When the commercial spacecraft’s Dragon spacecraft launches on Saturday, they will be loaded with experiments dedicated to exploring from bone and eye health to robot dexterity.
SpaceX is aiming on Saturday to launch its next refueling mission to the International Space Station (ISS), and plans to do some fascinating scientific experiments.
When the spacecraft’s Dragon spacecraft is launched along with its Falcon rocket from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center in the United States, it will be loaded with research projects dedicated to exploring from the astronauts’ bone and eye health to dexterity. of robots and how plants handle stress, NASA announced before the launch.
It will also include an experiment dedicated to “plant growth, ant colonization and the brine shrimp life cycle” designed by a group of Girl Scouts in central Florida, the U.S. space agency confirmed.
This is the 23rd ISS supply mission conducted by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, and its launch is scheduled for 3:37 a.m. (7:37 GMT) on Saturday.
One experiment will use metabolites created as by-products during winemaking to see if “substances like antioxidants formed when food breaks down can protect bones during spaceflight,” according to NASA.
Another experiment sponsored by the European Space Agency, the European Astronaut Center and the Institute of Space Medicine of the German Aerospace Center will use a small device to take images of the retina of astronauts’ eyes to check for associated neuroocular syndrome. in space flight (SANS). ).
The disease “is believed to be associated with long-term exposure to microgravity” and affects more than two-thirds of astronauts, lead researcher Juergen Drescher said in the press release.
“Currently, the visual problems that can be manifested by SANS are alleviated by providing glasses or contact lenses to crew members,” Drescher explained. “Multi-year missions to Mars can make these symptoms worse and a mobile device is needed to diagnose retinal imaging.”
This technology could eventually be used both in space and here on Earth, he added.
An experiment in space robotics start-up Gitai Japan Inc. will test the dexterity and maneuverability of a robotic arm within the Bishop Airlock, a pressurized environment.
Gitai chief technology officer Toyotaka Kozuki said in the press release that the robot could provide “a cheap and safe source of work in space, opening the door to the true commercialization of space.” On Earth, it could be used to aid in relief efforts in disasters or in nuclear emergencies, where the sending of humans could be dangerous.
Other experiments on Saturday’s mission include research aimed at testing the strength of materials such as concrete, 3D-printed polymers, fiberglass compounds and more in space, and a study on how to help plants control the stress of microgravity in space.
NASA said the Dragon spacecraft will also carry supplies and hardware for the crew currently on the ISS.
In addition to serving as a taxi service on the ISS, SpaceX has secured several major NASA contracts recently, including one to help explore Jupiter’s fourth largest moon, Europe.