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05/23/2014
Foton-M spacecraft
July 18, 2014 is scheduled to launch spacecraft Foton-M № 4. Flying Foton-M are important complement to Russian Applied Research on board the Russian segment of the International Space Station. The scientific program of Foton-M № 4 includes dozens of experiments. Earlier we talked about a series of biomedical research, which will be held on Foton-M (see the publication "Biological studies on the spacecraft Foton-M" of 22.05.2014), but the scientific program of two-orbital flight of the spacecraft is not limited solely to biological experiments. On the Foton-M also placed scientific instruments for research on space materials science.
The "Polizon-2"
One of the most important elements of the scientific equipment of the spacecraft Foton-M is set to "Polizon-2." It is an automatic ELECTROVACUUM electric furnace equipped shop in which 12 capsules loaded with the feedstock. Heaters create a predetermined temperature profile, and the capsule is pulled from the furnace at a certain rate , the crystal grows in a capsule. With this installation is planned to conduct the following experiments:
- "Microstructure" - growing protein crystals of highly directional crystallization method . In the foreseeable future it is planned industrial production of such crystals in space missions to create a new generation of drugs to treat cancer and nanobiosenserov.
- "Intermetal" - directional solidification of intermetallic compounds in microgravity in order to obtain new metal alloys.
- "Fuller ISSP" - the impact of reduced gravity and vibration on the growth of crystals of fullerene to produce new materials with desired properties.
- "Uniformity" - study of the effect of microgravity on the processes of growing single crystals of semiconductors (Ge, GaSb) with high uniformity of properties. The experiment was carried out to optimize the existing earth growing technologies such single crystals for high efficiency thermophotovoltaic converters.
In addition, the spacecraft Foton-M will be scientific equipment "Squirrel" is intended for cultivation in spaceflight protein crystals by liquid diffusion and diffusion of the gaseous medium. Protein crystals used in molecular medicine. In terrestrial conditions, many proteins do not crystallize, forcing the process to carry out in space in zero gravity.
Scientific equipment "Squirrel"
Equipment "Movement" will be posted on "Foton-M" to study the effects of microgravity on the thermal characteristics of phase transitions, the experimental results will be used in the generated currently Global Earth Observation System (GEOSS).
On the spacecraft Foton-M № 4 will also be conducted experiments using scientific equipment "Vibroeon-FM", "CBC-FM", "vibration protection", "Geleon", etc. All of the studies applied nature and are aimed at improving the number of technology. After 60 days of space flight Foton-M № 4, all scientific instruments and experimental samples in the descent capsule will return to Earth for further study.
ROSCOSMOS Press Release: http://www.federalspace.ru/20614/
Related link:
Biological studies on the spacecraft Foton-M: http://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.ch/2014/05/biological-studies-on-spacecraft-foton-m.html
Biological studies on the spacecraft Foton-M (ROSCOSMOS Press Release): http://www.federalspace.ru/20609/
Images, Text, Credits: Roscosmos press service / ROSCOSMOS / Translation: Orbiter.ch Aerospace.
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