SpaceX launches private Cygnus cargo spacecraft to the ISS (video) – Space.com

SpaceX launched Northrop Grumman's robotic Cygnus spacecraft today (Jan. 30), sending the freighter and its 4 tons of cargo toward the International Space Station.

The Cygnus lifted off atop a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida today at 12:07 p.m. EST (1707 GMT).

The launch kicked off the 20th operational cargo mission for Cygnus. SpaceX was not involved in the previous 19; they all lifted off atop Antares or Atlas V rockets.

Related: Facts about Cygnus, Northrop Grumman's cargo ship

The Falcon 9's first stage returned to Earth as planned today, acing its touchdown at Cape Canaveral about 8 minutes and 20 seconds after launch. It was the 10th launch and landing for this particular booster, according to a SpaceX mission description.

The Cygnus, meanwhile, deployed from the Falcon 9's upper stage in low Earth orbit around 14 minutes and 45 seconds after launch. The freighter then began making its own way to the International Space Station (ISS).

If all goes according to plan, Cygnus will arrive at the orbiting lab at 4:20 a.m. EST (0920 GMT) on Thursday (Feb. 1). You can watch its rendezvous and docking activities live here at Space.com, courtesy of NASA.

Northrop Grumman named this Cygnus vehicle after Patty Hilliard Robertson, a NASA astronaut who died in a private plane crash in 2001. She was selected to the astronaut corps in 1998 and was supposed to fly to the ISS in 2002.

The freighter is packed with more than 8,200 pounds (3,720 kilograms) of supplies and scientific hardware. Among the research gear is a cartilage-growing experiment that could help address joint damage and disease here on Earth and a European Space Agency project that will test the 3D printing of metals in microgravity.

You can learn more about this cargo mission, called NG-20,via NASA's overview.

Cygnus will spend about six months docked to the ISS, then head back down for a fiery destruction in Earth's atmosphere.

One experiment aboard Cygnus, called the Kentucky Re-entry Probe Experiment-2, will gather data during this death dive, taking "measurements to demonstrate a thermal protection system for spacecraft and their contents during re-entry in Earth's atmosphere, which can be difficult to replicate in ground simulations," NASA officials wrote in their NG-20 mission overview.

Cygnus is one of three robotic cargo craft that currently service the ISS, along with SpaceX's Dragon capsule and Russia's Progress vehicle. Progress, like Cygnus, is an expendable spacecraft, but Dragon is reusable, surviving the trip through Earth's atmosphere and splashing down softly under parachutes in the ocean.

Editor's note: This story was corrected at 4:40 p.m. EST on Jan. 30 to state that Patty Hilliard Robertson was supposed to fly to the ISS in 2002 (rather than 2022, as originally written).

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SpaceX launches private Cygnus cargo spacecraft to the ISS (video) - Space.com

SpaceX Falcon 9 successfully launches spacecraft to the International Space Station: All the best pictures – Wonderwall

By Wonderwall.com Editors 7:10pm PST, Jan 31, 2024

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying Northrop Grumman's 21st Cygnus cargo freighter launches from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Jan. 30, 2024.

The NG-20 mission is the 20th operational cargo delivery flight to the International Space Station.

The Falcon 9 rocket carried more than four tons of science gear, equipment and crew supplies including ice cream, fresh fruit and cheese on a two-day flight to the ISS. If all goes according to plan, the cargo ship will arrive at some point on Feb. 1.

Keep reading to see more of the best pictures of the launch

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A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying Northrop Grumman's 21st Cygnus cargo freighter launches from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Jan. 30, 2024.

The NG-20 mission is the 20th operational cargo delivery flight to the International Space Station.

MORE: NASA unveils new supersonic aircraft: All the best pictures

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying Northrop Grumman's 21st Cygnus cargo freighter launches from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Jan. 30, 2024.

The NG-20 mission is the 20th operational cargo delivery flight to the International Space Station.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying Northrop Grumman's 21st Cygnus cargo freighter launches from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Jan. 30, 2024.

The NG-20 mission is the 20th operational cargo delivery flight to the International Space Station.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying Northrop Grumman's 21st Cygnus cargo freighter launches from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Jan. 30, 2024.

The NG-20 mission is the 20th operational cargo delivery flight to the International Space Station.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying Northrop Grumman's 21st Cygnus cargo freighter launches from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Jan. 30, 2024.

The NG-20 mission is the 20th operational cargo delivery flight to the International Space Station.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying Northrop Grumman's 21st Cygnus cargo freighter launches from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Jan. 30, 2024.

