Science and Research Capabilities in the European Module Columbus
- Paper number
IAC-08.A2.6.A3
- Author
Mr. J. Martin Canales Romero, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Germany
- Year
2008
- Abstract
The Columbus laboratory is the first contribution of the European Space Agency’s (ESA) to the International Space Station. The 7 meter long and 4.5 meter diameter cylindrical module is equipped with flexible research facilities that offer extensive science capabilities. During its 10-years projected orbital life, Earth-based science centers and researchers, together with the ISS crew, will be able to conduct experiments in life sciences, biology, materials science, fluid physics and other research areas, all in the weightless environment that can not be simulated nor duplicated on the Earth. The European module which has been attached to the International Space Station (ISS) in February 2008 during the Space Shuttle Flight STS-122 (1E Mission) offers room for ten International Standard Payload Racks (ISPRs). Each rack is able to host its own autonomous and independent mini-laboratory. With the help of the resources provided by the Columbus subsystems like from the power and cooling systems, vacuum and venting and nitrogen supply, and data and video transfer links all the planned experiments can be performed and will provide their results to the researchers and scientists on the Earth via means of telemetry. During the first months of its orbital life Columbus is outfitted with four internal payload racks: · Biolab - supports experiments on micro-organisms, cells and tissue cultures, and even small plants and small insects. · The European Physiology Modules Facility (EPM) – provides a set of experiments that will be used to investigate the effects of long-duration spaceflight on the human body. · The Fluid Science Laboratory (FSL) - accommodates experiments in the strange behaviour of weightless liquids. · The European Drawer Rack (EDR) - is a modular experiment carrier system for a large variety of scientific disciplines. Outside its pressurized interior, Columbus has four platforms for external payloads. Two external payloads were attached to the mounting platform during the 1E Mission: · The European Technology Exposure Facility (EuTEF) - carries various experiments requiring exposure to the space environment. · SOLAR – offers place for three scientific instruments to study solar-related phenomena. The effort to operate the Columbus laboratory is made through the Columbus Control Center (COL-CC) located at the premises of the German Space Operations Center (DLR-GSOC) in Oberpfaffenhofen, near Munich, Germany. COL-CC interfaces with the module itself, the ESA’s User Support Operations Centers (USOCs) and also the NASA Operations centers in the United States. The researchers all over Europe are able to control their own experiments from the several User Support Centers. The objective of this paper is to describe the coordination of the Payload operations of the Module and the USOC activities with respect to the planned timeline. This paper may be divided into three main parts. The first part will contain a description of the system monitoring and control of the experimental facilities on board Columbus. The interaction with the different entities involved in the support of the scientific investigations will be presented in detail in the second part. In the last part of the paper, we will discuss our gained experience in the operations of the Payloads as Columbus Operations Coordinators (COL-OC).
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-08.A2.6.A3.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
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