VARIABLE SPEED MID-DECK CENTRIFUGE

THE LONG STANDING INTEREST IN THE BIOLOGICAL COMMUNITY FOR AN IN-FLIGHT CENTRIFUGE COUPLED WITH THE POTENTIAL USE OF THE MID-DECK IN THE ORBITER TO CONDUCT RESEARCH INDICATES A DEFINITE NEED FOR A MID-DECK LOCKER CENTRIFUGE. THE LSLE INVENTORY DOES NOT INCLUDE A CENTRIFUGE CAPABLE OF PERFORMING THE BROAD RANGE OF EXPERIMENTAL NEEDS OF GRAVITATIONAL BIOLOGISTS. THIS RESEARCH EFFORT IS DIRECTED TOWARD DEVELOPMENT OF A VARIABLE SPEED MID-DECK CENTRIFUGE THAT WILL MEET THE NEEDS OF MOST SPACE BIOLOGISTS BY (1) THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE SIMULTANEOUS 1 G CONTROLS (2) BE ABLE TO EXPLORE THE RANGE BETWEEN 0 AND 1 G (3) PROVIDE A CONTROLLED THERMAL ENVIRONMENT (4) HAVE THE ABILITY TO RECORD SPECIMEN IMAGES WITH AN ON-BOARD CAMERA AND (5) PROVIDE ON-BOARD DISPLAYS OF THE OPERATIONAL PARAMETERS. A SET OF DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS WILL BE DEVELOPED USING INFORMATION DERIVED FROM THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY AND THE RESULTS OF DEVELOPMENT TESTS. THIS SET OF DESIGN CRITERIA WILL BE USED TO PREPARE A PRELIMINARY DESIGN. A HARDWARE DEVELOPMENT PLAY WILL BE COMPLETED TO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OFHOW THE FLIGHT HARDWARE WILL BE CONSTRUCTED IN PHASE II.