ISS - Blog Posts
Tomorrow’s Technology on the Space Station Today
Tablets, smart appliances, and other technologies that are an indispensable part of daily life are no longer state-of-the-art compared to the research and technology development going on over our heads. As we celebrate 20 years of humans continuously living and working in space aboard the International Space Station, we’re recapping some of the out-of-this-world tech development and research being done on the orbiting lab too.
Our Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) helps redefine state-of-the-art tech for living and working in space. Here are 10 technologies tried and tested on the space station with helping hands from its astronaut occupants over the years.
1. Astronaut Wanna-Bees
Astronauts on the space station are responsible for everything from conducting science experiments and deploying satellites to tracking inventory and cleaning. While all are necessary, the crew can delegate some jobs to the newest robotic inhabitants – Astrobees.
These cube-shaped robots can work independently or in tandem, carrying out research activities. Once they prove themselves, the bots will take on some of the more time-consuming tasks, such as monitoring the status of dozens of experiments. The three robots – named Bumble, Honey, and Queen – can operate autonomously following a programmed set of instructions or controlled remotely. Each uses cameras for navigation, fans for propulsion, and a rechargeable battery for power. The robots also have a perching arm that lets them grip handrails or hold items. These free-flying helpers take advantage of another STMD technology called Gecko Grippers that “stick” to any surface.
2. Getting a Grip in Microgravity
We wanted to develop tools for grabbing space junk, and something strong and super-sticky is necessary to collect the diverse material orbiting Earth. So, engineers studied the gecko lizard, perhaps the most efficient “grabber” on this planet. Millions of extremely fine hairs on the bottom of their feet make an incredible amount of contact with surfaces so the gecko can hold onto anything. That inspired our engineers to create a similar material.
Now the Gecko Gripper made by OnRobot is sold on the commercial market, supporting industrial activities such as materials handling and assembly. The NASA gecko adhesive gripper that’s being tested in microgravity on the Astrobee robots was fabricated on Earth. But other small plastic parts can now be manufactured in space.
3. Make It, or Don’t Take It
Frequent resupply trips from Earth to the Moon, Mars, and other solar system bodies are simply not realistic. In order to become truly Earth-independent and increase sustainability, we had to come up with ways to manufacture supplies on demand.
A demonstration of the first 3D printer in space was tested on the space station in 2014, proving it worked in microgravity. This paved the way for the first commercial 3D printer in space, which is operated by Made In Space. It has successfully produced more than 150 parts since its activation in 2016. Designs for tools, parts, and many other objects are transmitted to the station by the company, which also oversees the print jobs. Different kinds of plastic filaments use heat and pressure in a process that’s similar to the way a hot glue gun works. The molten material is precisely deposited using a back-and-forth motion until the part forms. The next logical step for efficient 3D printing was using recycled plastics to create needed objects.
4. The Nine Lives of Plastic
To help fragile technology survive launch and keep food safe for consumption, NASA employs a lot of single-use plastics. That material is a valuable resource, so we are developing a number of ways to repurpose it. The Refabricator, delivered to the station in 2018, is designed to reuse everything from plastic bags to packing foam. The waste plastic is super-heated and transformed into the feedstock for its built-in 3D printer. The filament can be used repeatedly: a 3D-printed wrench that’s no longer needed can be dropped into the machine and used to make any one of the pre-programmed objects, such as a spoon. The dorm-fridge-sized machine created by Tethers Unlimited Inc. successfully manufactured its first object, but the technology experienced some issues in the bonding process likely due to microgravity’s effect on the materials. Thus, the Refabricator continues to undergo additional testing to perfect its performance.
5. Speed Metal
An upcoming hardware test on the station will try out a new kind of 3D printer. The on-demand digital manufacturing technology is capable of using different kinds of materials, including plastic and metals, to create new parts. We commissioned TechShot Inc. to build the hardware to fabricate objects made from aerospace-grade metals and electronics. On Earth, FabLab has already demonstrated its ability to manufacture strong, complex metal tools and other items. The unit includes a metal additive manufacturing process, furnace, and endmill for post-processing. It also has built-in monitoring for in-process inspection. When the FabLab is installed on the space station, it will be remotely operated by controllers on Earth. Right now, another printer created by the same company is doing a different kind of 3D printing on station.
6. A Doctor’s BFF
Today scientists are also learning to 3D print living tissues. However, the force of gravity on this planet makes it hard to print cells that maintain their shape. So on Earth, scientists use scaffolding to help keep the printed structures from collapsing.
