SpaceX's 30th Commercial Resupply Services
Mission for NASA returns to Earth after more than 35 days onboard
the International Space Station
KENNEDY
SPACE CENTER, Fla., April 30,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Research on a novel vision loss
therapy and space-manufactured optical fibers were among the nearly
565 pounds of science and technology payloads sponsored by the
International Space Station (ISS) National Laboratory that splashed
down off the Florida coast Tuesday
morning as NASA concluded SpaceX's 30th Commercial
Resupply Services (CRS) mission.
The return of the SpaceX Dragon capsule brings back more
than 40 ISS National Lab-sponsored investigations that aim to
benefit humanity and foster commerce in low Earth orbit. Among the
payloads returning to Earth for analysis are the following:
- Three investigations by startups that were past recipients of
the Technology in Space Prize, funded by Boeing and the
Center for the Advancement of Science in Space™, manager
of the ISS National Lab:
- Oculogenex tested a novel gene therapy to prevent and
possibly even reverse vision loss from age-related macular
degeneration, which affects more than 200 million people
globally.
- Encapsulate leveraged the microgravity environment of
the space station to validate an automated tumor-on-a-chip system
that grows patient-derived cancer cells to test chemotherapy drugs.
Such a system could help doctors screen chemotherapy drugs on a
patient's own cancer cells to determine the best treatment for the
patient.
- LambdaVision built on results from previous
investigations by studying whether a powdered form of the protein
bacteriorhodopsin can be dissolved in a solution in microgravity
for the successful layer-by-layer manufacturing of artificial
retinas. Using powdered protein could significantly reduce the mass
of materials sent to space for manufacturing, allowing increased
production at a lower cost.
- A technology development project from Flawless Photonics
sought to validate the company's technology for manufacturing
high-value, optical-quality glass materials, like ZBLAN, in
microgravity. ZBLAN can perform up to 100 times better than the
silica fibers commonly used to connect our digital world today, but
gravity-induced defects in fibers produced on Earth limit its full
potential. This project seeks to demonstrate that production in
microgravity can reduce these defects, resulting in higher-quality
fibers than can be produced terrestrially. Preliminary results
demonstrated significant improvements in the quantity of optical
fiber produced in space. From mid-February to mid-March, the
company manufactured a total of more than seven miles (11.9 km) of
optical fiber on station. The kilometers of glass fiber drawn in
space will now undergo independent analyses to determine if they
have superior performance characteristics.
- The National Stem Cell Foundation continued to examine
the mechanisms behind neuroinflammation, a common feature of
neurodegenerative diseases. To carry out this study, the research
team created 3D brain models derived from induced
pluripotent stem cells of patients with Alzheimer's and Parkinson's
diseases as well as primary progressive multiple sclerosis. This
concluded the foundation's sixth investigation onboard the space
station. Results from this research could ultimately lead to
improved diagnostics and new therapeutics that would benefit
millions of people worldwide.
- Researchers at the University of
Connecticut conducted a project funded by the U.S. National
Science Foundation that sought to produce novel materials in space
for biomedical applications on Earth, such as the repair of
damaged cartilage and reduction of joint inflammation. Janus
base nanomaterials (JBNs) are composite materials that can be used
as drug carriers in the human body. Through this project, the
research team aimed to advance in-space manufacturing of JBNs,
which could significantly improve patient care for orthopedic
injuries and degenerative joint diseases like arthritis, as there
is currently no way to repair damaged cartilage.
- A project awarded through an ISS National Lab education-focused
solicitation allowed Oklahoma State
University, in collaboration with the Choctaw Nation of
Oklahoma and Boeing, to study the
effects of spaceflight on Choctaw heirloom seeds. The seeds were
exposed to microgravity and space radiation for several months
while on station. Upon return, Choctaw students will plant the space-flown
seeds alongside seeds that remained on Earth. They will make
predictions about the growth of the seeds and observe the plants as
they develop. The goal of the project is to inspire Native American
students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and
mathematics fields.
These are just a few of the investigations returning to Earth in
the SpaceX Dragon capsule on this mission. To learn more about all
of the ISS National Lab payloads on SpaceX CRS-30, please visit
our launch page.
To download a high-resolution photo for this release,
click here.
About the International Space Station (ISS) National
Laboratory:
The International Space Station (ISS) is a
one-of-a-kind laboratory that enables research and technology
development not possible on Earth. As a public service enterprise,
the ISS National Laboratory® allows researchers to
leverage this multiuser facility to improve quality of life on
Earth, mature space-based business models, advance science literacy
in the future workforce, and expand a sustainable and scalable
market in low Earth orbit. Through this orbiting national
laboratory, research resources on the ISS are available to support
non-NASA science, technology, and education initiatives from U.S.
government agencies, academic institutions, and the private sector.
The Center for the Advancement of Science in Space™
(CASIS™) manages the ISS National Lab, under Cooperative
Agreement with NASA, facilitating access to its permanent
microgravity research environment, a powerful vantage point in low
Earth orbit, and the extreme and varied conditions of space. To
learn more about the ISS National Lab, visit our
website.
As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, CASIS accepts corporate
and individual donations to help advance science in space for the
benefit of humanity. For more information, visit our donations
page.
Media Contact:
|
Patrick
O'Neill
|
|
904-806-0035
|
|
PONeill@ISSNationalLab.org
|
International
Space Station (ISS) National Laboratory
Managed by the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space, Inc.
(CASIS)
|
6905 N. Wickham Rd.,
Suite 500, Melbourne, FL 32940 • 321.253.5101 • www.ISSNationalLab.org
|
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SOURCE International Space Station National Lab