First ISS National Lab-Sponsored Payloads Berthed to the International Space Station

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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL. (January 13, 2014) The Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (the ISS National Lab), is proud to announce its first sponsored payloads berthed with the International Space Station (ISS) on Sunday, January 12. Orbital Sciences Corporation’s Cygnus capsule successfully berthed with the ISS, marking the completion of its first full ISS resupply mission. the ISS National Lab is tasked with managing and promoting research on board the ISS U.S. National Laboratory.

Research on board Orbital’s Cygnus capsule included a range of experiments from physical science, life sciences and education related payloads. On its test flight in September 2013, the Cygnus capsule transported three the ISS National Lab-funded education payloads from the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program (SSEP). However, this flight signifies the first major payloads that the ISS National Lab brokered through its own outreach activities.

Below is an overview of the major payloads now on board the ISS sponsored by the ISS National Lab:

Antibiotic Effectiveness in Space (AES-1)
Dr. David Klaus, Colorado University-Boulder

This investigation will examine how spaceflight-induced changes in bacterial susceptibility to antibiotics relate to antibiotic resistance in disease treatment on Earth. By studying physical and gene expression changes in bacteria in space, scientists hope to uncover the mechanisms involved in antibiotic susceptibility and resistance. This may help in identifying new targets for antibiotics or new approaches to reduce resistance of disease-causing bacteria.

Ants In Space (CSI-06)
Dr. Deborah Gordon, Stanford University

This experiment analyzes the interrelationship between the interaction rate of a group of ants and the density of the group in normal gravity conditions versus microgravity. This and related experiments are designed to engage the K-12 community on Earth in near real-time ISS science.

Binary Colloidal Alloy Test: Low Gravity Phase Kinetics Platform (BCAT-KP)
Dr. Matthew Lynch, Procter & Gamble with Zin Technologies

This investigation will use the absence of buoyancy-driven convection in microgravity to examine aspects of complex fluid physics — specifically, the movement of particles within colloids and the way these mixtures crystallize, melt and undergo phase separation. A fundamental understanding of the underlying physics needed to stabilize everyday commercial products may help in the development of new colloidal materials and product formulations with unique properties. These improved products may have enhanced performance, longer shelf life and lower manufacturing costs.

Story Time From Space
Patricia Tribe, T2 Sciences & Math Education Consultants and Dr. Jeffrey Bennett, Author

This project aims to bring space station science to communities through the simple beauty of reading a book to a child. Crewmembers on the International Space Station host Story Time From Space by producing videotaped readings from a children’s book, which are later broadcast on Earth. The astronauts also complete simple demonstrations that accompany the science, technology, engineering and math concepts in the books. The videos are edited and posted to an online library, with related educational materials, for use by educators and parents.

National Center for Earth and Space Science Education – Falcon NR Module-9 (S/N1007)
Dr. Jeff Goldstein, Executive Director

As part of the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program (SSEP), the ISS National Lab has funded a variety of student experiments that will be investigated on board the ISS.

Cygnus also carried up a historic mission from NanoRacks, which is a the ISS National Lab enabler. The mission payload includes 33 satellites, biologicals (partly funded by the ISS National Lab), new NanoRacks research hardware and 16 sets of NanoRacks’ CubeSat deployers, all taken together which usher in a robust era of station utilization, of which the ISS National Lab is proud to support. Additionally, the Cygnus capsule carried many National Laboratory payloads transitioned to the ISS National Lab management upon inception of the organization in late 2011. These investigations combined with the ISS National Lab-brokered research equal the largest National Laboratory payload delivery ever to the ISS.

“The past few days have been the most important to date for our organization,” said President and Executive Director, Gregory H. Johnson. “the ISS National Lab congratulates our launch partner, Orbital Sciences Corporation, for successfully launching and transitioning research to the International Space Station. With this successful mission, the ISS National Lab now has research that we have brokered on board the station and we are extremely confident that future missions will have an even greater presence of quality research, benefitting humankind.”

In February 2014, fellow launch provider Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX) is slated to send additional the ISS National Lab-sponsored investigations on board its Dragon capsule. To learn more about the research destined for the ISS during the first official launch increment period for the ISS National Lab, Advancing Research Knowledge 1 (ARK1).

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About the ISS National Lab: The Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (the ISS National Lab) was selected by NASA in July 2011 to maximize use of the International Space Station (ISS) U.S. National Laboratory through 2020. the ISS National Lab is dedicated to supporting and accelerating innovations and new discoveries that will enhance the health and wellbeing of people and our planet. For more information, visit issnationallab.org. 

About the ISS National Laboratory: In 2005, Congress designated the U.S. portion of the International Space Station as the nation’s newest national laboratory to maximize its use for improving life on Earth, promoting collaboration among diverse users and advancing STEM education. This unique laboratory environment is available for use by other U.S. government agencies and by academic and private institutions, providing access to the permanent microgravity setting, vantage point in low earth orbit and varied environments of space.

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