SpaceX returns vital life science research to Earth

The ISS National Lab gives researchers access to unique research and technology that can’t be done on Earth. This was SpaceX’s 29th contracted commercial resupply mission with NASA. Photo by NASA

Dec. 22 (UPI) — SpaceX returned more than 30 research payloads, many of which were vital life science investigations, from the ISS National Laboratory to Earth Friday.

The Elon Musk-owned astronautics company completed its 29th NASA-contracted commercial resupply services mission, which sent test samples to the ISS National Laboratory and enabled researchers to leverage unique research and technology not possible on Earth.

Some of the payloads that returned on SpaceX CRS-29:

The Naval Research Laboratory sent microbes to the ISS National Lab to better understand how microgravity and space radiation affect their ability to produce melanin. The results could have valuable applications in drug delivery and protective coatings for spacecraft and spacesuits.A team from University of California, San Francisco sent 3D immune-liver tissue chips into space to better understand the relationship between immune system aging and the ability of liver cells to regenerate, which researchers believed could lead to novel therapies on Earth.Researchers from University of California, San Diego studied microgravity’s effects on stem-cell derived brain organoids. The project utilized accelerated aging in space to better understand how cognitive decline happens in the human brain. The team expects the results could lead to new ways to treat dementia, Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases.A team from Emory University continued research on-station examining how microgravity the growth and function of heart muscle cells as they mature into tissue-like structures. The research has implications for heart disease modeling and could contribute to the development of new therapies for patients on Earth.A project from Biotech startup Axonis examined how microgravity affects the maturation of human brain cells. The findings might help improve disease modeling and aid in the development of treatments for neurological disorders.

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