The SSPF Science Annex (SA) is a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified Silver facility which provides services that support science payloads (preflight, in-flight, and post-flight activities; and flight simulations) and ground-based scientific research. It provides facility space, payload integration, and customer support in conjunction with flight and ground control experiments. The SA is a 6,500 square foot (approx.) Class 8 (100K) ISO 14644-1:2015 clean-room aseptic barrier facility. The barrier facility is achieved through positive air pressure relative to the outside air. Air delivered to the facility is 100% fresh, non-recirculated and is delivered through High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters that are 99.999% efficient in removal of particles greater that 0.5 microns. Air exchanges occur at a rate of 12-15 per hour. The SA is configured to have a “clean” side and a “dirty” side. Five science rooms and a preflight receiving and integration room can be accessed from the “clean” or “dirty” side, including two science rooms available for Biosafety Level-2 work. The “clean” side has seven additional science rooms and a clean rack washer and autoclave room. The “dirty” side has three storage rooms and a dirty rack washer and autoclave room. Each of the five science rooms accessible from the “clean” or “dirty” side are independently controlled for temperature (70° – 86° +/- 1° F) and relative humidity (40 – 60% +/- 2% RH). The SA entry area has two change rooms with lockers and restrooms.

The SA has two redundant air handler units (AHU). 100% fresh air is provided by two redundant supply fans, capable of providing 12-15 air exchanges per hour. Each fan has 2-inch Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) 8 filters as pre-filters and 12-inch MERV 15 filters. The final filtration is provided by 12-inch 99.97% alpha cell HEPA filtration. UV lighting is installed at the cooling coils. The Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system can provide 100% of the HVAC needs for the facility and is able to operate in a configuration with one unit as primary and the other as backup with controls that transfer operations to the backup when the other fails. The SA has a Building Automation System (BAS) that controls the HVAC and provides continuous monitoring of temperature, humidity, air exchange rate, and differential pressure. The SA also has an automated, computer-controlled, environmental data monitoring and collection system (Avidity Watchdog™) that is interfaced to the various rooms throughout the facility and sends alarms through an automated telephone system as well as e-mail. Additional contamination control features include: positive and negative pressure rooms; floor, wall, and ceiling surfaces that are smooth, impervious to liquids, and easy to clean; and sealed ceiling lights. Security features include a perimeter fence with cameras and card readers at the security fence access gates, turnstile, and the building.

• Class 8 (100K) Aseptic Barrier Facility that meets the NASA Specific Pathogen Free spaceflight requirements with continuous positive pressure
• Changing rooms with lockers/restrooms
• Five positive pressure Science Investigation Rooms
• One preflight receiving and integration room
• Seven clean-side science rooms
• One clean-side rack washer and autoclave room
• Three dirty equipment and supply storage rooms
• One dirty-side rack washer and autoclave room
• Clean/Dirty Corridor System
• Computerized monitoring and control of Light/Dark Cycles, Air Flow Exchange Rates, Air Pressures, temperature, and midity
• Controlled Drug Storage. Laminar Flow Hoods
• Class II Biosafety Cabinets
• Walk-in Freezer
• Bulk Autoclave/Sterilizer
• Bulk Rack Washer
• Bottle Washer
• Sinks
• DI Water System
• Generator for emergency power