The International Space Station (ISS) National Laboratory has officially published the list of milestones it achieved during 2024.
According to certain reports, in fiscal year 2024, more than 50 peer-reviewed articles related to ISS National Lab-sponsored research were published, bringing the all-time number to nearly 450. More on that would reveal how several groundbreaking results were featured in three new issues of Upward, official magazine of the ISS National Lab, something which relays the broad impact of research in space that can effectively improve the lives of people on Earth.
Talk about some of the top ISS national lab-related scientific results on a slightly deeper level, we begin from the field of biometric advances, where Redwire Corporation utilized its BioFabrication Facility (BFF) on the ISS to 3D print live human heart tissue. You see, such a breakthrough takes the world a lot closer to producing complex human tissues in space to treat damaged tissue across people on Earth, thus potentially revolutionizing medical treatments for many conditions.
Next up, there is the space of materials science. Here, Flawless Photonics produced more than 11 kilometers of ZBLAN optical fiber onboard the ISS, including a record-setting single pull that was more than a kilometer long. The reason why that is a big case relates to the potential for creating superior optical fibers in microgravity, which could enhance telecommunications and medical technologies on Earth.
Then, there is the aspect of global monitoring that saw Orbital Sidekick validating its cutting-edge hyperspectral imaging technology to monitor ecological changes and potential environmental disasters from space. The staged validation was a crucial step for the company to offer real-time global monitoring services that, on their part, provide customers with a powerful tool for addressing their most pressing challenges.
Another detail worth a mention here is rooted in the prospect of agricultural innovations, where Clemson University research into cotton genetics under microgravity conditions uncovered new methods to enhance crop resilience and productivity, revealing possible applications that could benefit global agricultural practices.
Joining that would be the field of neurological insights. This field had Axonis Therapeutics growing brain organoids in space to test a new therapeutic for neurological conditions like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and spinal cord injury. Such an ability to self-assemble brain organoids from mature cells in space within just a few days, as compared to months on Earth, displays the unique benefits microgravity offers for biological research.
Educational outreach also showed up on ISS’ list of milestones. We get to say so because ISS Mimic, an educational product developed by Creatorspace, made it possible for students to build a 1:100 scale model of the ISS which mimics real-time movements of the space station. This it does using actual telemetry data. The idea governing such product is to enhance STEM education in schools, libraries, and museums.
Beyond that, ISS experienced sharp movements in fluid dynamics research. It happened after an experiment from researchers at the University of Notre Dame investigated the fluid dynamics of bubble formation in microgravity. The research was designed to generate a better understanding of how bubbles form and grow to improve biosensors that can be eventually used for early and asymptomatic cancer detection.
Hold on, we still have a few bits left to unpack. You see, we still haven’t touched on the point of AstroRad, which is purposed around protecting astronauts from radiation during missions to the Moon and Mars. Tested by crew members on the ISS, the technology has already witnessed some design tweaks improving the vest’s fit and mobility, enhancing astronaut safety.
We also haven’t touched on the advances in orbital oncology, a space where MicroQuin grew 3D cultures of breast and prostate cancer cells in microgravity to better understand cancer cell behavior. The findings would provide significant insights into cancer cell survival mechanisms and could lead to a therapeutic to treat all types of cancer.
Among other things, it must be acknowledged how Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) study leveraged ISS’ capabilities to explore the potential of utilizing tissue chips in space, all for gauging the underlying causes of post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA).
