Newsletter #12 - November 11th, 2005

Mars Gravity Biosatellite will provide the first data on the adaptation of the mammalian body to the partial gravity of 0.38g found on the surface of Mars. It will help provide answers to one of the critical outstanding questions in the planning of future human expeditions to the Red Planet. Mars Gravity is led by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the University of Queensland (UQ), and by our newest partner, the Georgia Institute of Technology (GaTech).

In this edition:

1.WATCH THIS SPACE – Mars Gravity Notices
2.EVENT HORIZON – News and Views on Events
3.TECH LIFE – Science and Engineering Updates
4.LIL’ BIT OF SOL – Team Member News

1. WATCH THIS SPACE
Mars Gravity Notices

MARS GRAVITY PROGRAM WELCOMES GEORGIA TECH!

Students from the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta have joined the Mars Gravity Team to collaborate with the University of Queensland on re-entry trajectory analysis.  Work at Georgia Tech is led by Professor Robert Braun, Aerospace Engineering professor and co-director of Georgia Tech's Space Systems Design Lab.  Mars Gravity welcomes Georgia Tech to the team!

GIVING TO MARS GRAVITY

Mars Gravity relies on both public and private support.  Hundreds of students and professional advisors from across the globe have helped bring this program to fruition, and your support can help it take flight. Mars Gravity relies on both public and private support. Hundreds of students and professional advisors from across the globe have helped bring this program to fruition, and your support can help it take flight.  If you would like to make a tax-deductible contribution, we invite you to visit our donations page at:
http://www.marsgravity.org/main/donation.htm

Checks payable to Mars Gravity can be mailed to the address below:

Mars Gravity Program Office
MIT Room 41-116
77 Massachusetts Ave.
Cambridge, MA 02139
USA

or you can email us at info@marsgravity.org to discuss how you might help promote the program in your local area.

Did You Know?
Humans have now been living in space continuously for 5 years!  On November 2nd, 2000, Bill Shepherd, Sergei Krikalev, and Yuri Gidzenko took up residence in the International Space Station – and ever since that first expedition, the station has been constantly inhabited.  In total, 12 crews have lived and worked in the ISS over the course of the past 5 years, and the station has hosted 97 visitors from 10 countries.  Reflecting on this anniversary, Shepherd expressed the hope that knowledge gained onboard will lead to human exploration far beyond low Earth orbit.

2. EVENT HORIZON
News and Views on Events

NASA POISED TO GUT SPACE LIFE SCIENCES

In a recent effort to realign its budget with the President's Vision for Space Exploration, NASA has taken drastic measures to reduce its investment in space life sciences.  Despite assurances from Administrator Mike Griffin that the Agency would be heading for the lunar surface without taking "one thin dime" from Science, massive stop work orders, program terminations and reductions in force have been seen across the bioastronautics community, gutting the capabilities for both flight and ground research.

In a concerted effort to protect this vital research field, the ELMS Coalition <http://www.elmscoalition.org> has been hard at work on Capitol Hill.  Lobbying and awareness-raising efforts to date have triggered a "Dear Colleague" letter in the House to support language that would restore significant funding and force NASA to rethink its recent cuts.

Basic and applied research in space life sciences, such as that supported by the Mars Gravity program, represents an important international capability, and a critical linchpin in the effort to move beyond low Earth orbit.  Cuts now would devastate the current field and leave it woefully unprepared to face challenges in the years to come.  More discussions about NASA's budget are going on right now in the Senate.  If you are based in the USA , we encourage each of you to visit http://www.elmscoalition.org/issues/action_senate.php , and send a letter urging your Senators to stop NASA's drastic cuts to space life sciences until an independent evaluation of such action has been conducted.  NOW is the time to be heard.

CDR SUCCESS!

After 10 months of extensive efforts from MIT team members and industrial partner Payload Systems Inc., our Phase II NASA SBIR grant reached its Critical Design Review milestone, and passed with flying colors.  In attendance from NASA Ames for the October 17th event at MIT were technical monitor Kim Hines, NASA Chief Veterinarian Alex Dunlap, and engineer Jack Vandendriesch.  Over the course of the eight-hour review, the team presented designs and prototype testing progress for the integrated Animal Support Module, including food, water, structure, and instrumentation.  The presentation also detailed the team's efforts to date in biochemical testing of our novel urine preservation and analysis techniques. From here, MIT and PSI partners will move through one more round of prototype iteration before preparing two "flight qualified" units for delivery to NASA at the end of next year.

