Space Station Science Highlights: Week of January 13, 2020

ISS - Expedition 61 Mission patch.

Jan. 17, 2020

Scientific investigations under way on the International Space Station the week of Jan. 13 included research on flame spread, the spacecraft food menu and how human bodies adapt to space. NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Christina Koch partnered for the second all-female spacewalk on Jan. 15, which, along with a second spacewalk scheduled for Jan. 20, replaces batteries that store and distribute solar power on the space station.

International Space Station (ISS). Image Credits: NASA/STS-135

Now in its 20th year of continuous human presence, the space station provides a platform for long-duration research in microgravity and for learning to live and work in space. Experience gained on the orbiting lab supports Artemis, NASA’s program to go forward to the Moon and on to Mars.

Here are details on some of the microgravity investigations currently taking place:

The physics of flame spread

Image above: This image shows multiple burns conducted for the Confined Combustion investigation, which studies flame spread in confined spaces, specifically the interactions between spreading flames and surrounding walls. Image Credit: NASA.

The Confined Combustion investigation studies flame spread in confined spaces, specifically the interactions between spreading flames and surrounding walls. Flame spread in spaces such as buildings and vehicles may pose a more serious hazard than it does in open spaces. Because gravity complicates the process of fire growth, microgravity allows scientists to better study the underlying physics of flame spread.

Crew members continued ongoing operations for the experiment, including ignition of different samples without baffles and with different types of baffles installed. Baffles change the airflow path and alter the radiated heat environment around the flame.

Eat this, not that

Crew members completed surveys for Food Acceptability, an investigation examining the effect of repetitive consumption of the food currently available during spaceflight. “Menu fatigue” from a limited choice of foods over time may contribute to the loss of body mass often experienced by crew members, potentially affecting astronaut health, especially as mission length increases. The investigation could help develop strategies to improve the food system and support better crew health and performance on future long duration missions.

Image above: NASA astronaut Andrew Morgan prepares the JAXA Mouse Habitat Unit-5 (MHU-5) in the Centrifuge-equipped Biological Experiment Facility-L (CBEF-L). MHU-5 uses the set up to examine the effects of partial gravity on mice. Image Credit: NASA.

Adapting to life in space

Standard Measures captures an ongoing, optimized set of measures from crew members to characterize how their bodies adapt to living in space. Researchers use these measures to create a data repository for high-level monitoring of the effectiveness of countermeasures and better interpretation of health and performance outcomes. Questionnaires completed before sleep and after waking focus on specifics such as the amount, quantity and quality of sleep; individual mood; team cohesion and performance; and the habitability of the space station. During the week, crew members collected blood and saliva samples for analysis for the repository.

Image above: BioNutrients packets in the Space Automated Bioproduct Laboratory (SABL) incubator are part of an investigation into technology for on-demand production of nutrients for crew members during long-duration space missions. Image Credit: NASA.

A 250-mile call

The crew participated in an ISS HAM pass with Sayama Mizutomi Community Center in Sayama, Japan.  Some of the questions answered by crew members included what they consider the most beautiful place on Earth from the space station perspective and whether meteor showers can be seen from space. ISS HAM gives students an opportunity to talk directly with crew members via ham radio when the space station passes over their school. This interaction engages and educates students, teachers, parents and other members of the community in science, technology, engineering and math.

Other investigations on which the crew performed work:
- Acoustic Diagnostics tests the hearing of crew members before, during, and after flight to assess possible adverse effects of noise and the microgravity environment of the space station.
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7898

- Bionutrients demonstrates a technology for on-demand production of human nutrients using engineered microbes such as yeast to generate carotenoids from an edible medium. These nutrients could supplement potential loss of vitamins in food stored on future long-duration space missions.
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7400

- JAXA Mouse Habitat Unit-5 (MHU-5) examines the effects of partial gravity on mice using habitat cage units (HCU) developed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) that can be installed in the newly developed Centrifuge-equipped Biological Experiment Facility-L (CBEF-L).
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=8150

- Crew Earth Observations (CEO) provides images of Earth from digital handheld cameras on the space station, recording how the planet is changing over time from human activity and natural events. Anyone can use these publicly available images to educate, entertain, or contribute to further scientific knowledge.
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=84

- Advanced Colloids Experiment-Temperature-5 (ACE-T-5) examines the physical and chemical characteristics of bicontinuous interfacially jammed emulsion gels, or bijels. Their unique structure of two liquid phases separated by a layer of small particles or colloids has significant potential for the design and synthesis of composite materials.
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7500

- Advanced Combustion via Microgravity Experiments (ACME) is a set of six independent studies of gaseous flames conducted in the Combustion Integrated Rack (CIR). ACME supports spacecraft fire prevention as well as improved fuel efficiency and reduced pollutant production in practical combustion on Earth.
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=1651

- The Structure and Response of Spherical Diffusion Flames (s-Flame), part of the ACME project, advances prediction of the structure and dynamics of soot-free and sooty flames. Results could contribute to engines with improved efficiency and reduced emissions on Earth.
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=2063