Space Environmental Conditions Research Articles

Grapevines grown from canes having spent 10 months in space: study of their downy mildew susceptibility

The control of plant diseases represents a significant challenge in agriculture, particularly with the current emphasis on reducing pesticide use, necessitating alternative approaches. Among them, resistant plant breeding programs offer a promising alternative. Considering the stressful conditions in space, space conditions emerge as an innovative method for advancing crop improvement. This study explored the unique potential of the International Space Station (ISS) environment to induce beneficial modifications in grapevine, resulting in plants with reduced susceptibility to diseases. Canes of two Vitis vinifera L. cultivars, Cabernet Sauvignon (CS) and Merlot (Me), have undergone a 10-month space journey on-board the ISS, while others stayed on Earth (Ground Control, GC). We conducted a 2-year analysis of the response to downy mildew (Plasmopara viticola) of plants developed from ISS and GC canes, called Mother plants. The disease development of progenies produced from Merlot Mother plants was also evaluated. A higher proportion of individuals with low-susceptibility was noted in the ISS Mother group compared to the controls for both cultivars. This trend was also observed for the Merlot progenies. Finally, 11% of Merlot individuals (Mother and progenies, and for the 2 years of study) were distributed in the low susceptibility class. This study suggests that grapevine canes exposure to ISS conditions resulted in an enhanced percentage of plants showing reduction of susceptibility to downy mildew.

Combining clinostating and proton irradiation for modeling the space environment: a case study with a Chernobyl accession of Arabidopsis thaliana

Purpose The study of mechanisms of plant responses to extreme conditions, particularly, microgravity and ionizing radiation, is crucial for space exploration. Modern space biology of plants focuses on increasing plant tolerance to harsh conditions of space environment. Given the limited access to the International Space Station, we designed and assembled the 3D clinostat for mimicking microgravity, which, in combination with proton irradiation, allows simulating space conditions. As a case study for testing the device, we studied the effect of clinostating on Arabidopsis thaliana accession originating from the Chernobyl exclusion zone. Materials and Methods Using the combined clinostating and proton irradiation, we simulated the conditions of long-term space flight for Arabidopsis thaliana plants of the Chernobyl accession – progeny of chronically irradiated plants, grown from field-collected (Masa-0) and laboratory-cultivated (Masa-0-1) seeds, and for wild-type Col-8. The clinostating and irradiation of plants were also carried out separately. Plant responses were studied as photosynthetic and phenotypic endpoints of seedlings. Results and Conclusions Parameters of chlorophyll fluorescence estimated immediately after exposure showed that Masa-0-1 plants were resistant to the simulated space conditions, while Masa-0 demonstrated modulation of non-photochemical fluorescence quenching. Proton irradiation generally inhibited photosynthesis of Masa-0, Masa-0-1, and Col-8 seedlings. The combined effect of irradiation and clinostating modulated the photosynthetic activity of Col-8 seedlings. The leaf area of seedlings did not change after exposure to simulated conditions. The 3D clinostat model and software are published along with this article for researchers interested in the field of space biology.

Study on biodegradation of polyurethane coating on PCB by Aspergillus brasiliensis in space

Polyurethane (PU) is a commonly used conformal coating for printed circuit boards (PCBs). Filamentous fungi present in the space station environment are capable of degrading PU coatings, thereby posing a threat to the safety of electronic components. Therefore, we conducted a 90-day interaction test between Aspergillus brasiliensis and PU-coated PCBs in the China Space Station (CSS) and a controlled environment on the ground. This research aimed to investigate the alterations in the physiological properties of A. brasiliensis on PCB surfaces and the deterioration behavior of PU coating systems in the space microgravity environment. The results show that many fungal parameters, such as growth, morphology, cell ultrastructure, and low molecular weight organic acids (LMWOA) accumulation showed strong changes after spaceflight compared to ground controls. Distinct corrosion morphological features were found in the internal coatings by FIB/SEM analysis, suggesting the existence of a particular deterioration mechanism in the microgravity environment, which requires further investigation.

