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An approach to the isolation and concentration of volatile organic compounds from a water sample prior to chemical analysis in a microgravity environment has been previously described (Reference 1). The Volatile Organics Concentrator (VOC) system was designed for attachment to a gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer (GC/MS) for analysis of the volatile organics in water on Space Station Freedom. The VOC concept utilizes a primary solid sorbent for collection and concentration of the the organics from water, with subsequent transfer using nitrogen gas through a permeation dryer tube to a secondary solid sorbent tube. The secondary solid sorbent is thermally desorbed to a gas chromatograph for separation of the volatiles which are detected using a mass spectrometer.

During the last years extensive work has been done to design and develop the Closed-Loop Air Revitalization System ARES. The potential of ARES e.g. as part of the ISS ECLSS is to significantly reduce the water upload demand and to increase the safety of the crew by reducing dependence on re-supply flights. The design is adapted to the interfaces of the new base lined Russian MLM module as possible location for a future installation of ARES. Due to the lack of orbital support equipment and interfaces to a waste water bus, to a feed water supply line and due to the availability of only one single vent line it was necessary to make the ARES process water loop as independent as possible from the host vehicle. Another optimization effort was to match the CO2 desorption profile with the available hydrogen flow to achieve a sufficient water recovery performance, while meeting all related safety requirements, minimizing complexity and improving reliability.

The process used to identify, select and design an approach to the isolation and concentration of volatile organic compounds from a water sample prior to chemical analysis in a microgravity environment is described. The Volatile Organics Concentrator (VOC) system described in this paper has been designed for attachment to a gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer (GC/MS) for analysis of volatile organics in water on Space Station. In this work, in order to rank the many identified approaches, the system was broken into three critical areas. These were gases, volatile separation from water and water removal/GC/MS interface. Five options involving different gases (or combinations) for potential use in the VOC and GC/MS system were identified and ranked. Nine options for separation of volatiles from the water phase were identified and ranked. Seven options for use in the water removal/GC column and MS interface were also identified and included in overall considerations.

European Space Agency's (ESA's) Columbus module was launched on February 7, 2008. This marks the completion of more than 10 years of development. It is a major step forward for Europe in the area of Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLS) as Columbus contains several major assemblies which have been developed in Europe. These include the Condensing Heat Exchanger, Condensate Water Separator and the Cabin Fans. The paper gives a short overview of the system and its features and it will report the experiences from the initial activation and operations phase.

The launch and activation of ESA's Columbus module in early 2008 marked the completion of more than 10 years of development. Since then the Columbus ECLS is operating, including its major European ECLSS assemblies such as Condensing Heat Exchanger (CHX), Condensate Water Separator, Cabin Fans and Sensors. The paper will report the experiences from the first year of operations in terms of events, failures and lessons learned. Examples of this is the description of some off-nominal situations (such as Condensate Removal and IMV Return Fan failure, and relevant troubleshooting), and the preparation to Columbus Reduced Condensation Mode, as requested by NASA in order to minimize the crew time needed to empty Condensate Water Tanks in US Lab.

EADS SPACE Transportation GmbH designed, built and tested a condensate buffer to be located between a Condensing Heat Exchanger (CHX) and a Condensate Water Separator Assembly (CWSA), as part of the ECLSS of the European Columbus Module. Under zero-g conditions, the separation of water from an air-water mixture is always difficult, especially if a passive device is to be used such as the low power consuming Columbus CWSA. The additional buffer volume reduces condensate water peaks reaching the CWSA to a level that excludes an overloading of the CWSA and a release of free water droplets into the air return to the cabin. In the CHX/CWSA system this may only be necessary under worst case operational conditions and with a failure of the qualified hydrophilic coating of the CHX. The buffer design principle was confirmed via prior analyses and on-ground testing. The performance of such a condensate buffer under micro-g conditions was verified during parabolic flights.

An approach to the isolation and concentration of volatile organic compounds from a water sample prior to chemical analysis in a microgravity environment has been previously described (Reference 1). The Volatile Organics Concentrator (VOC) system was designed to attach to a gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer (GC/MS) for analysis of volatile organic compounds in water on Space Station Freedom. The VOC utilizes a primary solid sorbent for collection and concentration of the volatile compounds, transfer of the volatiles through a permeation dryer to a secondary solid sorbent, followed by thermal desorption of volatiles from the secondary sorbent onto a GC/MS system. Fabrications and preliminary testing of the VOC breadboard using a gas chromatography equipped with flame ionization detector has been previously described (Reference 2). These results have indicated that the VOC will meet or exceed the goals set for the program.

Given the constraints of the current launchers, manned exploration beyond LEO implies long time missions, a high mass of metabolic consumables and consequently regenerative life support technologies developments. To validate their efficiency, as well as their reliability, these technologies need to be tested in the most analog conditions (i.e. isolation, limited spare part, …). A large number of these conditions are met in the new permanent French-Italian settlement called Concordia, currently being built in the Antarctic continent. Over the last 15 years, ESA developed regenerative life support technologies. Two of these technologies: a Grey Water Treatment Unit and a Black Water Treatment Unit are currently assembled at the size of 15 to 70 persons to fulfill the Concordia crew needs The first technology is a multi step filtration system and will recycle the shower, washing machine, dish washer and cleaning water.

MIT Lincoln Laboratory is tasked by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration to investigate the use of the NEXRAD polarimetric radars* for the remote sensing of icing conditions hazardous to aircraft. A critical aspect of the investigation concerns validation that has relied upon commercial airline icing pilot reports and a dedicated campaign of in situ flights in winter storms. During the month of February in 2012 and 2013, the Convair-580 aircraft operated by the National Research Council of Canada was used for in situ validation of snowstorm characteristics under simultaneous observation by NEXRAD radars in Cleveland, Ohio and Buffalo, New York. The most anisotropic and easily distinguished winter targets to dual pol radar are ice crystals.

1 The Closed-Loop Air REvitalisation System ARES is a proof of technology Payload. The objective of ARES is to demonstrate with regenerative processes: the provision of the capability for carbon dioxide removal from the module atmosphere, the return supply of breathable oxygen within a closed-loop process, the conversion of the hydrogen, resulting from the oxygen generation via electrolysis, to water. The ARES Payload is foreseen to be installed - in 2012 - onboard the ISS in the Columbus Module. The operation of ARES - in a representative manned microgravity environment - will produce valuable operational data on a system which is based on technologies which are different from other air revitalization systems presently in use. The ARES Technology Demonstrator Payload development started in 2003 with a Phase B, see references [1], [2], [3] and [4]. ARES is presently in Phase C1 and a PDR is scheduled for the beginning of 2009.