Directorate of Manned Spaceflight and MicrogravityDirection des Vols Habité et la Microgravité

on stationThe Newsletter of the Directorate of Manned Spaceflight and Microgravity

number 8, march 2002

http://www.esa.int/spaceflight

A PA Prromising Somising Startar t tt to 2002o 2002

Jörg Feustel-BüechlESA Director of Manned Spaceflight and Microgravity

I want to highlight two very important milestones for thisyear. Firstly, the final integration and test of our Columbuslaboratory for the International Space Station began atAstrium GmbH in Bremen (D) following the arrival inSeptember of the Pre-Integrated Columbus Assembly (PICA)from Alenia Spazio in Turin (I). I believe that we have amasterpiece of European engineering here, and I amdelighted with the progress so far. We should be seeing somevery real advance on Columbus by the end of 2002 and lookforward to its status then.

Secondly, I had the opportunity on 15 January to reviewthe course of the Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) project atLes Mureaux (F), together with our team and the industriesinvolved in the project under prime contractor EADS-LV. Theprogress is quite remarkable when we remember thedifficulties of last year. All in all, I think that the technicalachievements so far are satisfactory. One importantdemonstration of this progress is the arrival of the ATVStructural Test Model in ESTEC’s Test Centre, where it willundergo testing during the whole of this year. In parallel, thepreparation of a number of crucial items for the ATV CriticalDesign Review is underway. This should lead to a positiveconclusion of that extremely important review early in 2003so that we can then expect ATV’s maiden launch in 2004.

There are two other major events that we are lookingforward to this year. The first is the Soyuz taxi flight to theSpace Station of ESA Astronaut Roberto Vittori, planned for27 April. This is a very important flight not only for Roberto,who is making his first spaceflight, but also because itdemonstrates yet another concrete example ofEuropean/Russian cooperation. This flight is sponsored by theItalian space agency (ASI) and the Italian Air Force.

The second event is the Soyz taxi flight of Frank De Winnein November. This will be the first flight of the latestSoyuz-TMA spacecraft and, like Roberto, Frank has theimportant role of Flight Engineer on his first mission. This

in this issue

Aurora: A European Roadmap 4

for Solar System Exploration

Rolf Schulze

The Erasmus Virtual Campus 6

Dieter Isakeit

ESA’s ISS External Payloads 8

Steve Feltham & Giacinto Gianfiglio

ISS Assembly of XEUS 10

Jens Schiemann

SPOE 12

Rolf-Dieter Andresen, Maurizio Nati

& Chris Taylor

The Destiny Research of 15

Expedition-4

Graham T. Biddis

Teach Space 2001 18

Elena Grifoni & Barber Uijl

MSG Ready for Launch 20

Maria Natalina De Parolis & Martin Zell

News 22

xeus

aurora

spoe

education

research

recent & relevant

payloads

research

virtual campus

crew position is acrucial factor in thesuccess of theimproved Soyuzvehicle. This flight issponsored by theBelgian Government.These are twoimportant astronautmissions for the year.Although we wouldhave liked full ESA

missions, I believe that the way in which suchmissions are organised is basically acceptable,and fulfils the goals of having our Europeanastronauts flying into space. We in ESA areindeed very keen to continue these beneficialand fruitful ventures with the Russians.

We continue to make important progresswith our payload facilities. The MicrogravityScience Glovebox (MSG) will soon be launchedon STS-110/ISS Assembly Flight #8A in April,followed by the first ‘Minus Eighty degreecentigrade Laboratory Freezer for ISS’ (MELFI)model on STS-114/ULF-1 next January. MSG

will provide the ISS with its unique andmultidisciplinary laboratory supportcapabilities. It can handle a wide variety ofmaterials, house investigations intocombustion, fluids and biotechnology, andaccommodate servicing of harware that needsa controlled working environment. With MELFI,ESA and European space industry havedeveloped new technologies and integratedthem in a new concept for a space freezer. Forthe first time, the scientific community willhave permanent large-volume cold storage inspace.

We also have the Shuttle STS-107 missioncurrently planned for July. That will carry anumber of ESA payload elements, includingAPCS, ARMS, Biobox, Biopack, ERISTO, FAST andCom2Plex. The first Foton-M flight is plannedfor October, with ESA payload elementsFluidPac, Stone and Biopan offering furtherflight opportunities for experiments. I really feelthat this wide spectrum of payloads representsa remarkable achievement for Europeanindustry.

We expect to continue with significantadvances in our technical work during 2002.This, I believe, is a very important factor forcooperation not only within Europe but withinthe whole Station partnership. Nevertheless, weare still far from finished with our overallquestion to the US on the subject of Stationcrew-size. In early February we saw NASApresent their financial budget for 2003 and, forthe first time, we saw in clear terms the ‘US

on Station no. 8, march 2002

foreword

on

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2

Interior of the Columbus module. (Astrium)

Roberto Vittori (foreground)and Frank De Winne duringtheir Soyuz Flight Engineertraining.

Core Complete’ proposal with a crew of onlythree, instead of the seven we have longexpected. I can only repeat what I said in thelast issue of On Station, and we have forwardedthat view to our American partners: we areextremely concerned about this development,and would like to emphasise that NASA andthe US should stick to their commitments ofthe January 1998 Inter-GovernmentalAgreement and the associated Memoranda ofUnderstanding.

This is not just a legal issue but, moreimportantly, a political issue. We want to have aSpace Station that fulfils our expectations andjustifies the enormous amount of tax-payers’money that has been flowing into theprogramme. The restricted operationalcapability offerred by a Space Station with acrew of only three will not fulfil the utilisationexpectations that we all had and that we stillaim for. We foresaw that, building on ouroccasional flight opportunities with Spacelaband Spacehab, we would have a permanentand fully outfitted laboratory in orbit available24 hours per day, 365 days per year for researchand applications projects. Furthermore, itwould be operationally comparable with aground laboratory, where researchers could goto do their work at any time. This purpose willcertainly not be fulfilled with a crew of threeand therefore we see, as Europeans, an urgentneed to redress the situation, especially on theUS side. To this end, our Chairwoman of the ESAMinisterial Council, Mrs. Edelgard Bulmahn (D)

has recently seen the new NASA Administrator,Mr. Sean O’Keefe, and other high-level USrepresentatives to insist that they keep to theiroriginal commitments. ■

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ISS launches planned for the next 12 months.

Flight # Launch Element/Task Vehicle/Mission

25: 7P 21 Mar 02 Logistics (Progress-M) Soyuz26: 8A 04 Apr 02 S0 Truss/Mobile Transporter Shuttle STS-11027: 4S 25 Apr 02 Taxi Flight (Roberto Vittori) Soyuz-TM3428: UF-2 06 May 02 Expedition-5 Crew/MPLM Shuttle STS-11129: 8P 14 May 02 Logistics (Progress-M) Soyuz30: 9P 22 Jul 02 Logistics (Progress-M1) Soyuz31: 9A 01 Aug 02 S1 Truss Shuttle STS-11232: 11A 06 Sep 02 Expedition-6 Crew/P1 Truss Shuttle STS-11333: 10P 07 Oct 02 Logistics (Progress-M) Soyuz34: 5S 04 Nov 02 Taxi Flight (Frank De Winne) Soyuz-TMA35: ULF-1 16 Jan 03 Expedition-7 Crew/MPLM Shuttle STS-114

ESA-related flights for the next 12 months.

March: Maser-9 sounding rocket

March: 32nd Parabolic Flight Campaign

April: Soyuz taxi flight with ESA Astronaut Roberto Vittori

May: Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG), aboard Shuttle STS-111/UF-2, forinstallation in Destiny; MPLM Leonardo

July: STS-107 with ESA payloads APCS, ARMS, Biobox, Biopack, ERISTO, FAST,Com2Plex

July: 5th Student Parabolic Flight Campaign

August: X-38 free-flight

October: Foton-M1 with ESA payloads FluidPac, Stone, Biopan, SCCO, Photo II,Aquacells, Biofilter, 3 student/outreach experiments, material science experiments inthe Russian Polizon (2x) and German Agat (2x) furnaces, biological experiments (2x)in the French IBIS facility

September: 33rd Parabolic Flight Campaign

November: Soyuz taxi flight with ESA Astronaut Frank De Winne

November: X-38 free-flight

January 2003: MELFI; Pulmonary Function System, part of HRF-2 for Destiny, onShuttle STS-114/ULF-1; MPLM Raffaello

March 2003: Maxus-5 sounding rocket

March-April 2003: 34th Parabolic Flight Campaign

The Columbus module atAstrium in Bremen.

ATV STM testing at ESTEC. Above: in the Large European AcousticFacility. Facing page: with (from left) Director General AntonioRodotà, Head of MSM Manned Spaceflight Programme DepartmentAlan Thirkettle, Mr. Feustel-Büechl, ESA Director of AdministrationDaniel Sacotte and ATV engineer Geoffrey Beckwith.

