ISS Science Highlight: STS-123/1J/A Crew Brings Home ISS Crewmember and International Science Samples The STS-123/1J/A Shuttle mission brings home Expedition 16 Flight Engineer Leo Eyharts. During his 6-weeks aboard the ISS, Leo participated in several on-going science experiments, and initiated two new experiments studying plant growth and testing connections between the brain, visualization and motion in microgravity. As Leo is welcomed home, newest Expedition 16 crewmember, Astronaut Garrett Reisman, begins his stay on International Space Station.
In addition, science aboard the ISS reached new milestones during Space Shuttle Endeavour's mission. Japan became a full participating ISS science partner with the delivery and installation of the first segment of it's laboratory, the Japanese Experiment Logistics Module -- Pressurized Section (ELM-PS). The Shuttle brought new science experiments that were performed during the mission, including the first National Lab pathfinder experiment, and returned important samples from long-duration experiments.
STS123 1J/A Sortie Science (Science Brought and Returned on the Shuttle) National Lab Pathfinder - Vaccine - 1A (NLP-Vaccine-1A) is a commercial payload serving as a pathfinder for the use of the International Space Station (ISS) as a National Laboratory after ISS assembly is complete. The experiment tests changes caused by spaceflight in Salmonella enterica, a disease-causing organism. The returned samples will be studied for potential use in the development of vaccines against infections on Earth and in microgravity.
Microbial Drug Resistance and Virulence (MDRV) is a microbiological experiment designed to evaluate microbial drug resistance and the mechanisms of virulence (infection potential) in bacterial cultures. This study is a direct result from a previous short-duration experiment, Microbe (Effect of Spaceflight on Microbial Gene Expression and Virulence) that flew on STS-115/12A in September 2006, and demonstrated increased virulence in Salmonella bacteria (a leading cause of human gastroenteritis).
As part of the Department of Defense Space Test Program, a new payload in the Shuttle's Cargo Bay,
RIGEX (Rigidizable Inflatable Get-Away-Special Experiment), tested and collected data on rigidized structures. Three tubes, initially soft structures are heated then cooled, forming structurally rigid tubes.
ISS Commander Peggy Whitson and Mission Specialist Takao Doi conducted a session of the
JAXA-EPO (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency - Education Payload Observation) where Doi was photographed unstowing and stowing payload samples from a Cargo Transfer Bag (CTB). JAXA-EPO aims to provide educational activities that will enlighten the general public about microgravity research and human space flight.
In support of future exploration missions, some of the Shuttle crew members participated in human studies research. These investigations include:
Integrated Immune-SDBI (Validation of Procedures for Monitoring Crew Member Immune Function - Short Duration Biological Investigation) uses blood and saliva samples from the Shuttle crewmembers to assess the clinical risks resulting from the adverse effects of space flight on the human immune system and will validate a flight-compatible immune monitoring strategy.
Midodrine-SDBI (Test of Midodrine as a Countermeasure Against Post-Flight Orthostatic Hypotension) tests the performance of medication that helps transition the human body in and out of spaceflight (prevent space motion sickness and counteract low blood pressure and dizziness upon return to Earth).
Sleep-Short (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy and Light Exposure During Spaceflight - Short) examines the effects of spaceflight on the sleep-wake cycles of the astronauts during space shuttle missions. Participating crewmembers will wear an Actiwatch monitor that will be track the amount of light exposure and sleep patterns experienced.
Science Samples Returned to Earth The Shuttle crew is also bringing home key samples from 5 experiments that were operated onboard ISS. Of these experiments, 2 are sponsored by NASA, 2 are sponsored by the European Space Agency (ESA) and 1 sponsored by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).
Nutrition (Nutrition Status Assessment) is the most comprehensive in-flight study done by NASA to date of human physiologic changes during long-duration space flight.
SWAB (Surface, Water and Air Biocharacterization) uses advanced molecular techniques to comprehensively evaluate microbes on board the Space Station, including pathogens (organisms that may cause disease). The data tracks changes in the microbial community as spacecraft visit and new modules are added to the Space Station.
SWAB (Surface, Water and Air Biocharacterization) investigation examines changes in stress and immune responses, during and after long duration missions on the ISS. Immuno is a cooperative investigation with the ESA.
WAICO (Waving and Coiling of Arabidopsis Roots at Different g-levels) uses Arabidopsis thaliana (thale cress) to study circumnutation (bowing or bending of the root tips in different directions) and gravitropism (growth towards or away from gravity) in microgravity. This investigation is sponsored by ESA and was started by Eyharts when he arrived on the ISS.
JAXA-3DPC (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency-3D Photon Crystals) examines photonic crystals grown in microgravity using particles in electrolytic solutions that will be fixed using light in a process referred to as photocuring.
> Weekly Research Summary > Expedition 16 Experiments
