Research in the Free-Fall Environment

November 5, 2004

Dr. Marcus DejmekProgram Scientist, Physical Sciences

Canadian Space Station Program

• Development of the Mobile Servicing System (MSS)

• MSS Operations Program

• ISS Utilisation Program:– Life Science– Physical Science

ISS Utilization Program

• Promotes the utilization of Canada's allocation of 2.3% of the non-Russian ISS research facilities.

• Life Science Program– Bone demineralization (decalcification), muscle

atrophy, human vestibular system, countermeasures!

• Physical Science Program

Physical Science Program• Advance the knowledge of basic physical and

chemical processes in the reduced-gravity environment

• Science driven• Microgravity Aircraft: Falcon-20, DC-9/KC-

135/AirbusA300B.• Space Station volume allocation – return on

investment• Furnace, Fluid science, and protein crystallization

science module development• ESA Fluid Science Laboratory allocation• Russian collaboration with an isolation mount

Physical Science DisciplinesMaterials Science includes studies of fundamental

issues in solidification, crystal growth, diffusion and materials processing.

Fluids Science includes studies into the motion, or structure, of fluids in response to external forces.

Combustion includes studies of soot formation, flame propagation, flame geometry, and rate of chemical reaction.

Biotechnology involves studies into the structure and behavior of organic, non-living materials, which includes protein crystallization.

Quantify the Physical Sciences

The isolated dendrite

Glicksman et al. 1996.

Vibration Environment in Free-Fall

0 5 10 15 20 25 303000

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Time (seconds)

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Acceleration Levels of the Space Shuttle and MIM’s Isolated Platform

Space shuttle (stator), non-isolated

MIM isolated platform (flotor) X Axis2 Hertz Cutoff

0 5 10 15 20 25 30

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Time (Seconds)

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2 Hertz CutoffMean Removed

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Vibration Isolation MountExpress Rack

MIM Units (1996):

1st unit: $500K

2nd unit: 1M

2004: $5M

Advanced Thermal Environment (ATEN) Furnace

Multi-purpose

Automated

Compact

Low power

User- friendly

Easy access to ground units

Low vibration environment

Tele-operated

Cost: $5M

Containerless Processing on ISS• Containerless Processing System Specifically Engineered and Commissioned

for the ISS - delivered to NASA October 2002

– Able to position large objects, up to 7.0 cm in diameter

– Capable of producing high-T products without interactions with container walls

– Can be operated in microgravity or in lunar gravity (with smaller samples)

– Specifically but not exclusively designed as a containment system for Self-Propagating High-Temperature Synthesis (SHS) reactions at high temperature

– Versatile and adaptable for Education and Outreach

• Instrumented for Experimentation Verification

– Thermal, Gas and Imaging analysis

– Imaging

• Sample Preparation Currently Done on Ground

– Evolve toward preparing samples on ISS or Moon or Mars

SpaceDRUMS Facility• Operates in an EXPRESS Rack

• Designed to operate on ISS over long periods with minimum astronaut support

• Controlled from ground

– operating the equipment and making functional changes by simple ground-based software commands

• Instrumentation includes:

– Temperature measurement up to 2500°C

– Video data in visible (CCD) and thermal infrared

• Triple containment for safety

• Independent modular construction with standard connectors; each unit can be shared by other ISS payloads

Cost: $12M USD

Microgravity Vibration Isolation System on FSL (MVIS)

In exchange for CSA contribution, Canada will have access to 5% of ESA Fluid Science Laboratory (FSL)

MVIS will isolate the experimental portion of FSL (FCE) from the ISS station vibrationsExperimental

container

Cost: $10M

Spending for the CSSP

Spending for SPS

Cost Breakdown

• Science contracts: $75K/yr for 4 years X ~25 contracts = $2.25M

• Hardware development: ~$5-10M / yr. Must plan for this.

• Operations of the Falcon-20: $150K / yr• Salaries: ~130K/person (employee with a Ph.D.

actually sees one quarter of this amount)

Future Spending• Canadian Fluid Science Experiment (~$10M)• Canadian PCG Experiment (PROSPECT ~$10M)• Increase the Number of Canadian Concept and

Feasibility Studies (~$2.25M/yr)• Establish Student Parabolic Flight Campaigns (up

to ~500K / yr)• Establish Canadian Research Teams (~$2-3M/yr)

– avoid criticizm of past results.• Establish a Canadian drop shaft. Challenge is how

to fund it. (~$2M / yr)• Pay for Launch costs to ISS (Russia, Europe)

while Shuttle RTF and after. (~$20,000 / kg)

Enjoy the challenge of filtering through the opinions of each presenter

CSA looks forward to your recommendations stemming from your afternoon deliberations!

Keep in mind the Science Rationale – why do we go into space?

Thanks to everyone who have challenged this presentation. (Kendall, Tryggvason, Casgrain, Buckley, Persad.)