SpaceX CRS-24 Launching Multiple Life Science Investigations to the International Space Station

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER (FL), December 15, 2021 – The 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. environment on the International Space Station (ISSInternational Space Station) has a profound impact on cells and tissues, allowing researchers to conduct life sciences research in ways not possible on the ground. SpaceX’s 24th Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) mission to the orbiting laboratory will deliver a variety of life science payloads sponsored by the ISS National Laboratory. From stem cell research on neurodegenerative diseases to a tissue chipA tissue chip, or organ-on-a-chip or microphysiological system, is a small engineered device containing human cells and growth media to model the structure and function of human tissues and/or organs. Using tissue chips in microgravity, researchers can study the mechanisms behind disease and test new treatments for patients on Earth. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has a multiyear partnership with the ISS National Laboratory® to fund tissue chip research on the space station. experiment studying the blood-brain barrier and an investigation testing the use of bacteria to protect DNA from the stresses of spaceflight—the research launching on this mission is helping to improve the quality of life for people on Earth.

Microgravity affects organisms—from bacteria to humans—inducing changes such as altered gene expression and DNA regulation, changes in cellular function and physiology, and 3D aggregation of cells. Research leveraging these effects can drive advances in pharmaceutical development, disease modeling, regenerative medicine, and many other areas within the life sciences. Below are highlights of several life sciences investigations sponsored by the ISS National Laboratory that are launching on SpaceX CRS-24.

The National Stem Cell Foundation is collaborating with the Exomedicine Institute on a unique 3D study of neurodegeneration in the absence of gravity using cells from patients with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) and Parkinson’s disease (PD). This marks the first time that disease-specific cells from patients with PPMS and PD will be studied on the ISS to observe the cell-to-cell interactions of neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation when the gravitational forces affecting cells on Earth are removed. Results from this investigation, which is supported by ISS National Lab Commercial Service ProviderImplementation Partners that own and operate commercial facilities for the support of research on the ISS or are developing future facilities. Space Tango, could further enhance knowledge regarding the genetic makeup of these debilitating diseases.

Boston-based pharmaceutical company Emulate is launching an investigation using proprietary tissue chip technology to examine the effects of microgravity on the blood-brain barrier. This project, funded by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (part of the National Institutes of Health), builds on an initial tissue chip investigation that Emulate launched in 2019. Tissue chips contain human cells grown on an artificial scaffold to model the structure and function of human tissue. For this study, Emulate will use its Brain-Chip, which consists of living neuronal and vascular endothelial cells in a micro-engineered environment. The blood-brain barrier is a semi-permeable barrier that allows selective passage of certain molecules and gases while preventing the passage of others. It is a critical component involved in maintaining homeostasis, and disruption of the barrier can lead to or cause neurological dysfunction or disease. Results from this investigation, which is also supported by Space Tango, may provide insight into the relationship between inflammation and brain function, leading to a better understanding of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

DNA components are integral to synthetic biology and bioengineering of organisms for a variety of applications, such as producing pharmaceuticals, improving consumer products, and developing clean plastics. An investigation from ISS National Lab Commercial Service Provider Rhodium Scientific, in collaboration with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, will test the use of specific bacterial strains to protect and preserve DNA during the stresses of launch, in-orbit stowage, and return to Earth. Results could help to create more rugged biological components and advance these technologies for use in space and in extreme environments on Earth.

These are only a few of the ISS National Lab-sponsored investigations launching on SpaceX CRS-24. This mission, contracted by NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration, is slated to launch no earlier than December 21 at 5:06 a.m. EST from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. To learn more about all ISS National Lab-sponsored research launching on this mission, please visit our launch page.

Media Contact:
Patrick O’Neill
904-806-0035
PONeill@ISSNationalLab.org

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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 Lab allows researchers to leverage this multiuser facility to improve 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(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.. 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, Inc. (CASIS(Abbreviation: CASIS™) The nonprofit organization that manages the ISS National Lab, which receives at least 50 percent of the U.S. research allocation on the International Space Station to facilitate research that benefits humanity (NASA manages the other 50% and focuses on research for space exploration purposes).) manages the ISS National Lab, under Cooperative AgreementA cooperative agreement is Federal assistance that establishes a relationship between the U.S. Government and a recipient in which the principal purpose of the relationship is to accomplish a public purpose of support or stimulation.  Since 2011, the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space™ (CASIS™) has managed the National Laboratory® through a Cooperative Agreement with NASA. 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 issnationallab.org.

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