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This paper describes the thermal design, analysis and test of a Microgravity Vibration Isolation System (MVIS) that will ensure the active isolation of the European Space Agency’s Fluid Science Laboratory (FSL) payload from vibration induced by the International Space Station (ISS) structure. The FSL is equipped with optical and electronic devices that are very sensitive to vibration, thermal distortion, temperature change and Electro Magnetic Interference (EMI). The MVIS has to provide a vibration attenuation of −40dB within the range of 0.1–100Hz without inducing thermal or electromagnetic interferences. The sensitive FSL instruments are mounted in a floating structure called the Facility Core Element (FCE), whereas the rest of the FSL electronics, mechanics and cooling systems are fixed to the International Standard Payload Rack (ISPR).

The Phoenix Mars Lander is scheduled to be launched in August 2007 and will land in the northern Vastitas Borealis region. The lander is equipped with a suite of instruments designed to investigate the mineralogy and geochemistry of the soil and to study the atmosphere. The Canadian Meteorological Instrument (MET) will measure the location and the extent of clouds and the distribution of scatterers in the atmosphere as well as measuring the air temperature and the barometric pressure. The MET will provide Canadian scientists with a unique opportunity to study the Martian atmosphere and enhance our understanding of the planet in key areas of Canadian expertise. The MET instrument is composed of multiple elements in order to fulfil the science objectives. The MET Light Imaging Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) will probe the atmosphere by sending out laser pulses and measuring the backscattered returns.

Manned space systems have many requirements for the monitoring of vital life support systems such as the cabin air quality and the quality of the recycled water supply. Infrared spectroscopy probes the characteristic vibrational and rotational modes of chemical bonds in molecules to provide information about both the chemical composition and the bonding configuration of a sample. The significant advantage of the IR spectral technique is that it can be used with minimal consumables to simultaneously detect a large variety of chemical and biochemical species with high chemical specificity. To date, relatively large Fourier Transform (FT-IR) spectrometers employing variations of the Michelson interferometer have been successfully employed in space for various IR spectroscopy applications. However, FT-IR systems are mechanically complex, bulky (> 15 kg), and require considerable processing.

This paper describes the thermal design and analysis of the Electronic Unit (EU) of a Microgravity Vibration Isolation System (MVIS) that will ensure the active isolation of the European Space Agency's Fluid Science Laboratory (FSL) payload from vibration induced by the International Space Station (ISS) structure. The FSL is equipped with optical and electronic devices that are very sensitive to vibration, thermal distortion, temperature change and ElectroMagnetic Interference (EMI). The MVIS has to provide a vibration attenuation of -40dB within the range of 0.1-100Hz without inducing thermal or electromagnetic interferences. The sensitive FSL instruments are mounted in a floating structure called the Facility Core Element (FCE), whereas the rest of the FSL electronics, mechanics and cooling systems are fixed to the International Standard Payload Rack (ISPR).

Manned space systems have many requirements for the monitoring of vital life support systems including quality of cabin air and the recycled water supply, as well as direct monitoring of vital indicators of astronaut health. Infrared (IR) spectroscopy is an attractive monitoring technique because it requires minimal consumables while providing relatively high chemical specificity for the detection of a wide variety of biochemicals using the characteristic vibrational modes of chemical bonds. For space-based systems, the important drivers are reliability, power consumption, mass and simplicity of operation. MPB has advanced its IOSPEC™ technology for miniature integrated IR spectrometers to provide performance comparable to large bench-top IR systems but in a compact and ruggedized footprint weighing under 2.5 kg.

Heat pipes, loop heat pipes and capillary pumped loops are heat transfer devices driven by capillary forces with high-effectiveness & performance, offering high-reliability & flexibility in varying g-environments. They are suitable for spacecraft thermal control where the mass, volume, and power budgets are very limited. The Canadian Space Agency is developing loop heat pipe hardware aimed at understanding the thermal performance of two-phase heat transfer devices and in developing numerical simulation techniques using thermo-hydraulic mathematical models, to enable development of novel thermal control technologies. This loop heat pipe consists of a cylindrical evaporator, compensation chamber, condenser along with vapor and liquid lines, which can be easily assembled/disassembled for test purposes. This laboratory setup is especially designed to enable the visualization of fluid flow and phase change phenomena.