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Under an ESA Contract EADS SPACE Transportation GmbH has designed and built an advanced Stainless Steel Condensing Heat Exchanger (CHX) Spare as part of the Environmental Control and Life Support Subsystem (ECLSS) of the European Columbus Module that shall be docked to the ISS in early 2007. Lessons learnt from both, ground and space applications of condensing heat exchangers were to be considered, for risk mitigation, in a CHX alternative design. The slurper section is equipped with a sophisticated capillary suction feature that supports an adequate condensate removal and transport through the slurper holes to the water separator assembly even at low airflow condition. The air fin surface is covered with a hydrophilic coating that did pass qualification for 10 years' exposure to the various contaminants specified respectively determined in the ISS atmosphere so far. The biocidal additive of such coating is qualified for fungus growth prevention, accordingly.

The European Space Agency ESA is preparing a mission to planet Mercury called BepiColombo in cooperation with ISAS, the Japanese space agency. Advanced thermal control materials and components are under development to allow the performance of the mission. The present paper gives an overview of the BepiColombo thermal control design and give emphasis to the continued effort in the development of a Solar Reflector Coating (SRC), an Optical Solar Reflector (OSR) and an Infra-Red Rejection Device (IRRD). Key issue in the development and validation of the components and related technologies is the long-term stability under the high temperature and high intensity radiation environment in the vicinity of Mercury. Therefore thermal and radiation endurance testing plays a major role. Candidate materials have been selected and the component design been defined. Development tests will establish mechanical, thermal and optical properties for the initial and end of life conditions.