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Material Exposure and Degradation ExperimenT (MEDET)
05.15.09

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

Experiment/Payload Overview

Brief Summary

The Material Exposure and Degradation ExperimenT (MEDET) will actively monitor material degradation dynamics in low Earth orbit and acquire information about the International Space Station environment in terms of contamination, atomic oxygen, ultraviolet and X-ray radiation, micrometeoroids and debris.

Principal Investigator

  • Sophie Duzellier, Onera, Toulouse, France

    • Co-Investigator(s)/Collaborator(s)

  • Marc Van Eesbeck, European Space Research and Technology Research Centre, Noordwijk, The Netherlands
  • Christian Durin, Centre d'Ecologie et Physiologie Energetiques, Toulouse, France
  • Stephen Gabriel, University of Southampton, England, United Kingdom

    • Payload Developer

    Onera, Toulouse, France
    European Space Agency, Noordwijk, The Netherlands
    Centre d'Ecologie et Physiologie Energetiques, Toulouse, France
    University of Southampton, Southampton, England, United Kingdom

    Sponsoring Agency

    European Space Agency (ESA)

    Expeditions Assigned

    |16|17|18|19|

    Previous ISS Missions

    Information Pending

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    Experiment/Payload Description

    Research Summary

    • Material Exposure and Degradation ExperimenT (MEDET) will

      • evaluate the synergistic effects of the low Earth orbit space environment on the optical and thermo-optical properties of spacecraft materials which will include windows, paints, thermal control foils, anodizations and solar reflectors (Spectrometer - ONERA, Microcalorimeter - ESA)

      • characterise the local environment of ISS (in terms of contamination, QCM & Pressure Gauge - ESA) and space environment in terms of UV/X/AO (STORM - University of Southampton) and debris (SODAD & Aerogel - CNES)

      • Correlate environment and effects on materials in order to improve models of degradation.

    Description

    MEDET is a multi-disciplinary experiment, offering the opportunity for research in several areas of materials science and environmental effects.

    The ISS/EuTEF is an ideal platform, allowing continuous exposure of samples to a Low Earth Orbit environment, the capabilities for down-linking the data in near real time and the possibility of returning the samples to earth at the end of the mission.

    The instrument consists of a collection of active sensors and material samples, mostly exposed in the ram and zenith direction:

    • Transmission Spectrometer: to measure the wavelength dependent degradation of transparent materials

    • Pressure Gauge: to measure the local pressure

    • Micro-calorimeters: to measure the changes in the thermo-optical properties of thermal control materials

    • Aerogel (passive): to collect micro-particles for analysis after return to earth

    • SODAD: to characterise micro-particle impacts (number, size and velocity)

    • STORM: to measure the atomic oxygen, UV and X-ray flux

    • QCM: to measure the contamination and atomic oxygen flux
    The thermal control system (MLI and radiators) also contains new material coatings whose performance will be verified.

    The research is primarily driven by the need for new in-orbit data to improve analytical environmental models, to improve the understanding of the degradation characteristics for new materials, to establish long term materials degradation behaviour, to improve the knowledge of the local ISS environment (especially for contamination), and to further develop the understanding of synergistic effects related to materials degradation.

    Typical research areas will include UV induced contamination, UV/atomic oxygen synergistic effects, material ageing, micro-particle impact studies, modeling of the low earth orbit atomic oxygen flux, contamination effects, modeling of the solar UV and X-ray flux and validation of new materials for low Earth orbit use. Some of the materials to be investigated are solar cell cover glass adhesives, thermal control foils with atomic oxygen protection coatings, multi-layer polymeric films for inflatable structure applications and thermal control paints.

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    Applications

    Space Applications

    Information Pending

    Earth Applications

    Information Pending

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    Operations

    Operational Requirements

    Information Pending

    Operational Protocols

    The experiment does not require any crew interaction.

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    Results/More Information

    Information Pending

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    Related Web Sites
  • Columbus Mission - European Experiment Programme
  • UK ISS Research to Improve Spacecraft Construction

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    Publications

    Results Publications

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      Related Publications

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        Images

        imageMEDET on the integrated cargo carrier at Kennedy Space Center, image courtesy of ESA.
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        imageMEDET at ETS for vibration testing, image courtesy of ESA.
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        imageMEDET ram face, showing from top to bottom : Microcalorimeters, illumination sensors, QCM, SODAD, Aerogel, spectrometer wheel, STORM and pressure gauge, image courtesy of ESA.
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        imageNASA Images: s124e010226 (background) and s123e009654 (foreground): This image shows the location along with a close up view of the European Space Agency?s European Technology Exposure Facility (EuTEF) platform located externally on the Columbus module. EuTEF houses nine experiments including Material Exposure and Degradation ExperimenT (MEDET).
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        Information Provided and Updated by the ISS Program Scientist's Office
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