WH T’S UP.T H E L A T E S T F R O M C A S I S

DECEMBER 2012

T H E O F F I C I A L C A S I S N E W S L E T T E R

INSIDE:NANORACKSCONFERENCE RECAPAND MUCH MORE!

Image Courtesy of NASA

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DECEMBER2012

As the year comes to a close, so does the submission time frame for the second CASIS

Request for Proposals (RFP), which supports a new and innovative hardware addition to the

International Space Station, the NanoRacks External Platform. This hardware, designed to sit on the exterior of the station, will crack open an area of space station research that has been mostly unavailable to the broad science community, enabling increased opportunities for users of

the station’s U.S. National Laboratory. The CASIS RFP, Materials Testing in the Extreme Environment of Space, takes advantage of this external platform, encouraging a new and expanded user base to perform research on the exterior of the space station.

The RFP stems from a partnership with NanoRacks, a commercial entity with over 60 space station payloads currently under contract. Existing NanoRacks payloads involve the use of NanoLabs, shoebox-sized containers that house research experiments in a variety of fields. The new NanoRacks External Platform, the first plug-and-play piece of external hardware targeted toward a commercial clientele, will also use these NanoLabs. The Platform will be the first permanent hardware on the outside of station that allows researchers to take small experiments in and out of the space environment for long-term studies.

The Platform is distinct from other hardware supporting external research because it does not require complex robotics or astronaut activity outside the station—elements of past research

NANORACKS

SEE NANORACKS ON PAGE 6

Materials Testing in the Extreme Environment of Space

Awardees from the second CASIS RFP will expose materials to the space environment for six months using the NanoRacks External Platform. Extreme conditions in the space environment include temperatures that cycle between extreme hot and cold as well as exposure to radiation and atomic oxygen (a damaging form of the oxygen molecule). Projects that expose materials to this environment, such as those that will be supported by CASIS grant funding, may lead to breakthroughs in satellite construction, energy-saving materials, commercial product improvement and more. Previous materials research on Station even had unexpected benefits for Earth applications; for example, results from research on materials’ response to atomic oxygen exposure led to the development of an improved approach for art restoration.

THE EXTERNALADVANTAGE

BY DUANE RATLIFFCHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

Nanoracks exterior hardware technologyto expand the National Lab reseach arena

www.iss-casis.org

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DECEMBER2012 www.iss-casis.org

Image Courtesy of NASA

In its efforts to streamline and increase utilization of the International Space Station

U.S. National Laboratory, CASIS interacts with a variety of service providers who participate in developing payloads (spacecraft cargo—in this case, research experiments) for flight. These entities are invaluable to the CASIS mission of enabling access to the National Lab research platform—especially for first-time users.

CASIS offers many support services to enable space-science initiatives. Ultimately, CASIS assists researchers in transitioning their experiments into

payloads that are ready for flight—including identifying and executing steps to meet requirements for flight and station use. Service providers termed Implementation Partners are the lynchpin in these CASIS

efforts to make access to station easy and efficient.

Who are these Implementation Partners, and why are they critical to the CASIS mission?

Implementation Partners are U.S. companies with demonstrated experience in preparing research experiments for flight on the

station. CASIS facilitates potential National Lab users in identifying and interacting with these companies, who can help researchers:

DECEMBER2012WH T’S UP.4

PARTNERS

CASIS’ IMPLEMENTATIONPARTNERS ARE INVALUABLE TEAM MEMBERS AND CRUCIAL TOMISSION SUCCESS.HERE’S WHY.

BY KEN SHIELDSDIRECTOR OFOPERATIONS

“Implementation Partners are the unsung heroes of these efforts...”

• Translate their science objectives and ground experiments into feasible research plans for station science

• Modify or develop hardware and software to meet research needs

• Conduct the safety analyses and flight certification testing required for access to the station

• Develop crew training materials and procedures for research experiments

• Process all of the NASA paperwork

Fundamentally, these companies guide a researcher through the steps of making their ground-based experiments appropriate for a space-based platform, including formal procedures for flight approval. For those new to space, this assistance is priceless—yet many Implementation Partners offer turnkey services and fixed-fee pricing so that researchers can focus on just the science. In alignment with the CASIS goal of attracting new users to the National Lab, these services overcome a large hurdle of unfamiliarity that might otherwise discourage new users.

In parallel, CASIS services include flight coordination to and from the space station, identification of and facilitation in acquiring required hardware and software, access to state-of-the-art laboratories, coordination of ground-based work and coordination with NASA. In cooperation with NASA, CASIS provides researchers with access to on-orbit facilities, data processing capabilities and crew time without charge. NASA supplies transport and on-orbit resources without additional cost. Finally, CASIS provides integration and operations services as well as assistance with the engineering, standard agreements, safety and documentation aspects of conducting experiments on the space station. For many of these tasks, Implementation Partner support of investigators is the vital component necessary for expeditious and streamlined access to station.

In the Decade of Utilization for the station, it is critical that we arm our new users with the resources that will make their experience trouble-free and their research successful. Implementation Partners are the unsung heroes of these efforts, providing a smooth and expeditious pathway toward success, even for first-time users.

