Accessibility Statement Skip Navigation
  • Why PRWeb
  • How It Works
  • Who Uses It
  • Pricing
  • Login
  • GDPR
  • Create a Free Account
Return to PRWeb homepage
  • News
  • Resources
  • Contact
When typing in this field, a list of search results will appear and be automatically updated as you type.

Searching for your content...

No results found. Please change your search terms and try again.
  • News in Focus
      • Browse News Releases

      • All News Releases
      • Multimedia Gallery

      • All Multimedia
      • All Photos
      • All Videos
  • Business & Money
      • Auto & Transportation

      • Aerospace, Defense
      • Air Freight
      • Airlines & Aviation
      • Automotive
      • Maritime & Shipbuilding
      • Railroads and Intermodal Transportation
      • Supply Chain/Logistics
      • Transportation, Trucking & Railroad
      • Travel
      • Trucking and Road Transportation
      • View All Auto & Transportation

      • Business Technology

      • Blockchain
      • Broadcast Tech
      • Computer & Electronics
      • Computer Hardware
      • Computer Software
      • Data Analytics
      • Electronic Commerce
      • Electronic Components
      • Electronic Design Automation
      • Financial Technology
      • High Tech Security
      • Internet Technology
      • Nanotechnology
      • Networks
      • Peripherals
      • Semiconductors
      • View All Business Technology

      • Entertain­ment & Media

      • Advertising
      • Art
      • Books
      • Entertainment
      • Film and Motion Picture
      • Magazines
      • Music
      • Publishing & Information Services
      • Radio & Podcast
      • Television
      • View All Entertain­ment & Media

      • Financial Services & Investing

      • Accounting News & Issues
      • Acquisitions, Mergers and Takeovers
      • Banking & Financial Services
      • Bankruptcy
      • Bond & Stock Ratings
      • Conference Call Announcements
      • Contracts
      • Cryptocurrency
      • Dividends
      • Earnings
      • Earnings Forecasts & Projections
      • Financing Agreements
      • Insurance
      • Investments Opinions
      • Joint Ventures
      • Mutual Funds
      • Private Placement
      • Real Estate
      • Restructuring & Recapitalization
      • Sales Reports
      • Shareholder Activism
      • Shareholder Meetings
      • Stock Offering
      • Stock Split
      • Venture Capital
      • View All Financial Services & Investing

      • General Business

      • Awards
      • Commercial Real Estate
      • Corporate Expansion
      • Earnings
      • Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)
      • Human Resource & Workforce Management
      • Licensing
      • New Products & Services
      • Obituaries
      • Outsourcing Businesses
      • Overseas Real Estate (non-US)
      • Personnel Announcements
      • Real Estate Transactions
      • Residential Real Estate
      • Small Business Services
      • Socially Responsible Investing
      • Surveys, Polls and Research
      • Trade Show News
      • View All General Business

  • Science & Tech
      • Consumer Technology

      • Artificial Intelligence
      • Blockchain
      • Cloud Computing/Internet of Things
      • Computer Electronics
      • Computer Hardware
      • Computer Software
      • Consumer Electronics
      • Cryptocurrency
      • Data Analytics
      • Electronic Commerce
      • Electronic Gaming
      • Financial Technology
      • Mobile Entertainment
      • Multimedia & Internet
      • Peripherals
      • Social Media
      • STEM (Science, Tech, Engineering, Math)
      • Supply Chain/Logistics
      • Wireless Communications
      • View All Consumer Technology

      • Energy & Natural Resources

      • Alternative Energies
      • Chemical
      • Electrical Utilities
      • Gas
      • General Manufacturing
      • Mining
      • Mining & Metals
      • Oil & Energy
      • Oil and Gas Discoveries
      • Utilities
      • Water Utilities
      • View All Energy & Natural Resources

      • Environ­ment

      • Conservation & Recycling
      • Environmental Issues
      • Environmental Policy
      • Environmental Products & Services
      • Green Technology
      • Natural Disasters
      • View All Environ­ment

      • Heavy Industry & Manufacturing

      • Aerospace & Defense
      • Agriculture
      • Chemical
      • Construction & Building
      • General Manufacturing
      • HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning)
      • Machinery
      • Machine Tools, Metalworking and Metallurgy
      • Mining
      • Mining & Metals
      • Paper, Forest Products & Containers
      • Precious Metals
      • Textiles
      • Tobacco
      • View All Heavy Industry & Manufacturing

