NASA and ISS National Lab Team Up for Live Space Station Downlink at Consumer Electronics Show

News provided by

International Space Station National Lab

Jan 04, 2023, 12:25 ET

Live downlink in 4K resolution from the International Space Station on January 6 at the world's largest technology conference will feature NASA astronauts Nicole Mann and Frank Rubio to discuss living and working in space, including a panel discussion featuring users of the orbiting laboratory

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The world's largest and most influential gathering of technology companies and researchers is about to receive a call from humanity's most innovative learning outpost, the International Space Station (ISS). Each year in Las Vegas (NV), the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) brings together key leaders within the technology field to network, spur new ideas, and to drive economic growth. This year, NASA and the ISS National Lab are seeking to make big waves by educating the CES community on avenues to utilize this one-of-a-kind incubator in low Earth orbit.

On Friday, January 6^th, from 8:30 through 9:10 a.m. PT, a session moderated by CNN Business' Jackie Wattles will focus on how a variety of users are leveraging the space station to further technological advancements that can bring value to humanity, improve the quality of life for those living and working in space, and enable a sustainable market in low Earth orbit. To kick off this session, Wattles will moderate a fast-paced conversation featuring:

Dr. Michael Roberts, Chief Scientist, ISS National Lab
Dr. Ken Savin, Chief Science Officer, Redwire Space
Dr. Mark Sivik, Distinguished Fellow, Procter & Gamble

After which, the space station will come calling. Wattles will moderate a discussion with NASA astronauts Nicole Mann and Frank Rubio, live from the orbiting laboratory. The conversation will focus on living in space – but more importantly, the types of research and innovation that the space station is capable of facilitating, and how that may be relevant to the technology sector.

As CES is a conference focused on featuring the newest innovations, why not use this downlink as an opportunity to showcase a new capability from NASA? This downlink transmission will provide a validation of new and improved bandwidth capabilities that will bring this conversation to attendees in higher resolution than ever before. In doing so, this hopes to set the foundation for future downlink conversations in 4K resolution, bringing the space station and astronauts to your televisions and computers with more clarity!

On Northrop Grumman's most recent resupply mission to the space station, it included an upgraded, next-generation BioFabrication Facility (BFF) from Redwire Space, in an effort to bioprint human cells and tissues in the absence of gravity. Dr. Savin will be able to speak to this facility, along with many others owned and operated by Redwire Space, and how the CES community can work with implementation partners and Commercial Space Providers through the ISS National Lab and NASA.

In 2022, Procter & Gamble launched two new investigations focused on the company's Tide laundry brand (sponsored by the ISS National Lab, and in collaboration via a Space Act Agreement with NASA). In doing so, the Tide in Space team sought to validate the stability of cleaning detergent products in the extreme environment of space, including Tide Infinity, the first in a series of products development for the space-based environment. The team also tested Tide to Go Pens and Tide to Go Wipes in the absence of gravity. Presently, astronauts do not have the capacity to clean their clothes through traditional avenues, and these studies could provide insights into future laundry solutions in space. Additionally, breakthroughs from this science could enable laundry solutions for those in remote or environmentally impacted communities on Earth.

For those planning to attend CES in person, the downlink and panel session are slated to take place at the Las Vegas Convention Center, West Hall, Room 232. The panelists may be available for potential interviews from media attending the conference. Interested media, please reach out to Patrick O'Neill, ISS National Lab Public Affairs and Outreach Lead at [email protected] to coordinate.

To learn more about CES, including how to attend in person and virtually, please visit www.ces.tech. To learn more about the ISS National Lab and the science it supports, please visit www.issnationallab.org.

To download a high-resolution photo for this release, click here.

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 Lab allows researchers to leverage this multiuser facility to improve 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 www.ISSNationalLab.org.