Brazilian Spaceman Probes Bean Growth and Chlorophyll at Space Station

This Monday, April 3, the coordination of the Centennial Mission evaluated as positive the activities of Brazilian astronaut Marcos César Pontes at the International Space Station (ISS).

According to the Assistant Manager for scientific experiments, Marta Humman, Pontes has so far covered the chronogram without any problems.

Since Saturday, when he arrived at the station, Pontes has been working with experiments elaborated by Brazilian scientists. This Sunday, he started developing the heat minitubes experiment (MHP), of the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC).

The objective is to transfer concentrated heat from a warm area to a cooler one, acting as a transfer device in microgravity environments, in a way as to expand its use for the control of electronic components in space. The experiment will last four days.

One other experiment investigates if, in space, beans germinate the same way as in Earth. Another one evaluates how plants produce chlorophyll when they are weightless, on orbit.

Pontes will stay in space for eight days.

ABr

Tags:

You May Also Like

Brazil’s Legendary Politician Miguel Arraes Surviving on Hemodialysis

Brazilian Federal Deputy Miguel Arraes, president of the Brazilian Socialist Party (PSB), who became ...

Lula Is All Smiles with Secretary Clinton, But Doesn’t Budge an Inch on Iran

The Brazilian government and Washington could not agree Wednesday over how to rein in ...

Best Showing in 14 Years: UN Estimates Put Brazil Growth at 6% in 2008

Latin America's largest economy, that of Brazil, will likely end 2008 with an expansion ...