Science and research continuously benefit from experiments conducted in reduced gravity environments. Indeed, experiments in microgravity are a fundamental part of many branches of applied sciences: material science, fundamental physics, fluid dynamics, physiology and space medicine, plant and cellular biology, combustion physics, all require to conduct experiments in altered gravity. Our recent paper in Microgravity Science and Technology presents a brief overview of these different fields of research.
With LIDE, our goal is precisely to democratize the access to microgravity, for the benefit of engineers and scientists. In this short blog post, we highlight two recent experiments performed in microgravity. Interested readers are invited to use the following resources:
- Space Cafés from the UZH Space Hub: the UZH Space Hub gathers research groups involved in space-related science at the University of Zurich. Its highly dedicated team organizes monthly Space Cafés (accessible either on-site or remotely via Zoom) where recent scientific discoveries, opportunities for students, or links between industry and laboratories are discussed.
- Space Innovation’s newsletter: Space Innovation is the main hub gathering space-involved industries and research facilities in Switzerland, “to support the development of disruptive innovation projects in the space sector“. Its monthly newsletter provides insightful information on current events, experiments, and opportunities for space enthusiasts.
Why is the immune system affected by space flights? The PRIME experiment
Space flights take a major toll on the health of astronauts, with well-known side-effects including loss of muscle mass and bone density, and spaceflight-associated neuro-ocular syndrome (SANS). Moreover, the immune system of astronauts has been observed to be severely weakened during space flights. This space-induced alteration of the immune system is a major impediment to future long-term crewed space missions, but its exact mechanisms are still not well understood. In a recent paper published in PLOS One, the team of Svantje Tauber presents the results of the PRIME (Primary Human Macrophages in Microgravity Environment) experiment. The goal of the experiment was to compare human macrophage cells that were sent on the ISS with a Dragon capsule, and control cells exposed to 1g. Sample cells were retrieved after 11 days in microgravity: comparing them with control cells allowed to determine the cellular mechanisms for the functional impairments of the immune system.
Dr. Svantje Tauber is a research associate in the Institute of Anatomy of the University of Zurich, Switzerland. She is also an expert for Space Life Science at the UZH Space Hub.
How does microgravity affect different materials? The Mason project
Microgravity research is especially relevant for research in material science: experiments performed in altered gravity allow to assess how the different mechanical and chemical features of a sample are affected by gravity, and how chemical processes and reactions can be altered and improved. A well-known research facility for material science is the ZARM Drop Tower: its Self-Propagating High-Temperature
Combustion Synthesis Capsule (SHS), developed by The Material Science in Variable Gravity Group of the University of Bremen, allows to study how reduced or high gravity levels impact material synthesis and properties.
More recently, the project Mason, also called “Concrete Hardening”, is a collaboration between the Hochschule Luzern, the University Duisburg Essen, the University of Cologne, and the DLR. This experiment was performed by ESA astronaut Matthias Maurer onboard the ISS in February 2022: his goal was to realize 64 samples of concrete in the microgravity environment of the station. These samples will be retrieved in August 2022 and analysed by researchers to assess how their characteristics were affected by microgravity.
More information are available in the latest newsletter of Space Innovation.