A shoebox-sized spacecraft launched on NASA’s Artemis 1 mission is all set to begin its deep-space biology experiment after making a flyby of the moon.
NASA’s BioSentinel is one of 10 ride-along cubesats that taken off on the artemis 1 mission on November 16. It aims to generate new knowledge about the potential health risks of long-duration manned missions to deep space.
The approximately 30 pounds (13 kilograms) cube sat had a bit of a wobble at first, with the first telemetry received from BioSentinel on Nov. 16 indicating that the spacecraft was tumbling.
Related: Artemis 1 launch photos: Amazing views of NASA’s lunar rocket debut (Gallery)
However, the problem was fixed after commands sent over the Deep Space Network resolved the anomaly, according to a NASA report pronunciation (opens in new tab).
The cubesat was then able to successfully fly past the moon on November 22, passing as high as 402 km above the lunar surface.
BioSentinel contains two strains of yeast, with the aim of learning how the hazardous radiation environment of deep space affects and damages genetic material. Researchers at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California want to use the data to find possible solutions that could help future human explorers the moonMars and maybe beyond.
Astronauts on the International Space Station exposed to a much harsher radiation environment than here on Earth. But they, too, are shielded by Earth’s magnetosphere from much of the radiation that passes through deep space and can damage their DNA.
Yeast was chosen because it is both well researched and repairs DNA in a similar way to how the human body repairs its genetic material.
Two types were chosen for the ride. One is a yeast commonly found in nature, while the other was selected because it has difficulty repairing its DNA. By comparing how these two sets of microorganisms react, you can gain new insights into the health risks associated with deep space travel.
BioSentinel sets up its solar panels the sun and recharging the batteries in preparation for the start of the experiment, which NASA says is expected to begin next month.
“We’re excited to see how the yeast fares once the experiment begins and we receive the first data downlink from the spacecraft,” said Matt Napoli, BioSentinel project manager at NASA Ames.
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