We report the first science results from the Space Environment Viability of Organics (SEVO) payload aboard the Organism/Organic Exposure to Orbital Stresses (O/OREOS) free-flying nanosatellite, which completed its nominal spaceflight mission in May 2011 but continues to acquire data biweekly. The SEVO payload integrates a compact UV-visible-NIR spectrometer, utilizing the Sun as its light source, with a 24-cell sample carousel that houses four classes of vacuum-deposited organic thin films: polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), amino acid, metalloporphyrin, and quinone. The organic films are enclosed in hermetically sealed sample cells that contain one of four astrobiologically relevant microenvironments. Results are reported in this paper for the first 309 days of the mission, during which the samples were exposed for ∼2210 h to direct solar illumination (∼1080 kJ/cm(2) of solar energy over the 124-2600 nm range). Transmission spectra (200-1000 nm) were recorded for each film, at first daily and subsequently every 15 days, along with a solar spectrum and the dark response of the detector array. Results presented here include eight preflight and 16 in-flight spectra of eight SEVO sample cells. Spectra from the PAH thin film in a water-vapor-containing microenvironment indicate measurable change due to solar irradiation in orbit, while three other nominally water-free microenvironments show no appreciable change. The quinone anthrarufin showed high photostability and no significant spectroscopically measurable change in any of the four microenvironments during the same period. The SEVO experiment provides the first in situ real-time analysis of the photostability of organic compounds and biomarkers in orbit.

We designed, built, tested, space-qualified, launched, and collected telemetered data from low Earth orbit from PharmaSat, a 5.1-kg free flying "nanosatellite" that supported microbial growth in 48 microfluidic wells, dosed microbes with multiple concentrations of a pharmaceutical agent, and monitored microbial growth and metabolic activity using a dedicated 3-color optical absorbance system at each microwell. The PharmaSat nanosatellite comprised a structure approximately 10 x 10 x 35 cm, including triple-junction solar cells, bidirectional communications, power-generation and energy-storage system, and a sealed payload 1.2-L containment vessel that housed the biological organisms along with the fluidic, optical, thermal, sensor, and electronic subsystems. Growth curves for S. cerevisiae (Brewer's yeast) were obtained for multiple concentrations of the antifungal drug voriconazole in the microgravity conditions of low Earth orbit. Corresponding terrestrial control experiments were conducted for comparison.

We report the first telemetered spaceflight science results from the orbiting Space Environment Survivability of Living Organisms (SESLO) experiment, executed by one of the two 10 cm cube-format payloads aboard the 5.5 kg Organism/Organic Exposure to Orbital Stresses (O/OREOS) free-flying nanosatellite. The O/OREOS spacecraft was launched successfully to a 72° inclination, 650 km Earth orbit on 19 November 2010. This satellite provides access to the radiation environment of space in relatively weak regions of Earth's protective magnetosphere as it passes close to the north and south magnetic poles; the total dose rate is about 15 times that in the orbit of the International Space Station. The SESLO experiment measures the long-term survival, germination, and growth responses, including metabolic activity, of Bacillus subtilis spores exposed to the microgravity, ionizing radiation, and heavy-ion bombardment of its high-inclination orbit. Six microwells containing wild-type (168) and six more containing radiation-sensitive mutant (WN1087) strains of dried B. subtilis spores were rehydrated with nutrient medium after 14 days in space to allow the spores to germinate and grow. Similarly, the same distribution of organisms in a different set of microwells was rehydrated with nutrient medium after 97 days in space. The nutrient medium included the redox dye Alamar blue, which changes color in response to cellular metabolic activity. Three-color transmitted intensity measurements of all microwells were telemetered to Earth within days of each of the 48 h growth experiments. We report here on the evaluation and interpretation of these spaceflight data in comparison to delayed-synchronous laboratory ground control experiments.