The NG-20 mission is the 20th operational cargo delivery flight to the International Space Station.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying Northrop Grumman's 21st Cygnus cargo freighter launches from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Jan. 30, 2024.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying Northrop Grumman's 21st Cygnus cargo freighter vents gasses before launching from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Jan. 30, 2024.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 booster rocket lands after launching with Northrop Grumman's 21st Cygnus cargo freighter from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Jan. 30, 2024.

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SpaceX Falcon 9 successfully launches spacecraft to the International Space Station: All the best pictures - Wonderwall

SpaceX’s Starship Selected to Launch Starlab Space Station – FLYING

SpaceXs Starship rocket has been selected to launch Starlab, the commercial space station venture between Voyager Space and Airbus.

Standing nearly 400 feet tall, Starship is the largest and most powerful rocket ever built, with two reusable components, the Super Heavy Booster and Starship spacecraft.

Its what will be needed to launch the commercial space station in a single mission, according to a Starlab official.

SpaceXs history of success and reliability led our team to select Starship to orbit Starlab, Dylan Taylor, chairman and CEO of Voyager Space, said in a statement. SpaceX is the unmatched leader for high-cadence launches, and we are proud Starlab will be launched to orbit in a single flight by Starship.

Starlab, which will permanently host four crewmembers, is scheduled to launch prior to the International Space Stations (ISS) decommissioning before the end of the decade, heralding the U.S. transitioning to commercially owned and operated low-Earth orbit (LEO) destinations.

As a continuously crewed, free-flying space station, Starlab will serve a global customer base of space agencies, researchers, and companies, ensuring a continued human presence in LEO and a seamless transition of microgravity research from the [ISS] into the new commercial space station era, Voyager Space said.

NASA has committed to utilizing and operating ISS through 2030.

Starlabs single-launch solution continues to demonstrate not only what is possible but how the future of commercial space is happening now, said Tom Ochinero, senior vice president of commercial business at SpaceX.

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SpaceX's Starship Selected to Launch Starlab Space Station - FLYING

European Space Agency Launches First Metal 3D Printer To ISS – Aviation Week

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A metal 3D printer could allow astronauts to make complex metallic structures in orbit, as well as at future Moon and Mars bases.

Credit: ESA

The European Space Agency (ESA) has launched what it says is the first metal 3D printer to be hosted on the International Space Station (ISS). While plastic 3D printers have been used aboard the ISS since 2014, a machine that prints stainless steel would be new and could allow astronauts greater...

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Cygnus Cargo Ship Launching on SpaceX Rocket Live on NASA TV – NASA Blogs

The Cygnus cargo craft from Northrop Grumman sits atop the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at its launch pad in Florida. Credit: SpaceX

NASA Television coverage is underway for the launch of Northrop Live NASA coverage is underway for the launch of Northrop Grummans 20th commercial resupply mission to the International Space Station for the agency. The launch of the companys Cygnus spacecraft is scheduled for 12:07 p.m. EST on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

Loaded with more than 8,200 pounds of supplies, the spacecraft will arrive at the orbiting outpost Thursday, Feb. 1. NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli will capture Cygnus using the stations Canadarm2 robotic arm, and NASA astronaut Loral OHara will be acting as a backup. After capture, the spacecraft will be installed on the Unity modules Earth-facing port.

Northrop Grumman named the Cygnus S.S. Patricia Patty Hilliard Robertson in honor of the former NASA astronaut.

Live launch coverage will continue on NASA Television and the agencys website, as well as YouTube, X, Facebook, and NASAs App.

Learn more about station activities by following thespace station blog,@space_stationand@ISS_Researchon X, as well as theISS FacebookandISS Instagramaccounts.

Get weekly video highlights at:https://roundupreads.jsc.nasa.gov/videoupdate/

Get the latest from NASA delivered every week. Subscribe here:www.nasa.gov/subscribe

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China sends human bone cells to Tiangong space station (video) – Space.com

A Chinese space freighter has delivered human bone cells to the Tiangong space station for on-orbit research.

The Tianzhou 7 cargo spacecraft launched on a Long March 7 rocket from Wenchang Satellite Launch Center on Jan. 17, reaching the Tiangong space station just over three hours later. Among its cargo of around 12,350 pounds (5,600 kilograms) were more than 60 experiments, including human bone cells for research into bone mineral density.

The cells grow quickly, meaning the experiment needed to be installed just hours ahead of launch to ensure optimal cell activity before they fill the space available for them. Their growth will be closely monitored and data transmitted back to Earth for analysis.

