August 2023
Welcome to Space Station Spotlight, a new monthly newsletter from the ISS National Laboratory. Here’s where you can find all the latest R&D happenings on the space station, see what our partners are up to, and learn how you can elevate your research to new heights by leveraging the unique space environment.
What’s new at the ISS National Lab?
The mission included a variety of scientific payloads sponsored by the ISSInternational Space Station National Lab, including an NSF-funded investigation designed to improve the efficiency of heat transfer devices. Learn more on the NG-19 launch page.
Led by NASA’s Jasmine Moghbeli, the crew of four multinational astronauts launched on August 26 and will work on a variety of ISS National Lab-sponsored investigations during their time on station.
One of these investigations is part of a collaboration between researchers at Stanford University and UC Berkeley to develop higher-quality graphene aerogel for many important applications on Earth.
Privateer developed a version of its Wayfinder tool that will provide space traffic information to those interested in leveraging the orbiting laboratory for research purposes. Read more here.
ISSRDC Highlights
The 12th annual ISS Research and Development Conference (ISSRDC(Abbreviation: ISSRDC) The only conference dedicated exclusively to showcasing how the International Space Station is advancing science and technology and enabling a robust and sustainable market in LEO. This annual conference brings together leaders from the commercial sector, U.S. government agencies, and academic communities to foster innovation and discovery onboard the space station. ISSRDC is hosted by the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space, manager of the ISS National Lab; NASA; and the American Astronautical Society.), held in Seattle earlier this month, was a huge success. This year’s event included a dynamic range of topics and speakers, providing networking opportunities and the chance for attendees to discover how to take their research to new heights.
Day 1 featured talks on innovation in the new space age. One such chat featuring Arun Sharma of Cedars-Sinai and Stefanie Countryman of BioServe Space Technologies highlighted cardiovascular research discussed in the latest issue of Upward magazine.
On Day 2, attendees were treated to talks discussing how the space station continues to serve as a valuable science platform. Susan Margulies of the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) discussed some of the science investigations the agency has sponsored over the years and how crucial the platform is to improving lives on Earth.
Day 3 focused on STEM education, workforce development, and how to inspire and support the next generation of scientists, engineers, and researchers. Maynard Okereke, the Hip Hop M.D., moderated a panel that discussed how to fill gaps in the industry, while another panel of international partners discussed what various agencies around the world were doing to encourage workforce development and STEM education.
Did you miss this year’s conference? Head over to our ISSRDC 2023 Online Series to catch up on all the keynotes and sessions you might have missed or would love to watch again.
Partner News
In June, Redwire Space, an 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. (CSP), was awarded a follow-on contractfrom Boeing to develop two additional Roll-Out Solar Arrays (iROSA) for the ISS. The iROSAs augment the space station’s power supply to support critical research and space operations. Redwire previously developed and delivered six iROSA wings, with the sixth installed by NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration astronauts on June 15.
Leidos, an ISS National Lab Implementation Partner, jumped to number 115 on Forbes’ sixth annual ranking of America’s Best Employers for Diversity, climbing 372 places from its previous spot.
ISS National Lab Commercial Service Provider BioServe Space Technologies launched a new facility called the BioServe Centrifuge, a mechanical device used to separate substances of differing densities (ranging from DNA to sedimentation samples) for use in several fields of research. Multiple forthcoming investigations will utilize the BioServe Centrifuge.
The ISS National Lab collaborated with Redwire, Microsoft, and Marvel Studios to promote an education outreach initiative inspired by “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.” Redwire will 3D print a Zune on station as part of the initiative, which will include accompanying STEM education materials.
Funding Opportunities
A major ISS National Lab research announcement to advance research on cancer and other diseases was announced. the Igniting Innovation research announcement, the ISS National Lab is partnering with NASA’s Biological and Physical Sciences Division to offer resources and up to $5 million in total funding for multiple translational and transformative research and technology development projects. Concept Summaries are due September 26, 2023. Learn more here.
Results
The latest issue of Upward, official magazine of the ISS National Lab, delves into exciting results from space-based R&D. Download the issue here.
In this issue, the feature “Stem Cells and Space” details how scientists are leveraging the orbiting laboratory for research that could lead to new and improved treatments for heart disease on Earth.
Workforce Development and STEM Education
The ISS National Lab honored two of its Space Station Ambassadors with awards for excellence in STEM education. Kacy Heins was presented with the Exceptional Educator Award, and Steve Jones was chosen as the second recipient of the Tony So Excellence in Education Award. Read more about these educators here.
Isabel Jiang was selected as the newest winner of the Genes in SpaceAn annual national research competition for students in grades 7 through 12 to design pioneering biotechnology experiments that are conducted by astronauts on the space station. The program is funded by Boeing and miniPCR bio and supported by the ISS National Laboratory® and New England BioLabs. annual student competition. Jiang, who was one of five finalists, is a high school student from Hillsborough, CA. Her project, which aims to investigate the mechanisms that make make latent viruses reactive in space, will fly to the ISS sometime next year. Read more here.