      • Telecomm­unications

      • Carriers and Services
      • Mobile Entertainment
      • Networks
      • Peripherals
      • Telecommunications Equipment
      • Telecommunications Industry
      • VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol)
      • Wireless Communications
      • View All Telecomm­unications

  • Lifestyle & Health
      • Consumer Products & Retail

      • Animals & Pets
      • Beers, Wines and Spirits
      • Beverages
      • Bridal Services
      • Cannabis
      • Cosmetics and Personal Care
      • Fashion
      • Food & Beverages
      • Furniture and Furnishings
      • Home Improvement
      • Household, Consumer & Cosmetics
      • Household Products
      • Jewelry
      • Non-Alcoholic Beverages
      • Office Products
      • Organic Food
      • Product Recalls
      • Restaurants
      • Retail
      • Supermarkets
      • Toys
      • View All Consumer Products & Retail

      • Entertain­ment & Media

      • Advertising
      • Art
      • Books
      • Entertainment
      • Film and Motion Picture
      • Magazines
      • Music
      • Publishing & Information Services
      • Radio & Podcast
      • Television
      • View All Entertain­ment & Media

      • Health

      • Biometrics
      • Biotechnology
      • Clinical Trials & Medical Discoveries
      • Dentistry
      • FDA Approval
      • Fitness/Wellness
      • Health Care & Hospitals
      • Health Insurance
      • Infection Control
      • International Medical Approval
      • Medical Equipment
      • Medical Pharmaceuticals
      • Mental Health
      • Pharmaceuticals
      • Supplementary Medicine
      • View All Health

      • Sports

      • General Sports
      • Outdoors, Camping & Hiking
      • Sporting Events
      • Sports Equipment & Accessories
      • View All Sports

      • Travel

      • Amusement Parks and Tourist Attractions
      • Gambling & Casinos
      • Hotels and Resorts
      • Leisure & Tourism
      • Outdoors, Camping & Hiking
      • Passenger Aviation
      • Travel Industry
      • View All Travel

  • Policy & Public Interest
      • Policy & Public Interest

      • Advocacy Group Opinion
      • Animal Welfare
      • Congressional & Presidential Campaigns
      • Corporate Social Responsibility
      • Domestic Policy
      • Economic News, Trends, Analysis
      • Education
      • Environmental
      • European Government
      • FDA Approval
      • Federal and State Legislation
      • Federal Executive Branch & Agency
      • Foreign Policy & International Affairs
      • Homeland Security
      • Labor & Union
      • Legal Issues
      • Natural Disasters
      • Not For Profit
      • Patent Law
      • Public Safety
      • Trade Policy
      • U.S. State Policy
      • View All Policy & Public Interest

  • People & Culture
      • People & Culture

      • Aboriginal, First Nations & Native American
      • African American
      • Asian American
      • Children
      • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
      • Hispanic
      • Lesbian, Gay & Bisexual
      • Men's Interest
      • People with Disabilities
      • Religion
      • Senior Citizens
      • Veterans
      • Women
      • View All People & Culture

  • Hamburger menu
  • Cision PRWeb provides efficient communication tools to continuously engage with target audiences across multiple online channels
  • Create a Free Account
    • ALL CONTACT INFO
    • Contact Us


      11AM ET Sunday – 8PM ET Friday

  • Send a Release
  • Sign up
  • Log in
  • Resources
  • RSS
  • GDPR
  • News in Focus
    • Browse All News
    • Multimedia Gallery
  • Business & Money
    • Auto & Transportation
    • Business Technology
    • Entertain­ment & Media
    • Financial Services & Investing
    • General Business
  • Science & Tech
    • Consumer Technology
    • Energy & Natural Resources
    • Environ­ment
    • Heavy Industry & Manufacturing
    • Telecomm­unications
  • Lifestyle & Health
    • Consumer Products & Retail
    • Entertain­ment & Media
    • Health
    • Sports
    • Travel
  • Policy & Public Interest
  • People & Culture
    • People & Culture
  • Send a Release
  • Sign up
  • Log in
  • Resources
  • RSS
  • GDPR
  • Send a Release
  • Sign up
  • Log in
  • Resources
  • RSS
  • GDPR
  • Send a Release
  • Sign up
  • Log in
  • Resources
  • RSS
  • GDPR

Particle Sampling in Space: A New Frontier
  • USA - English


News provided by

RJ Lee Group

Oct 14, 2016, 03:00 ET

Share this article

Share toX

Share this article

Share toX


Monroeville, PA (PRWEB) October 14, 2016 -- Why are we sampling particles in space?

