In August this year, Camfil Farr air filters will venture into space onboard NASA’s Discovery space shuttle for the STS-128 assembly mission to the International Space Station (ISS).
STS-128 will launch the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module "Leonardo" packed with science and storage racks, including an innovative Mouse Drawer System (MDS) for the first live-animal science investigation on the ISS. A mouse model will be used to investigate bone mass loss (osteoporosis) in microgravity conditions in the U.S. Destiny laboratory.
For the MDS, Camfil Farr has custom-designed, built and supplied five different types of air filters with Gigapleat, HEPA, silica gel and other media to prevent possible microbiological contamination through air exchanged between the MDS and the ISS cabin.
The MDS is an investigation of Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI), the Italian space agency. The system has been designed and developed by Thales Alenia Space (Italy).
This will be Camfil Farr’s second venture into space – the company also developed the air filters for the Mars Pathfinder mission in 1997.