Interplanetary transport.(NASA)

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aurora

The ‘European Strategy for Space’, endorsed bythe ESA Council and the European UnionCouncil for Research asks for a Europeanapproach to ‘explore the Solar System and theUniverse...’ and to ‘prepare for the next step in

human space exploration,the exploration of the SolarSystem.’ Based on thismandate, ESA decidedtowards the end of 2000 tobegin the ‘Aurora’ initiativefor planetary exploration.The activity, cutting acrossESA Directorates,culminated in a newprogramme proposal

describing the objectives and approachleading to a long-term mission framework forrobotic and human exploration.

At the leading edge of science andtechnology, a manned mission to Mars wouldbe a major project, requiring the InternationalSpace Station (ISS) and possibly Moon as atestbed and stepping stone. Why explore Mars?With an atmosphere sometimes showingweather and circulation patterns similar tothose of Earth, and with ‘dry river’ valleyssuggesting an earlier environment suitable forsustaining life, the planet is an extremely rich

target. It touches upon geology, geophysics,geochemistry, atmospheric physics, climatologyand biology.

Aurora is Europe’s response to thischallenging goal – a long-term explorationprogramme in coordination with European andinternational partners. It is a roadmap forrobotic and eventually human exploration thatwill generate a large number of science andtechnology spin-offs. By its nature, Aurora is amulti-disciplinary programme, across manysectors of science, technology and space. As anenvelope programme, Aurora will formulateand then implement a European long-termplan for exploring the bodies of the SolarSystem, particularly those holding promise fortraces of life.

An important milestone for Europe wasreached at the Ministerial Council in Edinburgh(UK) in November 2001, which adopted aproposal by the ESA Director General for aninitial 3-year preparatory period for Aurora. Asan optional programme with a currentlysubscribed financial envelope of €14. 1 million,Aurora is subscribed to by France, Italy,Belgium, Switzerland, UK, Austria, Spain, TheNetherlands, Canada and Portugal. Othercountries have expressed their interest andmay join later. The contributions will help tosecure the long-term vision and interests ofEurope in such a demanding but appealingenterprise.

The Aurora Programme covers two maincomponents:

The Definition Component includesprogramme planning and definition of theEuropean framework for exploration,activities selection, scientific support,pre-Phase-A and Phase-A mission studies,along with future human missions

AAururororaaA European Roadmap for Solar System Exploration

Aurora is a long-term initiativefor robotic and human

exploration of the Solar System,in particular where there

promises to be traces of life. In afirst 3-year preparatory period,

preliminary mission assessmentsand technology roadmaps are

being developed...

NASA

Rolf SchulzeSystem Integration Office, ISS Exploitation Dept., D/MSM,ESTEC, Postbus 299, 2200AG Noordwijk, The NetherlandsEmail: rolf.schulze@esa.int

Aurora exploration goals.

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architecture, generic technologypre-development work, scientific andinstrument definition, as well as publicawareness activities. Aurora’s 3-yearpreparatory period funds only this DefinitionComponent.

The Development Component includesmission and technology developmentPhases-B/C/D/E. For technologies, this iswhen the mission-specific developments ordemonstration activities take place.Operations and exploitation are included, aswell as any related infrastructuredevelopments. They will be implemented inthe most efficient way to reduce costs andimprove scientific and technological yield bycombining ESA and national efforts, and incooperation with other internationalorganisations.

Two classes of missions are foreseen:

Flagship, major missions driving towards softlanding or sample return from other planets,and eventually a manned mission;

Arrow, cost-capped, rapid-developmentmissions to demonstrate new technologiesor mission approaches, or to exploitopportunities for payloads on European orinternational missions.

Mars, the Moon and near-Earth asteroids willbe explored in a natural sequence, summarisedas remote sensing from orbit, robotic in situexploration and sample return for detailedanalyses, leading to a soft landing by a mannedvehicle.

The following technology areas wereidentified as enabling a wide variety ofmanned and robotic exploration missions:

– automated guidance, navigation & control,– micro-avionics,– data processing and communication,– entry, descent and landing,– crew aspects of exploration,– exploiting local resources,– power generation, conditioning and storage,– propulsion (space transportation, ascent,

descent),– robotics and mechanisms,– structures, materials and thermal control.

For human exploration, Aurora willundoubtedly benefit from the InternationalSpace Station in terms of technology validation

and lessons-learned. However, the specificrequirements for long-duration planetarymissions mean that additional keytechnologies need to be developed andvalidated through realistic demonstrations:

– efficient interplanetary fast transfer,– regenerative crew life-support systems,– health care at remote locations,– techniques to cope with human isolation

and confinement,– crew radiation protection in transit and on a

planetary surface,– spacesuit technology for planetary surface

extravehicular activities.

To promote innovation, a network ofEuropean and Canadian academics is being setup to generate new mission ideas andadvanced concepts. Also, the interests andcapabilities of non-prime contractors andsmall- and medium-sized enterprises are takencare of via the Arrow missions and theprogramme’s large technology component.

Aurora is being pursued in coordinationwith European and international partners,including agencies, industry and researchinstitutes. Experience with the Space Stationprogramme clearly shows that the bestcooperation is between equal partners. Aurorawill provide the missions and technologies forEurope to become a credible partner in theinternational effort for exploring the SolarSystem. ■

Check the Human Spaceflight website for more

information:

http://www.esa.int/export/esaHS/

ESACVG0VMOC_future_0.html

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virtual campus

What is the Erasmus Virtual Campus?The Virtual Campus at ESTEC’s Erasmus UserInformation Centre is designed to bring peopletogether, increase their collective knowledgeand facilitate cooperation between them. It isstructured very much like a campus in the

physical world. Think of it asa city with places andbuildings connected bystreets. While somebuildings may be open for

all visitors, others have a restricted access formembers only. There is a Library and anArchive. There is a Forum for discussion and formeeting new people, an Amphitheatre forlectures and presentations and a Coliseum forevents.

The Virtual Campus also provides thefoundation for creating and operating VirtualInstitutes in selected scientific areas.

What are the principal functions?Firstly, the Campus is an information portal. Iteases access to information that is storedelsewhere and difficult to find. Secondly, the

Campus is itself aninformation provider. It is awarehouse for validated andup-to-date referenceinformation. It packs thisinformation into appropriateboxes, describes the contentson top and stores the boxesin a structured way onshelves where they can easilybe found.

Thirdly, the Campus is a broker. It helps tomake the ideas and projects of people knownto others, and helps people to interconnect.Fourthly, the Campus is a cooperation

facilitator. It provides information andcommunication tools that allow research teamsto work on a common research project eventhough they are geographically separated.

Who are the users of the Virtual Campus?The target audience for the Campus areEuropean scientists and engineers who areinterested, or already involved, in the utilisationof the orbital and ground facilities managed byESA’s Directorate of Manned Spaceflight andMicrogravity, or for which this directorate canprovide access. These facilities cover theEuropean elements of the International SpaceStation (ISS), the US Space Shuttle, RussianFoton capsules, European Maser and Maxussounding rockets, parabolic flight campaignswith the Airbus A300, drop towers and selectedground facilities for research in life sciencesand physical sciences.

The Erasmus Virtual Campus is thus open toa large potential user community:

– scientists interested in the above facilitiesfor their research activities;

– project engineers and managers involved indeveloping, building or operating thesefacilities;

– scientists and engineers in the EuropeanUser Support and Operations Centres(USOCs) who deal with the utilisation ofthese facilities;

– politicians who decide on research activitiesand who want to obtain information on theobjectives and results of the workperformed in these facilities;

– students in search of reference material fortheir university studies or of information andguidance in their personal career choices;

– public and private education institutions

The Erasmus Virtual Campus isbecoming an increasingly

important tool for space users...

TThe Ehe Errasmus asmus VV irir tualtualCCampusampus

Dieter IsakeitManager, International Space Station Erasmus User Information Centre, D/MSM (MSM-GAU)ESTEC, PO Box 299, 2200 AG Noordwijk, The NetherlandsEmail: Dieter.Isakeit@esa.int Tel: +31 71 565 5451 Fax: +31 71 565 3661

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and exposition centres that focus on thepopularisation of science and technologyactivities in space;

– laypeople and media representatives with aninterest in research and high-technologysubjects.

Why do these people need a Virtual Campus?The research projects using the ISS or otherfacilities under ESA responsibility often unitepeople from different scientific disciplines andprofessional corporations. These teams areusually international, with their membersspread around Europe. Becoming familiar witheach other’s discipline, sharing existingknowledge, working from different locationswith the same reference documentation andjointly working on proposals is a constantoccupation of these teams. The Virtual Campusmakes their lives easier, in particular by reducingthe drawbacks of geographical separation.

