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Plant growth, and especially plant performance experiments in microgravity are limited by the currently available plant growth facilities (low light levels, inadequate nutrient delivery and atmosphere conditioning systems, insufficient science instrumentation, infrequent flight opportunities). In addition, mission durations of 10 to 14 days aboard the NSTS Space Shuttle allow for only brief periods of microgravity exposure with respect to the life cycle of a plant. Based on seed germination experiments (5 missions from 1992 - 1994), using the Generic BioProcessing Apparatus hardware (GBA), two new payloads have been designed specifically for plant growth. These payloads provide new opportunities for plant gravitational and space biology research and emphasize the investigation of plant performance (photosynthesis, biomass accumulation) in microgravity.

The fundamental objective of this paper is to overview an integrated hardware and software architecture for advanced environmental and physiological monitoring. The proposed architecture is currently being considered as a recommended standard by the International Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems (CCSDS). The architecture provides the necessary infrastructure to enable research and engineering personnel the capability to incorporate disparate monitoring devices and sensors into a single wireless data assimilation system. The long-term objective is to achieve safer long-duration human space travel by using wireless radio frequency (RF) technology to enable easily deployable monitoring systems.

The STARS (Science Technology and Research Students) Program developed by SPACEHAB, Inc., is a commercial educational initiative which leverages the excitement of space to inspire students' interest in the areas of engineering, mathematics, and science by means of a hands-on, interactive approach. In January 2003 students from six countries participated in, and tracked the progress of, their own space-based experiments flown aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia. The students participated in every development stage of their experiments from hypothesis definition to the analysis of data collected during the flight. By taking this approach students gained a wealth of knowledge in the areas of math, science, and engineering, while simultaneously learning to work as a world-wide, multicultural team. Results were gathered from a distributed survey and from post-mission activities.

BioServe Space Technologies developed a series of miniature habitats housing several different biological specimens and one biochemical experiment to fly aboard Columbia on the STS-107 mission. This effort was in support of an educational program, Space Technology and Research Students (STARS™), sponsored and developed by SPACEHAB Inc. This program was designed to pique the interest of high school and undergraduate students from around the world and give them a chance to design and conduct their own spaceflight experiments. The student experiments supported by the series of miniature habitats included a Japanese Medaka fish experiment; a Chinese silkworm experiment; an American Harvester ant experiment; a Carpenter bee experiment from Liechtenstein, an Australian Orb Weaver spider experiment; and a biochemical crystal growth experiment from Israel. Each experiment was housed in a custom designed enclosure or habitat developed to address each specimen’s individual needs.

This study investigated the possibility of detecting water deficit stress in plants by using optical signals collected from leaves. Two theoretical approaches have been investigated. In principle, chlorophyll fluorescence can be used to measure generally stressful situations in plants. Our review, however, found that simple ratios of coarsely time-resolved chlorophyll fluorescence, such as maximum fluorescence over fluorescence at steady state, appear to be incapable of adequately distinguishing water stress from other stress factors. A second principle being investigated involves correlation of light absorption within leaves to leaf-water-content using water absorbing and non-water absorbing wavelengths. Our investigation concentrated on defining and eliminating as many extraneous variables as possible.