Technology

Astronauts Return to Earth Following Seven-Month Science Expedition on International Space Station

Published

11 hours ago

October 25, 2024

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 astronauts supported a variety of ISS National Lab-sponsored investigations including in-space manufacturing, cancer treatments, and genetic research

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla., Oct. 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — After seven months of living and working onboard the International Space Station (ISS), astronauts of NASA’s eighth rotational SpaceX crew mission (Crew-8) splashed down safely off the coast of Florida. The mission, which is part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, included NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, as well as Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin. During their mission on station, the three NASA astronauts supported dozens of research investigations sponsored by the ISS National Laboratory®.

These investigations spanned many areas, including in-space production applications, life and physical sciences, and technology development, all aimed at bringing value to humanity and enabling a robust market in low Earth orbit (LEO).

Below highlights a few of the ISS National Lab-sponsored projects the Crew-8 NASA astronauts worked on during their mission.

Several investigations focused on in-space production applications, an increasingly important area of emphasis for the ISS National Lab and NASA.A project from Cedars Sinai Medical Center aims to establish methods to support the in-space manufacturing of stem cells, which can be matured into a wide variety of tissues. These methods will be used for future large-scale in-space biomanufacturing of stem cell-derived products, which could lead to new treatments for heart disease, neurodegenerative diseases, and many other conditions.Redwire Corporation partnered with Eli Lilly and Company and Butler University on a series of investigations leveraging Redwire’s Pharmaceutical In-space Laboratory (PIL-BOX), a platform to crystallize organic molecules in microgravity. Results from this research could lead to improved therapeutics to treat an array of conditions. These projects continue Eli Lilly’s space journey, as the company has launched multiple investigations to the orbiting laboratory over the years for the benefit of patient care on Earth.The astronauts supported the third experiment in a series of projects from the University of Notre Dame to improve ultra-sensitive biosensors. The biosensors can detect trace substances in liquids, including early cancer biomarkers. By using laser heating to control bubble formation in microgravity, the team improved particle collection—a key step in boosting sensor sensitivity. This research, funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation, could transform early and asymptomatic cancer detection and other medical diagnostics.The crew conducted phase two of a technology development project from Sphere Entertainment to test Big Sky—the company’s new ultra-high-resolution, single-sensor camera—on the space station. In the first phase of the project, which launched in November 2022, astronauts tested a commercial off-the-shelf camera on the ISS to collect baseline information. During the second phase, the astronauts tested Big Sky to validate the camera’s function, operations, and video downlink capabilities in microgravity. Big Sky is being developed by Sphere Entertainment to capture content for Sphere, the next-generation entertainment medium in Las Vegas.In the final days before their departure from the space station, the Crew-8 astronauts supported projects that recently launched on NASA’s ninth rotational crew mission (Crew-9).One is a student-led project from Isabel Jiang, a recent high school graduate from Hillsborough, CA, who is now in her first year at Yale. Jiang is the winner of the 2023 Genes in Space student research competition, founded by Boeing and miniPCR bio and supported by the ISS National Lab and New England Biolabs. Jiang’s experiment investigates the effect of radiation and the space environment on mechanisms for gene editing. Results could help develop methods to better protect astronauts and shed light on genetic risks for certain diseases during spaceflight.Another is an investigation from the U.S. Air Force Academy and Rhodium Scientific to compare the root growth of Arabidopsis plants, a member of the mustard family, at two different orbital altitudes. Plants grown on the space station in LEO for four to six days will be compared with similar plants grown on the recent Polaris Dawn mission, which flew in the same type of vehicle at a higher orbit for approximately the same amount of time. Results could provide insights into the production of crops for long-duration space missions and in high-radiation environments.

These are just a few of the ISS National Lab-sponsored research projects conducted on the space station during this expedition. To learn more about these investigations and others, visit our launch page.

