WASHINGTON, D.C. – As the Artemis II crew returns to earth following their mission to the moon, they’ve also been tasked with a second mission: to help study how deep space impacts human health.
NASA said the AVATAR (A virtual Astronaut Tissue Analog Response) investigation took bone marrow tissue from each of the astronauts and put it on a chip, which is the size of a thumb drive. These chips were placed on board with the crew during their mission to the moon. When they return to earth, scientists will run tests on the chips to study the impacts of space travel on human health. NASA adds this research could also expand their understanding of aging and disease and improve research in healthcare improvements, such as cancer treatments. The Artemis II crew is scheduled to return to earth Friday night.
