Search Results

The Mini Pressurised Logistics Module (MPLM) has the important job of servicing the Space Station via the National Space Transportation System (NSTS). During the previous and the on-going Alenia design activities, a continous effort is spent to optimize the MPLM performance characteristics with a possible mass reduction. The aim is to reach the best compromise between different needs: the payload requirements, the functional ground and flight operational constraints (three units qualified for 25 flight missions each), the total mass available for the payload. This paper has the objective to document the recent configuration changes and activities of the last couple of years. The two subsystems involved in this evolution are the Thermal Control (TCS) and the Environmental Control (ECLSS). Most of the MPLM equipment has already passed the Critical Design Review (CDR) step and the update situation for each piece of equipment is listed in this paper.

The results are presented of a thermal balance test performed at subsystem level on the thermal model of EURECA (EUropean REtricvable CArrier) in the ESTEC LSS Vacuum Chamber. The test article, thermally representative of the most relevant items of the flight unit, was equipped both with “passive” thermal control hardware (MLI blankets, heaters) and “active” thermal control hardware (fluid loop, cold plates, radiators). This test consisted of several phases with different functioning conditions. Solar lamps and heated plates were used to reproduce solar, albedo and IR fluxes. The analysis of the test results confirmed the adequacy of the thermal control design, in particular, of the key items of the fluid loop and MLI, while an extensive correlation campaign validated the thermal mathematical model.