NASA DELIVERS OVER 3,500 KG OF CARGO TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION

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On February 19, Northrop Grumman's Cygnus spacecraft was launched to the International Space Station (ISS) from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, atop the Antares rocket. After a three-day mission, the spacecraft, which was carrying roughly 3,764 kilos of cargo, docked at the ISS at 3:14 p.m. (IST) on February 21. While snacks were a big part of the payload, NASA also delivered a lot of hardware and science experiments that "will help astronauts stay healthy during long-duration space travel," according to NASA.

What experiments did NASA send to the International Space Station?

NASA's payload includes tests on plant development in orbit without the use of soil, as well as research into the effects of medications on cancer cells. According to a blog post published today by NASA, the payload includes a study of the effect of a medication on breast and prostate cancer cells, as well as a technology demonstration of lithium-ion secondary battery capacities under severe temperatures and in a vacuum environment.

The payload also includes technologies for oxygen generation, as well as an experiment to prevent skin ageing. The astronauts on the International Space Station will also test two new technologies, including growing plants in space using aeroponic (air-based) and hydroponic (water-based) systems, which do not require soil. The other experiment, which would be carried out under the fiery project SoFIE, would be to examine flames in microgravity.

NASA claims that data from these tests will aid future human and robotic exploration missions to the Moon and possibly Mars, in addition to keeping personnel healthy. Aside from the experiments described above, NASA has also delivered hardware that will be placed on the space station during future spacewalks. The revolutionary Roll-Out Solar Array (ROSA), which can be unfolded in space and is more compact than current rigid panel designs, is part of the hardware. A trash deployer and acoustic coverings for the waste management system are among the other features.

"Cygnus will remain at the space station until May before it deploys CubeSats, then disposes of several thousand pounds of trash during its re-entry into Earth's atmosphere, which will result in its destruction," NASA said of the spacecraft, which will remain docked at the ISS for the time being.

 

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