TRANSPORT ENVIRONMENT MONITOR PACKAGES (TEM)
Research Area: Thermal Management Systems
Expedition(s): 19-20, 25-26, ongoing
Principle Investigator(s): ● Mitsuyo Masukawa, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency,
Tsukuba, Japan
● Hiroe Kobayashi, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency,
Tsukuba, Japan
● Kohichi Shibasaki, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency,
Tsukuba, Japan
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
The Transport Environment Monitor (TEM) investigation monitors
temperatures inside cargo vehicles bound for the International Space
Station. Environmental conditions during transportation are very
important for biological specimens and reagents for life-science
experiments. This investigation uses commercial small temperature
data loggers to record the environmental conditions of cargo vehicles.
EARTH BENEFIT
New knowledge is expected to be the major benefit of this
investigation.
SPACE BENEFIT
It is now possible to offer temperature survey data in each vehicle to
the users who are considering launching cargo aboard each vehicle to
ISS. Thereby, it becomes easy to plan for launch or return of
experimental samples.
RESULTS
TEM packages were installed inside soft bags and launched by each assigned vehicle. Data
loggers of TEM automatically measured and recorded temperatures during transportation to
the ISS. After ISS docking, TEM packages were moved to an in-orbit storage area in the JEM.
Data eventually retrieved is provided to the science team for analysis.
This investigation is ongoing and additional results are pending publication.
Transport Environment
Monitor is composed of 3
commercial, small
temperature loggers. JAXA
image.