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International Space Station Crew Advances Health Research with Cartilage Printing and Plant Harvesting

International Space Station Crew Advances Health Research with Cartilage Printing and Plant Harvesting

The crew aboard the International Space Station (ISS) has initiated a series of experiments aimed at advancing health and promoting self-sustainable space missions. The Expedition 74 team, including members from NASA, ESA, and Roscosmos, is engaged in bioprinting human cartilage tissue and harvesting alfalfa plants. These activities are part of ongoing research to understand the effects of space on biology and physics. The bioprinting experiment involves creating viable cartilage tissues in microgravity, which could lead to on-demand implants using a patient's own cells. Concurrently, the team is conducting plant growth experiments to develop methods for sustainable food production in space. Additionally, the crew is retrieving materials exposed to the space environment to test their durability, which is crucial for developing robust technologies for space and Earth applications.

NASA Crew Advances Cartilage Printing and Plant Harvesting on ISS

NASA Crew Advances Cartilage Printing and Plant Harvesting on ISS

The Expedition 74 crew aboard the International Space Station (ISS) has initiated a series of scientific experiments aimed at advancing health and sustainability in space. The crew, including NASA astronauts and international partners, is focusing on bioprinting human cartilage tissue and harvesting alfalfa plants. These activities are part of broader efforts to develop self-sustaining space missions. NASA flight engineer Jessica Meir and her colleague Chris Williams are leading the cartilage bioprinting project, which involves creating viable cartilage tissues in microgravity. This research could lead to on-demand implants using a patient's own cells, potentially revolutionizing medical treatments in space. Concurrently, astronauts Jack Hathaway and Chris Williams are working on the Veg-06 study, which involves growing alfalfa plants in the Columbus laboratory module. The harvested plants are being analyzed to improve food production methods for future space missions. Additionally, the crew is conducting ...

Chicxulub Impact: New Evidence Suggests Extended Hydrothermal Activity

Chicxulub Impact: New Evidence Suggests Extended Hydrothermal Activity

Recent research published in Communications Earth & Environment reveals that the asteroid impact that led to the extinction of non-avian dinosaurs 66 million years ago may have created a hydrothermal vent system lasting up to eight million years. This finding challenges previous models that estimated the duration of such activity at the Chicxulub impact site to be only two million years. Scientists, including Annemarie Pickersgill, analyzed samples from the peak-ring crater of the impact site, using argon isotope ratios to date the hydrothermal system. The study suggests that the porous, fractured rocks from the impact created microenvironments conducive to life, potentially offering insights into similar processes on other planets like Mars.

NASA's Artemis II Mission Achieves Historic Communication Milestone with ISS

NASA's Artemis II Mission Achieves Historic Communication Milestone with ISS

NASA's Artemis II mission has marked a significant milestone by completing the first-ever 'ship to ship' call between a human moon mission and the International Space Station (ISS). The crew aboard the Orion spacecraft, traveling near the Moon, communicated directly with astronauts on the ISS. This historic call involved Christina Koch on Artemis II speaking with Jessica Meir on the space station, both of whom had previously participated in the first all-female spacewalk in 2019. The mission, which set a new record for the farthest distance humans have traveled from Earth since Apollo 17, reached approximately 252,752 miles from Earth during a flyby of the Moon's far side. This surpassed the Apollo 13 record of 248,655 miles set in 1970. The Artemis II mission is a crucial step in NASA's plan for future lunar exploration, with the crew expected to return to Earth after a 10-day mission, splashing down near San Diego.

United Arab Emirates' Hope Mission Achieves Historic Mars Orbit, Showcases Rapid Space Program Development

United Arab Emirates' Hope Mission Achieves Historic Mars Orbit, Showcases Rapid Space Program Development

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) successfully launched its Hope Probe, marking the first Arab interplanetary mission. The probe, launched on July 20, 2020, reached Mars' orbit on February 9, 2021, after a seven-month journey. This mission was developed in collaboration with American universities and represents a significant milestone for the UAE, which established its space program in 2006. The Hope Probe was designed to coincide with the UAE's 50th anniversary, symbolizing the nation's rapid technological advancement. The mission aims to provide a comprehensive global map of Mars' atmosphere, offering insights into the planet's climate and atmospheric escape processes.

