The International Space Station - Iss Science

The ISS was intended to be a world-class laboratory for conducting experiments under microgravity conditions. Three broad areas of research are conducted aboard the station: life sciences, biomedicine, and materials processing. The chief goal of life sciences and biomedicine research is to determine the effects on humans of long-duration space travel.

The Station's Glovebox

One of the difficulties of performing typical chemistry experiments in space is the microgravity condition. Liquids will not stay inside beakers or test tubes. The droplets float away. This could be extremely dangerous for the crew and the station's electronic components. To overcome this obstacle engineers at NASA and the European Space Agency developed an enclosed work space for the ISS called a microgravity science glovebox (MSG).

TABLE 5.7 International Space Station missions as of September 2005 Adapted from "International Space Station ISS Assembly Progress," in International Space Station, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, June 1, 2005, http://www.hq.nasa.gov/osf/station/assembly/ISSProgress.html (accessed January 31, 2006)

TABLE 5.7
International Space Station missions as of September 2005
Flight number	Launch date	Mission name	Spacecraft flying to ISS	Primary cargo	Purpose
Notes:
Acronyms CMG	Control moment gyro
CRV	Crew return vehicle
DM	Double cargo module
HP	High pressure
MBS	Mobile remote services base system
MPLM	Multi purpose logistics module
PMA	Pressurized mating adapter
Props	Propellents
PV	Photo voltaic
SSRMS	Space station remote manipulator system
SOURCE: Adapted from "International Space Station ISS Assembly Progress," in International Space Station, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, June 1, 2005, http://www.hq.nasa.gov/osf/station/assembly/ISSProgress.html (accessed January 31, 2006)
1	11/20/98	1A/R	Proton K	Control module FGB (Zarya)	Assembly
2	12/04/98	2A	Shuttle/STS-88	Node1 (Unity), PMAs 1, 2	Assembly
3	05/27/99	2A.1	Shuttle/STS-96	Spacehab DM	Outfitting
4	05/19/00	2A.2a	Shuttle/STS-101	Spacehab DM	Outfitting
5	07/12/00	1R	Proton K	Service Module (Zvezda)	Assembly
6	08/06/00	1P	Progress M1-3	Consumables, spares, props	Logistics
7	09/08/00	2A.2b	Shuttle/STS-106	Spacehab DM	Outfitting
8	10/11/00	3A	Shuttle/STS-92	Z1 truss, 4 CMGs, PMA 3	Assembly
9	10/31/00	2R/1S	SoyuzTM-31	Expedition 1 crew	1 st crew
10	11/15/00	2P	Progress M1-4	Consumables, spares, props	Logistics
11	11/30/00	4A	Shuttle/STS-97	P6 module, PV array	Assembly
12	02/07/01	5A	Shuttle/STS-98	U.S. Destiny Lab module, racks	Assembly
13	02/26/01	3P	Progress M-44	Consumables, spares, props	Logistics
14	03/08/01	5A.1	Shuttle/STS-102	Expedition 2 crew, MPLM Leonardo	2nd crew
15	04/19/01	6A	Shuttle/STS-100	SSRMS, MPLM Raffaello	Outfitting
16	04/28/01	2S	Soyuz TM-32	1st taxi (plus Tito)	New CRV
17	05/20/01	4P	Progress M1-6	Consumables, spares, props	Logistics
18	07/12/01	7A	Shuttle/STS-104	U.S. Airlock, HP O2/N2 gas	Assembly
19	08/10/01	7A.1	Shuttle/STS-105	Expedition 3 crew, MPLM Leonardo	3rd crew
20	08/21/01	5P	Progress M-245	Consumables, spares, props	Logistics
21	09/14/01	4R	"Progress 301"	Docking compartment 1	Assembly
22	10/21/01	3S	Soyuz TM-33	2nd taxi	New CRV
23	11/26/01	6P	Progress M-256	Consumables, spares, props	Logistics
24	12/05/01	UF-1	Shuttle/STS-108	Expedition 4 crew, MPLM Raffaello	4th crew
25	03/21/02	7P	Progress M1-8 (257)	Consumables	Logistics
26	04/08/02	8A	Shuttle/STS-110	S0 truss segment	Assembly
27	04/25/02	4S	Soyuz TM-34	3rd taxi (plus Shuttleworth)	New CRV
28	06/05/02	UF-2	Shuttle/STS-111	Expedition 5 crew, MBS, MPLM Leonardo	5th crew
29	06/26/02	8P	Progress M-24 (246)	Consumables, spares, props	Logistics
30	09/25/02	9P	Progress M1-9 (258)	Consumables, spares, props	Logistics
31	10/07/02	9A	Shuttle/STS-112	S1 truss segment	Assembly
32	10/30/02	5S	Soyuz TMA-1 (211)	4th taxi (plus Frank DeWinne)	New CRV
33	11/23/02	11A	Shuttle/STS-113	Expedition 6 crew, P1 truss segment	6th crew
34	02/02/03	10P	Progress M-47 (247)	Consumables, spares, props.	Logistics
35	04/26/03	6S	Soyuz TMA-2 (212)	Expedition 7 crew	7th crew
36	06/08/03	11P	Progress M1-10 (259)	Consumables, spares, props.	Logistics
37	08/28/03	12P	Progress M-48 (248)	Consumables, spares, props.	Logistics
38	10/18/03	7S	Soyuz TMA-3 (213)	Expedition 8 crew (plus Duque)	8th crew
39	01/29/04	13P	Progress M1-11 (260)	Consumables, spares, props.	Logistics
40	04/18/04	8S	Soyuz TMA-4 (214)	Expedition 9 crew (plus Kuipers)	9th crew
41	05/25/04	14P	Progress M-49 (249)	Consumables, spares, props.	Logistics
42	08/11/04	15P	Progress M-50 (250)	Consumables, spares, props.	Logistics
43	10/14/04	9S	Soyuz TMA-5 (215)	Expedition 10 crew (plus Shargin)	10th crew
44	12/23/04	16P	Progress M-51 (351)	Consumables, spares, props.	Logistics
45	02/28/05	17P	Progress M-52 (352)	Consumables, spares, props.	Logistics
46	04/14/05	10S	Soyuz TMA-6 (216)	Expedition 11 crew (plus Vittori)	11th crew
47	06/17/05	18P	Progress M-53 (353)	Consumables, spares, props.	Logistics
48	07/26/05	LF-1	Shuttle/STS-114 (RTF)	MPLM Raffaello	Logistics, utilization
49	09/08/05	19P	Progress M-54 (354)	Consumables, spares, props	Logistics
50	09/30/05	11S	Soyuz TMA-7 (217)	Expedition 12 crew (plus Olsen)	12th crew
51	12/21/05	20P	Progress M-55 (355)	Consumables, spares, props.	Logistics

