[NASA] NASA Astronaut Tracy C. Dyson’s Scientific Mission aboard Space Station

[SpaceMan 0]

4 min read

Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson smiles for a portrait in the vestibule between the Kibo laboratory module and the Harmony module aboard space station.

NASA

NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson is returning home after a six-month mission aboard the International Space Station. While on orbit, Dyson conducted an array of experiments and technology demonstrations that contribute to advancements for humanity on Earth and the agency’s trajectory to the Moon and Mars. 

Here is a look at some of the science Dyson conducted during her mission: 

Heart-Shaped Bioprints 

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

NASA

NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson operates the 

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

 for the 

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

, which 3D prints cardiovascular tissue samples. In microgravity, bio inks used for 3D printing are less likely to settle and retain their shape better than on Earth. 

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

 is currently the number one cause of ****** in the ******* States, and findings from this space station investigation could one day lead to 3D-printed organs such as hearts for patients awaiting transplants. 

Wicking in Weightlessness 

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

NASA

NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson handles hardware for the Wicking in Gel-Coated Tubes (

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

) experiment. This study uses a tube lined with various gel thicknesses to simulate the human respiratory system. A fluid mass known as a liquid plug is then observed as it either blocks or flows through the tube. Data regarding the movement and trailing of the liquid plug allows researchers to design better ***** delivery methods to address respiratory ailments. 

Programming for Future Missions 

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

NASA

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

NASA

NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson runs student-designed software on the free-flying 

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

 ******. This technology demonstration is part of 

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

, a worldwide competition that engages middle school students in writing computer code to address unique specifications. Winning participants get to run their software on an actual Astrobee aboard the space station. This educational opportunity helps inspire the next generation of technology innovators.     

Robo-Extensions

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

NASA

As we venture to the Moon and Mars, astronauts may rely more on robots to ensure safety and preserve resources. Through the 

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

 study, NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson controls a ****** on Earth’s surface from a computer aboard station. This technology demonstration aims to toggle between manipulating multiple robots and “diving inside” a specific **** to control as an avatar. This two-way demonstration also evaluates how ****** operators respond their robotic counterparts’ efficiency and general output. Applications for Earth use include exploration of inhospitable zones and search and rescue missions after disasters.  

Capturing Earth’s Essence

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

NASA

For 

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

, astronauts take pictures of Earth from space for research purposes. NASA astronauts Suni Williams (left) and Tracy C. Dyson (right) contribute by aiming handheld cameras from the space station’s cupola to photograph our planet. Images help inform climate and environmental trends worldwide and provide real-time natural disaster assessments. More than four million photographs have been taken of Earth by astronauts from space.  

Multi-faceted Crystallization Processor 

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

NASA

NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson holds a cassette for Pharmaceutical In-Space Laboratory – 04 (

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

), an experiment to crystallize the model proteins lysozyme and insulin. Up to three cassettes with samples can be processed simultaneously in the Advanced Space Experiment Processor (

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

), each at an independent temperature. Because lysozyme and insulin have well-documented crystal structures, they can be used to evaluate the hardware’s performance in space. Successful crystallization with ADSEP could lead to production and manufacturing of versatile crystals with pharmaceutical applications.  

Cryo Care  

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

NASA

NASA astronauts Tracy C. Dyson and Matthew Dominick preserve research samples in freezers aboard the space station. Cryopreservation is essential for maintaining the integrity of samples for a variety of experiments, especially within the field of biology. The orbiting laboratory has multiple freezer options with varying subzero temperatures. Upon return, frozen samples are delivered back to their research teams for further analysis.    

Welcoming New Science 

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

NASA

NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson is pictured between the Unity module and Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus spacecraft in preparation for depressurization and departure from the International Space Station. On long-duration missions, visiting vehicles provide necessities for crew daily living as well as new science experiments and supplies for ongoing research. This vehicle brought experiments to test water recovery technology, produce stem cells in microgravity, study the effects of spaceflight on microorganism DNA, and conduct science demonstrations for students.   

Diana Garcia 

International Space Station Research Communications Team

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

 

Keep Exploring

Discover More Topics

Latest News from Space Station Research

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png">

Humans in Space

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png">

Station Science 101

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png">

Expedition 71

Expedition 71 began on April 5, 2024 and ends in September 2024. This crew will explore neuro-degenerative ********* and therapies,…

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png">

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up