Rubins prepares Biomolecule Sequencer Experiment Sample Run 2

iss048e069880 (9/3/2016) --- NASA Astronaut Kate Rubins makes preparations for the Run 2 sample initialization of the Biomolecule Sequencer experiment. The Biomolecule Sequencer seeks to demonstrate, for the first time, that DNA sequencing is feasible in an orbiting spacecraft. A space-based DNA sequencer could identify microbes, diagnose diseases and understand crew member health, and potentially help detect DNA-based life elsewhere in the solar system.

BEST Biomolecule Sequencer

iss057e000185 (10/8/2018) - Biomolecule Sequencer for the BEST experiment floating in front of Window 7 in the Cupola module. Earth is in the background. The Biomolecule Sequencer seeks to demonstrate, for the first time, that DNA sequencing is feasible in an orbiting spacecraft. A space-based DNA sequencer could identify microbes, diagnose diseases and understand crew member health, and potentially help detect DNA-based life elsewhere in the solar system.

Genes in Space

Rover DNA Inscription

This photo shows two small drawings inscribed inside the front left wheel of the Mars Perseverance rover, pictured here before it was installed on the rover. One figure represents the tracks that the rover leaves as it drives on Mars. The other resembles that same pattern, twisted into the shape of DNA. The symbols represent humanity's fundamental drive to invent the tools necessary for exploration, and serve as a reminder that our space robots are of human origin. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA24552

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Biotechnology

The blueprint of life, DNA's double helix is found in the cells of everything from bacteria to astronauts. Exposure to radiation(depicted at right) such as X-rays (upper) or heavy ion particles (lower), can damage DNA and cause dire consequences both to the organism itself and to future generations. One of NASA's main goals is to develop better radiation shielding materials to protect astronauts from destructive radiation in space. This is particularly important for long space missions. NASA has selected researchers to study materials that provide better shielding. This research is managed by NASA's Office of Biological and Physical Research and is supported by the Microgravity Science and Applications Department at NASA's Marshall Center. During International Space Station Expedition Six, the Extravehicular Activity Radiation Monitoring (EVARM) will continue to measure radiation dosage encountered by the eyes, internal organs and skin during specific spacewalks, and relate it to the type of activity, location and other factors. An analysis of this information may be useful in mitigating potential exposure to space walkers in the future. (Illustration by Dr. Frank Cucinotta, NASA/Johnson Space Center, and Prem Saganti, Lockheed Martin)

PHOTO DATE: 11-14-16 LOCATION: ISS MOCKUPS SUBJECT: Biomolecule Sequencer team group portrait of Sara Wallace, Sarah Stahl-Rommel, Aaron Burton and Kristen John. PHOTOGRAPHER: BILL STAFFORD

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iss048e066523 (8/26/2016) --- NASA astronaut Kate Rubins poses for a photo with Biomolecule Sequencer experiment hardware (Surface Pro 3 tablet and MinION) during the first sample initialization run. The image was taken in the Destiny U.S. Laboratory aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

Rubins with Biomolecule Sequencer Experiment

This graph, or spectrum, from NASA Spitzer Space Telescope tells astronomers that some of the most basic ingredients of DNA and protein are concentrated in a dusty planet-forming disk circling a young sun-like star called IRS 46.

Life Starting Materials Found in Dusty Disk

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Jsc2025e036192 (4/4/2025) --- Stem cells grown along Janus Base Nanomaterial (JBNm) made on Earth. After four hours, the cells adhered to the scaffold. Biomimetic Fabrication of Multi-Functional DNA-Inspired Nanomaterials via Controlled Self-assembly in Space (DNA Nano Therapeutics-Mission 2) continues prior research on in-space manufacturing of nanomaterials that mimic DNA and have applications for vaccines and regenerative medicine. Image courtesy of University of Connecticut.

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jsc2025e036195 (4/4/2025) --- A confocal microscope image shows a human cartilage cell, with its nucleus stained in blue, following delivery of Janus Base Nanoparticles (JBNp) and the subsequent release of bioactive mRNA (pink) that was translated into function protein (green). Biomimetic Fabrication of Multi-Functional DNA-Inspired Nanomaterials via Controlled Self-assembly in Space (DNA Nano Therapeutics-Mission 2) continues prior research on in-space manufacturing of nanomaterials that mimic DNA and have applications for vaccines and regenerative medicine. Image courtesy of University of Connecticut.

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iss059e068226 (May 21, 2019) --- NASA astronaut Nick Hague of Expedition 59 sequences DNA samples for a study exploring how increased exposure to space radiation impacts crew health. He used the Biomolecule Sequencer for the investigation to demonstrate DNA sequencing in space. The Genes In Space-6 experiment is researching how space radiation damages DNA and how the cell repair mechanism works in microgravity.

BEST Biomolecule Sequencer

iss057e000180 (10/8/2018) - Biomolecule Sequencer for the BEST experiment floating in front of Window 7 in the Cupola module. Earth is in the background. The Biomolecule Sequencer seeks to demonstrate, for the first time, that DNA sequencing is feasible in an orbiting spacecraft. A space-based DNA sequencer could identify microbes, diagnose diseases and understand crew member health, and potentially help detect DNA-based life elsewhere in the solar system.

iss056e097517 (July 20, 2018) --- NASA astronaut Ricky Arnold swabbed surfaces in the International Space Station to collect microbe samples. He then processed the microbial DNA using the Biomolecule Sequencer, a device that enables DNA sequencing in microgravity, to identify microbes able to survive in microgravity.

