NASA’s SpaceX CRS-31 Mission Overview

SpaceX’s 31^st Commercial Resupply Services mission(Abbreviation: CRS mission) A CRS mission is a cargo resupply mission contracted by NASA to deliver supplies and research to the International Space Station on commercial spacecraft as part of the CRS contract with three commercial companies. As part of CRS missions, experiments currently return to Earth on SpaceX Dragon spacecraft that splash down in the ocean. for NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration is slated to launch to the International Space Station (ISSInternational Space Station) no earlier than Monday, November 4 at 9:29 p.m. ET from Launch Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Onboard the Dragon spacecraft are more than two dozen payloads sponsored by the ISS National Laboratory®. These projects intend to bring value to humanity and enable commerce in low Earth orbit(Abbreviation: LEO) The orbit around the Earth that extends up to an altitude of 2,000 km (1,200 miles) from Earth’s surface. The International Space Station’s orbit is in LEO, at an altitude of approximately 250 miles.. Below highlights the ISS National Lab-sponsored investigations launching to the space station on this mission.

ASTROBEAT
Malta College of Arts, Science, and Technology
Principal Investigator (PI): Leonardo Barilaro

This investigation aims to use cold welding to apply metal patches to samples that simulate a spacecraft hull damaged from a hypervelocity impact. The investigation will be done in a Voyager Space Nanolab. Cold welding is a process that bonds similar metallic materials using force or pressure instead of heat. This technology could one day be used to safely repair space platforms and ensure their long-term viability, which would help to address the growing concern of space debris.

Implementation Partner(Abbreviation: IP) Commercial companies that work with the ISS National Lab to provide services related to payload development, including the translation of ground-based science to a space-based platform.: Voyager Space

Astrobee-REACCH
Kall Morris, Inc.
PI: Austin Morris

This project aims to test a new system for space debris removal in microgravityThe condition of perceived weightlessness created when an object is in free fall, for example when an object is in orbital motion. Microgravity alters many observable phenomena within the physical and life sciences, allowing scientists to study things in ways not possible on Earth. The International Space Station provides access to a persistent microgravity environment.. The REACCH capture system has tentacle-like arms with electrostatic adhesive pads that allow it to capture floating debris. The project will test REACCH in a simulated active debris removal mission using Astrobee, an autonomous robot on the ISS. Astrobee will stand in as a space debris removal spacecraft carrying REACCH to a free-floating object for capture. REACCH will unfurl its arms and attach to the object without harming it. Testing on station will allow the team to raise the technology readiness level(Abbreviation: TRL) A measurement system used to assess the maturity level of a particular technology. There are nine technology readiness levels, and technology progresses from TRL 1 to TRL 9. of REACCH, bringing the system closer to commercialization. By clearing space debris, the REACCH system will help protect critical U.S. infrastructure in orbit that is used for internet communication, weather prediction, GPS and navigation, and financial transactions. It will also clear slots in orbit for infrastructure that has not yet launched.

Implementation Partner: Voyager Space

Biomimetic Fabrication of Multifunctional DNA-Inspired Nanomaterials
University of Connecticut
PI: Yupeng Chen

This project aims to use microgravity to improve the production of Janus base nanomaterials (JBNs). These materials, which have a structure that mimics human DNA, can be used to develop new therapeutics and vaccines. JBNs are produced through a self-assembly process. In microgravity, JBNs may assemble more slowly and orderly. The research team will see if JBNs produced in space are more stable and function better than those made on Earth. This project, which builds on a past ISS National Lab-sponsored project from this team that was funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation, could help lead to commercial therapeutic products that are mass-produced in space for patients on Earth.

Implementation Partner: Axiom Space

Collaborative: Effect of Microgravity on Growth of Metal-Organic Framework
Stanford University
PI: Debbie Senesky

This project aims to study the effects of microgravity on the growth and properties of metal-organic framework (MOF) crystals. MOFs are a unique class of materials with valuable applications in chemical processing, electronics, and more. However, many applications require large, high-quality MOF crystals. It is hard to grow large crystals on Earth because of gravity-driven convective flows. These flows result in small, defect-prone crystals that are not uniform in size and shape. In microgravity, convection is removed, and space-grown crystals may be larger and have fewer defects than those grown on Earth. The project could also shed light on how the microgravity environment affects a material’s structure and physical properties. This project was funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF).

Implementation Partner: Redwire Space

Efficient and Resilient Biomanufacturing in Variable Gravity – Mission 3
University of Florida
PI: Amor Menezes

This project continues research examining how microgravity affects biomanufacturing using engineered bacteria and yeast. Microgravity is known to cause changes in cell growth, cell structure, and metabolic activity in microbes, which can affect biomanufacturing performance. Results could help overcome these challenges and advance the use of microbes to make food, pharmaceuticals, and other products in space, reducing the need for costly transport of equipment and consumables from Earth.

