ECLS Resupply for Space Station Freedom

The resupply of consummable fluids to orbiting spacecraft can significantly extend useful life and is a requirement for the permanently manned Space Station Freedom (S.S. Freedom). On S.S. Freedom, consumables will be required by the Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLS) system as well as by other systems and payloads. The long-term objective is to resupply and service fluid systems on-orbit, requiring the development of cost-effective pressurized and unpressurized logistic carriers. Additionally, the logistics carriers must be designed to support various mission scenarios by providing flexible packaging configurations.

This paper will describe the design of the logistics carriers to support the ECLS system with an emphasis on how the various design requirements are met. Projected ECLS system resupply needs for both pressurized and unpressurized logistics carriers are discussed.