MATERIALS INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION EXPERIMENT – 3 AND 4 (MISSE-3 AND 4)
Research Area: Spacecraft Materials
Expedition(s): 13- 15
Principal Investigator(s): ● William H. Kinard, PhD, Langley Research Center, Hampton,
Virginia
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
Materials on the International Space Station Experiment 3 and 4 (MISSE-3 and 4) are the third
and fourth in a series of suitcase-sized test beds attached to the outside of the space station.
Environmental sensors record the thermal cycling (the change in temperature), and the effects
that atomic oxygen (single oxygen molecules) and ultraviolet light have on materials are also
studied. New material that might be used in the next generation of extravehicular activity (EVA)
suits is tested to examine how the material reacts to the harsh space environment. Research
findings can be used to design stronger, more durable materials for space and Earth
applications.
EARTH BENEFITS
The new advanced materials and components tested in MISSE-3 and 4 could prove useful in
improving the performance, increase the service life, and reduce costs of future space
operations of commercial weather, communication and Earth observation satellites that we all
now depend on. The participation of school children in experiments with plant seeds from the
MISSE-3 and 4 stimulates their interest in science and helps to inspire and promote the
development of future space scientists and research.
SPACE BENEFITS
Results provide a better understanding of the
durability of various materials when they are
exposed to the space environment. Many of
the materials may have applications in the
design of future spacecraft and equipment.
RESULTS
MISSE-3 and 4 experiments were very similar
to experiments flown on MISSE-1 and 2. The
Electromagnetic Interference Shielding
experiment was the only experiment flown on
MISSE-3 and 4, which was not also flown on
MISSE-1 and 2. MISSE-3 and 4 also exposed
approximately a million basil seeds for school
science experiments.
Preliminary assessments that included results
from previous MISSE-flown materials, suggested
that the contamination control for the station—the method for tracking whether scientific
Materials on the International Space Station
Experiment 3 and 4 following deployment on the
outside of ISS on August 3, 2006. NASA image.