Experiment - Blog Posts

I don't have a name for him yet, but I had a dream where I was like some sort of experiment and I could glow and shit, but I had to draw him cause I thought it was cool

Manga experiment swag

Mc oc, Phonk. He is an isekai’d dude trapped in the stitch body

Day 31: Today’s special: torture || Experiment 

I didn’t add a speech bubble but Overhaul is basically testing the limits of erasure and seeing if it works with only one eye

just because i want to be killed with a rock doesn't mean i'm a bottom. just because just because i want to be suspended in the fluid—with tubes, cables, catheters connected to my body by means of electrods, needles, insertions—just because i want there to be several individuals at terminals or with clipboards and bic cristals observing me behind their thick glasses and lush tresses obscuring their faces partially with their stacked leather heels softly sharply striking the cold concrete floor of the facility doesn't make me a bottom. JUST BECAUSE nanomachines diluted in the fluid are stitching up a wound in my side while my hair undulates .. wistfully.. . just because equipment is lowered into the tank with me guided by the low whine of servos—listen: just because my hips are drawn on their own, wistful like much else of me, to the smooth ridged tip of the machine doesn't mean i'm a bottom okay?

visited the the scientist who reanimated my corpse for a checkup, he said im all good and i get to stay for a little longer

“Over here we have our latest experiment C1TR4 they are a humanoid cyborg feline, they have Enhanced vision (night vision and thermal sensors). Retractable claws capable of cutting through metal. Superhuman agility and reflexes. Hidden compartments in their robotic limbs for tools or weapons.” The scientist would bang on the glass to get C1TR4 away from the window “I apologize for the bothersome noise they are making a few volts should keep them quiet.”

The Madman

Descendent of God

They marched into the village. It was still early. The Sun had just dawned and the cock hadn't crown yet. Behind them lay already the soldiers who were supposed to watch the road.

Finally. After all these years in that goddamn dungeon someone saw my potential. Someone saw that my power, my lust for destruction isn't something bad, it's useful. He snapped with his fingers and a spark emerged from them. It flew to a house in an instant. WOOOSHH The house was ablaze an instant later.

Mwuahahuahahua After all those years... His eyes started glowing red. He snapped his fingers again and another house stood ablaze. ...I nearly forgot how much fun this is Hahahahahaha Burning people started running out of the houses. Screaming out of pain.

'Go. Do has he told you. Don't let a single one survive. All Hail the King' Mwuhahuahahuaha

Picture Crimson Mage by Izzy Medrano

Music Descendent of God by DeVso Music

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

Did a blind contour. Not disappointed in the slightest. Its beautiful😀.

You're amazing, all of your works deserve a smooch and every time I see them I just wanna snuggle up to my phone and hug it and cry into my pillow

Totally didn't take me days just to say this

It did ;;

Hiki!! ♥ I totally didn't see this ask until now, I'm so sorry,,,

Here is an Ezra I never really shared on my art blogs but you get a special boi for this heartwarming message (seriously melts my heart each time I reread it)

I'm looking forward to spending more time with you my friend and I believe in you ♥♥ Stay awesome, friend

Soups, Stews and Chili - Cream Soup - Cream of Mushroom Soup Favorite cream of mushroom soup can be made using this recipe. Any type of mushroom will do; great choices include button, shiitake, cremini, and wild.

Potato - Lithuanian Kugela

A Night To Remember

This wasn’t our normal Thursday night out as my wife, Anna, had an old college friend, Scott, that had come to town. It turned out that Scott had landed a role within her company, just within another division of it. He was here at her office for training. Scott had reached out to Anna to see if we wanted to meet for dinner and some drinks after he got settled into his hotel room.

Anna had always spoken highly of Scott and had told some really funny stories from their time in college. So naturally when I heard Scott was going to be here, I agreed to dinner and drinks. I told Anna that we should pick Scott up from his hotel and take him to our favorite restaurant. Anna loved this idea so she ran it by Scott. Scott thought that was a great idea as well and couldn’t wait.

The evening came and Anna met me at the house so she could freshen up as I changed out of my suit. Anna has always been a lady that would catch the eye of every man in the room. When she stepped out of the room and I saw her, I felt my jaw drop and my heart stop for a minute. Anna had pulled her hair up halfway and flipped it around itself in the back. Her make up, as always, was spot on, but it was her dress that was the star of the night with how it showcased her body. It was a tight, sleeveless black dress that came to just above her knees. It was low cut in the front, showing off her natural breasts. She had a silver necklace that hung just between them, the light catching and shining off of the silver drew your attention to it and her cleavage. Anna knew this and loved the attention from all the guys for this. As she walked by me I turned to see the back of the dress. The back dipped down to the small of her back so it was clear she wasn’t wearing a bra with this dress. It was showing off that sexy little lower back tattoo she got in college. The dress hugged her hips so smoothly that there was also no way Anna had panties on underneath this dress.

I said I would drive as we went to get into the truck. I opened the door for Anna to climb up into the passenger seat. She placed her right foot on the running board and stepped up into the truck. It was at this moment the bottom of her dress rolled up and I was able to confirm that Anna did not have panties on. Seeing this made my mouth water and my heart race. She saw my face change, knowing how this excites me. All Anna said was, “Mark, you can have some of her later tonight, but right now we are running late to pick up Scott from the hotel.” I quickly shut the door, got in the driver’s seat of the truck and we headed off to the hotel to pick up Scott.

When we pulled up to the hotel Scott was waiting outside for us. I pulled up underneath the awning for us to get out and say hello. Anna opened the truck door and shifted her body to face out the door. As she did, she moved her right leg over and I saw her dress roll up again. It was then that Scott walked up to the door to give her a hug. As Scott was hugging Anna with his left arm he reached over to shake my hand with his right hand. After that Scott leaned back against the truck door to chat for a minute. I could see that Scott’s eyes kept looking down towards Anna’s crotch. I knew he could see her freshly waxed pussy. After a few minutes of talking, Anna told Scott to get in. Scott went to get into the truck when he said, “Oh! Wait just a minute for me.” He ran back into the hotel to emerge a couple of minutes later.

I took the alone time with Anna to ask her, “Anna, did you just show off your pussy to Scott?” Anna laughed at this and said, “Don’t worry, Mark! Scott’s seen it before as we casually fucked in college. Besides, Scott’s gay now so you don’t have anything to worry about.” I look at her again and asked her again, “Did you, Anna?” Anna looked me in the eyes and, with a smirk, said, “Mark… yes I did. Your wife just showed herself to another man right in front of you. How do you feel about that, Mark?”

Before I could answer Anna, she placed her hand on my crotch and felt how hard I was. That’s when Anna exclaimed, “Oh! Look at this! You’re hard, hunny! You love this Hotwife life!” Just as she finished her last word Scott opened the door and jumped in the truck.

Scott said, “Forgot my phone! So guys… what did I miss?!”