YOLO-ET: A Machine Learning model for detecting, localising and classifying anthropogenic contaminants and extraterrestrial microparticles optimised for mobile processing systems

Imminent robotic and human activities on the Moon and other planetary bodies would benefit from advanced in situ Computer Vision and Machine Learning capabilities to identify and quantify microparticle terrestrial contaminants, lunar regolith disturbances, the flux of interplanetary dust particles, possible interstellar dust, β-meteoroids, and secondary impact ejecta. The YOLO-ET (ExtraTerrestrial) algorithm, an innovation in this field, fine-tunes Tiny-YOLO to specifically address these challenges. Designed for coreML model transference to mobile devices, the algorithm facilitates edge computing in space environment conditions. YOLO-ET is deployable as an app on an iPhone with LabCam® optical enhancement, ready for space application ruggedisation. Training on images from the Tanpopo aerogel panels returned from Japan’s Kibo module of the International Space Station, YOLO-ET demonstrates a 90% detection rate for surface contaminant microparticles on the aerogels, and shows promising early results for detection of both microparticle contaminants on the Moon and for evaluating asteroid return samples. YOLO-ET’s application to identifying spacecraft-derived microparticles in lunar regolith simulant samples and SEM images of asteroid Ryugu samples returned by Hayabusa2 and curated by JAXA’s Institute of Space and Astronautical Sciences indicate strong model performance and transfer learning capabilities for future extraterrestrial applications.

Effects of microgravity and reduced atmospheric pressure on manufacturing photopolymer specimens

In-space manufacturing especially for external satellite structures has a huge potential to increase the packaging density of a satellite in launch configuration and enables large structures for advanced mission requirements. However, the processes and materials do have to withstand the harsh environmental conditions in space. These conditions have immediate effects on the manufacturing process as well as long-term effects on the structure manufactured in orbit. The experiments presented here are based on a photopolymer extrusion process by UV-radiation curing that is intended to be used as an in-space manufacturing technology. In order to understand the influence of reduced atmospheric pressure and microgravity on the process, we demonstrated the successful extrusion and curing of rod-shaped elements during a sounding rocket flight. Simultaneously, the same experiment was performed on the ground under normal gravity and ambient pressure. By comparing both groups of specimens, it was shown that the morphological artifacts and geometric deviations are more significant for the specimens manufactured during flight. This evaluation was performed by visual inspection, by comparison of the laser-scanned specimens with a reference model and by measuring and comparing the mass, length and diameter of the specimens. On a microscopic level, conducted by computer tomography, no influence of the reduced atmospheric pressure on the extrusion of the liquid photopolymer can be recognized as this was probably not low enough at the altitude reached by the rocket. As a result of this article, measures are proposed to avoid the morphological artifacts observed during the experiments and thus achieve higher accuracy and a resilient in-space manufacturing process.

Extremely compact and lightweight triboelectric nanogenerator for spacecraft flywheel system health monitoring

The abnormal state of supporting bearings significantly affects the directional accuracy of spacecraft flywheel systems. A self-sensing triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) offers a desirable route for on-orbit health monitoring and can potentially improve the intelligence level of spacecraft. Here, an extremely compact and lightweight TENG (CL-TENG) for the nonguided clearance of bearings is proposed and fabricated for the condition monitoring of a flywheel assembly. Using the bearing radial space allows the CL-TENG to perceive the revolution and whirling behavior of the cage; therefore, the output of the CL-TENG is simultaneously affected by the bearing speed and load. A test platform for capturing the kinematic of the cage is established to validate the effectiveness of the CL-TENG based on bearing skidding, cage rotation, and whirling instability. A negative exponential correlation between the output voltage and dynamic whirling clearance index is shown to be the basis of cage whirling sensing. The internal clearance and materials of the CL-TENG are optimized to enhance the output performance while preventing wear on the flexible electrodes. The application of the CL-TENG to an actual flywheel system in a simulated space environment and nonstationary operating conditions demonstrate its advantages in detecting the abnormal operating state of the cage.

Diacylglycerol kinase is downregulated in the Drosophila Seizure Mutant during Spaceflight

Abstract Accelerated aging in space is detrimental to long-term space missions. The environmental conditions in space (e.g., microgravity and radiation) cause harmful effects similar to those seen during aging. As the mechanistic pathways underlying accelerated aging in spaceflight are not fully understood, the identification of critical targets for promoting longevity in spaceflight remains challenging. We analyzed genomics data from the GLDS-207 project to identify potential targets related to longevity. Analysis of RNA-seq data from four Drosophila variants using the GeneLab Galaxy platform indicated that spaceflight significantly affected differential gene expression in the heads of flies, specifically in the seizure (sei) mutant, which alters the voltage gated potassium channels in the cell membrane. Spaceflight induced a significant decrease in the expression of the retinal degeneration A gene (rdgA) in mutant flies that survived the 30-day space mission. This gene encodes for the protein diacylglycerol kinase (DGK), which modulates the activation of the mechanistic target of the rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway, known to negatively regulate aging. Therefore, DGK may be a potential target for promoting longevity in space conditions. Further investigation of the effects of decreased rdgA expression on the lifespan of other organisms under spaceflight conditions will clarify the role of DGK in promoting longevity.