The Space Time Asymmetry Research (STAR), recently proposed as a NASA Small Explorer Mission (SMEX) will test isotropy and symmetry of space time at unprecedented precision. We will use precision molecular iodine stabilized Nd:YAG laser interferometers to search for small deviations from Lorentz Invariance, a cornerstone of relativity and particle physics and thus our understanding of the Universe. A Lorentz violation would have profound implications for cosmology and particle physics. An improved null result will constrain theories attempting to unite particle physics and gravity. We have previously submitted a Science White Paper to Astro 2010. While self contained, this White Paper mainly outlines technology development for the STAR mission, with emphasis on the science payload and spacecraft. With a funding level compatible with SMEX, we plan to develop a high performance, high reliability science payload in a 4~5 year time frame. The STAR mission is designed to work one-year in space, with possible extension to indefinitely longer as long as the payload remains functional.

The Space Time Asymmetry Research (STAR), recently proposed as a NASA Small Explorer Mission (SMEX) will test isotropy and symmetry of space time at unprecedented precision. We will use precision molecular iodine stabilized Nd:YAG laser interferometers to search for small deviations from Lorentz Invariance, a cornerstone of relativity and particle physics and thus our understanding of the Universe. A Lorentz violation would have profound implications for cosmology and particle physics. An improved null result will constrain theories attempting to unite particle physics and gravity. We have previously submitted a Science White Paper to Astro 2010. While self contained, this White Paper mainly outlines technology development for the STAR mission, with emphasis on the science payload and spacecraft. With a funding level compatible with SMEX, we plan to develop a high performance, high reliability science payload in a 4~5 year time frame. The STAR mission is designed to work one-year in space, with possible extension to indefinitely longer as long as the payload remains functional.

We develop integrated instruments and platforms suitable for economical, frequent space access for autonomous life science experiments and processes in outer space. The technologies represented by three of our recent free-flyer small-satellite missions are the basis of a rapidly growing toolbox of miniaturized biologically/biochemically-oriented instrumentation now enabling a new generation of in-situ space experiments. Autonomous small satellites (~ 1 50 kg) are less expensive to develop and build than fullsize spacecraft and not subject to the comparatively high costs and scheduling challenges of human-tended experimentation on the International Space Station, Space Shuttle, and comparable platforms. A growing number of commercial, government, military, and civilian space launches now carry small secondary science payloads at far lower cost than dedicated missions; the number of opportunities is particularly large for so-called cube-sat and multicube satellites in the 1 10 kg range. The recent explosion in nano-, micro-, and miniature technologies, spanning fields from telecommunications to materials to bio/chemical analysis, enables development of remarkably capable autonomous miniaturized instruments to accomplish remote biological experimentation. High-throughput drug discovery, point-of-care medical diagnostics, and genetic analysis are applications driving rapid progress in autonomous bioanalytical technology. Three of our recent missions exemplify the development of miniaturized analytical payload instrumentation: GeneSat-1 (launched: December 2006), PharmaSat (launched: May 2009), and O/OREOS (organism/organics exposure to orbital stresses; scheduled launch: May 2010). We will highlight the overall architecture and integration of fluidic, optical, sensor, thermal, and electronic technologies and subsystems to support and monitor the growth of microorganisms in culture in these small autonomous space satellites, including real-time tracking of their culture density, gene expression, and metabolic activity while in the space environment. Flight data and results will be presented from GeneSat-1, which tracked gene expression levels of GFP-labeled E. coli and from PharmaSat, which monitored the dose dependency of an antifungal agent against S. cerevisiae. The O/OREOS SESLO instrument, which will study the effects of radiation and microgravity upon the viability and growth characteristics of B. subtilis and the halophile Halorubrum chaoviatoris for periods of 0 - 6 months in space, will be described as well. The ongoing expansion of the small satellite toolbox of biological technologies will be summarized.

