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NanoRacks-Valley Christian High School Plant Seed Growth (NanoRacks-VCHS Plant Seed)
05.08.13

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Overview | Description | Applications | Operations | Results | Publications | Imagery

Experiment Overview

This content was provided by Werner Vavken, and is maintained in a database by the ISS Program Science Office.

Brief Summary

NanoRacks-Valley Christian High School Plant Seed Growth (NanoRacks-VCHS Plant Seed) is the project of Valley Christian High School in San Jose, California. The experiment contains an extended-sized autonomous, self-contained plant-seed growth experiment which is plugged into a NanoRacks Platform on board the International Space Station (ISS). The internal camera provides snapshots of the stages of growth during the experiment.

Principal Investigator(s)

  • Werner Vavken, Valley Christian High School, San Jose, CA, United States

    • Co-Investigator(s)/Collaborator(s)

    Information Pending

    Developer(s)

    NanoRacks, LLC, Houston, TX, United States

    Sponsoring Space Agency

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

    Sponsoring Organization

    National Laboratory Education (NLE)

    Research Benefits

    Information Pending

    ISS Expedition Duration

    September 2010 - March 2011

    Expeditions Assigned

    25/26

    Previous ISS Missions

    ISS Expedition 25/26 is the first mission for the NanoRacks-VCHS Plant Seed investigation.

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    Experiment Description

    Research Overview

    • NanoRacks-Valley Christian High School Plant Seed Growth (NanoRacks-VCHS Plant Seed) uses a two cube unit housed in the NanoRacks Platform on the International Space Station (ISS).


    • NanoRacks-VCHS Plant Seed is a high school experiment containing an extended-sized autonomous, self-contained plant-seed growth experiment which is plugged into a NanoRacks Platform on board the ISS. The internal camera provides snapshots of the stages of growth during the experiment. The science goals for NanoRacks-VCHS Plant Seed are proprietary.

    Description

    NanoRacks-Valley Christian High School Plant Seed Growth (NanoRacks-VCHS Plant Seed) uses a two cube unit box. NanoRacks-VCHS Plant Seed is a high school experiment containing an extended-sized autonomous, self-contained plant-seed growth experiment, that plugs into a NanoRacks Platform on board the International Space Station (ISS). The internal camera provides snapshots of the stages of growth during the experiment. The science goals for NanoRacks-VCHS Plant Seed are proprietary.

    NanoRacks Facility is a multipurpose research facility providing power and data transfer capability to the NanoRacks Modules. Each NanoRacks Platform is approximately 17 x 9 x 20 inches and weighs approximately 12 pounds. A NanoRacks Platform is designed for use within the pressurized space station environment. Each platform provides room for up to 16 Modules to plug effortlessly into a standard Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector, which provides both power and data connectivity. Its plug and play system uses a simple, standardized interface that reduces payload integration cost and schedule for nanoscale research in microgravity.

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    Applications

    Space Applications

    This investigation is a part of a series of investigations to be conducted on board the ISS to provide the foundation for use of the ISS as a National Laboratory following assembly complete. The project is part of NanoRacks' DreamUP! program which aims to stimulate students doing real work in space.

    Earth Applications

    The long-term goal of this project is to create a series of student projects that are sophisticated and economically efficient, allowing students to move beyond the classrooms and into low earth orbit with their research.

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    Operations

    Operational Requirements

    The experiment is activated by moving the respective switch on the NanoRacks Platform into the "ON" position, if needed. For the deactivation, the switch is moved to the "OFF" position.

    Operational Protocols

    An ISS crewmember powers down the NanoRacks Platform, and then plugs in the NanoRacks Modules. The NanoRacks Platform is powered up, and the data cable between the associated USB port on the NanoRacks Platform front panel and an EXPRESS Laptop computer is plugged in to collect data and download at designated times.

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    Results/More Information

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    Related Websites
  • NanoRacks LLC

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    Imagery

    image Cutaway view of NanoRacks-VCHS Plant Seed. Image courtesy of NanoRacks, LLC.
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    image NanoRacks-VCHS Plant Seed plant growth chamber with six seed wells. Image courtesy of Werner Vavken.
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    image NanoRacks-VCHS Plant Seed plant growth chamber with seeds installed (reflection of top row). Image courtesy of Werner Vavken.
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    Information provided by the investigation team to the ISS Program Scientist's Office.
    If updates are needed to the summary please contact JSC-ISS-Program-Science-Group. For other general questions regarding space station research and technology, please feel free to call our help line at 281-244-6187 or e-mail at JSC-ISS-Research-Helpline.
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