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Summary | Overview | Operations | Results | Publications | Imagery

Facility Summary


Brief Summary

Feeding and fixing microbial or model-organism (e.g., Caenorhabditis elegans) cultures are typical Fluid Processing Cassette (FPC) applications. The FPC contains a triple-containment system, and internal events (starting and stopping flows) are controlled by the ADvanced Space Experiment Processor (ADSEP) computer. The FPC is also able to operate autonomously (without the ADSEP facility) with batteries and external toggle switches for which nearly 100 operations can be programmed.

Facility Manager(s)

Paul Todd, Techshot, Incorporated, Greenville, IN, United States

Facility Representative(s)

Information Pending

Developer(s)

Techshot, Incorporated, Greenville, IN, United States

Sponsoring Space Agency

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Sponsoring Organization

Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate (HEOMD)

ISS Expedition Duration

Expeditions Assigned

Information Pending

Previous ISS Missions

Several subcomponents of the modular ADvanced Space Experiment Processor (ADSEP) cassette were modified for standalone use aboard the International Space Station.

Availability

Information Pending

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Facility Overview

• The Fluid Processing Cassette (FPC) is used in experiments involving serial transfers. Such experiments typically involve studies of microorganisms or model organisms, such as Caenorhabditis elegans, or zebrafish, which are exposed to a chemical additive, fed fresh medium, and/or fixed during flight for gene expression analysis.



• The FPC can be used when a transport vehicle does not have an available computer. It is applicable to experiments carried to the International Space Station (ISS) on the space shuttle or other spacecraft.

The Fluid Processing Cassette (FPC) is used for performing serial cultivation experiments that require feeding and fixing in bags. The FPC has four pumps, eight valves, and twelve 30-ml bags that can be combined in any way to transfer fluids among containers according to experiment requirements. This versatility affords up to nine serial transfers, four parallel three-container experiments, or six single-fluid-change experiments. It is intended for use with suspensions of bacterial or fungal cells that can withstand storage before flight as well as late-load situations.

The FPC provides three levels of containment. It can be operated by computer within the ADvanced Space Experiment Processor (ADSEP) single-locker facility or autonomously with batteries and a manual switch panel.

The FPC has reconfigurable bags (up to 12, at 30 ml each), peristaltic pumps, and pinch valves. More than 100 commands can be programmed using external toggle switches for manual operation. The FPC can feed, treat, and fix organisms in liquid suspensions in microgravity.

Operations

Facility Operations

Information Pending

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Results/More Information

Information Pending

Results Publications

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Ground Based Results Publications

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ISS Patents

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Related Publications

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Related Websites

NIH BioMed-ISS Meeting Video Presentation, 2009?FPC

NIH BioMed-ISS Meeting, 2009?FPC

Techshot

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Imagery