Related: The latest news about China's space program

"Our experimental equipment in space will guarantee the physical and chemical conditions for cell culture like the replacement of nutrient fluid and the gas for bone cells, Shang Peng, a professor at the Northwestern Polytechnical University, told CCTV.

It also carries a fluorescence microscope and ordinary light microscope to monitor the growth of the cells. Some of this information will be recorded and transmitted to the Earth for analysis in real time and in the future."

Astronauts in orbit are instructed to exercise for hours each day to help prevent the bone loss associated with living long-term in a microgravity environment.

This can exercise their skeletal muscles and also prevent their bone loss effectively," Shang said.

Such research, which is also being conducted cooperatively with scientists from other countries, could lead to better ways to tackle bone loss problems experienced on Earth as well as in space.

"We will do further projects in the operation phase of China's space station. Based on these, we will develop relevant medicines and test them. They will not only help taikonauts in space but also humans on the Earth, particularly the elderly. This will be very meaningful," said Wang Jinfu, professor with the Zhejiang University in east China.

China's Tianzhou 1 mission, launched in 2017 as a prototype space station cargo and refueling mission to dock with the Tiangong 1 space lab, carried stem cells. That was a rare opportunity for such tests.

Having the Tiangong space station in its operational phase with the Tianhe core module recently passing 1,000 days in orbit means more and regular opportunities for China's science community to carry out scientific experiments in space.

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China sends human bone cells to Tiangong space station (video) - Space.com

A robot surgeon is headed to the ISS to dissect simulated astronaut tissue – Space.com

Very soon, a robot surgeon may begin its orbit around our planet and though it won't quite be a metallic, humanoid machine wearing a white coat and holding a scalpel, its mission is fascinating nonetheless.

On Tuesday (Jan. 30), scientists will be sending a slew of innovative experiments to the International Space Station via Northrop Grumman's Cygnus spacecraft. It's scheduled to launch no earlier than 12:07 p.m. ET (1707 GMT) and, if all goes to plan, arrive at the ISS a few days later on Feb. 1.

Indeed one of the experiments onboard is a two-pound (0.9-kilogram) robotic device, about as long as your forearm, with two controllable arms that respectively hold a grasper and a pair of scissors. Developed by a company named Virtual Incision, this doctor robot of sorts is built to someday be able to communicate with human doctors on the ground while inserting itself into an astronaut patient to conduct medical procedures with high accuracy.

"The more advanced part of our experiment will control the device from here in Lincoln, Nebraska, and dissect simulated surgical tissue on orbit," Shane Farritor, co-founder of Virtual Incision, said during a presentation about Cygnus on Friday.

For now, as it's in preliminary stages, it's going to be tested on rubber bands but the team has high hopes for the future as missions to the moon, Mars and beyond start rolling down the space exploration pipeline. Remote space medicine has become a hot topic during the last few years as space agencies and private space companies lay plans for a variety of future crewed space missions.

Related: International Space Station will host a surgical robot in 2024

NASA's Artemis Program, for instance, hopes to have boots on the moon in 2026 plus, that's supposed to pave the way for a day on which humanity can say they've reached the Red Planet. And together, those missions are expected to pave the way for a far future in which humanity embarks on deeper space travel, perhaps to Venus or, if we're really dreaming, beyond the solar system. So to make sure astronauts remain safe in space an environment they're literally not made to survive in scientists want to make sure space-based medical treatment sees advancement in tandem with the rockets that'll take those astronauts wherever they're going.

A quick example that comes to mind is how, in 2021, NASA flight surgeon Josef Schmid was "holoported" to the ISS via HoloLens technology. It's sort of like virtual reality meets FaceTime meets augmented reality, if that makes sense.

However, as the team explains, not only could this robotic surgery mission benefit people exploring the void of space, but also those living right here on Earth. "If you have a specialist who's a very good surgeon, that specialist could dial into different locations and help with telesurgery or remote surgery," Farritor said. "Only about 10% of operating rooms today are robotic, but we don't see any reason that shouldn't be 100%."

This would be a particularly crucial advantage for hospitals in rural areas where fewer specialists are available, and where operating rooms are limited. In fact, as Farritor explained, not only is Virtual Incision funded by NASA but also by the military. "Both groups want to do surgery in crazy places," he said, "and our small robots kind of lend themselves to mobility like that."

The little robot doctor will be far from alone on the Cygnus spacecraft as it heads to the ISS; during the same presentation in which Farritor discussed Virtual Incision, other experts talked about what they'll be sending up come Monday.

