Description: A light-weight, user-friendly, algorithmically or remotely controlled microscope, not purchased from a microscope company, coupled to fluid sample processing and sample changing systems is proposed. It is an easy-access light microscope consisting of a novel illuminator-condenser with no moving parts, a sample-processing remotely controlled translating stage using hollow slides, a high-definition color video camera, including multiparameter image processing and analysis. This system will be especially useful when the U. S. Light Microscopy Module on ISS is out of service in 2017-2018. In phase I research Techshot will produce a functioning laboratory prototype of this system by meeting the following technical objectives (1) Determine the detailed requirements of identified ISS microscopy users and implement these requirements in a design, (2) Build a laboratory prototype of the microscopy system installed in an EXPRESS locker insert, and (3) Operate the laboratory prototype for at least three ISS user experimenters. The tested prototype will serve as the basis for Phase II research, in which a version designed for space flight will be built and tested.

Benefits: An algorithmically or remotely controlled microscope coupled to fluid sample processing and sample changing systems is proposed as an easy-access light microscopy system including a novel condenser with no moving parts, a remotely controlled translating stage with hollow slides, and a color video camera with image processing and analysis. This system will be useful when the U. S. Light Microscopy Module on ISS is out of service in 2017-2018. In phase I research Techshot will produce a functioning laboratory prototype of this system.

Techshot expects to commercialize the proposed ISS microscopy system by incorporating it into the company's spaceflight services program it offers to other Government agencies like NIH, NSF, and DoD. In combination with the long list of other proven and new flight hardware developed by Techshot this capability is expected to greatly expand the company's range of services. In addition to in-space users interested in the life sciences, the microscopy system is especially applicable to industrial research on the dynamics of colloids and particle suspensions found in the food, cosmetic, paint, pharmaceutical and composite industries. For example, the pharmaceutical industry is very interested in how protein crystals grow but has not previously been able to monitor repeated experiments in space where improved crystals are grown.