Implementation Partner: Rhodium Scientific

GOALI: Transients and Instabilities in Flow Boiling and Condensation
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
PI: Joel Plawsky

This project seeks to study flow boiling and condensation behavior in microgravity to improve understanding of these processes for heat transfer applications both on Earth and in space. The ISS provides a unique platform to study these processes without the masking effects of gravity. Results will inform the design and operation technology related to water treatment and the storage and the transport of medical fluids. Findings could also inform space-based applications such as cryogenic propulsion and in-space fueling of spacecraft. This investigation was funded by NSF.

Implementation Partner: Voyager Space

Pharmaceutical In-space Laboratory – 04 (PIL-04)
ExesaLibero Pharma
PI: John Barnett

This project aims to leverage microgravity to crystallize proteins associated with ExesaLibro Pharma’s novel drug, known as ELP-004, which prevents excess bone removal associated with numerous diseases—most notably rheumatoid arthritis. The project, which will use Redwire Space’s Pharmaceutical In-space Laboratory, could lead to enhancements in the ELP-004 therapeutic.

Implementation Partner: Redwire Space

PIL-BOX-05
Bristol Myers Squibb
PI: Robert Garmise

This project seeks to crystalize model small molecule compounds in space. Crystals grown in microgravity are often larger and more well-ordered than those grown on the ground and could have improved morphology (geometric shape). Through this project, Bristol Myers Squibb will build on its legacy of protein crystallization on the space station, and results could support the manufacturing of more effective therapeutics.

Implementation Partner: Redwire Space

Space Entanglement and Annealing QUantum Experiment (SEAQUE)
University of Illinois
PI: Paul Kwiat

This project aims to demonstrate hardware needed for new, secure communications through a future quantum network. Quantum communications have the potential to be impossible to intercept and tamper-proof, leading to ultra-secure communications. This experiment will test several technologies required for quantum communications, including the self-repair of radiation damage to the hardware through laser treatments. To test the hardware’s self-repair capabilities in the harsh space environment, the project will use the MISSE Flight FacilityThe Materials International Space Station Experiment Flight Facility is a hardware platform on the exterior of the ISS that provides exposure to the harsh space conditions for the accelerated testing of materials and technologies with important applications both in space and on Earth. This ISS National Lab commercial facility is owned and operated by Aegis Aerospace., which is mounted to the exterior of the space station. Results from this project could help pave the way for quantum space nodes, which are satellites or spacecraft with technology that enables secure global quantum communication.

Implementation Partner: Aegis Aerospace

Student Spaceflight Experiments Program – Mission 18
National Center for Earth and Space Science Education
PI: Jeff Goldstein

More than 35 student investigations are launching as part of this Student Spaceflight Experiments Program (SSEP) mission. SSEP provides yearly opportunities for students in communities around the world to propose experiments that could be done on the ISS using Mixstix testing tubes. This year, more than 2,000 proposals were submitted from students for this opportunity, and investigations flying include a variety of plant biology and life science experiments.

Implementation Partner: Voyager Space

Mechanisms of Microgravity Accelerated Aging on Human Brain Organoids
University of California San Diego
PI: Allyson Muotri

This project seeks to improve understanding of neurological disease by growing brain organoids in microgravity. With prolonged exposure to microgravity, the organs in our bodies adapt, resulting in physiological alterations that can resemble disease, aging, and cognitive decline. Organoids assembled from human neural stem cells serve as models of the brain. The research team hypothesizes that in space, microgravity-induced alterations in brain organoids may trigger inflammation that accelerates aging, providing a unique model for neurological disease. This study builds on previous spaceflight research to improve disease models for late-onset neurological conditions and could aid in the discovery of new treatments on Earth. This project was funded by NSF.

Implementation Partner: Space Tango

Reproductive Rate of Algae in Microgravity vs on Earth
Magnitude.IO
PI: Ted Tagami

This student-led experiment aims to test the reproductive rate of algae in microgravity versus on Earth. The experiment will specifically use the diatom species of algae. Diatoms produce 20-30% of the air we breathe, are extremely sustainable, and could one day be used as a biofuel or food source in space.

Implementation Partner: Space Tango

Studying the Effects of Microgravity on 3D Cardiac Organoid Cultures
Oregon State University
PI: Binata Joddar

This project aims to study the effects of microgravity on heart physiology. Cardiac atrophy, the loss of cardiac tissue mass that leads to heart problems, occurs in patients with cancer, diabetes, sepsis, muscle loss conditions, and other diseases. The research team will study microgravity-induced cardiac atrophy in a 3D-printed cardiac organoid system. Results will help improve our fundamental understanding of heart cell and tissue function in patients with cardiac atrophy on Earth. This project is funded by NSF.

Implementation Partner: Space Tango

Thermophoresis in Quiescent Non-Newtonian Fluids for Bioseparations
Lehigh University
PI: James Gilcrest

This project seeks to measure the thermophoretic motion of particles (the movement of particles due to a thermal gradient) in complex fluids in microgravity. On the ISS, researchers are able study the thermophoretic motion of particles in isolation, without effects from gravity-driven buoyancy and sedimentation. Results from this investigation could be used to improve devices that detect disease in blood samples. This project is funded by NSF.

Implementation Partner: Tec-Masters