4. PROGRAMS, MISSIONS, AND PAYLOADS
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Physiological and Anatomical Rodent Experiment (PARE) Payloads
The Physiological and Anatomical Rodent Experiment (PARE) payloads were designed to study physiological and anatomical changes that occur in rodents as a result of microgravity. The experiments in the program were sponsored by Ames Research Center (ARC).
The experiment objectives in the three PARE payloads flown during the 1991–1995 period were to further investigate the effects of microgravity on muscle and bone tissue. Researchers hoped to learn more about the bone loss and muscle atrophy that result from both space flight and aging to develop strategies for counteracting the adverse effects.
The Animal Enclosure Module (AEM), a self-contained life support system, was used to house rodents for each payload. Use of existing, flight-proven hardware helped to minimize the cost of the PARE series.
Three missions carrying PARE payloads were flown during the 1991-1995 period: STS-48, in 1991; and STS-54 and STS-56, in 1993.