The 3D BioFabrication Facility (BFF) created by TechShot Inc. could provide researchers a gamechanger that sidesteps the need to use scaffolds by bioprinting in microgravity. This first American bioprinter in space uses bio-inks that contain adult human cells along with a cell-culturing system to strengthen the tissue over time. Eventually, that means that these manufactured tissues will keep their shape once returned to Earth’s gravity! While the road to bioprinting human organs is likely still many years away, these efforts on the space station may move us closer to that much-needed capability for the more than 100,000 people on the wait list for organ transplant.
7. Growing Vitamins
Conditions in space are hard on the human body, and they also can be punishing on food. Regular deliveries of food to the space station refresh the supply of nutritious meals for astronauts. But prepackaged food stored on the Moon or sent to Mars in advance of astronauts could lose some nutritional value over time.
That’s why the BioNutrients experiment is underway. Two different strains of baker’s yeast which are engineered to produce essential nutrients on demand are being checked for shelf life in orbit. Samples of the yeast are being stored at room temperature aboard the space station and then are activated at different intervals, frozen, and returned to Earth for evaluation. These tests will allow scientists to check how long their specially-engineered microbes can be stored on the shelf, while still supplying fresh nutrients that humans need to stay healthy in space. Such microbes must be able to be stored for months, even years, to support the longer durations of exploration missions. If successful, these space-adapted organisms could also be engineered for the potential production of medicines. Similar organisms used in this system could provide fresh foods like yogurt or kefir on demand. Although designed for space, this system also could help provide nutrition for people in remote areas of our planet.
8. Rough and Ready
Everything from paints and container seals to switches and thermal protection systems must withstand the punishing environment of space. Atomic oxygen, charged-particle radiation, collisions with meteoroids and space debris, and temperature extremes (all combined with the vacuum) are just some conditions that are only found in space. Not all of these can be replicated on Earth. In 2001, we addressed this testing problem with the Materials International Space Station Experiment (MISSE). Technologists can send small samples of just about any technology or material into low-Earth orbit for six months or more. Mounted to the exterior of the space station, MISSE has tested more than 4,000 materials. More sophisticated hardware developed over time now supports automatic monitoring that sends photos and data back to researchers on Earth. Renamed the MISSE Flight Facility, this permanent external platform is now owned and operated by the small business, Alpha Space Test & Research Alliance LLC. The woman-owned company is developing two similar platforms for testing materials and technologies on the lunar surface.
9. Parachuting to Earth
Small satellites could provide a cheaper, faster way to deliver small payloads to Earth from the space station. To do just that, the Technology Education Satellite, or TechEdSat, develops the essential technologies with a series of CubeSats built by college students in partnership with NASA. In 2017, TechEdSat-6 deployed from the station, equipped with a custom-built parachute called exo-brake to see if a controlled de-orbit was possible. After popping out of the back of the CubeSat, struts and flexible cords warped the parachute like a wing to control the direction in which it travelled. The exo-brake uses atmospheric drag to steer a small satellite toward a designated landing site. The most recent mission in the series, TechEdSat-10, was deployed from the station in July with an improved version of an exo-brake. The CubeSat is actively being navigated to the target entry point in the vicinity of the NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island, Virginia.
10. X-ray Vision for a Galactic Position System
Independent navigation for spacecraft in deep space is challenging because objects move rapidly and the distances between are measured in millions of miles, not the mere thousands of miles we’re used to on Earth. From a mission perched on the outside of the station, we were able to prove that X-rays from pulsars could be helpful. A number of spinning neutron stars consistently emit pulsating beams of X-rays, like the rotating beacon of a lighthouse. Because the rapid pulsations of light are extremely regular, they can provide the precise timing required to measure distances.
The Station Explorer for X-Ray Timing and Navigation (SEXTANT) demonstration conducted on the space station in 2017 successfully measured pulsar data and used navigation algorithms to locate the station as it moved in its orbit. The washing machine-sized hardware, which also produced new neutron star science via the Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER), can now be miniaturized to develop detectors and other hardware to make pulsar-based navigation available for use on future spacecraft.
As NASA continues to identify challenges and problems for upcoming deep space missions such as Artemis, human on Mars, and exploring distant moons such as Titan, STMD will continue to further technology development on the space station and Earth.