Best Experiment 1 Part 3 - Biomolecule Sequencer

iss056e097421 (July 19, 2018) --- NASA astronaut Ricky Arnold swabbed surfaces in the International Space Station to collect microbe samples. He then processed the microbial DNA using the Biomolecule Sequencer, a device that enables DNA sequencing in microgravity, to identify microbes able to survive in microgravity.

Biomolecule Extraction and Sequencing Technology (BEST)

iss056e097438 (July 19, 2018) --- NASA astronaut Ricky Arnold swabbed surfaces in the International Space Station to collect microbe samples. He then processed the microbial DNA using the Biomolecule Sequencer, a device that enables DNA sequencing in microgravity, to identify microbes able to survive in microgravity.

Biomolecule Extraction and Sequencing Technology (BEST)

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iss056e097429 (July 19, 2018) --- NASA astronaut Ricky Arnold swabbed surfaces in the International Space Station to collect microbe samples. He then processed the microbial DNA using the Biomolecule Sequencer, a device that enables DNA sequencing in microgravity, to identify microbes able to survive in microgravity.

Biomolecule Extraction and Sequencing Technology (BEST)

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jsc2025e036189 (4/4/2025) --- The UCONN lab team who all contributed to space research leading up to DNA Nano Therapeutics-Mission 2. Front: Maxwell Landolina. In back, from left to right: Annie Nguyen (Ph.D. Student), Qianyu Chen (Undergraduate Student), Jin Zhai (Ph.D. Student), Toan Dang (Ph.D. Student), Trystin Cote (Ph.D. Student), Dr. Yupeng Chen (Principal Investigator), Madelyn Pickett (Master's Student). Biomimetic Fabrication of Multi-Functional DNA-Inspired Nanomaterials via Controlled Self-assembly in Space (DNA Nano Therapeutics-Mission 2) continues prior research on in-space manufacturing of nanomaterials that mimic DNA and have applications for vaccines and regenerative medicine. Image courtesy of University of Connecticut.

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jsc2025e036191 (4/4/2025) --- An electron microscope image taken of a Janus Base Nanomaterial (JBNm) made on the International Space Station. The scale bar on the bottom represents 1/62500 the width of a human hair, making the JBNm bundles thick and interspersed, lead to better outcomes for cells. Biomimetic Fabrication of Multi-Functional DNA-Inspired Nanomaterials via Controlled Self-assembly in Space (DNA Nano Therapeutics-Mission 2) continues prior research on in-space manufacturing of nanomaterials that mimic DNA and have applications for vaccines and regenerative medicine. Image courtesy of University of Connecticut.

The fundamental structural unit of chromatin and is the basis for organization within the genome by compaction of DNA within the nucleus of the cell and by making selected regions of chromosomes available for transcription and replication.

Astronaut Kate Rubins at Air and Space Museum

NASA Astronaut Kate Rubins conducts a DNA experiment for a STEM in 30 segment, Thursday, April 27, 2017 at Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum in Washington. Rubins served on the International Space Station during Expeditions 48 and 49 and became the first person to sequence DNA in space. She completed her first mission when she landed in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan in October 2016. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

Astronaut Kate Rubins at Air and Space Museum

NASA Astronaut Kate Rubins conducts a DNA experiment for a STEM in 30 segment, Thursday, April 27, 2017 at Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum in Washington. Rubins served on the International Space Station during Expeditions 48 and 49 and became the first person to sequence DNA in space. She completed her first mission when she landed in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan in October 2016. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

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Astronaut Kate Rubins at Air and Space Museum

NASA Astronaut Kate Rubins conducts a DNA experiment for a STEM in 30 segment, Thursday, April 27, 2017 at Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum in Washington. Rubins served on the International Space Station during Expeditions 48 and 49 and became the first person to sequence DNA in space. She completed her first mission when she landed in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan in October 2016. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

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Microgravity

Type II restriction enzymes, such as Eco R1 endonulease, present a unique advantage for the study of sequence-specific recognition because they leave a record of where they have been in the form of the cleaved ends of the DNA sites where they were bound. The differential behavior of a sequence -specific protein at sites of differing base sequence is the essence of the sequence-specificity; the core question is how do these proteins discriminate between different DNA sequences especially when the two sequences are very similar. Principal Investigator: Dan Carter/New Century Pharmaceuticals

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iss070e035116 (Dec. 1, 2023) --- JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut and Expedition 70 Flight Engineer Satoshi Furukawa works in the Kibo laboratory module's Life Science Glovebox extracting DNA samples for the new uTitan investigation. The technology demonstration is exploring a method for automated nucleic acid extraction in microgravity and may inform DNA sample processing and sequencing techniques on spacecraft and remote locations on Earth.

Best Experiment 1 Part 3 - Biomolecule Sequencer

iss056e097518 (July 20, 2018) --- Expedition 56 Flight Engineer Ricky Arnold prepares amplified DNA collected from microbes living aboard the International Space Station for sequencing using the Biomolecule Sequencer. The Biomolecule Extraction and Sequencing Technology (BEST) investigation studies the use of DNA sequencing for the identification of unknown microbial organisms living on the station and to understand how humans, plants and microbes adapt to living in space.