Thanks to its information and communi-cation tools, the Campus provides interactiveinformation exchange and a higher degree ofinteraction among team members than waspossible previously using classical one-to-oneinformation and communication tools.

What are the main tools and services?Internet site The core product of the Campus in

its triple function as an information portal,an information content provider and aninformation broker is the Internet sitewww.spaceflight.esa.int/users. It is a resourceof validated up-to-date referenceinformation for scientists and engineers.

Document Server By promoting cooperation,the Campus allows its members to storedocuments of common interest and sharethem among team members.

Photo and Video Archive The shared storage ofand access to photo and video files isoperational. The distribution of video filesusing streaming video is almost ready. Thiswill make the Archive particularly attractivefor tele-education activities.

Remote Working Sessions The Campus is settingup a dedicated server and procuring thelicences for tele-conferencing andtele-education to work with the softwareand firewall environments of theparticipants. This will allow geographicallyseparated research teams to work remotelyand interactively using Word, Powerpointand Excel files and to speak to each otherthrough the Internet. The efficientcombination with other communicationtools, such as satellite communications, 3Dtelevision and the network that links theUSOCs with ESA, makes this form of remotecooperation attractive to potential users.

Chat and Discussion Forums The Campusorganises chat sessions and discussionforums with a broader audience – and thegeneral public – through thewww.spaceflight.esa.int/users Internet server.

Video Production and Broadcast Facilities TheISS User Information Centre isequipped with a TV studio and theresources for producing video films(including 3D). Its own satellitetelevision uplink/downlink facilitycan be used for live events andlectures.

Lectures and Events The ISS UserInformation Centre has a 120-seatauditorium that can be used forCampus lectures. The lectures canalso be broadcast live to Europe via satelliteand Internet streaming video. The sametools and resources allow a widerdistribution of ISS launch and in-flightevents, in particular for those with scientificor educational links, to a number ofEuropean viewing sites. The USOCs areexpected to play a key role in this networkof viewing sites. Commercially funded user-support centres like ALTEC in Turin (I) andBEOS in Bremen (D) have been invited tobecome part of the network of viewing sites.As a second step, the network would beextended to research institutes andorganisations, universities, other spaceagencies, industrial companies andeducation and popular science centres. ■

IntroductionWe usually think of astronauts aboard theInternational Space Station (ISS) performingexperiments inside the laboratory modules, butexternal payloads offer experiments in the

space environment withthe major advantages oflong duration exposureand return to Earth forexamination.

ESA is equipping theColumbus module with the External PayloadFacility (CEPF) to accommodate researchpayloads. It is a framework mounted on themodule’s end-cone and provides power, dataand command links. The Station’s robot armswill install the payloads delivered by the SpaceShuttle. The External Payload programmeconsists of two elements: early utilisation(before Station assembly is complete) androutine exploitation (after assemblycompletion).

External Payloads for Early UtilisationESA negotiated the right to fly externalpayloads during the Station’s early utilisationphase, for a period of 3 years. Each payload ismounted on an adaptor able to accommodatesmall instruments and experiments totalling upto 227 kg. Following an Announcement ofOpportunity and peer review, five payloadswere selected, of which four entereddevelopment. They were originally planned touse the NASA external sites but will now belocated on Columbus in 2005-2006.

Atomic Clock Ensemble in Space (ACES)The fact that time can be measured veryprecisely – far better than any other physicalparameter – is a technological asset of great

importance. This is the essence of ACES, whichwill test a new generation of atomic clock inspace. The ‘cold atom’ clock, PHARAO (Projetd’Horloge Atomique par Refroidissementd’Atomes en Orbite), developed by CNES (F),and SHM (Space Hydrogen Maser), developedby the Observatory of Neuchatel (CH), will becharacterised and compared in a microgravityenvironment.

Experiments include high-precision timeand frequency transfer, atmosphericpropagation, high-precision geodesy, globalnetwork synchronisation and fundamentalphysics.

SOLAR SOLAR will measure the Sun’s output withunprecedented accuracy. Apart fromcontributing to solar and stellar physics,knowledge of the interaction between thesolar energy flux and Earth’s atmosphere is ofgreat importance for atmospheric modelling,atmospheric chemistry and climatology.

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payloads

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European investigators arepreparing to exploit the externalresearch opportunities provided

on the Columbus module...

Steve Feltham and Giacinto GianfiglioISS Utilisation Division, Dept. of Microgravity and Space Station Utilisation,D/MSM, ESTEC, PO Box 299, 2200 AG Noordwijk, The NetherlandsEmail: stephen.feltham@esa.int & giacinto.gianfiglio@esa.int

ESAESA’’s ISSs ISS EExx tterernalnalPPaayloadsyloads

Mockup of the ACES payload.

SOLAR’s three instruments will measure thesolar flux across a wide spectrum:

– SOVIM (SOlar Variable & Irradiance Monitor),covering near-UV, visible and thermal-IR,developed by the Observatory of Davos (CH);

– SOLSPEC (SOLar SPECctral Irradiancemeasurements), covering 180-3000 nm athigh spectral resolution, developed by CNRS(F);

– SOL-ACES (SOLar Auto-Calibrating EUV/UVSpectrophotometers) measures theextreme-UV and UV regime at moderatespectral resolution, developed by theFraunhofer Institute (D).

The instruments are mounted on a multi-purpose Coarse Pointing Device (CPD), whichtracks the Sun as it compensates for theStation’s orbital motion.

EXPORT EXPORT carries two independent instruments.EXPOSE is an exobiology facility developed byESA. It studies the photo-processing of organicmolecules, the survival of micro-organisms inspace and the effect of unshielded solar-UV onorganic molecules and micro-organisms.EXPOSE is also mounted on a CPD, to point the12 sample compartments at the Sun. SPOrt(Sky Polarisation Observatory) is anastrophysical instrument, developed by CNR (I),to measure celestial polarisation in theunexplored microwave frequency range of 20-90 GHz. SPOrt goals include the firstpolarisation map of the Galaxy at 22, 32 &60 GHz and all-sky measurements in thecosmological window (90 GHz) withunprecedented sensitivity.

EuTEFThe European Technology Exposure Facility(EuTEF) is a programmable, multifunctional,

fully automated system. The modulararchitecture provides uniform interfaces forinstruments– up to seven instrument modulescan be accommodated and operatedsimultaneously. Five instruments are underdevelopment:

– TRIBOLAB, a tribology testbed developed byINTA (E);

– PLEGPAY, a plasma electron gunpayload developed by LABEN(I);

– MEDET, the Material Exposureand Degradation Experimenton TEF, developed byCNES/ESA/ONERA/University ofSouthampton;

– DEBIE-2, a space debris detectordeveloped by ESA (the first isflying on the Proba satellite);

– FIPEX, the Flux ProbeExperiment developed by theUniversity of Stuttgart (D).

Future PayloadsAfter about 3 years, this first batch will bereplaced by new payloads now being studied.EUSO (Extreme Universe Space Observatory)and Lobster are approved by the Agency’sScience Programme to begin Phase-A studiesthis year. EUSO would detect extreme-energycosmic rays and the high-energy cosmicneutrino flux. Lobster is an all-sky monitor inthe soft X-ray band, using six lobster-eyetelescopes to provide wide-angle imaging at0.1-3.5 keV. RapidEye is an ISScommercialisation payload approved by theManned Space Programme Board. It willobserve man-made structures for agricultureapplications and insurance verification.

ConclusionThe Columbus external facilities offer theopportunity for classical space science andtechnology experiments in a diverse array ofdisciplines. They will enhance the Station’sreturn without significantly increasing theinfrastructure cost by exploiting automatedoperations, with almost no crew intervention (avery expensive and limited resource). Threepayloads are already in the detailed design andmanufacturing phase (EuTEF, EXPORT, SOLAR)and ACES is planned to begin Phase-C/D thisyear. Phase-A activities begin soon on EUSOand Lobster, accompanied by the Phase-B ofRapidEye. ■

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The SOLAR instruments aremounted on a Coarse PointingDevice to track the Sun.

EuTEF will initiallyaccommodate fiveexperiments.

The EXPORT configuration.

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xeus

Introduction Providing in-orbit assembly services for visitinglarge science satellites is an attractive newutilisation area for the International SpaceStation (ISS). A prime but demanding candidate

is XEUS (X-ray EvolvingUniverse Spectroscopy), arevolutionary mission tostudy black holes and themost distant X-rayemissions in the earlyUniverse.

