2024-01-17 14:54:36
China News Service, Hainan Wenchang, January 17th: 33 scientific experiments will be launched on the Chinese space station with Tianzhou 7 to promote osteoporosis research
Reporter Ma Shuaisha
On the evening of January 17, the Tianzhou-7 cargo spacecraft was launched from the Wenchang Space Launch Site, delivering new scientific experiment samples to the Chinese Space Station. What are the highlights of the scientific experiments carried this time? After the new batch of experimental samples are delivered, what scientific research will be carried out on the space station? Relevant experts were interviewed by reporters from China News Service and gave their interpretations.
China’s space station carries the Tianzhou spacecraft with the largest number of scientific experiments
Liu Wei, the overall chief designer of the China Manned Space Engineering Space Application System Cargo Spaceship Mission, said in an interview with reporters that the Space Application System has sent a total of 61 pieces of application materials to the China Space Station along with the Tianzhou-7 cargo spacecraft, with a total weight of approximately 473 kilograms, including 33 scientific experiments such as space life science, space material science, microgravity fluid physics and combustion science, which will support the continuous rolling development of space station on-orbit experiments.
After these application materials are delivered to the space station, they will be installed in corresponding experimental devices by on-orbit astronauts to carry out experiments. Liu Wei said that some experimental results can be transmitted back to the ground in real time, and some experimental samples will be brought back to the ground by astronauts for further research.
Since the space station was assembled and built in orbit, China has launched six Tianzhou cargo spacecraft. Compared with the previous Tianzhou cargo spacecraft, how are the scientific experiment materials delivered by the Tianzhou-7 cargo spacecraft different?
Liu Wei said that the initial tasks focused on transporting experimental equipment materials to create better supporting conditions for subsequent scientific experiments. With the regular operation of the space station, the Tianzhou-7 cargo spacecraft has sent more scientific experimental projects to the existing experimental facilities inside and outside the space station cabin, involving 10 research institutes and 8 universities. It is the most sent to the space station so far. Tianzhou cargo spacecraft for scientific experiment projects.
The “passengers” who were the last to “get on” and the first to “get off” of the Tianzhou-7 cargo spacecraft
Among many experimental samples, cell experimental samples are a special “passenger”. When the Tianzhou-7 ship-rocket assembly has been transported to the launch area, scientific researchers are still racing against time to prepare cell samples in the launch site laboratory in order to ensure the activity of the cells. The reporter learned that these samples are the last batch of materials to “get on” and the first to “get off” on the Tianzhou cargo spacecraft. They will be loaded into the cargo spacecraft near the time of launch, and will be the first to be spaceflighted after arriving at the space station. member takes it out.
Zhang Tao, a researcher at the Shanghai Institute of Technical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, said that these cells have strict requirements on the living environment such as temperature, gas, and nutrient solution supply. In order to maintain cell health, the scientific research team prepared a “special seat” for cell samples in the Tianzhou cargo spacecraft – a cell uplink life-saving device.
The device is about the size of a microwave oven and a half, and is equipped with two drawers, each containing 5 standard units. Each unit has two cell chambers for cultivating cells. The device and units can be “personalized” according to the living environment of the cells. demand, regulating conditions such as temperature, carbon dioxide concentration, and nutrient supply to provide cells with a comfortable “journey” environment.
Studying human osteoporosis in space
It is understood that one of the experimental samples “escorted” by the cell uplink life-saving device is bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, which were prepared by the team of Professor Yu Luyang of the School of Life Sciences of Zhejiang University and used to study the phenomenon of osteoporosis in space. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells are the most primitive cells in human bone marrow, and osteoblasts are derived from them. Yu Luyang said that research shows that bone loss will accelerate when people are in space, which is ten times the bone loss rate of postmenopausal women. We hope to find out what biological signals will change in bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in the microgravity environment of space, find intervention targets, and then develop drugs or intervention methods targeting these targets.
“(Osteoporosis in astronauts) is similar to bone quality changes in the elderly on the ground. Studying bone changes in people in space is not only important for ensuring the health of astronauts in orbit, but also for the bone quality of the elderly on the ground. Porosis prevention and treatment also have important reference value.” said Wang Jinfu, a professor at the School of Life Sciences of Zhejiang University.
This is the second time that the team has sent bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells to the space station. Previously, the team had obtained preliminary research results through experimental samples carried by the Tianzhou-5 cargo spacecraft. Wu Mengrui, a researcher at the School of Life Sciences at Zhejiang University, said they found that the epigenetics of this kind of cell will be methylated in space, just like putting a hat on the DNA, and the part of the gene covered by the hat will no longer be expressed. , transcription, which has an important impact on the “fate” of cell differentiation.
The experimental cycle of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells sent to the space station will be further extended, from 4 days on the Tianzhou-5 mission to 7 days. Wu Mengrui said that during the operation of the space station, this research will be further deepened. Not only will another batch of experimental samples be transported through later space station missions, but drug intervention will also be added to the experiments in the future.
“It is actually a very long process from cell research to actual human application. After obtaining credible evidence at the cellular level, we will need to conduct mouse experiments on the space station in the future to verify the effectiveness of the drug.” Yu Luyang said. (over)
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