After space gardens, it is still Campania the region looking to space as a new frontier for livability, with the production of textiles that can protect astronauts and future travelers in orbit from cosmic rays: the SACS (Satellite Analysis on Cellulose for Space) research project, promoted by the extended MICS (Made in Italy Circular and Sustainable) partnership, inherent in research and development actions to define the scenario of a "factory in space" will start on September 1 from Naples. The project is implemented by two SMEs from Campania, Knowledge for Business (lead partner) and Space Factory, with the support of DAC (Aerospace District of Campania). SACS aims to verify the production in the space environment of bacterial nanocellulose, based on a process patented by Knowledge for Business, using technologies developed by Space Factory for the MiniLab, a laboratory for space experiments already tested in previous missions. The project connects important research strands: the production of nanocellulose in the space environment, an organic and sustainable raw material that is developed through bacterial processes; and the MiniLab, a technological platform for scientific experiments in microgravity. Nanocellulose, as also highlighted by the European Space Agency (ESA), has protective capabilities against cosmic rays, making it useful both as a textile material and for astronauts' skin care and protection. These characteristics are essential for "life in space", especially for long stays in space stations or long-duration travel.
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