The Cygnus spacecraft docked with the International Space Station on Monday with fresh supplies, cargo and experiments for astronauts living in zero-gravity. The docking was confirmed by NASA as the Canada branch, aboard the flight laboratory, had taken over the SS Pierce Sellers Cygnus spacecraft.
“Your shipment of science, supplies and snacks has arrived!” Northrop Grumman’s Cargo Resupply mission docked with the station with a unique experiment to demonstrate growing plants in zero-gravity without soil, NASA tweeted. The spacecraft had previously launched atop an Antares rocket at the Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.
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The NG17 resupply mission includes experiments focused on skin aging and tumor cells, as well as tests of technology for oxygen production, batteries and growing plants. The Colgate Skin Aging Experiment evaluates cellular and molecular changes in engineered human skin cells in microgravity. NASA said the results of this experiment could show that these engineered cells could serve as a model to rapidly assess products aimed at protecting skin from the aging process on Earth.
The Microquin 3D Tumor Experiment arriving at the station will investigate the drug’s effect on breast and prostate cancer cells in space. While these cells can grow into more natural three-dimensional models, making it easier to characterize their structure, gene expression, cell signaling, the results may provide new insights into cell proteins targeted by the drug, scientists have said.
International Space Station. (Photo: NASA)
NASA wants to boost their study of farming in space as they travel to the Moon and look to Mars. The latest experiment that is docked with the flying laboratory is XROOTS, which performs tests using hydroponic (water-based) and aeroponic (air-based) technologies and the results are used to grow food crops for future space. can provide insight into the development of large-scale systems. Exploration and Habitat.
Another major experiment received on the station is the Solid Fuel Ignition and Extinction (SoFIE) project to understand how to safely use fire in zero-gravity in the near future when humans reach the Moon and Mars. will improve. The project will be conducted in the station’s combustion integrated rack, which has a chamber where experiments can be safely burned.
The SOFI project was initiated to reduce the risk of fire in space travel by evaluating, testing and selecting materials to prevent unsafe conditions related to flammability, odor, off-gassing and fluid compatibility.