NASA has detailed a new study that found precise microbial 'fingerprints' that astronauts left behind on the International Space Station. According to the research, microorganisms transferred from astronauts' bodies to the ISS environment retained a close resemblance to their source and scientists were able to determine which part of the astronaut's body they came from.
There have been countless movies that have been set in outer space but not all of them can make a claim to be really based on reality. For that to happen, one will have to actually be in space or at least shoot some scenes there. Considering the logistics, not to mention legal and regulatory requirements, of that stunt, it's no surprise that almost no one has even bothered to do so. Tom Cruise and SpaceX, however, want to change that and they have their eyes on the ISS from the get-go.
The human body undergoes a lot of stress when in the microgravity environment of space that causes physiological changes to astronauts. One point of study for long-term space travel is how to determine what long-term impacts spaceflight will have on the body and how to mitigate them. A new study has been published that was investigating known vision problems in astronauts after extended periods in space. The study suggests that the impact of long-duration space travel is more far-reaching than previously believed.
A newly published study reveals that lettuce grown in space is just as healthy as its counterpart grown on Earth, joining a previous taste test that determined the green and red leaves were 'tasty.' Watering plants in a microgravity environment isn't simple, however, and though a syringe-based watering system worked well enough for lettuce, NASA says it needs something more sophisticated for bigger vegetables.
Remember the times you would stare at the biggest LEGO display sets in the toy store wishing you could persuade your parents to buy you one? But like the most of us, you probably had to settle for one of the smaller boxes below $30. The good news is, it is not too late.
NASA's Kennedy Space Center has announced the publication of the International Space Station U.S. National Laboratory's 2019 Annual Report. The publication details many of the accomplishments and various highlights related to the ISS National Lab during the space agency's 2019 fiscal year, which ended on September 30, 2019. Among other things, the ISS National Lab broke two of its own records last year.
NASA has announced that it has chosen Axiom Space to design, build, and launch a trio of pressurized modules for the ISS and a large Earth observation window. The partnership between NASA and Axiom is part of Appendix I of NASA Next Space Technologies for Exploration Partnerships 2. The agency hopes that the program will stimulate commercial development of deep space exploration capabilities.
Over the weekend, a pair of astronauts aboard the ISS went on a spacewalk to work on an instrument that some believed unrepairable. The instrument that astronauts Andrew Morgan from NASA and Luca Parmitano from Italy worked on was the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer. The duo worked on the same instrument last month.
The LEGO Ideas ISS (International Space Station) was revealed as a build-ready, in-store, consumer-ready set this week. This build was made on the micro-level, which means it's got a pair of 2 astronaut microfigures that'll live in the base of the set near its user-built stand. This system is both incredibly detailed and surprisingly simple - an instant classic, for sure.
NASA took the time to brag on one of its astronauts not long ago for setting a record for space flight duration. NASA Astronaut Christina Koch has set a record for the longest space flight by a woman after spending 288 days in orbit. That eclipses the record set by former station commander Peggy Whitson.
The European Space Agency has announced that astronaut Luca Parmitano successfully navigated a rover through an obstacle course to collect a rock sample all the way from the International Space Station. The obstacle course was located in the Netherlands where the test took place on Monday. The ESA developed the technology used to remotely operate rovers from space.
NASA says the Cygnus cargo spacecraft launched over the weekend has successfully docked with the International Space Station. Amid the cargo contained on this vessel is a special oven and cookie dough that brings a special new capability to the ISS: the ability to bake chocolate chip cookies. The experiment comes from DoubleTree by Hilton and Zero G Kitchen.