Development of the magentic field apparatus

摘要

The Magnetic Field Apparatus (MFA) is a newly developed hardware system for space flight experimentation.The main goal of the MFA is to provide a platform to conduct experiments exposing plant tissues to a high gradient magnetic field (HGMF) in a microgravity environment.The MFA is being developed as a Space Shuttle middeck facility,and once completed will be classified as generic Life Science Laboratory Equipment (LSLE) and available to all NASA-sponsored investigators.The first flight of the MFA will be on STS-107 (currently scheduled for mid-2001).It will be configured to carry dry flax (Linum usitatissimum L) seeds into space,imbibe the seeds on-orbit,and expose the emerging roots to a high-gradient magnetic field.Time-lapse digital imagery will document root development,and the hardware will support chemical fixation at the appropriate time to preserve the specimens and terminate the experiment.