Columbus Payload Integration and Operations

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Columbus Payload Integration and Operations

• A Multi-lateral Process Implementation

Dipl.-Ing. Gernot Schmidt EADS Space
Transportation 28361 Bremen Germany gernot.schmid
t_at_space.eads.net
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Columbus Payload Integration and Operations

• The Columbus laboratory is the nucleus of the
  European Space Agencys (ESA) contribution to the
  International Space Station (ISS).
• It is a permanently attached, pressurized
  laboratory providing a shirt-sleeve and safe
  environment for astronauts as well as a research
  environment for a large scale of scientific
  disciplines.
• The science mission objectives are realized
  utilizing dedicated research facilities
  accommodated in International payload Racks
  (ISPRs) which are virtually interchangeable
  between NASAs laboratory Destiny, ESAs
  Columbus and NASDAs JEM.

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Columbus Payload Integration and Operations
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Columbus Payload Integration and Operations

• The Columbus module development, the payload
  development and the payload integration task are
  accomplished by integrated teams across Europe
  under ESA management
• Same is true for the implementation of the
  European Columbus ground segment with distributed
  locations within Europe (COL-CC in Germany USOCs
  in France, Italy, Germany and The Netherlands)

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Columbus Payload Integration and Operations

• European Columbus Consortia

3.4
0.7
20.7
47.7
24.8

• Belgium
• Alcatel Bell
• Space N.V.
• Electrical Ground Support
• Equipment
• Spacebel Informatique
• Test Software

• Denmark
• CRI
• Software
• Rovsing
• International A.S.
• Software

• Germany
• EADS Space Transportation
• Prime Contractor
• System Engineering
• Environmental
• Control Life Support
• Software
• Bosch Telecom
• EEE Parts Agent
• Draeger Aerospace
• Sensors for Environmental
• Control Life Support
• Kayser-Threde
• Video Monitor Recorder
• OHB System
• Harness Ground
• Support Equipment

• France
• Aerospatiale
• Micrometeorid/Debris
• Protection System
• Nondestruct. Insp.
• Alcatel Space
• Industries
• Power Distribution Unit
• Astrium
• Data Management
• Subsystem
• EEE Parts Agent
• Secan
• Heat Exchanger
• SEP
• Pumpmotors
• Soterem
• Fan,
• Condensate Separator

• Italy
• Alenia Aerospazio
• Divisione Spazio
• Mechanical/Thermal
• System Engineering
• Structure
• Thermal Control
• Operations
• Software
• Alenia Difesa
• Unità Officine Galileo
• Video Camera
• Microtecnica
• Active Thermal
• Control Equipment
• Space Software
• Italia S.p.A.
• Software

0.5
0.3
1.1
0.1
0.5

• The Netherlands
• Bradford
• Valves
• Hollandse Signaal AG
• Mass Storage Device

• Norway
• Cap Gemini
• Software

• Switzerland
• Alcatel Switzerland
• Payload Power
• Switching Box
• Meteolabor
• Software

• Spain
• CRISA
• Software
• SENER
• Ingeniera y Sistemas
• SS-Racks, Floors,
• EPF Structure

• Sweden
• SAAB Ericsson
• Space
• EEE-Parts Technology

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Columbus Payload Integration and Operations

• The design phase of the Columbus laboratory at
  Prime Contractor EADS Space Transportation and
  the concurrent implementation phase of the ESA
  Payload Racks with various European Prime
  Contractors has matured to a point where the
  individual AIV programs are almost concluded.
• The current activities concentrate on the
  physical and engineering integration of the ESA
  payload racks within the module and the external,
  attached payloads.
• Furthermore a series of flight segment/ European
  ground segment end-to-end tests/simulations are
  ahead

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Columbus Payload Integration and Operations
ESA Columbus Utilization (Initial Outfitting)
Internal Payloads
External Payloads
European Transport Container
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Columbus Payload Integration and Operations
Biolab for Biology and Biotechnology

• Following areas of biological studies
• Regulatory mechanisms of proliferation and
  differentiation
• Role of the cytoskeleton
• Mechanical loading
• Gravitation perception and thresholds
• Mechanism of radiation damage and repair in
  cells and tissues

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Columbus Payload Integration and Operations
Fluid Science Laboratory (FSL) for Fluid and
Combustion Physics

• Fluid science research
• Flow and instability induced by surface tension
  gradients
• Mechanisms of boiling
• Diffusive transport
• Combustion

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Columbus Payload Integration and Operations
European Physiology Modules for various Medical
Diagnostic Equipment

• Human physiology research
• Impairment of muscle structure
• Bone modeling
• Fluid balance and kidney function
• Lung ventilation
• Otolith organ, balance and space adaptation
  syndrome

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Columbus Payload Integration and Operations
European Drawer Rack, Infrastructure for small
and modular Payloads

• Multi-user facility providing the infrastructure
  for accommo-dating and servicing various
  experiment modules almost equivalent to NASA
  Express Racks

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Columbus Payload Integration and Operations
European Transportation Container (ETC)

• Transportation/ On-board Stowage Rack

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Columbus Payload Integration and Operations
Payload Integration Operations Activity Flow
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Columbus Payload Integration and Operations

• Payload ISPRs are verified in a test environment
  which is up most representative to the Columbus
  Flight Unit
• The Electrical Test Model (ETM) (consisting of FM
  and QM units, flight computer loaded with flight
  image) has been extended to a Rack Level Test
  Facility (RLTF) to support payload testing as
  well
• After successful interface testing, all ESA
  payloads are installed in the Columbus Flight
  Unit (PFM) to undergo as entire payload
  complement an Integrated System Test
• In addition the NASA HRF1 ISPR will be tested in
  the Columbus Flight Unit as a kind of
  guinea-pig representing a complex NASA ISPR

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Columbus Payload Integration and Operations
Functional Rack Level Test Facility
Configuration
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Columbus Payload Integration and Operations
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Columbus Payload Integration and Operations
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Columbus Payload Integration and Operations
Functional Payload-to-Columbus PFM Test
Configuration
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Columbus Payload Integration and Operations

• All test are accomplished by multi-national teams
  from various space agencies and industrial
  companies
• The tests will verify the coherence of the crew
  laptop displays, command definitions, data bases
  and protocols of the Columbus module with
  payloads integrated
• They will validate as well the power distribution
  interfaces including their dynamic stability, the
  cooling services as well as the integrity of the
  payload CW, fire detection services
• They provide the basis for the already scheduled
  end-to end tests including the Columbus flight
  segment, the European ground segment
  infrastructure and ISS communication

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Columbus Payload Integration and Operations

• In addition to the functional verification by
  system tests further Engineering Integration
  tasks are needed
• Basically these are intra-system compatibility
  analysis covering issues like
• Integrated mission safety analysis
• Failure tolerance of interfacing avionics
  circuits
• Power quality and EMC compatibility
• Crew habitability and physical clearance analysis
• Integrated thermal analysis across all on-orbit
  cooling loops
• Analysis of payload venting products and vacuum
  quality
• Analysis of the micro-gravity quality

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Columbus Payload Integration and Operations
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Columbus Payload Integration and Operations

• The outcome of the described payload complement
  engineering integration process (which will
  include as well the manifested NASA ISPRs in
  Columbus) plus the results of the discussed tests
  will contribute to the Columbus flight
  certification
• They will furthermore build the basis for the
  development/ maintenance of flight- and ground
  operations products, like flight procedures,
  mission timeline constraints, mission ops
  constraints and flight increment data bases