Anna gave a little laugh and said, “Nothing but Mark getting an erection from me showing you my married pussy!”

Scott quickly came back with, “Aww that’s sweet Mark, but don’t worry about me, man. I’m more likely to take you to bed than to take Anna to bed again.”

I looked at both of them, kind of in shock, but was able to ask if we all were ready to go eat. They both said yes with a laugh, so off we went.

We parked at the restaurant and I came around to help Anna out of the truck as Scott was getting out and shutting his door. It was that moment when Anna opened her legs and said, “Hey boys… take a look!”

I smiled and said playfully, “Anna, stop that! Someone other than us will see.” Scott said, “Don’t worry, Mark. Anna was like this all the time in college. She’s just enjoying being a sexy lady.”

We all went in and our table was ready. Anna had requested a table off in the back out of the flow of people. Once seated we ordered some food and got some drinks coming. After a few drinks we all loosened up and were chatting away like old friends do. Anna being Anna took the conversation dirty and asked Scott what he thought of her man she landed. Scott didn’t skip a beat, chiming in and telling Anna that if given the opportunity he would take me away from her. He further said that Anna landed a sexy man!

I was blushing as I’ve never had another man speak of me this way. That’s when Anna moved her hand over to my lap and could feel that the talk of a man finding me sexy made me aroused.

Anna took her hand, pressed down firmly on my cock, and with a devilish grin told Scott, “Your kind words have made Mark’s cock come to life!”

Thankfully that’s when another round of drinks showed up to the table. All I was thinking was, “I was saved by the drinks!” As I picked up my drink I saw right behind them was the food. Perfect timing.

We all ate then finished our third round of drinks. We talked for a little longer as we ordered a fourth round of drinks. The check showed up and, before I could reach for it, Scott handed the waitress his credit card to pay. I told him I would get it and he insisted, so I obliged and let him pay.

As we were leaving Scott was telling us about how he was upgraded at the hotel to the presidential suite that also comes with a free open mini bar and that we should come up for a nightcap and see just how big this suite was. Scott went on about the room to the point even I was wanting to see it. As we got back to the hotel we decided to grab that nightcap, so we parked and went up to the room.

Scott opened the door to the room. This was not any ordinary hotel room. There was an office desk area, a dining table, a bar area, a kitchen and a half bath. This was all just in the main area. As we walked through the sliding doors into the master bedroom there was a large chaise lounge in the corner with an oversized California king bed.

Anna took to the bed and said, “Well, boys… who’s making this queen a drink?” We both laughed and I told her I would. As I was making her a drink, I heard Anna tell Scott that she wasn’t wearing any panties because Mark took a liking to wearing them and has on some forest green Victoria’s Secret thongs right now.

I felt my heart start to pound harder and I heard Scott say, “That’s my favorite color!” Then, after a pause, Scott said, “Anna, I would love to see him in those!” That’s when Anna asked for me to come back into the room with her drink. As I walked in Anna told me that Scott would love to see me in the panties she bought for me. She then proceeded to tell Scott how I’m very Bi curious.

Scott, in a soft but oh so seductive voice, said that he’s very willing to take that curiosity and make it a reality for me.

Anna came back with that she would love to see this and that I would love to know how a real cock feels like. “You just love my strapon dildo so let Scott give this to you and I,” she then pleaded.

Before I could say anything Scott moved behind me as I was standing there about to hand Anna her drink. Scott placed his hands on my hips and said, “Anna has told me all about the kinky things you enjoy. You don’t have to worry about a thing Mark. I’ve got you and you’re in good hands with me.”

Anna came forward off of the bed to take her drink and gave me a kiss on the lips, telling me, “This was all planned out for your enjoyment and to experience this with a nice and trusting person we know. So relax and let this happen naturally.”

All I could do was nod my head yes to her. Anna then told Scott to go ahead as I had been wanting this.

That’s when Scott’s hands pulled me close to him. I could feel the heat off of his body next to mine. His hands were strongly gripping my hips as his lips lightly kissed my neck. Scott whispered to me, “Mark, you’re going to love this. Just let me lead you down this path of a spectacular, total body experience that will truly be one of a kind for you.” As this was said his left hand moved under the front of my shirt and up to my chest, pulling my upper body closer to his.

I was able to gather the words as I locked eyes with Anna and told Scott, “Yes, please take me as you want.” The largest, most joyous smile came across my loving wife’s face when those words slipped past my lips for all to hear as the passion started to increase.

Anna kept her eyes locked with mine as she moved over and slowly started to unbutton my pants. While Scott’s lips danced around my neck his hands running over my chest slowly and steadily, I felt my pants loosen and fall as then Scott’s hand pulled my shirt up and over my head.

Scott took me, turn me around, told me to step out of my shoes and pants for him. The manner of how he spoke those words to me, the firmness in his voice, with his body postured in a commanding way and his eyes locked with mine, I couldn’t overcome the compulsion to do as I was told.

As I stepped out of them Scott’s hand pushed me ever so slightly to guide me to take a step backwards towards the bed. I could feel the bed sheets ever so lightly touching my legs. Scott held one hand on my side and his other was sliding up my chest as he stared into my eyes. As his hand made its way up and around to the back of my head I could see a look of passion and lust for me coming over his face. Scott leaned in for a kiss, as our eyes closed, our lips locked and his hand so softly gripped my neck. It was just as if I was kissing Anna, but it wasn’t all at the same time. His lips softly pressing on mine as his hand moved my head to the other side and our lips opened just enough for them to slip into each other. As they did the kissing became stronger and Scott’s tongue pushed passed my lips into my mouth. I could not resist any longer. I fell into the moment with carnal lust for Scott and started to kiss him back. Just as I did I felt his other hand press against my cock. I was already so hard and I could feel his joy in discovering this from him smiling while we kept kissing.

Scott pulled his lips off of mine and told me to undress him but not to stop kissing him. I continued pushing my lips to his and started to undo his pants. Once undone I pushed them and his boxers to the floor all with one motion.

I pulled my head back from his lips to see his cock- there is was, not hard but hanging there in all its glory. It had to be 7” long and he was thick. All I could think was how big Scott must be once he’s hard. He saw me looking at it and moved in to kiss my neck and then my ear. That’s when Scott said, “Go on, Mark. Please just drop to your knees and put me in your mouth. We both want this so don’t fight it and go with what feels right to you. Be a good boy for me, drop to your knees, and use your mouth to make me as hard for you as you are for me.”

It was then that I knew this was all happening and there was no stopping it. I truly wanted this and Scott knew it. I moved my hand to his hips while I sat on the bed. His massive cock was there right in my face. I could feel my mouth start to water as my imagination was running wild with how fun this is going to be. I opened my mouth, turned my head so slightly, and took his cock in. As my lips closed around his cock I heard Scott start making a very playful and pleasurable sound of enjoyment.

