National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Free Flyer Utilization for Biology Research
John W. Hines Chief Technologist, Engineering DirectorateTechnical Director, Nanosatellite MissionsNASA-Ames Research Center
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Human Health Emphasis
FundamentalBiology
Emphasis
FundamentalBiology
Emphasis
Human ExplorationEmphasis
Human ExplorationEmphasis
HumansHumans
Exploration Subsystems
Exploration Subsystems
SmallOrganisms
(Mice, Rats)
SmallOrganisms
(Mice, Rats)
Tissue, OrgansTissue, Organs
BioMoleculesBioMolecules
MammalianCells
MammalianCells
ModelOrganisms,Microbes
ModelOrganisms,Microbes
NASA Applications of BioScience/BioTechnology
4Free-Flyer Utilization
Free Flyer Features
• Advantage: Relatively inexpensive means to increase number of flight opportunities
• Capabilities: – Returnable capsule to small secondary non-recoverable
satellites, and/or
– In-situ measurement and control with autonomous sample management
• Command and Control: Fully automated or uplinked command driven investigations.
• Research data: Downlink and/or receipt of the samples
• Collaborations: Interagency, academic, commercial and international
NASA Biosatellite III, 1969Nominal 20d flight
• Spaceflight responses of non-human primates
NASA Biosatellite I, II, 1966-67Nominal 3d flights
• Response to microgravity & radiation: various biological species
• Onboard radiation source
Early Free Flyers
Bion Rationale
• Increases access to space• Proven Platforms
– Relatively low cost & risk -- >98% success with modified Vostok launcher and Cosmos/Bion & Foton spacecraft
– Capitalizes on existing Russian capability - NASA had a productive collaboration in 9 joint missions (starting in 1975)
– Full ECLSS– Nominal Duration is 20 - 30 Days, 45+ Days planned
• Complements existing flight program (STS/ISS)– Supports animal research in space – Provides long duration microgravity exposure with onboard radiation source– Potential platform for artificial gravity research– Enables use of virulent organisms and hazardous chemicals -- response to
disease and toxics– Technology testbed, advanced analytical devices, telescience & robotics
• Rapid science return• Science drives mission design including launch and reentry timing, orbit, and flight
duration
Bion: Russian Mission Scenarios
Mission, Date Bion-M1, 2012 (tbd) Bion-M2, 2014 (tbd) Bion-M3, 2016 (tbd)
Duration: Up to 30 days 30-40 days 45+ days
Mission Focus:
Microgravity effects on adult rodents and smaller specimens
Long Duration rodent study w/ or w/o on-board radiation source for microgravity-radiation synergy
Artificial gravity, radiation or longer duration rodent microgravity study
Russian Focus:
Systems biology (bone, muscle, neuroscience, …) Radiation Health Artificial Gravity
No. PIs: 10-15 10-20 10-20
• Science and Exploration Missions– Biological Sciences– Astrobiology– Astrophysics– Space Sciences– Space Physics– Lunar Sciences
• Technology Demonstrations– Propulsion– Communications– Mass reduction - MEMS/NEMS– Autonomous operations– Formation flying/constellations– Novel space architectures - tethers– Evolvable, reconfigurable satellites
LANL
CalTech
Aerospace Corp
NASA/ARC
Payload packages on larger spacecraft• Flight heritage from Cubesat missions
• Use Cubesat derived technologies to support other spacecraft missions
• Lunar Orbiters
• Lunar Landers
Roles of Very Small Spacecraft
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MicroSatellite - Free Flyers• Microsatellites are small, rapidly deployable, highly flexible science and
technology spaceflight platforms generally considered to be of mass less than 100 kg.
• For the Microsatellite Free Flyer Project, the spacecraft range in mass from 5-50 kg, with initial missions utilizing platforms in the 5-10kg range
• These spacecraft are capable of accommodating fully autonomous payloads and conducting in-situ measurement, monitoring and control biological experiments, with real-time analysis and data downlink.
