Search Results

In the frame of a collaboration with ASI, NASA and ESA, Alenia Aerospazio is responsible for the design of several pressurized elements of the ISS: MPLM, COF, Cupola, Node 2 and Node 3. For Node 2 and Node 3 a “design synergy“ has therefore been pursued to exploit the gained experience as well as the day by day achieved know-how. Node 2 and Node 3 are pressurized elements of the ISS; they provide passageway among berthed habitable volumes, distribute electrical power and commands, collect and transport thermal energy by rejecting waste heat to ISS radiators. The Node 2 attached elements are the USL, the PMA2, the MPLM, the JEM, the COF, and the CAM. The Node 3 attached elements are the Node 1 (“Unity”), the CRV, the MPLM, the HAB and Cupola. Figure 1 shows the Nodes and the other Alenia developed elements integrated in the ISS.

The ISS resource Node 3 consists of a pressurized module, which provides passageway among habitable elements, distributes electrical energy and commands, collects and distributes thermal energy by rejecting waste heat to ISS radiators. This paper presents an overview of the Node 3 passive and active thermal control design and reports the most significant analysis results to evidence how the thermal and hydraulic requirements are satisfied. The Node 3 is being designed by Alenia Aerospazio following the know-how experienced on the Node 2, COF, MPLM and Cupolas Projects developed in the frame of a collaboration with ASI, NASA and ESA. Fig.1 shows a schematic representation of the ISS docked modules space configuration. The Node 3 TCS has two main sections, the PTCS and the ATCS.

The resource Node 2 is a pressurized element of the ISS; it provides passageway among berthed habitable volumes, distributes electrical power and commands, collects and distributes thermal energy by rejecting waste heat to ISS radiators. The Node 2 attached elements are the USL, the PMA2, the MPLM, the JEM, the APM, the CAM and the TS S0. Figure 1 shows the present design of ISS. Purpose of this paper is to describe the Node 2 thermal design, both for its active and passive sections, as resulting from the imposed requirements, design constraints and mission external environments. The automatic controls, both for heaters and hydraulic actuators are briefly described. At the end, the testing activities foreseen for the thermal control development and verification are also highlighted.