International Standard Payload Rack

International Standard Payload Rack

An International Standard Payload Rack ( ISPR ) is a standard research module (also: holding device or rack ) for the European, US-American and Japanese modules of the International Space Station (ISS).

The aim is to achieve the easiest possible integration, high flexibility and better organization for research projects.

Each ISPR is about the size of a telephone booth and includes an autonomous , independent module (e.g. research laboratory) with power supply, cooling and video and data interfaces for control from the terrestrial control and research center. Occasional special forms of interfaces are also supported in order to enable specific applications.

Specifics

An ISPR has a volume of 1.571 m³ (dimensions: about 2 m high; 1.05 m wide; 85.9 cm deep) and weighs 104 kg. It can also accommodate 700 kg of equipment and has internal connection points. Extensions or adapters also enable the installation of smaller racks, such as the Spacelab Standard Interface Rack (SIR) or the Space Shuttle Middeck Locker, or attachments on the front, such as laptop holders. On each side of a rack, cables can be routed to neighboring racks via additional interfaces. The ISPRs are attached at their upper and lower ends, with an additional locking mechanism at the bottom for securing.

ISPRs can be used for research, e.g. B. for experiment racks in standard installation size (Experiment Container Modules (ECM)), for control or as storage room.

Submodules

Submodules are smaller modules that can in turn be built into an ISPR. These are then used for research, as adapters for a wide variety of equipment or simply for sorted storage.

The following selected submodules can be installed in an ISPR:

• Drawers according to the International Sub-rack Interface Standard (ISIS), also ISIS Drawer
• ISS cabinet modules (ISS Locker)
• Mid-deck locker equivalent (MLE) insert:
  • Space Shuttle Middeck Storage Locker (MDL)
  • Spacelab Standard Interface Rack (SIR)
• EXPRESS rack

ISPRs on the ISS

The first ISPR will be installed in the Destiny module

• The Columbus space laboratory of the European Space Agency (ESA) has space for a total of 16 racks, 5 of which are research modules from NASA , 5 from ESA, 3 for storage and 3 for system operations. These include:
  • Fluid Science Laboratory (FSL)
  • European Physiology Modules (EPM)
  • Biolab (BLB)
  • European Drawer Rack (EDR)
  • European Transport Carrier (ETC)
  • Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) - implemented in 2008 from the US module Destiny to the Columbus module and later integrated back into the Destiny module.
  • Materials Science Laboratory (MSL)
• The American research laboratory Destiny has space for a total of 23 standard racks
• The Japanese Experiment Module Kibō has space for a total of 23 standard racks, 10 of which are for research
  • 8 more can be accommodated in a supplementary module (Experiment Logistics Module (ELM))

See also

• Multi-Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM)
• Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV)

Web links

• American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics: Specification of the ISPR structure ( Memento of March 24, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) (English; PDF; 0.1 MB)