Fact Sheet

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European Drawer Rack (EDR)
05.15.09
Scientists and payload developers can get more information on International Space Station research facilities by contacting the ISS Payloads Office or at 281-244-6187.

Overview | Description | Applications | Operations | Results | Publications | Images

Facility/Payload Overview

Brief Facility Summary

European Drawer Rack (EDR) is a multidiscipline facility to support up to seven modular experiment modules (EM). Each payload may be composed of several EMs. Each payload will have its own cooling, power, and data communications, as well as vacuum, venting and nitrogen supply if required.

Facility Manager(s)

  • Peter Behrmann, European Space Agency, Noordwijk, The Netherlands

    • Co-Facility Manager(s)

    Information Pending

    Facility Developer

    Alenia Spazio, Torino, Italy

    Sponsoring Agency

    European Space Agency (ESA)

    Expeditions Assigned

    |16|17|18|19|20|21|22|

    Previous ISS Missions

    Information Pending

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    Facility/Payload Description

    Facility Summary

    • EDR will provide a location to house smaller experiments in the Columbus module of ISS. The addition of EDR the Columbus will result in more research performed on ISS.


    • EDR will provide a low-cost location for the smaller companies to place compact and low mass experiments which will be far too small to travel in a standard payload rack.

    Description

    European Drawer Rack (EDR) will be a single six-post ISPR with 7 Experiment Modules, each with its own power and cooling access. Also, there will be a video management unit which will send streaming video, images and high rate science data to Earth via the Columbus module's high rate data link. It will also have the capability to store 72 GB of video temporarily. The experiments are recommended to run mostly autonomously to minimize data transfer requirements. EDR will also have the ability to be operated remotely via telescience or real time by the on board crew via a dedicated laptop The EDR will have two different types of Experiment Modules, one being the standard ISS locker and the other being a standard 8 PU ISIS drawer.

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    Operations

    Facility Operations

    The EDR will take up one rack space within the Columbus module. It assumes that the payloads onboard will be largely autonomous. Cooling and power will be provided along with a way to transmit data back to earth. Data will be sent via the Video Management Unit (VMU) and the Rack Interface Controller (RIC) to the Columbus sending module and then to earth. There will be an air cooling system for each drawer, as well as access to water cooling, vacuum, venting and nitrogen, if necessary.

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    Results/More Information

    Information Pending

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    Availability

  • On-Board ISS

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    Related Web Sites
  • The European Drawer Rack

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    Publications

    Results Publications

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      Related Publications

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        Images

        imageEuropean Drawer Rack (EDR) with the Protein Crystallization Diagnostics Facility and the Facility for Adsorption and Surface Tension payloads integrated.
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        imageNASA Image: ISS016E031833 - European Drawer Rack (EDR) installed in the Columbus laboratory. Image taken during Expedition 16.
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        Information Provided and Updated by the ISS Program Scientist's Office
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