5. Support of Crystal Growth Experiment

The Battelle Advanced Materials Center, a NASA Center for the Commercial Development of Space (CCDS) based in Columbus, Ohio, is sponsoring the Support of Crystal Growth (SCG) Experiment on SPACEHAB-1.

This experiment was a successor to one that was conducted in the Spacelab glovebox flown on the first United States Microgravity Laboratory (USML-1) mission in July 1992. SCG supports the Zeolite Crystal Growth (ZCG) experiment also flying in the SPACEHAB in that it provides the invaluable information required to establish the ZCG autoclave mixing protocol so that the resulting crystal growth is optimized.

Ground-based and flight research has shown that mixing of the zeolite precursor solutions is critical to producing high quality crystals. Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging studies, KC-135 flights, and analysis of the USML-1 results demonstrate the need to optimize the mixing process (uniform mixing while minimizing shear). Determining the proper amount of mixing remains an empirical science, and therefore must utilize crew observation and judgment which requires extensive training and experience.

The Principal Investigator is Dr. Al Sacco, Jr., Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA. Lisa A. McCauley, Battelle Advanced Materials Center, is the flight program manager.

6. Zeolite Crystal Growth

STS-57 was the second Shuttle flight of the Zeolite Crystal Growth (ZCG) payload, developed by the Battelle Advanced Materials Center, Columbus, OH, a NASA Center for the Commercial Development of Space (CCDS). The ZCG experiment flew on the first United States Microgravity Laboratory (USML-1) Shuttle mission (July 1992) and the results appear very positive and all mission objectives were accomplished.

Zeolite crystals are complex arrangements of silica and alumina which occur both naturally and synthetically. An open, three-dimensional, crystalline structure enables the crystals to selectively absorb elements or compounds. As a result, the crystals are highly useful as catalysts, molecular sieves, absorbents and ion exchange materials.

Zeolites are used for purification and catalytic purposes. As a purifier, zeolites work as molecular-scale sieves to remove contaminants from solutions. If improved zeolites were used in kidney dialysis as a purifier, the time needed to complete dialysis could be significantly reduced.

Zeolites could also help in removing impurities in blood molecules, which would be helpful in blood transfusions. As catalysts, zeolites aid in making industrial processes more efficient. The catalytic procedure used to process crude oil into gasoline could benefit from improved zeolites, potentially increasing the yield of gasoline, thus reducing U.S. dependence on foreign oil sources. Amoco Chemical Co. and Du Pont are Battelle's industrial affiliates on this flight of ZCG.

Ultimately, space-produced zeolite crystals are expected to be larger and of higher quality than their ground-produced counterparts, providing tremendous industrial potential for such crystals. The zeolites produced in microgravity are considered high value-added products, and will be scaled up to production quantities using Space Station Freedom and recoverable orbital systems launched by expendable launch vehicles.

Principal Investigator for ZCG is Dr. Albert Sacco, Jr., Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA. ZCG Program Manager is Lisa McCauley, Battelle Advanced Materials Center.

Commercial Biotechnology Experiments

7. ASTROCULTURE^TM

The ASTROCULTURE payload was sponsored by the Wisconsin Center for Space Automation and Robotics (WCSAR), a NASA Center for the Commercial Development of Space (CCDS) located at the University of Wisconsin in Madison.

Currently, no satisfactory plant growth unit is available to support long-term plant growth in space. Increases in the duration of space missions, including stays on Space Station Freedom, have made it necessary to develop plant growth technology that could minimize the cost of life support while in space. Plants can reduce costs of providing food, oxygen and pure water and also lower costs of removing carbon dioxide in human space habitats.

The current industry affiliates on ASTROCULTURE include Automated Agriculture Assoc., Inc., Dodgeville, WI; Biotronics Technologies, Inc., Waukesha, WI; Quantum Devices, Inc., Barveveld, WI; and Orbital Technologies Corporation, Madison, WI. Principal Investigator is Dr. Raymond J. Bula, WCSAR.

8. BioServe Pilot Laboratory

The BioServe Pilot Laboratory (BPL) is sponsored by BioServe Space Technologies, a NASA Center for the Commercial Development of Space (CCDS) based at the University of Colorado in Boulder.

