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Results and Experiences from the Execution of the GeoFlow Experiments on the ISS

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Abstract

This paper introduces the GeoFlow missions that were performed under microgravity conditions on board the Columbus Laboratory in the International Space Station (ISS) from the scientific operations standpoint. A brief introduction to the three GeoFlow experiments: GeoFlow, GeoFlow-2 and GeoFlow-2b is given, being their main purpose to capture some essential features of the Earth mantle convection. The major scientific requirements of each of the experiments are presented as an introduction for the scientific operations preparation and concept development description. Then, the activities performed in order to execute each of the experiments are presented in detail, focusing on the resolution of the several issues encountered during the mission. The outcomes and lessons learned from such long and complex missions close this paper.

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Abbreviations

B.USOC:

Belgium USOC

BIOLAB:

Biology Laboratory

Col-CC:

Columbus Control Centre

E-USOC:

Spanish USOC

EC:

Experiment Container

EDR:

European Drawer Rack

EPM:

European Physiology Module

ESA:

European Space Agency

FSL:

Fluid Science Laboratory

IPV:

ISS Procedure Viewer

ISPR:

International Standard Payload Rack

ISS:

International Space Station

MARS:

Italian USOC

MMA:

Microgravity Measurement Assembly

MSL:

Material Science Laboratory

MVIS:

Microgravity Vibration Isolation System

PD:

Payload Developer

PI:

Principal Investigator

SAMS:

Space Acceleration Measurement System

SHA:

Secure Hash Algorithm

TM:

Telemetry

UHB:

User Home Base

USOC:

User Support and Operations Centre

WSI:

Wollaston Shearing Interferometry

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the Centro para el Desarrollo Tecnológico Industrial (CDTI) (The Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology) for the opportunity to work in projects such as the one described in this paper. We would also like to thank ESA, the Italian USOC (MARS), the Columbus Control Center (Col-CC), the European Planning Team, the European Astronauts Center, the Payload Developer (Astrium GmbH) and the GeoFlow Science Team for their active work during the experiment preparation and execution.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Spanish User Support and Operations Centre (E-USOC), Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo Aeroespacial, Campus de Montegancedo UPM, 28223, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain

    J. M. Ezquerro Navarro, J. J. Fernández, J. Rodríguez & A. Laverón-Simavilla

  2. Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Aeronáuticos, Plaza de Cardenal Cisneros, 3, 28040, Madrid, Spain

    V. Lapuerta

Authors
  1. J. M. Ezquerro Navarro
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  2. J. J. Fernández
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  3. J. Rodríguez
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  4. A. Laverón-Simavilla
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  5. V. Lapuerta
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to V. Lapuerta.

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Ezquerro Navarro, J.M., Fernández, J.J., Rodríguez, J. et al. Results and Experiences from the Execution of the GeoFlow Experiments on the ISS. Microgravity Sci. Technol. 27, 61–74 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12217-015-9413-5

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