Logo for the next Kibo-ABC small space experiment “AHiS” has been selected
Last Updated: February 29, 2016
The logo for SSAF 2016 / AHiS (Asian Herb in Space) mission has been selected by Kibo-ABC member countries. The logo design is provided by NSTDA , a Kibo-ABC member agency from Thailand. With its simple form which describes growing seedling cracking out of seed and changing color from blue to green along its upward growth, the logo indicates a life growing in space. This design also indicates the Milky Way galaxy.
Third mission “SSAF 2016 / AHiS”: Analyzation of returned sample cultivated in Kibo
Holy Basil Seed
This year, with the third SSAF program, Kibo-ABC will step forward into next stage of small space experiment in Kibo. Mission name “AHiS” is named by ANGKASA Malaysia, the proposer of this mission. The Malaysian herb seed “Ocimuum (Green)” called “Holy Basil” and Japanese herb seed “Sweet Basil” will be launched together to Kibo/ISS and germinated on board “Kibo” for around one month, and then the samples of the each herb seedlings will be brought back to the earth, for further experiments and analyzation.
Sweet Basil (Ground experiment)
The seeds will be packed in the “AHiS flight plants box” made originally for this experiment, and stays inside this box during flight. As they did in former mission SSAF2013 , astronauts on ISS will conduct procedure to cultivate the seeds while the seeds grown on board Kibo this time as well. The herb seed used for this experiment is very small compared to Azuki seed (SSAF2013) , and the germination of the seeds takes longer time. Light will be necessary for germination therefore the seeds will be cultivated under the fluorescent lamp of Kibo module instead of the sunlight. SSAF is a simplified experiment program which is devised to be operational for beginners of Kibo experiments and also elaborated to save time and expense compared to the regular space experiments. By setting the AHiS plant box under the fluorescent light of Kibo module, ISS astronauts can easily observe the growing seedlings, which might give a sense of comfort for them.
AHiS mission is tentatively scheduled to be conducted this year, with participation of all Kibo-ABC member countries. The website of AHiS program will be opened to public soon, and the details of the mission will be updated there.
History of SSAF program
The SSAF (Space Seeds for Asian Future) program is one of the main 3 programs of Kibo-ABC activities , aimed to accumulate experience of Kibo using experiment process that leads to member countries’ potential for capacity building of more advanced space experiments utilizing Kibo.
First mission “SSAF 2010-2011”: Sample Launch and Return
Seeds from Asian countries which had launched to the ISS/Kibo and returned to earth were distributed to students who participated in this program, and the students grew the seeds on the ground for observation experiment.
Second mission “SSAF 2013”: Sample Launch, Cultivation on ISS and Ground reference experiment
The Azuki seed has been launched by HTV-4 to the Kibo/ISS and the germination of seed in microgravity environment on board Kibo had been observed with the help of astronaut in the ISS. Participants observed the on-ground germination experiment of the same kind of seeds as the seeds grown in space, and compared with the imaged sent from ISS showing the growing seedlings. The seeds were cultivated in light-blocked aluminum container bag with only water supplied from outside to grow them. As the Azuki seed has nutrients inside its embryo by nature, the seed germinated in 7 days without light. The event of germination and tensile test of the stem was filmed on orbit. The participants experienced the procedure of ground reference experiment, by cultivating the same Azuki seed on ground with similar environment with Kibo/ISS and compared them with the seed cultivated on Kibo/ISS.
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