D. Additional Observations The ET can serve to fill several other observational science needs (56, 95). It can be used as a space based occultor for ground and space based observations. Two tanks tethered together can be used as a low altitude gravity gradient detector. The tank can be used to study the interactions of large bodies and the upper atmosphere, plasmas, and magnetospheric effects of charged and uncharged bodies in space. Most of these are studies that are possible with large inexpensive bodies in orbit that would not be possible on near this scale in an operation that does not use the ET. II. Biology and Life Sciences A. Waste Management The first class of application is to use the interior of either tank as a waste management facility (56, 95). If the waste is nonbiological, the interior of either tank is sufficient to store scraps and debris that would become a hazard if left in orbit. This debris could later be used as reaction mass or melted to serve structural needs. The second class of waste is biological (95). Any system containing living components will generate these wastes. In order to make a space based operation as self-sufficient as possible, it is in the interest of planners to recycle the maximum amount of consumables. This typically involves some sort of waste management. The tank can be turned into a very large microbiology lab which could conduct large experiments on waste recycling. The tank is large enough to partition into several portions and run several experiments. The advantage of large size is biological inertia. This means that any unwanted changes could be identified and dealt with before the experiment fails. B. Biology A large pressurized volume can be used to conduct experiments and development of those strains of plants and animals best suited to zero gravity. This would serve to develop living things that could be used to support living systems from within the space station. A large inflatable could be attached to the exterior of the ET and used as a farm as detailed
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