DECLIC: A FACILITY TO INVESTIGATE FLUIDS AND TRANSPARENT MATERIALS IN MICROGRAVITY CONDITIONS IN ISS

摘要

The DECLIC (Dispositif pour I'Etude de la Croissance et des Liquides Critiques) flight model facility is under system tests and accounts for the up-to-date requirements defined by CNES and subsequently approved by associated scientific investigators. This multi-user facility and the first three experiment dedicated inserts are sponsored by CNES and developed by Astrium Space Transportation. The DECLIC facility and experiment inserts will be operated in an EXPRESS rack onboard the US-Lab of the International Space Station (ISS) from early 2008 on in the frame of a co-operation between CNES and NASA. This paper first briefly recalls the initial scientific objectives. Secondly it presents the challenging system accommodation of this two ISS locker based facility. Finally the paper focuses on the actual performances of the facility and experiments inserts as a result of system tests performed so far on ground with the Flight Model. DECLIC is a compact but versatile system with outstanding performances as demonstrated with the initial set of three inserts.