DEVELOPMENT AND QUALIFICATION OF A SAMPLE TRANSLATION SYSTEM FOR A FLUID SCIENCE EXPERIMENT IN THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION

摘要

The presented mechanism belongs to the FASES (Fundamental Applied Study of Emulsion) Experiment, project for the micro-gravity program FSL (Fluid Science Laboratory). The STS (Sample Translation System) mechanism is developed by MECANEX in collaboration with HTS, responsible for the development of the FASES Experimental Container. An Engineering Model (EM) has been manufactured and is in its testing program. The STS function is to translate 44 individual liquid containing samples and present them sequentially to two separate instruments. The very narrow available space allowed by the Experiment Container (EC) and the constraints imposed by the two investigation instruments lead to a configuration where the samples are translated along a guided path by increments of one sample at a time. The concept selection, design and manufacturing were subject to high time pressure, what enhanced the challenging nature of the project for the engineer and production team.