Instrumentation for bedside clinical chemistry: clinical analysis capability for NASA´s space station

The goal of the proposed health maintenance facility is to provide in-flight preventive, diagnostic, and therapeutic medical capability aboard the US Space Station. This goal must be achieved within the space, power, weight and environmental constraints of the Space Station while maintaining performance standards acceptable to US medical practice. A clinical analyzer is a critical component of the facility and will provide crucial diagnostic information to the onboard and Earth-based medical team supporting the assessment and decision-making process in the event of a medical contingency. Electrolyte, metabolite, and enzyme analysis of plasma/serum and urine fluid samples are necessary. Producing high-quality results with convenient operation, calibration, and maintenance by operators minimally trained in clinical analysis procedures is a major requirement of the clinical analyzer system.<>