Plant biology is an important area for the future of space exploration, but biological spaceflight experiments have been always constrained by the hardware capabilities. The European Modular Cultivation System (EMCS) unit was an incubator for small organisms, such as Arabidopsis thaliana, built by the European Space Agency (ESA) and was decommissioned in 2018. Here, we describe the FixBox system as add-on hardware to provide fixation capabilities to the plant growth cassettes, which, initially, were not designed to be used for that purpose. Tests were performed to ensure the successful use of this device in the EMCS facility. We also evaluate the required adaptations to the hardware, e.g., to guarantee that the reduced fluid motion in microgravity does not cause any bubbles that could impair the quality of fixation. Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings grown during spaceflight were fixed in the FixBox either in glutaraldehyde or formaldehyde. Electron microscopical images and confocal microscopy immunofluorescent localizations showed an excellent preservation of both cell ultrastructure and antigen conformation. Thus, it is possible to modify existing hardware to comply with the scientific requirements to augment the existing capabilities on board the ISS. In addition, it is also possible to reuse culture chambers from predesigned experimental containers into new modular subunits as FixBox. Similarly, we can design new hardware compatible with a novel cultivation chamber on board, such as is available in BIOLAB, to be used later with FixBox. Lessons learned for future space plant biology researchers include how to manage the number of hardware requirements and constraints on how to preserve the biological samples.

植物生物学是未来太空探索的重要领域，但是生物航天实验一直受到硬件功能的限制。欧洲模块化栽培系统（EMCS）单元是小型生物的孵化器，例如拟南芥，由欧洲航天局（ESA）建造，于2018年退役。在这里，我们将FixBox系统描述为可为植物生长盒提供固定功能的附加硬件，该设备最初并未设计用于此目的。目的。进行了测试以确保在EMCS设施中成功使用此设备。我们还评估了对硬件的必要适应性，例如，以确保在微重力作用下减少的流体运动不会引起任何会损害固定质量的气泡。拟南芥航天飞行期间生长的幼苗在戊二醛或甲醛中固定在FixBox中。电子显微镜图像和共聚焦显微镜免疫荧光定位显示了细胞超微结构和抗原构象的极好的保存。因此，可以修改现有硬件以符合科学要求，以增强ISS上的现有功能。此外，还可以将培养室从预先设计的实验容器中重新使用，作为FixBox运用于新的模块化子单元中。同样，我们可以设计与船上新颖的培养室兼容的新硬件，例如BIOLAB中可用的，稍后将与FixBox一起使用。