Astronauts Return to Earth Following Seven-Month Science Expedition on International Space Station

NASA's SpaceX Crew-8 astronauts supported a variety of ISS National Lab-sponsored investigations including in-space manufacturing, cancer treatments, and genetic research

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla., Oct. 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- After seven months of living and working onboard the International Space Station (ISS), astronauts of NASA's eighth rotational SpaceX crew mission (Crew-8) splashed down safely off the coast of Florida. The mission, which is part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program, included NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, as well as Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin. During their mission on station, the three NASA astronauts supported dozens of research investigations sponsored by the ISS National Laboratory®.

These investigations spanned many areas, including in-space production applications, life and physical sciences, and technology development, all aimed at bringing value to humanity and enabling a robust market in low Earth orbit (LEO).

Below highlights a few of the ISS National Lab-sponsored projects the Crew-8 NASA astronauts worked on during their mission.

    --  Several investigations focused on in-space production applications, an
        increasingly important area of emphasis for the ISS National Lab and
        NASA.
        --  A project from Cedars Sinai Medical Center aims to establish methods
            to support the in-space manufacturing of stem cells, which can be
            matured into a wide variety of tissues. These methods will be used
            for future large-scale in-space biomanufacturing of stem
            cell-derived products, which could lead to new treatments for heart
            disease, neurodegenerative diseases, and many other conditions.
        --  Redwire Corporation partnered with Eli Lilly and Company and Butler
            University on a series of investigations leveraging Redwire's
            Pharmaceutical In-space Laboratory (PIL-BOX), a platform to
            crystallize organic molecules in microgravity. Results from this
            research could lead to improved therapeutics to treat an array of
            conditions. These projects continue Eli Lilly's space journey, as
            the company has launched multiple investigations to the orbiting
            laboratory over the years for the benefit of patient care on Earth.
    --  The astronauts supported the third experiment in a series of projects
        from the University of Notre Dame to improve ultra-sensitive biosensors.
        The biosensors can detect trace substances in liquids, including early
        cancer biomarkers. By using laser heating to control bubble formation in
        microgravity, the team improved particle collection--a key step in
        boosting sensor sensitivity. This research, funded by the U.S. National
        Science Foundation, could transform early and asymptomatic cancer
        detection and other medical diagnostics.
    --  The crew conducted phase two of a technology development project from
        Sphere Entertainment to test Big Sky--the company's new
        ultra-high-resolution, single-sensor camera--on the space station. In
        the first phase of the project, which launched in November 2022,
        astronauts tested a commercial off-the-shelf camera on the ISS to
        collect baseline information. During the second phase, the astronauts
        tested Big Sky to validate the camera's function, operations, and video
        downlink capabilities in microgravity. Big Sky is being developed by
        Sphere Entertainment to capture content for Sphere, the next-generation
        entertainment medium in Las Vegas.
    --  In the final days before their departure from the space station, the
        Crew-8 astronauts supported projects that recently launched on NASA's
        ninth rotational crew mission (Crew-9).
        --  One is a student-led project from Isabel Jiang, a recent high school
            graduate from Hillsborough, CA, who is now in her first year at
            Yale. Jiang is the winner of the 2023 Genes in Space student
            research competition, founded by Boeing and miniPCR bio and
            supported by the ISS National Lab and New England Biolabs. Jiang's
            experiment investigates the effect of radiation and the space
            environment on mechanisms for gene editing. Results could help
            develop methods to better protect astronauts and shed light on
            genetic risks for certain diseases during spaceflight.
        --  Another is an investigation from the U.S. Air Force Academy and
            Rhodium Scientific to compare the root growth of Arabidopsis plants,
            a member of the mustard family, at two different orbital altitudes.
            Plants grown on the space station in LEO for four to six days will
            be compared with similar plants grown on the recent Polaris Dawn
            mission, which flew in the same type of vehicle at a higher orbit
            for approximately the same amount of time. Results could provide
            insights into the production of crops for long-duration space
            missions and in high-radiation environments.

These are just a few of the ISS National Lab-sponsored research projects conducted on the space station during this expedition. To learn more about these investigations and others, visit our launch page.

Download a high-resolution image for this release: NASA's SpaceX Crew-8

About the International Space Station (ISS) National Laboratory:
The International Space Station (ISS) is a one-of-a-kind laboratory that enables research and technology development not possible on Earth. As a public service enterprise, the ISS National Laboratory® allows researchers to leverage this multiuser facility to improve quality of life on Earth, mature space-based business models, advance science literacy in the future workforce, and expand a sustainable and scalable market in low Earth orbit. Through this orbiting national laboratory, research resources on the ISS are available to support non-NASA science, technology, and education initiatives from U.S. government agencies, academic institutions, and the private sector. The Center for the Advancement of Science in Space(TM) (CASIS(TM)) manages the ISS National Lab, under Cooperative Agreement with NASA, facilitating access to its permanent microgravity research environment, a powerful vantage point in low Earth orbit, and the extreme and varied conditions of space. To learn more about the ISS National Lab, visit our website.

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, CASIS accepts corporate and individual donations to help advance science in space for the benefit of humanity. For more information, visit our donations page.

     
     Media Contact: 
     Patrick O'Neill


                       
     904-806-0035


                                         PONeill@ISSNationalLab.org

     
     International Space Station (ISS) National Laboratory


       Managed by the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space, Inc.
        (CASIS)


       6905 N. Wickham Rd., Suite 500, Melbourne, FL 32940 -- 321.253.5101 --
        ww.ISSNationalLab.org

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SOURCE International Space Station National Lab