Launch and Learn: Media Invited to Science Webinar on NASA’s SpaceX CRS-32 Mission

Register today for the April 16 webinar, featuring cutting-edge biotech, plant biology, and airborne pollutant research sponsored by the ISS National Lab and NASA

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla., April 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The International Space Station (ISS) National Laboratory and NASA will host a webinar to discuss upcoming research and technology development projects launching on SpaceX’s 32nd Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) mission for the agency. This webinar will showcase some of the innovative research heading to the space station and how it benefits humanity while driving a sustainable market economy in low Earth orbit (LEO). The webinar is scheduled for Wednesday, April 16, 2025, at 1 p.m. EDT.

SpaceX CRS-32 is slated to launch on a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft no earlier than 4:15 a.m. EDT on Monday, April 21, 2025, from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

During the webinar, Michael Roberts, chief scientific officer for the ISS National Lab, and Jennifer Buchli, chief scientist for NASA’s ISS Program, will provide programmatic insights and updates. The following speakers will then join them to highlight specific research projects on this mission:

• Improving Janus Base Nanomaterial Production in Microgravity: University of Connecticut researcher and Eascra Biotech co-founder Yupeng Chen, along with co-founder Mari Anne Snow, will discuss their research exploring how microgravity improves the production of Janus base nanomaterials (JBNs). These nanomaterials, which consist of molecules that self-assemble into structures that mimic human DNA, could be used to treat diseases like osteoarthritis and cancer. In space, where gravity-driven forces like sedimentation are significantly reduced, the team can manufacture JBNs with a more uniform structure, leading to better therapeutic outcomes. This ISS National Lab-sponsored project builds on previous investigations and is funded through NASA’s In-Space Production Applications program.
• Genetically Modified Tomatoes in Space: Major Travis Tubbs from the U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA) and Heath Mills, co-founder of ISS National Lab Commercial Service Provider Rhodium Scientific, will discuss a project that is part of a series of investigations developed and supported by the U.S. Air Force and USAFA. The project will examine how genetically modified tomato plants grow in the space environment. The team hopes to gain a better understanding of how genetic modifications and gene expression changes influence root and shoot development. Results from this project will be compared with results from investigations on the Polaris Dawn and SpaceX Crew-9 missions, which featured the same Rhodium plant growth hardware. Findings could provide insights into the production of crops on long-duration space missions or in high-radiation environments.
• Monitoring Aerosol Pollutants in Space: Claire Fortenberry, research aerospace engineer at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, will discuss an investigation on aerosol monitors, which continuously monitor airborne pollutant particles such as dust inside the space station. These monitors are essential for maintaining safe air quality on future missions in LEO and beyond. Results could help researchers select the monitors used on future missions to protect crew health and mission success.
• Studying the Impact of Space Radiation on Plant Biology: Sarah Wyatt, researcher from Ohio University will discuss a NASA-sponsored experiment assessing the effects of space radiation on the genome and telomere activity in Arabidopsis thaliana, a model organism for studying plant biology. Telomeres are repetitive DNA sequences that protect the ends of chromosomes, which become shorter every time a cell divides and serve as markers of plant survivability. Understanding how space radiation affects telomeres could help scientists better equip plants and other organisms for the stress of long-duration missions.

The webinar will be available on Zoom for media. Media who would like to participate must register for Zoom access no later than one hour in advance.

A livestream of the webinar will also be available on the ISS National Lab Livestream page. The public can participate by submitting questions during the webinar using #ISSNationalLab on social media. Following the webinar, a recording will be available on the ISS National Lab YouTube channel. Additional information about investigations launching on SpaceX CRS-32 will be made available in the coming days on our launch page.

Join us to learn more about the exciting investigations heading to the space station to advance science and benefit humanity. To learn more about ISS National Lab-sponsored science and its impact on Earth, visit our website.

Download a high-resolution image for this release: NASA SpaceX Launch

About the International Space Station (ISS) National Laboratory:
The International Space Station (ISS) is a one-of-a-kind laboratory that enables research and technology development not possible on Earth. As a public service enterprise, the ISS National Laboratory® allows researchers to leverage this multiuser facility to improve quality of life on Earth, mature space-based business models, advance science literacy in the future workforce, and expand a sustainable and scalable market in low Earth orbit. Through this orbiting national laboratory, research resources on the ISS are available to support non-NASA science, technology, and education initiatives from U.S. government agencies, academic institutions, and the private sector. The Center for the Advancement of Science in Space® (CASIS®) manages the ISS National Lab, under Cooperative Agreement with NASA, facilitating access to its permanent microgravity research environment, a powerful vantage point in low Earth orbit, and the extreme and varied conditions of space. To learn more about the ISS National Lab, visit our website.

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, CASIS accepts corporate and individual donations to help advance science in space for the benefit of humanity. For more information, visit our donations page.

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SOURCE International Space Station National Lab