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  Shuttle Portable "Ph Meter"?

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Author Topic:   Shuttle Portable "Ph Meter"?
daveblog
Member

Posts: 135
From: Bergenfield, NJ USA
Registered: May 2004

posted 04-16-2007 09:24 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for daveblog   Click Here to Email daveblog     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I won a Shuttle Portable "Ph Meter" in the Aurora auction. Now, what do I do with it?

I hit the bid button and was expecting to get outbid, but I wasn't. I have to assume that NASA paid a lot more than I did for this when they originally purchased it.

Any ideas on what it may have been used for?

stsmithva
Member

Posts: 1933
From: Fairfax, VA, USA
Registered: Feb 2007

posted 04-17-2007 05:27 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for stsmithva   Click Here to Email stsmithva     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
This NASA website describes in great detail the workings of the fuel cell power plants, including what the pH sensors were used for. (On the page, hit Control-F and search for "ph".)

There might have been a pH sensor for other reasons, like onboard experiments, but this seems like a strong possibility.

kyra
Member

Posts: 583
From: Louisville CO US
Registered: Aug 2003

posted 04-17-2007 06:35 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for kyra   Click Here to Email kyra     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
First guess it was used by technicians to test the water supply in the mid-deck prelauch. Water that is too acidic or basic is bad for health and the shuttle's plumbing as well.

As to what do do with it — pH meters are handy to check pH's of:

  1. Home water supply (check with your local government for water quality tests to see if they match what you get, if not you might need to get it calibrated or they are wrong)
  2. Fish Tanks (some fish are very pH sensitive)
  3. Swimming Pools
  4. Experiments in the Park - is acid rain affecting the local pond?
Have fun!

benguttery
Member

Posts: 547
From: Fort Worth, TX, USA
Registered: Feb 2005

posted 04-18-2007 09:24 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for benguttery   Click Here to Email benguttery     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
In response to your first question... You are a collector. Never ask yourself that question!

All times are CT (US)

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