NASA targets 2028 lunar return and permanent moon base within decade
NASA targets 2028 lunar return and permanent base within decade.
Event / Science
ISS Organ Aging Research Mission
Mount Sinai, NASA, and Space Tango launched miniature organs to the International Space Station to study how spaceflight affects aging and human physiology, with findings expected to support lunar missions and advance understanding of aging-related diseases.
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2026-10-14 to 2026-10-28 · UTC publication dates
Coverage begins 14 Oct, 03:37 UTC
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What happened
Miniature organs launched to International Space Station aboard CRS-35 resupply mission
Miniature organs developed by Mount Sinai, NASA, and Space Tango were launched aboard commercial resupply mission CRS-35 on Tuesday morning from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The organs were expected to arrive at the International Space Station on Thursday. The mission includes up to 16 miniature hearts and miniature brains called miBrains, which are designed to be exposed to microgravity and radiation to study how spaceflight impacts organs and accelerates aging.
NASA plans lunar return in 2028 and permanent moon base within decade
NASA announced plans to return astronauts to the moon's surface in 2028 and to build a permanent base on the moon within the next decade. The space agency and SpaceX have also discussed sending humans to Mars in the near future. These missions will rely on research conducted in space about how prolonged spaceflight affects human physiology.
Researchers study spaceflight effects on organ aging using miniature organ models
Mount Sinai researchers, in collaboration with NASA and Space Tango, are studying how microgravity and radiation exposure affect organs during spaceflight. The research involves exposing miniature hearts and brains to space conditions on the ISS. Scientists estimate that six months in space is equivalent to 10 to 20 years of aging on Earth. The miniature organs are integrated into a CubeLab system developed by Space Tango, which is slightly larger than a shoebox and fully automated.
Mount Sinai previously confirmed heart cells can survive in weightless space environment
Mount Sinai's Cardiovascular Research Institute sent individual heart cells to the International Space Station in 2023, confirming that these cells could survive in the weightless environment of space. This previous experiment laid the groundwork for the current mission involving 16 miniature hearts.
Space research models may improve understanding of aging-related diseases on Earth
Researchers indicate that discoveries from space experiments with miniature organs may translate to medical treatments on Earth. The microgravity environment allows study of conditions similar to prolonged bed rest or sedentary lifestyles. Research findings are expected to contribute to understanding and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease.
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2 alternative perspectives
Miniature organs launched to space station for aging research
Miniature organs launched to space station to study how microgravity affects cellular aging processes.