The International Space Station will host a government-backed experiment set to launch on Tuesday, Dec. 21, to help people live longer and healthier lives.
Scientists, supported by the U.K. government, will launch human muscle cells into space on Tuesday for an experiment aimed at understanding how aging affects our bodies, courtesy of SpaceX's Falcon 9
According to the University of Liverpool in the United Kingdom, the experiment called MicroAge study, to be led by researchers from the University of Liverpool in the U.K., will be sent by SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Centre in Florida to the International Space Station (ISS).
At 10:00 a.m. (GMT) this Tuesday, MicroAge will launch from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The experiment is set to Earth in January 2022 to undergo further analysis.
The MicroAge Study
Space makes astronauts' muscles weaker because there is no gravity, so they do not need extra tissue.
To understand the causes of human muscle weakness as we age and help combat the effects of aging, researchers want to examine what happens to muscle tissue during space flight versus on Earth.
"Ageing is one of the greatest challenges of the 21st century and we will learn a great deal about how muscle responds to microgravity and ageing from the data we obtain from this study," said Professor Malcolm Jackson from the University of Liverpool.
A research team from the university said they would conduct a number of experiments in microgravity on the ISS. The cells, which are smaller than a grain of rice, will be placed in 3D-printed holders, according to a U.K. government report.
Now, when the cells reach the International Space Station, cells will be electrically stimulated to produce muscle tissue contractions.
Scientists from the University of Florida have traveled to the Kennedy Space Center to keep muscle cells growing before SpaceX's Falcon 9 launch, according to a University report. The cell samples will return to Earth in January for further analysis.
Sharing the Secrets of Ageing
Through the 'Micro Age Mission' App, people can stay updated on the progress of the study and access timely updates, podcasts, activity packs, and other information related to healthy aging, exercise, and other aspects of the study.
As a member of the European Space Agency's exploration program, the U.K. can make use of the International Space Station (ISS) for research. The European Space Agency also provides launch and operations of the ISS.
For the second time, the U.K. Space Agency directly funds an experiment to be flown to the ISS.
In the first experiment, which launched in June 2021, scientists from Nottingham University and Exeter University brought thousands of tiny worms back from space to study the effects of space travel on muscles.
A £1.2 million ($1.35 million) grant has been awarded to the University of Liverpool by the U.K. Space Agency for the MicroAge experiment.
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Written by Thea Felicity
