Electrokinetic bioprocessing under microgravity in France as illustrated by space bioseparation: a programme initiated in France and in cooperation with Belgium and Spain.

The use of electrokinetic phenomena should prove to be a promising bioseparation technique especially as an application of bioprocessing under microgravity. Therefore, a bioseparation Research and Development programme involving several research teams has been under way for three years in France. Based upon the results of this fundamental research, a programme is now proposed for the development of an automated process chain making it possible to obtain biological macromolecules of high purity under microgravity. This Space Bio Separation programme received the Eureka label at the 6th Ministerial Eureka conference. The project will last six years. It will involve the cooperation of several scientific and industrial partners in France, in Spain and in Belgium. The programme includes the development and validation of three different bioseparation facilities for space.

PHYSIOLAB: a new laboratory for the study of the cardio-vascular system.

On the basis of the experience gained during the previous french-russian missions on board MIR about the adaptation processes of the cardio-vascular system, a new laboratory has been designed. The objective of this "PHYSIOLAB" is to have a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying the changes in the cardio-vascular system, with a special emphasis on the phenomenon of cardio-vascular deconditioning after landing. Beyond these scientific objectives, it is also intended to use PHYSIOLAB to help in the medical monitoring on-board MIR, during functional tests such as LBNP. PHYSIOLAB will be set up in MIR by the French cosmonaut during the next french-russian CASSIOPEE mission in 1996. Its architecture is based on a central unit, which controls the experimental protocols, records the results and provides an interface for transmission to the ground via telemetry. Different specific modules are used for the acquisition of various physiological parameters. This PHYSIOLAB under development for the CASSIOPEE mission should evolve towards a more ambitious laboratory, whose definition would take into account the results obtained with the first version of PHYSIOLAB. This "second generation" laboratory should be developed in the frame of wide International cooperation.

Biomedical program of the ALTAIR french russian flight onboard the MIR station.

One year after the achievement of the 2 weeks ANTARES french-russian mission in the MIR station in July 1992, a 22 days ALTAIR mission with a french cosmonaut has been performed in July 1993, making use of the scientific payload remaining on board. Taking benefit of the analysis of the previous mission, the experimental protocols were adapted to refine scientific objectives and gave to the scientists the opportunity to enhance quantitatively and qualitatively their results. The french biomedical program, conducted in close scientific cooperation with IMBP and associated laboratories, was composed of 8 experiments out of which 2 were new with regards to the ANTARES program. In the field of cardio-vascular physiology and fluid regulation, the experiments: ORTHOSTATISME, DIURESE have been renewed and complemented by the TISSU experiment (proposed by a german scientist) and a real-time tele-assistance program using US echography technic and ground support from the french CADMOS support control center located in Toulouse. With respect to neurosciences objectives, to the experiments VIMINAL (cognitive processes) and ILLUSIONS (study of proprioceptives cues), was added the SYNERGIES experiment to analyse the postural adjustments during movement. The IMMUNOLOGIE experiment carried on and the radiobiological experiment BIODOSE ended. Adding the results of the 2 missions ANTARES and ALTAIR, and the data obtained in between onboard with russian cosmonauts, the scientists have received a wealth of physiological data and gained reproducibility and confidence in their results.

Real time dose rate and LET spectrum aboard MIR station during 1992.

Since the end of July 1992, the NAUSICAA system, a low gas pressured tissue equivalent proportional counter, recorded in real time the dose equivalent rate, the absorbed dose rate, the quality factor and the Linear Energy Transfer spectra, aboard the Russian orbital station MIR. The results since the ANTARES mission are presented. Some parameters like the proton flux, the previous solar cycles, the location of the NAUSICAA system inside the station and the South Atlantic Anomaly crossing seem to have an influence on these results. The total dose equivalent (H) during the ANTARES mission (between 1992 July the 30th and August the 10th) was 12 mSv and the total absorbed dose (D) 6.4 mGy with a quality factor (Q) equal to 1.9. The NAUSICAA system gives a good knowledge of LET spectra for the first time in space dosimetry.