Abstract: The present invention provides a micro gravity environmental control apparatus, such as a plant cultivating apparatus, an animal raising apparatus, and a micro gravity environmental control method, such as a plant cultivating method, an animal raising method, a breeding method, capable of cultivating a plant and raising an animal by using soil and also capable of recovering moisture supplied to the soil so as to reuse the moisture, under a weightless environment or a micro gravity environment. There is provided a micro gravity environmental control apparatus comprising a chamber, an air suction pipe arranged in the vicinity of a lower end portion within the chamber, and an air sucking part communicated and connected with the air suction pipe and used for sucking air within the chamber out of the chamber.

Abstract: A volume measuring apparatus is provided with: an acoustic tube whose one end is communicated with a container in which an object to be measured is contained; another container communicated with the other end of the acoustic tube; a partition chamber which defines a sealed space disposed adjacent to the another container and which includes a partition plate for dividing the sealed space and an inner space of the another container; and an electromotive-type speaker which is disposed in the sealed space and whose acoustic wave output surface is disposed opposite to the partition plate. A processing device obtains a volume of the object to be measured, on the basis of an acoustic signal associated with an acoustic wave outputted into the another container via the partition plate from the acoustic wave output surface.

Abstract: A volume measuring apparatus is provided with: an acoustic tube whose one end is communicated with a container in which an object to be measured is contained; another container communicated with the other end of the acoustic tube; a partition chamber which defines a sealed space disposed adjacent to the another container and which includes a partition plate for dividing the sealed space and an inner space of the another container; and an electromotive-type speaker which is disposed in the sealed space and whose acoustic wave output surface is disposed opposite to the partition plate. A processing device obtains a volume of the object to be measured, on the basis of an acoustic signal associated with an acoustic wave outputted into the another container via the partition plate from the acoustic wave output surface.

Abstract: A pump apparatus of simple construction has a bearing structure for which a lubricant is unnecessary. A flow passage for a refrigerant (liquid ammonia) is formed in a housing to provide communication between a suction port and a discharge port, and slide bearing members formed of amorphous carbon are provided in the housing to be fitted into the flow passage to support a rotating shaft. A drive for rotating the rotating shaft is constituted by a rotor, which is fitted into the flow passage and provided with the rotating shaft, and a stator, which is provided outside the housing to surround the rotor, and a pump body is provided midway the flow passage and connected to the rotating shaft to pump a fluid.

Abstract: The present invention provides a micro gravity environmental control apparatus, such as a plant cultivating apparatus, an animal raising apparatus, and a micro gravity environmental control method, such as a plant cultivating method, an animal raising method, a breeding method, capable of cultivating a plant and raising an animal by using soil and also capable of recovering moisture supplied to the soil so as to reuse the moisture, under a weightless environment or a micro gravity environment. There is provided a micro gravity environmental control apparatus comprising a chamber, an air suction pipe arranged in the vicinity of a lower end portion within the chamber, and an air sucking part communicated and connected with the air suction pipe and used for sucking air within the chamber out of the chamber.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide a method for regenerating inorganic porous particles, a method for purifying water and a continuous water purification device, which can be easily applied as a recycling system of water in special environments such as space environment, by safely removing impurities contained in water and water vapor with a usage of a compact facility without using any chemicals. The method for regenerating inorganic porous particles is characterized in that adsorbed products such as ammonia and/or amines, are reduced by heating to 100-200° C. under a reduced pressure of 10 Pa or less. The method for purifying water and the continuous water purification device are characterized in that a dense membrane having cationic groups and/or a composite membrane in which a hydrophilic membrane is layered on a surface of a hydrophobic porous membrane is used as a permeable membrane are used as a permeable membrane.

Abstract: Volume measuring apparatus is used in a closed space as in the case of volume measurement of liquid in a container placed on an orbit of an artificial satellite and permits the volume measurement in a state without mixture with gas, liquid, or solid. A volume measuring apparatus is an apparatus for measuring the volume of liquid or solid under microgravity, which has two or more containers coupled to each other by a pipe, a device for separating or fixing a gas phase, a liquid phase, or a solid phase, a pressure fluctuation source, a pressure signal receiver, a pressure gage, and a thermometer, wherein the separating or fixing device, the pressure fluctuation source, the pressure signal receiver, the pressure gage, and the thermometer are placed in the containers and wherein the pressure fluctuation source, the pressure signal receiver, the pressure gage, and the thermometer are connected to a signal analyzing unit.

Abstract: The present invention provides an optical function device which is capable of inverting and amplifying an optical signal of the optical communication wavelength band, and executing operation of an image optical signal, and is operable in a wide temperature range, said optical function device composed of a light transmitting medium containing a rare earth element, comprising a portion thereof doped with 1×1023 per 1 m3 or more of the rare earth element for inverting an optical signal and a portion thereof doped with 1×1021 per 1 m3 or more of the rare earth element for amplifying the optical signal with an excitation light superposed thereto.