I felt his cock start to slowly rise to the occasion. It kept growing and growing in my mouth and soon it was fully hard. I pulled my head back to see it. There he was, so hard from having my lips wrapped around his cock with my mind thinking, “Yes. Yes, my lips did that to this gorgeous man standing in front of me.”

As I was looking at Scott’s enormous cock I found my eyes starting to wander upwards to his washboard abs and to his perfectly chiseled chest. He moved his head down to look at me. As our eyes met and locked in on each other, his hands softly landed on each side of my face. He leaned down, kissed my lips a few times, then told me to slide back on the bed.

I went to kiss him again but he placed a finger over my lips and looked me in the eyes and just said, “Back.” His commanding voice had my insides shaking as I knew he meant it. I moved up onto the bed and felt Anna sitting there. Anna placed a hand on my shoulder, pulling me back and laying me down. Anna moved over so my head was laying in her lap with her hand caressing my hair.

I looked down the bed to see what Scott was doing. He was turned and reaching for a bottle on the dresser. He turned back and stepped to the bed while he was applying the bottle’s contents to his huge cock. I hurriedly removed my panties. As I did, Scott grinned and said, “I may like what’s underneath them more than the panties themselves!”

Scott leaned down, took his hand to move my legs apart and upwards as he crawled up the bed to between my legs. His hand that had applied lube to his cock was now firmly placed between my cheeks. I heard Anna speak up and say, “Scott, make sure you lube up Mark’s Boi pussy well as he’s going to need it to take you all the way.” I could see a smile coming on Scott’s face and I said, “Yes, please, Sir. Lots of lube for me!”

Scott replied, “Umm, Sir? I like the way that sounds! You keep calling me Sir as I take what’s now mine and that’s your boi pussy,” As he finished his sentence he pushed two fingers into me. They went in with such ease that Scott said, “Wow! So let’s add a third finger!” and he did.

After a few gentle movements of his fingers penetrating me, Scott leaned over, kissed my neck, and told me that he’s going to slowly press his massive cock into me and I’m going to fall in love with his cock just like Anna did so many years ago. In that moment I could not think as I could just feel him ever so gently pressing his way into me.

I went to move away, but I couldn’t as Anna’s hands were laid on my body and my head on her lap. I could hear Anna softly reassuring me, “Sshhh….. it will be ok…just relax and let this happen. You’re going to love how it feels once it’s in you.” Just like that I felt the head of Scott’s cock push past and into me. He hesitated as if to wait for my permission to go deeper within me. I looked into his eyes and so smoothly and slowly nodded my head yes.

As I nodded my head I could see this look of raw sexual passion come over Scott. He moved a hand to my shoulder to pull me to him as he pushed deep into me. As he went all the way in I let out a gasp and a, “Mmmm yes,” ever so quietly, but Scott heard me and told me to say it again and louder, so I did.

Scott pulled back and slowly pushed back in me over and over again, each time going just a little faster and harder. It was then I realized that our bodies were moving in a manner that was of two lost lovers reuniting with a desperate hunger for one another. I could feel the heat of his body radiating into mine, fueling my longing desire for Scott to keep going. Looking at his body and the emotions on his face I became infatuated with him and screamed, “Scott, please, please… Harder, Scott… oh yes!” My legs moved up, wrapping around his muscular body, and my arms under his and to his back, pulling him down to me.

I heard the word “wow” slip out of Anna’s mouth. Hearing her say that and it being in such an incredible and emotional, supportive way, energized me to my soul to make this an unforgettable experience for all.

With my legs and arms wrapped around him, I started to roll my hips opposite of his movements of in and out, dramatically increasing the speed of which Scott’s cock was able to fuck me.

I could feel his breathing getting harder and his body starting to tense up. It was then I heard him let out a little deep grunt and out of nowhere the words came out of my mouth. “Oh, Scott! Yes, lover, please! Deeper! I want you, all of you in me.” His body pushed deep into me with such thrusting power I felt my body push across the bed. I felt his massive cock get ever so much thicker as his thrusting was at its fastest and hardest ever! It was here that I felt my own body have this intense wave of new feelings come over it; a sensation that was so new but familiar at the same time.

Scott grunted and slammed deep into me, then let out this long breath while saying, “Fuck!” Scott had just cum deep inside me. I looked down at my own cock just to see the largest amount of cum I have ever released just laying there on my stomach.

Scott looked at me, then looked down to see what I was looking at. As he saw the large amount of cum on my stomach, he looked back at me and said, “That’s such a good boi, cumming from getting fucked just like his wife did years ago.”

During all of this time Anna had gotten so aroused that she told me to touch her pussy. I moved my head off of her lap and my fingers caressed up her leg until they found their way to her pussy. I could see that she was extremely aroused and the way the light glimmered off of her proved she was profoundly wet. It was like looking into the night sky as the stars sparkled and the overwhelming sense of beauty fills your heart. It was a struggle not to touch, but I couldn’t resist. Even will all my might it happened. I moved my fingers to her lips, feeling how wet she was from what she just seen and it had my heart racing with joy.

Anna said, “See, hunny?! I knew you would love that! Just look at how much you came all over yourself!” I smiled at her, told her she was right and I did love it. I could feel that Scott was still in me and was slowly starting to soften. He was just staying there deep within me as he started to kiss my neck then my lips. Scott stopped for a minute and whispered, “You were amazing. If I didn’t know better I wouldn’t have guessed it was your first time.” Anna heard him and replied, “That’s because he loves, just LOVES, when I take him with my strapon… but I’ve never made him cum how you just did, Scott.”

Scott smiled while pulling out of me and shot back, “That’s because nothing can beat the real thing, but when he want it how he did, it’s easy to lose yourself in the moment.”

Scott got up and went to the bathroom to clean up as Anna told me to roll over and put my mouth to work. As always I did not question her and did what she said. I took such satisfaction in knowing she was in this state because of what she just watched happen between her husband and old best friend. With my tongue pressing on her clit and my lips kissing hers, it took no time at all for Anna to climax into my mouth.

Little did I know that Scott was watching from the bathroom door as I heard him say, “Holy shit, Mark! I never made Anna have an orgasm like that.” Anna told Scott, “Nope, you never did, but Mark has this special skill that can send me over the top every single time.” With that the hotel clock clicked over to 10pm and Anna said, “It’s getting late, boys. Maybe we save some of this excitement for tomorrow evening as well. We do have all week for the three of us to enjoy each other’s bodies.”

It’s one of those days where I just crave being roughly fucked until I can’t think anymore.

(via tamemetoakitten)

Last night was a crazy new experience I wasn't expecting! I wish I could find the perfect GIF.:( *love*

Main Dishes - Hot Dogs and Corn Dogs - Baked Hot Dog Sandwiches This tasty baked hot dog sandwich recipe combines chopped hot dogs with classic toppings and stuffs them into buns.

Student Experiments Soar!

