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On Orbit Life Extension of the Minus Eighty Freezer MELFI Inside the Station Utilization
Technical Paper
2007-01-3029
ISSN: 0148-7191, e-ISSN: 2688-3627
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English
Abstract
Because of the reduction on the remaining Shuttle launches, the initial mission that was assigned for MELFI, the Minus Eighty degrees Celsius Laboratory Freezer for ISS, has been significantly modified. While the design was made for a MELFI flying 15 times over a period of 10 years with individual missions no longer than 2 years, present scenario requires to have MELFI in orbit up to 7 years.
Extending the MELFI on orbit life from two to seven years has required staggered assessments, each of them aiming at preserving as much as possible the existing design.
The potential life limited items are evaluated. On orbit maintenance will be extended for a longer period and maintenance activities foreseen initially to be done on ground between flights will be adapted for orbit.
Degraded modes are evaluated so that MELFI ensures its mission at the end of the life even with some off-nominal conditions.
Authors
Citation
Cheganças, J., Guichard, J., and De Parolis, L., "On Orbit Life Extension of the Minus Eighty Freezer MELFI Inside the Station Utilization," SAE Technical Paper 2007-01-3029, 2007, https://doi.org/10.4271/2007-01-3029.Also In
References
- 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 the first freezer for science in Space Station Cheganças J. ICES Orlando, USA July 2001
- MELFI thermal verification before the first flight Cheganças J. Le Gall V. ICES San Antonio, USA July 2002
- Development and Application of Advanced Technologies for MELFI Cheganças J. Brunschvig A. Jimenez Jesus ICES San Antonio, USA July 2002
- Technological Challenges of MELFI, the first freezer in Space Station Cheganças J. Brunschvig A. Jimenez J. 53rd IAF Houston, USA October 2002
- On-orbit thermal verification for the -80°C freezer Le Gall V. Cheganças J. Jimenez J. ICES Vancouver, Canada July 2003
- Brayton technology for the -80°C freezer of the ISS Cheganças J. Guichard J. Weber J. IRC Washington, USA August 2003
- Preparing the second -80°C Freezer Flight Unit for the JEM in ISS Cheganças J. Le Gall V. Jimenez J. ICES Colorado Springs, USA July 2004
- Two Units of the Minus Eighty Freezer MELFI ready for flight towards the ISS Cheganças J. De Parolis L. 56th IAF Fukuoka, Japan October 2005