Observation of significant photosynthesis in garden cress and cyanobacteria under simulated illumination from a K dwarf star

Abstract Stars with about 45 to 80% the mass of the Sun, so-called K dwarf stars, have previously been proposed as optimal host stars in the search for habitable extrasolar worlds. These stars are abundant, have stable luminosities over billions of years longer than Sun-like stars, and offer favourable space environmental conditions. So far, the theoretical and experimental focus on exoplanet habitability has been on even less massive, though potentially less hospitable red dwarf stars. Here we present the first experimental data on the responses of photosynthetic organisms to a simulated K dwarf spectrum. We find that garden cress Lepidium sativum under K-dwarf radiation exhibits comparable growth and photosynthetic efficiency as under Solar illumination on Earth. The cyanobacterium Chroococcidiopsis sp. CCMEE 029 exhibits significantly higher photosynthetic efficiency and culture growth under K dwarf radiation compared to Solar conditions. Our findings of the affirmative responses of these two photosynthetic organisms to K dwarf radiation suggest that exoplanets in the habitable zones around such stars deserve high priority in the search for extrasolar life.

Mode I fracture toughness with fiber bridging of unidirectional composite laminates under cryogenic temperature

Carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites have widely been used in the aerospace field owing to their excellent mechanical properties. However, composite structures often fail under complex space environmental conditions. In particular, the fiber bridging and cryogenic temperature may greatly change the fracture toughness of CFRP composites. Herein, the effects of cryogenic temperature and fiber bridging on the fracture toughness of unidirectional composite laminates were experimentally examined by double cantilever beam (DCB) testing at different temperatures (room temperature, −50 °C, −70 °C, −100 °C, −150 °C, and −180 °C). Different calculation methods of fracture toughness were used and the results were compared. A method without measuring the delamination length at low temperatures was used and the results were consistent with other methods. The average difference in fracture toughness values was less than 5 %. The fiber-bridging microstructures of composites under cryogenic temperatures were examined by confocal microscopy along with the geometric morphology and parameters of surface roughness. The results suggested changes in the matrix failure mechanism at −50 °C, resulting in maximum fracture toughness, which is 26.45 % higher than that at room temperature. A semi-analytic approach was then proposed to express the bridge stress, and a bilinear cohesive zone model was established to simulate the delamination of composite laminates at low temperatures. Overall, the numerical data agreed well with the experimental results (peak force maximum error of 17 %), suggesting the usefulness of the proposed method for the prediction of interlamination properties and structural damage design of composite structures at cryogenic temperature.

Bioprint FirstAid: A handheld bioprinter for first aid utilization on space exploration missions

Human exploratory missions to Moon or Mars are considered the next steps in human space exploration. Such activities result in the exposure of humans to the space environment for long time, especially under the constraints of orbital dynamics as with increasing distances from earth quick return possibilities are ruled out. Crews on these kinds of missions must be self-sustaining in medical treatments, as environmental conditions in space, such as the influence of altered gravity, radiation or isolation, raise health issues. Therefore, astronauts may use the here presented Handheld Bioprinter as part of the first-aid strategy for in situ wound treatment. The device consists of a handle capable of holding an exchangeable “Ink Printing Unit” containing two separate gel-like components (Bioink and Crosslinker), which are extruded during a printing process through a nozzle and form a skin-cell containing bioink band-aid. For ISS experiments cell simulants were used, as in-space experiments first demonstrated the general feasibility of handheld bioprinting under space conditions. On-ground human skin cells were mixed with the biogel, printed via the handheld bioprinter and cultivated, to demonstrate the overall feasibility of the “Bioprint FirstAid” technology. Concluding results were that a mobile, handheld tool like the bioprinter shows good applicability and offers a possibility of in situ wound treatment for in-space applications. The “Bioprint FirstAid” project was coordinated by the German Space Agency at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) in Bonn and funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK).

Long-term spaceflight composite stress induces depressive behaviors in model rats through disrupting hippocampus synaptic plasticity.

