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Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus Science Insert - 03 (CSI-03)
11.20.09

Overview | Description | Applications | Operations | Results | Publications | Images

Experiment/Payload Overview

Brief Summary

Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus Science Insert - 03 (CSI-03) is one investigation in the CSI program series. The CSI program provides the K-12 community opportunities to utilize the unique microgravity environment of the International Space Station as part of the regular classroom to encourage learning and interest in science, technology, engineering and math. CSI-03 will examine the complete life cycle of the painted lady butterfly, eat, grow and undergo metamorphosis in space.

Principal Investigator

  • Nancy Moreno, Ph.D., Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
  • Paula Cushing, Ph.D., Denver Museum of Nature and Science, Denver, CO
  • Mark Stowe, Gainesville, FL
  • Mary Ann Hamilton, Butterfly Pavilion, Westminster, CO
  • Ken Werner, Gulf Coast Butterflies, Naples, FL
  • Louis Stodieck, Ph.D., University of Colorado - Boulder, BioServe Space Technologies, Boulder, CO
  • Chip Taylor, Monarch Watch, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS

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

    Information Pending

    Payload Developer

    BioServe Space Technologies, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO

    Partners:
    National Space Biomedical Research Institute, Houston, TX
    Baylor College of Medicine - Center for Education Outreach, Houston, TX
    Denver Museum of Nature and Science, Denver, CO
    Butterfly Pavilion, Westminster, CO
    Monarch Watch, Lawrence, KS

    Sponsoring Agency

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

    Expeditions Assigned

    |18|21|22|

    Previous ISS Missions

    Space Technology and Research Students (STARSTM), a similar investigation was performed on STS-93 and STS-107. CSI-01 was begun on ISS Expedition 14 and completed during ISS Expedition 15. CSI-02 was performed during ISS Expeditions 15 - 17. CSI-03 began operation during Expedition 18.

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    Experiment/Payload Description

    Research Summary

    • Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus Science Insert - 03 (CSI-03) is one in the series of CSI, an educational and science program designed to interest students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) by providing the opportunity for students to participate in near real-time research conducted on board the International Space Station(ISS).

    • Each experiment is designed to be easily reproducible in the classroom providing hands-on experience to the students.

    • CSI-03 will examine the complete life cycle of the Vanessa cardui, painted lady butterfly, (egg to butterfly) and the ability of older larvae of a Monarch butterfly species to metamorphosis.

    • Students will compare how the complete life cycle of the butterflies differ in space, when compared to butterflies on Earth. Students will observe the butterflies on Earth in their classrooms and compare them to imagery from the ISS.

    Description

    Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus Science Insert - 03 (CSI-03) is one investigation in the CSI program series. The CSI program provides the K-12 community opportunities to utilize the unique microgravity environment of the International Space Station as part of the regular classroom to encourage learning and interest in science, technology, engineering and math.

    CSI-03 involves several specific experiments, one will examine the complete life cycle of the Vanessa cardui, painted lady butterfly. Students will compare how the complete life cycle of the butterfly differs in space, when compared to butterflies used on Earth. The other experiment will examine the ability of an orb weaving spider to live in space. Students will compare how the spider differs in behavior, feeding and web spinning in microgravity when compared to the spiders on Earth. Another experiment will compare the ability of the older larvae of the Monarch butterfly to pupate in microgravity compared to pupation on Earth. The butterfly experiments will also compare the generalist species of butterfly larvae, painted lady butterfly, to a specialist species of butterfly larvae, Monarch butterfly.

    CSI-03 is conducted in the classroom in near real-time, or it can be utilized by teachers at any point during the school year after the space flight experiments are completed. Images and data from the space-based experiments are downlinked to the BioServe Payload Operations and Control Center (POCC) on a daily basis while the experiment is active. The downlinked visual data once received will be uplinked to the BioEd Online (http://www.bioedonline.org/) website. Participating teachers will be provided with a teacher's guide featuring background information, lesson plans, and student activities for conducting the project in their classrooms.

    • Scientific Objectives:
      • Complete one full life cycle of the painted lady butterfly in space.

      • Compare life cycle of the painted lady butterfly on Earth to the life cycle in the microgravity environment of space.

      • Compare the ability of Monarch butterfly larvae, a more specialist species when it comes to food, to pupate in space.

      • Examine pupation and emergence differences, processes that have specific behaviors influenced by gravity between space flight and ground controls of each butterfly species.

      • Compare the ability of an orb weaving spider to spin webs and catch food on the ground to its ability to perform the same tasks in the microgravity environment of space.

    • Education Goals:
      • Students will learn about the life cycle of the painted lady butterfly as well as the Monarch butterfly.

      • Students will learn about the behavior, web-building, and food-catching abilities of an orb spider.

      • Students will learn about microgravity and its implications for scientific research.

      • Students will conduct controlled experiments, practice humane animal-handling and experimental procedures, and compare their control experiment results to those obtained in the flight experiment.

      • Students will learn about space science research careers.

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    Applications

    Space Applications

    Results from CSI-03 may help scientists more clearly understand how different organisms are affected by the microgravity environment. CSI-03 influences children to continue their education in the science, technology engineering and math areas and pursue related careers.

    Earth Applications

    CSI-03 provides a unique educational opportunity to encourage and inspire students to pursue careers in the scientific and technical fields by participating in near real-time research activities on the ISS. This will promote education of the next generation of scientists, engineers, astronauts for the space program.

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    Operations

    Operational Requirements

    CSI-03 will operate in the CGBA under controlled temperature conditions and will require imaging and data download daily to BioServe's Payload Operations and Control Center.

    Operational Protocols

    CSI-03 will be transferred from the Space Shuttle to the ISS and placed inside a CGBA for activation. The hardware for the experiment has been automated to allow imagery of the experiments independent of crew. The ISS crew will implement a procedure to activate CSI-03 on orbit. The ISS crew will also manipulate different feeding components of the hardware to allow fresh food or drink to be exposed for the organisms at a set point in the mission. BioServe will be able to monitor all experiments via data and image downlink. The research will be contained inside the spider and butterfly habitats.

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    Results/More Information

    Information Pending

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    Related Web Sites
  • Butterfly Pavilion
  • Denver Museum of Natural Science
  • BioEd Online
  • http://www.nsbri.org/Education/ButterfliesinSpace.html

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    Publications

    Results Publications

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      Related Publications

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        Images

        imageVanessa cardui, Painted Lady Butterfly, Adult form of the butterfly larvae (catepillars) in use for the CSI-03 investigation on the ISS. Image courtesy of Jeffrey Pippen.(http://www.duke.edu/~jspippen/butterflies/paintedlady.htm).
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        imageAdult Monarch Butterfly, similar to the butterfly larvae scheduled for use in the CSI-03 investigation on the ISS. Image courtesy of Marty N. Davis (http://www.monarchwatch.org/gallery/photo/ad1.htm).
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        imageImage courtesy of Bioserve.
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        Information Provided and Updated by the ISS Program Scientist's Office
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