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jsc2025e036190 (4/4/2025) --- Stem cells grown along the Janus Base Nanomaterial (JBNm) made aboard the International Space Station. After four hours, a significant increase in the number of these cells adhered to the scaffold, compared to the ground scaffold. This shows that structural improvements were obtained through in-space manufacturing and translated directly into biological improvements. The Flight JBNm is much better at stem cell recruitment, which could better stimulate cartilage regeneration. Biomimetic Fabrication of Multi-Functional DNA-Inspired Nanomaterials via Controlled Self-assembly in Space (DNA Nano Therapeutics-Mission 2) continues prior research on in-space manufacturing of nanomaterials that mimic DNA and have applications for vaccines and regenerative medicine. Image courtesy of University of Connecticut.

iss055e016053 (4/11/2018) --- NASA astronaut Ricky Arnold works with the student-designed Genes in Space-5 experiment inside the Harmony module. The genetic research is helping scientists understand the relationship between DNA alterations and weakened immune systems possibly caused by living in space. Genes in Space is an innovation challenge including students and teachers across the United States from grades 7 through 12. Students design a pioneering DNA-related experiment to fly on the ISS, providing real-world training in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields and connecting students to the space program.

Genes in Space-5

iss055e016052 (4/11/2018) --- NASA astronaut Ricky Arnold works with the student-designed Genes in Space-5 experiment inside the Harmony module. The genetic research is helping scientists understand the relationship between DNA alterations and weakened immune systems possibly caused by living in space. Genes in Space is an innovation challenge including students and teachers across the United States from grades 7 through 12. Students design a pioneering DNA-related experiment to fly on the ISS, providing real-world training in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields and connecting students to the space program.

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iss073e0001816 (4/25/2025) --- NASA astronauts Anne McClain, top, and Nichole Ayers, right, use the space station’s Microgravity Science Glovebox to work on DNA Nano Therapeutics-Mission 2. This investigation tests in-space production of special DNA-inspired nanomaterial building blocks and evaluates whether they reduce joint inflammation and help regenerate cartilage lost due to arthritis. These materials are less toxic, more stable, and more compatible with living tissues than current drug delivery technologies and could provide relief to patients with fewer side effects.

Genes in Space-1

iss047e083547 (4/27/2016) --- Photographic documentation during the Genes in Space experiment showing the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and miniPCR system as a way to amplify deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in space and make it possible to measure and monitor telomere changes during spaceflight. Genes in Space is an innovation challenge including students and teachers across the United States from grades 7 through 12. Students design a pioneering DNA-related experiment to fly on the ISS, providing real-world training in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields and connecting students to the space program.

Genes In Space-5

iss055e020316 (4/13/2018) --- Photographic documentation taken during processing of samples in the Miniature Polymerase Chain Reaction (miniPCR) for the Genes In Space-5 experiment onboard the International Space Station (ISS). The genetic research is helping scientists understand the relationship between DNA alterations and weakened immune systems possibly caused by living in space. Genes in Space is an innovation challenge including students and teachers across the United States from grades 7 through 12. Students design a pioneering DNA-related experiment to fly on the ISS, providing real-world training in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields and connecting students to the space program.

iss069e031305 (July 13, 2023) -- NASA astronaut and Expedition 69 Flight Engineer Frank Rubio holds the Mini Polymerase Chain Reaction (miniPCR) system, that promotes DNA research on Earth and in space, set up inside the Columbus laboratory module.

Genes in Space 10 Freeze and Fly Run Experiment System Setup

jsc2022e031230 (8/13/2021) --- A preflight view of the interior of the BioServe Centrifuge in nominal configuration with Rotor A. The BioServe Centrifuge facility supports a wide variety of life, physical, and materials science research. It enables separation of substances with differing densities, including cell cultures, DNA, protein, blood, and sedimentation samples.Image courtesy of BioServe Space Technologies.

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iss059e061607 (5/14/2019) --- Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut David Saint-Jacques works with the miniPCR hardware inside the Columbus laboratory module onboard the International Space Station (ISS) for the Genes In Space-6 experiment that is exploring how space radiation damages DNA and how the cell repair mechanism works in microgravity.

Genes In Space-6 experiment

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Inclusion Install

NASA’s fifth core value – inclusion – is installed in the Central Campus lobby at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Sept. 1, 2020. On July 23, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine announced the addition of this fifth core value to the existing values embraced by NASA: safety, integrity, teamwork, and excellence. In his announcement, Bridenstine stated “Incorporating inclusion as a NASA core value is an important step to ensuring this principle remains a long-term focus for our agency and becomes ingrained in the NASA family DNA.”

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iss064e035217 (Feb. 23, 2021) --- NASA astronaut and Expedition 64 Flight Engineer Kate Rubins collects tubes containing swab samples of microbes for the 3DMM (Three-dimensional Microbial Monitoring of ISS Environment) investigation. The study analyzes and sequences the DNA from bacteria swabbed from station surfaces to understand how microbes respond at a molecular level to specific stress conditions, including altered gravity and atmospheric composition.

