SpaceX's CRS-22 Mission to the Space Station: What's On Board

TL;DR

Scientists are sending tiny squid, building satellites, and studying water bears to understand the impact of microgravity on bacteria, animal tissues, and the regrowth of wildfires in space.

Transcript

THE PROJECT'S ALL ABOUT TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE EFFECTS OF MICROGRAVITY IS IMPACTING, HOW BENEFICIAL MICROBES AND ANIMALS TALK TO EACH OTHER. WE'RE SENDING THESE TINY SQUID INTO SPACE TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE BACTERIA ARE ACTUALLY COLONIZING AND INITIATING A CONVERSATION AT THE MOLECULAR LEVEL. WHEN THEY'RE BORN, THEY'RE BORN WITHOUT BACTERIA. AN... Read More

Key Insights

• ❓ Microgravity has an impact on bacterial colonization and molecular conversations in animal tissues.
• 🛰️ Public schools, like Robertsville Middle School, are becoming actively involved in space exploration by building satellites.
• 💦 Water bears' resilience to extreme conditions makes them ideal subjects for studying the effects of microgravity and radiation on living organisms.

Questions & Answers

Q: What is the purpose of sending tiny squid into space?

The purpose is to understand how bacteria colonize and initiate conversations in microgravity, building on previous experiments and studying the fundamental processes of bacterial communication with animal tissues.

Q: What is the mission of the cubesat sent by Robertsville Middle School?

The mission is to track the regrowth of wildfires in Gatlinburg and collaborate with scientists to create a curriculum for other schools interested in building satellites.

Q: Why are water bears being studied for space flight?

Water bears are incredibly tough animals that can survive extreme conditions, including space flight. By studying their genes and DNA, scientists hope to develop strategies to safeguard astronauts from the stresses of microgravity and increased radiation.

Q: What are the main stressors of space flight for animals?

The main stressors are microgravity and increased radiation. Scientists will analyze which genes and parts of the animals' DNA are turned on and off in response to these stressors.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Tiny squid are being sent into space to study how bacteria colonize and initiate molecular conversations in microgravity.

• Robertsville Middle School is sending a cubesat to track the regrowth of wildfires in Gatlinburg and create a curriculum for other schools.

• Water bears, the toughest animals known, are being studied to understand how they cope with the stresses of long-term space flight.