Polish Experiments
The call for domestic experiments was open in the middle of 2023 with a closing date in September. ESA published a call and teams were to apply through the OSIP platform. Polish teams submitted 66 proposals! Some of them never had a contract with the ESA and are not active in the space domain. 18 of them were on the shortlist to work with the ESA team on integration and development (more information is available here). Until the end of April 7, ESA and experiments teams signed the contract. The experiments will include studies on the psychological effects of long-term space habitation, AI performance in low gravity, noise level monitoring on the ISS, and the use of microalgae in future space missions and space medicine.
Experiments of the Ignis Mission
At an “office” 400 kilometers above Earth, Uznański had plenty of work waiting. More than 20 experiments were scheduled, including 13 purely Polish ones, 5 for the European Space Agency, and 3 Hungarian. It was therefore the Axiom mission with the largest number of research activities.
Opportunities for Students
Competition: Simple experiment – cosmic discovery
A call to design an experiment that can be carried out on Earth and in weightless conditions on the International Space Station. The winning experiments will be conducted by the Polish astronaut Sławosz Uznański on board the ISS. Some of them will be broadcast live, and their authors will be able to participate in a live connection with the astronaut. Additionally, the winners will be invited for a trip to European research centres related to the space sector. The experiment must be carried out on Earth, and its course must be explained with reference to the laws of physics. Then, it has to be described how the experiment might behave in weightless conditions. The competition is aimed at Polish youth aged 11-19. Applications via an online form are accepted until 10 December 2024. Competition website
President of Polish Space Agency, prof. Grzegorz Wrochna about the experiments:
„We expected a lot of interest in the call, but the number and maturity of the submitted proposals positively surprised us. I am convinced that the selected experiments will contribute to advances in space engineering, space medicine, biological sciences, and biotechnology. The best proposals involving testing technologies, module systems, systems, or materials on the ISS may also be used in future ESA or NASA exploratory missions. This shows the maturity of the Polish space sector, which, after 10+ years of participation in ESA programs, can freely cooperate and even compete in carrying out ambitious space missions.
The submitted applications were evaluated according to two groups of criteria – technical and programmatic (each with 50% weight). These included aspects such as the clarity of technical objectives and feasibility of the proposed idea, significant benefit in relation to the current state of technology development and the possibility of gaining a competitive advantage, the previous experience of entities in similar projects, potential benefits for the Polish sector in relation to current and future space products and services, as well as the alignment of the proposals with the scientific or technological priorities of the E3P exploration program.“
Drug Stability
Biodegradable polymer drug delivery systems in low Earth orbit. The objective of this experiment is to assess the stability of polymer-controlled drug release systems.
The team: Centre of Polymer and Carbon Materials of the Polish Academy of Sciences
EEG neurofeedback
This experiment focuses on methods to reduce stress during long-term isolation.
The team: Gdansk University of Physical Education and Sport
PhotonGrav
Application of spectroscopy to monitor brain activity to support the development of computer-brain interfaces.
The team: Cortivision Sp. z o.o.
Maxime
An experiment to test nanomaterials in low Earth orbit for space missions.
The team: AGH University of Krakow
RadMon-on-ISS
An experiment with the application of scalable radiation detectors for space exploration.
The team: SigmaLabs Sp. z o.o.
HAM Radio lessons and conversations
Education and promotion of science by a Polish astronaut using communication systems on the ISS. After closer analysis, this experiment was moved to the mission’s educational program.
The team: Polish Amateur Radio Union
Experiments shortlisted but not integrated
0G-CARE
An experiment intends to investigate how zero gravity conditions affect the effectiveness of drugs intended to fight cancer cells.
The team: Wrocław University of Science and Technology
Bioleaching of heavy metals and cultivation of fungi and yeast in microgravity conditions
This experiment is dedicated to obtaining rare minerals from meteoritic material using biotechnology.
The team: BGD Sp. z o.o.
EDDIE-PHP
An experiment to test in microgravity conditions mechanisms dedicated for space mining applications.
The team: Astronika Sp. z o.o.
Microgravity Effects on Madagascar Cockroaches & Bioreactor Validation
An experiment to analyse the effect of microgravity on the behaviour, reproduction and growth of the Madagascar hissing cockroach (Gromphadorhina portentosa) combined with the validation of a bioreactor system.
The team: Astronika Sp. z o.o.
OmicSexDepImmRes
The objective of this experiment is to analyse cellular biomarkers to monitor sex-dependent immune responses.
