In a small step for man, but a giant leap for mice and 3-D printers, a SpaceX cargo ship is heading for the International Space Station with 20 furry rodents, 30 fruit flies and, for the first time ever, a printer that could possibly be used by astronauts to fashion spare parts for their outer-space home.
For starters, the printer, made by California-based Made in Space, will be used for demonstration purposes, but officials say a fancier and larger version will be delivered to the space station next year.
As for the mice, a tiny part of the more than 5,000 pounds of goodies heading to the space station, a post by NBC News says they ll become the first residents of NASA s new Rodent Research habitat, which scientists will use to study the animals behavior and health. Years ago, NASA sent mice into space on shuttle flights, but those rodent astronauts rarely spent more than two weeks in space. This mission — primarily intended to test out the new habitat and hardware — will last 30 days.
The report says that scientists will be looking closely at how the mice adapt to life in space.
Astronauts lose muscle and bone strength quickly when they go to space, and the same is expected to happen to mice. Researchers will measure the rodents loss in bone density throughout the flight using a new X-ray machine built by Techshot, called the Bone Densitometer. It will be the first X-ray source to be on the space station.
The Huffington Post reported that the 3-D printer is sturdier than Earthly models to withstand the stresses of launch, and meets NASA s strict safety standards. The cargo is expected to arrive at the station on Tuesday.
Along with the mice, fruit flies and printer, the SpaceX vehicle is also hauling a $30 million device for studying ocean winds as well as metal samples for a golf-club manufacturer looking to improve its products, says the post. And this:
Much-needed spacesuit batteries are on board as well, along with the usual stash of food, clothes and electronic gear. Routine U.S. spacewalks were put on hold following last year s close call with an astronaut s flooded helmet. That problem was solved, then the battery fuses were called into question. NASA hopes to resume spacewalks next month.
NASA is paying SpaceX and Virginia-based Orbital Sciences Corp. to make regular station deliveries. The SpaceX service began two years ago.
The flights are more feathers in the cap of SpaceX s early investor Elon Musk, who also is CEO of Tesla Motors and chairman of SolarCity.
Credit: click2houston.com