The MSG includes a pair of built-in gloves that crewmembers can use to handle tools and equipment within the box. The MSG was installed in the American Destiny module by the Expedition 5 crew. Figure 5.4 shows a slice of the cylindrical Destiny module. The experimental racks are positioned around the outside of the circle. An astronaut stands at the MSG research station.

TABLE 5.4 Space station Destiny laboratory and microgravity science glovebox "This Cut-Away of the Cylindrical, Destiny Laboratory Module on the Space Station Shows How the New Microgravity Science Glovebox Fits Inside," in NASA Fact Sheet: Microgravity science Glovebox (MSG), National Aeronautics and Space Adminstration, Marshall Space Flight Center, November 27, 2004, http://www.nasa.gov/centers/marshall/news/background/facts/MSG.html (accessed January 31, 2006)

The MSG is used to handle chemicals or burning or molten specimens in experiments involving fluid physics, materials science, biotechnology, and combustion science.

Bone Loss

Scientists have known for some time that human bones in the legs and feet undergo deterioration during prolonged stays in space. This was first discovered in Soviet and Russian cosmonauts who spent many months aboard space stations. Scientists believe that the effect is due to lack of mechanical loading in microgravity. Mechanical loading refers to the weight of the upper body pressing down on the lower body as a person's body is pulled toward the ground by gravity on Earth. The type of bone loss and muscle deterioration experienced by space travelers is similar to that resulting from prolonged bed rest. It has long been known that using legs and feet keeps them healthy. In a spaceship people do not experience the force of gravity or the downward load of the upper body. Also, they rarely use muscles in their legs and feet to move around. They rely much more on muscles in their arms and upper body to maneuver through hatches and accomplish tasks.

During the Russian Mir program, cosmonauts reported that the skin on the soles of their feet became very soft. They also lost muscle tone in their legs and feet due to lack of use. These factors caused them great difficulty walking when they returned to Earth. Scientists incorporated exercise regimens on the ISS to help prevent these problems. For example, stationary bicycles help crewmembers maintain foot muscle strength. However, the exercises have had little effect on bone loss.

Historical data show that humans experience a rate of bone loss in space of approximately 1 % to 2% per month. This means a bone loss of 12% to 24% per year. Scientists know that the bone loss problem has to be resolved before humans can make interplanetary journeys. A trip from Earth to Mars could take as long as six months. Crewmembers have to be able to walk on the planet's surface when they get there.

One of the most important biomedical studies ongoing aboard the ISS is called Foot/Ground Reaction Forces during Spaceflight (FOOT). The experiment began with an astronaut in the Expedition 6 crew. He wore an instrumented suit called a lower extremity monitoring suit, or LEMS. An astronaut wearing a LEMS is depicted in Figure 5.5. The LEMS consists of a pair of Lycra pants equipped with numerous sensors that can measure the electrical activity of muscles, the angular motions of joints, and the force underneath the feet. Sensor data is recorded on a small wearable computer. The LEMS is also being worn by an Expedition 8 astronaut.

The LEMS is only one part of the FOOT study. The astronauts participating in the study are subjected to extensive bone scans and tests prior to launch and after landing. Scientists hope the FOOT results will help them to design new exercise equipment that can counteract bone loss in space.