Small experiments are brainstormed within the constraints of a 5 x 5 x 10 cm (approximately) container and NASA’s safety requirements. The main objective of the experiments is to explore how something works in a microgravity environment. Experiments range anywhere from biology to physics. These experiments are placed in containers called Microlabs, and four of these Microlabs go into one Nanorack, which is then sent up to the International Space Station where the mechanical, electrical, and software components of the experiment work together to record data for 30 days.

 

THE PROJECT

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This 2013-2014 ISS experiment uses a Geiger counter to measure the radiation levels within the International Space Station (ISS). The Geiger counter contains a Geiger-Müller tube, which is a sealed metallic cylindrical tube filled with low-pressure argon gas. A thin metal wire runs through the center of the tube. An electric potential is maintained between the metal wire (the anode) and the cylinder (the cathode). In the absence of any radiation no current flows between the wire and the cylinder. When a radioactive particle enters the tube, it ionizes an argon atom, resulting in an electric pulse emitted from the counter. These particles are seen as particles that can be counted. A simple software program in the MicroLab makes use of a 32-bit counter to count these pulses and provide a representation of the pulses on an LED rack. Photos of this LED representation are taken and compiled with the data about the pulses that have been received from the counter. This provides the capability to accurately measure and profile the internal ISS background radiation levels for the entire ISS orbit.

 

• The experiment can be seen posted on this NASA website.

• See what the ISS Program is all about on the Valley Christian High School website