Our understanding of the living conditions astronauts experience in the International Space Station (ISS) may be colored by our exposure to science fiction. Based on this experience, you might assume that an unknown airborne substance in a spacecraft was of alien origin, seeping in by accident or on purpose.

"There’s a lot of technology in a very small space, and the RJ Lee Group/CSU team was really uniquely qualified to define the design parameters from the perspective of the scientist in the field." - Hank Lentz, RJ Lee Group

Post this

In reality, particulate in the air of the ISS is generated mostly by the activities of humans and mechanical devices. The cabin air quality is obviously critical to the health and well-being of the crew and the equipment, and thus understanding the quantity and nature of particulate matter is paramount not only for ISS crew members, but also for future long-term missions such as the Journey to Mars. In spite of high-efficiency filtration systems on the ISS, the astronauts have reported itchy eyes and other allergy-type symptoms, and NASA experts suspect the issues are caused by particulate in the air.

How are we sampling particles in space?

Enter the TPS100 Nanoparticle Sampler. The TPS100 is a compact, microcontroller-based sampling device that uses thermophoresis to deposit nanoparticles directly on an electron microscope (EM) grid. Thermophoresis is particle movement induced by a thermal gradient. The TPS100 uses a temperature gradient across a narrow sampling channel to capture airborne particles on the grid. The technology is especially effective for capturing nanoparticles – a thousand such particles laid side-by-side would roughly equal the width of a human hair. By virtue of the sampling process, nanoparticles collected by the TPS100 are highly visible compared to other sampling approaches such as filter based methods in which the nanoparticles can be masked by larger particles or by the sampling media itself. The TPS100 attracted the attention of NASA, who will now be using the sampler in slightly modified form – dubbed Active Aerosol Sampler (AAS) – to help quantify airborne particles in the ISS.

Background on the TPS100

The commercially available TPS100 is based on a proof-of-concept prototype conceived by Dr. John Volckens, Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Colorado State University (CSU) and a researcher with the CSU Energy Institute. Funded by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the prototype demonstrated the validity of using thermophoresis for collection of nanoparticles. Following a meeting at a conference, Dr. Volckens and RJ Lee Group Vice President and Senior Scientist Gary Casuccio formed a collaboration with the goal of creating a commercially viable device.

RJ Lee Group sought and was awarded funding from the Pennsylvania Nano Commercialization Center, and added Senior Electronics/Firmware Engineer Hank Lentz to the team along with CSU Mechanical Engineer Dan Miller-Lionberg. Together, the designers re-imagined and miniaturized the sampling core, provided fully-automated electronic control, and with guidance and feedback from RJ Lee Group scientists added ergonomic touches such as cartridge keys that make sample exchange simpler than changing a light bulb.

"It was definitely a challenge to develop a precision sampler with the small physical envelope, ergonomics, and long battery life that’s required for a commercially viable instrument," said Mr. Lentz. "There’s a lot of technology in a very small space, and the RJ Lee Group/CSU team was really uniquely qualified to define the design parameters from the perspective of the scientist in the field. John Volckens of CSU gave us a great head start with his group’s original proof-of-concept work, and we were very fortunate to work with a gifted mechanical engineer in Dan Miller-Lionberg to create a polished product and one that was deemed worthy of selection for the ISS mission.’

In addition to the size and compactness of the TPS100, the sample collection process is very unique. RJ Lee Group Senior Scientist Dr. Kristin Bunker states, "Samples collected with the TPS100 are well suited for electron microscopy analysis because they are collected directly onto a carbon film grid and no sample preparation is needed. We can then directly place the grid into a high resolution electron microscope to study the size, morphology and chemistry of the nanoparticles. Collection of particles onto a carbon film grid provides an ideal substrate for nanoparticles examination."

