National Aeronautics and Space Administration

International Space Station

EXPEDITION 64began in October 2020 and ends in April 2021. This expedition will include research investigations focused on biology, Earth science, human research, physical sciences 

and technology development, providing the foundation for continuing human spaceflight beyond low-Earth orbit to the Moon and Mars. 

THE CREW:

During Expedition 64, crew members will grow radishes in 

a study to better understand plant growth and nutrition in 

microgravity, conduct cancer therapy research, study how 

mining with microbes might be used on asteroids, and continue 

research into the effects of microgravity on the heart. 

THE SCIENCE:

What are some investigations 

the crew is operating?

Born: Baikonur, Kazakhstan

Spaceflights: First flight

Bio: https://go.nasa.gov/2QAxHsN

Sergey Kud-Sverchkov (Roscosmos) – 

Flight Engineer

[MISSION SUMMARY]

Born: Farmington, Connecticut

Spaceflights: Exp. 48/49

Bio: https://go.nasa.gov/3kKQ9Nb

Kate Rubins (NASA) – Flight Engineer

Born: Bugulma, Russia

Spaceflights: Exp. 49/50 

Bio: https://go.nasa.gov/3arzAR

Sergey Ryzhikov (Roscosmos) – Commander

Born: Houston, Texas

Spaceflights: Exp. 24/25

Bio: https://go.nasa.gov/2X36Mta

Shannon Walker (NASA) – Flight Engineer

Born: Pomona, California

Spaceflights: First flight

Bio: https://go.nasa.gov/31cfXJh

Twitter: @VicGlover

Victor Glover (NASA) – Flight Engineer

Born: Lebanon, Missouri

Spaceflights: Exp. 37/38 

Bio: https://go.nasa.gov/31cfQxl

Twitter: @Astro_illini

Mike Hopkins (NASA) – Flight Engineer

Born: Yokohama, Japan

Spaceflights: STS-114, Exp. 22/23

Bio: https://go.nasa.gov/2X7lzD6

Twitter: @Astro_Soichi

Soichi Noguchi (JAXA) – Flight Engineer
National Aeronautics and Space Administration 

Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center

Houston, Texas 77058

www.nasa.gov

NP-2020-09-019-JSC

International

Space Station

Mission

Summary

■ Plant Habitat-02

A new crop is heading to the International Space Station: radishes! 

When astronauts travel to the Moon and Mars, they are likely to grow 

edible plants to supplement food brought from Earth. To produce 

nutritious food in space, we need to understand how the differences in 

gravity, atmosphere, and soil conditions affect the way plants grow. As 

part of ongoing efforts to produce food in space, the Plant Habitat-02 

investigation uses the Advanced Plant Habitat aboard the space station 

to grow radishes in different types of light and soils. Radishes are 

nutritious, grow quickly, and are genetically similar to Arabidopsis, a plant 

that scientists have already studied a lot in microgravity. This research 

also evaluates the nutrition and taste of the plants, because even space 

explorers like their food to taste good.

Onco-Selectors

Scientists use many screening methods and models in efforts to develop 

cancer drugs that work better and have fewer harmful side effects. 

Leveraging Microgravity to Screen Onco-selective Messenger RNAs for 

Cancer Immunotherapy (Onco-Selectors) tests drugs based on messenger 

ribonucleic acids (mRNA) for treating leukemia. Found in all our cells, 

mRNA plays a role in the process of making proteins and it can be 

different in healthy versus cancer cells. Under normal gravity conditions, 

some drugs are onco-selective, or can tell cancer cells from healthy ones. 

Researchers expect the ones that also have this trait in microgravity will 

make good candidates for safer, more effective, and affordable medicines 

to treat leukemia and other cancers. Such drugs could improve survival 

rates for thousands of people every year.

BioAsteroid

Microscopic miners are going to work in space! Microbes that interact 

with rock have many potential uses in future space exploration. They 

could be used to create life support systems that use regolith (the 

dust-like material on the surface of the Moon and other planets), 

break down rocks into soils for plant growth, and extract useful 

minerals from rocks. Gravity affects how microbes and rocks interact, 

though. The Microbe-rock Interactions for Human Space Exploration 

(BioAsteroid) experiment studies these interactions, and whether 

physical and genetic changes occur in biofilms in space. Results could 

help us understand the physical interactions of liquid, rocks, and 

microorganisms. If crew members on future missions can build Lunar 

or Martian bases using materials found there, they could bring fewer 

resources from Earth. That would save room and fuel on the trip and 

preserve valuable resources for use here. 

Cardinal Heart

Microgravity significantly affects heart tissues, causing molecular and 

structural abnormalities that can lead to disease. Such changes could 

pose a risk on future long-duration space missions. Effect of Microgravity 

on Drug Responses Using Engineered Heart Tissues (Cardinal Heart) uses 

engineered heart tissues (EHTs) to study changes in cardiovascular cells 

and tissues in microgravity. The investigation could help establish ways 

to predict cardiovascular risk prior to spaceflight. Because the response 

to microgravity is strikingly similar to heart diseases on Earth, the work 

also could help identify how these diseases develop and better ways to 

treat them. In addition, it advances the potential of EHTs to serve as a way 

to monitor systemic changes in diseased versus healthy individuals and 

provide new ways to develop countermeasures.

The Expedition 64 patch shows the International Space Station illuminated by the city 

lights of earth. The illumination of the space station modules represents the enduring 

partnership and continuous human presence on station for 20 years. The modules 

from all partner countries represent the international cooperation, which sustains 

this presence in space. The aurora and light behind the horizon are beautiful features 

of our home planet, and the Moon and stars in the background shows our future 

exploration beyond Earth.

Credits: NASA

THE MISSION PATCH: