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Removal of carbon dioxide from the spacecraft atmosphere via a regenerative adsorption/desorption process, 2. Supply of breathable oxygen via electrolysis of water, 3.

The overall spacecraft configuration was driven by the budget constraints applicable for the opportunity mission, the high inclination orbit with drifting orbit plane and the stringent stability requirements for the radar altimeter antennas.

Columbus is being built as the European contribution to the International Space Station (ISS) Program. The ECLS subsystem is developed by DaimlerChrysler Aerospace/Dornier under a contract from Alenia Aerospazio. This paper will survey the qualification test results of the Columbus cabin ventilation subjective test conduction up to February 2000.

The current ECLS baseline of the International Space Station ISS contains an open oxygen loop. Breathable oxygen, generated by electrolysis of water, is supplied to all habitable modules. The crew of max. 7 astronauts converts the oxygen into metabolic carbon dioxide, which needs to be removed from the ISS atmosphere. Adsorption of CO2 is achieved through molecular sieves, desorption of CO2 is conducted by evacuation into space. This open process needs approx. 1500 kg of water upload mass annually. More than 75 % of this upload mass can be saved, if the open oxygen loop will be closed. This paper outlines the closed loop air revitalization system of Astrium, ARES, which has been successfully tested in closed chamber tests. It demonstrates in detail the technical application of ARES on ISS and outlines the commercial benefits. The second part of the paper describes ARES for a Mars habitat with a closed oxygen and hydrogen loop.

In the range of the Columbus Orbital Facility (COL) program, the European contribution to the International Space Station (ISS), DASA Dornier developed and qualified four new supporting devices for the Environmental Control and Live Support System (ECLSS) as listed below: 1. The Vacuum & Venting Pressure Sensor (VVPS). Based on the Pirani principle, it utilizes the pressure dependence of the gas thermal conductivity. 2. The Humidity Sensor (HS) provides information for the Thermal & Humidity Control System (THC). It works according to the dew point principle, guaranteeing a long stability over at least 10 years. 3. The Air Flow Sensor (AFS), working according to the hot wire anemometer principle, is dedicated to identify low air flow conditions. 4. The Waste Gas Line Shut-Off Valve (WLSOV), a DC motor driven ball type vacuum valve, was adapted to the space station requirements (e.g. noise and micro-g).