Barbara E. Selby
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.
October 23, 1992
(Phone: 703/358-1983)

RELEASE: 92-180

Shuttle Mission Features Innovative Commercial Experiments

     Commercially-sponsored experiments aboard Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-52) will examine a potential treatment for osteoporosis, material crystals to increase the speed of computers, protein crystals to determine the molecular structure of "alfa-2b interferon" used in the treatment of some cancers and experiments on microgravity effects on astronauts.

     "These experiments reflect the increasing interest and willingness of U.S. industry to invest and participate in commercial research using the benefits of microgravity to develop superior products and services," said Assistant Administrator for Commercial Programs Jack Mannix.

     NASA's Office of Commercial Programs is sponsoring these experiments to support the agency's Commercial Development of Space initiatives.

Physiological Systems Experiment-2 (PSE-2)

     This experiment is the result of a collaboration between Merck & Company, Inc., West Point, Pa., and the Center for Cell Research (CCR), a NASA Center for the Commercial Development of Space (CCDS) at Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pa.

     "The goal of the experiment is to see if an experimental compound we're developing will prevent or slow osteoporosis from developing in microgravity during space flight," said Roy Walker, Manager, Scientific Information with Merck & Co., Inc.

     "If it does, the compound may be a useful treatment for many people on Earth who suffer bone loss from being bedridden for long periods of time due to accidents or paralysis," Walker said.

     The experiment also may have direct application in space as a preventive for bone loss that might effect astronauts on extended flights.

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     In this experiment, six healthy adolescent male albino rats will be treated before flight with the experimental anti-osteoporotic compound. An untreated control group of rats also will be aboard Columbia. Both groups will be housed in self-contained enclosures requiring no interaction from astronauts, although a clear plastic cover on the enclosure will allow astronauts to inspect the rats' conditions during the flight.

     "We are proud to be working with Merck & Co., Inc., in this pioneering effort. Merck is the world's largest research-oriented pharmaceutical company and the industry leader. We believe that Merck's example will be an important stimulus to other companies to become involved in microgravity projects," said Penn State's CCR Director Dr. W. C. Hymer.

Crystal by Vapor Transport Experiment (CVTE)

     This Shuttle flight will mark the first time that astronauts will operate the CVTE crystal growth furnace in orbit to learn how to grow better industrial crystals.

     "This experiment is important to the semiconductor industry because the ability of semiconductors to process and store information is dependent on the quality of the crystals used," said Boeing CVTE Program Manager Barbara Heizer.

     "Thus, large, uniform crystals grown during space flight may lead to greater speed and capability of computers, sensors and other electronic devices," Heizer said.

     "For the first time, Shuttle astronauts will be able to watch the crystals in the furnace and make adjustments during the process to grow the largest, purest and most uniform crystals possible," said Cindy Naucler, a member of the Boeing Defense & Space Group, Missiles & Space Division, Kent, Wash., team that developed the CVTE payload with NASA.

     The CVTE payload is designed to demonstrate the technology of a crystal growth furnace in the microgravity environment of space. The furnace will use a vapor transport process to produce cadmium telluride crystals that are expected to be as large in diameter as a dime. Previous crystal-growth facilities only have grown samples the size of a pencil eraser.

     Shuttle crew members Bill Shepherd and Mike Baker completed extensive training with Boeing scientists to learn to operate the CVTE equipment. By having the astronauts monitor and observe the on-orbit crystal growth, it is believed that they will better control the process and interpret the data to ultimately produce superior crystals.

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Commercial Protein Crystal Growth (CPCG)

     This experiment is designed to use a Protein Crystallization Facility (PCF) in microgravity to obtain high-quality crystals for potential protein pharmaceutical development.

     Using the PCF, researchers will study the crystallization of the biologically important molecule, alfa-2b interferon, an anti-viral, anti-cancer agent with approval pending for several novel theraputic uses, such as hepatitus, multiple myeloma and as an adjunct to AIDS therapy.