For one, it'll have a robot friend joining it in the orbital laboratory a robotic arm. This arm has already been tested within the station's constraints before, but with this new mission the team hopes to test it in fully unpressurized conditions.

"Unplugging, replugging, moving objects, that's the kind of stuff that we did with the first investigation," said May Murphy, the director of programs at company NanoRacks. "We're kind of stepping up the complexity ... we're going to switch off which tools we're using, we'll be able to use screwdriver analogs and things like that; that will enable us to do even more work."

"We can look at even beyond just taking away something that the crew would have to spend time working on," she continued. "Now, we also have the capacity to do additional work in harsher environments we don't necessarily want to expose the crew to."

The European Space Agency, meanwhile, will be sending a 3D-printer that can create small metal parts. The goal here is to see how the structure of 3D-printed metal fares in space when compared to Earth-based 3D-printed metal. 3D-printed semiconductors, key components of most electronic devices, will be tested as well for a similar reason.

"When we talk about having vehicles in space for longer periods of time without being able to bring supplies up and down, we need to be able to print some of these smaller parts in space, to help the integrity of the vehicle over time," said Meghan Everett, NASA's ISS program deputy scientist.

Per Everett, this could also help scientists learn whether some sorts of materials that aren't 3D-printable on Earth can be 3D-printed in space. "Some preliminary data suggests that we can actually produce better products in space compared to Earth which would directly translate to better electronics in energy producing capabilities," she said.

Another experiment getting launched on Monday looks at the effects of microgravity on bone loss. Known as MABL-A, it will look at the role of what're known as mesenchymal cells (associated with bone marrow) and how that might change when exposed to the space environment. This could offer insight into astronaut bone loss a well-documented, major issue for space explorers as well as into the dynamics of human aging. "We will also look at the genes that are involved in bone formation and how gravity affected them," said Abba Zubair, a professor of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology at Mayo Clinic.

Lisa Carnell, division director for NASA's Biological and Physical Sciences Division, spoke about the Apex-10 mission headed up, which will see how plant microbes interact in space. This could help decode how to increase plant productivity on Earth, too.

Two of the other key experiments discussed during the presentation include a space computer and an artificial eye well, an artificial retina, to be exact. We'll start with the latter.

Nicole Wagner, CEO of a company named LambdaVision, has a staggering goal: To restore vision to the millions of patients that are blinded by end stage retinal degenerative diseases like macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa.

To do this, she and her team are trying to develop a protein-based artificial retina that's built through a process known as "electrostatic layer-by-layer deposition." In short, this consists of depositing multiple layers of a special kind of protein onto a scaffold. "Think of the scaffold almost like a tightly woven piece of gauze," Wagner said.

However, as she explains, this process on Earth can be impeded by the effects of gravity. And any imperfections in the layers can pretty much ruin the artificial retina's performance. So what about in microgravity? To date, LambdaVision has flown more than eight missions to the ISS, she says, and the experiments have shown that microgravity does indeed generate more homogenous layers and therefore better thin films for the retina.

"In this mission," she said, "we're looking at sending a powdered form of bacteriorhodopsin to the ISS that will then be resuspended into a solution, and we will be using special instruments, in this case spectrometers, to look at the protein quality and purity on the International Space Station, as well as to validate this process used to get the protein into solution."

Could you imagine if doctors would be able to commission a few artificial retinas to be developed in space someday, then delivered to the ground for implantation into a patient. And that this whole process could give someone their sight back?

As for the space computer, Mark Fernandez, principal investigator for the Spaceborne Computer-2 project, posed a hypothetical. "Astronauts go on a spacewalk, and after their work day, the gloves are examined for wear-and-tear,' he said. "This must be done by every astronaut, after every spacewalk, before the gloves can be used again."

Normally, Fernandez explains, the team takes a bunch of high-resolution photographs of the potentially contaminated gloves, then sends those images out for analysis.

This analysis, he says, typically takes something like five days to finish and return. So, hoping to solve the problem, the team developed an AI model in collaboration with NASA and Microsoft that can do the analysis straight on the station and flag areas of concern. Each takes about 45 seconds to complete. "We're gonna go on from five days to just a few minutes," he said, adding that the team also did DNA analysis typically conducted on the space station in about 12 minutes. Normally, he emphasized, that'd take months.

But, the team wants to make sure Spaceborne Computer-2's servers will function properly while on the ISS, hence the Cygnus payload. This will mark the company's third ISS mission.

