A preliminary design for performing on orbit, autonomous research on microorganisms and cultured cells/tissues is presented. An understanding of gravity and its effects on cells is crucial for space exploration as well as for terrestrial applications. The payload is designed to be compatible with the Commercial Experiment Transporter (COMET) launch vehicle, an orbiter middeck locker interface, and with Space Station Freedom. Uplink/downlink capabilities and sample return through controlled reentry are available for all carriers. Autonomous testing activities are preprogrammed with in-flight reprogrammability. Sensors for monitoring temperature, pH, light, gravity levels, vibrations, and radiation are provided for environmental regulation and experimental data collection. Additional experimental data acquisition includes optical density measurement, microscopy, video, and film photography. On-board full data storage capabilities are provided. A fluid transfer mechanism is utilized for inoculation, sampling, and nutrient replenishment of experiment cultures. In addition to payload design, representative experiments were developed to ensure scientific objectives remained compatible with hardware capabilities. The project is defined to provide biological data pertinent to extended duration crewed space flight including crew health issues and development of a Controlled Ecological Life Support System (CELSS). In addition, opportunities are opened for investigations leading to commercial applications of space, such as pharmaceutical development, modeling of terrestrial diseases, and material processing.
Autonomous Support for Microorganism Research in Space
1992
107 pages
Report
No indication
English
Microbiology , Stress Physiology , Space Technology , Automatic control , Microorganisms , Reduced gravity , Spaceborne experiments , Closed ecological systems , Launch vehicles , Payloads , Space commercialization , Space station freedom , Space station payloads , Aerospace medicine , Data acquisition , Density measurement , Downlinking , Exobiology , Inoculation , Long duration space flight , Microscopy , Optical density , Ph , Pharmacology , Photography , Sampling , Uplinking
Autonomous support for microorganism research in space
NTRS | 1992
|Autonomous support for microorganism research in space
NTRS | 1992
|Plant-Module for Autonomous Space Support (P-MASS)
Online Contents | 1994
|