     The PCF consists of special equipment that, prior to launch, is filled with the alfa-2b interferon and housed in a thermal enclosure device, programmed to control the temperature of the protein solution. The PCF, developed by the Center for Macromolecular Crystallography (CMC), processes relatively large batches of protein.

     The STS-52 crew will activate the experiment shortly after achieving orbit. A gradual temperature change in the thermal enclosure will occur over several days, causing the protein solution to form protein crystals. Once activated, the payload will require no further interaction except for periodic monitoring, and no modifications for landing.

     The protein sample is provided by the CMC and the Schering-Plough Research Institute, Bloomfield, N.J. The CMC, a NASA CCDS located at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, has managed and developed protein crystal activities with growing success since 1985.

     "Increased success and promising results from commercial protein crystal growth activities are on the rise," said Dr. Charles Bugg, Principal Investigator for PCG activities and Director of the CMC. "The success achieved to date is directly attributable to the far-reaching research efforts and cooperation between the scientists of the CMC and its industry affiliates."

     Protein pharmaceuticals -- such as insulin, human growth hormone and tissue plasminogen activator (a "clot buster" for heart attack victims) -- have been used successfully in patient care for the past decade.

     Initial analysis of protein crystals grown during a 2-week Shuttle mission last June indicate that about 40 percent of the proteins produced larger and higher quality crystals than those produced on the ground. The crystals' increased size, quality and yield compared to results obtained in previous missions are attributed to the extended period of time for crystal growth provided by the extended length of the Shuttle mission.

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Commercial MDA ITA Experiments-1 (CMIX-1)

     The results of research focusing on how cell structure and function are altered in microgravity could contribute to remedies for some physiological problems experienced by astronauts during space flight.

     The problems include bone demineralization, muscle atrophy, cardiovascular deconditioning, reduced immune cell response and decrease in red blood cell count, according to Dr. Marian Lewis, a senior research associate at the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) and Manager of the CMIX-1 project. The CMIX-1 experiments were developed by the Consortium for Materials Development in Space (CMDS), a NASA CCDS located at UAH.

     Some of the CMIX-1 experiments will use human, mouse and frog cells to learn how the human body responds to living in the weightless environment of space flight. The cells will be maintained at a constant temperature and chemically stimulated to grow in microgravity. Their growth will be stopped before the Shuttle reenters the Earth's gravity so that researchers can analyze the cells' response to growth in microgravity.

     "The information obtained from cell tests such as these may be crucial in preparation for Space Station Freedom where astronauts will have long-duration stays in space," said Lewis.

     Because these space flight-related conditions are similar to various disorders on Earth, the cell experiments flying on CMIX-1 also may hold the key to better treatments for the Earth-based conditions.

     "The results also may give clues about cell structure and function which potentially could improve treatment of osteoporosis, anemia and immune deficiencies on Earth," Lewis said.

     The UAH CMDS will conduct the majority of its experiments in two Materials Dispersion Apparatus (MDA) minilabs. The MDA, developed by Instrumentation Technology Associates (ITA), Inc., Exton, Pa., is a brick-sized, automated device capable of mixing up to 100 separate samples of multiple fluids and/or solids at precisely-timed intervals.

     In addition to the two MDAs used by the UAH CMDS, two others will be used by ITA and its commercial customers. Their experiments will include protein crystal growth, inorganic assembly, biomaterials processing, dye and yeast cell diffusion and engineering tests of the MDA.

     Potential commercial applications of the ITA experiments are expected in environmental sciences, drug research and development, electronics and cell pharmacology.

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     ITA also is donating 5 percent of its MDA capacity to high school students in Florida, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington, D.C. The students hope to learn how the clotting process occurs in microgravity and how microgravity affects the early development of brine shrimp.

     The UAH CMDS also is conducting live cell investigations in 10 Bioprocessing Modules. These experiments are designed to gain information on how cells of the human immune system may be induced to grow when exposed to certain compounds. Once scientists discover how cells respond to these compounds in microgravity, techniques may be developed to select for certain desirable cell types.

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