The sounding rocket programmes

The sounding rocket programmes

U. Friedrich & A. Cogoli

A total of 32 TEXUS rockets had been launched successfully by the end of 1994, together with six MASER and one MAXUS vehicles. Sweden's MASER (Material Science Experiment Rocket) programme was started by ESA in 1987 to meet the increasing demand for capacity. TEXUS and MASER can carry payloads of about 250 kg up to apogees typically around 250-300 km, yielding 5-7 min µg with a residual acceleration of less than 10^-4 g. Each payload consists of 4-6 modules housing up to a few dozen samples.While TEXUS and MASER continue to provide up to 7 min of µg, the MAXUS sounding rocket was developed as a joint venture by DASA and the Swedish Space Corporation to satisfy the scientific requirement for longer periods (15 min).. MAXUS carries a scientific payload of up to 500 kg to an apogee around 750 km. All vehicles are launched from ESRANGE near Kiruna in northern Sweden (Lapland) to enable land recovery of the scientific payloads. The campaigns take place either in March to mid-May or from November to early December. A typical mission profile is shown in Fig. 1.1. The rocket consists of the rocket motor, the scientific payload and the service systems (telemetry, rate control, recovery; Fig. 1.2). After landing, the payload is recovered and returned to the launch site. Biological experiment modules are usually designed (Figs. 1.3a-e) to allow experimenter access up to 30 min before launch, an important requirement for living samples. Earliest sample retrieval is 30 min after landing. Adequate laboratory facilities for pre- and post-flight work are available at the launch site. Science teams are usually accommodated at ESRANGE. Annual flight rates of 1-5 have been achieved, varying with budget status and scientific requirements.

Fig. 1.1 Mission profiles of MiniTEXUS, TEXUS and MAXUS. (DASA)

Fig. 1.2. Configuration of the MAXUS 1 payload.

Fig. 1.3. Critical steps of a sounding rocket flight at the ESRANGE facility near Kiruna in Sweden.

(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f)

preparation of MAXUS rocket in the payload assembly hall (M. Cogoli-Greuter).
preparation of the payload in the laboratory (Fokker Space).
installation of a biological TEM module sled in TEXUS on the launch tower 1 hr before launch (DLR).
MAXUS launch (DASA).
early retrieval of TEXUS biological experiment samples (DLR).
recovery of a TEXUS payload (DLR).

The advantages of sounding rockets for investigations in µg are:

relatively short interval between acceptance of a proposal and its flight (1- 2 years);

direct involvement of the investigator in developing the hardware, and in the preparation and execution of the experiment;
remote operation of the experiment directly by the scientist during flight via telecommand;
adequate laboratory facilities at the launch site;
the chance of conducting a series of investigations at one-year intervals for rapid verification of data obtained from more complex investigations and missions such as Spacelab;
the brief µg duration is particularly suited to the study of important biological events occurring within minutes, such as signal transduction, cytoskeletal changes and cell movements, in addition to cell-cell interactions and fertilisation of eggs;
rapid technological processes such as electrophoresis and electrofusion can be performed.

These advantages are helping to achieve the goals established by the life sciences programmes of ESA and DARA. The goals are expressed in the International Strategic Plan for Life Sciences, representing the interests and objectives of many scientists and space agencies worldwide. They improve the scientific foundation of our understanding of the processes related to life, health and disease; strengthen the scientific underpinning of programmes to ensure safe and productive human space flight; contribute meaningfully to the development of various applications of space technologies and biotechnologies to solving scientific and medical problems on Earth.

In gravitational biology, the role of gravity for growth, development, reproduction, movement, orientation and other physiological processes, as well as the mechanisms of adaptation and compensation, are investigated. The elucidation of graviperception and signal transduction are of special importance. In bioprocessing, the influence of space conditions, especially µg, on separation, cell fusion and cell cultivation techniques is investigated. Also, growth of high quality monocrystals of biological macromolecules for crystal structure analysis is performed.

