At 8:29 a.m. EST on April 9, after nearly 21 hours of flight, the SpaceX Endeavour Dragon spacecraft responsible for Axiom Space's "Ax-1 (Axiom-1)" mission successfully arrived at the International Space Station (ISS) and completed docking.
Figure according to Xinhua Net
As the world's first "private space group" to visit the International Space Station, Michael Lopez-Alegreria, vice president of american private space company Axiom Space and former NASA astronaut, American investor and private pilot Larry Connor, Canadian entrepreneur Mark Patti, and Israeli investor and former fighter pilot Ethan Stibe were warmly welcomed.
There is no doubt that this 10-day space tour is another important milestone for mankind to move into space, and it has also attracted the attention of the world. But unlike previous private space tours for sightseeing purposes, this "private space group" also carries a larger "dream".
So, what's so special about this space tour that excites the world? What do astronauts do on the International Space Station? On April 12, one of the participants in the space mission, the team in charge of the space mission of Israel's Amorphical Company, was interviewed by Red Star News.
35 experiments were performed over 8 days
The beginning of private space research activities
"We're very excited right now! We just received pictures and data sent back from space this morning and our experiment was a success! Amorphical CEO Josie Ben told Red Star News.
Unlike previous private spaceflights, the Ax-1 mission has clear and hectic scientific goals. "We're going to conduct different experiments, including more than 100 hours of research, during the 8-day stay on the International Space Station." Larry Connor also revealed at a previous press conference that this is what makes this space flight different from ordinary space travel.
"Laquia Mission" in collaboration with Axiom Space and the Ramon Foundation in Israel
During the more than 200 hours of their stay on the International Space Station, the four-member crew members conducted about 35 experiments with ISS astronauts in the form of "scientists", covering astrophysics, optics, communications, biology, health care, neurology and other disciplines. These scientific activities are part of the Rakia Mission, launched by Axiom Space in collaboration with Israel, to provide technical support for the further realization of space exploration by humanity.
Eagle Bloom, who was responsible for Amorphical's completion of the "Laquia Mission," was interviewed by Red Star News
Iger Bloom, who is in charge of Amorphical's space mission, told Red Star News that as part of the Ax-1 mission, the "Lakia Mission" was initiated by the Israeli Ramon Foundation, the Israeli Space Agency and the Israeli Ministry of Science and Technology. In July 2020, it began soliciting plans from Israeli research institutions, universities, hospitals and biotechnology companies to conduct experiments in space, and eventually received more than 600 project proposals.
Subsequently, in May 2021, the Israeli government agency and the Raymond Foundation evaluated all proposals for content objectives, feasibility tests, etc., and selected 44 experiments from more than 600 proposals. In the end, with NASA approval, a total of 35 projects successfully entered space.
Four private astronauts will complete 35 experimental projects of the "Laquia Mission" in 8 days
Bloom revealed that one of the main criteria for the assessment is the scientific and technological value of human space activities and how it can improve the quality of human life on Earth. "You have to demonstrate how your proposal and technology, or academic experiment, relate to space activities." How the results of the experiment can help humans carry out space activities. He explained.
As Axiom Space said in a press release, "The data collected during the flight will influence people's understanding of human physiology on Earth and orbit and establish the use of new technologies that can be used for future human spaceflight pursuits and humans on Earth." ”
Michael Sufredini, president of Axiom Space, said the mission would not only be a milestone in space travel, but also the beginning of a private space research campaign that "allows ordinary citizens and organizations to discover something meaningful in space for the first time."
The results of the experiment on the International Space Station have been successfully received
What's different about experimenting in space?
In the end, the selected experiments announced by the Rakia Mission included: the impact of spaceflight and microgravity exposure on the blood-brain barrier, which may help treat Alzheimer's disease; studying the effects of spaceflight on changes in the urinary microbiota and its clinical implications; understanding and evaluating changes in visual function in spaceflight; researching innovative glasses technology for presbyopia astronauts; developing vests that protect astronauts from space radiation; and planting chickpeas in space using light and sensors The production of "space meat" using cow cells and so on.
