The life and research of the multinational crew of I.S.S. is presented with a variety of images from inside the station and views of the Earth from space.

1. Life and Research in the
International Space Station
Nikolaos Papageorgiou, Science Teacher
Wednesday 25/09/2013
8th Junior High School, Volos, Greece
Presented in the framework of “Stars over Europe” Comenius program

2. Life and Research in the
International Space Station
“Life and Research in I.S.S.” presentation deals with the structure and operation of the International
Space Station, the conditions of living inside it and the experiments that take place inside it,
accompanied by several breathtaking photos of the Earth taken from it.
I.S.S. assembling and maintenance is a multinational project. It was modularly configured and its
configuration is still under way. ISS completes 16 full orbits in a day around the Earth at a distance
of 400 kilometers from its surface.
It provides sufficient living conditions for survival in space, employing liquid and air recycling to the
highest possible level. Its main energy resource is solar power, which is also used to produce
oxygen with water electrolysis.
ISS crew are multinational and engage into numerous activities and everyday procedures to be able
to live in the station and also keep fit.
They also spend hours performing multitudes of scientific experiments. The “weightlessness”
conditions in ISS, unfiltered UV radiation from the Sun, especially in the wild space, are ideal for
experiments in the areas of Physics, Medicine, Biology and Technology. Many of the experiments
are closely tied to everyday life applications such as foams, endurable materials, microbial
resistance to extreme physical conditions etc.

3. Life and Research in the International
Space Station

4. As of Nov 2009 How to build a
space staion
808m0 lmån lgo;n g1;0 180 m8 mbr wedid; e 4; 0400 0to tno nm masassas

5. ISS – The International Space Station
Orbit : ≈400 km altitude / 51.6º inclination
Power: 80 kW
Air Pressure: Sea Surface
Crew : 6 persons
The cosmonauts experience 16 rises and sets in 24 hours as
First part was launched in 1998
ISS completes its revolution around the earth in 90 min.
Fully manned since November 2000

6. The cost of putting in orbit 1 Kg of load today between 10000 to 25000 $
In order to live in space:
We maintain our supplies and recycle as
much as we can.
For emergency needs, there are liquid oxygen
tanks and hypercloric lithium combustion devices

7. CaAl2Si4O12.nH2O
CO2 is removed from air through filters base on
zeolith which acts in molecular frame
Future recycling of CO2 will employ a chemical
process discovered a century ago by the French
chemist Paul Sabatier, who has found that under
high temperatures and pressures hydrogen and
CO2 are forming methane and water
Other side products of human metabolism like
methane from intestines and ammonia from sweat
are removed by carbon filters

8. Therefore the main source of oxygen in ISS is water!
While the main source of Power is solar cells
Today CO2 is expelled in
space but it will be
recycled in the future.
Water vapor and urine
are recycled.

9. Lets have a look at the every day life of cosmonauts on ISS

10. In the bedroom
• There is no “up” and “down” in space. In order
to sleep you have to put your body in a
sleeping bag secured on a wall.
• cosmonauts are using ear shields to avoid the
noise of life support devices which are
continuously operational. There is also the
noise produced by thermal expansion and
contraction of ISS itself.

11. In the Kitchen
Hydrated food: The water is removed from the food on the earth for
easy restoration and cheap transportation to space station.
Thermally stabilized food: This kind of food can be stored at room
temperature. Fish (tuna) are prepared in tin cans.
Radiated food: Most beef products are cooked and packaged into
flexible aluminum cases and sterilized with the use of ionizing radiation
so that they can be preserved at room temperature.
Natural food: e.g. Nuts and biscuits.
Fresh food: e.g. Apples and bananas

12. In the toilette

13. In the Gym

14. Space walks (or extra-vehicular activities) are necessary for the
construction, maintenance and installment of scientific devices out
of the Station.
The “walk" uniform has a skeleton of steel rings, embedded in high
quality rubber material which has considerable weight

15. ”Travel picture of 2006”
cosmonauts over N. Zealand and
Cook straight

16. On the earth In space (μG)
Soy plants
• Crews spend around 160
workhours a week
performing scientific
experiments in Physics,
Medicine, Biology and
technology....

