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When the space trading company’s Dragon spacecraft launches on Saturday, it will be loaded with experiments dedicated to probe everything from healthy bones and eyes to robot dexterity.
SpaceX is aiming for the launch of its next resupply mission to the International Space Station (ISS) on Saturday, and it plans to perform some fascinating science experiments.
When the commercial space company’s Dragon spacecraft launches with its Falcon rocket from Kennedy Space Center in Florida, United States, it will be tasked with research projects dedicated to exploring everything from healthy bones to eyes of astronauts to the dexterity of robots and the way plants deal with stress, NASA announced ahead of the launch.
It will also include an experiment dedicated to “plant growth, ant colonization and the life cycle of brine shrimp” designed by a group of girl scouts from central Florida, the US space agency confirmed.
This is the 23rd ISS refueling mission carried out by SpaceX by Elon Musk, and is scheduled to launch at 03:37 local time (0737 GMT) on Saturday.
An experiment will use metabolites created as byproducts during winemaking to see if “substances such as antioxidants formed when food is broken down could protect bones during space flights,” according to NASA.
Another experiment sponsored by the European Space Agency, the European Astronaut Center and the Institute for Space Medicine at the German Aerospace Center will use a small device to take images of the retina of astronauts’ eyes to check them for neuro syndrome. -ocular associated with space flights (SANS).
The disease is “thought 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 manifest with SANS are alleviated by providing eyeglasses or contact lenses to crew members,” Drescher explained. “Multi-year missions to Mars can worsen these symptoms, and there is a need for a mobile device for the diagnosis of retinal images. “
This technology could potentially be used both in space and here on Earth, he added.
An experiment by space robotics startup Gitai Japan Inc will test the dexterity and maneuverability of a robotic arm inside the Bishop Airlock, a pressurized environment.
Gitai Chief Technology Officer Toyotaka Kozuki said in the press release that the robot could provide “an inexpensive and safer source of labor in space, opening the door to true commercialization of space “. On Earth, it could be used to aid in disaster relief efforts or nuclear emergencies where sending humans to help could be dangerous.
Additional experiments on Saturday’s mission include an investigation to test the strength of materials such as concrete, 3D-printed polymers, fiberglass composites and more in space and a study on how to help plants deal with microgravity stress in space.
NASA said the Dragon spacecraft will also carry supplies and equipment for the crew currently based at the ISS.
In addition to serving as a taxi service to the ISS, SpaceX recently signed a number of major contracts with NASA, including one to help explore Jupiter’s fourth largest moon, Europa.
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