Displaying items by tag: biology

Zero Gravity Solutions, Inc., is a public company engaged in the development, patenting and licensing of unique stem cells produced in a zero/microgravity environment.

Our mission is to be the first company to commercialize dramatic scientific breakthroughs in the area of unique and patentable plant, animal and human stem cells developed through the ISS space station to improve life on earth.

The NASA Astrobiology Institute (NAI) is an innovative way to develop the field of astrobiology and provide a scientific framework for flight missions.

NAI is a virtual, distributed organization of competitively-selected teams that integrate astrobiology research and training programs in concert with the national and international science communities.

It was setup by NASA in 1998.

Astrobiology is the study of the origins, evolution, distribution, and future of life in the universe. This interdisciplinary field requires a comprehensive, integrated understanding of biological, planetary, and cosmic phenomena. Astrobiology encompasses the search for habitable environments in our Solar System and on planets around other stars; the search for evidence of prebiotic chemistry or life on Solar System bodies such as Mars, Jupiter's moon Europa, and Saturn's moon Titan; and research into the origin, early evolution, and diversity of life on Earth. Astrobiologists address three fundamental questions: How does life begin and evolve? Is there life elsewhere in the universe? What is the future of life on Earth and beyond?

NAI's mission is to:

• carrying out, supporting and catalyzing collaborative, interdisciplinary research;
• training the next generation of astrobiology researchers;
• providing scientific and technical leadership on astrobiology investigations for current and future space missions;
• exploring new approaches using modern information technology to conduct interdisciplinary and collaborative research amongst widely-distributed investigators;
• supporting outreach by providing scientific content for K-12 education programs, teaching undergraduate classes, and communicating directly with the public

Astrogenetix Inc was formed to commercialize biotechnology products processed in the unique environment of microgravity.

Astrogenetix is a subsidiary of Astrotech Corporation.

Through expertise gained by sending NASA science experiments into space, Astrogenetix is well positioned to help commercialize products derived from microgravity discoveries. Astrogenetix is a commercial biotechnology company using the unique environment of microgravity to develop novel therapeutic products, Astrogenetix is working on saving lives on Earth by developing products in space.

Astrogenetix offers as well a turn-key platform for pre-flight sample preparation, flight hardware, mission planning and operations, crew training and certification processes needed within the highly regulated and complex environment of manned space flight. Astrogenetix is one of the  commercial entities to hold a Space Act Agreement with NASA for use of the International Space Station (ISS), a designated U.S. National Laboratory, for research, development and industrial processing purposes. This agreement, along with Astrogenetix relationship with various universities and government agencies and departments, gives Astrogenetix  the ability to process valuable products in space to be commercialized on Earth.

The Centro de Astrobiologia is a research center: Looking for answer to questions about life and its origin come from the combined efforts of many disciplines.

Dissemination of scientific knowledge to the public to create a more educated society.

ExoMars (Exobiology on Mars) is a planned Mars mission to search for possible biosignatures of Martian life, past or present. This astrobiological mission is currently (September 2012) under development by the European Space Agency (ESA) with likely collaboration by the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos).

The program includes several spacecraft elements to be sent to Mars on two launches. An orbiter and a stationary lander is planned for 2016, and a Russian lander to deliver the rover is planned for 2018.