March 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?
The 13th annual International Space Station Research and Development Conference(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. will be held in Boston from July 29 to August 1. Don’t miss early bird pricing—register now. The call for abstracts for ISSRDC technical sessions is also now open.
Broadcast over Zoom, the briefing connected members of the media with ISSInternational Space Station National Lab researchers to learn more about investigations launching on NASA’s SpaceX CRS-30 mission.
Biopharmaceutical startup Oculogenex is leveraging the space environment to test a new gene therapy that could prevent and potentially reverse vision loss from age-related macular degeneration.
National Stem Cell Foundation researchers are continuing research using 3D models of the human brain derived from the cells of patients with neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s disease and primary progressive multiple sclerosis. Results could shed light on the mechanisms behind neuroinflammation associated with these conditions.
Biotechnology startup Encapsulate is testing its automated tumor-on-a-chip system 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 system could test how well different chemotherapy drugs work on a patient’s cancer cells.
Following a six-month stay on the ISS, four astronauts returned to Earth. Read about their achievements and the science investigations they worked on.
Funding Opportunities
A new advanced materials and manufacturing research opportunity is now open.
The ISS National Lab announced an in-space production applications(Abbreviation: InSPA) InSPA is an applied research and development program sponsored by NASA and the ISS National Lab aimed at demonstrating space-based manufacturing and production activities by using the unique space environment to develop, test, or mature products and processes that could have an economic impact. solicitation for concepts that further the areas of advanced materials and manufacturing. Concept summaries are due May 2, 2024. Full details here.
Results
A new compilation issue of Upward was released.
Read about exciting results from space-based R&D in the official magazine of the ISS National Lab. Download the Volume 5 compilation issue and other issues here
Orbit Fab’s in-space refueling port is commercially available. The startup announced its RAFTI refueling port is now flight-qualified. Previously, Orbit Fab leveraged the ISS National Lab to validate its tanker technology for in-space refueling. Learn more about the company’s ISS National Lab-sponsored R&D here.
Workforce Development and STEM Education
The ISS National Lab held a webinar on its education-focused solicitation. The webinar discussed a recent announcement soliciting proposals for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and workforce development opportunities. Full details here.
Student-led research was published in a scientific journal. Kristoff Misquitta, the high school student winner of the 2020 Genes in Space™ competition, published the results of his investigation in the journal PLOS ONE. His project validated a new inexpensive fluorescence viewer for rapid molecular diagnostics in space. Read about other 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. student publications here.
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