The sensitivity requirements demand atelescope diameter of 10 m, with an effectivearea of more than 30 m2. The observation andresolution requirements call for a focal lengthof 50 m. The solution is two spacecraft flying information, with the initial configuration(XEUS1) launched into a 600 km orbit by asingle Ariane-5 some time after 2010. Theslowly spinning mirror spacecraft (MSC1)houses X-ray mirrors spanning a 4.5 m-diameter, their baffles, two docking ports and

an attitude control system. The detectorspacecraft (DSC) hovering 50 m away hosts thefocal plane instrumentation, coolers, a singledocking port, and an attitude and orbit controlsystem. An active laser range-finding systemprovides alignment accuracy of better than1 mm3 and post-facto reconstruction to<100 µm with respect to the MSC.

The DSC includes an orbital transfer motor,which – after about 5 years of observations –allows it to dock with the MSC and for the pairto transfer to the ISS for expansion andrefurbishment into the much larger XEUS2.

The ISS Assembly of XEUS2The innovative mission scenario requires aradically new in-orbit assembly scenario. Forassembling MSC2, the 12.4 t core MSC1 dockswith Zvezda’s aft port at the ISS. Eight newmirror segments, each 3.2 m high, 1.5 m wideand weighing 1.6 t, are delivered to the ISS in asingle Shuttle flight, using a 12.9 m-longtransport carrier (TC), weighing 15.8 t whenloaded. The TC is transferred by the Shuttle/ISSrobot arms to Zvezda (via intermediate parkingon top of the Z1 Truss, where up to 800 Wprovides mirror thermal control). The mirrorsegments are then unloaded one by one bythe European Robotic Arm (ERA) and attachedto MSC1. Using the arms limits spacewalks tothe final assembly steps and verification. Theempty TC may leave the ISS aboard the sameShuttle after 11 days. The 11.2 m-diameterMSC2 has a final mass of 25 t.

ISSISS AAssembly of XEUSssembly of XEUS

Jens D. SchiemannHead, ISS Payload Operations Unit, Space Station Utilisation Division,ESA/ESTEC, PO Box 299, 2200 AG Noordwijk, The Netherlands Email: Jens.Schiemann@esa.int

XEUS will be the most powerfulX-ray observatory ever launched.

Following a first phase ofobservations, it will visit the ISS to

grow even larger...

XEUS Detector Spacecraft (foreground) and theinitial Mirror Spacecraft, 50 m distant

XEUS/ISS mission scenario.

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The detector spacecraft is deorbited andreplaced by DSC2 offering the latestinstrument technology.

The ChallengesThe TC as a single logistics item requiresdetailed analysis:

– the loaded TC’s length and mass are at the limit of the Shuttle’s capability;

– the availabilities of the Z1 Truss for cargostorage and of a cargo adapter on it have tobe confirmed;

– the loaded TC far exceeds the documentedstandard mass and centre-of-gravityconstraints of a cargo adapter for worst-caseISS accelerations during reboosts anddockings. Avoiding these manoeuvresshould make the excess load acceptable forthe short TC parking periods.

Extensive use is made of the ISS roboticfacilities for assembling MSC2. The long robotictransport from the Shuttle to Zvezda – acrossthe whole ISS – is a complex and criticalactivity. The Shuttle robot arm (SRMS) hands offthe TC to the Station’s Canadian arm (SSRMS)on the Mobile Base System. The SSRMS parksthe TC on top of the Z1 Truss, and relocates

itself to Zarya. It then holds the TC aboveZvezda so that ERA can extract a mirrorsegment. This TC transfer is critical and close to

the feasibility limit of the ISS geometry. ERAthen transports and installs the segment,repeating the process until MSC2 is complete.The empty TC is returned to the Shuttle by thereverse sequence.

ConclusionsDriven by the high scientificdesire for missions of theimportance and complexity ofXEUS, the concept developedfor assembly using the ISSappears technically andoperationally feasible, thoughchallenging:

– the defined XEUS mission milestones fitwithin the Station’s projected life;

– the Shuttle and ISS are capable of satisfyingthe needs of XEUS logistics, rendezvous &docking, and robotic assembly;

– MSC2 assembly can be performedrobotically, with a minimum of EVA support;

– by far the dominant ISS resource for XEUS iscrew time: 209 man-hours, about a third ofESA’s annual share.

However, some assembly steps are eitherbeyond normal ISS operations or come veryclose to the limits of the baseline Shuttle andStation capabilities, e.g. for:

– TC upload in one Shuttle launch;– TC parking on top of the Z1 Truss;– robotic handoff from SSRMS to ERA.

In addition, the ISS needs some relativelyminor upgrades: payload storage (Z1 Trussadapter) and an additional ERA basepoint onthe Zvezda. Also, ERA’s handling of payloads inthe lateral direction has to be confirmed.

In general, the Station’s overall designproved capable of efficiently supporting in-orbit assembly of large spacecraft and‘visiting vehicles’. Only comparatively minorupgrades and improvements of the presenttechnical baseline are required to supportlarge-scale assembly missions.

XEUS, an ambitious mission with majorchallenges for the scientific community andindustry, will likely become a truly globalmission with international collaboration at asignificant level, involving many of the partnersalready teamed in building the ISS. Furtherinformation on XEUS can be found at:

http://sci.esa.int/home/xeus/ ■

XEUS will be demandingrobotically: the yellow linetraces the TC’s path.

ERA adds mirror segments tocreate MSC2.

Eight mirror segments will belaunched in the Transport Carrier.

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spoe

Introduction In 1996, the Space Station Utilisation Division atESTEC began the development andprocurement of a set of standard equipment tosupport the European payloads for theInternational Space Station (ISS). The Standard

Payload OutfittingEquipment (SPOE)programme now supplies asuite of standard itemscentral to all ESA payloadsdestined for the ISS. The

Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG), to bedelivered by the UF-2 mission to the USDestiny module in May, is the first using SPOEelements – it carries the complete set. Theintegration of SPOE items in other payloads isunder way.

When SPOE development began, the Stationinterfaces were still evolving, so a key objectivewas to insulate ESA’s payloads by absorbingthe effects of changes in centrally providedequipment. This has proved particularlysuccessful in the area of data handling, wheresignificant modifications have been absorbedwithout affecting the payloads. The SPOEconcept triggered new challenges fortraditional ESA contracts, including: theproduction of recurring items of ground andflight hardware; their storage, handling andmultiple delivery to users; the sustainingengineering and user-support servicesstretching over a significant time.

Once ESA had identified the key items to beprovided as part of SPOE, a number ofprocurement decisions were made.Technologically interesting items such as the

Avionics Air Assembly (AAA), the Remote PowerDistribution Assembly (RPDA) and theStandard PayLoad Computer (SPLC) wereselected for development and qualification byEuropean industry. The International StandardPayload Rack (ISPR) was bartered from Japan.The Rack Main Switch Assembly (RMSA), theSmoke Detector Assembly (SDA) and thecomplete set of standard connectors for thePayload Rack/Laboratory Module interface onthe Utility Interface Panel (UIP) were boughtfrom the US.

The Industrial Consortium Astrium-SI (D) headed the SPOE IndustrialConsortium as Prime Contractor. Besides thetraditional management and systemengineering responsibilities, the Prime was alsoin charge of identifying subcontractors andharmonising the requirements. On thetechnical side, the Prime developed a commonapproach across all the SPOE items andvalidated them for the different laboratorymodules, in particular for the interfacedefinition, product assurance requirements andqualification approach. As a result, the bulk ofSPOE activities is governed by one common setof Quality Assurance & Safety documents andby a single, Prime-generated, Interface SystemDocument towards the hosting modules. Thesubcontractors for the AAA and RPDA are,respectively, Bradford Engineering (NL) andCarlo Gavazzi Space (I).

Standard Payload Computer (SPLC)The SPLC is a standard set of boards andmatching housing that can be assembled to

SPOE SPOE SStandartandard Pd Paayload Outfittingyload Outfitting

EEquipmenquipment ft for Eor Eururopopean Pean Paayloads on the ISSyloads on the ISS

Rolf-Dieter AndresenHead of Space Station Utilisation Division (MSM-GU), D/MSM, ESA/ESTEC

Maurizio NatiTechnology Management Support to Head of Technology Programmes Department, D/IMT, ESA/ESTEC(former SPOE/MSG Project Manager, Space Station Utilisation Division, D/MSM)

Chris TaylorSPOE Programme Manager, Head of ISS Data Systems Unit, Space Station Utilisation Division (TOS-ES), ESA/ESTECEmail: Chris.Taylor@esa.int

ESA has developed a set ofstandard equipment to outfit the

European payloads for theInternational Space Station...

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meet the data-handling needs of most pay-loads. Owing to the openness of the design,special interface requirements can be resolvedby adding user-developed boards. About halfof the current projects rely on SPOE’s standardboards, with the rest combining standardboards with specific developments.

