2015
Space milestones
63 missions and 97 payloads
Kayser reaches a total of 63 missions and 97 payloads developed, with a team of around 50 people. The journey that began with the first electronics applications translates into continuous activity developing systems for space experiments and infrastructure.
Kayser delivers the ACLS EM avionics to Airbus
Kayser delivers the Engineering Model (EM) avionics for ACLS, Advanced Closed Loop System, to Airbus Defence and Space, marking an initial milestone in the collaboration to develop the facility. The system recovers carbon dioxide and water to regenerate oxygen.
The delivery supports ground verification and process optimisation ahead of use on the ISS, contributing to the development of environmental control and life support system (ECLSS) technologies.
Kayser Space is established in the United Kingdom
The British subsidiary Kayser Space is established in October. The company thus expands its international presence with a base outside Italy, adding a local organisation alongside its collaborations with overseas missions and partners.
Tim Peake takes the United Kingdom to the ISS
In December, Tim Peake heads to the International Space Station, opening a new phase of British participation in ESA human spaceflight.
Humanity sees Pluto up close
After more than nine years of travel, New Horizons flies past Pluto and collects images and scientific data on the dwarf planet and its moons.
Missions & Payloads
FUTURA
Long-duration mission of Italian astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti on the International Space Station. The programme includes life sciences, physics and technology experiments, as well as educational activities.
Soyuz 44S
Crewed mission to the International Space Station. It transports Sergey Volkov, Andreas Mogensen and Aidyn Aimbetov. The capsule subsequently returns with the year-long mission crew.
SpaceX CRS-5
Dragon capsule mission dedicated to resupplying the International Space Station. It transports hardware, provisions and scientific experiments and returns samples and materials from the station to Earth.
Orbital-2
Second operational resupply mission of the Cygnus capsule under the Commercial Resupply Services contract. It delivers experiments, equipment and provisions to the ISS and disposes of waste during destructive re-entry into the atmosphere.
SCD
Experiment dedicated to studying the effects of around two weeks of microgravity on the growth, senescence and differentiation into osteoblasts of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. The name derives from Stem Cell Differentiation. The aim is to investigate the mechanisms of bone loss in space and similarities with osteoporosis and ageing on Earth. It is launched to the ISS on 27 March 2015 on Soyuz TMA-16M / 42S during the Futura mission. The modules operate correctly and produce good-quality samples, subsequently used for RNA, microarray and miRNA analyses. Kayser Italia develops all 24 experimental modules: 12 for flight and 12 for ground controls.
Triplelux A
Automated experiment for the activation, fixation and analysis of immune cells in orbit. It studies the response of mammalian macrophages to microgravity, particularly their ability to recognise and destroy foreign agents. The use of Biolab allows cells maintained in microgravity to be compared with cells subjected to artificial gravity, distinguishing the effects of gravitational conditions from those of other flight factors. Samantha Cristoforetti performs the operations in May 2015. Studies show very rapid adaptation of macrophages to microgravity, with cellular changes occurring within the first seconds and minutes.
NATO
Experiment dedicated to the use of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles containing calcium or strontium as a possible countermeasure to bone mass loss in microgravity. The name derives from Nanoparticles and Osteoporosis. On the ISS, human mesenchymal stem cells are cultured and induced to differentiate into osteoblasts. The experiment reaches the station on SpaceX CRS-6 in April 2015 and is managed by Samantha Cristoforetti. Kayser provides the STROMA Experiment Units, KIC containers and technical and scientific mission support.
CYTOSPACE
Experiment dedicated to the relationship between microgravity, cell shape and changes in gene expression. The name derives from Cell Shape and Expression. It uses MCF-7 breast carcinoma cells, with and without melatonin treatment, analysing their morphology, cytoskeleton and gene response. Samantha Cristoforetti starts the experiment on the ISS on 16 April 2015. The project is led by Kayser Italia together with the CYTOSPACE scientific team.
Triplelux B
Automated experimental system for culturing, activating and fixing immune cells from the mussel Mytilus edulis. It specifically studies the ability of haemocytes to phagocytose foreign bodies and produce the oxidative response needed to destroy them. The programme compares samples exposed to microgravity with control samples and, through comparison with vertebrate cells, investigates which mechanisms of the immune response are sensitive to gravitational conditions. Samantha Cristoforetti completes operations in March 2015 using Biolab.
ENDO
Experiment dedicated to studying human endothelial cells, which line the inside of blood vessels. The aim is to understand how microgravity alters their differentiation, structure and functions. The September 2015 campaign uses 40 microincubators in total. Of these, 24 Experiment Units are launched to the ISS on 2 September aboard Soyuz TMA-18M / 44S and subsequently installed in KUBIK. Analyses reveal changes in several cellular processes, including those related to oxidative stress and autophagy. Kayser Italia designs and builds the Experiment Units, which automatically perform cell culture, medium changes and sample fixation.
Controllers for FFL-01
Control units developed by Kayser Italia for the Fruit Fly Lab facility, designed for multigenerational studies on Drosophila and research into the immune response in microgravity. During the first flight, a temperature problem compromises some of the scientific samples. Nevertheless, the mission allows several technological elements of the facility to be validated.
T-Cell2
Continuation of the T-Cell Act in Aging experiment, dedicated to studying the causes of reduced immune response in microgravity. It analyses T-cell activation and changes in protein production and gene expression, comparing them with some changes observed during ageing. The samples reach the ISS on SpaceX CRS-5 in January 2015. Samantha Cristoforetti performs the experiment using the KUBIK incubators and concludes activities on 22 January.
KAB for NanoRacks Frame-3
Experiment Controller developed by Kayser Italia to manage automatic execution of experimental sequences, housekeeping data acquisition, storage and communication with connected experiments. KAB units are used in the NanoRacks infrastructure on the ISS as reusable control systems for different experiments.