CPCG (Commercial Protein Crystal Growth) was a National Laboratory Office experiment (under PI Dr. Lawrence DeLucas) intended to demonstrate the scientific and commercial value of protein crystallization on a long-duration microgravity mission. Samples were high-value proteins whose structures cannot be determined through ground-based methods. Studying protein crystals grown in microgravity could provide useful information in the development of new drugs.

Our engineers designed the hardware to house the protein samples inside two MERLIN refrigerator-incubators that were installed within an EXPRESS Rack on ISS to maintain desired temperatures of +20^oC and +4^oC.

Engineering services included design, verification, integration, and launch and landing support for the hardware.