Possible applications of aquatic bioregenerative life support modules for food production in a Martian base.

Water is the essential precondition of life in general and also for the establishment of a Martian base suitable for long duration stays of humans. It is not yet proven if there is indeed a "frozen ocean" under the surface of Mars but if this could be verified it would open innovative aspects for the construction of bioregenerative life support systems (BLSS). In a general concept higher plants will play the predominant role in a Martian BLSS. It is not clear, however, how these will grow and bring seed in reduced gravity and there may be differences in the productivity in comparison to Earth conditions. Therefore, organisms which are already adapted to low gravity conditions, namely non-gravitropic aquatic plants and also aquatic animals may be used to enhance the functionality of the Martian BLSS as a whole. It has been shown already with the so-called C.E.B.A.S. MINIMODULE in the STS-89 and STS-90 spaceshuttle missions that the water plant Ceratophyllum demersum has an undisturbed and high biomass production under space conditions. Moreover, the teleost fish species Xiphophorus helleri adapted easily to the micro-g environment and maintained its normal reproductive functions. Based on this findings a possible scenario is presented in which aquatic plant production modules and combined animal-plant production systems may be used for human food production and water and air regeneration in a Martian base.     

Pigment composition and concentrations within the plant (Ceratophyllum demersum L.) component of the STS-89 C.E.B.A.S. Mini-Module spaceflight experiment.

The Closed Equilibrated Biological Aquatic System (C.E.B.A.S.) Mini-Module, a Space Shuttle middeck locker payload which supports a variety of aquatic inhabitants (fish, snails, plants and bacteria) in an enclosed 8.6 L chamber, was tested for its biological stability in microgravity. The aquatic plant, Ceratophyllum demersum L., was critical for the vitality and functioning of this artificial mini-ecosystem. Its photosynthetic pigment concentrations were of interest due to their light harvesting and protective functions. "Post-flight" chlorophyll and carotenoid concentrations within Ceratophyllum apical segments were directly related to the quantities of light received in the experiments, with microgravity exposure (STS-89) failing to account for any significant deviation from ground control studies.     

Aquatic modules for bioregenerative life support systems: developmental aspects based on the space flight results of the C.E.B.A.S. MIN-MODULE.

The Closed Equilibrated Biological Aquatic System (C.E.B.A.S.) is an artificial aquatic ecosystem which contains teleost fishes, water snails, ammonia oxidizing bacteria and edible non-gravitropic water plants. It serves as a model for aquatic food production modules which are not seriously affected by microgravity and other space conditions. Its space flight version, the so-called C.E.B.A.S. MINI-MODULE was already successfully tested in the STS-89 and STS-90 (NEUROLAB) missions. It will be flown a third time in space with the STS-107 mission in January 2003. All results obtained so far in space indicate that the basic concept of the system is more than suitable to drive forward its development. The C.E.B.A.S. MINI-MODULE is located within a middeck locker with limited space for additional components. These technical limitations allow only some modifications which lead to a maximum experiment time span of 120 days which is not long enough for scientifically essential multi-generation-experiments. The first necessary step is the development of "harvesting devices" for the different organisms. In the limited space of the plant bioreactor a high biomass production leads to self-shadowing effects which results in an uncontrolled degradation and increased oxygen consumption by microorganisms which will endanger the fishes and snails. It was shown already that the latter reproduce excellently in space and that the reproductive functions of the fish species are not affected. Although the parent-offspring-cannibalism of the ovoviviparous fish species (Xiphophorus helleri) serves as a regulating factor in population dynamics an uncontrolled snail reproduction will also induce an increased oxygen consumption per se and a high ammonia concentration in the water. If harvesting locks can be handled by astronauts in, e. g., 4-week intervals their construction is not very difficult and basic technical solutions are already developed. The second problem is the feeding of the animals. Although C.E.B.A.S.-based aquaculture modules are designed to be closed food loop systems (edible herbivorous fish species and edible water plants) which are already verified on Earth this will not be possible in space without devices in which the animals are fed from a food storage. This has to be done at least once daily which would waste too much crew time when done by astronauts. So, the development of a reliable automated food dispenser has highest priority. Also in this case basic technical solutions are already elaborated. The paper gives a comprehensive overview of the proposed further C.E.B.A.S.-based development of longer-term duration aquatic food production modules.     