The SPLC is qualified for internal andexternal payloads and is configurable for eitherColumbus or Destiny. The software package, tohandle the interfaces between the payload andsystem, was a major part of the development. Itwas pre-tested on the NASA reference facilitiesin Houston, with the result that the MSG data-handling acceptance proceeded without error– a first for ISS payloads. Similar Columbuspre-testing is in progress on the rack-level testfacility at Astrium in Bremen (D).

The SPLC is accompanied by ElectricalGround Support Equipment that simulates theUS and Columbus data management systemswith very high fidelity. As MSG experienceshowed, this significantly reduces the numberof hidden interface errors that are usuallyfound only during formal qualification testing.

Avionics Air Assembly (AAA)The AAA dissipates the residual heat inside arack by air ventilation and forces the requiredair ventilation around the Smoke Detectorhead. AAA comprises an air/water HeatExchanger, a Fan Unit to force the airflowthrough it and the electronics (E-Box) tocontrol the fan propeller speed. It can dissipate1200 W at 190 kg/h, 200ºC, water flow and

220 m3/h, 380ºC, airflow.Complying with the ISScabin noise limits was anextremely challengingdesign driver. The MSGversion meets the ‘NC 40’requirements – again a first– by means of additional acoustic absorbingmaterial in the rack.

Remote Power Distribution Assembly (RPDA)The RPDA distributes up to 6 kW among itsrack elements from the Station’s power system.Modular, it can accommodate two mandatoryExchangeable Standard Electronic Modules(ESEMs) for control and internal power supplyplus up to sixselectable ESEMs,able to provide120 Vdc or 28 Vdc.Each RPDA poweroutlet can beremotely controlledand is protectedagainstovercurrent/shortcircuit. Abaseplate providescooling.

Additional ItemsThe SDA and the complete set of connectorsaccommodated on the rack UIP were acquiredcommercially. The SDA is available in twoconfigurations, suitable for accommodation

The Standard PayloadComputer.

AAA installed in the MSGflight model.

RPDA installed in the MSGflight model.

inside the rack open space or inside the ductconnected to the AAA. Its sensor head, basedon light backscattering, detects typical smokeparticles. The RSMA switch turns off the ISPRpower feed via the Columbus or Destiny powercontrol system during maintenance. It containsan LED for indicating a smoke alarm.

QualificationThe SPOE items developed in Europe,particularly the RPDA and SPLC, were qualifiedusing a realistic worst-case. The results can beused by the different SPOE customers ‘as is’ iftheir configuration comes within the referenceenvelope, or extending them ‘by similarity’beyond the reference case. The qualificationprocess was completed by submitting SPOEitems to the MSG safety reviews.

The ISS Exploitation Phase An integral part of the SPOE concept is theprovision of centralised spares and softwaremaintenance over the lifetime of the payloads.

For all SPOE items, users are able to callon immediate replacement of groundand flight units without having to buyand maintain individual stocks.Software changes are centrallycoordinated so that modifications areimplemented and validated on areference version, which is thendistributed to individual users. Thisprovides significant savings comparedto maintaining several individualproject implementations. The SPOEactivity is coordinated via databases,accessible to all users via www.spoe.de.

SPOE maintenance is now being aligned withthe ISS Exploitation Programme, where it willbe merged with similar requirements fromother elements of the Columbus system.

While this approach will satisfy existingpayloads, a strategy is necessary for newpayloads in order to counter componentobsolescence brought about by the extremelylong periods of ISS utilisation. This problem isparticularly acute for the SPLC, where there arealready difficulties in component availability. Asthis also applies to the Columbus systemcomputers, a possibility under study is toupgrade the SPLC design with a view towards acommon solution for all future computersaboard Columbus.

Conclusions Through SPOE, the Agency has avoided

repetitive developments of common items, andthe payload integration process has beensignificantly eased by ensuring homogeneousquality of the end products, together with areliable set of interfaces. As with any form ofstandardisation, it is impossible to cater for allthe peculiarities of individual payloads andsome compromises have been necessary. Thismay result in adaptation costs for individualpayloads but these are more thancompensated for at an overall programmelevel. The SPOE programme has been aconsiderable Agency undertaking, with manytechnical and programmatic challenges. Thedevelopment phase is completed and themajority of items have been delivered. With thecompletion of MSG verification testing at theKennedy Space Center, we are well on the wayto achieving our objectives.

Acknowledgements The authors express their appreciation for thehighly motivated dedication of the IndustrialConsortium that made the standardisationpossible. Special thanks go to our colleagues inESTEC: T. Sgobba, W. Freihoefer, R. Bureo,A. Ciccolella, J. Wolf, G. Colangelo, G. Simonelliand H. Van Der Meij. A final word goes to theMSG Industrial Team, who contributedsignificantly to the SPOE activities by acting asa constructive first user. ■

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ESA-developed Payloads using SPOE

Project SPLC AAA RPDA ISPR, RMSA

SDA, etc

ACES X

Biolab X X X

CPD X

EDR X X X X

EMCS X X X X

EPM X X X X

EuTEF X X

FSL X X X

Hexapod X

MELFI X

MSG X X X X

MSL X X

PCDF X

ACES: Atomic Clock Ensemble in Space. CPD: Coarse PointingDevice. EDR: European Drawer Rack. EMCS: European ModularCultivation System. EPM: European Physiology Modules. EuTEF:European Technology Exposure Facility. FSL: Fluid Science Lab.MELFI: Minus Eighty degree Lab Freezer for ISS. MSG: MicrogravityScience Glovebox. MSL: Materials Science Lab. PCDF: ProteinCrystallisation Diagnostics Facility.

MSG uses the full set of SPOE.Flight Model testing atAstrium.

Express Rack 4 (NASA).

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IntroductionThis review summarises the researchactivities aboard the US Destinylaboratory by the Expedition-4 Crew,who arrived on 5 December 2001aboard STS-108/UF-1 and areexpected to depart in June 2002. Thecrew of Yuri Onufrienko (Commander),Carl Walz and Dan Bursch (FlightEngineers) inherited a number ofexperiments from their predecessors(On Station #7, December 2001, pp20-23).

The Expedition began with two‘sortie’ experiments that remainedaboard STS-108. The AvianDevelopment Facility was activatedshortly after docking for its 36Japanese quail eggs to incubate. Theembryos were then fixed for post-flight examination. Bird embryos areuseful biological models for observingchanges in cardiovascular, vestibular,musculoskeletal, immunological andneurological development inmicrogravity. The second sortieexperiment, the CommercialBiomedical TestingModule, examined howwell a recently discoveredprotein reduces bone loss.This potential treatmentfor osteoporosis is beingtested by a biotechnologyfirm together with a NASACommercial Space Center,using microgravity tosimulate accelerated boneloss on Earth. Twelve labmice were treated withthe osteoprotegerin

protein, a potent regulator of bonemetabolism, while 12 others weretreated with a placebo.

Inherited ExperimentsExpedition-4 inherited a set ofexperiments from their predecessors.Express Rack (ER)-1 is hosting:

Microgravity AccelerationMeasurements System (MAMS)and Space AccelerationMeasurement System II (SAMS-RTS) Remote Triaxial sensors 1 & 2to characterise the Station’smicrogravity environment.

Biotechnology Cell Science StowageResupply (BCSS-R), previously inER-4, supports biological cell

culture research. Sub-rack modulesprovide semi-automatedbioreactors, gas supplies, computercontrol and passive and low-temperature stowage. This cellculture system is an interimplatform for cell research until theBiotechnology Facility is delivered.

ER-2 is hosting:Active Rack Isolation System (ARIS)

actively damps out vibrations. TheARIS ISS Characterization Experiment(ARIS-ICE) is testing its performance.

SAMS Interim Control Unit.Physics of Colloids in Space (PCS-TC1

& -AS) is investigating the colloidalproperties of common materials,including food, paints and coatings.A laser illuminates a melted samplefor a pair of colour cameras to recordimages at two magnifications of thearrangements of individual particlesas well as the larger structures.

ER-4 is hosting:Biotechnology Specimen

Temperature Controller (BSTC),part of the BCSS, can house 32tissue culture modules at a carefullycontrolled 36°C.

on Station no. 8, march 2002

TThe Dhe Destinestiny Ry Researesearch ofch ofEExpxpedition-4edition-4

Graham T. BiddisOn Station Contributing Writer

During their occupation of theSpace Station since December

2001, the Expedition-4 crew hasbeen performing a wide range

of scientific investigations...

Expedition-4 Commander Yuri Onufrienko.

research

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The Gas Service Module (GSM) andBiotechnology Refrigerator (BTR)support the BCSS.

Advanced Astroculture (ADVASC)Support Systems, previously inER-1, for research into whetherseeds can be produced by plantsgrown from seeds in space.

ER-5 contains no payloads and hasbeen installed in readiness for futureuploads.

