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Emirati Astronaut Conducts 3D-Printing Experiment In Space
The experiment aims to assess the viability of 3D-printed knee cartilage tissue for treating injuries in remote areas on Earth and while in space.
Emirati astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi, and his colleague from NASA, Frank Rubio, are currently conducting experiments on the International Space Station on the viability of 3D-printed knee cartilage tissue.
The 3D printing lab, known as The BioFabrication Facility, has been built to evaluate whether low to zero-gravity conditions can improve printing quality compared to production on Earth, while examining the feasibility of 3D-printed cartilage tissue for fixing injuries in remote conditions, including in space.
Using cutting-edge technology, NASA hopes to eventually alleviate musculoskeletal injuries. “Crew members who experience musculoskeletal injuries on future deep space missions may benefit from the capability to bioprint tissue such as knee cartilage to promote recovery,” the space agency said in a recent press release.
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During the six-month mission, a total of 250 research experiments will be conducted, and Dr. Al Neyadi, who arrived recently onboard the ISS, has already undertaken studies on human heart tissue and served as a test subject for a sleep research program.