Solar UV irradiance variation during cycles 22 and 23

The Solar Ultraviolet Spectral Irradiance Monitor (SUSIM) aboard the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) has been measuring solar UV irradiances since October 1991, a period which includes the decline of solar cycle 22 followed by the rise of cycle 23. Daily solar measurements include scans over the wavelength range 115–410 nm at 1.1 nm resolution. As expected, the measured time series of UV irradiances exhibit strong periodicities in solar cycle and solar rotation. For all wavelengths, the UV irradiance time series are similar to that of the Mg II core-to-wing ratio. During solar cycle 22, the irradiance of the strong Ly- line varied by more than a factor of two. The peak-to-peak irradiance variation declined with increasing wavelength, reaching 10% just below the Al edge at 208 nm. Between the Al edge and 250 nm the variation was 6–7%. Above 250 nm, the variation declines further until none is observed above 290 nm. Preliminary results for the first portion of cycle 23 indicate that the far UV below the Al edge is rising at about the same rate as the Mg II index while the irradiances in the Ly- emission line and for wavelengths longer than the Al edge are rising more slowly — even after accounting for the lower level of activity of cycle 23.     

Principal components in the PG-X-ray QSO sample

We have performed a spectral principal component analysis for a complete sample of 22 low redshift QSOs with spectra from Ly to H, and found three significant principal components, which account for 78% of the spectrum-to-spectrum variance. We present strong arguments that the first principal component represents the Baldwin effect, relating equivalent widths to the luminosity (i.e. accretion rate). The second component represents continuum variations, probably dominated by intrinsic reddening. The third principal component is directly related to broad emission-line width and X-ray spectral index, and therefore probably driven by Eddington accretion ratio, L/L_Edd. The third set of relationships tie directly to the optical Principal Component 1 found by Boroson and Green [Boroson, T., Green, R.F., Astrophys. J. Suppl. 80, 109, 1992 (BG92)], and are the primary cause of scatter in the Baldwin relationships.     

A Far Infrared Photometer (FIRP) for the Infrared Telescope in Space (IRTS)

We describe the design and calibration of the Far-Infrared Photometer (FIRP), one of four focal plane instruments on the Infrared Telescope in Space (IRTS). The FIRP will provide absolute photometry in four bands centered at 150, 250, 400, and 700 μm with spectral resolution λ/Δλ ≈ 3 and spatial resolution ΔΘ = 0.5 degrees. High sensitivity is achieved by using bolometric detectors operated at 300 mK in an AC bridge circuit. The closed-cycle ³He refrigerator can be recycled in orbit. A 2 K shutter provides a zero reference for each field of view. More than 10% of the sky will be surveyed during the ≈3 week mission lifetime with a sensitivity of <10⁻¹³ W·cm⁻²·sr⁻¹ per 0.5 degree pixel.     

Experimental drop tube of the metallurgy department of Grenoble

The drop tube which will be available in the “Centre d'Etudes Nucléaires de Grenoble” is described. Its main features are the following: - Dimensions : Drop height : 47.1 m Drop time : 3.1 s Tube inside diameter : 0.2 m - Experimental atmosphere : 1 Ultra-vacuum : 10⁻⁶ to 10⁻⁷ Pa - Residual gravity level : 10⁻⁸ to 10⁻⁹ g according to the vacuum level and drop diameter.

This facility is unique insofar as it enables experiments to be performed under ultra-vacuum conditions which, by delaying the formation of surface oxides, should contribute to improving maximum undercooling values.

The techniques used for obtaining small metallic drops (0.5 to 3 mm) are described. The availability of this instrument for the scientific community is also foreseen by the french sponsoring organizations (CEA, CNES, CNRS) ; some practicle informations will be given to potential experimenters.     

Search for organic molecules in the outer solar system

Recent developments of millimeter astronomy have led to the discovery of more and more complex molecules in the interstellar medium. In a similar way, attempts have been made to detect complex molecules in the atmospheres of the most primitive bodies of the Solar System, i.e. outer planets and comets, as well as in Titan's atmosphere. An important progress has been achieved thanks to the continuous development of infrared astronomy, from the ground and from space vehicles. In particular, an important contribution has come from the IRIS-Voyager infrared spectrometer with the detection of prebiotic molecules on Titan, and some complex organic molecules on Jupiter and Saturn. Another important result has been the observation of carbonaceous material in the immediate surroundings of Comet Halley's nucleus. In the near future, the search for organic molecules in the outer Solar System should benefit from the developments of large millimeter antennae, and in the next decade, from the operation of infrared Earth-orbiting spacecrafts (ISO, SIRTF).