NanoRacks, LLC Commercial Contributions to the US ISS National Laboratory Biological Research Facilities

Michael D. Johnson1

NanoRacks, LLC , Webster, TX, 77598

Abstract. NanoRacks, LLC is a commercial space utilization company operating with the NASA ISS National Laboratory organization. The Company is developing a variety of capabilities and associated hardware (in collaboration with the WetLab team) to effectively utilize the ISS as an advanced biological research platform by leveraging off of recent advances in terrestrial biological research equipment. NanoRacks has flown miniature transmission and reflection microscopes and is flight hardening a state of the art off-the-shelf microplate spectrophotometer to take advantage of in-situ analysis on-board the ISS to reduce or eliminate sample return to Earth. NanoRacks has also developed and flown more conventional hardware that efficiently utilizes the current and future capsule based transportation systems to and from the ISS. This paper will provide a brief overview of NanoRacks’ hardware history and future plans.

Keywords: NanoRacks, ISS, Research Facilities

Nomenclature

CU NanoRacks Cube Unit (10x10x10 cm, 1 kg)ISS International Space StationJEM Japanese Experiment ModuleNASA National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationSBIR Small Business Innovative Research

Ι. IntroductionASA’s International Space Station National Laboratory program and NanoRacks, LLC signed a Space Act Agreement on September 9, 2009 that started the commercial space efforts of NanoRacks.

The mantra of NanoRacks is to reduce the cost and minimize the time required to fly items in space. As such, in the first two years of operations NanoRacks has launched two permanent facilities and thirteen different experiments on board the Shuttle, HTV, Soyuz and Progress spacecraft as well as returned payloads on the Shuttle and Soyuz. The Company has over 50 payloads currently manifested over the next three years. NanoRacks is committed to maximizing the utilization of the US National Lab by provided hardware for biological research that enables in-situ research on the ISS at unusually low cost. NanoRacks has flown and is planning on flying research hardware that has been requested by researchers in the field. The following are descriptions of the NanoRacks hardware currently available and planned for biological research. This includes miniature transmission and reflection microscopes, a microplate spectrophotometer and chemical/biological mixing apparatus.

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1Chief Technology Officer, NanoRacks, LLC, Webster ,TX 77598, mjohnson@nanoracks.com.

A. Microplate ReaderNanoRacks,LLC is under contract with NASA’s US National Laboratory and in final development of

a space flight qualified automated Microplate Reader spectrophotometer (Molecular Devices Spectra Max M5e), commonly known as a Microplate Reader, that is similar to commonly used tools in terrestrial biological laboratories to increase the on-orbit, in-situ analysis capacity of the ISS U. S. National Laboratory thus reducing or eliminating sample return to Earth. The Microplate Reader will allow semi autonomous, on-orbit, high throughput screening of a variety of experiment samples which will enable the on-orbit crew to conduct an experiment, collect and analyze data and then repeat the experiment on-orbit as necessary with guidance from ground researchers. NanoRacks chose the Molecular Devices Spectra Max M5e as a result of discussions with its current and prospective customers. The Microplate Reader may be transported on any spacecraft cargo carrier (e.g. Progress, Dragon, HTV, etc.) to the ISS and installed in a standard ISS EXPRESS Rack Locker location as a locker replacement unit. The Microplate Reader is scheduled for launch on the HTV-3 in June 2012. This project also includes design modifications of the microplate assembly to accommodate samples in microgravity using novel fluid management techniques. NanoRacks is keeping all technology associated with this project as open-source to promote a robust user community.

Modifications of the Molecular Devices Spectra Max M5e include the following:• Enclosure fabrication to fit inside of a standard ISS Locker which fits inside of an ExPRESS Rack• Incorporation of an embedded Advantech PCM-9363 mini-computer• Removal of terrestrial power supply and replacement with a ISS 28 V DC compatible power supply• Incorporation of a microplate retainer spring for use in microgravity

All other aspects of the Molecular Devices Spectra Max M5e remain the same as the terrestrial unit to maximize user community familiarity.