Long-term spaceflight composite stress (LSCS) can cause adverse effects on human systems, including the central nervous system, which could trigger anxiety and depression. This study aimed to identify changes in hippocampus synaptic plasticity under LSCS. The present study simulated the real long-term space station environment by conducting a 42-day experiment that involved simulating microgravity, isolation, noise, circadian rhythm disruptions, and low pressure. The mood and behavior of the rats were assessed by behavior test. Transmission electron microscopy and patch-clamp were used to detect the changes in synapse morphology and electrophysiology, and finally, the expression of NMDA receptor channel proteins was detected by western blotting. The results showed that significant weight loss, anxiety, and depressive behaviors in rats were observed after being exposed to LSCS environment for 42 days. The synaptic structure was severely damaged, manifested as an obvious decrease in postsynaptic density thickness and synaptic interface curvature (p < 0.05; p < 0.05, respectively). Meanwhile, LTP was significantly impaired (p < 0.0001), and currents in the NMDAR channel were also significantly reduced (p < 0.0001). Further analysis found that LSCS decreased the expression of two key subtype proteins on this channel. These results suggested that LSCS-induced depressive behaviors by impairing synaptic plasticity in rat hippocampus.

Zero-G Lab: A multi-purpose facility for emulating space operations

During orbital rendezvous, the spacecraft typically approach in the same orbital plane, and the phase of the orbit eventually aligns. Potential rendezvous and docking missions need to be emulated and tested in an on-ground facility for micro-gravity research prior to meeting the harsh conditions of space environment. For orbital docking, the velocity profile of the two spacecraft must be matched. The chaser is placed in a slightly lower orbit than the target. Since all these tasks are quite complex and the realization of space missions are very expensive, any space-related hardware or software’s performance must be tested in an on-ground facility providing zero gravity emulation before initiating its operation in space. This facility shall enable emulation conditions to mimic pseudo zero gravity. It is of critical importance to be equipped with all the necessary ”instruments and infrastructure” to test contact dynamics, guidance, navigation and control using robotic manipulators and/or floating platforms. The Zero-G Laboratory at the University of Luxembourg has been designed and built to emulate scenarios such as rendezvous, docking, capture and other interaction scenarios between separate spacecraft. It is equipped with relevant infrastructure including nearly space-representative lightning conditions, motion capture system, epoxy floor, mounted rails with robots, capability to integrate on-board computers and mount large mock-ups. These capabilities allow researchers to perform a wide variety of experiments for unique orbital scenarios. It gives a possibility to perform hybrid emulations with robots with integrated hardware adding pre-modeled software components. The entire facility can be commanded and operated in real-time and ensures the true nature of contact dynamics in space. The Zero-G Lab also brings great opportunities for companies/startups in the space industry to test their products before launching the space missions. The article provides a compilation of best practices, know-how and recommendations learned while constructing the facility. It is addressed to the research community to act as a guideline to construct a similar facility.

Design of Innovative High-Performance Polymer for Passive Lunar Dust Mitigation

Dust in space environments is now recognized as a major concern for successful manned and robotic exploration and colonization missions. Indeed, a thin layer of dust covers the lunar surface made of loose granular material, consisting of a broad range of shapes, sizes, and types of sediments, which mainly consists of silicate minerals in the form of micrometric, sharp, abrasive, porous, chemically reactive dust particles. The aim of this paper is to present preliminary results related to the design and development of an innovative, lightweight, high-performance polymer with an elevated strength-to-weight ratio able to mitigate particle contamination. In detail, dust mitigation or the minimization of the surface energy and consequently the adhesion forces among the external layers and the granular dust micrometric particles can be achieved through modifications of the surface properties by means of both chemical and physical methodologies. The proposed approach, to realize an innovative material and not a hydrophobic coating, is potentially applicable to a wide range of technological conditions and it relies on reproducible and controllable chemical modifications of the material’s surface properties through the design and synthesis of suitable base materials i.e., aromatic polyimides and copolyimides and incorporation of special low molecular weight additives, i.e., surface migrating agents, loaded directly within the reacting mixture during the intermediate phases of the copolymerization. The materials investigated in this work exhibit mechanical properties able to withstand the extreme space environment conditions and an elevated non-sticking behaviour of its surface layers in contact with granular, micrometric dust particles of lunar regolith i.e., abhesion capacity.

