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Human Research Facility-2 (HRF-2)
10.06.08
Scientists and payload developers can get more information on International Space Station research facilities by contacting the ISS Payloads Office or at 281-244-6187.

Overview | Description | Applications | Operations | Results | Publications | Images

Facility/Payload Overview

Brief Facility Summary

The Human Research Facility-2 (HRF-2) enables study of the effects of long-duration space flight on the human body. HRF-2 equipment includes a refrigerated centrifuge; devices for measuring blood pressure, and heart function; and the Pulmonary Function System for measuring lung function.

Facility Manager(s)

  • Cindy Haven, Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX

    • Co-Facility Manager(s)

    Information Pending

    Facility Developer

    Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX

    Sponsoring Agency

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

    Expeditions Assigned

    |11|12|13|14|15|16|17|18|

    Previous ISS Missions

    Information Pending

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    Facility/Payload Description

    Facility Summary

    • HRF-2 provides an on-orbit laboratory that enables human life science researchers to study and evaluate the physiological, behavioral, and chemical changes changes induced by space flight. Research performed with the HRF-2 will provide data relevant to human adaptation to long-duration space flight.


    • HRF-2 consists of hardware mounted in a rack that is based on the EXPRESS design, as well as separate equipment kept in stowage and brought out as needed.

    Description

    Human Research Facility-2 (HRF-2) was launched aboard STS-114 (Discovery) on July 26, 2005. The HRF-2 provides power, command and data handling, cooling air and water, pressurized gas, and vacuum to experiments. HRF-2 will provide additional capabilities to continue biomedical research. The HRF-2 is connected to the Station's video services and Ethernet, which provides both the Station and ground operations crews with payload control. The rack has front panel access ports for the laptop, vacuum, and nitrogen delivery.

    Listed below are descriptions of the hardware housed in HRF-2:

    • The Refrigerated Centrifuge (RC) is a device that is used to separate biological substances of varying densities by spinning at a high rate of speed. The RC can hold samples sized from 0.5 to 50-ml. The speed can be selected between 500 and 5000 revolutions per minute (rpm) for 1 to 60 minute durations. The RC provides refrigeration with temperatures that range from ambient ISS temperature to 4 degrees C.


    • The Workstation 2 is a state-of-the-art computer system that provides a platform for installation and execution of software that is used in various investigations. The Workstation is capable of data collection and archiving, downlink, display, video processing, graphics support, user and HRF Rack interface, crew notes and crew tests. It can be connected to one or more drawers in HRF-2 for use in experiments.


    • Two Cooling Stowage Drawers provide stowage for various equipment items. When operated, the drawers maintain a uniform temperature by removing the heat that is generated by the powered payloads that use HRF-2.


    • The Pulmonary Function System (PFS) is the result of a collaboration between NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) on the development of pulmonary physiology instrumentation. Through interconnections between components, two different respiratory instruments can be created. These are called the Mass-spectrometer-based Analyzer System (MAS) that utilizes the Gas Analyzer System for Metabolic Analysis Physiology (GASMAP), Pulmonary Function Module (PFM), and Gas Delivery System (GDS). The Photoacoustic-based Analyzer System (PAS) utilizes the Photoacoustic Analyzer Module (PAM), PFM, and GDS. Data from both systems can be downlinked or archived for analysis.


      • The Photoacoustic Analyzer Module (PAM), developed by ESA, determines the concentration of respired gas components that may contain significant concentrations of nitrogen and water vapor.


      • The Pulmonary Function Module (PFM) when operated with GASMAP or PAM plus the GDS is capable of taking a wide range of cardiovascular and respiratory measurements. Some of the measurements include breath-by-breath lung capacity, cardiac output, and many additional specialized measurements.


      • The Gas Analyzer System for Metabolic Analysis Physiology (GASMAP) is a laboratory grade mass spectrometer that can be used to measure the concentration of gases in inspired and expired air. GASMAP was part of HRF-1 during Expeditions 2-11 prior to being relocated to HRF-2


      • The Gas Delivery System (GDS) is a subcomponent of the Pulmonary Function System (PFS). GDS provides gases for calibration of the PFS and for inspiration as part of respiratory protocols which can be used to calculate the cardiovascular and cardiopulmonary parameters for metabolic analysis.
    HRF-2 was originally launched with the following components: Refrigerated Centrifuge (RC), SLAMMD (Space Linear Acceleration Mass Measurement Device), the Workstation 2, and the Pulmonary Function System (PFS). During Expedition 11, GASMAP was moved to the HRF-2 from Human Research Facility Rack 1 (HRF-1) and SLAMMD was moved from HRF-2 to HRF-1.

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    Operations

    Facility Operations

    Payloads within the HRF-2 can operate independently of each other or together in various configurations regardless of their cooling and power needs and flight schedule. Payload computer and video operations can be conducted from the ground or on Station. The crew performs periodic checks of all connections and hardware, operates the GASMAP to maintain its internal vacuum, and performs payload operations as needed.

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    Results/More Information

    Information Pending

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    Availability

  • Operated on ISS

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    Related Web Sites
  • ISS Medical Project

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    Publications

    Results Publications

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      Related Publications

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        Images

        imageNASA Image: ISS011E11380 - Human Research Facility Rack 2 installed on ISS during Expedition 11. This image shows HRF-2 in the launch configuration prior to relocation of SLAMMD to HRF-1 and GASMAP to HRF-2.
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        imageNASA Image: ISS012E22641 - This image shows the current configuration of HRF-2. GASMAP was installed into the slot that SLAMMD had occupied. SLAMMD is currently located in HRF-1.
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        imageNASA Image: ISS013E64486 - European Space Agency, Astronaut Thomas Reiter, Expedition 13 Flight Engineer, prepares the Human Research Facility (HRF-2) rack for the scheduled upgrade of the Pulmonary Function System (PFS) experiment in the Destiny laboratory of the International Space Station.
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        Information Provided and Updated by the ISS Program Scientist's Office
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