Physics – Optics
Scientific paper
Jan 2002
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2002iaf..confe.565g&link_type=abstract
IAF abstracts, 34th COSPAR Scientific Assembly, The Second World Space Congress, held 10-19 October, 2002 in Houston, TX, USA.,
Physics
Optics
Scientific paper
The Fluids Integrated Rack (FIR) is a modular, multi-user scientific research facility that will fly in the U.S. laboratory module, Destiny, of the International Space Station (ISS). The FIR will be one of the two racks that will make up the Fluids and Combustion Facility (FCF) - the other being the Combustion Integrated Rack (CIR). The ISS will provide the FCF with the necessary resources, such as power and cooling. While the ISS crew will be available for experiment operations, their time will be limited. The FCF is, therefore, being designed for autonomous operations and remote control operations. Control of the FCF will be primarily through the Telescience Support Center (TSC) at the Glenn Research Center. The FCF is being designed to accommodate a wide range of combustion and fluids physics experiments within the ISS resources and constraints. The primary mission of the FIR, however, is to accommodate experiments from four major fluids physics disciplines: Complex Fluids; Multiphase Flow and Heat Transfer; Interfacial Phenomena; and Dynamics and Stability. The design of the FIR is flexible enough to accommodate experiments from other science disciplines such as Biotechnology. The FIR flexibility is a result of the large volume dedicated for experimental hardware, easily re-configurable diagnostics that allow for unique experiment configurations, and it's customizable software. The FIR will utilize six major subsystems to accommodate this broad scope of fluids physics experiments. The major subsystems are: structural, environmental, electrical, gaseous, command and data management, and imagers and illumination. Within the rack, the FIR's structural subsystem provides an optics bench type mechanical interface for the precise mounting of experimental hardware; including optical components. The back of the bench is populated with FIR avionics packages and light sources. The interior of the rack is isolated from the cabin through two rack doors that are hinged near the top and bottom of the rack. Transmission of micro-gravity disturbances to and from the rack is minimized through the Active Rack Isolation System (ARIS). The environmental subsystem will utilize air and water to remove heat generated by facility and experimental hardware. The air will be circulated throughout the rack and will be cooled by an air-water heat exchanger. Water will be used directly to cool some of the FIR components and will also be available to cool experiment hardware as required. The electrical subsystem includes the Electrical Power Control Unit (EPCU), which provides 28 VDC and 120 VDC power to the facility and the experiment hardware. The EPCU will also provide power management and control functions, as well as fault protection capabilities. The FIR will provide access to the ISS gaseous nitrogen and vacuum systems. These systems are available to support experiment operations such as the purging of experimental cells, creating flows within experimental cells and providing dry conditions where needed. The FIR Command and Data Management subsystem (CDMS) provides command and data handling for both facility and experiment hardware. The Input Output Processor (IOP) provides the overall command and data management functions for the rack including downlinking or writing data to removable drives. The IOP will also monitor the health and status of the rack subsystems. The Image Processing and Storage Units (IPSU) will perform diagnostic control and image data acquisition functions. An IPSU will be able to control a digital camera, receive image data from that camera and process/ compress image data as necessary. The Fluids Science and Avionics Package (FSAP) will provide the primary control over an experiment. The FSAP contains various computer boards/cards that will perform data and control functions. To support the imaging needs, cameras and illumination sources will be available to the investigator. Both color analog and black and white digital cameras with lenses are expected. These cameras will be capable of high resolution and, separately, frame rates up to 32,000 frames per second. Lenses for these cameras will provide both microscopic and macroscopic views. The FIR will provide two illumination sources, a 532 nm Nd:YAG laser and a white light source, both with adjustable power output. The FIR systems are being designed to maximize the amount of science that can be done on-orbit. Experiments will be designed and efficiently operated. Each individual experiment must determine the best configuration of utilizing facility capabilities and resources with augmentation of specific experiment hardware. Efficient operations will be accomplished via a combination of on-orbit physical component change-outs or processing by the crew, and software updates via ground commanding or by the crew. Careful coordination by ground and on-orbit personnel regarding the on-orbit storage and downlinking of image data will also be very important.
Gati F.
Hill Matthew E.
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