µSat-FF capabilities validated by multiple spaceflights:
– GeneBox (launched Jul 2006),– GeneSat (launched Dec 2006),– Pre-Sat/Nanosail-D (Aug 2008)– PharmaSat (launched May 2009),– O/OREOS (planned May. 2010);– SALMON (planned May. 2011+)
MicroSatellite Free Flyer (MicroSatellite Free Flyer (µµSatSat--FF) ProjectFF) ProjectScience Targets & ApplicationsScience Targets & Applications
• Goal: Provide the capability to support biological/biotechnology payloads for model organisms, mammalian cells, and other relevant specimens
• Measurement Targets (subset): – Gene expression; protein expression; metabolites, signalers, excretates; growth, kill curves; behavior
• Possible Applications (subset):– Combined radiation/reduced gravity consequences: mammalian cells, human gene carriers (e.g. yeast),
model organisms.• DNA damage: wound healing, cancer• Cell membrane damage: central nervous system• Oxidation: compromised defense to hazards & pathogens• Protein damage: impaired bone & muscle function
– Space effects on microbes/pathogens• Virulence increase/decrease
• Changes in pharmacological efficacy => PharmaSat-1
• Push the envelope of miniaturization, automation: also benefits human-tended payloads, related terrestrial applications– e.g. “canary-on-a-chip”
Capabilities
• Fully autonomous, self-contained free-flyers.
• Multiple configurations to address a multitude of research scenarios.
• Mass: 4 – 50 kg total spacecraft payload in µSat-FF configuration (3 – 75 L total volume)
• Accommodated on most any launch vehicle due to small size, volume
• Many orbital trajectories: LEO, HEO, GEO, Lunar, etc.
• Low power consumption: 4 – 50 W
• Temperature control: 15 – 40 °C (4 °C with 30-50 kg version), <0.5 °C stability
• Humidity control: 30 – 100%, active or passive control
• Media support: liquid culture or solid/gel-supported growth; fluid exchange; bio/chemical challenges
• Atmosphere: 1 atm ± 10%; active O2, CO2 control; gas exchange
• In-situ, real-time analysis; autonomous data management & telemetry
• Interactive with “timeout autonomy” or fully autonomous experimental control.
• Sample return possible (future)
Microsatellite Technologies
Spatial Imaging
Detection and Analysisµ‐wellplates
Diffuse fluorescence,luminescence
µ‐fluidics
Goal: develop modular, broadly-applicable technology platform that …
• elucidates molecular biological effects of microgravity + radiation space-flight environment: gene & protein expression, metabolites
• is applicable to many micro- and small organisms: single/multicellular; adherent, non-adherent, motile
• is designed for fully autonomous life support, sample processing, analysis
• is reconfigurable, modular in design; i.e. “replicate friendly” multiwell approach
• supports multiple measurement strategies and tools
• has minimum practical size, weight, power consumption: low-cost 2° payloads
Sample Management, Culturing
PCR
Single-wavelength
DNA,proteinµarrays
Multi-wavelength
cytometry
Spectroscopy
Applicability: Free-Flyers, ISS, Gnd R&D, Xfer
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Microsat Free Flyer Multi-Year Schedule Status
FY09 FY10 FY11 FY12 FY13 FY14 FY15 FY16
PharmaSat (Msat FF1)
MoO*
MSat FF/MoO 1
MSat FF/MoO 2
Msat FF 2MoO 3
Msat FF 3MoO 4
Msat FF 4MoO5
PlanningSolicitation & SelectionPre‐Phase APhase A
Phase BPhase CPhase DPhase E/F
Launch
11 22 33 44 11 22 33 44 11 22 33 44 11 22 33 44 11 22 33 44 11 22 33 44 11 22 33 44
Data Analysis & Report
11 22 33 44
Note: Schedule beyond FY 2014 is notional
E/PO EXAMPLE: GeneSat-1 Student Involvement
Pre-Launch/Mission Operations
Post-Launch Engagement
University Level: Montana State University and Cal Poly: participants in the Amateur Radio Contest, Having access to your conversion factors, also permitted our students to engage in data reduction and analysis techniques. Dave Klumpar, MSU; Old Dominion University space system engineering course: homework assignment using GeneSat 1 to predict the decay rate of a satellite in a circular orbit
High School Level: Manheim Central High School, Lancaster, PA 9th grade Earth Science students using GeneSat Telemetry data while studying astronomy, analyze solar cell currents, and the temperatures of the satellite as it orbits the earth using Excel to create graphs of the data.
