FIG. 3.

The time line of the BRIC-16 experiments as performed on mission STS-131. Seeds were sown onto a nutrient agar in Petri dishes on the ground (experiment activation), and dishes were placed into PDFUs, which then were placed into the BRIC units. Seeds imbibed for 36 h on the ground prior to launch of Discovery; during this time the BRIC units were held so that the agar surfaces (with seeds) were maintained in a vertical orientation. Seedlings developed for 309 h in microgravity and then were fixed in flight in an aldehyde or RNAlater. The fixed specimens remained in microgravity for 53 h prior to recovery on the ground after the landing of Discovery at the Kennedy Space Center. Solid lines=1 g, and the dashed line=microgravity. For the ground control (which was delayed by 24 h relative to flight), the BRIC units were held so that the agar surfaces were maintained in a vertical orientation.