The Human Research Facility (HRF-1)is used to study the physiological,behavioural and chemical changes inhumans caused by spaceflight. TheGas Analyzer System for MetabolicAnalysis Physiology (GASMAP)analyses metabolic function, cardiacoutput, lung diffusing capacity, lungvolume, pulmonary function andnitrogen washout. The UltrasoundImaging System (Ultrasound)provides enlarged 3D images of theheart and other organs, muscles andblood vessels. The PulmonaryFunction in Flight (PuFF) unit isresearching changes in lunganatomy and performance causedby spacewalks or microgravity. Thefocus is on measuring changes in theevenness of gas exchange in thelungs, and on detecting changes inrespiratory muscle strength. EachPuFF session includes five lungfunction tests.

Deployed PayloadsThe following payloads were alreadyin Destiny:

Interactions for studying crew andcrew-ground team relationshipsduring long-term space missions.The crew fills out a laptopquestionnaire of their interactionswith each other and groundcontrollers.

Earth Knowledge Acquired byMiddle School Students (EarthKAM)uses a digital camera mounted inDestiny’s large window to enablethousands of students tophotograph and examine Earth froman astronaut’s perspective. Via theInternet, they control the camera andpost the photographs for publicviewing. Since Expedition-3, severalnew schools in the US have joinedthe programme, as well as a school inKrefeld, Germany.

HRF Extravehicular Activity RadiationMonitor (EVARM) is a radiationdosimeter badge reader, with 12(four sets of three) small dosimeterbadges, each uniquely identified.Each set will be placed in an EVAsuit to measure radiation levels atdifferent body locations.

HRF Hoffman Reflex (H-Reflex)measures the effects ofweightlessness on spinal cordexcitability. Surface electrodes areapplied to the soleus muscle in thesitting position, with the knee at 120°and the foot at 90°. The stimulatingelectrode (part of the knee brace) isapplied behind the knee to stimulatethe posterior tibial nerve.

HRF Urine Collection Kit (UCK), aNomex container housing the UrineCollection Devices (UCD), Ziploccontainment bags, towelettes andgauze pads.

HRF Renal Stone for observingchanges in renal function andincreased risk of kidney stonesinduced by weightlessness.Beginning 3 days before launch andcontinuing for 14 days after theirreturn, the crew are ingesting twopotassium citrate pills (a provenEarth-based therapy) or placebosdaily and collecting urine samples tolearn whether the pills are effective.

The STS-105 crew attached the firstexperiment outside the Station –Materials ISS Experiments (MISSE) –during an EVA in August 2001. Twosuitcase-sized packages containexperimental materials for solar cells,radiation shielding, paint, opticalmaterials and lightweight buildingmaterials are being exposed to theharsh environment of space for a yearbefore return to Earth for study.

New PayloadsSub-rack and deployed payloadstransferred into Destiny from STS-108include:

Biotechnology Cell Sciences Stowagesystem (BCSS) Unit #5 added toER-1.

Advanced Astroculture (ADVASC)Growth Chamber #2 added to ER-4.This is a follow-up to anExpedition-2 experiment: second-generation Arabidopsis thalianaplants are being grown using seedsharvested from plants grownduring Expedition-2 (as well as fromnew seeds). It also formed the basisfor a commercial Internet-basededucation programme.

Protein Crystal Growth Single LockerThermal Enclosure System units 7 &8 added to ER-4.

Zeolite Crystal Growth Furnace Units1 & 2 added to ER-2. ZCG is notexpected to be operational duringExpedition-4.

The Microencapsulation ElectrostaticProcessing System (MEPS) failed avacuum test shortly before launch,so it was not moved from theShuttle.

on Station no. 8, march 2002

Yuri Onufrienko photographing the Earth from Zvezda.

Carl Walz with the WA3 amateur radio antenna.

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Descent PayloadsPayloads returned aboard STS-108 inDecember as Expedition-4 beganincluded:

ESA’s Advanced ProteinCrystallisation Facility (ER-1) grewsamples of proteins that are keyingredients in many life processes.

Biotechnology Cell Science Stowage(BCSS) system Units # 1 & 2 fromER-4.

Dynamically Controlled ProteinCrystal Growth (DCPCG)experiment from ER-1.

Bonner Ball Neutron Detector (BBND)Unit.

Dreamtime Camera (DMTM) part of apublic-private partnership toupgrade NASA’s equipment to next-generation HDTV technology.

Expedition-3/4 Overlap ExperimentsWalz and Bursch completed their firstsessions with the Hoffman Reflex justa day after arrival, repeating thesessions every few weeks to trackchanges in the human neurovestibularsystem.

The Protein Crystal Growth SingleThermal Enclosure Unit #10 wasactivated early on, followed later inthe Expedition by Unit #7. The crewactivated Cellular Biotechnologyresearch by injecting cells into 32nutrient containers, placing them inan incubator and then periodicallyremoving nutrient solution for analysisand re-injection of fresh growth fluid.

The first Interactions questionnaireswere completed.

Expedition-4 Tended ExperimentsPhotography targets were uplinkedfor the Crew Earth Observationsresearch programme, includingindustrialised South Africa, Angolanbiomass burning, easternMediterranean dust and smog,Patagonian and Andean glaciers, and

wake clouds and von Karman vorticesin the Canary Islands. Walz and Burschcompleted their third session with theHoffman Reflex experiment at the turnof the year. Before and after two EVAs,they performed the PuFF experiment.The Zeolite Crystal Growth furnaceunit was installed and checked out.The crew completed checkout ofEVARM: data from the radiationbadges were downlinked to theground. Walz and Bursch completedthe first session of the Renal Stoneexperiment, including collection ofurine over a 24-hour period and dietmonitoring.

Early inFebruary, aGuidance,Navigation andControl (GNC)computercrash in Zvezdaallowed theStation’sattitude todrift slowly. Asa result, thesolar wingscould not trackthe Sun andtheir poweroutput felldrastically. Thecrew turned off science experiments,backed-up Station systems and shutdown non-critical subsystems. NASA’smain antenna could not be aimed atthe relay satellites, losing UStelemetry. The crew couldcommunicate with ground controllersonly when the Station was passingover Russian ground stations inCentral Asia. The computer wasrestarted after 2.5 h and Stationorientation was restored after another2 h. It took less than 6 h to returnpower to sensitive payloads, andnormal operations were achievedwithin 24 h.

EarthKAM was activated a weekearlier than planned to provide a fullfour days operation withoutcommunications outages. Initialproblems with a voltage converterwere overcome.

During their normal maintenancechecks, the crew noticed and removedan ice buildup in the BiotechnologyRefrigerator containing several cellscience samples processed earlier inthe mission and now awaiting transferto Earth

Expedition-4 Untended ExperimentsIn December, the MAMS recorded theSTS-108 undocking, helping scientiststo plan experiments that require avibration-free environment. Researchoperations resumed early in theExpedition with SAMS and ARIS-ICE,

and PCS completed a 48 h run.Untended operations continued witha pair of protein crystal-growthexperiments. Around the middle ofthe Expedition, the PCS colloidsexperiment team expanded itsresearch to build fractal structuresover 5 weeks using a colloidal gel.Fractal gels are of interest tomanufacturers and materialsspecialists on Earth. A primarymechanism for degradation of motoroil is the formation of fractal clustersof soot. Another example is the ageingand spoilage of food. Later, the teamconcluded its 120 h reexamination ofthe crystallisation of the AB6 binarycolloid. The colloid experiments will beextended into Expedition-5. ■

on Station no. 8, march 2002

Bursch (left) and Onufrienko perform maintenance.

For information on ISS science activities,

check the website at:

http://www.scipoc.msfc.nasa.gov/

Teachers from 20 countries, including all 15 ESAMember States, as well as the Czech Republic,Hungary, Russia, Canada and the US took partin Teach Space on 26-28 October 2001. Awealth of information was exchanged on how

space is being used ineducation, representingthe wide variety ofnationalities and thedifferent subjects andeducation levels taught.

Space as a Theme in EducationThe Agency is increasingly aware of theimportance of space as a theme in education.ESA depends on a highly talented and skilledworkforce – and its future members are sittingin today’s classrooms. Space as a theme hasmany fascinating angles that can be applied tosubjects taught at primary- and secondary-school levels. These approaches can givestudents that extra stimulus to be activeparticipants and be fascinated by theirsubjects.

Educational ProgrammesThe International Space Station (ISS) is an idealtool for teaching science, mathematics,technology, engineering and many otherdisciplines. For this reason, ESA has launchedtwo educational programmes involvingthe ISS programme:

The ISS Education Programmeaddresses Europeanstudents aged 18-27 years. Inparticular, itmakes use ofthe ground

facilities and services of the Space Station,allowing about 13 kg of experiments to flyon Europe’s European Columbus laboratoryeach year. The Programme can berepresented by a pyramid structure, wherethe activities are initially addressed to tensof thousands of students, of which a smallnumber will end up with access toexperiments aboard the ISS.