Elementary School Level: St Catherine of Sienna School in Burlingame, GeneSat Telemetry Science Fair Entry by ‘JAK’ Kitts, Age 9
6 Universities: Arizona State University; Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo; Northeastern University; San Francisco State University; Santa Clara University; Stanford University
2 High Schools: Leland High School; Georgianna Bruce Kirby Prep School
40 Students: 19 Grad Students; 19 Undergrad Students; 2 High School Students
13 Student Projects: 3 Co-op projects; 4 Capstone projects; 2 Undergraduate Thesis Topics; 3 Graduate Thesis Topics; 1(very near term) Doctoral Thesis Topic
Preparing the next generation of engineers with hands-on experience, solving real world problems
Bion M1 NRA (Immunology and BSP) Theme areas: Immune FunctionBiospeciman Sharing Program: rodent investigationsExploration Relevance:Understanding long term space environment effects on immune function can provide insight to space exploration crew health risk.Schedule:43 Step-1 proposals received39 invited to submit Step-2 proposals33 Step-2 proposals receivedScience Definition Selections: 5 Immune and 9 BSP proposals
SALMON AO (Small Complete Missions of Opportunity in FSB)Theme areas: Fundamental Space Biology investigations on microbes, cells or small animals. Schedule:Up to 2 Missions will be selectedAO Release: Sept. 3, 2008 (original release)AO Re-release: Sep 22, 2009NOI Due: October 6, 2009Proposals Due: November 21, 2009
Free Flyer Solicitations
Domestic Free Flyers
Experiments Completed• GeneBox (Bigelow Genesis 1; 7/12/06): A non-deployable Technology
Demonstration testing satellite bus and payload technology components of GeneSat-1.
• GeneSat-1 (Minotaur-1; 12/16/06): Technology Demonstration validating autonomous, in-situ small (nanosatellite-class) spacecraft capabilities to conduct an E. coli growth science/technology demonstration.
• PreSat (Falcon 1; 8/2/08): PharmaSat-1 Technology Demonstration. Flight terminated due to Launch Vehicle failure.
• PharmaSat-1 (Minotaur-1; May 2009): Microgravity effect on yeast susceptibility to antifungal drugs in the space environment.
Russian Free Flyers
Experiments Completed• Foton M2 (5/31/05): Four NASA sponsored bacteria, snails, geckos and newts
Russian collaboration experiments. • Foton M3 (Launch 9/14/07): Follow on experiments for Foton M2 collaborations.
FSB Free Flyer Research
Domestic Free Flyers
Experiments Under Development• SMD/ESMD SALMON (StandALone Mission of Opportunity Notice) -2009
– Fundamental Space Biology (FSB) Mission of Opportunity 1 (MoO-1)– FSB Mission of Opportunity 2 (MoO-2)
• 3 MicroSat Free Flyer Flights and up to 4 Mission of Opportunities (2009-2014).
Russian Free Flyers
Experiments Under Development• Bion M1 BSP (Launch 9/2012): Determine immunological and other effects of
lengthy periods of weightlessness on mice. • Other Russian free flyer opportunities
FSB Free Flyer Research
Recent Biology Investments in Free Flyers
• Russian Foton / Bion recoverable capsules as primary vehicles onRussian launcher.
• Domestic non-recoverable micro- / nano- satellites as secondary payload on domestic government or commercial launcher.
• Astrobiology Small Payloads (ASP) Program is currently supporting a nanosatellite based dual payload science demonstration mission. Organics/Organismal Response to Orbital Environmental Stresses (O/OREOS) builds on the Gensat/Pharmasat platform but contains two independent payloads and supports multiple science objectives
Year
1975‐2003August 1992 January 2000September 1978 January 1990
NASA Biological Research Flight Publications
Objectives:
• Plasmid: Spaceflight effects on structural stability and genetic information transfer in plasmid pIJ702 of Actinomycetes streptomyces lividans 66.
