Aw Orld Without Gravity

SP-1251 SP-1251 AW – Research in Space for Health and Industrial Processes – ORLD WITHOUT GRAVITY by Günther Seibert et al. Contact: ESA Publications Division c/o ESTEC, PO Box 299, 2200 AG Noordwijk, The Netherlands Tel. (31) 71 565 3400 - Fax (31) 71 565 5433 A World without Gravity SP-1251 June 2001 A WORLD WITHOUT GRAVITY By G. Seibert et al. Editors: B. Fitton & B. Battrick ii sdddd SP-1251 A World without Gravity iii Preface The principal task of the European Space Agency is to develop and to operate spaceflight systems for research and applications and, in doing so, to promote European and international co-operation. One of the Agency’s major programmes is the European participation in the building and operation of the International Space Station (ISS). The ISS is the largest science and technology venture ever undertaken in space. Its assembly started in late-1998 and will last until early 2005, at which point the routine utilisation and exploitation phase will begin. However, access will be available to some research facilities on the ISS from 2002 onwards. A major motivation for Europe to participate in the development and utilisation of the ISS is that this unique laboratory in space opens up a new era of research in the field of life and physical sciences and applications in space. For the first time, European scientists and industry will have routine and long-term access to a wide range of sophisticated experiment equipment and facilities in space, with laboratory-like working conditions. Experimenters who utilise the weightless conditions of space – the so-called ‘microgravity environment’ – will find outstanding opportunities to expand their research, to the eventual benefit of both industry and human health and welfare. Microgravity research has been undertaken in Europe for more than 20 years, through SP-1251: A World Without Gravity both ESA and national programmes. Today, the life- and physical-sciences Published by: communities are mature, well-established and organised at the highest scientific level, ESA Publications Division as recently confirmed by the European Science Foundation. These user communities ESTEC, PO Box 299 are of vital importance for ISS utilisation. The continuous research opportunities 2200 AG Noordwijk The Netherlands offered by the ISS provide excellent prospects for the futures of these research fields, which are closely related to industrial needs and health-care requirements on Earth. Editors: Brian Fitton & Bruce Battrick Research in space life and physical sciences has benefited strongly in past years from Design & Layout: active international co-operation. The new era that lies ahead will allow us to enhance Carel Haakman this cooperation on a global scale, which will certainly further improve the quality of Copyright: the scientific and technological undertakings. © 2001 European Space Agency ISBN No.: 92-9092-604-X The ESA-developed Spacelab, flown successfully many times over a 15-year period on ISSN No.: 0379-6566 the Space Shuttle for missions lasting typically 10 days, was until 1998 the Price: 40 Euros/90 Dfl ‘workhorse’ for microgravity research. Today, the advent of permanent access to the Printed in: The Netherlands ISS’s laboratories and external platforms is providing a strong incentive to expand the iv sdddd SP-1251 A World without Gravity v scientific research activities. At the same time, there is an initiative also to involve European industry much more and to encourage a move from fundamental research CONTENTS to application projects. One person who has been actively involved in the definition, approval and execution Foreword 1 of microgravity research at the European level, from the very beginning in 1982 until his recent retirement from ESA, is Günther Seibert. He therefore has unique experience CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION in this field and a detailed knowledge of the research areas, as well as excellent contacts with the microgravity research community, European space industry, the 1.1 The Motivation for Research in Microgravity 5 national space agencies and our international partners. 