According to the decadal report titled, Life and Physical Sciences Research for a New Era of Space Exploration, a Report, ??the AHB Panel would be remiss if it did not strongly recommend an animal centrifuge capable of accommodating rats/mice at variable gravity levels.? Furthermore, the panel stated, ??research on animal models will be constrained without the ability to manipulate the gravity variable as a factor modulating the fundamental processes underlying organ system homeostasis.? In response, Techshot has proposed to develop a Rodent Centrifuge Facility (RCF-QL) that utilizes four locker locations (Quad Locker) in the EXPRESS Rack for life science research. The counter-balanced centrifuge is designed to provide a facility to allow rats and mice to live and be observed in simulated gravity between 0-1 g for up to 90 days. The RCF-QL provides up to five cages. Each cage can accommodate at least six 30 gram mice, three 200 gram rats, or two 400 gram rats per cage. Each individual cage has ablib food and water, controllable lighting, and video monitoring. The habitat is temperature controlled with constant airflow throughout the cages. Air flow entraps waste in a filter that also treats the waste for bacteria and odor. Additional air filters will remove odors and ammonium from the animal enclosure. The subsystems design will minimize crew time. Each subsystem requiring change-out during the 90 day experiment will be designed to be simple and intuitive in operations. The RCF-QL will be the only facility capable of providing group housing for rats and mice, with a medium diameter centrifuge (20 in., 0.508 m) and a large rotating cage volume (1000 in3, 16,400 cm3 for the cage). All hardware cage features are designed to meet NIH animal care and use standards.
Potential NASA Commercial Applications: (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words) The Rodent Centrifuge Facility ? Quad Locker (RCF-QL) offers the largest diameter centrifuge research tool flown on ISS. The RCF-QL is a unique and powerful instrument for novel life and microgravity science research. Techshot?s initial targeted application of the proposed innovation is an offering of both the equipment and services associated with flight hardware and integration activities, which are highly desired by NASA-funded scientists as well as other governmental agencies. The RCF-QL will enhance NASA?s position in exploration research by allowing rodent experiments at, for example, Mars gravity ? a long-standing interest of NASA?s intramural and extramural gravitational physiology users. Its large cage geometry will allow the investigation of a variety of systems, biological and physical, with larger allowed volume than any other ISS centrifugal research device. Obviously the RCF-QL can provide 1-g control conditions for experiments in stationary hardware such as animal and plant habitats. The RCF-QL will have the additional advantage that Techshot is uniquely qualified to provide these space flight services, just as the company has done for PI?s on a variety of flight experiments for the past 27 years, including, for example, our Avian Development Facility (ADF). Techshot is also supporting future ISS experiments for NASA PI?s utilizing the Bone Densitometer flight hardware that Techshot developed and integrated in 2013-14.
Potential NON-NASA Commercial Applications: (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words) Techshot sees tremendous potential commercial applications for the Rodent Centrifuge Facility ? Quad Locker (RCF-QL) in biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies where life science research holds promise for cell replacement therapies for bioregenerative diseases. Techshot already has been in talks with U.S. biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies regarding long-term rodent research aboard the ISS. Furthermore, the company has begun to establish international connections with commercial entities in Canada, and most recently Brazil, where strong interest has been expressed in buying microgravity research tools and opportunities. Just as exciting, Techshot expects to commercialize the RCF-QL by incorporating it into the company's spaceflight service program it offers to other Government agencies like NIH, NSF, and DoD. In combination with the long list of other proven flight hardware developed by Techshot, the facility is expected to greatly expand the company's range of services. More importantly, its unique medium radius centrifuge capability should further enhance Techshot's commercial competitive position.
Technology Taxonomy Mapping: (NASA's technology taxonomy has been developed by the SBIR-STTR program to disseminate awareness of proposed and awarded R/R&D in the agency. It is a listing of over 100 technologies, sorted into broad categories, of interest to NASA.) Biological (see also Biological Health/Life Support) Biophysical Utilization Machines/Mechanical Subsystems Medical Physiological/Psychological Countermeasures
