A strange science will launch in space this week for NASA

This Thursday, the crystallized proteins of the Michael J. Fox Foundation, a vertiginous virtual reality system, ultratiny membranes and the "Refabricator", a device for transforming waste into filament for 3D printing, will all be projected. in the space.

This strange science and more will be released Thursday, November 15 at 4:49 am EST (9:49 GMT) during the 10th Northrop Grumman (formerly Orbital ATK) commercial replenishment mission to the International Space Station. The company's Cygnus spacecraft will take off from the Antares rocket from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at Wallops Air Force Base in Virginia, carrying about 400 kg of research and equipment for these experiments, NASA officials said. a statement. In total, the rocket will launch approximately 3,500 kg of scientific equipment and crew supplies such as food and clothing to the International Space Station.

These experiments will be part of hundreds of scientific investigations currently conducted aboard the space station. The launch will be visible along parts of the American Ccoast and you can watch it live online here on Space.com, courtesy of NASA TV. [Launch Photo: Orbital ATK’s Antares Rocket & Cygnus OA-9 Soar to Space Station]

Northrop Grumman's Cygnus vehicle was named in honor of NASA's astronaut and United States Navy officer John Young. Young spent 835 hours in space during six missions as NASA's astronaut.

On board the vehicle Cygnus will be a device called "Refabricator" as part of the project "Refabricator Manufacturing In-Space Manufacturing". It is the first integrated 3D printer and recycler that will transform plastic waste into a filament for 3D printing aboard the space station. The filament will be used for repairs on board the space station as well as for waste recycling. The device could also be used to make objects aboard the space station.

This technology could prove very useful for long-term missions in the deep space, where astronauts will have to deal with waste, repairs and resources on a regular basis. As stated in the survey's research overview, "without recycling capacity, a large quantity of raw material would have to be stored for long-term exploration missions". This survey is sponsored by NASA's Technology Demonstration Office.

Virtual reality in microgravity

The effect of long-term hypogravity on the perception of self-movement (VECTION), another investigation launched at the space station, will examine how a microgravity environment could affect an astronaut's ability to visually interpret movement, orientation and distance.

Here on Earth, our senses work together to let us know how far we are from things, how fast they move, and how they are oriented. In the space, gravity is no longer part of our vestibular system, a system that contributes to our sense of balance and orientation. The VECTION study aims to better understand the impact of microgravity on these senses through virtual reality.

In this study, astronauts will carry a virtual reality system that will provide computer generated visual cues to attempt to create artificial gravity using visual acceleration. Laurence Harris, a professor at York University in Toronto and principal investigator in this research, said at a press conference on Thursday, November 8. After the virtual reality simulation, the astronauts will indicate how much they perceive that they have moved, how far the objects were away from them, and so on.

"Many astronauts feel disoriented or suffer from space sickness when they first arrive at the space station," Harris said. So, to understand how a microgravity environment can affect astronauts at multiple points in their journey, they will participate in virtual reality simulation as soon as they arrive in space, once accustomed to the environment and once back to Earth. .

The investigation into the crystallization of LRRK2 as part of the Microgravity Conditions-2 Investigation (CASIS PCG-16), developed in part by the Michael J. Fox Foundation, will produce crystals to fight the disease. Parkinson. Leukine-rich repeat kinase 2 proteins (LRRK2) are implicated in Parkinson's disease and the study of larger crystals developed by proteins can help scientists learn more about the structure of the protein. However, the crystals of this protein grown on Earth are too small and compact to be studied effectively.

A previous attempt was made to grow these crystals in microgravity, researchers said at the press conference, but without success. After reorganizing the investigation, the researchers will once again try to grow these crystals in microgravity aboard the space station. By studying larger crystals of LRRK2, the research team hopes to better understand the shape and morphology of the protein and help scientists better understand Parkinson's disease.

The ultimate goal of this survey is simple. At the press conference, Marco Baptista, director of research programs at the Michael J. Fox Foundation, said: "They are looking for a treatment that would slow, stop or reverse the disease."

Tiny carbon capture

The design of evolutionary microgravity synthesis gas separation membranes (Cemisca) is developing a tiny method for capturing carbon dioxide. This experiment will test and synthesize tiny membranes made of calcium silicate particles, as thin as a human hair and endowed with 100-nanometer or even smaller pores, the researchers said. These nanoporous membranes can separate carbon dioxide from other gases present in the air, making it an important development technology to combat the harmful effects that too much carbon dioxide can have on our planet.

Researchers predict that the creation of these membranes in microgravity could cost less and produce more durable membranes that use less energy. In addition, the microgravity environment gives researchers the "ability to control the size and shape of nanoparticles," said Negar Rajabiat of Cemscia LLC, principal investigator of this national laboratory, at the press conference. This means that they can customize the membranes to separate different types of gases, though, as Rajabiat said.

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