1.2 Access to Microgravity Conditions 16 When Günther Seibert retired as Head of the Microgravity and Space Station Utilisation Department, I thought it a good idea to ask him to take the opportunity of 1.3 European Manned Spaceflight and Microgravity Research 25 his retirement to work on a book that would exploit his in-depth knowledge and experience of his field to provide an overview of European microgravity research, and CHAPTER 2. ASPECTS OF CURRENT MICROGRAVITY RESEARCH the various national and international programmes. It would provide a unique opportunity to document the history of European microgravity activities, and to 2.1 Changes to Human Physiology in Space, and Space Medicine report on past achievements and on the current status of this field both for basic research and for industrial R&D. 2.1.1 The Cardiovascular System 35 2.1.2 Pulmonary Function in Space 48 The publication of this book comes at a time that marks the transition between the 2.1.3 Fluid and Electrolyte Regulation and Blood Components 58 pioneering days of experiments on Spacelab, and the Space Station era of permanent 2.1.4 Muscles in Space 69 access to research laboratories in space. It comes too at a time of decision, when the 2.1.5 The Skeletal System 83 future level of European activities on the ISS will be defined by the next European 2.1.6 The Human Sensory and Balance System 93 Space Conference at Ministerial Level. In that context, it is hoped that the wide perspective of this book and its non-specialist approach will be valuable to those who 2.2 Space Biology are charged with preparing for those important decisions. 2.2.1 Cell and Molecular Biology 111 2.2.2 The Role of Gravity in Plant Development 121 2.2.3 Exobiology: The Origin, Evolution and Distribution of Life 137 2.3 Physical Sciences and Applications J. Feustel-Büechl 2.3.1 Macromolecular Crystallisation 159 Director of Manned Spaceflight and Microgravity 2.3.2 Crystal Growth of Inorganic Materials 172 European Space Agency 2.3.3 Microstructure and Control in Advanced Casting Processes 186 2.3.4 Heat Transfer and the Physics of Fluids 211 2.3.5 Critical-Point Phenomena 227 2.3.6 Interfaces, Foams and Emulsions 241 2.3.7 Combustion 254 2.3.8 Complex and Dusty Plasmas 268 2.3.9 Vibrational Phenomena in Fluids and Granular Matter 285 2.3.10 Cold Atoms in Space and Atomic Clocks 292 vi sdddd SP-1251 A World without Gravity vii CHAPTER 3. FROM BASIC RESEARCH TO COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS CHAPTER 4. THE GROWTH OF MICROGRAVITY RESEARCH – From Skylab to the International Space Station 3.1 The Scope and Impact of Information and Technology Transfer 4.1 The Origins of Microgravity Research in Space 3.2 The Commercial Spin-Off from European Microgravity Research 4.1.1 Early US and Soviet Activities 367 3.2.1 Glaucoma Diagnosis: the ‘Selftonometer’ 308 – The Skylab Programme 3.2.2 Osteoporosis Diagnosis: the ‘Osteospace’ 310 – The Apollo-Soyuz Test Project 3.2.3 Video Oculograph 311 – The Soviet Salyut Orbital Station 3.2.4 Ozone Disinfection: the ‘Sterlite’ 312 – The Mir Space Station 3.2.5 Triple-Containment Glovebox 313 – Guidelines for Microgravity Research in the USA 3.2.6 Heat Exchanger 314 4.1.2 Early European Microgravity Activities 372 3.2.7 Respired Gas Analyser 314 – The Joint US – European First Spacelab Mission 3.2.8 Waste-Management Devices 316 – Early European Spacelab Experiment Facilities 3.2.9 Three-Dimensional Eye Tracker 317 4.1.3 The European National Programmes 378 3.2.10 Ultrasonic Components 319 – The German Microgravity Programme 3.2.11 Mobile Photogrammetric Measurement System 320 – The French Microgravity Programme 3.2.12 Crash Tester for the Car Industry and Railway Electrical Monitor 321 3.2.13 Body-Fluid Monitoring with Multi-Frequency Impedance Measurements 322 4.2 The ESA Microgravity Programmes 3.2.14 Posture Platform and Locomotion Measurement System 324 3.2.15 Future Developments 325 4.2.1 Towards the First ESA Microgravity Programme (Phase-1) 388 3.2.16 Spin-Offs: Impact on Jobs and Company Creation 333 4.2.2 Phase-2 of the ESA Microgravity Programme and Its Extensions (EMIR-1) 390 3.2.17 Conclusions 334 4.2.3 The ESA EMIR-2 Programme, Its Extension and Applications Projects. 394 4.2.4 The ESA ‘Microgravity Facilities for Columbus’ (MFC) Programme 396 3.3 European Industry and Microgravity Experimentation 3.3.1 Introduction 338 3.3.2 Applied Research in Space of Industrial Interest 339 CHAPTER 5. THE FUTURE OF MICROGRAVITY RESEARCH – Measurement of Thermo-physical Properties of Melts and Other Fluids – Solidification Behaviour of Metals and Alloys 5.1 Microgravity Experimentation in the Space-Station Era – Crystal Growth of Semiconductor and Sensor Materials – Growth of Protein Crystals and Other Large Biomolecules 5.1.1 Introduction 399 – Combustion Research 5.1.2 The ISS: an International Endeavour 400 – Ceramic and Metallic Powders – Scientific Research – Micro-encapsulation – Application-Oriented Research – Tissue Engineering – Operational Considerations and Constraints 3.3.3 Industry’s Attitude to Research in Space 353 – Complementarity with other Research Opportunities 3.3.4 The ESA Microgravity Application Promotion (MAP) Approach 356 – The First Experiments on the ISS 3.3.5 Selected MAP Projects 358 – Future Outlook 3.3.6 Industry-Oriented Space Research and the European Commission 363 3.3.7 Conclusions and Outlook 364 5.2 Major ESA Microgravity Facilities for the ISS 5.2.1 Introduction 408 viii sdddd

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