Summary of Operational Capabilities

The objective of the Biological Research In Canisters (BRIC-100) payload is to provide a storage container for investigations into the effects of space flight on small specimens.

The BRIC-100 canister is an anodized-aluminum cylinder with threaded lids on each end which can allow passive gas exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide through a semi-permeable membrane. The BRIC-100 is not a light-tight container. This canister provides containment and structural support for the specimen and its associated hardware.

The canister can accommodate nine (9) polycarbonate 100 mm petri plates.

The outside dimensions of the BRIC-100 canister are 15 inches high x 14.25 inches outside diameter

See line drawing of BRIC-100.

Usage

The BRIC-100 has flown on the following payloads:

Mission	Payload (Experiment)
STS-64	BRIC-02
STS-70	BRIC-04
STS-70	BRIC-05
STS-77	BRIC-07
STS-95	BRIC-13

Specimens flown in the BRIC-60 include Manduca sexta (tobacco hornworm) pupae and Hemerocallis (daylily) and Dactylis glomerta L. (orchardgrass) embryos.

Technical Details

The bottom and top lids of each canister have twenty-five 0.5 mm holes and a Teflon membrane (pore size 0.5 micrometers). Two septa are located in the lid to allow gas sampling. Underneath this lid, the semi-permeable membrane is attached and supported by an anodized-aluminum ring. The ring and membrane assembly are supported by five stainless steel screws. If gas exchange is not required, the semi-permeable membrane and capture ring can be replaced by an aluminum capture plate to provide a closed experimental environment.

The petri plates inside the canister are held in place by a petri dish cage insert. The cage insert is manufactured from 304 stainless steel and contains glide rivets made from acetal. The rack provides both vibration isolation from the other dishes and the canister, and airspace between each petri dish.

The BRIC-100 canisters are flown in sets of three, and a standard Orbiter middeck locker can accommodate up to six (6) BRIC-100 canisters