- Space Shuttle successfully launched
this morning and on its way to the ISS
-
Extension of scientific experiments
with the MSL and Declic facilities
-
Preservation of scientific research in the special freezer Melfi
With the
Materials Science Laboratory (MSL) and the Declic (fluid physics) facility, the
ISS crew members will be able to further extend their scientific experiments
and, in particular, investigate basic processes in the production of new alloys
and semiconductors, as well as new methods for waste water treatment.
For the cold
storage of scientific research, Discovery is also transporting a second Minus
Eighty Laboratory Freezer - called
Melfi-2 - to the
ISS. Melfi-1 has been on board the ISS since 2006. The facilities are
accommodated in the mobile Leonardo logistics module (MPLM) and the astronauts
will bring them on board the ISS on the fifth day of the mission.
The
Materials Science Laboratory (MSL)
The MSL
facility was developed and built on behalf of the European Space Agency (ESA)
by a consortium under the management of Astrium.
The MSL will
allow the astronauts to study the behaviour of various materials, such as
metal, glass, crystals and ceramics under space conditions. For this purpose,
samples can be melted and solidified in different furnace inserts under
accurately controlled conditions. The major aim of the research is the
subsequent production of materials on the Earth at an industrial scale with
improved characteristics or at lower costs.
Fluid
physics with Declic
Declic
(Dispositif d’Etude de la Croissance et des Liquides
Critiques) is a device for the study of
liquids at the critical point, i.e. a certain temperature and pressure range
describing the condition of a material between a gas and a liquid state. From
these experiments the scientists hope to obtain new information for metallic
alloys used in the space industry and the storage of rocket and satellite fuel,
as well as improvements in waste water treatment. In addition, Declic shall
also provide insights for manned spaceflight with respect to the treatment of
human, plant or other organic waste materials.
The
Declic research facility was developed and built by Astrium for the French
space agency CNES.
Really
cool - The Minus Eighty Degree Freezer Melfi
Astrium has
developed and built three units of the "Minus 80° Celsius Laboratory
Freezer Melfi" for ESA. In July 2006, the first unit was flown to the ISS
on the STS-121 mission. Since then Melfi-1 has successfully operated without fault,
freezing and preserving the biological and medical samples for science. After
their return to Earth, human, animal and plant biological samples will be
further analysed by scientists.
The
Astrium-developed "freezer fleet" Melfi consists of three units. The
third unit is still at Astrium in Friedrichshafen
undergoing final integration and test activities before its delivery to the
Kennedy Space Centre in September. There, further tests and the launch
preparations will be conducted with the support of Astrium engineers. Melfi-3
is planned to reach the ISS with one of the last shuttle flights in mid-2010.
About Astrium
Astrium, a
wholly owned subsidiary of EADS, is dedicated to providing civil and defence
space systems and services. In 2008, Astrium had a turnover of €4.3 billion and
more than 15,000 employees in France,
Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain
and the Netherlands.
Its three main areas of activity are Astrium Space Transportation for launchers
and orbital infrastructure, Astrium Satellites for spacecraft and ground
segment and Astrium Services for the development and delivery of satellite services.
EADS
is a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services. In 2008,
EADS generated revenues of €43.3 billion and employed a workforce of more
than 118, 000.
Press contacts:
Astrium
Daniel
Mosely (Astrium UK) Tel.:
+44 (0)1 438 77 8180
Matthieu Duvelleroy (Astrium FR) Tel.:
+33 (0) 1 77 75 80 32
Ralph Heinrich (Astrium ALL) Tel. : +49 (0) 89 607 33971
Mathias Pikelj (Astrium GER) Tel.: +49 (0) 7545 8 9123
Francisco Lechón (Astrium SP) Tel.:
+34 91 586 37 41
www.astrium.eads.net