The Teach Space initiative focuses onpre-university students (aged 6-18), and waslaunched at Teach Space 2001.

Teach Space 2001: Teacher RequirementsTeach Space 2001 was organised to stimulateteachers into adopting space as a tool forteaching, and for them to encourage ESA intaking a more active role towards education.The busy conference programme includedintroductions to several ESA activities, such aslife sciences and space exploration, as well aspresentations on the world’s largestcooperative civil space project – theInternational Space Station. Throughworkshops and questionnaires, teachers wereasked about their country’s specificeducational requirements, as well as theirneeds in incorporating space into their specificsubjects. ESA is studying this information to

better understand the education systemsthroughout Europe, which will help

the Agency to create material forwidespread use.

Some conclusions fromTeach Space 2001 are:

– Europeanteachers in alldisciplines are

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education

TTeach Seach Spacpace 2001e 2001

Elena GrifoniHead of Communication & Strategy, D/MSM, ESTEC, Postbus 299, 2200 AG Noordwijk, The NetherlandsrlandsEmail: Elena.Grifoni@esa.int

Barber UijlPublic Relations Specialist, D/MSM, ESTEC, Postbus 299, 2200 AG Noordwijk, The NetherlandsrlandsEmail: Barber.Uijl@esa.int

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In October 2001, ESA invited 160teachers to ESTEC for

Teach Space 2001, the firstInternational Space Station

Education Conference in Europe...

enthusiastic and eager to use space as ateaching tool;

– curricula are, in general, not flexible enough.Space can be taught only as an optionalcourse or as a supporting element toexisting curricula;

– schools/teachers have no access to funding;– the formal education structures and

organisations (Ministries of Education, localeducation authorities, etc) need to beimproved. A network must be establishedbetween teachers and schools, supported bya selection of publications and input fromother organisations, such as planetariumsand museums;

– teachers need simple, practical, modular,European material that can be applied totheir lessons;

– ESA needs a pool of teachers/consultants toadapt material for schools.

SponsorsThe Teach Space 2001 sponsor initiative aimedat matching ESA’s budget for the event withsponsor benefits. Space companies received apersonalised letter inviting them to join; eightresponded positively and exceeded thesponsorship target of €50 000. The sponsorswere: Astrium, Alenia Spazio, Contraves, OHB,SENER, ALTEC, HE Space Operations, andIntoSpace. Astrium and Intospace participatedin the conference.

2002: Focus on EducationDuring 2001, Human Spaceflight educationactivities focused on gathering input fromteachers. This was an important first step. To

maintain the momentum and the interest ofteachers, we hope to shift the focus this yeartowards the production of educationalmaterial.

Specific projects by teachers for teachersform the basis of ESA’s first publication, theTeach Space 2001 conference proceedings(ESA SP-491). Teachers, space enthusiasts andcompanies responded to an Open Call forspace project proposals. More than 40 werereceived and, after careful consideration, tenprojects were selected for presentation at theevent. The book is available from late Marchand can be bought for €20 from Frits de Zwaanat +31 71 565-3405 (or fax +31 71 565-5433;Frits.de.Zwaan@esa.int)

In addition to working on ‘content’, buildingon the input and contacts established in 2001,the Agency is continuing existing activitiessuch as the student parabolic flights.

The following activities are planned for thisyear:– Teach Space Educators Forum on the Human

Spaceflight website;– creation of an ISS Education Kit, including

material that can be used by teachers inprimary or secondary schools to incorporatespace and human spaceflight in theirlessons;

– SUCCESS#2: a second student contest forexperiments aboard the ISS;

– World Space Week event at the ISS UserInformation Centre in ESTEC (October);

– ISS Web Marathon: allowing the public toparticipate in Q&A’s with ESA staff.

We hope to create ESA Human Spaceflighteducational material in the near future built onteachers’ input, and we look forward toreceiving further comments and suggestions(send them to Barber.Uijl@esa.int). ■

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Part of the Teach Space 2001workshop.

Check the Human Spaceflight website for news

and details on upcoming educational events:

http://www.esa.int/export/esaHS/

education.html

IntroductionThe Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) willbe the first European rack facility to belaunched to the ISS. It will fly on the

STS-111/UF-2 mission and fromMay it will equip the US DestinyLaboratory. This glovebox canhandle a wide variety ofmaterials, house investigationsinto combustion, fluids andbiotechnology andaccommodate minor repairs

and servicing of hardware requiring acontrolled working environment. Thedevelopment included a long and complexverification process, leading to the finalcertification for flight readiness.

The Verification Process in Two StepsThe process included the verification of boththe science requirements, controlled by theMSG System Requirements Document, and theISS Interface requirements, controlled by thePressurised Payload Interface RequirementDocument (IRD). While the first document wasalready consolidated at the beginning ofPhase-C/D, the IRD and the associatedverification programme evolved in parallel tothe project development. A second importantaspect, peculiar to MSG and the MELFI freezer,was the lack in Europe of suitable interfaceemulators. This forced division of theverification flow into two parts:

– the European verification process, mainlydevoted to environmental and performancetesting at the payload developer sites;

– NASA’s process at the Kennedy Space Center(KSC), aimed at testing the physical, electricaland software interfaces.

The Testing in EuropeEuropean verification was supported bydedicated interface emulators, complementedby the ESA-provided Test Equipment forPayload Development, which includes theWater Servicer and the Power Supply Emulator.NASA provided the Suitcase Test Emulator forPayloads and the Common Video InterfaceUnit. In addition to this hardware available inEurope, an early Data Handling verification testwas performed in the ISS laboratory of NASA’sJohnson Space Center, where generic ESAStandard Payload Computer Basic Softwarewas tested for compatibility with Destiny’spayload Multiplexer-Demultiplexer. Europeanprocessing included tests at the primecontractor site (Astrium-Bremen) and at

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research

MSG RMSG Readeady fy for Lor Launchaunch

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20MSG at KSC.

ESA’s Microgravity ScienceGlovebox completed final

testing at the Kennedy SpaceCenter in February and is now

ready to begin its journey to theInternational Space Station...

Maria Natalina De ParolisESA Project Manager, LSE Section (MSM-GUL), D/MSM, ESA/ESTEC, PO Box 299, 2200 AG Noordwijk, The NetherlandsEmail: Lina.De.Parolis@esa.int

Martin ZellAstrium Project Manager, MSG, Astrium GmbH, PO Box 286156, D-28361 Bremen, GermanyEmail: martin.zell@astrium-space.com

subcontractors (Bradford Engineering andATOS-ORIGIN, The Netherlands; Verhaert Designand Development, Belgium).

The Processing Flow at KSCThe overall flow of KSC activities for MSG –typical for ISS payload processing – can becharacterised as:

– preparatory technical interchange meetings(about a year before hardware shipment);

– flight hardware and ground supportequipment shipping from Europe;

– KSC reception inspection;– changeout of flight rack from IHI (Japan)-

type rackstand to Boeing (US)-type;– rack and ground support equipment setup

in offline laboratory; post-shipmentfunctional checkout test;

– offline testing with Payload Rack CheckoutUnit;

– online testing with Payload Test ControlSystem;

– decable review and rack closeout;– complementary stowage item activities

(optional);– rack integration in Multi-Purpose Logistics

Module (MPLM).

The PRCU/PTCS Testing After Acceptance Review #1, performed atAstrium in October 2001, MSG was shipped toKSC. There, after the post-shipment checkout, itwas subjected to the offline tests by thePayload Rack Checkout Unit (PRCU). This islocated in NASA’s Space Station ProcessingFacility and provides high-fidelity electrical andmechanical simulation of the available

resources in orbit atrack level. In the PRCUtesting, MSG was stillunder the directcontrol of Astrium, whoshared testresponsibility with theNASA Marshall SpaceFlight Center (MSFC)team. The offline testswere very successful –MSG holds the recordas the fastest rackthrough software tests.Offline testing wascompleted just beforethe end of 2001.

On 8 January 2002,ESA/Astrium and NASA MSFC handed MSGover to the KSC team, who started the onlinetests. These are performed at the Payload TestControl System (PTCS). This facility is similar tothe PRCU but operations control is from aremote user room, rather than by direct rackaccess. It allows end-to-end testing, includingverification of the operational procedures. Theactivities are strictly under procedural andquality control by the KSC authority.

