PCS Pictures

Experimental Soft Condensed Matter Group
Harvard University, Prof. D. A. Weitz

The Physics of Colloids in Space (PCS) project

PCS Movies

Click on the image above to see the spontaneous phase separation of the colloid-polymer sample in it's two phase region. The video shows 16 hours of evolution

Click on the image above to see a short video of the patterns above forming. This clip shows 20 hours of evolution of the colloidal glass.

PCS Pictures

Back to the PCS Main Page

Instrument

The EXPPCS instrument is shown here in the EXPRESS rack at Kennedy Space Center prior to launch. The instrument consists of the two large, nearly square components just below center in the rack. The component on the left is the so-called "Test Section" which contains the samples and all the measurement components. A detailed diagram of this is shown below. The component on the right is the "Avionics Unit", which contains all the electronics including the computer that runs the experiment. A small door may be seen in the upper left corner of the Avionics Unit. This door is the cover to the removable 18 GB hard disks that will allow the data hard disk to be replaced six times during the experiment. If some thing goes horribly wrong with the computer, the operating system hard disk can also be replaced. High Resolution View Here.

Photos of Samples

This photo was taken with the 1X color camera of the AB6 sample after
crystallization had occurred. The different colors are the result of different
wavelengths of the white light illumination satisfying the Bragg condition
at different angles relative to the lights. Bright sports are large crystallites.
Diffuse color occurs are due to small crystallites. This image was taken prior
to launch. The circular outline is the 2 cm outside diameter of the sample cell.

Launch Photo and Photos of PCS on the Shuttle

Shuttle Endeavor launching on April 19 with PCS on board!
Photo taken by Art Bailey.

(21 April 2001) --- Astronaut Umberto Guidoni, mission specialist representing the European Space Agency, floats toward the galley onboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour as the spacecraft heads toward a rendezvous with the International Space Station (ISS). EXPPCS Test section is marked with a red box in the upper right hand corner. For a larger, higher resolution view go here.

(21 April 2001) --- Cosmonaut Yuri V. Lonchakov, STS-100 mission specialist representing Rosaviakosmos, is pictured with temporarily-stowed equipment and supplies onboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour as the spacecraft heads toward a rendezvous with the International Space Station (ISS). The PCS hardware is marked with a red box. For a larger, higher resolution view go here.

(21 April 2001) --- Astronaut Chris A. Hadfield (center) of the Canadian Space Agency and cosmonaut Yuri V. Lonchakov (left) of Rosaviakosmos, are about to be joined by astronaut Scott F. Parazynski (background) as the three STS-100 mission specialists take time on the mid deck of the Space Shuttle Endeavour for a meal with the PCS hardware as a backdrop. For a larger, higher resolution view go here.

EXPPCS Installed on the International Space Station

This is a view inside the US laboratory section of EXPRESS rack 2 (center) with the EXPPCS experiment bolted in. The experiment hardware is the two approximately square components with the document attached to the front. At the time this photo was taken, the experiment was not activated. Note the lack of any cables. EXPRESS rack 1 is on the left.

	(21 April 2001) --- Astronaut Umberto Guidoni, mission specialist representing the European Space Agency, floats toward the galley onboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour as the spacecraft heads toward a rendezvous with the International Space Station (ISS). EXPPCS Test section is marked with a red box in the upper right hand corner. For a larger, higher resolution view go here.
	(21 April 2001) --- Cosmonaut Yuri V. Lonchakov, STS-100 mission specialist representing Rosaviakosmos, is pictured with temporarily-stowed equipment and supplies onboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour as the spacecraft heads toward a rendezvous with the International Space Station (ISS). The PCS hardware is marked with a red box. For a larger, higher resolution view go here.
	(21 April 2001) --- Astronaut Chris A. Hadfield (center) of the Canadian Space Agency and cosmonaut Yuri V. Lonchakov (left) of Rosaviakosmos, are about to be joined by astronaut Scott F. Parazynski (background) as the three STS-100 mission specialists take time on the mid deck of the Space Shuttle Endeavour for a meal with the PCS hardware as a backdrop. For a larger, higher resolution view go here.