Have you ever wondered what it takes to get a technology ready for space? The NASA TechRise Student Challenge gives middle and high school students a chance to do just that – team up with their classmates to design an original science or technology project and bring that idea to life as a payload on a suborbital vehicle.

Since March 2021, with the help of teachers and technical advisors, students across the country have dreamed up experiments with the potential to impact space exploration and collect data about our planet.

So far, more than 180 TechRise experiments have flown on suborbital vehicles that expose them to the conditions of space. Flight testing is a big step along the path of space technology development and scientific discovery.

The 2023-2024 TechRise Challenge flight tests took place this summer, with 60 student teams selected to fly their experiments on one of two commercial suborbital flight platforms: a high-altitude balloon operated by World View, or the Xodiac rocket-powered lander operated by Astrobotic. Xodiac flew over the company’s Lunar Surface Proving Ground — a test field designed to simulate the Moon’s surface — in Mojave, California, while World View’s high-altitude balloon launched out of Page, Arizona.

Here are four innovative TechRise experiments built by students and tested aboard NASA-supported flights this summer:

1. Oobleck Reaches the Skies

Oobleck, which gets its name from Dr. Seuss, is a mixture of cornstarch and water that behaves as both a liquid and a solid. Inspired by in-class science experiments, high school students at Colegio Otoqui in Bayomón, Puerto Rico, tested how Oobleck’s properties at 80,000 feet aboard a high-altitude balloon are different from those on Earth’s surface. Using sensors and the organic elements to create Oobleck, students aimed to collect data on the fluid under different conditions to determine if it could be used as a system for impact absorption.

2. Terrestrial Magnetic Field

Middle school students at Phillips Academy International Baccalaureate School in Birmingham, Alabama, tested the Earth’s magnetic field strength during the ascent, float, and descent of the high-altitude balloon. The team hypothesized the magnetic field strength decreases as the distance from Earth’s surface increases.

3. Rocket Lander Flame Experiment

To understand the impact of dust, rocks, and other materials kicked up by a rocket plume when landing on the Moon, middle school students at Cliff Valley School in Atlanta, Georgia, tested the vibrations of the Xodiac rocket-powered lander using CO2 and vibration sensors. The team also used infrared (thermal) and visual light cameras to attempt to detect the hazards produced by the rocket plume on the simulated lunar surface, which is important to ensure a safe landing.

4. Rocket Navigation

Middle and high school students at Tiospaye Topa School in LaPlant, South Dakota, developed an experiment to track motion data with the help of a GPS tracker and magnetic radar. Using data from the rocket-powered lander flight, the team will create a map of the flight path as well as the magnetic field of the terrain. The students plan to use their map to explore developing their own rocket navigation system.

The 2024-2025 TechRise Challenge is now accepting proposals for technology and science to be tested on a high-altitude balloon! Not only does TechRise offer hands-on experience in a live testing scenario, but it also provides an opportunity to learn about teamwork, project management, and other real-world skills.

“The TechRise Challenge was a truly remarkable journey for our team,” said Roshni Ismail, the team lead and educator at Cliff Valley School. “Watching them transform through the discovery of new skills, problem-solving together while being driven by the chance of flying their creation on a [rocket-powered lander] with NASA has been exhilarating. They challenged themselves to learn through trial and error and worked long hours to overcome every obstacle. We are very grateful for this opportunity.”

Are you ready to bring your experiment design to the launchpad? If you are a sixth to 12th grade student, you can make a team under the guidance of an educator and submit your experiment ideas by November 1. Get ready to create!

Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space!

The return of the Dragon 🐉

One month ago, SpaceX’s Dragon capsule arrived at the International Space Station. Now it’s time for the Dragon to come home. The return trip, a crucial part of its mission, brings scientific hardware, data and experiments down to waiting researchers.

Check out a few of the pieces of research taking that ride back to Earth.

A cinematic look at life and science aboard the space station

You may one day get to experience the product of The ISS Experience. A team is creating a cinematic virtual reality (VR) film from footage taken during in space covering crew life, execution of science and the international partnerships involved on the space station.

Every week or so, footage is transferred from the camera onto solid state drives – an original and a backup – for storage and downlinking. One of each pair of drives returns to Earth for editing and production.

Seeking Alzheimer’s understanding in microgravity

Amyloid fibrils, a conglomeration of proteins that can build up in the body, are associated with a number of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. The Amyloid Aggregation investigation assesses whether microgravity affects formation of these fibrils.

Samples exposed to microgravity are coming back to Earth using a facility that maintains a chilly temperature of -20°C. Teams on the ground must quickly retrieve the equipment and keep the samples at -20°C until they are analyzed.

The SPHERES return home

Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellites, or SPHERES, are bowling-ball sized satellites used to study formation flying, control algorithms and material science.

First sent to the station in 2006, these satellites have been employed in a dozen different investigations.

The Dragon brings back hardware from two recent experiments that examined the behavior of fluids in microgravity, SPHERES Tether Slosh and SPHERES-Slosh.

From microgravity lab to manufacturing facility

The Fiber Optic Production investigation created optical fibers on the space station using a blend of materials called ZBLAN to see whether making the fibers in microgravity has advantages over the process used on Earth. ZBLAN optical fibers offer high bandwidth for the telecommunications industry, and potential applications for uses like laser surgery and environmental monitoring.

The fiber produced on the space station is coming to Earth for testing to help verify previous studies and guide future efforts to manufacture large volumes of such fiber in microgravity.

Read more about the science returning on Dragon here!

For daily updates, follow @ISS_Research, Space Station Research and Technology News or our Facebook. Follow the ISS National Lab for information on its sponsored investigations. For opportunities to see the space station pass over your town, check out Spot the Station.

Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com.

Six Science-y Shipments Sent to the Space Station

Northrop Grumman launched its Cygnus spacecraft into orbit to the International Space Station at 4:01 a.m. EST on Nov. 17 from Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Cygnus launched on an Antares rocket carrying crew supplies, equipment and scientific research to crewmembers aboard the station. The spacecraft is named after NASA astronaut and U.S. Navy officer John Young, who walked on the Moon during Apollo 16 and commanded the first space shuttle mission. Throughout his lifetime, Young logged 835 hours in space over the course of six missions.

Antares launched the S.S. John Young from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport’s Pad-0A on Wallops Island, carrying tons of cargo, including scientific investigations that will study 3D printing and recycling, cement solidification, and crystals that may fight Parkinson’s disease.

Here’s a look at six science-y experiments and research this mission will deliver to the space station.

1. 3D printing and recycling

Refabricator demonstrates an integrated 3D printer and recycler for the first time aboard the space station.

It recycles waste plastic materials into high-quality 3D-printer filament, which could enable sustainable fabrication, repair, and recycling on long-duration space missions.

2. Sensory input in microgravity

Changes in sensory input in microgravity may be misinterpreted and cause a person to make errors in estimation of velocity, distance or orientation.

