Population growth and physiological characteristics of microalgae in a miniaturized bioreactor during space flight

A strain of microalgae (Anabaena siamensis) had been cultured in a miniaturized bioreactor during a retrievable satellite flight for 15 days. By means of remote sensing equipment installed in the satellite, we gained the growth curve of microalgae population in space every day in real time. The curve indicated that the growth of microalgae in space was slower than the control on ground. Inoculation of the retrieved microalgae culture showed that the growth rate was distinctively higher than ground control. But after several generations, both cultures indicated similar growth rates. Those data showed that algae, can adapt to space environment easily which may be valuable for designing more complex bioreactor and controlled ecological life support system in future experiment. (C) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Infrared filters for space-flight focal plane array applications

Infrared filters and coatings have been employed on many sensing radiometer instruments to measure the thermal emission profiles and concentrations of certian chemical constituents found in planetary atmospheres. The High Resolution Dynamics Limb Sounder ( HIRDLS) is an example of the most recent developments in limb-viewing radiometry by employing a cooled focal plane detector array to provide simultaneous multi-channel monitoring of emission from gas and aerosols over an altitude range between 8 - 70 km. The use of spectrally selective cooled detectors in focal plane arrays has simplified the optical layout of radiometers, greatly reducing the number of components in the optical train. this has inevitably led to increased demands for the enviromnetal durability of the focal plane filters because of the need to cut sub-millimeter sizes, whilst maintaining an optimal spectral performance. Additionally the remaining refractive optical elements require antireflection coatings which must cover the entire spectral range of the focal plane array channels, in this case 6 to 18µm, with a minimum of reflection and absorption. This paper describes the optical layout and spectral design requirements for filteriong in the HIRDLS instrument, and reports progress on the manufacturing and testing of the sub-millimetre sized cooled filters. We also report on the spectral and environmental performance of prototype wideband antireflection coatings which satisfy the requirements above.

Operating the Hubble space telescope : Goddard Space Flight Center : a closer look : Space Telescope Project--Goddard /

Shipping list no.: 85-926-P.

Marshall Space Flight Center.

Cover title.

NASA Marshall Space Flight Center.

Mode of access: Internet.

Proceedings of a conference held at Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, June 15-16, 1970.

Includes bibliographical references.

Models of Venus atmosphere (1972) [Prepared for NASA under the cognizance of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.

Cover title.

Goddard '66; a year in review at Goddard Space Flight Center, National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Cover title.

The proceedings of a symposium held by Goddard Space Flight Center at New Carrollton, Maryland on March 5-9, 1973.

Vol. 2, edited by S. C. Freden, E. P. Mercanti, and D. E. Witten, published by Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.; v. 3, edited by S. C. Freden and E. P. Mercanti, also published by Goddard.

Applied astronautics, an introduction to space flight

Mode of access: Internet.

Goddard Space Flight Center.

Cover title.

Flight Mechanics/Estimation Theory Symposium 1992 : proceedings of a symposium sponsored by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and held at Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, May 5-7, 1992 /

Includes bibliographical references.

Propulsion systems for space flight.

Includes bibliography.

Space flight.

v.1. Environmental and celestial mechanics. v.2. Dynamics.