Rare Meteorite May Be Evidence of a Lost Protoplanet from Early Solar System

Rare Meteorite May Be Evidence of a Lost Protoplanet from Early Solar System

A rare meteorite discovered in the Sahara Desert, known as NWA 12774, may provide evidence of a long-lost protoplanet from the early solar system. This meteorite belongs to the 'angrites' group, which are among the oldest known rocks, forming shortly after the solar system's inception 4.56 billion years ago. Angrites are characterized by low silica content and contain clinopyroxene, a mineral indicating formation under high pressure. The study suggests that NWA 12774 could be remnants of a protoplanet that was as large as the moon or Mars, which was destroyed in a collision billions of years ago. The findings, published in Earth and Planetary Science Letters, propose that this protoplanet followed a distinct evolutionary path compared to Earth and Mars.

Reflex Aerospace Partners with Arkadia Space for 2027 Satellite Mission

Reflex Aerospace Partners with Arkadia Space for 2027 Satellite Mission

Reflex Aerospace Partners with Arkadia Space for 2027 Satellite Mission

Former Paralympic Athlete May Become First Disabled Person to Live in Orbit

Former Paralympic Athlete May Become First Disabled Person to Live in Orbit

John McFall, a former Paralympic athlete, is poised to potentially become the first person with a physical disability to live in orbit. The U.K. government and the company Vast have signed an agreement to support McFall's participation in a research mission aboard the Haven-1 space station. McFall, who lost his leg in a motorcycle accident, aims to conduct research on physiology and prosthetics in space, which could have significant implications for disabled individuals on Earth.

NASA Concludes MAVEN Mars Mission After 11 Years of Groundbreaking Discoveries

NASA Concludes MAVEN Mars Mission After 11 Years of Groundbreaking Discoveries

NASA has officially ended the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) mission after 11 years of operation. Originally launched in November 2013, MAVEN was tasked with studying the Martian atmosphere and its interactions with solar wind. The mission, which lasted a decade longer than initially planned, provided significant insights into how Mars lost much of its atmosphere and surface water billions of years ago. Despite efforts to reestablish communication after a signal loss in December 2025, NASA's review board determined that the spacecraft was in an unrecoverable state. MAVEN's achievements include measuring atmospheric sputtering, observing solar wind effects, and studying Martian dust storms, all of which have contributed to understanding planetary habitability and atmospheric loss.

NASA's Psyche Spacecraft Completes Mars Flyby, Sets Course for Metal-Rich Asteroid

NASA's Psyche Spacecraft Completes Mars Flyby, Sets Course for Metal-Rich Asteroid

NASA's Psyche spacecraft successfully completed a close approach to Mars on May 15, 2026, coming within 2,864 miles of the planet's surface. This maneuver utilized Mars' gravity to increase the spacecraft's speed by 1,000 miles per hour and adjust its orbital plane, setting it on a direct path to the metal-rich asteroid Psyche. The flyby allowed the mission team to calibrate the spacecraft's instruments, including imagers and spectrometers, by capturing images and data from Mars. The spacecraft is now on course to reach the asteroid Psyche, located in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, by summer 2029.

NASA Considers Meteor Storms as Potential Threat to Artemis Moon Missions

NASA Considers Meteor Storms as Potential Threat to Artemis Moon Missions

NASA is evaluating the potential risks posed by meteor storms to its future Artemis moon missions. Meteor showers, which are visually stunning events, involve fast-moving space debris that could threaten spacecraft. NASA estimates that about 48.5 tons of space debris enter Earth's atmosphere daily, ranging from tiny micrometeoroids to larger particles. These can travel at speeds averaging 22,000 miles per hour, posing a significant risk to spacecraft by potentially penetrating or deforming their hulls. The Orion spacecraft, used for Artemis missions, is designed to mitigate these risks. However, NASA may delay missions if a major meteor storm is forecasted during a mission window, as was the case with the STS-51 space shuttle Discovery mission in 1993.

NASA to name Artemis III crew for high-stakes lander test

NASA to name Artemis III crew for high-stakes lander test

NASA is set to reveal the astronauts selected for the Artemis III mission, which aims to advance plans for future lunar landings and Mars exploration.