MATERIALS INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION EXPERIMENT – 7 (MISSE-7)
Research Area: Spacecraft Materials
Expedition(s): 21- 28
Principal Investigator(s): ● Robert J. Walters, PhD, Naval Research Laboratory,
Washington, DC
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
The Materials International Space Station Experiment-7 (MISSE-7) is a test bed attached to the
outside of the International Space Station for materials and coatings being evaluated for the
effects of atomic oxygen, ultraviolet, direct sunlight, radiation, and extremes of heat and cold.
This experiment allows the development and testing of new materials to better withstand the
rigors of space environment. Results provide a better understanding of the durability of various
materials when they are exposed to the space environment with applications in the
construction of future spacecraft.
EARTH BENEFITS
The new advanced materials and components demonstrated in MISSE help to show how
improvements can be made to the performance, useful life, and cost reduction of future space
operations of commercial weather, communication, and Earth observation satellites that we all
now depend on.
Materials International Space Station Experiment image taken from the STS-133 mission mounted
outside the International Space Station. NASA image.