In fact, tardigrades can tolerate these extremes better than most forms of life, and what’s more extreme than space? It’s not the first time tardigrades have gone to space – and there may even be some of them on the moon, after a mission carrying them crashed into its surface. Under a microscope, tardigrades look a bit like tiny bears - hence their nickname, "water bears." Thomas Boothby/Boothby Lab/University of Wyoming/NASA They can survive thousands of times as much radiation as we can and they can go for days or weeks with little or no oxygen.” “Some of the things that tardigrades can survive include being dried out, being frozen and being heated up past the boiling point of water. “Tardigrades are a group of microscopic animals that are renowned for their ability to survive a number of extreme stresses,” said Thomas Boothby, assistant professor of molecular biology at the University of Wyoming and principal investigator for the Cell Science-04 tardigrade experiment, in a news conference last week. They are commonly found in water – and at times, serving as the nemesis in “ Ant-Man and the Wasp” – but tardigrades are known for their ability to survive and even thrive in the most extreme environments. The array will be installed outside the space station by astronauts during two spacewalks in June.īeneath a microscope, tiny tardigrades look like bears. Compact panels were used to make the ISS Roll-out Solar Array, or iROSA, which unfurls like a long rug. The cargo vehicle is even loaded up with new solar panels, which will increase the amount of energy available onboard the space station. The astronauts are also getting some fresh fruit and veggies in their cargo delivery, including Gala apples, navel oranges, cherry tomatoes, onions, lemons, mini peppers and avocados. The research helps us gain a better understanding of life in zero gravity, as well as discover benefits that can be applied on Earth. Astronauts oversee these experiments and report back their observations to scientists on Earth. Hundreds of scientific experiments are underway each day on the space station it’s an orbiting laboratory, after all. Space junk hit the International Space Station, damaging a robotic arm Canadarm2 is continuing to conduct its planned operations, including hoisting Dextre into position to replace a faulty power switchbox (Remote Power Control Module). The damage is limited to a small section of the arm boom and thermal blanket. Despite the impact, results of the ongoing analysis indicate that the arm's performance remains unaffected. One such hit was noticed recently during a routine inspection of Canadarm2 on May 12.Įxperts from the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and NASA worked together to take detailed images of the area and assess the impact, which occurred on one of Canadarm2's boom segments. More than a dozen of the experiments heading into orbit belong to student researchers.įrom press release: While the utmost precautions are taken to reduce the potential for collisions with the ISS, impacts with tiny objects do occur. Other experiments heading to the station include a portable ultrasound, remote operation of robotic arms using virtual reality, analyzing how kidney stones form in space, studying the oral microbiome (that’s in your mouth), and producing more stress-resistant cotton. Researchers also wants to know if the lack of gravity affects symbiotic relationships between the squid and beneficial microbes. The vehicle will dock at the space station on Saturday.Īlong for the ride are 5,000 tardigrades, also known as water bears, and 128 baby glow-in-the-dark bobtail squid.īoth will be involved in experiments on the space station, including assessing how water bears tolerate the space environment. The spacecraft is carrying more than 7,300 pounds of supplies, scientific research experiments and technology demonstrations. SpaceX launched its 22nd cargo resupply mission to the space station on Thursday at 1:29 p.m. Astronauts on the International Space Station are about to get a special delivery.
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