A small but mighty piece of lab equipment, about the size of a cellphone, has arrived at the International Space Station after launching with NASA’s SpaceX Crew-12 mission. NASA aims to use the off-the-shelf device, called a microplate reader, to conduct vital biological research in space and get real-time access to data.
Demonstrations like this are part of NASA’s Commercially Enabled Rapid Space Science (CERISS) initiative, which partners with industry to develop transformative research capabilities and increase the pace and productivity of space science. NASA’s Biological and Physical Sciences Division is leading the demonstration in collaboration with the agency’s International Space Station Program.
The immediate benefit of using a microplate reader for space science is speed. Scientists can get data as soon as testing is complete, rather than waiting for samples to be stored, returned to Earth, and analyzed in ground labs. In-situ analysis like this — testing done on-site rather than after sample return — could reduce the delays, complications, and costs of bringing materials back to Earth.
Traditional microplate readers on the ground are typically much larger — often bigger than a microwave — but NASA’s tests will use a version that is not much larger than a cellphone.
For now, the microplate reader device requires a trained astronaut to run tests. But proving commercial lab equipment can work in low Earth orbit could open doors for future automation and even more advanced testing capabilities.
In the future, scientists could test astronaut samples for various molecules during long-duration missions to monitor crew health in deep space. The microplate reader is adaptable — different test kits could support a range of measurements wherever humans explore in space.
The microplate reader uses a wavelength of light to detect color in biological tests. When a target molecule is present in a sample, the test produces a color change. The intensity of that change tells researchers how much of a particular molecule is present.
NASA will initially use samples from the Microgravity Associated Bone Loss-B (MABL-B) investigation — which explores potential ways to prevent bone loss in space — to test the microplate reader on the space station. For this demonstration, the microplate reader will measure a protein called interleukin-6 in samples from the MABL-B investigation. Scientists suspect this protein may contribute to astronaut bone loss.
Operating the device is straightforward. It connects to a tablet or laptop via USB and uses standard 96-well plates — the same format many labs use on Earth. An astronaut runs the test using software to operate the device and get results immediately.
Scientists can monitor the experiment in real-time via video and visually observe the initial readouts. If researchers have instructions for the crew, those are relayed via space station ground personnel communicating with crew. Additionally, a detailed data file can be downlinked quickly from the station and shared with the researchers.
A microplate reader arrived at the orbiting laboratory Feb. 14 with Crew-12. The test kit and samples will launch aboard a future mission to the space station. Once all materials are aboard station, NASA will run the demonstration and compare the results with identical tests conducted on Earth.
“The microplate reader hardware and the kit to measure a protein called Interleukin-6 are both off the shelf — we’re testing these commercially available products in space to accelerate the pace of doing research in orbit,” said Dan Walsh, CERISS program executive for NASA. “Our CERISS effort is building the capabilities and infrastructure needed for a thriving low Earth orbit research economy. Demonstrations like this show how commercial tools can integrate into space station operations and help grow the commercial space industry.”
