Overview
- A Newcastle University team adapted a Stanford open-source microscope, ruggedizing it for the harsh dynamics of parabolic flight.
- During an ESA parabolic flight, the system imaged yeast taking up fluorescent glucose, with uptake appearing slower in microgravity than at 1 g.
- Rigid mountings, vibration dampers, and a rapid fluid-handling system enabled reliable imaging during repeated ~20-second weightless intervals.
- The instrument was also tested in the Boulby salt mine analog to study salt-tolerant archaea relevant to astrobiology.
- The team is sharing the design with researchers and developing a sounding-rocket version for roughly two minutes of microgravity, with results published in npj Microgravity and presented at the Biophysical Society meeting.