The Space-X Crew-3 headed to the International Space Station (ISS) has a connection to the International Metallography Society (IMS). German astronaut, Matthias Maurer, from the European Space Agency (ESA), was a former student of Prof. Frank Muecklich, FASM, at Saarland University in Saarbruecken. In addition, Muecklich’s team has been assisting from the ground with some important preparations for ISS experiments.
Muecklich, a former IMS board member, and his team made more than 300 samples with antimicrobial surfaces based on laser interference for the experiments on “Touching Surfaces” and “Biofilms” conducted by several Space-X crews.
This interdisciplinary project “Touching Surfaces” aims to investigate novel, laser-structured antimicrobial surfaces onboard the ISS. The realistic testing of the tailor-made nanostructured antimicrobial surface in space allows for the determination of the most suitable design for antimicrobial surfaces for terrestrial applications such as public transportation and clinical settings, as well as future human space mission and habitation design.
In addition to Maurer, representing ESA and serving as a mission specialist, the Space-X Crew-3 includes three NASA astronauts: Raja Chari (mission commander), Tom Marshburn (pilot), and Kayla Barron (mission specialist). All are aboard the Dragon Endurance spacecraft and its Falcon 9 rocket, marking the fifth human spaceflight mission SpaceX has launched since May 2020. Crew-3 was originally set to launch on October 31 from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. But weather-related delays pushed it to November 3, with a backup opportunity on Thursday, November 4.
The international crew went through preflight training at SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, Calif., and entered their official quarantine on October 16 before traveling to Kennedy Space Center for final training prior to launch.
Image – The astronauts of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-3 mission pose for a portrait in their spacesuits during a training session. From left: NASA astronauts Kayla Barron, Raja Chari, and Thomas Marshburn, and European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Matthias Maurer. Courtesy of SpaceX.
Editor’s note: Subsequent to this posting, the launch was delayed several more times for weather and medical-related reasons. A successful launch finally did occur on November 10.
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