June 2024
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?
Boeing is partnering with NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration and the ISSInternational Space Station National Lab on the investigation, in which crew members collect samples from the ISS water recovery system (WRS) and use 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. microbiology tools to achieve the first accurate and complete genomic profile of the WRS.
Kate Darling, a leader in exploring the intersection of robotics and society, will discuss intelligent machines during the 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.), which will be held in Boston from July 29 to August 1. Register now.
ISS National Lab CEO Ray Lugo contributed to a Nature Reviews Materials perspective.
Several investigators who have conducted ISS National Lab-sponsored research are also authors of the paper, which discusses material technologies for space medicine and the benefits of space medicine research for people on Earth.
A Space News article highlighted HPE’s updated Spaceborne Computer.
The article focuses on how Hewlett Packard Enterprise is using Spaceborne-2.5, which launched to station earlier this year, to test artificial intelligence (AI) for space applications.
Partner News
Astronauts launched to the ISS on Boing’s Starliner for its first Crew Flight Test. This initial launch, through NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, is an important step in verifying the capabilities of Starliner to transport crew and supplies to the space station.
Virgin Galactic launched the final flight of the VSS Unity space plane. This is Unity’s seventh mission. It will retire ahead of the company’s new “Delta” class of spacecraft, which will begin rolling out in 2026.
Vast Space signed a cargo services agreement with The Exploration Co. of Munich. The Exploration Co.is developing a reusable space capsule that could be used to supply cargo to Vast’s Second Haven space station.
SpaceX successfully launched its Starship megarocket for its fourth test flight. The goals were to bring Starships’first-stage booster down for a soft splashdown and achieve a controlled reentry of the upper stage.
LEO Market Update
The space industry is showing signs of a gradual broadening of investment mix. Read more on the latest developments in the space economy in an investment perspective from ISS National Lab Director of Investment and Economic Analysis Sven Eenmaa.
Funding Opportunities
An ISS National Lab technology development solicitation is closing soon. The ISS National Lab seeks projects that leverage the ISS to develop, test, or mature products and processes with a demonstrated potential to produce near-term positive economic impact. Concept summaries will be accepted through July 12, 2024. Full details here.
The Humans in Space Challenge is accepting applications through June 27. The competition, hosted by Boryung Corp., invites startups and researchers to submit proposals for research to tackle healthcare challenges in astronauts during spaceflight or to leverage the space environment to solve health problems on Earth. Equity investment and in-orbit research opportunities are available through the challenge. To learn more, go to www.humansinspaceofficial.com.
Results
The latest issue of Upward, official magazine of the ISS National Lab, is online. Explore valuable findings from space-based R&D—download the current and past issues here.
MIT 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. research in space could lead to new osteoarthritis treatments on Earth. Read the Upward feature “From Root Cause to Remedy” to see how MIT used an innovative tissue chip model 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. to better understand the initiation and progression of post-traumatic osteoarthritis.
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