VECTION, a Canadian Space Agency (CSA) investigation, examines this effect as well as whether people adapt to altered sensory input on long-duration missions and how that adaptation changes upon return to Earth.

3. Solidifying cement in space

The MVP-Cell 05 investigation uses a centrifuge to provide a variable gravity environment to study the complex process of cement solidification, a step toward eventually making and using concrete on extraterrestrial bodies.

4. From stardust to solar systems

Much of the universe was created when dust from star-based processes clumped into intermediate-sized particles and eventually became planets, moons and other objects. Many questions remain as to just how this worked, though.

The EXCISS investigation seeks answers by simulating the high-energy, low gravity conditions that were present during formation of the early solar system. Scientists plan to zap a specially formulated dust with an electrical current, then study the shape and texture of pellets formed.

5. Growing crystals to fight Parkinson’s disease

The CASIS PCG-16 investigation grows large crystals of an important protein, Leucine-rich repeat kinase 2, or LRRK2, in microgravity for analysis back on Earth.

This protein is implicated in development of Parkinson’s disease, and defining its shape and morphology may help scientists better understand the pathology of the disease and develop therapies to treat it. Crystals of LRRK2 grown in gravity are too small and too compact to study, making microgravity an essential part of this research.

6. Better gas separation membranes

Membranes represent one of the most energy-efficient and cost-effective technologies for separating and removing carbon dioxide from waste gases, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions. CEMSICA tests membranes made from particles of calcium-silicate (C-S) with pores 100 nanometers or smaller. Producing these membranes in microgravity may resolve some of the challenges of their manufacture on Earth and lead to development of lower-cost, more durable membranes that use less energy. The technology ultimately may help reduce the harmful effects of CO2 emissions on the planet.

For daily updates, follow @ISS_Research.

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Chemical Space Gardens

You know that colorful crystal garden you grew as a kid?

Yeah, we do that in space now. 

Chemical Gardens, a new investigation aboard the International Space Station takes a classic science experiment to space with the hope of improving our understanding of gravity’s impact on their structural formation.

Here on Earth, chemical gardens are most often used to teach students about things like chemical reactions.

Chemical gardens form when dissolvable metal salts are placed in an aqueous solution containing anions such as silicate, borate, phosphate, or carbonate.

Delivered to the space station aboard SpaceX’S CRS-15 cargo mission, the samples for this experiment will be processed by crew members and grown throughout Expedition 56 before returning to Earth.

Results from this investigation could provide a better understanding of cement science and improvements to biomaterial devices used for scaffolding, for use both in space and on Earth. 

Follow the growth of the chemical garden and the hundreds of other investigations constantly orbiting above you by following @ISS_Research on Twitter.

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Welcome Home HERA Mission XVII!

With the Human Exploration Research Analog (HERA) habitat, we complete studies to prepare us for exploration to asteroids, Mars, and the Moon… here on Earth! The studies are called analogs, and they simulate space missions to study how different aspects of deep space affect humans. During a HERA mission, the crew (i.e., the research participants) live and work very much as astronauts do, with minimal contact with anyone other than Mission Control for 45 days.

The most recent study, Mission XVII, just “returned to Earth” on June 18. (i.e., the participants egressed, or exited the habitat at our Johnson Space Center in Houston after their 45-day study.) We talked with the crew, Ellie, Will, Chi, and Michael, about the experience. Here are some highlights!

Why did you decide to participate in HERA Mission XVII?

HERA Mission VXII participants (from left to right) Ellie, Will, Chi, and Michael.

“My master’s is in human factors,” said Chi, who studies the interaction between humans and other systems at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. “I figured this would be a cool way to study the other side of the table and actually participate in an analog.” For Michael, who holds a PhD in aerospace engineering and researches immunology and radio biology, it was an opportunity to experience life as an astronaut doing science in space. “I’ve flown [experiments] on the space station and shuttle,” he said. “Now I wanted to see the other side.” For Will, a geosciences PhD, it provided an opportunity to contribute to space exploration and neuroscience, which he considers two of the biggest fields with the most potential in science. “Here, we have this project that is the perfect intersection of those two things,” he said. And Ellie, a pilot in the Air Force, learned about HERA while working on her master’s thesis on Earth and space analogs and how to improve them for deep-space studies. “A lot of my interests are similar to Chi’s,” she said. “Human factors and physiological aspects are things that I find very fascinating.”

NASA missions all have patches, and HERA Mission XVII is no different. Did you get to design your patch?

HERA Mission VXII patch, which reads “May the Force be with you” in Latin and features Star Wars iconography. It’s a reference to the mission’s start date, May 4th aka Star Wars Day!

“We did!” They said …with a little the help from Michael’s brother, who is a designer. He drew several different designs based on the crew’s ideas. They picked one and worked together on tweaks. “We knew we were going [inside the habitat] on May Fourth,” Michael said. “We knew it would be Star Wars Day. So we did a Star Wars theme.” The patch had to come together fairly quickly though, since a Star Wars Day “launch” wasn’t the initial plan. “We were supposed to start two weeks earlier,” Ellie said. “It just so happened the new start date was May the Fourth!” Along with the Star Wars imagery, the patch includes a hurricane symbol, to pay tribute to hurricane Harvey which caused a previous crew to end their mission early, and an image of the HERA habitat. Will joked that designing the patch was “our first team task.”

How much free time did you have and what did you do with it?

HERA Mission XVII crew looking down the ladders inside the habitat.

“It was a decent amount,” Michael said. “I could have used more on the harder days, but in a way it’s good we didn’t have more because it’s harder to stay awake when you have nothing to do.” (The mission included a sleep reduction study, which meant the crew only got five hours of sleep a night five days a week.) “With the time I did have, I read a lot,” he said. He also drew, kept a journal, and “wrote bad haikus.” Because of the sleep study, Ellie didn’t read as much. “For me, had I tried to read or sit and do anything not interactive, I would have fallen asleep,” she said.

The crew’s art gallery, where they hung drawing and haikus they wrote.

Journaling and drawing were popular ways to pass the time. “We developed a crew art gallery on one of the walls,” Will said. They also played board games—in particular a game where you score points by making words with lettered tiles on a 15×15 grid. (Yes that one!) “Playing [that game] with two scientists wasn’t always fun though,” Ellie joked, referencing some of the more obscure vocabulary words Will and Michael had at the ready. “I was like, ‘What does that word mean?’ ‘Well that word means lava flow,” she said laughing. (The rest of the crew assured us she fared just fine.)

Chi tried reading, but found it difficult due to the dimmed lights that were part of an onboard light study. She took on a side project instead: 1000 paper cranes. “There is a story in Japan—I’m half Japanese—that if you make a 1000 cranes, it’s supposed to grant you a wish,” she said. She gave hers to her grandmother.

The whole crew having dinner together on “Sophisticated Saturdays!” From left to right: Will, Ellie, Chi, and Michael. They’re wearing their Saturday best, which includes the usual research equipment.

