISS, in which a material is frozen or thawed to maintain temperatures onboard. When sunlight reaches Earth, it passes through the planet’s atmosphere. Since there is no atmosphere in space to filter the sunlight, the direct sunlight makes it challenging to maintain safe temperatures in the environment of extreme heat and cold. In the future, spacecraft will use the knowledge gained from the Phase Change Heat Exchanger to regulate temperature and protect both crew and equipment.
A new type of 3-D solar cell was also sent to the ISS. Why is this unique? The 3-D design is more effective at absorbing sunlight than traditional 2-D solar cells. Engineers will examine how the cell responds to the changing sun angles and space environment.
Image Credit: NASA/Georgia Tech
Other studies sent to the ISS will contribute to better ways to prevent bone loss and examine the changes of the human heart in microgravity.
The ISS is a unique platform for space-based research for scientists. Humans have continually maintained a presence on the ISS for more than 15 years. The ongoing research conducted on the ISS is essential for future human and robotic missions into deep space.
To learn more about the ISS, visit NASA.gov.