China launched its tenth crewed mission to the Tiangong space station, Shenzhou-21, with a crew of three taikonauts who will conduct 27 experiments, including China's first study of rodents in orbit, during a six-month stay. The mission was launched from Jiuquan using the CZ-2F/G rocket, and the crew will quickly dock with the station, taking a record three and a half hours to reach it, to relieve the previous crew after their extensive scientific work.
NASA's Crew-11 mission launched to the ISS to mark 25 years of continuous human presence, with astronauts from NASA, JAXA, and Roscosmos conducting experiments on microgravity, spacecraft propulsion, and long-term space adaptation, while replacing the Crew-10 team.
A miniaturized robotic assisted surgery system, MIRA, is set to be sent to the International Space Station (ISS) to conduct simulated surgical procedures on rubber bands. Developed by Virtual Incision, the robot is designed to communicate with human doctors on Earth and perform medical procedures with high accuracy. The mission aims to advance space-based medical treatment for future crewed space missions, such as NASA's Artemis Program, and potentially benefit remote surgery on Earth. Other experiments heading to the ISS include a robotic arm, a 3D-printer for metal parts, a study on bone loss in microgravity, and research on plant microbes and artificial retinas.
Axiom Space's upcoming Axiom-3 mission, set to launch in January 2024, will conduct pioneering microgravity experiments on the International Space Station (ISS). The crew will spend 14 days docked at the ISS, conducting experiments in various scientific disciplines, including human health, medicine, cell biology, materials, and gastronomy. The mission will focus on advancing materials, robotics, and artificial intelligence for space exploration and infrastructure development. It will also study the impact of space on human health, including vascular health, protein folding, bone density loss, and psychological factors. The research conducted during the mission will have applications in cancer treatment, neurodegenerative diseases, and other areas of human health on Earth.