On weekends, the crew got eight hours of sleep, which they celebrated with “Sophisticated Saturdays!” “Coming in, we all brought an outfit that was a little fancy,” Ellie said. (Like a tie, a vest, an athletic dress—that kind of thing.) “We would only put it on Saturday evenings, and we’d have dinner on the first level at the one and only table we could all sit at and face each other,” she said. “We would pretend it was a different fancy restaurant every week.”

The table set for a “civilized” Saturday dinner. Once the crew’s hydroponics grew, they were able to add some greenery to the table.

“It was a way to feel more civilized,” Will said, who then offered another great use of their free time: establishing good habits. “I would use the free time to journal, for example. I’d just keep it up every day. That and stretching. Hydrating. Flossing.”

Like real astronauts, you were in contact with Mission Control and further monitored by HERA personnel. Was it weird being on camera all the time?

HERA personnel and the monitors they use for a typical HERA mission.

“I was always aware of it,” Michael said, “but I don’t think it changed my behavior. It’s not like I forgot about it. It was always there. I just wasn’t willing to live paranoid for 45 days.” Ellie agreed. “It was always in the back of my mind,” she said, further adding that they wore microphones and various other sensors. “We were wired all the time,” she said.

After the study, the crew met up with the people facilitating the experiments, sometimes for the first time. “It was really fun to meet Mission Control afterwards,” Will said. “They had just been this voice coming from the little boxes. It was great getting to meet them and put faces to the voices,” he said. “Of course, they knew us well. Very well.”

For more information on HERA, visit our analogs homepage.

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Exploring an Asteroid Without Leaving Earth

This 45 day mission – which began May 5, 2018 and ends today, June 18 – will help our researchers learn how isolation and close quarters affect individual and group behavior. This study at our Johnson Space Center prepares us for long duration space missions, like a trip to an asteroid or even to Mars.

The Human Research Exploration Analog (HERA) that the crew members will be living in is one compact, science-making house. But unlike in a normal house, these inhabitants won’t go outside for 45 days. Their communication with the rest of planet Earth will also be very limited, and they won’t have any access to internet. So no checking social media, kids!

The only people they will talk with regularly are mission control and each other.

The HERA XVII crew is made up of 2 men and 2 women, selected from the Johnson Space Center Test Subject Screening (TSS) pool. The crew member selection process is based on a number of criteria, including criteria similar to what is used for astronaut selection. The four would-be astronauts are:

William Daniels

Chiemi Heil

Eleanor Morgan

Michael Pecaut

What will they be doing?

The crew are going on a simulated journey to an asteroid, a 715-day journey that we compress into 45 days. They will fly their simulated exploration vehicle around the asteroid once they arrive, conducting several site surveys before 2 of the crew members will participate in a series of virtual reality spacewalks.

They will also be participating in a suite of research investigations and will also engage in a wide range of operational and science activities, such as growing and analyzing plants and brine shrimp, maintaining and “operating” an important life support system, exercising on a stationary bicycle or using free weights, and sharpening their skills with a robotic arm simulation.

During the whole mission, they will consume food produced by the Johnson Space Center Food Lab – the same food that the astronauts enjoy on the International Space Station – which means that it needs to be rehydrated or warmed in a warming oven.

This simulation means that even when communicating with mission control, there will be a delay on all communications ranging from 1 to 5 minutes each way.

A few other details:

The crew follows a timeline that is similar to one used for the space station crew.

They work 16 hours a day, Monday through Friday. This includes time for daily planning, conferences, meals and exercise.

Mission: May 5 - June 18, 2018

But beware! While we do all we can to avoid crises during missions, crews need to be able to respond in the event of an emergency. The HERA crew will conduct a couple of emergency scenario simulations, including one that will require them to respond to a decrease in cabin pressure, potentially finding and repairing a leak in their spacecraft.

Throughout the mission, researchers will gather information about living in confinement, teamwork, team cohesion, mood, performance and overall well-being. The crew members will be tracked by numerous devices that each capture different types of data.

Learn more about the HERA mission HERE.

Explore the HERA habitat via 360-degree videos HERE.

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SpaceX Dragon breathes Astronomical Amounts of Science to Space Station

SpaceX is helping the crew members aboard the International Space Station get down and nerdy as they launch their Dragon cargo spacecraft into orbit for the 13th commercial resupply mission, targeted for Dec. 15 from our Kennedy Space Center in Florida. 

This super science-heavy flight will deliver experiments and equipment that will study phenomena on the Sun, materials in microgravity, space junk and more. 

Here are some highlights of research that will be delivered to the station:

ZBLAN Fiber Optics Tested in Space!

The Optical Fiber Production in Microgravity (Made in Space Fiber Optics) experiment demonstrates the benefits of manufacturing fiber optic filaments in a microgravity environment. This investigation will attempt to pull fiber optic wire from ZBLAN, a heavy metal fluoride glass commonly used to make fiber optic glass.

When ZBLAN is solidified on Earth, its atomic structure tends to form into crystals. Research indicates that ZBLAN fiber pulled in microgravity may not crystalize as much, giving it better optical qualities than the silica used in most fiber optic wire. 

Total and Spectral Solar Irradiance Sensor is Totally Teaching us About Earth’s Climate

The Total and Spectral Solar Irradiance Sensor, or TSIS, monitors both total solar irradiance and solar spectral irradiance, measurements that represent one of the longest space-observed climate records. Solar irradiance is the output of light energy from the entire disk of the Sun, measured at the Earth. This means looking at the Sun in ways very similar to how we observe stars rather than as an image with details that our eye can resolve.

Understanding the variability and magnitude of solar irradiance is essential to understanding Earth’s climate.  

Sensor Monitors Space Station Environment for Space Junk

The Space Debris Sensor (SDS) will directly measure the orbital debris environment around the space station for two to three years.

Above, see documentation of a Micro Meteor Orbital Debris strike on one of the window’s within the space station’s Cupola. 

Research from this investigation could help lower the risk to human life and critical hardware by orbital debris.

Self-Assembling and Self-Replicating Materials in Space!

Future space exploration may utilize self-assembly and self-replication to make materials and devices that can repair themselves on long duration missions. 

The Advanced Colloids Experiment- Temperature-7 (ACE-T-7) investigation involves the design and assembly of 3D structures from small particles suspended in a fluid medium. 

Melting Plastics in Microgravity

The Transparent Alloys project seeks to improve the understanding of the melting and solidification processes in plastics in microgravity. Five investigations will be conducted as a part of the Transparent Alloys project.

These European Space Agency (ESA) investigations will allow researchers to study this phenomena in the microgravity environment, where natural convection will not impact the results.  

Studying Slime (or…Algae, at Least) on the Space Station

Arthrospira B, an ESA investigation, will examine the form, structure and physiology of the Arthrospira sp. algae in order to determine the reliability of the organism for future spacecraft biological life support systems.