In particular, sounding rocket experiments can contribute to the study of gravi-perception and gravi-orientation of single cells (gravitaxis), gravitropism of plants, gravi-response, biochemical and biophysical analysis of signal transduction chains, reproduction, electrophoresis and electro-cell- fusion. The biological experiments, including basic science and technology, performed within the sounding rocket programme on TEXUS (flights 11-32, 1985- 1994), MASER (flights 3-6, 1989-1993) and MAXUS (flight 1B, 1992) are listed in Table 1.1. As described in Section 3, the biology instrumentation ranges from simple incubation and pre-programmed plunger units to more sophisticated systems that can operate some experiments via telescience from the ground.

Table 1.1. Overview of sounding rocket experiments in life sciences 1985- 1994.

Experiment Principal
Flight Launch Experiment Title Organisms Module Investigator
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1 TEXUS 11 27 Apr 85 Electrofusion of yeast cells Saccharomyces sp TEM 06-5 U. Zimmermann

2 TEXUS 13 30 Apr 86 Electrofusion of yeast cells Saccharomyces sp. TEM 06-5 U. Zimmerman

3 TEXUS 13 30 Apr 86 Electrofusion of plant protoplasts Nicotiana tabacum, Avena sativa TEM 06-5 R. Hampp

4 TEXUS 14B 3 May 87 Electrofusion of yeast cells Saccharomyces cerevisiae TEM 06-11 U. Zimmermann

5 TEXUS 14B 3 May 87 Electric field-induced gene transfection Human lymphocytes TEM 06-11 U. Zimmermann

6 TEXUS 17 2 May 88 Electrofusion of plant protoplasts Nicotiana tabacum TEM 06-5 R. Hampp

7 TEXUS 17 2 May 88 Fertilisation and embryo polarity Xenopus laevis TEM 06-15 G. Ubbels

8 TEXUS 18 6 May 88 Statolith sedimentation in cress roots Lepidium sativum TEM KT D. Volkmann

9 TEXUS 18 6 May 88 Free-flow electrophoresis of cells Rabbit, rat & guinea pig erythrocytes TEM 06-13 K. Hannig

10 TEXUS 18 6 May 88 Electrofusion of yeast cells Saccharomyces cerevisiae TEM 06-11 U. Zimmermann

11 TEXUS 18 6 May 88 Electric field-induced gene transfection Human lymphocytes TEM 06-11 U. Zimmermann

12 TEXUS 19 28 Nov 88 Statolith sedimentation in cress roots Lepidium sativum TEM KT D. Volkmann

13 TEXUS 19 28 Nov 88 Motility and viability of spermatozoa Bull spermatozoa TEM 06-5 W. -B Schill

14 TEXUS 20 2 Dec 88 Free-flow electrophoresis of cells Mammal & bird erythrocytes TEM 06-13 K. Hannig

15 MASER 3 10 Apr 89 Fertilisation and embryo polarity Xenopus laevis TEM 06-15 G. Ubbels

16 MASER 3 10 Apr 89 Sexual interaction of gametes Chlamydomonas eugametos CIS-1 H. van den Ende

17 MASER 3 10 Apr 89 Growth factor-induced signal transduction A431 epidermoid cells CIS-1 S. W. de Laat

18 MASER 3 10 Apr 89 Membrane binding of concanavalin A Human lymphocytes CIS-1 A. Cogoli

19 TEXUS 21 30 Apr 89 Electrofusion of plant protoplasts Nicotiana tabacum TEM 06-5 R. Hampp

20 TEXUS 21 30 Apr 89 Cytoskeleton and graviperception in rhizoids Chara sp. TEM 06-16 A. Sievers

21 TEXUS 22 3 May 89 Electrofusion of yeast cells Saccharomyces cerevisiae TEM 06-11 U. Zimmermann

22 TEXUS 22 3 May 89 Electric field-induced gene transfection Human lymphocytes TEM 06-11 U. Zimmermann

23 TEXUS 23 25 Nov 89 Statolith sedimentation in cress roots Lepidium sativum TEM BIO D. Volkmann