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Wave patterns on the Canadian side of Lake Erie by europeanspaceagency on Flickr.
Belo tiro, belas cores
Fun iPhone capture this evening... Orion The Hunter, Taurus The Bull, The Planet Mars, The International Space Station, and The Pleiades.
#explorepage #space #astronomy #iss #internationalspacestation #orion #taurus #thepleiades #solarsystemambassador
NASA's Neutral Buoyancy Lab: The Ultimate Underwater Simulator for Astronauts
NASA’s Neutral Buoyancy Lab (NBL) is a state-of-the-art underwater facility located in Houston, Texas. It serves as an underwater simulation environment for astronauts to train for spacewalks and other extravehicular activities (EVAs). The NBL is one of the most advanced training facilities in the world and plays a critical role in preparing astronauts for the challenges they will face in space.
The NBL is a massive indoor pool that is over 200 feet long, 100 feet wide, and 40 feet deep. It contains a full-scale mock-up of the International Space Station (ISS) and other space structures, allowing astronauts to practice and perfect their spacewalking techniques in a controlled and safe environment. The pool is filled with over 6 million gallons of water, which provides a simulated weightless experience similar to that of space.
Astronauts are equipped with a full spacewalk suit, which provides them with life support and protection from the harsh conditions of space. The suit is buoyant, which makes it difficult for astronauts to move around in water. To overcome this challenge, the suit is weighted with lead weights to balance out the buoyancy, making it possible for astronauts to move around freely in the water. This process of weight balancing is called "neutral buoyancy," which gives the NBL its name.
The NBL is not only a training facility for spacewalking, but it is also used to test new spacewalk equipment and procedures. It allows engineers and scientists to observe how equipment and procedures perform in a simulated microgravity environment. This information is then used to make improvements and ensure the safety of astronauts in space.
One of the unique features of the NBL is its ability to simulate various lighting conditions, including daylight, nighttime, and the red lighting that is used during spacewalks. This capability allows astronauts to train for all types of spacewalking scenarios and ensures that they are well-prepared for any situation they may encounter in space.
In conclusion, NASA's Neutral Buoyancy Lab is a crucial component of astronaut training and space exploration. It provides a safe and controlled environment for astronauts to train for spacewalks and other EVAs, while also allowing engineers and scientists to test new equipment and procedures. The NBL plays a vital role in ensuring the success and safety of NASA's space missions.
Had a wonderful time speaking to groups at Grayson Elementary’s Arts and STEM Night. We talked about the ISS and the Artemis program. #nasa #nasasolarsystemambassador #space #iss #nasaiss #artemis #sls https://www.instagram.com/p/Cc1Fo6SulGy/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
Finished!!! #lego #nasa #iss #internationalspacestation #solarsystemambassadors https://www.instagram.com/p/CbIIROlu0kJ/?utm_medium=tumblr
A lot of eye straining, a little bit of arthritis pain, and some minor cussin’. I’m getting there. She’s over halfway completed. #iss #internationalspacestation #nasa #lego #solarsystemambassadors https://www.instagram.com/p/CbFwn1Bubjb/?utm_medium=tumblr
Somebody is very pleased with her Samantha Cristoforetti doll. Now she just needs an @astro_nicole doll. Let’s see if Mattel can make that happen. #stem #womeninspace #iss #internationalspacestation #nasa #spacescience #barbie #barbiedoll #mattel https://www.instagram.com/p/CU3b4dIMZ0z/?utm_medium=tumblr
Got my boarding pass! Stay tuned for an exciting week coming up. Shane Kimbrough, who graduated from The Lovett School and Georgia Tech, will be going to space for the third time. He will also be flying in his third type of spacecraft! He has flown in the Space Shuttle, and a Soyuz capsule. This time, he will be riding a Space-X Dragon to the ISS. . . . . #nasa #iss #internationalspacestation #crew2 #dragon #spacex #spacexdragon https://www.instagram.com/p/CNwBb46DZVL/?igshid=1gj6rezp2dk7w
