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MELFI - The First Freezer for Science in Space Station
Technical Paper
2001-01-2221
ISSN: 0148-7191, e-ISSN: 2688-3627
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English
Abstract
Among the different freezers needed for preservation of samples produced in the ISS with the various life science programs (e.g., biotechnology cell science, gravitational biology, ecology, … ), the Minus Eighty degrees Celsius Laboratory Freezer for the ISS, MELFI, will be the first freezer to be delivered to NASA as Laboratory Support Equipment (LSE) by the European Space Agency (ESA).
From the beginning, the technology for a −80°C freezer was identified as very critical to develop. Throughout the design and development phases, the different technologies were improved and secured to have a freezer in time for the Space Station Utilization Flights.
This paper will start with a system overview, showing the main features of MELFI. The different technical challenges will be then explained and the design choices highlighted.
Details on the qualification program will show how those challenges are overcome.
Authors
Citation
Cheganças, J., "MELFI - The First Freezer for Science in Space Station," SAE Technical Paper 2001-01-2221, 2001, https://doi.org/10.4271/2001-01-2221.Also In
References
- Advanced technologies and technical solutions in the design of the ESA Freezer for ISS Petrivelli A. Crespi P. Rudiger H. Cheganças J. Viennot P. Weber J. 26 th ICES Monterey, USA July 1996
- MELFI – The Utilization of the –80°C freezer for scientific experiments in Space Cheganças J. Feger D. 48 th IAF October 1997
- MELFI providing the Ground – Space Station –80°C cold chain Humbert P. Cheganças J. Perarnaud D. Andersen T. 50 th IAF Amsterdam, NL October 1999
- Qualification of the MELFI Cryocooler to be used in the International Space Station Aubry C. Crespi P. Guichard J. Gougeon L. ICES Toulouse, France July 2000
- MELFI Cooling Performance Characterization and Verification Colangelo G. De Parolis M. N. Jimenez J. ICES Toulouse, France July 2000