Search Results

After 11 months of successful operation onboard the ISS US laboratory Destiny, the air quality monitors ANITA (Analyzing Interferometer for Ambient Air) was brought back to Earth on STS126 (ULF2). ANITA is a technology demonstrator flight experiment for continuous air quality monitoring inside the crewed cabin of the ISS with low detection limits and high time resolution. For the first time, the dynamics of the detected trace gas concentrations could be directly resolved by ANITA and correlated to gas events in the cabin. The system is the result of a long term ESA technology development programme initiated more than seventeen years ago. The ANITA mission was a cooperative project between ESA and NASA. ESA's responsibilities were the provision of the H/W, the data acquisition and the data evaluation. NASA was responsible for the launch, accommodation and operation onboard ISS, data download and the transportation of ANITA back to the Earth.

After the launch to the International Space Station with The Space Shuttle flight STS 118 13A.1 on August 9th 2007 and the accommodation in the US lab Destiny, the air quality monitor ANITA (Analyzing Interferometer for Ambient Air) has been successfully put into operation. ANITA is a technology demonstrator flight experiment being able to continuously monitor with high time resolution the air conditions within the crewed cabins of the ISS (International Space Station). The system has its origin in a long term ESA (European Space Agency) technology development program. The ANITA mission itself is an ESA-NASA cooperative project. ESA is responsible for the provision of the HW (Hardware), the data acquisition and data evaluation. NASA's responsibilities are launch, accommodation in the US Lab Destiny, operation and data download.

After the launch to the ISS (International Space Station) with The Space Shuttle flight STS 118 13A.1 on August 9th 2007 and the accommodation in the US lab Destiny, the air quality monitor ANITA (Analysing Interferometer for Ambient Air) has been successfully put into operation. ANITA is a technology demonstrator flight experiment being able to continuously monitor with high time resolution the air conditions within the crewed cabins of the ISS. The system has its origin in a long term ESA technology development programme. The ANITA mission itself is an ESA-NASA cooperative project. ESA is responsible for the provision of the HW, the data acquisition and data evaluation. NASA's responsibilities are launch, accommodation in the US Lab Destiny, operation and data download. The ANITA air analyser is currently calibrated to detect and quantify online and with high time resolution 33 gases simultaneously with down to sub-ppm detection limits.

The flight experiment ANITA (Analysing Interferometer for Ambient Air) has been developed within the long term European technology development programme on air monitoring in manned space cabins. Built under ESA responsibilities, ANITA has become an important inter agency cooperative activity on air monitoring with NASA. Within this cooperation, the system has recently been handed over to NASA ISS Medical Project (ISSMP) at Johnson Space Center to prepare the upcoming launch to the International Space Station (ISS) now with STS-118. The ANITA air analyser can detect and quantify online and with high time resolution 30 trace gases simultaneously with sub-ppm detection limits in addition to the always present background gases carbon dioxide and water vapour [6, 12]. This air quality monitor allows therefore the detection and monitoring of trace gas dynamics of the spacecraft atmosphere, providing continuous air monitoring as well as crew warning capability in case of malfunctions.

This paper gives a status report on the flight experiment ANITA (Analysing Interferometer for Ambient Air), the development status of the successor unit ANITA II and spin-off activity such as the use of an ANITA-type instrument on a submarine. The ANITA system represents a precursor for ANITA II, a permanent continuous trace gas monitoring system on the International Space Station (ISS). The measurement task in a submarine environment is similar to the analysis in the closed environment on the ISS except for the different trace gases present. A proposed test measurement campaign on a submarine in 2006 is outlined in the paper. The ANITA air analyser can detect and quantify quasi on-line and simultaneously 30 trace gases with sub-ppm detection limits in addition to carbon dioxide and water vapour [4, 10].

This paper is a status report on the development of ANITA (Analysing Interferometer for Ambient Air), an FTIR-based (Fourier Transform Infrared spectrometer) trace gas monitoring system. ANITA is scheduled for transport to the ISS (International Space Station) on the ATV (Automated Transfer Vehicle) maiden flight ‘Jules Verne’, scheduled for launch April 2006. ANITA is calibrated to detect and quantify simultaneously 32 of the most important trace gases in the ISS atmosphere. ANITA operates fully automatic with one reading every 5 minutes. However, manual operation for non-local sampling is possible. To fulfil this measurement task a high-quality instrument has been developed and provided with sophisticated analysis software based on measurement simulations and advanced statistical regression techniques.

This paper reports on the flight experiment ANITA (Analysing Interferometer for Ambient Air) and the development status of ANITA II. ANITA represents a precursor for ANITA II, a permanent continuous trace gas monitoring system on the International Space Station (ISS). For crew's safety the air analysers can detect and quantify quasi on-line and simultaneously 32 trace gases with ppm or sub-ppm detection limits. Thus, a crewed cabin air monitor is designed allowing the detection and monitoring of trace gas dynamics of a spacecraft atmosphere providing besides the continuous air monitoring activities, warning capability in case of malfunctions. ANITA will be accommodated in an Express Rack on US LAB Destiny. The transportation to ISS will be provided by Jules Verne, the first flight of the Automatic Transfer Vehicle (ATV) scheduled for May 2005. The more compact and improved measurement unit ANITA II is being designed for continuous air monitoring on ISS.

ANITA (Analysing Interferometer for Ambient Air) is a flight experiment as precursor for a permanent continuous trace gas monitoring system on the International Space Station (ISS). After more than 10 years of development it has reached a high level of maturity. For the safety of the crew the (ruggedised) system can detect and quantify quasi on–line and simultaneously 32 trace gases with ppm or sub-ppm detection limits. Thus a versatile usable air monitor is provided allowing for the first time the detection and monitoring of trace gas dynamics of a spacecraft atmosphere. The plan is to accommodate ANITA in a Destiny (US LAB) Express Rack on ISS. The transportation to ISS may either be with the Space Shuttle or the Automatic Transfer Vehicle (ATV).