• Receptor: Structure and function of the gravi-sensing statocyst system following an earth’s orbital mission.
• Gecko and Regeneration: Determine if the low level mechanical loading environment created by microgravity alters the proliferation rates of somatic stem cells involved in newt and gecko tissue regeneration.
• Foton-M3 is an opportunity to confirm results, improve research techniques, and expand the areas of inquiry based on the Foton-M2 results.
– Foton-M2 produced data on genetic structures, genetic stability, molecular-biological mechanisms of cell proliferation, tissue regeneration, and the effect of microgravity on the electro-physiology of gravity sensing.
PIs: Plasmid: Drs. Tatiana A. Voeikova, Genetics Research Center, Moscow, Russia and Barry H. Pyle, Montana State UniversityRegeneration: Drs. Victor I. Mitashov, of the Koltsov Institute of Devel. Biol. (IDB). Moscow, & E. A.C. Almeida, NASA ARCGecko: Drs. Segei V. Savelyev of the Institute of Human Morphology, Moscow, and Eduardo A.C. Almeida, NASA ARCReceptor: Drs. Pavel M. Balaban of the Institute of Higher Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology, Moscow, Russia & Ri. D. Boyle, NASA ARC
Foton M-2 mission May 31 – June 16, 2005Foton-M3 mission September 14-26, 2007
Foton-M2 and Foton-M3
Genesat-1 launched on 12/16/06 aboard a USAF Minotaur-1
• Secondary Payload with Tacsat-2 primary• Spacecraft mass 7.1 kg (4.1 kg + 3 kg adapter)• Spacecraft volume 14” x 4” x 4”• 60 day mission duration; 96 hr Biology exp.• Measured GFP and Optical Density of E. coli• All Mission objectives fully accomplished
Ames Research Center
GeneSat-1 Technology Demonstration
Principal Investigator: David Niesel (Michael McGinnis), Ph.D.
University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB)
Effect of Microgravity upon YeastSusceptibility to Anti-fungal Drugs
– Saccharomyces cerevisiae• Model organism, well studied
– Grow in different concentrations of antifungal• Three concentrations and control (no antifungal)• Twelve wells per condition
– Compare results of flight and ground
Card Laminate Assembly
Card Assembly View
60-well BioFluidics card
Fluidics/Sample Handling Block Diagram
• Measure and determine the effect microgravity has on yeast resistance to an antifungal agent.
• Provide life support and environmental control for yeast growth in 48 independent microwells.
• Track the yeast culture density and health in each microwell.
• Launched on 05/05/09 aboard a with USAF Minotaur-1 with the Tacsat-3 primary payload.
PharmaSat-1 Proof of Concept
Astrobiology spinoff
Organism/ORganics Exposure to Orbital Stresses (O/OREOS)-NanoSatellite
Mission Goal:Demonstrate Demonstrate autonomous, in-situbiological organism and organic specimen exposure & detection technologies aboard free-flying nanosatellites in support of ASP objectives
Demonstrate Demonstrate the capability for low-cost replicate spaceflight experiments on nanosatellites for current and future applications
Demonstrate Demonstrate that single-cube interchangeable instruments can do scientifically significant biology & chemistry experiments
Demonstrate Demonstrate versatility of triple-cube format: 5 kg of low-cost self-contained science experimentation suitable for any Earth orbit, moon, Mars, beyond
Dual Payload• 1. BIO: two types of living biological
specimens, with active optical measurement of growth and/or metabolic activity
• 2. ORGANIC: four reaction-cell-supported environments containing organic molecules, with UV-visible spectroscopic characterization
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SMD SALMON AO (FSB Element)
• A maximum of two individual investigations will be selected.
• The first selected investigation is expected to utilize hardware being developed for the PharmaSat-1.
• The second selected investigation is expected to utilize the PharmaSat-1 flight hardware bus platforms and payload interfaces, but may also utilize other proposed instrument and payload elements.
• Both selected investigations are anticipated to focus on microbe-based studies.– Proposals utilizing other small
organisms will be considered provided they demonstrate the capability to meet the constraints of the solicited opportunity.
Dec 31, 2011
Dec 31, 2011
Sep 15,, 2009?
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