The development of these kinds of regenerative life support systems for spaceflight could also be applied to remote locations on Earth where sustainability of materials is important. 

Follow @ISS_Research on Twitter for more space science and watch the launch live on Dec. 15 at 10:36 a.m. EDT HERE!

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Resupply Mission Brings Mealworms and Mustard Seeds to Space Station

Orbital ATK will launch its Cygnus cargo spacecraft to the International Space Station on November 11, 2017 from Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. It will be packed with cargo and scientific experiments for the six humans currently living and working on the orbiting laboratory.

The cargo spacecraft is named the S.S. Gene Cernan after former NASA astronaut Eugene Cernan, who is the last man to have walked on the moon.

Here are some of the really neat science and research experiments that will be delivered to the station: 

What’s Microgravity Got to do with Bacterial Antibiotics?

Antibiotic resistance could pose a danger to astronauts, especially since microgravity has been shown to weaken human immune response. E. coli AntiMicrobial Satellite (EcAMSat) will study microgravity’s effect on bacterial antibiotic resistance.

Results from this experiment could help us determine appropriate antibiotic dosages to protect astronaut health during long-duration human spaceflight and help us understand how antibiotic effectiveness may change as a function of stress on Earth.

Laser Beams…Not on Sharks…But on a CubeSat

Traditional laser communication systems use transmitters that are far too large for small spacecraft. The Optical Communication Sensor Demonstration (OCSD) tests the functionality of laser-based communications using CubeSats that provide a compact version of the technology.

Results from OCSD could lead to improved GPS and other satellite networks on Earth and a better understanding of laser communication between small satellites in low-Earth orbit.

This Hybrid Solar Antenna Could Make Space Communication Even Better 

As space exploration increases, so will the need for improved power and communication technologies. The Integrated Solar Array and Reflectarray Antenna (ISARA), a hybrid power and communication solar antenna that can send and receive messages, tests the use of this technology in CubeSat-based environmental monitoring. 

ISARA may provide a solution for sending and receiving information to and from faraway destinations, both on Earth and in space. 

More Plants in Space!  

Ready for a mouthful…The Biological Nitrogen Fixation in Microgravity via Rhizobium-Legume Symbiosis…aka the Biological Nitrogen Fixation experiment, will examine how low-gravity conditions affect the nitrogen fixation process of the Microclover legume (a plant in the pea family). Nitrogen fixation is a process where nitrogen in the atmosphere is converted into ammonia. This crucial element of any ecosystem is also a natural fertilizer that is necessary for most types of plant growth.

This experiment could tell us about the space viability of the legume’s ability to use and recycle nutrients and give researchers a better understanding of this plant’s potential uses on Earth.

What Happens When Mealworms Live in Space?

Mealworms are high in nutrients and one of the most popular sources of alternative protein in developing countries. The Effects of Microgravity on the Life Cycle of Tenebrio Molitor (Tenebrio Molitor) investigation studies how the microgravity environment affects the mealworm life cycle.

In addition to alternative protein research, this investigation will provide information about animal growth under unique conditions.

Mustard Seeds in Microgravity 

The Life Cycle of Arabidopsis thaliana in Microgravity experiment studies the formation and functionality of the Arabidopsis thaliana, a mustard plant with a genome that is fully mapped, in microgravity conditions.

The results from this investigation could contribute to an understanding of plant and crop growth in space.

Follow @ISS_Research on Twitter for more information about the science happening on space station. 

Watch the launch live HERE on Nov. 11, liftoff is scheduled for 7:37 a.m. EDT!

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New Research Heading to Earth’s Orbiting Laboratory

It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s a…dragon? A SpaceX Dragon spacecraft is set to launch into orbit atop the Falcon 9 rocket toward the International Space Station for its 12th commercial resupply (CRS-12) mission August 14 from our Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

It won’t breathe fire, but it will carry science that studies cosmic rays, protein crystal growth, bioengineered lung tissue.

Here are some highlights of research that will be delivered:

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ISS-CREAM! 

Cosmic Rays, Energetics and Mass, that is! Cosmic rays reach Earth from far outside the solar system with energies well beyond what man-made accelerators can achieve. The Cosmic Ray Energetics and Mass (ISS-CREAM) instrument measures the charges of cosmic rays ranging from hydrogen to iron nuclei. Cosmic rays are pieces of atoms that move through space at nearly the speed of light

The data collected from the instrument will help address fundamental science questions such as:

Do supernovae supply the bulk of cosmic rays?

What is the history of cosmic rays in the galaxy?

Can the energy spectra of cosmic rays result from a single mechanism?

ISS-CREAM’s three-year mission will help the scientific community to build a stronger understanding of the fundamental structure of the universe.

Space-grown crystals aid in understanding of Parkinson’s disease

The microgravity environment of the space station allows protein crystals to grow larger and in more perfect shapes than earth-grown crystals, allowing them to be better analyzed on Earth. 

Developed by the Michael J. Fox Foundation, Anatrace and Com-Pac International, the Crystallization of Leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) under Microgravity Conditions (CASIS PCG 7) investigation will utilize the orbiting laboratory’s microgravity environment to grow larger versions of this important protein, implicated in Parkinson’s disease.

Defining the exact shape and morphology of LRRK2 would help scientists to better understand the pathology of Parkinson’s and could aid in the development of therapies against this target.

Mice Help Us Keep an Eye on Long-term Health Impacts of Spaceflight

Our eyes have a whole network of blood vessels, like the ones in the image below, in the retina—the back part of the eye that transforms light into information for your brain. We are sending mice to the space station (RR-9) to study how the fluids that move through these vessels shift their flow in microgravity, which can lead to impaired vision in astronauts.

By looking at how spaceflight affects not only the eyes, but other parts of the body such as joints, like hips and knees, in mice over a short period of time, we can develop countermeasures to protect astronauts over longer periods of space exploration, and help humans with visual impairments or arthritis on Earth.

Telescope-hosting nanosatellite tests new concept

The Kestrel Eye (NanoRacks-KE IIM) investigation is a microsatellite carrying an optical imaging system payload, including an off-the-shelf telescope. This investigation validates the concept of using microsatellites in low-Earth orbit to support critical operations, such as providing lower-cost Earth imagery in time-sensitive situations, such as tracking severe weather and detecting natural disasters.

Sponsored by the ISS National Laboratory, the overall mission goal for this investigation is to demonstrate that small satellites are viable platforms for providing critical path support to operations and hosting advanced payloads.

Growth of lung tissue in space could provide information about diseases

The Effect of Microgravity on Stem Cell Mediated Recellularization (Lung Tissue) uses the microgravity environment of space to test strategies for growing new lung tissue. The cells are grown in a specialized framework that supplies them with critical growth factors so that scientists can observe how gravity affects growth and specialization as cells become new lung tissue.

The goal of this investigation is to produce bioengineered human lung tissue that can be used as a predictive model of human responses allowing for the study of lung development, lung physiology or disease pathology.