The Integrated TestingDespite problems with someMSG hardware malfunctionsand the late readiness of thePRCU and PTCS, MSGcompleted all rack level testingafter 2 weeks and was ready forfinal rack/experimentintegrated testing. The NASAscience experiments (In-Space,Solidifcation Using a Baffle inSealed Ampoules [SUBSA] andToward Understanding PoreFormation and MobilityInvestigation [PFMI]) were integrated insideMSG and the integrated rack functionality waschecked. This last test was completely outsideof ESA/Astrium responsibility.

Finally, on 14 February 2002, all test activitieswere concluded. The rack is now awaiting finalpreparations for integration inside MPLMLeonardo before loading into the SpaceShuttle.

MSG is the first European rack facility tohave completed the verification programme,setting the standard for future ISS payloaddevelopment. ■

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MSG testing at Astrium.

recent & relevant

Recent & RelevantESA Astronaut Ready for ISS

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Roberto Vittori will become the thirdESA Astronaut aboard the ISS whenSoyuz-TM34 docks in late April. His9-day visit includes Europe’s firstcommercial experiment on theStation: the BloodpressureMeasurement Instrument (BMI) forcontinuously recording bloodpressureand heart rate, based on thecommercial Boso TM-2430 PC.

His other three experiments aresponsored by the Italian spaceagency: Chiro, Alteino and Vest.

The main purpose of Vest is tovalidate a proposed new range ofclothing for living in space. Thisincludes researching and employingnew fabrics. The ultimate aim is toreduce the burden on the system bycutting the mass and volume ofastronauts’ clothing, while makingthem more comfortable.

Alteino will measure particleradiation in the Station and its effectson the crew’s brains. It is the precursorto the ALTEA (Anomalous Long TermEffects in Astronauts) system that willidentify risks to the nervous system

with prolonged missions andexposure to radiation. Alteino is a jointproject between the Univ of Rome-TorVergata, Univ of Geneo, Italy’s NationalNuclear Physics Institute and theMoscow Institute for BiomedicalProblems and the MoscowEngineering and Physics Institute.

Chiro will use two dynamometersto measure the forces exerted by thehand and fingers in grasping objectsin weightlessness. The way that upperlimbs are used in space reflects somepathological and traumaticphenomena affecting the centralnervous system. The results will help

to design structures forprolonged missions andto rehabilitate groundpatients.

Vittori joined theEuropean AstronautCorps in August 1998

and immediately began MissionSpecialist training at NASA’s JohnsonSpace Center to qualify for Shuttle andISS flights. In July 2001, he wasassigned to a Soyuz taxi mission underan agreement betweenRosaviakosmos, ASI and ESA. Thefollowing month, he began training asa Soyuz Flight Engineer at Star Citynear Moscow. ■

on Station no. 8, march 2002

ESA Astronaut Roberto Vittori in theSoyuz simulator at the GagarinCosmonaut Training Centre, Star City.

For the latest on Vittori’s flight:http://www.esa.int/spaceflight

You can discover when the Space Stationis next visible from your location at:

http://www.heavens-above.com

PFS (top left) integrated in the HRF-2 rack.

ESA delivered a piece of newtechnology to NASA in December aspart of the ISS Pulmonary FunctionSystem (PFS). Developed by theDanish company INNOVISION SA, thenew device will analyse exhaled gasfrom astronauts’ lungs and providenear-instant data on crew health. PFSis the first flight hardware developedby the Microgravity Facilities forColumbus (MFC) Programme as partof the European Physiology Modules(EPM) project, originally planned forlaunch aboard Columbus. Followingthe great interest shown by NASA, ESAwas offered an earlier flightopportunity in January 2003, as partof the second NASA Human ResearchFacility (HRF) being delivered toDestiny by the STS-114/ULF-1 mission.

The PFS uses a new approach:

photoacoustics, exploiting theproperty that different gases absorb IRlight at different and very precise

wavelengths. The new device dividesthe breath sample into several smalltest cells, each fitted with a windowfilter that admits only the exactwavelength of a specific gas. The cellsare exposed to an IR source through aspinning chopper wheel. When thehole is in front of the window, the IRenergy heats and expands the gas.When the hole has passed, the gascontracts again. A microphone picksup the pulses; their strengthaccurately measures how much of thespecific gas is present. Six differentgases can be measuredsimultaneously, with severalmeasurements being made within asingle breath. In addition to the lungfunction, the data also reveal muchabout blood flow and the entirecardio-vascular system. ■

PFS and the Breath of Life

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The ISS User Information Centre atESTEC added a new exhibit to itscollection in December: a Fotondescent capsule. Marked by its 2500ºCreentry – the scorched heatshield stillhas a distinctive smell – the Foton-12capsule is intended to show potentialusers how payloads areaccommodated. Launched inSeptember 1999, Foton-12 included240 kg of ESA experiments. ESA hasbeen a Foton partner since 1987, andhas developed an excellentrelationship with the Russianmanufacturers and launch teams. TheFoton programme providesresearchers with access to relativelylow-cost weightlessness with a muchlonger duration than sounding rocketsand a faster turnaround than with theISS. ESA Technical Officer AntonioVerga has worked with Foton foryears. ‘It’s very good value for money.Foton carries a multi-disciplinarypayload – anything from biologicalexperiments to fluid physics andtechnology testing.’ Verga hopes that

visitors will see it as a potentialplatform for their experiments. Thenext mission, Foton-M1, is scheduledfor October 2002, and will includeexperiments designed by student

on Station no. 8, march 2002

Recent & Relevant

Commercial Camera for ISS

ESA has approved funding forcommercial utilisation of the ISS bythe ‘RapidEye’ camera. RapidEye Inc. ofMunich (D) plans to place a high-resolution Earth observation cameraaboard the ISS by 2005, making it thefirst commercial user in this businesssegment. The camera will image majorparts of Europe, North America andAsia, enabling the company to offerregularly updated, highly accurate

NASA Medal Awarded

MSM’s Eckart Graf has been presented with NASA’s Public Service Medal ‘inrecognition of his exceptional leadership resulting in unprecedented cooperationbetween the European Space Agency and NASA in the development of theX-38/Crew Return Vehicle’. Eckart is credited with reorienting an initial definitionstudy into a hardware programme for the X-38, the prototype for the CRV.Following his initial appointment in 1996 as Crew Transfer Vehicle projectmanager, in 1998 he became the X-38/CRV project manager.

Eckart is pictured with his wife and Roy Estess, acting Director of JSC. ■

Foton Capsule at ESTEC

groups from York, Edinburgh andZurich. Foton-M is an improvedversion of the spacecraft, with largerbattery capacity, enhanced thermalcontrol and increased telemetry andtelecommand capabilities. The Soyuzrocket will be equipped with a newthird-stage engine, which will providean orbit with a higher perigee. Themore circular orbit, in combinationwith a more even mass distributionwithin Foton, will further reduce theresidual onboard acceleration. In total,more than 40 experiments in physicalsciences, space biology, radiationbiology, space dosimetry andmeteoritics will be performed:

ESA: FluidPac, TeleSupport, Biopan,Soret Coefficient in Crude Oil(SCCO), Stone andAutonomousExperiments;

DLR: Agat and Keramik;CNES: IBIS;Russian industry and institutes: Polizon,

Mirage, Sinus-15 and Komparus. ■

maps. The maps will record changeseven in urban areas – new dwellings,streets, roads and bridges. The combi-nation of large-area coverage, high re-solution, high revisit rate and low costwill allow the maps to be frequentlyupdated. New consumer services willappear; for example, using the Inter-net, people will be able to see up-to-date images of their next vacation de-stination to check for snow coverage,water pollution or their hotel location.

ESA, DLR, RapidEye, Kayser-Threde

GmbH and other European partnersare working jointly on the project. ESAwill partly finance the hardware andorganise transport to the ISS. DLR willsupport camera development. Kayser-Threde will be responsible for theproject’s technical direction. RapidEyewill assume operational control of thecamera, process the data and marketthe images and information services.The system will use a constellation ofsmall satellites enhanced by the ISScamera. ■

On StationISSN 1562-8019

The Newsletter of ESA’s Directorate of Manned Spaceflight and Microgravity

This newsletter is published by ESA Publications Division.It is free to all readers interested in ESA’s manned

spaceflight and microgravity activities. It can also beseen via the website at http://esapub.esrin.esa.it/

For a free subscription or change of address, please contact Frits de Zwaan at Frits.de.Zwaan@esa.int

ESA Publications Division/SER-CPESTEC, Postbus 299, 2200 AG Noordwijk, The Netherlands

Fax: +31 71 565-5433

Editor: Andrew Wilson (Andrew.Wilson@esa.int)Contributing Writer: Graham T. Biddis

ESA Photographer: Anneke van der GeestDesign & Layout: Eva Ekstrand & Carel Haakman

8th European Symposium on Life Sciences Research in Space

23rd Annual International Gravitational Physiology Meeting

2-7 June 2002Karolinska InstitutetStockholm, Sweden

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