Figure 1. NanoRacks Plate Reader System

All of the features of the Spectra Max M5e are retained in the space version including:

• Three mode cuvette port for assay development• Dual monochromator tunability• Automated Absorbance Pathlength Correction1

• Endpoint, kinetic, spectral and well-scanning read types• Microplate temperature control and shaking• Comprehensive Data Analysis with SoftMax Pro Software• Validation & compliance

The Plate Reader can operate in the following modes:• UV-Visible Absorbance (Abs)• Fluorescence Intensity (FI)• Luminescence (Lum)• Time-Resolved Fluorescence (TRF)• Fluorescence Polarization (FP)

The NanoRacks Plate Reader offers researchers a wide range of high performance multi-mode capabilities ideal for life science research and drug discovery screening on the US ISS National Laboratory.

B. Microgravity Microplates/CuvettesNanoRacks is modifying off-the-shelf microplate and cuvette designs to accommodate fluids in the

microgravity environment for use in the Plate Reader. The following designs are currently under development.Vented Microplate

The Vented Microplate is essentially a standard microplate with a Mylar seal over the wells including Gore-Tex gas permeable membranes. Filling of the Vented Microplate is accomplished on-orbit by injecting a liquid sample into each well using a hypodermic syringe through a rubber seal.

Figure 2. NanoRacks Vented Microplate

Reactor MicroplateThe Reactor Microplate is a modified microplate that contains liquid sample storage cells that contain pierceable membranes for mixing the fluids and thus activating experimental operations. The Reactor Microplate is loaded on the ground and activated by crew on-orbit. Analysis by the Plate Reader is unaffected.

Figure 3. NanoRacks Reactor Microplate

Cuvette SystemThe Plate Reader has a top port for use with single cuvette samples or experimenters can use CuvettePlate™ by Perfector Scientific, which is an off the shelf microplate cuvette adaptor that can hold up to 8 screw cap sealed cuvettes in an adapter tray that is read in the Plate Reader. This permits experimenters to design and utilize a wide variety of cuvettes for use in microgravity including reactor cuvettes and miniature flow cytometry systems. Analysis by the Plate Reader is unaffected.

Figure 4. Cuvette System (courtesy Perfector Scientific)

C. Transmission MicroscopeNanoRacks flew a miniature Celestron Model 44330 USB transmission microscope to the ISS on HTV-

2. The system was recently tested by astronaut Mike Fossum and this system is ready for use by experimenters. It utilizes standard plastic microscope slides and is operated with a laptop computer. It has a maximum magnification of approximately 1880X. The ISS crew takes snapshots with the laptop and downlinks the images which are distributed to experimenters from a NanoRacks website.

Figure 5. NanoRacks Transmission Microscope

D. Reflective MicroscopeNanoRacks flew a miniature Celestron Model 44306 USB reflection microscope to the ISS on Progress

45. This system will be ready for use by experimenters by the end of 2011. It takes images directly off of

sample surfaces and is operated with a laptop computer. It has a maximum magnification of approximately 200X. The ISS crew takes snapshots with the laptop and downlinks the images which are distributed to experimenters from a NanoRacks website.

Figure 6. NanoRacks Reflection Microscope (example images inset)

E. MixStiksThe NanoRacks MixStiks were designed to provide experimenters with an on-orbit fluids mixing system

that is crew safe for any fluids. They were first flown on HTV-2 and returned on Soyuz 24. Another set has just been flown to the ISS on Progress 45. They are essentially identical in construction and operation to a light stick. Twenty-four MixStiks are housed in a 2 Cube Unit (CU) NanoRacks Module. Each 2 component MixStik contains a glass inner ampoule with a volume of 1.29 ml and an outer Teflon tube with a volume of 6.33 ml (Figure 7). Each 3 component MixStik contains two glass inner ampoules with a volume each of 0.65 ml and an outer Teflon tube with a volume of 6.33 ml (Figure 7).

