STS 90

Description

The primary mission of STS 90 was to conduct a comprehensive list of neurobiological experiments and observations on a number of species: seven humans, 18 pregnant mice, 152 rats (including 12 females with prenatal litters of eight each, and two with litters of seven each), 229 swordtail fish, 60 snails, 75 snail pawn packs, 824 crickets, and 680 cricket eggs. According to a principal investigator (of rat research), "the findings from the microgravity experiments may help gain some more insight into the best way to treat neurologic patients with Parkinson's disease, and balance disorders." According to the project scientist of the mission, "it is important to note that the sensory and motor development events and processes under study in the various species on Neurolab are essentially the same as those that occur in humans, although with a different time frame."