Science News

Science@NASA

 

Innovative Technology Measures Muscle Strength of Worms in Space to Prepare Astronauts for Future Missions
Space Experiments
Jul 20, 2021
Loss of muscle mass and strength in astronauts remains an issue for space exploration. A NASA-funded research team has developed a new device called the NemaFlex chip to measure muscle strength over multiple generations of worms born and raised on the International Space Station (ISS).
Group photo of 6 research scientists in blue and white lab gear holding lab equipment.
NASA Selects Proposals to Provide New Insights from Openly Available Data
Space Experiments, Physical Sciences
Jun 16, 2021
NASA’s Physical Sciences Research Program selected five ground-based proposals in response to the research announcement “Use of the NASA Physical Sciences Informatics System – Appendix G.” These five research projects, involving recognized experts in the fields of combustion science, complex fluids... Read More
Photo of male astronaut wearing green latex gloves and handling an experiment underneath a clear plastic tent.
Microscopic Superheroes to Help Protect Astronaut Health in Space
Space Experiments
Jun 3, 2021
The tardigrade, a microscopic animal able to survive in some of the most extreme environments, is being studied aboard the International Space Station to understand how it tolerates prolonged spaceflight and how that knowledge can be used to better protect humans in space.
Small Packages with Big Benefits Aboard SpX-22
Space Experiments, Space Biology
Jun 2, 2021
When the Falcon 9 rocket launches on June 3, it will be carrying thousands of pounds of cargo to the International Space Station aboard SpaceX’s 22nd commercial resupply services mission. Yet the last five items to be loaded will weigh less than an ounce. These include two plant and two animal... Read More
A semi-transparent image of a tardigrade against a black background. The tardigrade is plump, with four pairs of legs. The head end is at the right. Colors are used to identify the tardigrade’s internal systems.
NASA Selects Proposals to Conduct Fluid Physics Flow Boiling Experiments on the International Space Station
Space Experiments, Space Biology
May 28, 2021
NASA has selected two flight proposals to conduct experiments on the International Space Station (ISS) using a new flow boiling module for the Flow Boiling and Condensation Experiment (FBCE) in support of in-space cryogenic propellant tank transfer research.
Photo of 2 spacecraft in orbit against a dark atmosphere with the moon in the background
BRIC-24: An Experiment Frozen in Time and Space
Space Experiments
May 27, 2021
North Carolina State University’s Dr. Marcela Rojas-Pierce is working with NASA to conduct an experiment called Biological Research In Canisters-24, or BRIC-24, which focuses on a specific area of plant research: vacuoles.
NASA Marshall Research Team Soars to Success in Microgravity
Space Experiments
May 19, 2021
Scientists from NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, completed two parabolic flights April 28 and 29 to test modifications to a payload called the ring-sheared drop.
Can Space Gardening Help Astronauts Cope With Isolation?
Space Experiments
May 13, 2021
Space gardening can help astronauts enhance their diet with fresh produce. A NASA study examines whether tending to plants can also uplift crew moods.
New “Moon Duster” Will Help Clean NASA Assets in Space
Space Experiments
May 4, 2021
To help protect future space assets and astronauts from dangerous effects that arise from Moon/Mars dust exposure, NASA is developing a new technology that will utilize electron beams/ultraviolet light to remove dust.
BPS plant research results in COSPAR award
Space Experiments, Space Biology
Apr 29, 2021
Dr. Kiss was the Co-Principal Investigator for the Seedling Growth project, a NASA supported series of plant biology experiments onboard the International Space Station. 
NASA Astronaut Paints a Picture of Success Growing Plants in Space
Space Experiments
Apr 27, 2021
Astronauts on the International Space Station recently enjoyed a fresh supply of leafy greens, thanks in large part to the efforts of Expedition 64 crew member Michael Hopkins.
Growing Beyond Earth-a Citizen Science Project
Space Experiments, Space Biology
Apr 16, 2021
In the Growing Beyond Earth Program teachers and students conduct research similar to how plants are being grown in the Veggie chamber on the International Space Station. Students conduct experiment trials, collect data on different crop types and growing techniques, and report these data in a... Read More
Photo of a young female student watering seeds in a grow box emitting a pink glow (left) and a female astronaut water seeds on the International Space Station in a grow box that is also emitting a pink glow.
Gateway Instruments to Improve Radiation Detection for Artemis Astronauts
Space Experiments
Apr 15, 2021
Gateway Instruments to Improve Radiation Detection for Artemis Astronauts
Pepper Seeds Ready to Spice Up Space Station
Space Experiments
Apr 14, 2021
Researchers from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center plant pepper seeds in seed carriers inside the Space Life Sciences Lab on April 8, 2021, as part of the Plant Habitat-04 (PH-04) experiment.