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RECAPS

CONFERENCEROUNDUP &A LOOK AHEAD

SEE CONFERENCE ON PAGE 6

From November 26 through December 2, 2012, CASIS attended the 28th annual meeting of the American Society for Gravitational & Space Research (ASGSR). This was one of many meetings this year where CASIS raised awareness about their role as

manager of the International Space Station U.S. National Laboratory. The meetings and conferences attended by CASIS personnel in 2012 represent a successful initial outreach in raising

awareness about the space station’s capabilities and opportunities.

At ASGSR and other conferences, CASIS led workshops on the role of CASIS in enabling space research. At these well-attended events, CASIS discussed the transition of National Lab payloads to CASIS sponsorship, described its mission to enable increased station utilization, and detailed the process by which it will streamline the space-science research process. These workshops were an important step toward establishing a robust research portfolio onboard the National Lab by describing how past and new-to-space researchers can get into the research pipeline—and the advantages of doing so. At ASGSR, CASIS Interim Chief Scientist Dr. Timothy Yeatman presented science objectives and the differences between CASIS-sponsored payloads and those that NASA will support to a large audience. CASIS also unveiled a new booth with updated branding at this conference—with more space for side meetings with interested parties.

Other conferences attended in 2012 included the First Annual International Space Station Research and Development Conference in Denver, CO (cosponsored by CASIS, the American Astronautical Society and NASA); an American Astronautical Society conference in Colorado Springs, CO; and several of NASA’s Destination Station events. Destination Station is NASA’s International Space Station Program national awareness

BY EMILY WHITESCIENCECOMMUNICATIONSWRITER

CASIS’ IMPLEMENTATIONPARTNERS ARE INVALUABLE TEAM MEMBERS AND CRUCIAL TOMISSION SUCCESS.HERE’S WHY.

“Implementation Partners are the unsung heroes of these efforts...”

campaign, which includes various activities such as educational outreach and interactive presentations for broad scientific audiences from academia and industry.. CASIS supported a portion of the activities at select Destination Station events and also met with key researchers in different areas of the country during these events to promote the space station research platform.

In addition, CASIS attended non-space-science events, such as the BIO International Convention in Boston, MA. Such outreach efforts are critical to the CASIS mission of attracting new National Lab users,

particularly commercial entities. Hosted by the Biotechnology Industry Organization, the BIO convention was the largest global event for the biotechnology industry this year. CASIS representation at this event (in the form of a trade show booth and various networking efforts) led to fruitful discussions with potential industry partners and foundations that seek crucial medical breakthroughs for therapeutics on Earth. CASIS activities at BIO and other non-space-science conferences promoted awareness of the National Lab’s capabilities and its potential to augment research on Earth.

In the coming year, CASIS has

an even more rigorous schedule planned for outreach at science conferences and events, including the annual conference for the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the world’s largest general scientific society. CASIS also plans to attend conferences in areas such as stem cell research, materials science, tissue engineering, education—and of course space science. CASIS attendance and outreach at these events will not only achieve transparency of the CASIS mission and operating plan but also engage a robust new audience of potential National Lab users.

HIGHLIGHTSFrom November 26 through December 2, 2012, CASIS staff attended and actively participated in the American Society for Gravitational & Space Research conference in New Orleans. Interim Chief Scientist Dr. Tim Yeatman took part in a panel to discuss utilization alongside NASA leadership and hardware providers. Additionally, on the first day of the conference, Chief Operating Officer Duane Ratliff led a CASIS session designed at educating attendees on the opportunities that exist on Station.

On December 13, the CASIS Board of Directors met for the first time face-to-face in Washington, D.C. to discuss direction of the organization. During this meeting, France Cordova, Ph.D. was voted as the Board Chairperson to represent the interest of the Board to the public. To learn more about the CASIS Board of Directors, please click the link to watch an introductory video.

C L I C K T H E H A N D F O R M O R E I N F O

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CONFERENCE FROM PAGE 5

that were in many cases prohibitively expensive and required significant crew time. Simple robotics can accomplish any manipulation of the NanoLabs while they are outside the station. Moreover, in contrast to the large payloads previous used for external research, the tiny, modular NanoLabs can be easily transported to and from the station and in and out of the Japanese Kibo airlock, allowing more research to fly more efficiently.

Proposals for the CASIS RFP that promotes this new hardware are due December 27, 2012. Through this RFP and the NanoRacks partnership, CASIS

continues its mission of enabling expanded National Lab opportunities and supporting commercial involvement in space science. Moreover, the CASIS partnership enabled acceleration of the timeline for readiness and flight of the NanoRacks External Platform.

While CASIS will initially support research in materials science, other research made possible by the External Platform includes biological and Earth observation studies, among others. Earth observation is a particularly important field enabled by the External Platform because of the station’s unique altitude, which is distinct from most satellites—and NanoRacks has already received multiple inquiries about such

uses. Additionally, a CASIS webinar in November regarding the materials science RFP was well attended, indicating significant interest within the scientific community. Michael Johnson, NanoRacks’ chief technology officer, joined the CASIS team for the webinar, providing more details about capabilities of the External Platform and the technical aspects of using this innovative hardware. Such immediate interest in using the External Platform is encouraging and promises a robust external research portfolio to be cultivated as we move forward into an era of increased commercial interest in space station research.

NANORACKS FROM PAGE 3