US 10,854,102 B2 · Configurable platform for conducting experiments in space

Abstract

Embodiments provide experiment platforms comprising hardware, software, and user-specified data structures for user-conducted orbital experiments-by-proxy that focus on microgravity as a variable. The experiment is repeated in normal gravity as a control, on a similar platform that may or may not have been constructed and/or programmed by the user. Differences in experimental results performed by similar platforms are thus attributed to the influence of gravity on observed phenomena. Experiments are specified by user-defined data structures which govern the operation of control programs typically previously installed on orbital and ground hardware. Experimentation by proxy and parameter specification allows earthbound students to participate in space-based research at various levels of involvement and at sharply reduced cost, encouraging interest in science and technology in education and future work.

Claims18

Dependent claims

An orbital experiment platform, comprising:

an experiment module comprising control software stored in a memory and executed by a hardware-based processor, actuators that modify an experimental environment, and sensors that acquire measured data pertaining to a phenomenon in the experimental environment, the experiment module operable in microgravity according to a data structure defined by a user and specifying a sequence of parameterized operations governing the actuators and the sensors;
and
a hardware-implemented management server providing data transfer services for the experiment module and an orbiting space station.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Configurable platform for conducting experiments in space

Life of this patent

Configurable platform for conducting experiments in space

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18