The BPL will play an important role in providing the commercial and scientific communities affordable access to space for material and life sciences research. The main focus of the project is to provide a "first step" opportunity to companies interested in exploring materials processing and life science experiments in space. The notion behind the project is to allow industry a mechanism for entry level "proof of concept" flights. Thus, the BPL is a crucial screening device for more complex, targeted space research and development activities.

Dr. Marvin Luttges, Director of the BioServe CCDS, is Program Manager. Drs. Louis Stodieck and Michael Robinson, also of BioServe, are responsible for mission management.

9. Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus

The Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus (CGBA) payload was sponsored by BioServe Space Technologies, a NASA Center for the Commercial Development of Space (CCDS), located at the University of Colorado, Boulder. The purpose of the CGBA is to allow a wide variety of sophisticated biomaterials, life sciences and biotechnology investigations to be performed in one device in the low gravity environment of space.

During the STS-57 mission, the CGBA supported 27 separate commercial investigations, which can be loosely classified in three application areas: biomedical testing and drug development, controlled ecological life support system (CELSS) development and agricultural development, and manufacture of biological-based materials.

Biomedical Testing and Drug Development -- To collect information on how microgravity affects biological organisms, the CGBA included eight biomedical test models. Of the eight test models, four related to immune disorders: one investigated the process in which certain cells engulf and destroy foreign materials (phagocytosis); another studied bone marrow cell cultures; two others studied the ability of the immune system to respond to infectious-type materials (lymphocyte and T-cell induction); and one investigated the ability of immune cells to kill infectious cells (TNF-Mediated Cytotoxicity).

The other four test models -- which related to bone and developmental disorders, wound healing, cancer and cellular disorders -- investigated bone tissue, brine shrimp development, inhibition of cell division processes, stimulation of cell division processes and the ability of protein channels to pass materials through cell membranes.

Test model results provide information to better understand diseases and disorders that affect human health, including cancer, osteoporosis and AIDS. In the future, these models may be used for the development and testing of new drugs to treat these diseases.

Controlled Ecological Life Support System Development -- To gain knowledge on how microgravity affects micro-organisms, small animal systems, algae and higher plant life, the CGBA included 13 ecological test systems. Two of the test systems examined miniature wasp development. Seven separate studies concerned seed germination and seedling processes related to CELSS development. Another three test systems investigated bacterial products and processes and bacterial colonies for waste management applications. Finally, one other system studied new materials to control build-up of unwanted bacteria and other micro-organisms.

Test system results provide research information with many commercial applications. For example, evaluating higher plant growth in microgravity could lead to new commercial opportunities in controlled agriculture applications. Test systems that alter micro-organisms or animal cells to produce important pharmaceuticals could later be returned to earth for large-scale production. Similarly, it may be possible to manipulate agricultural materials to produce valuable seed stocks.

Biomaterials Products and Processes -- The CGBA was also used to investigate six different biomaterials products and processes. Two investigations attempted to grow large protein and RNA crystals to yield information for use in commercial drug development. A third investigation evaluated the assembly of virus shells for use in a commercially-developed drug delivery system. Another experiment will use bacteria to form magnetosomes (tiny magnets) for potential use in advanced electronics. Two other investigations used fibrin clot materials as a model of potentially implantable materials that could be developed commercially as replacements for skin, tendons, blood vessels and even cornea.

Results from the 27 investigations were carefully considered in determining subsequent steps toward commercialization.

Dr. Marvin Luttges, Director of the BioServe CCDS, is Program Manager for CGBA. Drs. Louis Stodieck and Michael Robinson, also of BioServe, are responsible for mission management.

10. Organic Separation

The Consortium for Materials Development in Space (CMDS) based at the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), developed the Organic Separation (ORSEP) payload for flight on SPACEHAB-1. The UAH CMDS is a NASA Center for the Commercial Development of Space (CCDS).

ORSEP offers the commercial and scientific communities the opportunity to separate cells and particles by a mechanistic technique unavailable on earth. The potential commercial value of separations includes the opportunity to culture cell subpopulations on return to earth, the revelation that subpopulations exist, and, as is the case for protein crystal growth in space, in scientific study of the purified samples.

The Principal Investigator for ORSEP is Dr. James M. Van Alstine, University of Alabama in Huntsville.