Astronaut Kate Rubins at Air and Space Museum

NASA Astronaut Kate Rubins speaks about her time onboard the International Space Station during Expeditions 48 and 49 Thursday, April 27, 2017 at Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum in Washington. Rubins became the first person to sequence DNA in space and completed her first mission when she landed in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan in October 2016. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

Astronaut Kate Rubins at Air and Space Museum

NASA Astronaut Kate Rubins speaks about her time onboard the International Space Station during Expeditions 48 and 49 Thursday, April 27, 2017 at Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum in Washington. Rubins became the first person to sequence DNA in space and completed her first mission when she landed in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan in October 2016. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

Rotifer-B2 Preflight Imagery

jsc2024e050833 (12/2/2019) --- Preflight image of the Rotifer-B2 experiment container. The Rotifer-B2 investigation aims to explore the effects that spaceflight has on deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) repair mechanisms of the bdelloid rotifer Adineta vaga. This is achieved by pre-exposing rotifers to high levels of radiation on Earth and then culturing them in Kubik, an on-orbit incubator facility. After exposing rotifers to space conditions inside the International Space Station, the samples are frozen and returned to Earth for postflight analyses. Image courtesy of the University of Namur.

Bowen works on Plant Habitat-03 Science Carrier

iss069e030677 (July 10, 2023) --- NASA astronaut and Expedition 69 Flight Engineer Stephen Bowen works on the Plant Habitat-03B Science Carrier, a space botany research device, in the International Space Station's Harmony module. The Plant Habitat-03 investigation explores how space-caused DNA changes are transferred from one generation of plants to the next and then continue to accumulate or stabilize. This could provide insight into how to grow repeated generations of crops to provide food and other services on future space missions.

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Astronaut Kate Rubins at Air and Space Museum

NASA Astronaut Kate Rubins participates in a Facebook Live, answering questions about her time onboard the International Space Station during Expeditions 48 and 49, Thursday, April 27, 2017 at Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum in Washington. Rubins became the first person to sequence DNA in space and completed her first mission when she landed in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan in October 2016. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

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jsc2018e040453 (4/30/2018) --- A Researcher at NASA's Johnson Space Center perform DNA and RNA sequencing on microbes as part of the Biomolecule Extraction and Sequencing Technology (BEST) experiment. The same sequencing procedure is performed in orbit aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and the results are compared to those on the ground. This will provide better insight into the effects of the spaceflight environment on microbial life.

Astronaut Kate Rubins at Air and Space Museum

NASA Astronaut Kate Rubins speaks about her time onboard the International Space Station during Expeditions 48 and 49 Thursday, April 27, 2017 at Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum in Washington. Rubins became the first person to sequence DNA in space and completed her first mission when she landed in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan in October 2016. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

Astronaut Kate Rubins at Air and Space Museum

NASA Astronaut Kate Rubins speaks about her time onboard the International Space Station during Expeditions 48 and 49 Thursday, April 27, 2017 at Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum in Washington. Rubins became the first person to sequence DNA in space and completed her first mission when she landed in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan in October 2016. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

Genes in Space-3

iss052e061925 (8/21/2017) --- NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson is photographed working with the Genes In Space experiment in the Node 2 module. Genes in Space is an innovation challenge including students and teachers across the United States from grades 7 through 12. Students design a pioneering DNA-related experiment to fly on the ISS, providing real-world training in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields and connecting students to the space program.

Microscopic image of biofilm on rock in BioRock experiment

jsc2019e039825 (7/16/2019) --- Preflight Ffuorescence microscopy image of biofilm of Spingomonas desiccabilis growing over and into the surface of a basalt slide as part of BioRock experiment. Organisms are stained with DNA binding sye Sybr Gold. Growth can be seen into the rock cavities. The purpose of the Biorock investigation is to examine the effects of altered gravity on the rock/microbe/liquid system as a whole. (Image Courtesy of: ESA)

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iss070e005386 (Oct. 18, 2023) --- NASA astronaut and Expedition 70 Flight Engineer Jasmin Moghbeli uses a portable DNA detection device that can be found in laboratories and classrooms on Earth. She was identifying bacteria extracted from water samples collected aboard the International Space Station. Known as BioMole, the study is demonstrating the ability to monitor the spacecraft’s microbial environment without sending samples back to Earth for analysis.

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iss064e011391 (Dec. 8, 2020) --- NASA astronaut and Expedition 64 Flight Engineer Michael Hopkins shakes an experiment container containing biological samples to displace bubbles before placing it into the Kubik incubator facility. Hopkins was servicing the samples for the Rotifer-B2 experiment that is exploring the effects spaceflight has on DNA repair mechanisms of the bdelloid rotifer Adineta vaga, a plankton-like microscopic organism.

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iss064e030059 (2/8/2021) --- NASA astronaut Kate Rubins collects tubes containing swab samples of microbes for the 3DMM (Three-dimensional Microbial Monitoring of ISS Environment) investigation. The study analyzes and sequences the DNA from bacteria swabbed from station surfaces to understand how microbes respond at a molecular level to specific stress conditions, including altered gravity and atmospheric composition.

