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Conducting gravitational biology research requires hardware capable of operating in an effective manner in different gravity environments. One previous program to produce a suite of gravitational biology instrumentation, the Space Station Biological Research Program (SSBRP), was cancelled several years ago, but the hardware being developed for that program remains relevant to gravitational scientists today. Both the Advanced Animal Habitat (AAH) and the Plant Research Unit (PRU) were through the preliminary design phase when work was stopped, and science evaluation units along with designs, applicable data packages, and test hardware still exist. Design concepts have developed since the end of the SSBRP program to modify both habitats into rear-breathing Express Rack compatible payloads with a selection of alternative configurations. The requirements for doing so are well understood and would use existing flight-proven designs, representing a minimal risk to successful completion. Mechanical solutions to the desired modifications have been identified, but still require detailed designs for fabrication of hardware. Electronically, the modified payloads would utilize nearly all of the previously designed control systems, with only minor changes. The software for these systems has already been modified, and awaits hardware to be loaded onto for further testing and software assurance. Existing Science Evaluation Units (SEUs) can be quickly brought on-line for ground-based testing and experiment development. These two payloads represent significant capabilities that are not yet available; however completion of development would be relatively quick due to the previous development efforts. This paper summarizes the current status of these two developments. |