The MixStik provides three (3) levels of containment. The inner solution is housed in a glass ampoule that is surrounded by an outer solution. A Teflon tube with bonded Teflon end caps holds the glass ampoule

and outer solution and serves as the first level of containment. Two heat sealed polyethylene bags that enclose the Teflon tubing serve as the second and third levels of containment. The ampoule is manipulated (cracked open) by the crew by flexing the Teflon tube in the same manner as activating a light stick; the Teflon tube along with all levels of containment provides protection to the crew, preventing contact with the broken ampoule(s) and chemicals. The 2 component MixStik is flexed in the middle to activate while the 3 component MixStik is flexed first on the left side to activate and on the right side to deactivate.

Figure 7 NanoRacks MixStik Details

Figure 8 NanoRacks MixStik Box (2 CU)

Figure 9 ISS Commander Kelly Activating NanoRacks MixStiks on-orbit March 2011

F. NanoRacks System/NanoLabsNanoRacks was originally based on a modular system that utilizes a base structure called the

NanoRacks Frame. Each NanoRacks Frame is located in an ISS Locker and can hold up to 16 NanoRacks Modules. A NanoRacks Frame supplies stowage, power, cooling and data connectivity to each of the 16 Module locations. The NanoRacks Module is a standardized platform (10x10x10 cm and 1 kg) based on the CubeSat standard. Each Module has a USB Type B connector that provides the module with 2 W of 5 VDC power and data connectivity to an ISS laptop computer. Two NanoRacks Frames were permanently installed in the Japanese Experiment Module in ExPRESS Rack 7 on Shuttle flights 19A and ULF4 in 2010.

Figure 10 NanoRacks Frame and Shannon Walker Activating NanoRacks Frame 1

NanoRacks will soon offer a kit (NanoLabs) to the public that contains a NanoRacks Module enclosure and microcontroller circuit board (from Entropy Engineering) that can be utilized to operate and control any type of experiment inside a NanoRacks Module.

Figure 11 NanoRacks NanoLabs Concept

NanoRacks is also constructing a third frame under a NASA SBIR grant that will utilize a larger NanoRacks Module standard called SuperCubes. This new standard (10x20x20 cm, 4kg) will utilize up to 50W of 28 VDC power for increased power and thermal handling capability. NanoRacks is partnering with EADS-Astrium to provide a miniature centrifuge to perform reduced gravity research.

Figure 12 NanoRacks Frame III with SuperCubes and Astrium Centrifuge

G. External PlatformNanoRacks is also in the process of designing an external platform that will have access to open space

via the JEM Experiment Airlock. This facility will provide experimenters with the convenience of crew tended maintenance/replacement of hardware while providing exposure to outer space conditions using robotic manipulation. In particular, this system will be useful for exobiology experiments.

Figure 13 NanoRacks External Platform Concept of Operations

ΙΙ. ConclusionNanoRacks has organically grown and established a series of facilities and products that will help the

space biosciences community in the near and long term. These facilities are already in place on the ISS or are nearing completion for operation by the end of 2012. The company is open to suggestions to utilize its

existing facilities and to develop additional facilities that will enhance and expand the US ISS National Laboratory capabilities.

AcknowledgmentsThis work has been completed under partial funding by the National Aeronautics and Space

Administration through the US ISS National Laboratory.We wish to thank Jason Crusan and Marybeth Edeen and for their assistance and guidance while

supporting us through the rapid start of NanoRacks.

References1The PathCheck Sensor is covered under U.S. Patents 5,959,738, 6,188,476, 6,320,662, 6,339,472, 6,404,501,

6,496,260 and 6,995,844. SpectraMax M3, M4, M5, and M5e readers are also covered under U.S. Patents 6,097,025 6,232,608, 6,236,456, 6,313,471 and 6,316,774 6,693,709, and 6,825,921