Inclusion Install

NASA’s fifth core value – inclusion – is installed in the Central Campus lobby at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Sept. 1, 2020. On July 23, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine announced the addition of this fifth core value to the existing values embraced by NASA: safety, integrity, teamwork, and excellence. In his announcement, Bridenstine stated “Incorporating inclusion as a NASA core value is an important step to ensuring this principle remains a long-term focus for our agency and becomes ingrained in the NASA family DNA.”

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iss064e035033 (2/19/2021) --- A view at the cupola window of collects tubes containing swab samples of microbes for the 3DMM (Three-dimensional Microbial Monitoring of ISS Environment) investigation. The study analyzes and sequences the DNA from bacteria swabbed from station surfaces to understand how microbes respond at a molecular level to specific stress conditions, including altered gravity and atmospheric composition.

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iss070e005393 (12/182023) --- NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli is shown performing steps to extract and amplify DNA from a water sample for later sequencing. The EHS BioMole Facility demonstrates technology for monitoring the microbial environment onboard a spacecraft. As part of a Crew Health Care System (CHeCS), this technology could support missions such as Gateway and Mars transit that do not have the capability to return samples to Earth for analysis. The investigation evaluates the ability of the EHS BioMole Facility to accurately analyze potable water samples on the space station.

Astronaut Kate Rubins at Air and Space Museum

NASA Astronaut Kate Rubins answers a question from an audience member about her time onboard the International Space Station during Expeditions 48 and 49, Thursday, April 27, 2017 at Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum in Washington. Rubins became the first person to sequence DNA in space and completed her first mission when she landed in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan in October 2016. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

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jsc2024e005962 (12/10/2023) --- A preflight image for the Compartment Cartilage Tissue Construct investigation shows that the Janus base Nanopieces (JBNps) delivered green fluorescence labeled therapeutic RNA into cartilage cells. Compartment Cartilage Tissue Construct uses biological materials that mimic DNA to develop a scaffold for regenerating cartilage tissues and tests the effect of a specific RNA on cartilage growth in space. Image courtesy of the University of Connecticut.

Astronaut Kate Rubins at Air and Space Museum

NASA Astronaut Kate Rubins participates in a Facebook Live, answering questions about her time onboard the International Space Station during Expeditions 48 and 49, Thursday, April 27, 2017 at Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum in Washington. Rubins became the first person to sequence DNA in space and completed her first mission when she landed in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan in October 2016. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

Astronaut Kate Rubins at Air and Space Museum

NASA Astronaut Kate Rubins speaks about her time onboard the International Space Station during Expeditions 48 and 49 Thursday, April 27, 2017 at Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum in Washington. Rubins became the first person to sequence DNA in space and completed her first mission when she landed in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan in October 2016. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

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jsc2018e059572_alt (5/29/2018) --- The miniPCR platform, used for the amplification of nucleic acids, from the Genes in Space investigations combined with the MinION, nucleic acid sequencer, from the Biomolecule Sequencer experiment makes up the Biomolecule Extraction and Sequencing Technology (BEST) payload. With this hardware, including the pipettes, astronauts have demonstrated a complete sample-to-answer process for DNA and RNA sequencing on board the ISS.

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The Rotifer-B2 investigation aims to explore the effects that spaceflight has on deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) repair mechanisms of the bdelloid rotifer Adineta vaga. This is achieved by pre-exposing rotifers to high levels of radiation on Earth and then culturing them in Kubik, an on-orbit incubator facility. After exposing rotifers to space conditions inside the International Space Station, the samples are frozen and returned to Earth for postflight analyses. Image courtesy of the University of Namur.

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jsc2018e040417 (4/30/2018) --- Researchers at NASA's Johnson Space Center perform DNA and RNA sequencing on microbes as part of the Biomolecule Extraction and Sequencing Technology (BEST) experiment. The same sequencing procedure is performed in orbit aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and the results are compared to those on the ground. This will provide better insight into the effects of the spaceflight environment on microbial life.

Expedition 71 Patch Approved 8-31-23

iss071-s-001 (Aug. 31, 2023) --- For nearly a quarter of a century the International Space Station (ISS) has hosted crews and accommodated science experiments even as it has continued to evolve into the highly capable orbiting laboratory of today. With its unique vantage point, the ISS serves as an intersection for discoveries ranging from the vast, such as the search for dark matter and cosmological origins, to the near, such as detailed observation of our home planet and its atmosphere, to the microscopic, including behavior of microbial life, DNA sequencing, and molecular biology in the microgravity environment. The Expedition 71 patch celebrates this science as well as the thousands of multinational scientists and technicians that have contributed to numerous groundbreaking experiments. The ISS is the ultimate destination for the scientifically curious. The symbology represents onboard research into quantum behavior of novel states of matter, antibodies and immune function, the search for dark matter, flame and combustion physics, DNA expression, plant growth and root behavior, and direct earth observation. The human eye and microscope objectives at upper left form the apex of a cone of vision culminating in the Expedition number 71, and represents the deliberate and disciplined practice of scientific observation. Earth’s moon and Mars are also depicted as next steps for exploration, with an anticipation of further rich scientific discovery using many techniques and skills honed aboard the ISS.

