Science & Tech · Space · 10 hrs ago
NASA sends lab-grown mini-organs to the space station to study aging
NASA has sent lab-grown human tissue models to the International Space Station to study how space affects the body.
The mini-organs were developed from stem cells and are part of a project involving researchers at Mount Sinai, NASA and Space Tango.
Researchers will expose them to radiation and microgravity, conditions astronauts face during spaceflight, especially on long missions.
They launched Tuesday aboard the CRS-35 commercial resupply mission from Cape Canaveral, Florida, and are expected to arrive at the station Thursday.
A researcher says six months in space can equal 10 to 20 years of aging on Earth, making the experiments a way to study some effects more quickly.
The work could help scientists understand disease and develop treatments, and may also shed light on how to protect astronauts.
NASA sees the research as a starting point for future missions beyond Earth orbit, as it plans to send astronauts to the Moon in 2028 and build a permanent base there during the next decade.
NASA sent lab-grown human mini-organs to the International Space Station to study how spaceflight affects the body and may accelerate aging.
The tissue models, made from stem cells, will be exposed to increased radiation and microgravity.
The research is a collaboration involving Mount Sinai researchers, NASA and aerospace company Space Tango.
The mini-organs launched on the CRS-35 commercial resupply mission from Cape Canaveral, Florida, and were expected to arrive at the station on Thursday.
Researchers say the work could help them study disease and develop treatments, and could provide a model for accelerated aging on Earth.
- Who
- NASA, Mount Sinai researchers and aerospace company Space Tango are involved.
- What
- Lab-grown human mini-organs were sent to the International Space Station for research into the effects of spaceflight and accelerated aging.
- When
- They launched Tuesday morning; arrival at the station was expected Thursday.
- Where
- The mini-organs launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, bound for the International Space Station.
- Why
- To study how radiation and microgravity affect the human body, including how spaceflight may accelerate aging, and to support research into disease and treatments.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The mini-organs launched aboard the CRS-35 commercial resupply mission from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
The mini-organs were expected to arrive at the International Space Station.
- Mission
- CRS-35 commercial resupply mission
- Launch site
- Cape Canaveral, Florida
- Destination
- International Space Station
- Research partners
- NASA, Mount Sinai researchers and Space Tango
- Aging comparison
- Six months in space is about 10 to 20 years of aging on Earth according to Kevin Costa
What people are saying
If we want humans to live and work in space, it is essential to understand what will happen to them.
Six months in space is equivalent to about 10 to 20 years of aging on Earth.
Sources
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