Protective effect of Baoyuan Jieyu formula on long-term spaceflight composite stress-induced depressive-like behavior and memory deficits through regulation of Ca2+ channel currents

Long-term spaceflight composite stress (LSCS) can cause adverse effects on human systems, especially the central nervous system. This study aimed to identify the underlying mechanisms of the protective effect of Baoyuan Jieyu Formula (BYJYF) on LSCS-induced depressive-like behavior and memory deficits. In this experiment, we simulated the real space station environment for a period of 42 days. Novel object recognition test and forced swimming test were used to assess the memory abilities and depression level of rats as well as test the therapeutic effects of BYJYF treatment. Results showed LSCS could induce depressive-like behavior and damage short-term memory in the behavioral level, and BYJYF could enhance the ability to resist LSCS. Meanwhile, LSCS increased the levels of CRH, ACTH, and CORT and induced HPA axis hyperactivity, which can be relieved by BYJYF. Further, we predicted and verified the potential signaling pathways of BYJYF. Results showed BYJYF may reverse the inhibition of LSCS on Ca2+ channel currents. And we also found that BYJYF may exert its medicinal effects via four main active components including saikosaponin A. Overall, BYJYF exhibited protective effects against LSCS-induced depressive-like behavior and memory deficits, which might be ascribed to the regulation of Ca2+ channel currents and four active components. And it might become a promising candidate medicine for diseases induced by LSCS.

Improving the Extraction Ability of Thermospheric Mass Density Variations From Observational Data by Deep Learning

AbstractUnderstanding the variation of the Thermospheric Mass Density (TMD) is important for solar‐terrestrial physics and applications for spacecraft safety. The thermosphere, as an open system, is impacted by various space environment conditions and has complicated temporal and spatial features. Consequently, TMD observations contain a wealth of multi‐scale feature information. How to extract such information from observations is a challenge that requires ongoing research. It is vital to improving our understanding of the TMD features. Deep learning (DL) can learn complex representations directly from raw data, which makes it a compelling feature extraction and modeling tool for providing a novel perspective for TMD modeling. The Residual Network is used in this study to build a DL model with deep network architecture. The observations of CHAllenging Minisatellite Payload are utilized in the training phase, while the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment, High Accuracy Satellite Drag Model and Naval Research Laboratory Mass Spectrometer and Incoherent Scatter radar Extended model are used to evaluate the performance of the DL model. The results reveal that, compared with the shallow model of the typical Multi‐Layer Perceptron, the DL model can better extract multi‐scale features in the observations while retaining generalization capabilities. Controlled simulation experiments allow us to extract the effects of different physical processes, which improves the interpretability of the DL model. It is demonstrated that the DL model can discriminate the physical processes corresponding to the different space environment indices by simulating Equatorial Mass density Anomaly and geomagnetic storms.

Characterization of metagenome-assembled genomes from the International Space Station

BackgroundSeveral investigations on the microbial diversity and functional properties of the International Space Station (ISS) environment were carried out to understand the influence of spaceflight conditions on the microbial population. However, metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) of ISS samples are yet to be generated and subjected to various genomic analyses, including phylogenetic affiliation, predicted functional pathways, antimicrobial resistance, and virulence characteristics.ResultsIn total, 46 MAGs were assembled from 21 ISS environmental metagenomes, in which metaSPAdes yielded 20 MAGs and metaWRAP generated 26 MAGs. Among 46 MAGs retrieved, 18 bacterial species were identified, including one novel genus/species combination (Kalamiella piersonii) and one novel bacterial species (Methylobacterium ajmalii). In addition, four bins exhibited fungal genomes; this is the first-time fungal genomes were assembled from ISS metagenomes. Phylogenetic analyses of five bacterial species showed ISS-specific evolution. The genes pertaining to cell membranes, such as transmembrane transport, cell wall organization, and regulation of cell shape, were enriched. Variations in the antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) and virulence genes of the selected 20 MAGs were characterized to predict the ecology and evolution of biosafety level (BSL) 2 microorganisms in space. Since microbial virulence increases in microgravity, AMR gene sequences of MAGs were compared with genomes of respective ISS isolates and corresponding type strains. Among these 20 MAGs characterized, AMR genes were more prevalent in the Enterobacter bugandensis MAG, which has been predominantly isolated from clinical samples. MAGs were further used to analyze if genes involved in AMR and biofilm formation of viable microbes in ISS have variation due to generational evolution in microgravity and radiation pressure.ConclusionsComparative analyses of MAGs and whole-genome sequences of related ISS isolates and their type strains were characterized to understand the variation related to the microbial evolution under microgravity. The Pantoea/Kalamiella strains have the maximum single-nucleotide polymorphisms found within the ISS strains examined. This may suggest that Pantoea/Kalamiella strains are much more subjective to microgravity changes. The reconstructed genomes will enable researchers to study the evolution of genomes under microgravity and low-dose irradiation compared to the evolution of microbes here on Earth.EUxsQ-aH7RTgxVLTkvgiT5Video

