PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (S ): Walter Ruether, Horst Buecker, R. Kaiser, J. P. 



Massue, R. Pfohl, W. Enge , 0. C. Allkofer, K. 

 Bartholomae, R. Beaujean, W. Heinrich, K. Fukui, 

 Eugene V. Benton, E. Schopper, G. Henig, J. U. 

 Schott, H. Francois, and G. Portal 



EXPERIMENT TITLE/NUMBER : BIOSTACK II 



PROGRAM/MISSION : Apollo' 17 



CLASSIFICATION : Animal - Flour beetle eggs ( Tribolium confusum ) 



DISCIPLINED ) : Radiobiology, Genetics, Cell biology 



OBJECTIVES : To study the biological effects of individual heavy nuclei with 

 high energy loss (HZE) , to obtain as much information as possible on the 

 mechanisms of biological damage by HZE particles, to measure the charge and 

 energy spectra of cosmic radiation within the Apollo Command Module, and to 

 provide data to allow an estimate of the hazard to man from space radiation. 



PROTOCOL : Bacterial spores, protozoan cysts, plant seeds, shrimp eggs and 

 insect eggs were studied for inhibition of germination, inhibition of cell 

 growth, inhibition of organ development, developmental anomalies in various 

 stages of growth, and mutation induction using several physical radiation 

 detectors. The BIOSTACK unit was flown in the Command Module where shielding 

 to ambient cosmic radiation was minimal. After the flight, the ground 

 controls and the flight package were disassembled and particle hits were 

 graphed. 



EQUIPMENT : Hermetically sealed aluminum container, containing a series of 

 select biologic material each sandwiched between several types of dosimeters 

 (nuclear emulsions, cellulose nitrate, polycarbonate, LiF) , and thermistors. 



RESULTS : The flour beetle eggs were extrememely sensitive to HZE. Hatching 

 frequency was significantly reduced with high mortality after hatching. 

 Abnormalities (curved abdomen, fused segments, split or shortened elytra) 

 increased from control 2.5% to 48$. 



CONCLUSIONS : The data confirms the assumption that HZE particle-induced 

 damage might become manifest if a significant number of nonreplaceable cells 

 are destroyed. 



PUBLICATIONS : 113, 115, 116, 117, 119, 120, 213 



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