While we have just celebrated the 20th anniversary of the continuous human presence on board the ISS, the astronauts have again been busy this year.
More than 400 km above our heads, they have in fact multiplied experiments in a micro-gravity environment, providing us with valuable information that will ensure our future in space. Here are a few.
In 2020, crews aboard the station have were both the videographers and the subjects of a production known as The ISS Experience. This aims to capture the lives of astronauts aboard the orbiting laboratory to create a cinematic virtual reality experience. Jessica Meir is seen here in the background exchanging carriers feeding bone samples inside the "Life Science Glove Box".
Astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the ISS do not aren't the only busy "bees" in the lab. The station is indeed home to several robotic assistants, called "Astrobees". Equipped with cameras and sensors, they aim to facilitate in-orbit operations, relieving astronauts of routine tasks so they can focus on critical science.
Expedition 63 Commander Chris Cassidy has powered up two of the three robots available for testing in preparation for the "Kibo" robot programming challenge. This one gives students the chance to try out their own computer code on these autonomous robots.
Chris Cassidy here prepares the VECTION survey, a study examining how lack of gravity disrupts a person's ability to visually interpret motion, orientation, and distance.
Before returning to Earth, the astronaut from the NASA Christina Koch worked on the Cold Atom Lab. This makes it possible to conduct research on the quantum effects of gases cooled to almost absolute zero. This study can provide insight into the fundamental laws of quantum mechanics and support the development of technologies such as ultra-precise sensing and timing.
Just days after arriving aboard the station space, astronaut Victor Glover tackled ESA's GRIP experiment. This aims to study the effects of long-duration spaceflight on the ability of astronauts to regulate grip strength and the trajectories of their upper limbs when manipulating objects.
Jessica Meir and Kate Rubins both worked on the cardiac research during their stay in orbit.
Meir conducted the Engineered Heart Tissues experiment, aimed at better understanding heart function, which could prove useful for drug development and other applications related to heart dysfunction on Earth.
Rubins, on the other hand, led the Cardinal Heart study, which aims to understand the aging and weakening of heart muscles in order to provide new treatments for humans on Earth and to astronauts in space.
Bob Behnken, arrived aboard the first capsule of SpaceX, here is conducting a study evaluating the water flow rate of the H2Okinetic shower head. This microgravity research could help improve the technology to provide a better user experience while saving water and energy.
A few days ago, astronaut Kate Rubins harvested the first radishes that grew on board the ISS. The brassicas (about twenty plants) were then placed in a cold room awaiting the return trip to Earth scheduled for next year.
Like other agencies and private companies, NASA indeed aims for a sustainable exploration of the Moon and, a little later, of the planet Mars. If these long-term plans materialize, the future astronauts concerned will then have to produce fresh and nutritious food directly on site , the freight costs being far too high. In this spirit, the American agency has been exploring for several years the ability of certain plants to grow in a microgravity environment.
Astronaut Chris Cassidy works here inside of the Harmony module on a sequencing project and the identification of microbial DNA samples.
Always Cassidy, showing us blood samples here , saliva, urine and feces collected as part of a food physiology experiment. Specifically, this investigation aims to document the effect of dietary improvements on human physiology and the ability of these improvements to improve adaptation to spaceflight.
We end with Jessica Meir watching her ships here blood samples as part of the Vascular Echo experiment. The walls of some vessels can become thicker and stiffer in space. Hence the importance of performing regular ultrasounds.
