Foreign Programs
The program of experiments under DSM Delta project
On 23 July 2003, the Russian Aviation and Space Agency, S.P. Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation Energia and European
Space Agency (ESA) concluded a contract on a flight of Dutch astronaut Andre Kuipers, member of the European astronaut
corps, as a flight engineer of transport manned spacecraft Soyuz TMA-4 as part of the visiting crew VC-6 to the International Space Station (ISS),
and performance of DSM DELTA Project (ESA) scientific investigations and experiments.
DSM DELTA Project foresees the performance of 58 sessions for 22 experiments.
The program of experiments under DSM Delta project
Life Science |
FLOW |
Microgravity and Bone cell mechanosensitivity. |
KAPPA |
The influence of weightlessness on the activation of the transcription factor (NF-kB). |
ACTIN |
The role of weightlessness on actin metabolism in mammalian cells. |
ICE-FIRST |
Study of genome stability on muscle growth and survivability of their functional capabilities. |
TUBUL |
Study of influence of microgravity on the cell structure and the determination of the division plane in plants. |
CIRCA |
24-hour monitoring of blood pressure and heart rate in weightlessness. |
SYMPATHO-3 |
Study of sympathoadrenal activity in weightlessness conditions. |
MUSCLE |
Assessment of the effect of microgravity on sacral and neurophysiological
properties of multifidus and transversus abdominis muscles. |
EYE TRACKING DEVICE |
3D eye tracking device. |
MOTION PERCEPTION |
Vestibular adaptation to G-transitions. |
SUIT |
Establish the role of tactile information presentation on orientation behavior. |
Biotechnology |
SAMPLE |
Molecular and physiological analysis of bacterial samples
isolated from the ISS. |
PROMISS-3* |
Protein Crystal Growth Monitoring by Digital Holographic Microscope. |
Technology |
ARGES* |
Measurement of plasma density by radially resolved high-resolution emission spectroscopy. |
HEAT* |
Heat transfer performance of a grooved heat pipe. |
MOUSE TELEMETER |
Mouse telemeter. |
Geophysical Investigations |
LSO-H |
Observation of lightings and sprites. |
Educational program |
VIDEO-3 |
Demonstration of some effects of weightlessness on the human body. |
ARISS-3 |
Carrying out radio amateur sessions from the ISS with pupils and students on the ground. |
SEEDS |
Growth of plants in microgravity. |
GRAPHOBOX |
Study of effect of phototropism and gravitropism of plants in microgravity. |
BUG ENERGY |
Study of features of bacteria energy generation in microgravity. |
* Experiments will be conducted on the ISS US On-orbit-Segment.
Public Relations and Symbolic activities are also foreseen in the frame of the Project.
Nineteen project experiments will be performed on the Russian Segment of the ISS. Three experiments, i.e. PROMISS-3,
ARGES and HEAT will be conducted on the US On-orbit Segment.
Basically all experiments within DSM DELTA Project will be performed by VC-6 Flight-Engineer-1, Dutch astronaut
A. Kuipers. He will conduct fifteen experiments by himself with no assistance of the Russian cosmonauts. However, Crew
Commander of ISS-9 G.I. Padalka will be involved in human physiology experiments CIRCA and SYMPATHO-3 as an assistant.
He will also enable to conduct photo and video imagery in experiments VIDEO-3, SEEDS, GRAPHOBOX, BUG ENERGY. Experiment
PROMISS-3 will be conducted before the beginning of VC-6 by the ISS-8 Crew Commander American astronaut M. Foel.
The DSM DELTA Project experiments will use the hardware to be uploaded under this project, as well as hardware already
available onboard ISS RS (left after completion of Andromede (LSO-H, CIRCA experiments), Marco Polo (CIRCA experiment)
and SSM Cervantes Projects (PROMISS-3 experiment).
For implementation of the research program the following resources are required:
CARGO FLOW |
Ascent to the ISS RS
- by Progress M1-11
- by Soyuz TMA-4
TOTAL
|
65.20 kg
54.23 kg
119.43 kg |
Return of materials with SE results:
by Soyuz TMA-3 |
15.65 kg |
POWER CONSUMPTION |
Daily average |
up to 100 W |
CREW TIME |
Flight engineer-1 of VC-6 (Andre Kuipers) |
53 h 35 min |
ISS-9 Crew commander (Gennady Padalka) |
7 h 50 min |
Flight engineer of ISS-8 (Alexander Kaleri) |
1 h 10 min |
TOTAL |
62 h 35 min |