Group Activation Pack-Fluid Processing Apparatus
Facility Description
FPAs allow for launch of two to four independent and isolated reagents that can be sequentially combined on orbit in the secondary housing of the GAP. This is a fully-enclosed unit that meets NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration safety standards for containment, provides facile operations for the crew, and may be operated in the general workspace. A total of 6.5 mL of fluid is contained inside the FPA’s glass barrel (depending on the number of independent regents). The individual fluid volumes are isolated from each other by an impassable rubber septum. A bypass built into the glass barrel allows fluid to mix in between adjacent chambers as the plunger mechanism pushes the septum forward.
The default FPA configuration provides limited gas exchange and can be upgraded with gas permeable membranes to further improve performance for experiments with moderate metabolic requirements.
FPA Research Applications:
- Microorganisms
- Mammalian cells and tissues
- Viruses and bacteria
- Protein crystal growth
- Biomaterials
- Small plants/seed germination
FPAs are typically flown in groups of eight organized within a GAP. Each GAP provides a common plunger-design activation mechanism for the eight FPAs. The most common method employed currently is a manually-actuated hand crank. In the past, motorized GAPs have been used as well to execute automatic activations. All components of the GAP and integral FPAs are autoclavable and the GAP can be charged with a predefined gas composition to support unique experiment requirements.
SABL can accommodate up to 18 GAPs (for a total of 144 FPAs). They can be operated at ambient and can be refrigerated and frozen.
Availability:The general availability status of the facility. Please contact the facility manager
ISS Environment:The facility location (internal or external to the ISS.) Internal
Owner:The entity that owns the facility. BioServe Space Technologies
Operator/Implementation Partner:The entity or ISS National Lab Implementation Partner that operates the facility.
BioServe Space Technologies
Developer(s):The entity, or entities, that developed the facility.
BioServe Space Technologies
Facility Manager:The name of the facility manager and their organization.
Stefanie Countryman
BioServe Space Technologies
Manager Email:The facility manager's email address.
countrym@colorado.edu
Parent Facility:Any facility that is necessary to operate the facility described on this webpage. i.e., a parent facility is one level higher in the operational hierarachy.
Child Facility:Facilities that can be operated within the facility described on this webpage.
Sponsoring Space Agency:The government space agency that sponsors investigations that use the facility. NASA
Equipment Category:"The facility's ISS National Lab equipment designation type. Designations include:
1. ISS National Lab Commercial Service Provider (CSP) Facility
2. Support Hardware
3. Capability Support Hardware
Additional Information:Additional resources to learn more about the facility.