Huginn Science
ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen will conduct a variety of science experiments and technology demonstrations during his Huginn mission.
While the International Space Station is the home away from planet Earth of the astronauts, it is first and foremost an orbiting laboratory. The Space Station provides a unique microgravity environment, and new experiments are brought up regularly to maximise the science.
During his Huginn mission, Andreas Mogensen will perform over 30 European experiments, which have been placed into three pillars: climate, health, and space for Earth.
Climate
Earth’s climate is changing. Understanding the factors that play a role in climate change is fundamental for protecting our planet for future generations.
Aquamembrane will investigate water filtration using proteins found in nature, for example in human kidneys. Building on a previous experiment from Andreas’s ‘iriss’ mission in 2015, waste water from the Space Station will be passed through the new membrane by pumps and will run mostly automatically on the Space Station. The filtered water samples will be sent down to Earth for analysis. The membrane is part of a project with Spanish company aqualia to provide clean water on Earth.
Earthshine investigates how much Earth reflects sunlight onto the lunar surface during the new Moon phase, when we cannot see the Moon at all because we are looking at the night side of the Moon. With Andreas taking pictures of a new Moon, researchers will get more data for climate models and build more accurate models of Earth.
Andreas will also run the following experiments during Huginn:
- ANITA-2
- ASIM
- Thor-Davis
Health
Andreas will spend around six months in space during his Huginn mission, and will experience a completely different environment than he is used to. Like all astronauts, he needs to work out every day to keep his muscle and bone mass, and conduct science experiments throughout the day.
Virtual Assistance Mental Balance, or VAMB, aims to give astronauts room to breathe with a virtual reality experience with a calming atmosphere. Understanding how to support astronauts’ mental health during long duration missions will be vital for humankind’s exploration of the Solar System as we plan to have a permanent presence on the Moon and human missions to Mars.
Getting a good night’s sleep is vital to wellbeing. Astronauts on the Space Station rest in a sleeping bag attached to the wall. The Circadian Lights experiment will use specifically coloured lights in Andreas’s crew quarters, where he will use the light during the evening and morning to see if it affects sleep quality.
He will also be performing:
- ARED Kinematics
- Immunity Assay
- SpaceWear
- FOAM
- Epigenetic Adaption
Space for Earth
Space science has delivered useful technology and applications for our daily lives on Earth and scientists continue to push the boundaries of science, providing more opportunities to improve life on Earth.
3D printing has brought rapid manufacturing to consumers and producers, while allowing for complex shapes and intricate details not feasible with more traditional manufacturing processes. A metal 3D printer will premiere during the Huginn mission. Four different samples are set to be printed in metal on the Space Station – a first for spaceflight – and then brought back to Earth to test the performance and quality of metal 3D prints in space.
The Surface Avatar experiment takes operating robots to the next level, having Andreas operate multiple robots on Earth from the International Space Station. Andreas will use force-feedback controls to sense the robot touching and handling objects on ground. Several robots will work together to complete complex tasks, which gives valuable insight on how humankind can work alongside with robots on the Moon and beyond.
The following experiments with space for Earth are also planned during Huginn:
- VR for exercise
- ASI EVOO
- UKSA Particle Vibration
More on the science will come during the mission on the Huginn page.