The mission of the PharmaSat biological microsatellite is to investigate the efficacy of anti-fungal agents in the spaceflight environment. The satellite uses autonomous, in situ bio-analytical and sample management technologies in order to culture and characterize the growth of multiple samples of yeast, which are exposed to differing levels of an anti-fungal agent during their growth cycle. The satellite uses a 10 cm x 10 cm x 30 cm Cubesat-class structure with body-mounted solar panels, an ISM-band transceiver, and a simple PIC-class microcontroller for the main flight computer. PharmaSat was launched on May 19, 2009 from Wallops Flight Facility as a secondary payload on a Minotaur launch vehicle. During the first week of operation, the primary biological experiment was conducted, and data from this experiment was downloaded thereby achieving mission success. The PharmaSat design and mission control architecture inherits many features and design strategies from the GeneSat-1 mission, which was previously developed by the same design group at NASA Ames Research Center and Santa Clara University. This paper presents the PharmaSat mission, the design of its spacecraft and ground segment, and initial flight results.

The Genesat-1 technology demonstration mission validated the use of research quality instrumentation for in situ biological research and processing. After its launch from Wallops Flight Facility as a secondary payload off a Minotaur launch vehicle on December 16, 2006, all primary science and engineering test objectives were completed successfully within one month of operation. Since that time, additional trend analyses and experiments have been performed to further quantify the performance of the bus; such quantification is of particular interest for at least five heritage-based missions currently in development, three of which are set to launch in 2008 and two slated for 2009. This paper revisits the GeneSat-1 mission system and presents results from the extended mission.

The mission of the GeneSat-1 technology demonstration spacecraft is to validate the use of research-quality instrumentation for in situ biological research and processing. To execute this mission, the GeneSat-1 satellite was launched on December 16, 2006 from Wallops Flight Facility as a secondary payload off of a Minotaur launch vehicle. During the first week of operation, the core biological growth test was successfully executed, and by the end of the first month of operation all primary science and engineering test objectives had been successfully performed. In its current phase of operation, a variety of secondary technology characterizations tests are being performed, and a wide range of educational, training, and public outreach programs are being supported. This paper reviews the GeneSat-1 mission system, discusses the government-industry-university teaming approach, and presents flight results pertaining to the primary scientific and engineering experiments.

The mission of the GeneSat-1 technology demonstration spacecraft is to validate the use of research-quality instrumentation for in situ biological research and processing. To execute this mission, the GeneSat-1 satellite was launched on December 16, 2006 from Wallops Flight Facility as a secondary payload off of a Minotaur launch vehicle. During the first week of operation, the core biological growth test was successfully executed, and by the end of the first month of operation all primary science and engineering test objectives had been successfully performed. In its current phase of operation, a variety of secondary technology characterizations tests are being performed, and a wide range of educational, training, and public outreach programs are being supported. This paper reviews the GeneSat-1 mission system, discusses the government-industry-university teaming approach, and presents flight results pertaining to the primary scientific and engineering experiments.

Pill-shaped biotelemeters originally designed for space flight applications will soon be used for monitoring the health of a fetus during and after in-utero fetal surgery. The authors developed a family of biotelemeters that are not only small enough for rodent studies on board the space shuttle or international space station, but also fit through a 10 mm trocar, a plastic tube that is used in endoscopic fetal surgery to obtain minimally invasive access to the fetus. The first 'pill' measures pressure and temperature, and is currently undergoing long-term leakage and biocompatibility tests. A second pill under development measures pH and temperature. A prototype of the 'pH-pill' has been built and successfully tested and is presently being miniaturized into the same dimensions as the 'pressure pill'. Additional pills measuring heart rate, ECG, other ions such as calcium and potassium, and eventually glucose and blood gases, will follow. All pills are designed for ultra-low power consumption yielding lifetimes of up to 10 months in order to meet the requirements of fetal monitoring, but also to provide the capability of long-term space station experiments. Each pill transmits its pulse-interval-modulated signal on a unique carrier frequency in the frequency range of 174-216MHz. A custom-designed multi-channel receiver demodulates and decodes each pill signal and sends the data to a LabVIEW program that performs real-time data analysis and display. A patent for the pill family and its data analysis system is pending.