These crazy-cool investigations and others launching aboard the next SpaceX #Dragon cargo spacecraft on August 14. They will join many other investigations currently happening aboard the space station. Follow @ISS_Research on Twitter for more information about the science happening on 250 miles above Earth on the space station.  

Watch the launch live HERE starting at 12:20 p.m. EDT on Monday, Aug. 14!

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Five Ways the International Space Station’s National Lab Enables Commercial Research

A growing number of commercial partners use the International Space Station National Lab. With that growth, we will see more discoveries in fundamental and applied research that could improve life on the ground.

Space Station astronaut Kate Rubins was the first person to sequence DNA in microgravity.

Since 2011, when we engaged the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS) to manage the International Space Station (ISS) National Lab, CASIS has partnered with academic researchers, other government organizations, startups and major commercial companies to take advantage of the unique microgravity lab. Today, more than 50 percent of CASIS’ experiments on the station represent commercial research.

Here’s a look at five ways the ISS National Lab is enabling new opportunities for commercial research in space.

1. Supporting Commercial Life Sciences Research

One of the main areas of focus for us in the early origins of the space station program was life sciences, and it is still a major priority today. Studying the effects of microgravity on astronauts provides insight into human physiology, and how it evolves or erodes in space. CASIS took this knowledge and began robust outreach to the pharmaceutical community, which could now take advantage of the microgravity environment on the ISS National Lab to develop and enhance therapies for patients on Earth. Companies such as Merck, Eli Lilly & Company, and Novartis have sent several experiments to the station, including investigations aimed at studying diseases such as osteoporosis, and examining ways to enhance drug tablets for increased potency to help patients on Earth. These companies are trailblazers for many other life science companies that are looking at how the ISS National Lab can advance their research efforts.

2. Enabling Commercial Investigations in Material and Physical Sciences

Over the past few years, CASIS and the ISS National Lab also have seen a major push toward material and physical sciences research by companies interested in enhancing their products for consumers. Examples range from Proctor and Gamble’s investigation aimed at increasing the longevity of daily household products, to Milliken’s flame-retardant textile investigation to improve protective clothing for individuals in harm’s way, and companies looking to enhance materials for household appliances. Additionally, CASIS has been working with a variety of companies to improve remote sensing capabilities in order to better monitor our oceans, predict harmful algal blooms, and ultimately, to better understand our planet from a vantage point roughly 250 miles above Earth.

3. Supporting Startup Companies Interested in Microgravity Research 

CASIS has funded a variety of investigations with small startup companies (in particular through seed funding and grant funding from partnerships and funded solicitations) to leverage the ISS National Lab for both research and test-validation model experiments. CASIS and The Boeing Company recently partnered with MassChallenge, the largest startup accelerator in the world, to fund three startup companies to conduct microgravity research.

4. Enabling Validation of Low-Earth Orbit Business Models 

The ISS National Lab helps validate low-Earth orbit business models. Companies such as NanoRacks, Space Tango, Made In Space, Techshot, and Controlled Dynamics either have been funded by CASIS or have sent instruments to the ISS National Lab that the research community can use, and that open new channels for inquiry. This has allowed the companies that operate these facilities to validate their business models, while also building for the future beyond station.

5. Demonstrating the Commercial Value of Space-based Research

We have been a key partner in working with CASIS to demonstrate to American businesses the value of conducting research in space. Through outreach events such as our Destination Station, where representatives from the International Space Station Program Science Office and CASIS select cities with several major companies and meet with the companies to discuss how they could benefit from space-based research. Over the past few years, this outreach has proven to be a terrific example of building awareness on the benefits of microgravity research.

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On June 19, engineers on the ground remotely operated the International Space Station’s robotic arm to remove the Roll-Out Solar Array (ROSA) from the trunk of SpaceX’s Dragon cargo vehicle. Here, you see the experimental solar array unfurl as the station orbits Earth.

Solar panels are an efficient way to power satellites, but they are delicate and large, and must be unfolded when a satellite arrives in orbit. The Roll-Out Solar Array (ROSA) is a new type of solar panel that rolls open in space like a party favor and is more compact than current rigid panel designs.

ROSA is 20% lighter and 4x smaller in volume than rigid panel arrays!

This experiment remained attached to the robotic arm over seven days to test the effectiveness of the advanced, flexible solar array that rolls out like a tape measure. During that time, they also measured power produced by the array and monitored how the technology handled retraction.

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What’s On Board the Next SpaceX Cargo Launch?

Cargo and supplies are scheduled to launch to the International Space Station on Monday, July 18 at 12:45 a.m. EDT. The SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft will liftoff from our Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Among the arriving cargo is the first of two international docking adapters, which will allow commercial spacecraft to dock to the station when transporting astronauts in the near future as part of our Commercial Crew Program.

This metallic ring, big enough for astronauts and cargo to fit through represents the first on-orbit element built to the docking measurements that are standardized for all the spacecraft builders across the world.

Its first users are expected to be the Boeing Starliner and SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft, which are both now in development.

What About the Science?!

Experiments launching to the station range from research into the effects of microgravity on the human body, to regulating temperature on spacecraft. Take a look at a few:

A Space-based DNA Sequencer

DNA testing aboard the space station typically requires collecting samples and sending them back to Earth to be analyzed. Our Biomolecule Sequencer Investigation will test a new device that will allow DNA sequencing in space for the first time! The samples in this first test will be DNA from a virus, a bacteria and a mouse.

How big is it? Picture your smartphone…then cut it in half. This miniature device has the potential to identify microbes, diagnose diseases and evaluate crew member health, and even help detect DNA-based life elsewhere in the solar system.

OsteoOmics

OsteoOmics is an experiment that will investigate the molecular mechanisms that dictate bone loss in microgravity. It does this by examining osteoblasts, which form bone; and osteoclasts, which dissolves bone. New ground-based studies are using magnetic levitation equipment to simulate gravity-related changes. This experiment hopes to validate whether this method accurately simulates the free-fall conditions of microgravity.

Results from this study could lead to better preventative care or therapeutic treatments for people suffering bone loss, both on Earth and in space!

Heart Cells Experiment

The goals of the Effects of Microgravity on Stem Cell-Derived Heart Cells (Heart Cells) investigation include increasing the understanding of the effects of microgravity on heart function, the improvement of heart disease modeling capabilities and the development of appropriate methods for cell therapy for people with heart disease on Earth.

Phase Change Material Heat Exchanger (PCM HX)

The goal of the Phase Change Material Heat Exchanger (PCM HX) project is to regulate internal spacecraft temperatures. Inside this device, we're testing the freezing and thawing of material in an attempt to regulate temperature on a spacecraft. This phase-changing material (PCM) can be melted and solidified at certain high heat temperatures to store and release large amounts of energy.

Watch Launch!

Live coverage of the SpaceX launch will be available starting at 11:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday, July 17 via NASA Television. 

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