Research Database

This project from POLSA/ESA will use a radiation monitor inside the ISS’s Columbus module to measure space radiation levels. A larger version of this device has already been deployed inside the tunnels of CERN's Large Hadron Collider (LHC) particle accelerator to monitor for possible radiation damage to electronics. This experiment aims to refine radiation models for space environments and support the planning for future deep-space missions, where space radiation can cause damage to human bodies and electronics. On Earth, this technology could enhance radiation monitoring in various healthcare and industrial settings.

DiRoS-B experiment investigates fluid dynamics in conditions that only microgravity can provide. Namely, where multiple physical characteristics (flow velocity differences, inertial forces and spherical geometry) interact simultaneously as main actors on the fluid flow. By precisely adjusting fluidics parameters and tracking microparticles in a spinning tennis-ball-sized water drop, the results will provide analogous insights into large-scale atmospheric phenomena on gas giant planets, such as Saturn's North Polar Hexagon. The theories tested on orbit will benefit planetary science and improve our knowledge of atmospheric behavior in space, with potential applications for both space mining and Earth-focused climate research into atmospheric and fluid dynamics.

The Sleep in Orbit project will investigate the effects of sleeping in microgravity by monitoring sleep patterns in space and comparing them to sleep on Earth using in-ear electroencephalogram (EEG) equipment. Understanding more about disturbed sleep or adaptation of sleep patterns to new environments could help understand the cognitive impacts of poor sleep, including problems with attention, concentration, learning and memory, decision making, and emotional processing.

The Smart Flight Suit 2, developed by Italian company Spacewear, is a suit for spaceflight specially designed to monitor an astronaut's physiological status, which can help keep the crew healthy in space. The suit, which will be tested by the crew during the Ax-3 mission as a technology demonstration, contains sensors that monitor the heart's beating patterns, body temperature, and movement. The goals of this project are to test the comfort and behavior of the suit's fabrics in space, validate the function of the inbuilt sensors, and validate the utility of the suit within a microgravity environment (e.g. how easy is it to don and use during spaceflight).