Preface

Research in microgravity, or more correctly in weightlessness, has opened up a new dimension of scientific investigations in different fields in physical and life sciences and in technology. The gravity acceleration (or more correctly the weightiness acceleration) can now be seen as a parameter that can be varied at will opening up new alley for scientific discoveries.

Science and technology research in free-fall has a long history but it is only since the advent of space exploration capabilities that it really bloomed. In the 1950's, the space agencies wanted to understand whether life could be sustained in space and in particular, in absence of weight, to prepare for manned orbital missions and eventually manned space exploration of the Moon. This effort was supported by research using other microgravity platforms, drop towers and tubes, aircraft parabolic flights, sounding rockets and automatic satellites. Simulations of microgravity effects were also used to complement microgravity research. Over the years, these platforms and simulation means were used to allow researchers to investigate the effects of the absence of gravity on various systems whether in physical and life sciences. Presently, with the advent of the International Space Station (ISS) whose first element was launched in 1998, research can be conducted in a quasi-permanent state of free-fall in orbit around the Earth.

This book presents some facets of microgravity research and how scientists prepare their experiments before sending them to space. Each chapter is written by experts in their own field and summarize their research methods and, when already available, their results.

This book includes three parts. The first part includes two chapters presenting the Means and Methods of Microgravity Research.

The first chapter "Research in Microgravity in Physical and Life Sciences: An Introduction to Means and Methods" introduces what is microgravity and why it is important for scientific research. Several examples are given of microgravity effects in physical sciences and in human physiology. The various microgravity platforms and simulation tool are reviewed.

The second chapter "Aircraft Parabolic Flights: A Gateway to Orbital Microgravity and Extra-Terrestrial Planetary Gravities" presents this unique tool allowing research in reduced gravity, from weightlessness at 0 g to partial g between 0 and 1 g, like on the Moon (0.16 g) and Mars (0.38 g). Parabolic flights are a unique microgravity platform as it is the only suborbital microgravity platform that allows to fly human operators and subjects in microgravity to conduct their research.

The second part on Physical Sciences includes five chapters with examples of research in fluid physics and material sciences.

**II**

**Section 3**

Austere Environments *by Thais Russomano*

*by Peter Norsk*

*by Tricia L. Larose*

*Vladimir Pletser and Joseph McIntyre*

Cardiovascular Experiments in Space

Tumors in Space: Preparation for Spaceflight

Life Sciences **155**

**Chapter 8 157**

**Chapter 9 175**

**Chapter 10 195**

**Chapter 11 213**

A Device for Sampling Earlobe Arterialized Blood in Space and Other

GRIP: Dexterous Manipulation of Objects in Weightlessness *by Jean-Louis Thonnard, Laurent Opsomer, Philippe Lefèvre,* 

Preparation, Implementation and Execution of Human

Chapter 3 "G-Jitter, Vibrations, Diffusion: The IVIDIL Experiment" explains why mechanical vibrations, either periodic or random, cannot be ignored in microgravity and their effects on diffusion in fluids. An experiment, called IVIDIL, was designed and tested several times in parabolic flights before being sent to space on the ISS."

Chapter 4 "Red Blood Cell Dynamics: The Contribution of Microgravity in the BIOMICS Project" reports on a series of experiments of applied fluid physics simulating blood flow. The complexity of blood flow owing to its composition and the effect of its different constituents was modelized and investigated during several parabolic flight campaigns and in space during sounding rocket flights.

Chapter 5 "What We Learned from Cavitation Bubbles in Microgravity" introduces the concept of cavitation and its importance in several technology applications. This chapter relates also the human adventure of what started as a student experiment and evolved as a world class research field with applications in food processing technology, medicine and astrophysics.

Chapter 6 "Capillary Driven Flows under Microgravity Conditions: From Parabolic Flights to Space Experiment" deals with capillary driven seepage in microgravity as capillary forces are the major mechanism behind flows in microgravity. Theoretical models are first established and confronted to results of numerical simulations and microgravity experiments conducted during parabolic flights and in space on the Space Shuttle. Applications of this research are numerous, e.g. for oil recovery on earth, and hydroponics plant facilities in space.

