ISS Science Recap for Week of March 3

Ice Crystal-2 installation. (Credit: NASA)

ISS Research Highlights

Week of March 3, 2014

John Love, Lead Increment Scientist

Expedition 37/38

The Expedition 38 crew finished the Aniso Tubule investigation. Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Koichi Wakata completed the close-out activities and retrieved samples from the Minus Eighty-Degree Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI ). He exposed them to light for a period of time and then put the samples into the Cell Biology Experiment Unit (CBEF) for incubation.

Aniso Tubule is an investigation that seeks to understand the mechanisms that plants use in growing stems of the right thickness to support them against gravity. Microtubules, part of a plant cell’s molecular skeleton, align themselves with the local gravity field and thus produce short, thick bodies in hypergravity. This research will germinate Arabidopsis (thale cress) hypocotyls in space and then use a fluorescence microscope in the Kibo module to analyze the directions taken by tubules in the stem just below the leaves of new seedlings. Improved understanding of the role of gravity in orienting microtubules and driving protein expression in plants as they grow on Earth will be indispensable in enhancing foods and other plants now grown on Earth. A significant portion of a plant’s energy goes to building stalks that support it, energy that might be diverted to earlier, more beneficial crop production.

Ice Crystal-2 , run 15, began after Wakata reconfigured the Image Processing Unit user video cables. This study examines the growth rates and stability of ice crystals in supercooled water including antifreeze glycoprotein (AFGP). The preferential absorption of AFGP molecules at the ice/water interface controls the growth of ice crystals. Ice crystals exhibit oscillatory growth when interacting with the AFGP. This oscillatory growth will be observed in the microgravity environment where gravity-based convection is absent. This research project will elucidate principles of the growth model for ice in the antifreeze protein solution, and will open the way for a new research field related to the fundamentals of crystal growth mechanisms controlled by the biological macromolecules.

The crew removed the DEvice for the study of Critical LIquids and Crystallization-Alice Like Insert (DECLIC-ALI ), installed the High Temperature Insert-Reflight (HTI-R ) for the DECLIC-HTI-R investigation and exchanged the removable hard disk drive. The HTI-R science run began. DECLIC-ALI is planned to return on SpaceX-3 , which is scheduled to launch March 16. DECLIC-ALI studies liquids at the verge of boiling. The flow of heat during boiling events is different in microgravity than it is on Earth. Understanding how heat flows in fluids at the verge of boiling will help scientists develop cooling systems for use in microgravity. DECLIC-HTI-R uses salt water to study salt precipitate formation, agglomeration and transport in water at very high pressures. Results from this scientific investigation will benefit future fluid management activities in space, including organic waste treatment for future interplanetary manned missions.

The MICAST-2 sample processing was successfully completed. MICAST-2 is short for Microstructure Formation in Casting of Technical Alloys under Diffusive and Magnetically Controlled Convective Conditions-2. Microgravity offers a unique way to study the solidification of metal mixtures, or alloys. The MICAST-2 investigation will study a magnetic field’s influence on the solidification of alloys containing aluminum-silicon (AlSi) and aluminum-silicon-iron (AlSiFe). The experiment also will inform computer models of metal casting, which could help the metals industry design better mixtures and processes. The studies could improve ground-based development of new lightweight, high-performance materials that can be used in future space missions.

NASA astronauts Michael Hopkins and Richard Mastracchio set up and initialized sample six for the Binary Colloidal Alloy Test-Kinetics Platform (BCAT-KP ) study. The BCAT-KP will provide a platform for material and industrial scientists to investigate colloid phase changes to help develop new colloidal materials and formulations with unique properties. These properties will provide new applications from new liquid crystals to consumer goods having longer shelf life and uses. Examples of colloids range from detergent/fabric softener to milk. The study lays the foundation for nanotechnology and nanomechanical systems in space.

Wakata prepared for Hybrid Training operations for Expedition 39. A Hybrid Training System (HTS) will be used on one of the astronaut’s arms for four weeks. His or her muscular strength and bulk will be compared to the non-HTS arm to examine how the arm operates in orbit. This also prevents muscle atrophy, which is well known for astronauts. The atrophy of the bones and muscles is one of the main problems for long-term stays on the International Space Station. One benefit of this study is that muscle force of the exercised upper limb will be maintained or increased by HTS training. There are potential benefits to bed-rest patients, spin-offs in the field of clinical medicine and aging.

Other human research investigations continued for various crew members including Biochemical Profile , Journals , Microbiome , Reaction Self Test , Ocular Health , Salivary Markers and Space Headaches .