The Development and Testing of Visualization and Passively Controlled Life Support Systems for Experimental Organisms During Spaceflight

This paper describes the development and ground-test results of three passively controlled life support systems for experiments currently onboard ISS, and scheduled for flight on STS-107 as part of the Space Media Inc. (SMI) Science and Technology Research Student (STARS®) global education program.

Two experiments use the Autonomous Biological System (ABS) technology, which has been tested during two 4-month Mir experiments. One ABS will house embryos and fry of the Japanese Medaka Fish, Oryzias latipes, A second ABS contains a complex ecosystem experiment. The third system uses a passive life support system based on agar gel for the harvester ant Pogonomyrmex occidentalis.

Thermal control, lighting and still and streaming digital imaging during the experiments are provided by the Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus - Isothermal Containment Module (GBA-ICM).