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Missions in Space Planning and supporting experiments

Examples of experiments supported by BIOTESC

Technology

Mitarbeiter von Biotesc im Kontrollraum mit Cimon

CIMON

CIMON is an intelligent robot designed to assist astronauts on the ISS in carrying out their tasks. It is accompanied by the BIOTESC control room of the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts.

CIMON 2 Team

CIMON 2 in Space

For the second time, the astronaut assistant CIMON flies into space to support astronauts in their work. Scientists from the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts were involved in its construction.

ESA Astronaut

Astro-Pi Challenge

The annual science and programming competition Astro Pi Challenge allows students to run their codes on the International Space Station ISS

MarconISSta Gerät

MarconISSta

Satellites use certain radio channels. The number of these channels is limited. MarconISSta has measured a strain on the radio channels used internationally by satellites.

Education

Alexander Gerst

A. Gerst explains space for Kids TV show

During the Horizons mission in 2018, BIOTESC supported ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst during the filming for children and young people.

Asiatischer Astronaut in Columbus Modul

Videos with mascot Paxi

New videos explaining life on the ISS to children appear regularly on the ESA Kids page. BIOTESC plans to include them in the astronaut programme.

Biology

Astronaut in Columbus Modul

Rotifer

In the experiment Rotifer B, scientists from Belgium are investigating how the metabolism of the rotifers works under extreme conditions and what influence radiation and weightlessness have on DNA repair. With the support of BIOTESC, Luca Parmitano has installed them in the Kubik.

Astronaut auf ISS

Touching Surfaces

Microorganisms as constant companions of humans spread everywhere, also on the International Space Station. For microbiological research, it is important to find out where the germs primarily attach themselves.

FURTHER EXPERIMENTS WITH BIOTESC SUPPORT

Education

1. With ESA Astronaut Alexander Gerst: Flying Classroom

2. With ESA Astronaut Samantha Christoforetti forESA Teacher`s Corner

3. With ESA Astronaut Tim Peake for National Space Academy 

4. With ESA Astronaut Thomas Pesquet for Students in France

Biology

1. Molecular Muscle and MicroAge

2. Extremophiles: The experiment investigated which microorganisms live or survive on the surfaces in the living quarters of the ISS.

3. Biorock: Microorganisms can convert insoluble ore minerals into water-soluble salts and thus make them accessible. The Biorock project has investigated whether these processes also work in zero gravity.

3. Arthrospira

4. Endothelial Cells The Endothelial Cells experiment investigated the influence of weightlessness and cosmic radiation on capillary endothelial cells.

5. Triplelux The Triplelux experiments are about exploring the effects of weightlessness on the immune system.

6. T-cell Act in Aging The experiment investigates the reasons for decreased activation of T cells in space.

7. Stem Cell Differentation The aim of the experiment was to determine how weightlessness influences the processes in stem cells regarding the maintenance of bone mass.

8. Spheroids In simulated weightlessness (cultivated on the Random Positioning Machine) endothelial cells form 3-dimensional aggregates (spheres). The experiment investigated the effects of real weightlessness and the selected messenger substances on changes in the endothelial cells.

Past experiments carried out under the responsibility of BIOTESC