Download a high-resolution image for this release: NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8

About the International Space Station (ISS) National Laboratory:
The International Space Station (ISS) is a one-of-a-kind laboratory that enables research and technology development not possible on Earth. As a public service enterprise, the ISS National Laboratory® allows researchers to leverage this multiuser facility to improve quality of life on Earth, mature space-based business models, advance science literacy in the future workforce, and expand a sustainable and scalable market in low Earth orbit. Through this orbiting national laboratory, research resources on the ISS are available to support non-NASA science, technology, and education initiatives from U.S. government agencies, academic institutions, and the private sector. The Center for the Advancement of Science in Space™ (CASIS™) manages the ISS National Lab, under Cooperative Agreement with NASA, facilitating access to its permanent microgravity research environment, a powerful vantage point in low Earth orbit, and the extreme and varied conditions of space. To learn more about the ISS National Lab, visit our website.

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, CASIS accepts corporate and individual donations to help advance science in space for the benefit of humanity. For more information, visit our donations page.

Media Contact:

Patrick O’Neill

904-806-0035

PONeill@ISSNationalLab.org

International Space Station (ISS) National Laboratory

Managed by the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space, Inc. (CASIS)

6905 N. Wickham Rd., Suite 500, Melbourne, FL 32940 • 321.253.5101 • ww.ISSNationalLab.org

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SOURCE International Space Station National Lab

Technology

Partnership Between LianLian Global and WeChat Pay Transforms Tourist Experience at Grand Palace

Published

3 mins ago

October 26, 2024

BANGKOK, Oct. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — LianLian Global has partnered with WeChat Pay to streamline the ticket purchasing process for visitors to Bangkok’s Grand Palace. The collaboration leverages their combined service capabilities and market resources.

Since the initiation of visa-free policies between China and Thailand this year, tourist traffic from China has notably increased. However, popular attractions like the Grand Palace often face issues with overcrowding, lengthy queues and ticketing difficulties. Traditionally, tourists had to wait in long lines at ticket windows, marring the travel experience.

Thanks to the collaboration, visitors can now reserve and pay for their tickets via the WeChat mini-program, and gain immediate access by scanning a QR code, eliminating the need to queue and enhancing the experience for both tourists and the venue.

As a brand under LianLian, a leader in global digital payments, LianLian Global is committed to developing a broad-based payment ecosystem that addresses the needs of multiple market segments.

In 2019, LianLian Thailand obtained both the Bank Card Payment License and the Authorized Payment License from the Bank of Thailand, making it the first wholly foreign-owned financial entity in Thailand to secure these credentials. Since then, LianLian Thailand has enhanced its service offerings by strategically aligning with upstream and downstream partners, integrating local card networks, banking institutions, domestic wallets, and international payment gateways. The company subsequently expanded its capabilities by introducing offline merchant payment collection and online platform/app payment processing solutions, providing robust payment services designed to meet the needs of Thai merchants and Chinese consumers. Official Thai data places LianLian among the leading Chinese-funded payment providers in Thailand, reflecting its substantial impact on the local market.

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SOURCE Lianlian

Technology

Dolby and Jin from BTS Celebrate His New Single “I’ll Be There” in Dolby Atmos

Published

1 hour ago

October 26, 2024

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Dolby Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE: DLB), a leader in immersive entertainment experiences, is teaming up with Jin of 21st century pop icons BTS in the latest chapter of the “Love More in Dolby” global brand campaign. Jin stars in the commercial to celebrate his new single “I’ll Be There,” which is now available globally in Dolby Atmos.

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Following the single “I’ll Be There,” Jin’s highly anticipated first solo album Happy is set to release in Dolby Atmos worldwide on November 15th.

“When I first heard my new music in Dolby Atmos, I was truly amazed by the incredibly vivid and immersive experience. It felt like you are right inside the music,” said Jin. “The theme of this new single and the new album is ‘happiness.’ I wanted ARMY (BTS’ fandom) to fully experience the unique flavors of happiness through each song. Now, with Dolby Atmos, I believe fans around the world will feel the exact emotions that I wanted to share, more deeply.”