17. 3D video recording and photographing

18. Which line is longer ?

19. Immune system
in SPACE
Over 50% of Apollo mission cosmonauts suffered
from viral and bacterial infections during and post
flight.
Why did this happen?
What can we do to avoid it?

20. Effect on T-lymphocytes
The effect on the immune system was attributed
Effect on cosmonauts
to stress-producing factors:
1. The effect of microgravity on cell functions
2. The effect of cosmic radiation
3. The effect of mental fatigue on the endocrine system
Future mission to Mars threats:
Increased exposure to ultraviolet radiation
Exposure to increased intensity cosmic radiation
Development of resistant microorganisms in chambers
“Lack of earth view” syndrome

21. Osteoporosis
It has been proved that low-resistance high-frequency exercise
is equally favorable for the production of bone mass with the high-resistance
low-frequency exercise

22. In weightlessness conditions
Study of arterial pressure aiming to understand phenomena related to
long term bed rest (e.g. Postural hypotension, muscle atrophy etc)

23. ”Space
Survivors”
Cyanobacteria
Lichens
Water bear
Seeds

24. Experiments in scientific laboratory Columbus
Lichens survival time reached 18 months
Bacillus pumilus bacteria survived the exposure to space, being
protected from UV-C radiation (darkness) for the duration of
European Technology
Exposure Facility (EuTEF)
journey to Mars
Cryptolithic or endolithic bacteria of Antartica survived both the
exposure to space and the simulation of Martial conditions
Plant seeds survive in high percentage if protected from UV-C
radiation
More experiments:
Exposure of organic and inorganic substances to space (UV)
to observe possible corrosion
Micrometeorite studies in Space

25. Algae and fungi symbiosis
In reality, lichens are not simple organisms but composite
symbiotic organisms consisting of plants (algae) and fungi. Algae
photosynthesize and provide food to fungi which in turn create the
proper environment for development

26. Gravity sensing by plants
The so-called cell skeleton
is made of a protein network of
actin family, which supports the
stability of cell form in the form of
scaffolding. These proteins are
common to plants and animals, are
relative to myosin which is the
protein of motion. The position of
the various organelles inside cell is
the result of the balance of
gravitational force and the tension
of this protein network.
Cardamom root exposed to change of gravity field for 2 h
Lentil root cells which have been centrifuged for various periods
of time and in weightlessness conditions (right)
ESA Presentation | Martin Zell | ESA/ESTEC | 13/09/2010 | HSF-U | Slide 26

27. Behavior of emulsions and foamy materials
Fire extinguishing foams, metallic foams,
protein foams
Foam is a state of matter which can
not be classified as solid or liquid
In stability experiments we
compare the survival time in earth
gravity conditions to the one in
microgravity conditions and the
role that various embeddable solid
particles play is assumed
ESA Presentation | Martin Zell | ESA/ESTEC | 13/09/2010 | HSF-U | Slide 27

28. Human spaceflight
- New lightweight TiAl
turbine blades for jet
engines and gas
-New NiAl catalytic powders
for hydrogen fuel cells and
other chemical processes
ESA Presentation | EUB # 10 | 30 – 31 Jan. 2012 | HSO-U | Slide 28
Ground
Solidification in microgravity conditions
space

29. Who would like to
see the earth from
above?
http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov Venice, Italy – Mar ’07,
ISS014E17346
Some million
pics from ISS
Fires in a Canyon in Utah,
Sep 2010

30. Aurora on ISS
Green light from
atomic O (557 nm) on
100-150 km height.
Red light from atomic
O (630 nm) on 300-500
km height.

31. View from the window of ISS

32. River Parana (left) which flows out to
Rio de la Plata (right)

33. Sajama (Bolivia) and Lauca (Chile) National Parks

34. Elizabeth riff in Tasman Sea east of Australia .
Taken with a 400mm lens from an altitude of 178 nautical
miles (329.656 km) on Sep 11, 2009

35. Dam in Cameroon near Mbam river
6.1 Ν 11.3 Ε

36. Human
lighting

37. Cumulonimbus clouds
seen from space

38. Earth’s atmosphere looks so
thin !

39. Departure from ISS with mixed
feelings….
However, it will continue to
be there to be used at least
until 2020

40. Departure from ISS over Ionian Sea and return to Earth

41. Thank you all for
your attention !