The team: Medical University of Gdansk
Astromentalhealth
An experiment examining the impact of space isolation on human mental health. The research will analyze interaction with the environment, changes in emotional state and work efficiency, which may contribute to the development of better psychological support systems for space crews.
The team: University of Silesia in Katowice
Human Gut Microbiota
It focuses on changes in the gut microbiome of astronauts during a short-term (two-week) space mission. The results of this study could influence future nutritional strategies for astronauts in low Earth orbit in reduced gravity and help maintain their health and performance during and after missions.
The team: Military University of Technology in Warsaw
Immune Multiomics
An experiment to understand how microgravity affects the human immune system. By analyzing changes in gene expression and examining the processes that regulate gene expression in blood cells, scientists expect to discover how adaptation to space conditions affects the body’s ability to defend itself against infections.
The team: Military University of Technology in Warsaw
Leopardiss
A technological project that demonstrates the operation of an advanced data processing unit enabling the use of AI (artificial intelligence) solutions in space. This research is crucial for the future of space exploration, where autonomous systems will play an increasingly important role.
The team: KPLabs, Poznań University of Technology
Space Volcanic Algae
A scientific experiment that investigates the ability of extremophilic volcanic microalgae to survive and adapt in space conditions, which will be important for future space missions and applications in closed loop and space medicine.
The team: Extremo Technologies
Wireless Acoustics
An experiment focusing on the development of noise monitoring systems on the ISS. The goal is to create wireless solutions capable of continuously monitoring acoustic conditions, which will increase the safety and comfort of space crews.
The team: Svantek
Yeast Tardigradegene
This experiment will test the survival of genetically modified yeast (enriched with tardigrade protein) in microgravity conditions, in order to determine the possibility of using them as biofactories both during space travel and on Mars or the Moon.
The team: University of Szczecin (leader), Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań and University of Silesia in Katowice
The presented description of Polish experiments is a translation of materials published on Polish Space Agency website in Polish: Polskie eksperymenty będą realizowane na pokładzie Międzynarodowej Stacji Kosmicznej – POLSA – Polska Agencja Kosmiczna
Czech Experiments
The Ministry of Transport selected 14 research experiments for the Czech national mission to the ISS. A total of 70 proposals were submitted (more than in Poland, which has over three times the population). From these, 25 made the shortlist, and the 14 announced by the Ministry will now be further processed by ESA. Some experiments will need to be modified, for example in terms of size and weight, as everything must fit within approximately 50 liters and 15 kilograms – the total space allocated for the experiments Aleš Svoboda will bring to the ISS. Many will also require safety adjustments to meet the strict ISS standards.
The 14 experiments can be divided into four thematic areas: Bioregeneration, Human Health, Frontier Technologies, and STEM Support. The guarantors of the experiments are various research organizations and Czech universities.
Overview of experiments
AstroDesmus
Testing the resistance of extremophile microalgae to perchlorates and their ability to accumulate heavy metals
AstroMoWe
Monitoring and analysis of astronaut movement and muscle activity
CANCER
Study of immune system behavior and viral reactivation
CARE
Research on short-term effects of microgravity on growth, metabolite production, and gene expression in microalgae
CONREX
Testing magnetic nano- and microrobots on the ISS
CryoAlgae
Studying the influence of space conditions on oxygen production, growth, metabolomic profile, and morphology of two extremophile cryospheric microalgae strains, as well as increasing lipid accumulation
CZPAD
Measuring neutron radiation doses moderated by water inside an astronaut’s body with a specially designed dosimeter
EDOUTA
Comprehensive activities for students, teachers, and the public, including educational materials, live interactions with the astronaut, and creative projects
ICARUS ARMOR Next Gen
A personalized digital twin model for predicting astronaut cognitive performance under cumulative stress
ISS T-shirt
Monitoring stress levels using a new thermodynamic metric
METRO
Studying gas transfer management in microgravity for efficient long-term operation of space photobioreactors
PROTOCELL
Testing the ability to form and function protocells using liquid droplets
PUMR-B
Investigating the effects of microgravity on the development of spring barley and its adaptation to dry and hot environments
ZOE
Testing the possibility of creating a fertile individual during embryonic development under microgravity and cosmic radiation
Hungarian Experiments
Hungary opened a call for scientific experiment proposals as part of the HUNOR national astronaut program, which ran for nearly a year and a half, concluding at the end of 2023. The selected scientific experiments are currently being prepared for implementation in this groundbreaking national initiative.