Did you know: NASA's SpaceX Crew-2 is the first NASA Commercial Crew Program mission to fly two international partner astronauts? Both Thomas Pesquet of ESA - European Space Agency and Akihiko Hoshide of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) will be aboard the Crew Dragon launching April 22 to the International Space Station. #nasa #crewdragon #iss #solarsystemambassador https://www.instagram.com/p/CNmFBvmj2Qk/?igshid=1vvs39ahvj71a
I know it’s a very specific category, but I still can’t believe this! Thank you to my friends and family! #space #iss #internationalspacestation #childrensbooks #stem #steam https://www.instagram.com/p/CJZberVjUrF/?igshid=tb8xj1y7quxl
It’s here! My first children’s book for ages 4-7 is available on Amazon. “Mission, GO!” by Johnathan Brackett is available in Kindle form or paperback. Thanks to friends and family for the encouragement. #space #astronaut #stem #steam #spaceflight #iss #internationalspacestation https://www.instagram.com/p/CJJXR_njF53/?igshid=1gqq80oafbo1b
Merry Christmas and a Happy CRS-21 Launch!!! 🎄 🚀 #nasasocial #nasa #iss #internationalspacestation #spacex #dragon #merrychristmas https://www.instagram.com/p/CIeJecrDeX4/?igshid=1ep76if4gvodq
Looking forward to a Saturday launch for SpaceX’s 21st cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station. #nasasocial #nasa #spacex #space #iss #internationalspacestation #dragon https://www.instagram.com/p/CIXVnpCD4d_/?igshid=m9m1riesurea
Astronaut Training Experience at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center! #nasa #orionspacecraft @rocketcenterusa @spacecampusa #space #spaceflight #stem #stemeducation #iss #internationalspacestation #astronaut #huntsvillealabama @visithuntsvilleal (at U.S. Space & Rocket Center) https://www.instagram.com/p/CIKVmOcjcdQ/?igshid=1pki5qwzwoc25
Watch as four astronauts ride their Crew Dragon Spacecraft, Resilience, to the ISS at 7:27pm. https://www.nasa.gov/nasalive #launchamerica #spacex #internationalspacestation #iss #nasasocial https://www.instagram.com/p/CHoM_B_DOpK/?igshid=1pjfltezp9w7p
In about 3 weeks, I’ll be attending Astronaut Training Experience at SpaceCamp as an educator! I’m so excited! Not bad for John, the world’s biggest 12 year old. Speaking of 12, that is also the number of former and current astronauts who have attended SpaceCamp. Astronaut Kate Rubins, who is on the ISS right NOW, attended as a seventh grader. #nasa @issnationallab @iss #space #stemeducation #spacecamp #iss #huntsvillealabama #launchamerica #stem https://www.instagram.com/p/CHcDEIWjriP/?igshid=rb5zh2exe8bt
Kinda cool when the person running a great big ol’ agency’s FB account decides your picture is worthy of said agency’s ❤️. Thanks @nasa ! #space #launchamerica #crewdragon @spacex #iss @iss @issnationallab https://www.instagram.com/p/CHStHVhDNDR/?igshid=1hpnysb816a4v
Get your boarding pass and join me in celebrating the upcoming launch of the SpaceX Crew Dragon - Resilience. Four astronauts are scheduled to ride a SpaceX Falcon 9 to the ISS on Saturday, November 14, 2020. #spacex #nasa #iss #launchamerica #spacestation20th #internationalspacestation #crewdragon #falcon9 https://fb.me/e/1OVkkJk4Q https://www.instagram.com/p/CHRiOwjDBHk/?igshid=1w7e8usp6ffy4
Hosted a “Story Time From Space” event today at Kate’s camp. The kids learned about the ISS and all of the exciting experiments taking place up there. They also made artwork for the Space for Art Foundation’s BEYOND project. @issnationallab @spaceforartfoundation @iss #iss #space #issnationallab #astronauts #spacestation #science #stem @nasa #nasa https://www.instagram.com/p/CDCKwFKnIG3/?igshid=116ibjl2qrlwa
Sportin’ my new NASA 2020 Launch America hat. @nasa @spacex #crewdragon #nasa #launchamerica #space #iss @issnationallab @iss #issspacestationambassador https://www.instagram.com/p/CCeL0snnX9q/?igshid=1kqjqeyt1forw
Another day, another lecture... ... and another 82 acronyms.
1 Little, 2 Little, 3 Little Galaxies...
Spent some time today processing data from the Hubble Space Telescope. Also watched a lecture on Chinese Space Suits...
As for this evening, there is a visible ISS pass at 6:31PM over the Atlanta area.
Had the pleasure of meeting and listening to former astronaut Scott Kelly as he related stories of his life and his year on the International Space Station.
International Space Station passing over Georgia, USA... Oct. 16, 2017