24 TEXUS 23 25 Nov 89 Gravitaxis of protozoa Euglena sp. TEM 06-19 D.-P. Hader

25 TEXUS 24 6 Dec 89 Free-flow electrophoresis of cells Human erythrocytes TEM 04-1(06-13) K. Hannig

26 MASER 4 29 Mar 90 Membrane binding of concanavalin A Human lymphocytes CIS-2 A. Cogoli

27 MASER 4 29 Mar 90 Fertilisation of sea urchin eggs Paracentrotus lividus CIS-2 H.-J. Marthy

28 MASER 4 29 Mar 90 Growth factor-induced signal transduction A431 epidermoid cells CIS-2 S. W. de Laat

29 MASER 4 29 Mar 90 Growth factor-induced signal transduction A431 epidermoid cells CIS-2 A. Verkleij

30 TEXUS 25 13 May 90 Cytoskeleton and graviperception in rhizoids Chara sp. TEM 06-16 A. Sievers

31 TEXUS 25 13 May 90 Electrofusion of plant protoplasts Nicotiana tabacum TEM 06-5 R. Hampp

32 TEXUS 26 15 May 90 Motility and viability of spermatozoa Bull spermatozoa TEM 06-19 W.-B. Schill

33 TEXUS 26 15 May 90 Electrofusion of human lymphocytes Human lymphocytes TEM 06-11 U. Zimmermann

34 TEXUS 27 15 Nov 90 Gravitaxis of protozoa Paramecium sp. TEM 06-19 R. Hemmersbach

35 TEXUS 28 23 Nov 91 Cytoskeleton and graviperception in rhizoids Chara sp. TEM 06-16 A. Sievers

36 TEXUS 28 23 Nov 91 Gravitaxis and phototaxis of protozoa Euglena sp. TEM 06-5 D.-P. Hader

37 TEXUS 28 23 Nov 91 Gravitaxis of protozoa Paramecium sp. TEM 06-5 R. Hemmersbach

38 MASER 5 9 Apr 92 Electrofusion of fibroblasts Human fibroblasts CIS-3 J. Jongkind

39 MASER 5 9 Apr 92 Protein kinase C signal transduction A431 epidermoid cells CIS-3 S. W. de Laat

40 MASER 5 9 Apr 92 Fertilisation of sea urchin eggs Paracentrotus lividus CIS-3 H.-J. Marthy

41 TEXUS 29 5 Sep 92 Gravitaxis of protozoa Euglena sp. TEM 06-5 D.-P. Hader

42 TEXUS 29 5 Sep 92 Cytoskeleton and graviperception in rhizoids Chara sp. TEM 06-5 A. Sievers

43 MAXUS 1B 8 Nov 92 Cell movements and cytoskeleton Human lymphocytes TEM 06-5M A. Cogoli

44 TEXUS 30 1 May 93 Protein pattern in leaves protoplasts Vicia faba TEM 06-21 H. Schnabl

45 TEXUS 30 1 May 93 Gravity and energy metabolism Nicotiana tabacum TEM 06-21 R. Hampp

46 TEXUS 30 1 May 93 Gravitaxis and phototaxis of protozoa Euglena sp. TEM 06-5 D.-P. Hader

47 TEXUS 30 1 May 93 Cytoskeleton and graviperception in rhizoids Chara sp. TEM 06-5 A. Sievers

48 MASER 6 5 Nov 93 Early development of sea urchin eggs Sphaerechinus granularis CIS-4 H.-J. Marthy

49 MASER 6 5 Nov 93 Development of frog eggs fertilised in space Xenopus laevis CIS-4 G. Ubbels

50 MASER 6 5 Nov 93 Regulation of cell growth A431 epidermoid cells CIS-4 S. W. de Laat

51 TEXUS 32 4 May 94 Electrofusion of plant protoplasts Nicotiana tabacum TEM 06-21 R. Hampp

52 TEXUS 32 4 May 94 Protein pattern in leaves protoplasts Vicia faba TEM 06-21 H. Schnabl

The TEXUS, MASER and MAXUS programmes are financed by Germany and ESA, with the investigators supported by their national funding institutions. New experiment proposals should be submitted to ESA or to DARA. They will be reviewed by independent scientific peers. The experiment-specific hardware will be manufactured by industry in close co-operation with the investigator. The agencies are responsible for the flight schedule, overall programme management and procurement of the experiment hardware.

About| Search| Feedback

SP1206
Published April 1997.
Developed by ESA-ESRIN ID/D.