This paper reports on the development status of the flight experiment ANITA (Analysing Interferometer for Ambient Air). Based on ruggedized FTIR technology, ANITA represents a sophisticated air analyser for manned space cabins. In combination with specific analysis software developed through physical simulations and PLS (Partial Least Squares) statistical analyses, the monitoring system can detect and quantify over 30 gases nearly on–line. After testing, calibration and qualification of the system, an in-orbit-testing is scheduled around end of 2003.

For long duration manned space missions an advanced ECLSS is required to recycle all consumables to a maximum extend possible. Recycling of oxygen out of the atmosphere in a crewed spacecraft is more important the longer the duration of the mission (ISS, Moon, Mars). On behalf of ESA, an air revitalization technology, to reclaim the oxygen from metabolically produced carbon dioxide, was developed in a step-wise approach since 1985. Herein, the air revitalization system technology demonstrator ( ARSD ), designed for a crew of 3 man, was built and successfully tested in a closed chamber for about 600 hours. (/1/) The current concept of the ARSD leads still to a considerable loss of hydrogen, due to the production of methane, which is currently vented. In order to close the hydrogen loop in the air revitalization system, a study was performed to demonstrate the feasibility to decompose methane, reclaim the hydrogen and dispose the deposited carbon.

Under micro-gravity conditions the removal of free gas bubbles from a streaming fluid is an exceptional task considering the absence of buoyancy. The solution to this problem is sought in the use of membranes. The work was performed under ESA/ESTEC contract.

This paper will present the results from the breadboarding phase conducted for the Crew Refrigerator/Freezer Rack project. The Refrigerator/Freezer Racks are designed to supply the International Space Station crew with fresh and frozen food on-board the station and to transport food from ground to the station in the Multi Purpose Logistic Module (MPLM).

An advanced ECLSS for long duration manned space missions - such as planetary flight missions or planetary bases - requires an almost complete closure of all relevant material loops. The current state of ESA development in the oxygen reclamation system does, however, not correspond to this requirement, because of considerable losses of hydrogen due to the production of methane in the Sabatier reactor. Concerning the recovery of hydrogen from methane, experimental and theoretical work on methane pyrolysis has been performed meanwhile. Different pyrolysis reactor concepts have been investigated. This paper will present the results of the experimental and theoretical investigations in addition to a preliminary design of a breadboard model for a methane pyrolysis system to close the hydrogen loop on the basis of a three-persons crewed space vehicle.

Hydrophobic molecular sieves may present a very interesting alternative for the removal of carbon dioxide from air within a closed regenerative life support system, such as that within a crewed spacecraft. An ongoing study is researching and testing a variety of materials providing comparative static and dynamic test data. These data provide information concerning the performance of the chosen materials at representative conditions and the operational protocol best adapted to the selective adsorption of CO2 by the hydrophobic molecular sieves.

To prepare the technology for a long term vacuum insulated dewar for the European Columbus attached laboratory a study was performed to evaluate adequate insulation methods. Different insulation and design concepts were evaluated and the necessary technologies for a long term insulated dewar were developed, including the use of getter material. A cylindrical test dewar of length 800 mm and diameter 450 mm, was manufactured and tested to demonstrate the feasibility of the selected technology. The pressure evolution in the test dewar has been monitored for more than a year. The pressure dropped from 10-5 mbar to well below 10-6 mbar in the first year. The intention is to continue the monitoring for at least 2 years. The work was done under ESA-contract No. 9586/91/NL/FG.

Europe is now implementing the COLUMBUS APM programme. The more ambitious planning of an European Free Flyer and Lunar mission are under orientation. Timewise, this gives some relief from the challenges for the Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS). However, some of these challenging new technologies have already been subject of development programmes in the past, others which will be reported in this paper are currently under investigation. To regain the oxygen from the metabolic process a physicochemical system is under development. The selected chain is the CO2 concentration with a solid amine resin, the CO2 reduction via Sabatier reaction and the oxygen recovery by water electrolysis with fixed alkine electrolysis. To prove the concept a test bench has been built, starting in a first step with the set up of a CO2 Processing S/S (CO2 concentrator, CO2 management, CO2 reduction assembly).

Hydrophobic molecular sieves have been identified as of potential interest for the adsorption of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere of a man-inhabited spacecraft. A study was thus initiated in order to evaluate the applicability and competitiveness of the hydrophobic molecular sieves - including, notably, activated carbon, Silicalite-I, Deca-dodecasil, and Zeolite-Y - for this utilisation. The first phase of this study was performed in three steps: a material review of the scientific community and commercially available materials, test of samples under representative conditions, and finally, the development of a breadboard design. Based on the results of these tasks, two coconut-based activated carbon materials are felt to be potentially competitive with the currently planned solid amine and have additionally a variety of other advantages for a space application.

Presently, Europe is faced with the task of implementing the Columbus Space Program. In a stepwise approach the Columbus Initial Orbital Configuration will involve eventually into a European (permanently) Manned Space Infrastructure. Towards this goal, various technological challenges arise for the Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS). Some of these have already been identified and are subject of initial investigations. To regain oxygen from the metabolic process, a physico-chemical chain of CO2-concentration, CO2-cracking and water electrolysis is under development. The present status of the preliminary breadboarding, composed of a steam desorbed solid amine concentrator and a Sabatier reactor will be discussed. The third item in this chain, the electrolyser, is not yet implemented in this breadboarding but is under test, demonstrating the technology for regenerative fuel cell application.