"The ISS National Lab has so many benefits that it's attributing to our nation," Carnell said. "It creates a universe of new possibilities for the next generation of scientists and engineers."

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A robot surgeon is headed to the ISS to dissect simulated astronaut tissue - Space.com

Ax-3 astronaut snaps dizzying photo of ISS’s jam-packed interior – Space.com

A new view from inside the International Space Station captures a dizzying number of experiments underway in orbit.

European Space Agency (ESA) project astronaut Marcus Wandt recently shared a photo he took while floating in the microgravity environment of the orbiting lab's Destiny module. Destiny is the International Space Station's primary research laboratory and is therefore home to a wide range of experiments and studies.

In the photo, which Wandt shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Jan. 25, the walls of the Destiny module are lined with various pieces of equipment and cords strung about to keep all of the tools tethered. Wandt's legs and feet can also be seen floating in the foreground of the photo due to the weightlessness astronauts experience inside the spacecraft.

Related: International Space Station at 20: A photo tour

The Destiny module has 24 equipment racks, which support various studies related to health, safety and humans' quality of life. The space station offers researchers a unique opportunity to conduct experiments in the absence of gravity, thus allowing them to better understand humans and the world in which we live.

"An astronaut's perspective," Wandt wrote in the X post. "How does this photo make you feel: relaxed, stressed, giddy or wanting to rearrange everything?"

Wandt launched to the space station on Jan. 18 as part of Axiom Space's Mission 3 (Ax-3). Joined by mission specialist Alper Gezeravc of Turkey, commander and former NASA astronaut Michael Lpez-Alegra (who has dual U.S. and Spanish citizenship), and mission pilot and Italian Air Force Col. Walter Villadei, Ax-3 carries Axiom's first all-European crew.

The four Ax-3 astronauts are living and working in orbit for up to two weeks. They are tasked with over 30 experiments spanning various fields in science and technology aimed at propelling advancements in human spaceflight and contributing to enhancing life on Earth.

While some may see Wandt's photo and think the inside of the module appears a bit cluttered without the force of gravity to hold all of the equipment neatly in place, others may feel relaxed by the idea of floating weightless through space. However, despite the apparent disorganization, astronauts are trained to maintain a high standard of cleanliness, to ensure the safety and functionality of the space station.

So, the question remains: How does this photo make you feel?

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Ax-3 astronaut snaps dizzying photo of ISS's jam-packed interior - Space.com

Syracuse native Jeanette Epps to join NASA’s Crew-8 Mission to the International Space Station – Democrat & Chronicle

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Syracuse native Jeanette Epps to join NASA's Crew-8 Mission to the International Space Station - Democrat & Chronicle

First metal 3D printer heading to International Space Station – The Engineer

The logistical burden of resupplying future Moon bases with tools or load bearing parts could be alleviated if astronauts could manufacture such items with a metal 3D printer.

To that end, the first metal 3D printer launched on January 30, 2024 onboard NASAs mission NG-20, which is heading to the International Space Station on a resupply mission.

In the coming days the printer will be set-up in the Columbus module the science lab onboard the ISS - by astronaut Andreas Mogensen and operated to 3D print the first metallic part in space.

The printer was developed by Airbus, AddUp, Cranfield University and Highftech Engineering under a European Space Agency (ESA) programme.

In a statement, Gwenalle Aridon, Airbus Space Assembly lead engineer, said: Astronauts will be able to directly manufacture tools such as wrenches or mounting interfaces that could connect several parts together. The flexibility and rapid availability of 3D printing will greatly improve astronauts autonomy.

Sbastien Girault, metal 3D printer system engineer at Airbus, said the printer is the size of a washing machine and can print parts that are 9cm high and 5cm wide.

As well as overcoming the challenge of size, the printer will sit in a sealed metal box to protect against the aggressive printing environment caused by the laser and the heat it generates.

Gravity management is also key, which is why we chose wire-based printing technology, said Girault.

Furthermore, fumes that are emitted will be addressed by filters and captured inside the machine so that they do not contaminate the air inside the ISS.

Two printers will be used for this experiment: the flight model inside the ISS; and the engineering model on Earth. The astronauts will print four samples in space, which will be sent back to Earth for analysis. The same specimens will be manufactured using the engineering model printer.

In order to evaluate the effects of microgravity, ESA and Danish Technical University will perform mechanical strength and bending tests and microstructural analysis on the parts made in space and compare them to the other specimens, said Girault.