“Jin has captivated audiences worldwide through his incredible performances and extraordinary ability to convey emotion through his music,” said Todd Pendleton, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Dolby Laboratories. “With Dolby Atmos, fans will feel even more connected to Jin as they are drawn into the fun sing-along moments and musical details of ‘I’ll Be There’ and his upcoming album.”

Dolby Atmos is a completely new way to create and experience music that delivers artistic expression at its fullest capacity, forging a deeper connection between artists and their fans. Music in Dolby Atmos goes beyond the ordinary listening experience by putting listeners inside the song, revealing every detail of the music with unparalleled clarity and depth. Whether it’s hearing the layers of instruments move all around, catching the subtle breath a singer takes between lyrics, or being enveloped in a wave of melodies, nothing compares to hearing music in Dolby Atmos.

Directed by GRAMMY®-nominated music video director and filmmaker Colin Tilley, the campaign’s commercial explores how Dolby Atmos can transform an everyday moment into an extraordinary experience by putting fans right into the heart of the music scenes, where Jin delivers the powerful performances BTS is known for.

The piece is the latest installment of Dolby’s “Love More in Dolby” global brand campaign, which celebrates transformative entertainment experiences brought to life by Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos across music, movies, gaming, and more.

How to Experience Dolby Atmos Music
Consumers around the world can hear and feel the difference of Dolby Atmos Music on popular global and regional streaming services, such as Amazon Music, Apple Music, TIDAL, QQ Music, Melon, and more. Whether you are listening at home, on your mobile device, or in the car, using products from major global brands like Samsung, Mercedes-Benz, and many more, Dolby Atmos unlocks new levels of emotion so that you love music more in Dolby.

About “Love More in Dolby”
Dolby’s “Love More” campaign, aims to spread awareness of the art of what’s possible in Dolby. The campaign celebrates the full potential of Dolby’s latest audio and video innovations, like Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision, which bring mesmerizing picture and multidimensional sound to your music, movies, shows, games, and sports. The series of short videos will also follow entertainment enthusiasts on a journey of discovery as they experience new depths of emotion and connect deeper to the artists, characters, and stories they love – which is made possible when enjoyed in Dolby.

About Dolby
Dolby Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE: DLB) is headquartered in San Francisco with offices around the world. From movies and TV shows to apps, music, sports and games, Dolby transforms the science of sight and sound into spectacular experiences for billions of people around the world. We collaborate with artists, storytellers, developers, and businesses to revolutionize entertainment and communications with Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision, Dolby Cinema, and Dolby.io.

About Jin of BTS
Jin (Kim, Seok jin) is a South Korean singer, songwriter and member of 21st century pop icons, BTS. Jin’s appealing voice and clear tone amplify the emotions delivered through music. His solo records “Awake,” “Epiphany,” and “Moon,” and Original Soundtracks for Korean TV series including “Yours” (‘Jirisan’ OST), “Even If I Die, It’s You” (‘Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth’ OST) showcase his warm vocal timbre and power of expression. Released in 2021, “SUPER TUNA” set a huge dance challenge trend with its cheerful melody and easy dance moves. Jin participated in the songwriting of his first solo single “The Astronaut” (released in October 2022) alongside Coldplay, flaunting his unique charm as a multi-talented musician. Known as “Worldwide Handsome,” Jin struts his unexpected charms through various content and TV shows. On July 14, 2024, Jin participated in the Paris 2024 Olympic Torch Relay as a torchbearer from South Korea. Jin is set to release his first solo album Happy on November 15.

Dolby, Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision, and the double-D symbol are trademarks or registered trademarks of Dolby Laboratories in the United States and/or other countries. Other trademarks remain the property of their respective owners.

Media Contact:
Cairon (Jamie) Armstrong
Dolby Laboratories
Cairon.Armstrong@Dolby.com

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SOURCE Dolby Laboratories, Inc.