Scientific research on the ISS’s latest resupply mission includes advances in metal 3D printing, semiconductor fabrication, thermal reentry protection, robotic surgery, and cartilage regeneration. This research aims to improve the sustainability of space missions and has a significant impact on terrestrial technology and healthcare.

3D metal printing, semiconductor fabrication and testing of thermal protection systems for reentry into Earth’s atmosphere are among the scientific experiments NASA and international partners are launching aboard the International Space Station as part of Northrop Grumman’s 20th resupply mission. The company’s Cygnus cargo spacecraft is scheduled to launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida by the end of January.

3D printing in space

Metal 3D Printer, an ESA (European Space Agency) effort, is testing additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, of small metal parts in microgravity.

“This work gives us a first understanding of how such a printer behaves in space,” said ESA’s Rob Postema. “The 3D printer can create many shapes, and we plan to print samples to first understand how printing in space might be different from printing on Earth, and secondly, to see what kinds of shapes we can print with these technologies. Additionally, this activity will show crew members how to safely and effectively print metal parts in space.” It helps show it.”

The results could improve understanding of the functionality, performance, and operations of metal 3D printing in space, as well as the quality, strength, and performance of printed parts. Resupply is a challenge for future long-duration manned missions. Crew members can use 3D printing to create parts to maintain equipment for future long-duration space flights as well as on the Moon or Mars; This reduces the need to pack spare parts or anticipate each tool or item that may be needed, saving time and money for the launch.

Advances in metal 3D printing technology could also benefit potential applications on Earth, including engine manufacturing for the automotive, aerospace and marine industries, and the creation of disaster shelters.

Semiconductor fabrication in microgravity conditions

Fabrication of Semiconductors and Thin Film Integrated Coatings (MSTIC) investigates how microgravity affects thin films with a wide range of applications.

“The potential to produce films with superior surface structure and a wide range of applications, from energy harvesting to advanced sensing technologies, is particularly groundbreaking,” said Alex Hayes of Redwire Space, which developed the technology. “This represents a significant advance in space manufacturing and could herald a new era of technological advancement with far-reaching implications for both space exploration and ground-based applications.”

This technology could allow autonomous manufacturing to replace many of the machines and processes currently used to make a wide range of semiconductors, potentially leading to the development of more efficient and high-performance electrical devices.

Manufacturing semiconductor devices in microgravity can also improve their quality and reduce the materials, equipment, and labor required. For future long-duration missions, this technology could enable components and devices to be manufactured in space, reducing the need for resupply missions from Earth. The technology also has applications for devices that harvest energy and provide power on Earth.

“While this initial pilot program is designed to compare thin films produced on Earth and in space, the ultimate goal is to expand production to various manufacturing areas within the semiconductor industry,” Hayes said.

Atmospheric reentry simulation

Scientists conducting research on the space station often send their experiments back to Earth for further analysis and study. However, conditions, including the intense heat experienced by spacecraft during reentry, can have undesirable effects on their contents. Thermal protection systems used to protect the spacecraft and its contents are based on numerical models that are often not verified by actual flight; this can significantly enlarge the required system and take up valuable space and mass. Part of an effort to improve thermal protection system technology, the Kentucky Reentry Probe Experiment-2 (KREPE-2) uses three capsules equipped with different heat shield materials and various sensors to obtain data on actual entry conditions.

“Building on the success of KREPE-1, we improved the sensors to collect more measurements and the communication system to transmit more data,” said lead researcher Alexander Martin of the University of Kentucky. “We have the opportunity to test several heat shields provided by NASA that have never been tested before, and in yet another first, we have the opportunity to test another heat shield produced entirely at the University of Kentucky.”

The capsules could be outfitted for other reentry experiments to support improvements in thermal protection for applications on Earth, such as protecting people and structures from wildfires.

Remote robotic surgery

Robotic Surgery Technology Demo tests the performance of a small robot that can be controlled remotely from Earth to perform surgical procedures. The researchers plan to compare procedures in microgravity and on Earth to evaluate the effects of microgravity and time delays between space and Earth.

The robot uses two “arms” to grasp and create tension used to cut simulated surgical tissue and determine the location and method, according to Shane Farritor, chief technical officer of Virtual Incision Corporation, developer of the study at the University of Nebraska. your cut. .

Longer space missions increase the likelihood that crew members will need surgical procedures such as simple stitches or emergency appendectomies. The results of this study may support the development of robotic systems to perform these procedures. Additionally, the availability of surgeons in rural parts of the country decreased by almost a third between 2001 and 2019. Miniaturization of the robot and its ability to be controlled remotely can help perform surgery anytime, anywhere.

NASA has been sponsoring research on miniature robots for more than 15 years. In 2006, remote-controlled robots performed procedures during NASA’s underwater Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO) 9. In 2014, a miniature robot surgeon performed simulated surgical tasks aboard a Zero-G parabolic aircraft.

Cartilage growth in space

The structure of the cartilage tissue of the compartment demonstrates two technologies: Janus Base Nano-Matrix (JBNm) and Janus Base Nanopiece (JBNp). JBNm is an injectable material that provides a scaffold for cartilage formation in microgravity and can serve as a model for the study of cartilage diseases. JBNp provides an RNA-based therapy to fight diseases that cause cartilage degeneration.

Cartilage has a limited ability to repair itself, and osteoarthritis is the leading cause of disability in elderly patients on Earth. Microgravity can more rapidly trigger cartilage degeneration that mimics the progression of age-related osteoarthritis, so research into microgravity could lead to faster development of effective treatments. The results of this study could contribute to cartilage regeneration for the treatment of joint damage and disease on Earth and help develop ways to maintain cartilage health during future Moon and Mars missions.