According to Airbus, there are several plastic 3D printers on board the ISS and Astronauts have used them to replace or repair plastic parts that would have taken months to arrive if built and transported from Earth.

This logistical constraint will intensify on future Moon and Mars stations; the raw material will still need to be launched, but printing the part is still more efficient than transporting it to its destination.

Increasing the level of maturity and automation of additive manufacturing in space could be a game changer for supporting life beyond Earth, said Aridon. Thinking beyond the ISS, the applications could be amazing. Imagine a metal printer using transformed regolith or recycled materials to build a lunar base.

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SpaceX launches UF/IFAS microbiology experiment to ISS – University of Florida

eating staph infections can be tricky in the best of times. But what happens if you get infected while in space?

Thats the scenario Kelly Rice, associate professor at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, hopes to help understand. Rices experiment will be launched today, Jan. 30, to the International Space Station on a SpaceX rocket.

Staph, orStaphylococcus aureus, is a type of bacteria found in the nose or on the skin of up to 30% of humans, but under certain conditions, it can thwart a human bodys physical and immune defenses and cause severe infection. Staph infections can be particularly troublesome for people in close quarters, such as astronauts.

A previous study done by Rice and her colleagues found that the bacteria had the potential to be more dangerous to astronauts while in microgravity.

The current experiment will include growing the bacteria in enclosed canisters to better understand how microgravity affects expression of disease-spreading properties, how the bacteria grows and other factors.

We are grateful to NASA for the opportunity to study this bacteria, and the information gained may apply to other bacteria as well, Rice said. We hope that these results will help guide strategies to maintain astronaut health during long-term space flight missions.

This study was funded by a grant from the NASA Biological Sciences Divisions Space Biology Program.

Meredith Bauer January 30, 2024

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SpaceX launches UF/IFAS microbiology experiment to ISS - University of Florida

Northrop Grumman launches science investigations, supplies to space station – Vero News

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER Northrop Grumman launched avariety of scientific experiments and equipment including a surgical robot and a 3D cartilage cell culture to the International Space Station on Tuesday. Skywatchers on Floridas east coast including portions of the Treasure Coast watched the launch under clear skies, followed by a booster landing accompanied with a thunderous-like sonic boom.

The liftoff was part of Northrop Grummans 20th Commercial Resupply Services mission, NASA officials said. Viewers on the Space and Treasure coasts can soon expect to see more launches, including the SpaceX Crew 8 launch slated for Feb. 22.

Northrop Grumman officials named the recent mission after NASA Astronaut Patricia Patty Hilliard Robertson, a medical doctor, pilot and space medicine fellow who died in a plane crash in 2001.

Northrop Grumman, SpaceX and NASA coordinated the event. The Cygnus cargo spacecraft manufactured by Northrop Grumman launched at 12:07 p.m. atop a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 40.

Cygnus will reach the space station in two days, NASA officials said. This marks the seventh launch for SpaceX this year.

The cargo is carrying more than 8,200 pounds of supplies to the space station. The spacecraft will deliver the first surgical robot on the space station, an orbit reentry platform that collects thermal protection systems data and a 3D cartilage cell culture that will help astronauts keep healthy cartilage in microgravity, NASA officials said.

The cargo also has a metal 3D printer that will test the capability for printing small metal parts. The MSTIC facility Manufacturing of Semiconductors and Thin-film Integrated Coatings is another science experiment headed to space.

The facility developed by Redwire Space based in Jacksonville has a manufacturing capability to make high-quality, lower cost semiconductor chips at a fast rate, NASA officials said. The semiconductors are a critical component that function many of the tools people use every day including smartphones, computers, vehicles and medical devices, Redwire Space officials said.

MSTIC also has an autonomous manufacturing capability that can replace several machines and processes that are required to create semiconductor devices.

The true potential of manufacturing in space lies in the unique conditions of space. Producing films in orbit could lead to significantly improved crystal structures, minimizing irregularities often seen in earth-based manufacturing, Tere Riley, director of marketing and communications for Redwire Space, told VeroNews. This could mean films with more uniform thickness, enhanced conductivity, and greater efficiency, ultimately boosting the performance of the devices theyre used in.

The Cygnus spacecraft will remain at the space station until July, when it will descend back to earth and burn up in the atmosphere, NASA officials said.

