Gliosat/Gliolab: Joint missions to study ionizing radiations effects on cancer cells behaviour

Space environment, characterized by ionizing radiation and microgravity conditions, engenders health problems in cosmonauts. In particular ionizing radiation exposure causes changing on body systems functions increasing cancer risk. For this reason a lot of studies have been carrying out in order to know the consequences of space radiations exposure on human health. The aim of the GlioSat/GlioLab project is to start a different approach studying the effects of ionizing radiation in organism already affected by cancer. The goal is to study space radiations effects on biological sample behaviour. In particular ionizing radiations (normally used at ground at different levels for radiotherapy) combined with microgravity conditions can increase, decrease or don't have any effects on Glioblastoma multiforme cancer cells survival rate. In any case to have results in this study can improve the knowledge on Glioblastoma treatment. Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common primary neoplasm and most malignant astrocytic tumor occurring in the central nervous system in adults. The idea is to perform test using two different platforms: GlioLab, with the goal to perform test on International Space Station using Nanoracks and the microsatellite GlioSat designed to board Glioblastoma cancer cells as a biomedical payload. This project, started in 2009 by GAUSS (Group of Astrodynamics of University of Roma La Sapienza) at the School of Aerospace Engineering in Roma, involves also the Space Science Center in Morehead State University in Kentucky and the Genetic department of IRCCS-Hospital CSS San Giovanni Rotondo in Italy. This paper describes the progress obtained on both mission.