Latest news with #microgravity
Digital Trends
6 days ago
- Science
- Digital Trends
How the heck does an astronaut wash their hair in space? Here's how
The microgravity conditions of the International Space Station (ISS) mean that its human inhabitants are barred from eating crumbly foods as the particles could float away and clog up air vents and other machinery, and could even become a hygiene issue. Similarly, liquids also have to be carefully managed, as loose droplets could cause havoc if they find their way into electronic systems aboard the orbital outpost. So, how do astronauts tackle the seemingly tricky task of washing their hair during a six-month mission aboard the station? Recommended Videos Well, NASA astronaut Nichole Ayers on Monday shared a video (below) of herself doing just that. Sunday was hair wash day! — Nichole 'Vapor' Ayers (@Astro_Ayers) August 4, 2025 'It's not unlike [how you do it] on Earth, but you don't have the advantage of gravity pulling the water or letting the water flow,' Ayers, who arrived at the station in March, explains as she gets started. To wet her hair — and in Ayers' case there's a lot of it — the astronaut uses a water-filled pouch with a one-way valve that lets her carefully control the release of water. To prevent droplets from becoming airborne, she presses the tube directly onto her scalp before releasing the water. She also releases water into the ends of her hair, which is the longest among all of the astronauts currently aboard the space station. While it's hardly soaking at the end of the process, it's wet enough that she can apply some shampoo — using a shampoo bar — to start washing it. 'For the rinses, I'll usually just do my scalp,' Ayers says. 'That way, you can work it through to the rest of my hair.' After giving it a quick dry, she adds some conditioner, gives it a quick brush, and then says that she'll let it dry naturally. 'The water will dry, get into the air, and then we'll reclaim it, and it'll probably become somebody's coffee tomorrow,' Ayers says in a nod to the station's recycling systems. For more on how astronauts live their daily lives on the ISS — including the delicate act of going to the bathroom — check out these short videos made by the crewmembers themselves over the years.
Globe and Mail
6 days ago
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Redwire Launches New Venture Company, SpaceMD, to Commercialize Pharmaceutical Development in Space; Signs Trailblazing Royalty Agreement with ExesaLibero Pharma
Redwire Corporation (NYSE: RDW), a global leader in space and defense technology solutions, today announced that it has formed a new entity, SpaceMD, which will focus on growing seed crystals in orbit that will be used on Earth to create new and reformulated pharmaceuticals. SpaceMD will take advantage of the unique microgravity environment in space through the use of Redwire's innovative and flight-proven Pharmaceutical In-Space Laboratory (PIL-BOX) technology to grow the seed crystals. 28 PIL-BOX systems have already flown in space and have successfully crystalized 17 compounds on the ISS, including insulin and other critical molecules. SpaceMD will sell or license these seed crystals to companies that can use them to create reformulated versions of existing drugs or entirely new therapeutics. As part of this launch, SpaceMD announced a trailblazing licensing agreement with ExesaLibero Pharma, Inc., an innovative pharmaceutical company developing new small molecule drugs to treat bone disease. Under the terms of the agreement, ExesaLibero Pharma will work with SpaceMD to advance and enhance its groundbreaking small-molecule drug ELP-004 and other relevant compounds via the PIL-BOX system. This drug could hold the key to controlling the insidious bone erosion that numerous debilitating diseases cause, such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple myeloma, diabetes, periodontal disease, and tuberculosis. The results of these microgravity investigations will inform ExesaLibero Pharma's Investigative New Drug (IND) application to the Food and Drug Agency (FDA). Following the approval of the IND by the FDA, ExesaLibero Pharma expects to initiate clinical trials that will lead to full approval of the drug for clinical use. Through this first-of-its-kind agreement, SpaceMD will receive royalties from any commercial sales of resulting pharmaceutical products. 'Redwire is excited to announce the formation of SpaceMD. This new entity represents the evolution of our PIL-BOXstrategy, moving from experimentation to full commercialization with significant upstream revenue potential,' said Peter Cannito, Chairman and CEO of Redwire. 'This agreement with ExesaLibero Pharma signals a revolutionary paradigm shift for commercial utilization of microgravity. Redwire and now SpaceMD are translating the benefits of microgravity research into product value for pharmaceutical companies with the goal of transforming the future of therapeutics and creating value for our stakeholders.' 'We have seen firsthand how the microgravity environment can be a game-changer for drug development, and we look forward to expanding our work with SpaceMD through this exciting collaboration,' said John Barnett, Ph.D., President and Chief Scientific Officer at ExesaLibero. 'This collaboration will help us continue to advance our drug development and discovery process and lead to better outcomes for patients and future astronauts.' Redwire is a global leader in microgravity research and development technologies, having flown hundreds of experiments on both the Space Shuttle and the ISS. Redwire currently has eleven research and manufacturing facilities on the ISS, more than any other company in the world. Redwire's microgravity technology enables space biotechnology and pharmaceutical development, helping customers reach a commercial market and paving the way for microgravity research on future commercial space stations. Previous investigations conducted by Redwire have been with partners such as Bristol Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly and Company, and Butler University. These efforts focused on unlocking insights to improve treatments for cardiovascular disease, obesity, and diabetes. About Redwire Redwire Corporation (NYSE:RDW) is an integrated space and defense tech company focused on advanced technologies. We are building the future of aerospace infrastructure, autonomous systems and multi-domain operations leveraging digital engineering and AI automation. Redwire's approximately 1,300 employees located throughout the United States and Europe are committed to delivering innovative space and airborne platforms transforming the future of multi-domain operations. For more information, please visit SpaceMD is a subsidiary of Redwire Corporation focused on leveraging the microgravity environment of space to create new advances in pharmaceuticals, biotech, and other fields. SpaceMD utilizes innovative, flight-proven Redwire hardware to conduct this potentially life-enhancing work. SpaceMD uses the unique nature of space to benefit life on Earth.
Yahoo
31-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Israeli hospital to join NASA, SpaceX mission to study microgravity's effects on diseases
For this experiment, Sheba will partner with the US firm SpaceTango to grow several bacterial species aboard the ISS using a specially designed Earth-controlled system. Sheba Medical Center's ARC Digital Innovation Center is joining a NASA and SpaceX mission to the International Space Station (ISS) on Thursday for a study on the extreme conditions of space, Sheba announced on Wednesday. The experiment, dubbed the ARC Space Lab, is the second of its kind from Sheba, which remains the only hospital in Israel carrying out studies in space. How does microgravity impact diseases? One of the major barriers facing humankind's continued expansion into outer space is the unknown effects of long-term space travel on the human body. Finding out how to help astronauts adapt to challenges they may face when off planet for extended periods of time is a natural and essential step forward for medical science. For this experiment, Sheba will partner with the US firm SpaceTango to grow several bacterial species aboard the ISS using a specially designed Earth-controlled system. After growth under microgravity, the bacteria will be stabilized, frozen at -80°C and returned to Earth for molecular and transcriptional analysis and direct comparison to bacteria grown simultaneously in an identical lab setup on Earth. It is known that space has an impact on bacteria. For example, astronauts are more likely to develop infections, theorized to be due to a combination of microgravity, radiation, stress, and changes in the human microbiome. However, this goes both ways. In a previous ARC Space Lab study, it was found that bacteria in space are less likely to develop antibiotic resistance. This was a major discovery and went against the prevailing hypotheses of the time, and the findings of this study were published in the peer-reviewed academic journal Microbiology Spectrum. 'We know that space conditions affect bacterial behavior, including how they grow, express genes, and acquire traits like antibiotic resistance or virulence,' Sheba Infectious Diseases Unit head Prof. Ohad Gal-Mor said in a statement. 'This experiment will allow us, for the first time, to systematically and molecularly map how the genetic expression profile of several pathogenic bacteria changes in space. The insights we gain will augment our understanding of infectious disease risks in space travel, and also expand our knowledge of gene regulation and bacterial physiology in general.' Sheba ARC director Prof. Eyal Zimlichman added, 'To understand the limits of medicine, we sometimes need to go beyond the limits of Earth. Our experiment in space examines how bacterial behavior changes under extreme conditions and what that means for human health—not just for astronauts, but also here on Earth. This is part of ARC's mission to shape the future of medicine, wherever it's needed.' Solve the daily Crossword
National Post
25-07-2025
- Health
- National Post
There is a serious side effect to going to space, NASA says