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Northrop Grumman launches science investigations, supplies to space station - Vero News

Cygnus Soars on SpaceX Rocket to Resupply International Space Station – SciTechDaily

Northrop Grummans Cygnus spacecraft, loaded with more than 8,200 pounds of supplies, launched to the ISS on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, marking the 20th resupply mission by Northrop Grumman for NASA. Credit: SpaceX

A fresh supply of more than 8,200 pounds of scientific investigations and cargo is on its way to the International Space Station on a Northrop Grumman Cygnus resupply spacecraft after launching on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at 12:07 p.m. EST Tuesday from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

About 15 minutes after launch, Cygnus reached its preliminary orbit. About two hours after launch, the spacecraft successfully deployed its two solar arrays.

A successful liftoff from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida as Northrop Grummans Cygnus spacecraft, atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, heads to the International Space Station for the 20th Northrop Grumman resupply mission on Tuesday, January 30, 2024. The spacecraft is expected to reach the space station on Thursday, February 1, 2024, bringing 8,200 pounds of science investigations, supplies, and equipment for the international crew. Credit: Kim Shiflett

Cygnus is scheduled to arrive at the space station around 4:15 a.m. Thursday, February 1.

NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app, and agencys website will provide live coverage of the spacecrafts approach and arrival beginning at 2:45 a.m.

NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli will capture Cygnus using the stations Canadarm2 robotic arm, and NASA astronaut Loral OHara will be acting as a backup. After capture, the spacecraft will be installed on the Unity modules Earth-facing port.

This is Northrop Grummans 20th contracted resupply mission for NASA.

Northrop Grummans Cygnus spacecraft, atop a SpaceX 9 Falcon rocket, soars from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Tuesday, January 30, 2024, for the 20th Northrop Grumman commercial resupply mission for NASA. The spacecraft will bring 8,200 pounds of science investigations, supplies, and equipment to the International Space Station including tests of a 3D metal printer, semiconductor manufacturing, and thermal protection systems. The Cygnus spacecraft is expected to reach the space station on Thursday, February 1, 2024, where it will remain until its expected departure in May. Credit: SpaceX

Northrop Grummans Cygnus spacecraft is an unmanned cargo spacecraft designed to transport supplies, equipment, and scientific experiments to the International Space Station (ISS). Developed as part of NASAs Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program, Cygnus plays a crucial role in maintaining the ISSs operations and advancing space research.

The spacecraft consists of two primary components: the Service Module, which contains the spacecrafts avionics, propulsion, and power systems, and the Pressurized Cargo Module, where the cargo is stored. Once Cygnus completes its mission and is unberthed from the ISS, it safely burns up upon re-entering the Earths atmosphere. This design makes Cygnus an efficient means of not only delivering supplies but also disposing of the stations waste.

Over the years, Cygnus has been instrumental in numerous resupply missions, contributing significantly to the ongoing success and sustainability of the ISS and its missions.

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Cygnus Soars on SpaceX Rocket to Resupply International Space Station - SciTechDaily

SpaceX launches new resupply mission to space station – Xinhua

The image of Northrop Grumman's Cygnus resupply spacecraft is posted on the website of NASA. (Photo credit: NASA)

It is Northrop Grumman's 20th contracted resupply mission for NASA.

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 30 (Xinhua) -- A fresh supply of more than 8,200 pounds of scientific investigations and cargo was launched to the International Space Station (ISS) on Tuesday on a Cygnus resupply spacecraft of American aerospace technology company Northrop Grumman.

The Cygnus cargo spacecraft was launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at 12:07 p.m. Tuesday Eastern Time from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in the U.S. state of Florida.

It is Northrop Grumman's 20th contracted resupply mission for NASA.

The Cygnus spacecraft is scheduled to remain at the ISS until May when it will depart the orbiting laboratory at which point it will harmlessly burn up in Earth's atmosphere, according to NASA.

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SpaceX launches new resupply mission to space station - Xinhua

Cygnus Flies to International Space Station – Mirage News

SpaceX

In this image from Jan. 30, 2024, an uncrewed Cygnus cargo spacecraft launches atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, starting its journey to the International Space Station. Launching from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Cygnus carries 8,200 pounds of science investigations and cargo to support dozens of research experiments. This is Northrop Grumman's 20th cargo flight to the orbiting laboratory.

Watch NASA+ for live coverage of Cygnus's approach to the space station on Feb. 1, 2024, beginning at 2:45 a.m. EST.

Image Credit: SpaceX

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Cygnus Flies to International Space Station - Mirage News

Surgical robot built in Lincoln blasts off to International Space Station – KLKN

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) A surgical robot built by a Lincoln company got a glimpse of the stars Tuesday.

The robot along with other experiments, supplies and equipment was launched into space from Cape Canaveral, Florida.