PRESENTATION TO SPACE GRANT CONSORTIA

MIT PhD Candidate and Mars Gravity Payload Lead Thaddeus R. F. Fulford-Jones was invited to present at the 2005 National Conference of Space Grant Directors in Cocoa Beach , Florida . For the past several years, Mars Gravity has received funding from the Space Grant Consortia of Massachusetts and Washington . Thaddeus used his presentation on 29th October to personally thank NASA Space Grant for their support and to discuss some of the project's most exciting recent advances. Attending the conference were approximately 150 directors and administrators representing all 52 university-based Space Grant Consortia from across the USA .

CONGRATS TO FULFORD-JONES!

We would also like to congratulate Thaddeus on his well-deserved recognition as the top graduate student presenter in the animal research category earlier this month at the annual conference of the American Society for Gravitational and Space Biology. The Reno , NV event saw the presentation of approximately 20 graduate posters in this field. Thaddeus's poster related directly to Mars Gravity and was titled "Ensuring Long-Term Environmental Stability of Rodent Food Substrates within an Autonomous Life Support Module."  Nice job, Thaddeus!

GIRL SCOUT MERIT BADGE WORKSHOP

On October 22nd the MIT Mars Gravity team hosted a merit badge workshop for Girl Scouts from throughout the Boston area.  MIT students, faculty, and interns led classes on topics ranging from 'airplane and rocket physics' to 'how to read a star chart.'  Scouts also toured a scale model of the solar system, built their own gliders, launched model rockets and had opportunity to hear Aero-Astro professor Dr. Weigel speak on the subject of Women in Space.  The workshop was a big hit, prompting enthusiastic responses from parents and Scouts alike.  Thanks to Dr. Annalisa Weigel, Col. Pete Young, Erika Wagner, Andy Wagner, Rosie Combs-Bachmann, Zahra Khan, Aditya Undurti, Kranthi Vistakula, Vanessa Quinlivan, Erin Koksal, James North, Jessica J Marquez, Chris Pena and Liang Sim for contributing their time and energy!

Did You Know? Plants carrying 'extremophile' genes may help lead the way to human habitation on Mars.  Extremophiles are organisms that live and flourish in environments beyond the tolerance of most other life.  On Mars, plants will be exposed to dramatic temperature changes and to higher levels of radiation than they are subjected to on Earth, and researchers hope that genes taken from extremophiles may aid plants in coping with these stresses.  Preliminary research at North Carolina State University indicates that plant cells expressing the SOR gene from the extremophile P. furiosus can survive over a greater temperature range.

3. TECH LIFE
Science and Engineering Updates

EDLS AIRBAG TESTING

For UQ undergrads Jarrod Sampson and Simon Yeh, October marked the end of a year long investigation into the dynamics of airbag systems.  As part of their study they were asked to develop a means for drop testing basic airbag configurations and to identify suitable means for gas venting in the airbags.

After minor issues with data acquisition, the experiments were a success. The data is still under analysis, but our initial impression is that this experimental evidence will make a substantial contribution to future experimentation and design.

Did You Know?
Astronomers may have isolated infrared light from the very first stars, a discovery that could give new insight into the structure of the early universe.  The first stars are thought to have formed between 100 and 200 million years after the big bang, but until now little to nothing was known about them.  Alexander Kashlinsky, the lead author of the study, claims that these first generation stars seem to be organized in 'superclusters,' which is consistent with how they should appear under the influence of dark matter.

4. LIL’ BIT OF SOL
Team Member News

A MINUTE WITH: ROSIE COMBS-BACHMANN

Age: 22

Education:  B.S. from Guilford College , double major in English and Biology.

What do you do in Mars Gravity?  My official title is Assistant Communications Director.  I'm helping out with PR and corporate communications, working on the children's page of the website, coordinating educational outreach in the Boston area, editing, writing requirements for the recovery center, and eventually writing articles about Mars Grav.

How long have you been involved with Mars Gravity? Nearly two months.

Where would you like your career to head?  I'd like to be involved in science writing for the public.

Last movie you saw?  "Corpse Bride."

Last CD you bought? Nellie McKay "Get Away from Me."

Favorite Book?  Hmm…"A Tree Grows in Brooklyn " is an old favorite. I'm also a fan of "Jazz" by Toni Morrison, "Macbeth" and of course anything Calvin and Hobbes.

Why short hair?  Unfortunate encounter with a power drill on the set of "Macbeth."

What do you really look forward to doing?  Swing dancing!

--- For more information about the Mars Gravity Biosatellite program, please
visit http://www.marsgravity.org

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