Dr. Marit Meyer, researcher at NASA Glenn Research Center, saw the potential of the TPS100 through meeting Mr. Casuccio at an aerosol conference and then gained experience with the TPS100 by using it to perform some terrestrial experiments with 3D printers. Dr. Meyer was attracted by the compact, self-contained form-factor, as well as the fact that thermophoresis is not sensitive to orientation and therefore ideal for experiments to be performed in the microgravity environment of the ISS.

Meeting NASA Requirements

As RJ Lee Group looked to this new frontier, the TPS100 would need to undergo a stringent vetting process to gain NASA approval for flight. While passing muster successfully for a variety of electrical, electromagnetic, and mechanical requirements, the TPS100 required modifications to meet the ISS touch-temperature requirements. To generate thermophoresis, the TPS100 must dissipate heat through natural convection – not a problem on Earth, where warm air rises and carries heat away from the unit. In the microgravity environment on the ISS, however, there is very little natural convection. So the team went back to the drawing board and added a special forced-air cooling plate. Lab testing at RJ Lee Group with the TPS100 packed in insulating material – to simulate the worst-case thermal conditions in microgravity – proved the modifications were successful, and the AAS was born.

Following approval by NASA, RJ Lee Group supplied two AAS units to NASA for launch to the ISS. While on the ISS, eight to ten separate multi-hour sampling sessions will be performed in different ISS locations to collect nanoparticulate during activities such as cleaning and use of exercise equipment, as well as opening the hatch after a cargo vehicle docks.

Enter the Passive Aerosol Sampler

Since the AAS focuses almost exclusively on nanoparticles, the RJ Lee Group team worked with Mr. Miller-Lionberg again to meet Dr. Meyer’s need to collect larger particles as well. This is important because per Dr. Meyer ‘we take it for granted, but on Earth, gravity cleans our air quite nicely. In space, cookie crumbs don’t fall down, they float around and move with the air flow in the spacecraft cabin.’ The result was the modified passive aerosol sampler (PAS), a device based on the University of North Carolina passive sampling technology developed by Jeff Wagner and David Leith. The PAS was designed with five small, drawer-like sampling chambers that will be used to collect particulate on ISS air vents for durations of 2, 4, 8, 16, and 32 days. Seven PAS and two AAS units will be utilized in this this space experiment, to provide a profile of particles across a wide range of size, time, and locale.

Sample Analysis

Upon return to Earth, the AAS cartridge keys along with the PAS samples will be analyzed using a variety of light, laser and electron microscopy techniques. Collecting particulate on the ISS using the AAS and PAS will provide a wealth of information on particle characteristics on the ISS. In the words of Dr. Meyer, “The goal of this experiment is data collection. If we know the characteristics of the airborne particles on ISS, it will help us choose or design an appropriate particulate matter monitor for use on ISS and future space missions.”

From the data generated, NASA will learn about the true nature of airborne particulate in the ISS – and thus begin to separate science facts from science fiction.

The Launch

The AAS and PAS are scheduled to be launched to the ISS on October 16, 2016 (subject to change) aboard an Antares rocket. Liftoff is scheduled at 8:03 p.m. EDT and will be visible along the East Coast depending on atmospheric conditions.

For more information, please contact RJ Lee Group at 1-800-860-1775, press Option 4, then Option 4 again, or visit our webpage at http://www.rjlg.com/2016/10/particle-sampling-space-new-frontier/.

Brooke Volk, RJ Lee Group, http://www.rjleegroup.com, +1 7243251776, [email protected]

Modal title

Contact PRWeb

  • 11AM ET Sunday – 8PM ET Friday
  • Contact Us

About PRWeb

  • About PRWeb
  • Partners
  • Partnership Programs
  • Editorial Guidelines
  • Resources

Why PRWeb

  • Why PRWeb
  • How It Works
  • Who Uses It
  • Pricing

Accounts

  • Create a Free Account
  • Log in
  • Contact Us

Do not sell or share my personal information:

  • Submit via [email protected] 
  • Call Privacy toll-free: 877-297-8921

Contact Cision

Products

About

My Services
  • All News Releases
  • Online Member Center
  • ProfNet
Cision Distribution Helpline
888-776-0942
  • Legal
  • Site Map
  • RSS
  • Cookie Settings
Copyright © 2025 Cision US Inc.