Chapter 7 "Experiment Preparation and Performance for the Electromagnetic Levitator (EML) Onboard the International Space Station" is devoted to the technique of electromagnetic levitation for thermal experiment processing on heating, melting and solidification of contactless material samples. A series of experiments conducted over three decades with previous facilities on Spacelab, parabolic flights and sounding rockets lead to the development of this new facility that is flying on ISS. This chapter includes a step-by-step description on how a scientific experiment is designed, translated in technical instructions and executed on board the ISS while controlled from ground facilities.

The third part on Life Sciences includes four chapters on human physiology and neurophysiology and on testing of equipment for human research in space.

Chapter 8 "A Device for Sampling Earlobe Arterialized Blood in Space and Other Austere Environments" outlines the development and testing in microgravity simulation and in parabolic flights of a method for safely collecting blood samples in microgravity and in space, the research and steps taken to ensure its suitability and applicability, in preparation for a future growing presence of humans in space.

Chapter 9 "GRIP: Dexterous Manipulation of Objects in Weightlessness" explains how gravity influences the arm movements during manipulation of an object and how the central nervous system adapts to long-term exposure to microgravity and subsequently to the return to earth's gravity. A series of experiments on fine object manipulation at different reduced gravity levels were conducted during parabolic flights and led eventually to the design of the GRIP experiment being operated presently on the ISS.

Chapter 10 "Preparation, Implementation and Execution of Human Cardiovascular Experiments in Space" explains the step-by-step procedure to propose, prepare, test and conduct a human physiology experiment in space. Several cardiovascular

**V**

experiments conducted for thirty years on Space Shuttles flights, on Spacelab and on ISS are presented. These experiments have greatly contributed to our present understanding of the human cardiovascular system not only in microgravity in

Chapter 11 "Tumors in Space: Preparation for Spaceflight" describes a novel and unique approach to conduct a cancer research experiment at the intersection of space technology and stem-cell biology. The chapter exposes the various steps followed by the international investigator team to prepare for and to perform this ground-breaking experiment on organoids using ground simulation, and to fly on parabolic flights, on sounding rockets and on the future Chinese Space Station.

In conclusion, this book presents some of the current trends in space microgravity research. The eleven chapters introduce various facets of space research in physical sciences, human physiology and technology developed using the microgravity environment not only to improve our fundamental understanding in these domains but also to adapt this new knowledge for application on earth. This book not only relates the scientific research approach but also the human adventure and friendship

I would like to thank all authors and co-authors who contributed to this book and who put dedication since many years to bring answers to scientific questions in the

**Dr. Ir. Vladimir Pletser**

United Kingdom (s. 2018)

European Space Agency,

Assistant Professor, Department of Physics, Faculty of Sciences, University of Kinshasa,

Congo

Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China (2016–2018) Senior Physicist - Engineer,

Catholic University of Louvain,

Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium (1982–1985)

Visiting Professor,

Director of Space Training Operations,

Technology and Engineering Centre for Space Utilization,

European Space Research and Technology Centre,

Noordwijk, The Netherlands (1985–2016)

Professor,

Blue Abyss,

behind each experiment endeavour and how it developed over the years.

quest to understand and to open up the space environment to humankind.

space but also for terrestrial science purposes.

experiments conducted for thirty years on Space Shuttles flights, on Spacelab and on ISS are presented. These experiments have greatly contributed to our present understanding of the human cardiovascular system not only in microgravity in space but also for terrestrial science purposes.

Chapter 11 "Tumors in Space: Preparation for Spaceflight" describes a novel and unique approach to conduct a cancer research experiment at the intersection of space technology and stem-cell biology. The chapter exposes the various steps followed by the international investigator team to prepare for and to perform this ground-breaking experiment on organoids using ground simulation, and to fly on parabolic flights, on sounding rockets and on the future Chinese Space Station.