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ISS048e041836 (07/20/2016) --- NASA astronauts Kate Rubins (left) and Jeff Williams (right) prepare to grapple the SpaceX Dragon supply spacecraft from aboard the International Space Station. The nearly 5,000 pounds of supplies and equipment includes science supplies and hardware, including instruments to perform the first-ever DNA sequencing in space, and the first of two identical international docking adapters (IDA.) The IDAs will provide a means for commercial crew spacecraft to dock to the station in the near future as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Dragon is scheduled to depart the space station Aug. 29 when it will return critical science research back to Earth.

Expedition 48/49 crew visit to MSFC

NASA astronaut Kate Rubins presents highlights from Expedition 48/49, her mission to the International Space Station, to team members and Space Camp students from the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, April 6 at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. During her mission, Rubins became the first person to sequence DNA in space, researching technology development for deep-space exploration by humans, Earth and space science. She also conducted two spacewalks, in which she and NASA astronaut Jeff Williams installed an International Docking Adapter and performed maintenance of the station's external thermal control system and installed high-definition cameras.

$iss060e015014 (7/28/2019) — NASA astronaut Nick Hague is shown holding the CASIS Protein Crystal Growth 15 (CASIS PCG 15) investigation samples aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Microgravity Crystal Growth for Improvement in Neutron Diffraction and the Analysis of Protein Complexes (CASIS PCG 15) seeks a better understanding of enzyme catalysis by examining crystals from two model Pyridoxal phosphate (PLP) dependent enzymes and from a bacteriophage transient deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) repair complex. Analysis of the crystals may reveal catalyst mechanisms and structures and visualize the interaction between the repair proteins. Results could contribute to identification of biomarkers for diagnosis of disease and to development of better antimicrobials.$

Hague holding PCG Box Samples

iss060e015014 (7/28/2019) — NASA astronaut Nick Hague is shown holding the CASIS Protein Crystal Growth 15 (CASIS PCG 15) investigation samples aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Microgravity Crystal Growth for Improvement in Neutron Diffraction and the Analysis of Protein Complexes (CASIS PCG 15) seeks a better understanding of enzyme catalysis by examining crystals from two model Pyridoxal phosphate (PLP) dependent enzymes and from a bacteriophage transient deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) repair complex. Analysis of the crystals may reveal catalyst mechanisms and structures and visualize the interaction between the repair proteins. Results could contribute to identification of biomarkers for diagnosis of disease and to development of better antimicrobials.

Inclusion Install

NASA’s core values are shown in the Central Campus lobby at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida following the installation of NASA’s fifth core value – inclusion – on Sept. 1, 2020. On July 23, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine announced the addition of this fifth core value to the existing values embraced by NASA: safety, integrity, teamwork, and excellence. In his announcement, Bridenstine stated “Incorporating inclusion as a NASA core value is an important step to ensuring this principle remains a long-term focus for our agency and becomes ingrained in the NASA family DNA.”

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Processing activities for STS-91 continue in KSC's Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 2. Two Get Away Special (GAS) canisters are shown after their installation into Discovery's payload bay. At left is G-090, containing three educational experiments sponsored by Utah State University, and at right is G-743, an experiment sponsored by Broward Community College in Florida to test DNA exposed to cosmic radiation in a microgravity environment. STS-91 is scheduled to launch aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery for the ninth and final docking with the Russian Space Station Mir from KSC's Launch Pad 39A on June 2 with a launch window opening around 6:04 p.m. EDT

Astronaut Don Pettit displays samples for a genetic experiment aboard the International Space Station

iss072e010035 (Oct. 12, 2024) --- NASA astronaut and Expedition 72 Flight Engineer Don Pettit displays Genes In Space-11 samples validating on-orbit Nucleic Acid Sequenced Based Amplification (NASBA), a novel technique to detect specific RNA sequences that can be applied to studying crucial biological processes, such as viral infection, genomic damage, or gene expression during spaceflight. Genes in Space-11 studies how spaceflight may activate retrotransposons, which are DNA fragments that copy and paste themselves throughout a genome, leading to cancer and other diseases. This investigation tests methods for detecting and measuring retrotransposons that may be adapted to detect other RNAs, including those of viruses that cause illness. Understanding the behavior of retrotransposons in microgravity may shed light on the genetic risks, including cancer, from space travel and support development of ways to protect astronauts during missions.

STS-58 Crew Insignia

STS058-S-001 (May 1993) --- Designed by members of the flight crew, the STS-58 insignia depicts the space shuttle Columbia with a Spacelab module in its payload bay in orbit around Earth. The Spacelab and the lettering "Spacelab Life Sciences II" highlight the primary mission of the second space shuttle flight dedicated to life sciences research. An Extended Duration Orbiter (EDO) support pallet is shown in the aft payload bay, stressing the scheduled two-week duration of the longest space shuttle mission to date. The hexagonal shape of the patch depicts the carbon ring, a molecule common to all living organisms. Encircling the inner border of the patch is the double helix of DNA, representing the genetic basis of life. Its yellow background represents the sun, energy source for all life on Earth. Both medical and veterinary caducei are shown to represent the STS-58 life sciences experiments. The position of the spacecraft in orbit about Earth with the United States in the background symbolizes the ongoing support of the American people for scientific research intended to benefit all mankind. The NASA insignia design for space shuttle flights is reserved for use by the astronauts and for other official use as the NASA Administrator may authorize. Public availability has been approved only in the form of illustrations by the various news media. When and if there is any change in this policy, which we do not anticipate, it will be publicly announced. Photo credit: NASA