Virtual Incision, a startup company based at Nebraska Innovation Campus, created the miniaturized in vivo robotic assistant, also known as MIRA.

MIRA can perform abdominal surgeries in a minimally invasive manner, officials said.

Surgeons could also use the technology to perform procedures remotely.

NASA took an interest in the robot last year.

The robot is heading to the International Space Station, where it will help test remote surgery tasks.

Shane Farritor, Virtual Incisions co-founder, said the research will be a huge step toward what he calls telesurgery.

Well start by having the robot do a little bit by itself, but then later in the mission, were going to try and control it from Lincoln, Farritor said.

MIRA will collect data for Farritors team before it returns to Earth in the spring.

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Surgical robot built in Lincoln blasts off to International Space Station - KLKN

NASA, SpaceX, Northrop Grumman team up on International Space Station cargo resupply launch – Florida Today

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NASA, SpaceX, Northrop Grumman team up on International Space Station cargo resupply launch - Florida Today

Watch SpaceX launch Cygnus cargo ship to space station – Olean Times Herald

SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched a cargo resupply mission Tuesday to the International Space Station from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. #spacex #space #cygnus

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Watch SpaceX launch Cygnus cargo ship to space station - Olean Times Herald

Lichen Survives on Outside of International Space Station Explorersweb – ExplorersWeb

To ask if you could live outside the International Space Station (ISS) is rhetorical at best but could any living organism on Earth manage it?

One unassuming toughie did, and provided at least rough proof of concept that life could exist on Mars.

Lichen from Antarcticas McMurdo Dry Valleys survived 18 months on a platform attached to the outside of the ISSs Columbus module, Futurism reported. Though they emerged in worse shape than temperate lichens tested separately in Mars-like conditions, many still survived.

The International Space Station. Photo: NASA

The study authors focused on the success of the species in the Martian simulation.

The most relevant outcome was that more than 60% of the cellsremained intact after exposure to Mars, said Rosa de la Torre Noetzel of Spains National Institute of Aerospace Technology (INTA) and co-researcher on the project.

Survival in outer space itself was lower. Only around 35% of these lichens cells retained their membranes throughout the experiment.

Nevertheless, this is strong evidence that lichen is tougher than anything alive by many orders of magnitude.

For carbon-based life forms, outer space is in a word unsurvivable. In no particular order, space is:

However, repeated experiments have proven lichens resistance to these conditions.

In 2005, researchers placed lichens aboard a rocket and then attached them to a European Space Agency module outside a Russian satellite. They left them for 16 days, then brought them back home.

All exposed lichens, regardless of the optical filters used, showed nearly the same photosynthetic activity after the flight, the study said. These findings indicate that [most lichen cells] can survive in space after full exposure to massive UV and cosmic radiation, conditions proven to be lethal to bacteria and other microorganisms.

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Lichen Survives on Outside of International Space Station Explorersweb - ExplorersWeb

Cape Canaveral launch: Supplies head to ISS – WESH 2 Orlando

NASA, SpaceX, more launch supplies to International Space Station from Cape Canaveral

Updated: 12:28 PM EST Jan 30, 2024

NASA, SpaceX and Northrop Grumman successfully completed a Tuesday afternoon launch from Cape Canaveral to the International Space Station. Filled with more than 8,200 pounds of supplies, the Cygnus cargo spacecraft, which is carried on the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, launched from Space Launch Complex 40. The supplies are expected to reach the ISS on Feb. 1. According to officials, highlights of the space station research facilitated by this delivery include: The first surgical robot on the space stationAn orbit re-entry platform that collects thermal protection systems dataA 3D cartilage cell culture that maintains healthy cartilage in a lower gravityThe MSTIC facility, an autonomous semiconductor manufacturing platformA metal 3D printer that will test the capability for printing small metal partsThe Cygnus spacecraft is scheduled to remain at the ISS until May, when it will depart and harmlessly burn up in the Earth's atmosphere.

NASA, SpaceX and Northrop Grumman successfully completed a Tuesday afternoon launch from Cape Canaveral to the International Space Station.

Filled with more than 8,200 pounds of supplies, the Cygnus cargo spacecraft, which is carried on the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, launched from Space Launch Complex 40.

The supplies are expected to reach the ISS on Feb. 1.

According to officials, highlights of the space station research facilitated by this delivery include:

The Cygnus spacecraft is scheduled to remain at the ISS until May, when it will depart and harmlessly burn up in the Earth's atmosphere.

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Cape Canaveral launch: Supplies head to ISS - WESH 2 Orlando