A new study from NASA, conducted over several years of long-duration spaceflights on the International Space Station, has found that more than half of U.S. astronauts started noticing changes in their vision after more than six months aboard the ISS. Here's what to know. Article content What does the study say? Article content Article content 'Many found that, as their mission progressed, they needed stronger reading glasses,' the study says. 'Researchers studying this phenomenon identified swelling in the optic disc, which is where the optic nerve enters the retina, and flattening of the eye shape.' Article content Article content What is causing it? Article content A Canadian-led study with an even longer acronym — Space Flight-Associated Neuro-ocular Syndrome Ocular Rigidity Investigation, or SANSORI — was carried out to determine whether stiffness of the eye, called ocular rigidity, contributes to development of SANS. Article content It studied 26 eyes (or 13 crew members) that spent between 157 and 186 days on the ISS, and revealed a drop in ocular rigidity (33 per cent), intraocular pressure (11 per cent) and ocular pulse amplitude (25 per cent) following the missions. 'These findings reveal previously unknown effects of microgravity on the eye's mechanical properties, contributing to a deeper understanding of … SANS,' researchers wrote. 'Long-term space missions significantly alter ocular biomechanics and have the potential to become biomarkers of disease progression.' Article content Article content What kinds of treatment have been tried? Article content Article content NASA has a study taking place now on the space station with a device called the Thigh Cuff. The ongoing investigation has 10 astronauts using tight leg cuffs to change the way fluid moves around inside the body, especially around the eyes and in the heart and blood vessels. Article content That study is expected to wrap up next year but, if successful, the team behind the device says, 'the cuffs could serve as a countermeasure against the problems associated with fluid shifts, including SANS.' Article content They add: 'A simple and easy-to-use tool to counter the headward shift of body fluids could help protect astronauts on future missions to the Moon and Mars. The cuffs also could treat conditions on Earth that cause fluid to build up in the head or upper body, such as long-term bed rest and certain diseases.' Article content Other possible treatments have been considered. Last year, a paper was published about an unnamed female astronaut with a particularly severe case of SANS. Her condition improved after she started taking a prescribed B-vitamin supplement that was flown to her on the station; however, there was coincidentally a reduction in cabin carbon dioxide at the same time, so researchers weren't certain if that may have also helped.
Entrepreneur
24-07-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
Inbound Aerospace and Bharatsure Raise Early-Stage Funding
The following startups have disclosed their latest funding rounds. You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. Inbound Aerospace Secures USD 1 Mn Funding Inbound Aerospace, a space-tech startup incubated at IIT Madras, has raised USD 1 million in a pre-seed funding round led by Speciale Invest, with additional support from Piper Serica. The funding will be used to accelerate research and development of the company's autonomous re-entry spacecraft, validate key subsystems, and reach critical design milestones. Co-founder and CEO Aravind I B said the spacecraft is designed to address a growing need in microgravity infrastructure as the International Space Station approaches retirement. "Microgravity environments are difficult to replicate on Earth. Our spacecraft enables repeatable, cost-effective return of payloads from orbit, supporting in-space manufacturing and research," he said. Founded in 2025 by Aravind I B, Vishal Reddy, and retired Indian Navy Captain Abhijit Bhutey, Inbound Aerospace focuses on developing reusable vehicles that support in-orbit experiments and manufacturing. These spacecraft are aimed at facilitating breakthroughs in life sciences and material sciences through extended exposure to microgravity. Initially pre-incubated at IITM Nirmaan, the company now operates from the IIT Madras Incubation Cell. It was the only Indian finalist at Japan's S-Booster 2025 competition. With its first mission scheduled for 2028, Inbound Aerospace is positioning itself as a key enabler of space-based innovation for Earth-bound industries. Bharatsure Raises INR 6 Cr Led by Inflection Point Ventures Bharatsure, an insurtech startup, has raised Rs 6 crore in a funding round led by Inflection Point Ventures, with additional participation from Capital A and Atrium Angels. The funding will be used to strengthen the company's insurance infrastructure and expand its embedded and group insurance offerings across the country. Co-founder and CEO Anuj Parekh said, "These station partners play a frontline role in advancing sustainable mobility, and we are proud to design coverage that genuinely addresses their needs. The funding allows us to further develop our infrastructure too." Founded by Anuj Parekh and Sanil Basutkar, Bharatsure was established to provide insurance infrastructure as a service. The platform enables businesses, small enterprises, and partner ecosystems to integrate group and modular insurance products into their offerings. Bharatsure supports organisations with insurance distribution, employee benefits, and wellness solutions while generating revenue through policy sales, commission on premiums, and insurance-related technology services. The company recently partnered with Battery Smart to offer natural calamity insurance for electric vehicle station partners. This coverage includes protection against events such as fires, floods, earthquakes, and personal accidents. Bharatsure claims to have reached over two lakh lives and processed ten thousand claims through a network of 1,500 stations and 70,000 drivers across fifty cities. The startup aims to scale operations further in the coming years.