Mastcam-Z's Calibration Target

The primary calibration target for Mastcam-Z, a pair of zoomable cameras aboard NASA's Perseverance Mars rover, features color swatches used by scientists to fine-tune the cameras' settings. The object in the center, known as a shadow post, helps scientists check the color of the sky to calibrate for lighting conditions. Symbols and mottos relevant to the mission are included around the target's perimeter: (clockwise from top) a fern; an Apatosaurus; a man and woman raising their hands in greeting (a nod to plaques carried aboard Pioneer 10 and 11, as well as the Golden Record aboard Voyagers 1 and 2); a rocket traveling from Earth (blue dot) to Mars (red dot); a motto reading "Two Worlds, One Beginning," in reference to the idea of Earth and the Red Planet growing out of the same proto-stellar dust; a model of the inner solar system; a DNA helix; and cyanobacteria, one of the earliest forms of life on Earth. A key objective for Perseverance's mission on Mars is astrobiology, including the search for signs of ancient microbial life. The rover will characterize the planet's geology and past climate, pave the way for human exploration of the Red Planet, and be the first mission to collect and cache Martian rock and regolith (broken rock and dust). https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA24178

Space Shuttle Projects

Designed by members of the flight crew, the STS-58 insignia depicts the Space Shuttle Columbia with a Spacelab module in its payload bay in orbit around Earth. The Spacelab and the lettering Spacelab Life Sciences ll highlight the primary mission of the second Space Shuttle flight dedicated to life sciences research. An Extended Duration Orbiter (EDO) support pallet is shown in the aft payload bay, stressing the scheduled two-week duration of the longest Space Shuttle mission to date. The hexagonal shape of the patch depicts the carbon ring, a molecule common to all living organisms. Encircling the inner border of the patch is the double helix of DNA, representing the genetic basis of life. Its yellow background represents the sun, energy source for all life on Earth. Both medical and veterinary caducei are shown to represent the STS- 58 life sciences experiments. The position of the spacecraft in orbit about Earth with the United States in the background symbolizes the ongoing support of the American people for scientific research intended to benefit all mankind.

STS-40 Columbia, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 102, crew insignia

STS40-S-001 (May 1990) --- The STS-40 patch makes a contemporary statement focusing on human beings living and working in space. Against a background of the universe, seven silver stars, interspersed about the Orbital path of the space shuttle Columbia, represent the seven crew members. The orbiter's flight path forms a double-helix, designed to represent the DNA molecule common to all living creatures. In the words of a crew spokesman, "...(the helix) affirms the ceaseless expansion of human life and American involvement in space while simultaneously emphasizing the medical and biological studies to which this flight is dedicated." Above Columbia, the phrase "Spacelab Life Sciences 1" defines both the shuttle mission and its payload. Leonardo Da Vinci's Vitruvian man, silhouetted against the blue darkness of the heavens, is in the upper center portion of the patch. With one foot on Earth and arms extended to touch shuttle's orbit, the crew feels, he serves as a powerful embodiment of the extension of human inquiry from the boundaries of Earth to the limitless laboratory of space. Sturdily poised amid the stars, he serves to link scentists on Earth to the scientists in space asserting the harmony of efforts which produce meaningful scientific spaceflight missions. A brilliant red and yellow Earth limb (center) links Earth to space as it radiates from a native American symbol for the sun. At the frontier of space, the traditional symbol for the sun vividly links America's past to America's future, the crew states. Beneath the orbiting space shuttle, darkness of night rests peacefully over the United States. Drawn by artist Sean Collins, the STS-40 space shuttle patch was designed by the crew members for the flight. The NASA insignia design for space shuttle flights is reserved for use by the astronauts and for other official use as the NASA Administrator may authorize. Public availability has been approved only in the forms of illustrations by the various news media. When and if there is any change in this policy, which is not anticipated, the change will be publicly announced. Photo credit: NASA

PIXL Instrument on NASA's Perseverance Studies 'Ouzel Falls'

Before collecting a rock sample at a spot nicknamed "Otis Peak," NASA's Perseverance Mars rover employed an abrasion tool to wear down the rock surface and then used the Planetary Instrument for X-ray Lithochemistry, or PIXL, to study the rock's internal chemistry. This image of the abrasion patch, dubbed "Ouzel Falls," was taken in May 2023 by WATSON (Wide Angle Topographic Sensor for Operations and eNgineering), a camera that is part of an instrument called Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman & Luminescence for Organics & Chemicals, or SHERLOC, on the end of the rover's robotic arm. Data from PIXL is laid over the image. Colored squares show different areas where PIXL's X-ray beam scanned the rock's surface. The instrument's data found the rock was rich in phosphate, a material found in the DNA and cell membranes of all known life, and which also serves as a way to store and transfer energy within living things. The Ouzel Falls scan areas contain a rich diversity of other mineral grains, including igneous minerals transported as sand and pebbles, such as olivine and spinel, and minerals crystallized from water, such as carbonates, clays, and sulfates. Each of these record unique aspects of the magmatic, climatic, and paleoenvironmental history of the ancient lake within Jezero Crater and the surrounding region. This diversity will make the Otis Peak sample a treasure trove for scientists on Earth who may study it in the future. A key objective for Perseverance's mission on Mars is astrobiology, including the search for signs of ancient microbial life. The rover will characterize the planet's geology and past climate, pave the way for human exploration of the Red Planet, and be the first mission to collect and cache Martian rock and regolith (broken rock and dust). Subsequent NASA missions, in cooperation with ESA (European Space Agency), would send spacecraft to Mars to collect these sealed samples from the surface and return them to Earth for in-depth analysis. The Mars 2020 Perseverance mission is part of NASA's Moon to Mars exploration approach, which includes Artemis missions to the Moon that will help prepare for human exploration of the Red Planet. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA26206

