JAXA Mouse Habitat Unit
Short Name:The short name or acronym of the facility. JAXA MHU
Facility Description
In-space experiments using mammals are one of the life science fields where researchers are in high demand. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) has developed Japan’s first in-space mouse habitat unit. Living in space causes a variety of physiological changes, including weakened bones and muscles, lowered immune function, and a worsened sense of balance. Such symptoms are similar to those associated with aging, except that their progression is much faster in space.
Mouse studies on the International Space Station (ISSInternational Space Station) provide an accelerated platform for aging research, which can help us understand the mechanisms of aging-related symptoms and develop methods for preventing and treating them. Mouse research also gives us valuable information about how humans can operate in space over longer times and distances. Available in partnership with Redwire, the Mouse Habitat Facility, mounted on a centrifuge in the Japanese Kibo laboratory aboard the ISS, is available for researchers now.
Availability:The general availability status of the facility. Please contact the facility manager
ISS Environment:The facility location (internal or external to the ISS.) Internal
Owner:The entity that owns the facility. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
Operator/Implementation Partner:The entity or ISS National Lab Implementation Partner that operates the facility.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
Developer(s):The entity, or entities, that developed the facility.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
Facility Manager:The name of the facility manager and their organization.
Yoshinosuke Ito,
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
Manager Email:The facility manager's email address.
yoshinosuke.ito.ha@ds.mhi.com
Parent Facility:Any facility that is necessary to operate the facility described on this webpage. i.e., a parent facility is one level higher in the operational hierarachy. CBEF
Child Facility:Facilities that can be operated within the facility described on this webpage.
Sponsoring Space Agency:The government space agency that sponsors investigations that use the facility. JAXA
Equipment Category:"The facility's ISS National Lab equipment designation type. Designations include:
1. ISS National Lab Commercial Service Provider (CSP) Facility
2. Support Hardware
3. Capability Capability
Additional Information:Additional resources to learn more about the facility.
The Mitsubishi Mouse Habitat Unit is available in partnership with Redwire Space.
iss054e032753 (2/2/2018) --- A view of Japanese Aerospace Agency (JAXA) astronaut Norishige Kanai working to install Mouse Habitat Unit (MHU) Interface (I/F) Units in Cell Biology Experiment Facility (CBEF) Incubator Units (IUs). Photo was taken in the Kibo Japanese Experiment Pressurized Module (JPM).