CNN's Former NASA Astronaut Plans Private Trip Back to Space begins
Record-holding NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson1 has spent more time in outer space than almost any other human on the planet, but even in retirement she's desperate to go back. On Tuesday, the 61-year-old Whitson revealed that she will do just that — and this time, she's flying private.
Axiom, a Houston-based company that focuses on arranging commercial flights to space, announced that Whitson will pilot a mission dubbed AX-2, which could be among the first privately funded civilian missions to space to launch from US soil.
and later says:
Whitson, who nabbed the American record for time spent in space during her 22-year NASA career, said the AX-2 mission will likely be less onerous than the trips she's made to space on behalf of the US space agency. Still, Whitson said, she and Shoffner will be keeping busy: Shoffner plans to host livestreams from space to encourage math and science education. And they'll be supporting research projects for a company called 10XGenomics, Shoffner said.
Question: Are there any papers, press-releases or other information on what 10X Genomics plans on testing during the upcoming Axiom Space Mission 2 or AX-2 mission? The company focuses on technology to measure gene expression localized within a single cell, but I can't see how microgravity would play into that. Since this is research by a private company I'm guessing that the work should benefit their products and their use on Earth rather than doing basic science research exploring the biological effects of spaceflight, but I could be completely wrong about that.
1Jeanne Moos' video: interesting/humorous observations on several levels (e.g. discussing the drinking of processed urine with the former US president) "Better you than me!"