Space Shuttle Projects

The STS-40 patch makes a contemporary statement focusing on human beings living and working in space. Against a background of the universe, seven silver stars, interspersed about the orbital path of Columbia, represent the seven crew members. The orbiter's flight path forms a double-helix, designed to represent the DNA molecule common to all living creatures. In the words of a crew spokesman, ...(the helix) affirms the ceaseless expansion of human life and American involvement in space while simultaneously emphasizing the medical and biological studies to which this flight is dedicated. Above Columbia, the phrase Spacelab Life Sciences 1 defines both the Shuttle mission and its payload. Leonardo Da Vinci's Vitruvian man, silhouetted against the blue darkness of the heavens, is in the upper center portion of the patch. With one foot on Earth and arms extended to touch Shuttle's orbit, the crew feels, he serves as a powerful embodiment of the extension of human inquiry from the boundaries of Earth to the limitless laboratory of space. Sturdily poised amid the stars, he serves to link scentists on Earth to the scientists in space asserting the harmony of efforts which produce meaningful scientific spaceflight missions. A brilliant red and yellow Earth limb (center) links Earth to space as it radiates from a native American symbol for the sun. At the frontier of space, the traditional symbol for the sun vividly links America's past to America's future, the crew states. Beneath the orbiting Shuttle, darkness of night rests peacefully over the United States. Drawn by artist Sean Collins, the STS 40 Space Shuttle patch was designed by the crewmembers for the flight.

Snapshot of the Antarctic Ozone Hole 2010

Image acquired September 12, 2010 The yearly depletion of stratospheric ozone over Antarctica – more commonly referred to as the “ozone hole” – started in early August 2010 and is now expanding toward its annual maximum. The hole in the ozone layer typically reaches its maximum area in late September or early October, though atmospheric scientists must wait a few weeks after the maximum to pinpoint when the trend of ozone depletion has slowed down and reversed. The hole isn’t literal; no part of the stratosphere — the second layer of the atmosphere, between 8 and 50 km (5 and 31 miles) — is empty of ozone. Scientists use "hole" as a metaphor for the area in which ozone concentrations drop below the historical threshold of 220 Dobson Units. Historical levels of ozone were much higher than 220 Dobson Units, according to NASA atmospheric scientist Paul Newman, so this value shows a very large ozone loss. Earth's ozone layer protects life by absorbing ultraviolet light, which damages DNA in plants and animals (including humans) and leads to skin cancer. The Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) on NASA’s Aura satellite acquired data for this map of ozone concentrations over Antarctica on September 12, 2010. OMI is a spectrometer that measures the amount of sunlight scattered by Earth’s atmosphere and surface, allowing scientists to assess how much ozone is present at various altitudes — particularly the stratosphere — and near the ground. So far in 2010, the size and depth of the ozone hole has been slightly below the average for 1979 to 2009, likely because of warmer temperatures in the stratosphere over the far southern hemisphere. However, even slight changes in the meteorology of the region this month could affect the rate of depletion of ozone and how large an area the ozone hole might span. You can follow the progress of the ozone hole by visiting NASA’s Ozone Hole Watch page. September 16 is the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, a commemoration of the day in 1987 when nations commenced the signing of the Montreal Protocol to limit and eventually ban ozone-depleting substances such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and other chlorine and bromine-containing compounds. The ozone scientific assessment panel for the United Nations Environment Program, which monitors the effectiveness of the Montreal Protocol, is expected to release its latest review of the state of the world’s ozone layer by the end of 2010. (The last assessment was released in 2006.) Paul Newman is one of the four co-chairs of the assessment panel. NASA image courtesy Ozone Hole Watch. Caption by Michael Carlowicz. Instrument: Aura - OMI To learn more go to: <a href="http://ozonewatch.gsfc.nasa.gov/" rel="nofollow">ozonewatch.gsfc.nasa.gov/</a> Credit: <a href="#//earthobservatory.nasa.gov/" rel="nofollow"> NASA’s Earth Observatory</a> <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/home/index.html" rel="nofollow">NASA Goddard Space Flight Center</a> is home to the nation's largest organization of combined scientists, engineers and technologists that build spacecraft, instruments and new technology to study the Earth, the sun, our solar system, and the universe. Follow us on <a href="http://twitter.com/NASA_GoddardPix" rel="nofollow">Twitter</a> Join us on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Greenbelt-MD/NASA-Goddard/395013845897?ref=tsd" rel="nofollow">Facebook</a>

jsc2022e062020 (6/30/2022) --- Space Health will create a digital twin of the astronaut from the data collected by the Bio-Monitor and demonstrate how this could be used for autonomous health monitoring on future space missions. (Image courtesy of CSA)

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