| About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2024 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Advanced Real Time Imaging
|
| Presentation Title |
XRF: A New Materials-science Research Facility for the International Space Station |
| Author(s) |
Wilhelmus H. Sillekens, Guillaume Reinhart, Ana Frutos Pastor, Antonella Sgambati |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Wilhelmus H. Sillekens |
| Abstract Scope |
Materials research in space is a niche within the materials science and engineering domain. Still, scientists have been pursuing such research for decades now using platforms as sounding rockets, Spacelab and the International Space Station (ISS) to exclude gravitationally driven effects like buoyancy/sedimentation and convective flow in for instance solidification processes. The European Space Agency is currently developing a facility for the ISS which is to enable in-situ and time-resolved observation of metal-alloy solidification using X-ray radiography, amongst others. This X-Ray Facility (XRF) will consist of a core unit (with a microfocus X-ray source) and an experiment unit including diagnostics (e.g., a furnace with crucible/sample and scintillator/camera), enabling the real-time imaging of the process. The report will introduce the background and heritage, its features and specifications, as well as the development status of and preliminary and prospective investigations with this facility, which is to become operational on orbit by 2026. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |
| Keywords |
Solidification, |