In conclusion, this book presents some of the current trends in space microgravity research. The eleven chapters introduce various facets of space research in physical sciences, human physiology and technology developed using the microgravity environment not only to improve our fundamental understanding in these domains but also to adapt this new knowledge for application on earth. This book not only relates the scientific research approach but also the human adventure and friendship behind each experiment endeavour and how it developed over the years.

I would like to thank all authors and co-authors who contributed to this book and who put dedication since many years to bring answers to scientific questions in the quest to understand and to open up the space environment to humankind.

> **Dr. Ir. Vladimir Pletser** Professor, Director of Space Training Operations, Blue Abyss, United Kingdom (s. 2018)

Visiting Professor, Technology and Engineering Centre for Space Utilization, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China (2016–2018)

> Senior Physicist - Engineer, European Space Research and Technology Centre, European Space Agency, Noordwijk, The Netherlands (1985–2016)

> > Assistant Professor, Department of Physics, Faculty of Sciences, University of Kinshasa, Congo

 Catholic University of Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium (1982–1985)

**IV**

presently on the ISS.

and their effects on diffusion in fluids. An experiment, called IVIDIL, was designed and tested several times in parabolic flights before being sent to space on the ISS."

Chapter 5 "What We Learned from Cavitation Bubbles in Microgravity" introduces the concept of cavitation and its importance in several technology applications. This chapter relates also the human adventure of what started as a student experiment and evolved as a world class research field with applications in food processing

Chapter 6 "Capillary Driven Flows under Microgravity Conditions: From Parabolic Flights to Space Experiment" deals with capillary driven seepage in microgravity as capillary forces are the major mechanism behind flows in microgravity. Theoretical models are first established and confronted to results of numerical simulations and microgravity experiments conducted during parabolic flights and in space on the Space Shuttle. Applications of this research are numerous, e.g. for oil recovery on

Chapter 7 "Experiment Preparation and Performance for the Electromagnetic Levitator (EML) Onboard the International Space Station" is devoted to the technique of electromagnetic levitation for thermal experiment processing on heating, melting and solidification of contactless material samples. A series of experiments conducted over three decades with previous facilities on Spacelab, parabolic flights and sounding rockets lead to the development of this new facility that is flying on ISS. This chapter includes a step-by-step description on how a scientific experiment is designed, translated in technical instructions and executed on board the

The third part on Life Sciences includes four chapters on human physiology and neurophysiology and on testing of equipment for human research in space.

Chapter 8 "A Device for Sampling Earlobe Arterialized Blood in Space and Other Austere Environments" outlines the development and testing in microgravity simulation and in parabolic flights of a method for safely collecting blood samples in microgravity and in space, the research and steps taken to ensure its suitability and applicability, in preparation for a future growing presence of humans in space.

Chapter 9 "GRIP: Dexterous Manipulation of Objects in Weightlessness" explains how gravity influences the arm movements during manipulation of an object and how the central nervous system adapts to long-term exposure to microgravity and subsequently to the return to earth's gravity. A series of experiments on fine object manipulation at different reduced gravity levels were conducted during parabolic flights and led eventually to the design of the GRIP experiment being operated

Chapter 10 "Preparation, Implementation and Execution of Human Cardiovascular Experiments in Space" explains the step-by-step procedure to propose, prepare, test and conduct a human physiology experiment in space. Several cardiovascular

Chapter 4 "Red Blood Cell Dynamics: The Contribution of Microgravity in the BIOMICS Project" reports on a series of experiments of applied fluid physics simulating blood flow. The complexity of blood flow owing to its composition and the effect of its different constituents was modelized and investigated during several

parabolic flight campaigns and in space during sounding rocket flights.

technology, medicine and astrophysics.

earth, and hydroponics plant facilities in space.

ISS while controlled from ground facilities.

**1**

Section 1

Microgravity Means

and Methods

Section 1