Ethan Stibé conducts scientific operational training during preparation
Bloom and his team's research focuses on how to prolong the possibility of human habitation in space. He said that previous studies have found that astronauts' bone and muscle function gradually deteriorates over time in space. Therefore, due to physiological constraints, astronauts can usually only stay in space for 6 months. He said the team is using "amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC)" to explore the possibility of improving the problem, hoping to break the 6-month limit of human space life.
Bloom said this is not the first space experiment project that Amorphical has been involved in. Four years ago, the team made an attempt at the first space experiment, "but the results were very limited, even a little bad." This time, after nearly two years of research and technological improvements, and a collaboration with another space company, Space Pharma, the experiment finally achieved the desired results.
So, what's the difference between doing experiments in space and on Earth?
Bloom explained that conditions in space can be described as "very harsh", especially since there are several very critical factors that are very different from the ground. The first is microgravity, which is an important condition affecting human activities and physiological functions, while the growth of human cells in space is very slow. In addition, since the concentration of oxygen and carbon dioxide in space or on the International Space Station is also different from the Earth environment, this has a great impact on the execution of scientific research missions.
As a result, there were a lot of challenges encountered during the preparation process. "This is a biological experiment that requires a very precise grasp of time, and the first thing to consider is the launch time delay, and we have to be prepared for this." Because we need to start this process on Earth and make sure it will be sent into space in good conditions, after the entire journey to the space station, and then get back to work. Bloom said.
Amorphical ACC experimental results sent back from the International Space Station courtesy of respondents
Josie happily told Red Star News, "We've started to get [experimental] results from space today, and when we woke up this morning and saw the first picture, we were all singing (happily) because it was a really great result." We succeeded and we were really happy. ”
Yosi also said the success of the experiment suggests that the problem of astronauts living in space for only 6 months will hopefully be solved. In the next stage, he hopes to start working with astronauts to enter the clinical trial phase.
The "pioneer" mission to build the world's first private space station
It will promote the combination of scientific research and commercial space
"This is a very exciting time for us and for the world, and we are excited to be a part of that, to be part of a national mission to study how we can help humans in space in the future." Amorphical's head of public relations for this space mission, Olite Eck, said.
Israeli Amorphical CEO Josi Ben (left) and Olite Eck are interviewed by Red Star News
In addition to experimenting in space, private astronaut and Israeli Eitan Stibé is tasked with completing "the largest space classroom in Israel's history", interacting with children live on the International Space Station.
According to Lahn Levine, general manager of the Ramon Foundation, in the months leading up to the rocket launch, the "Lakia Mission" has been working with the Israeli Ministry of Education to organize space STEM courses. In this mission, Stibe will teach Israeli schoolchildren about history, physics and other scientific fields in Hebrew, and children on Earth can take lessons live.
The moment Eitan Stibé enters the International Space Station
Israel's Minister of Science and Technology, Orit Fakash Hakorn, said the global space industry is undergoing a revolution that needs to promote civilian applications in the field while integrating it with the technology sector. In her view, the "Laquia Mission" is undoubtedly part of this important process. Inbar Klees, chairman of the Laquia Mission Science and Technology Committee and an expert in the space industry, said the success of these scientific experiments will "spawn" more space technology companies and jobs.
According to foreign media reports, the Ax-1 mission will become a "game changer" in the global commercial space industry. With the proliferation of private space companies in recent years, commercial space has become a trillion-dollar industry, and Axiom Space has even greater ambitions. According to Axiom Space, the Ax-1 mission is just a "pioneer" mission, the first step in the company's "four-step plan." Eventually, the private space company will build its own "International Space Station," the Axiom space station. As the International Space Station (ISS) is about to be decommissioned, the station will be the world's first privately developed commercial space station.
It is reported that the first "module" launch of the Axiom space station is scheduled to begin in September 2024, and the launch of four modules will be completed by the end of 2027. After the delivery of the four modules, the Axiom space station will have the ability to operate independently, carrying out various activities such as space tourism and scientific research.
Red Star News reporter Xu Huan
Edited by Guo Yu
【Copyright Notice】The copyright and other intellectual property rights of this work belong to [Red Star News], Tencent News enjoys the right to disseminate the information network of this work, and any third party shall not reprint it without authorization.