DEVELOPING NEW TECHNOLOGIES FOR THE OPTIMIZATION OF GASEOUS
ENVIRONMENT IN LIVING COMPARTMENTS OF THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION RUSSIAN
SEGMENT (VETEROK)
Research Area: Microgravity Environment Measurement
Expedition(s): 21- 28
Principal Investigator(s): ● Victor S. Karelin, S.P. Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation
Energia, Moscow, Russia
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
The Developing New Technologies for the Optimization of Gaseous Environment in Living
Compartments of the International Space Station Russian Segment (Veterok) investigation
studies the capability of destroying pathogenic microbes, dust, fungi, and odors. By depriving
the air of ions, living organisms may die. Veterok ionizes the purified air of the spacecraft to
confirm the equipment operational capability and the effectiveness of new technologies for the
gas environment parameters optimization under the International Space Station (ISS) orbital
flight conditions.
SPACE BENEFITS
The use of the fan/purifier as a nominal
device will make it possible to
essentially decrease the throughput of
the main life support system and
significantly enhance the parameters of
the living environment for
crewmembers.RESULTS
During the experiment, the claimed
equipment characteristics were
confirmed and experiment data were
obtained on ISS gas environment
parameters using the developed equipment. The experiment was conducted in three ISS RS
modules - the SM, МRМ1, and МRМ2.
Based on the measurement results, it was established that the concentration and polarity of air
ions in the area of equipment operation (at a distance of 1 m from the equipment window)
were at the lower threshold of the nominal values range, and under the device, they were
below nominal. During the comparison of ion concentrations before and after equipment
operation in the mode of pumping air through the equipment's electrostatic filter, it was
established that this process does not result in the ionization of the air environment in the
pressurized volume of МRМ2.
This investigation is complete; however additional results are pending publication.
Air outlet
opening Control
panelExternal view of the fan/air purifier. Roscosmos image.