Microgravity, Space Shuttle Program, NASA

The Interferometer Protein Crstal Growth (IPCG) experiment was designed to measure details of how protein molecules move through a fluid. It was flown on the STS-86 mission for use aboard Russin Space Station Mir in 1998. It studied aspects of how crystals grow - and what conditions lead to the best crystals, details that remain a mystery. IPCG produces interference patterns by splitting then recombining laser light. This let scientists see how fluid densities - and molecular diffusion - change around a crystal as it grows in microgravity. The heart of the IPCG apparatus is the interferometer cell comprising the optical bench, microscope, other optics, and video camera. IPCG experiment cells are made of optical glass and silvered on one side to serve as a mirror in the interferometer system that visualizes crystals and conditions around them as they grow inside the cell. This view shows the complete apparatus. The principal investigator was Dr. Alexander McPherson of the University of California, Irvin. Co-investigators are William Witherow and Dr. Marc Pusey of NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center

interferometer protein crystal growth ipcg msfc marshall space flight center microgravity high resolution crystals ipcg experiment cells interferometer protein crstal growth interferometer cell ipcg apparatus russin space station mir conditions interferometer system protein molecules move measure details fluid densities cell experiment details fluid sts 86 mission interference patterns laser light let scientists apparatus video camera one side alexander mcpherson william witherow marc pusey nasa

05/01/1998

NASA

https://images.nasa.gov/

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