Studies on the smoke dispersion when tear gas grenades exploded in different spaces

Tear gas is a widespread non-lethal weapon, but there is very little research on its non-lethal effectiveness at different scales of space, environment, and wind speed, which leads to no scientific guidance on the number of tear gas canisters to be used in practical applications. The effect of tear gas smoke released in different space sizes, environmental conditions, and obstacles was studied in this paper using fluent software. The results show that different spaces, media, and obstacles have different effects on smoke diffusion. Tear gas canisters in different spaces show that both are spread outward in the form of point sources. The smoke spreads outward on sunny days and spreads at a higher height on cloudy days. It has a particular guiding significance for tear gas canisters in practical applications.

Lab Medicine in Space.

As humanity continues to push towards interplanetary travel and beyond, short- and long-term adaptation of the human body to extreme environmental conditions in space remains a fundamental concern. An astronaut is subjected to physically and mentally enduring situations like microgravity, extreme heat or cold, radiation, isolation, and other unforeseen technical challenges. To manage the physiological impact of these situations, the use of real-time diagnostic laboratory medicine will be necessary for the health of the astronaut. With advancing technology, the recent implementation of point-of-care testing (POCT) on the International Space Station (ISS) provides a means to reduce the need to freeze and send specimens back to earth for analysis. However, the quality of these lab tests in a microgravity environment continues to be investigated. Similar to traditional laboratory medicine, there are laboratory analysis concerns during space travel such as pre-analytical errors, competency, interface issues, specimen type differences, reference intervals, and consumable storage. As the frequency and duration of human spaceflight increases, research in these areas of laboratory testing will be key for space travel and astronaut health. For this Q&A, we invited a diverse group of experts to explore the current and desired future state of laboratory medicine in space as well as innovations that will expand our current horizon within this area of interest.

Solar wind interaction with Mars: electric field morphology and source terms

ABSTRACTThe correlation between space environment conditions and the properties of escaping ions is a central topic of Mars research. Although empirical correlations have been visible in the data, a physics-based interpretation, rather than statistics-based pictures, has not been established yet. As a first effort, we investigate the electric field, the direct contributor to ion acceleration, in the Mars plasma environment from a hybrid plasma model (particle ions and fluid electrons). We use Amitis, a hybrid model combined with an observation-based ionospheric model, to simulate the Mars–solar wind interaction under nominal solar wind plasma conditions for perpendicular and Parker spiral directions of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). The simulations show following results: (1) the electric field morphology is structured by the IMF direction and the different plasma domains in the solar wind–Mars interaction; (2) asymmetry of the electric field between the hemispheres where the convective electric field points inward and outward, respectively, due to the mass loading and asymmetric draping of the magnetic field lines; (3) the motional electric field dominates in most regions, especially in the dayside magnetosheath; and (4) the Hall term is an order of magnitude weaker and significant in the magnetotail and plasma boundaries for a perpendicular IMF case. The Hall term is relatively stronger for the Parker spiral case. (5) The ambipolar electric field, in principle, agrees with Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution measurements in the magnetosheath.

Ground-based selected ionizing space radiation effects on stability of APIs and their formulations

Primary goal of any space mission is to keep astronauts healthy and fit during entire mission. One of the important challenges for that is providing a safe and effective pharmacy with the capabilities to address both scheduled and unanticipated medical conditions that may arise during spaceflight. Extended exposure to space environmental conditions may trigger drug deterioration, impacting quality, effectiveness, and safety. To assess the influence of space ionizing radiations on the stability of medicines launched aboard spacecraft, a preliminary ground-based ionizing radiation drug interaction study was carried out at different doses in the present work. Four different types of radiations - proton, neutron (thermal, fast), gamma and heavy ions (56Fe) were used to irradiate selected drugs namely diclofenac, ciprofloxacin and metoprolol along with their formulations. Chemical stability of each irradiated sample was checked using high performance liquid chromatographic method. Significant degradation was observed in even solid-state during proton irradiation in both Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) and tablet dosage form. Solution of active pharmaceutical ingredient and liquid dosage forms were prone to degradation in presence of gamma radiation. No physical and chemical changes observed after neutron and 56Fe irradiation. Irradiation of the same drug with different radiations demonstrated varying HPLC chromatographic profiles in terms of %degradation as well as proportion of same degradation products. This indicates possibility of different degradation pathways to generate degradation products.