The AQUARACK Process Management Unit as a Multifunctional Laboratory Automation System

Abstract The C.E.B.A.S.-AQUARACK project (Closed Equilibrated Biological Aquatic System) was started 3 years ago, to be used later in the planned COLUMBUS spacelab program. AQUARACK is an artificial ecological system which is to provide completely automated biological experimentation with aquatic organisms for a period of more than 12 months. This undertaking demands a powerful automation system for supervision and control, which will be described in this contribution.