Feature

A taste of home for the International Space Station crew

By helping to maintain cryogenic temperatures as low as -95°C, edge welded metal bellows have become a trusted, reliable solution for NASA cryogenic temperature chambers.

25/10/2012 12:30:03

On October 7, 2012, NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-1) mission lifted off from launch complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral air force station in Florida, carrying a batch of frozen confectionery ice cream as a surprise for the three member crew on board SpaceX’s Dragon cargo capsule. The ice cream was stored on board in a GLACIER freezer, in which a BellowsTech edge welded bellows assembly was designed.

The GLACIER, or General Laboratory Active Cryogenic ISS Experiment Refrigerator, , is used primarily to preserve science samples that require temperatures between -160 and +4 degrees Celsius on the way to and from the International Space Station (ISS). The mini-fridge sized freezer previously flew aboard the space shuttle.

A BellowsTech rectangular bellows assembly provides the mechanical seal between the GLACIER’s door and the refrigeration unit; providing a leak-tight seal once the door is closed to prevent temperature changes. At extremely cold temperatures, materials like rubber becomes brittle, however; using a metal bellows assembly as the mechanical seal ensures survival through the cryogenic temperatures of the chamber.

Chris Cattle of Abssac Limited, the sole United Kingdom distributor for BellowsTech products says , “With the ability to customize size, shape, material, weight, length, and mounting connections, we can provide a solution to industry specific application needs."

Written By Sophia Bell

Sophia Bell is the Group Editor of DPA, Connectivity, and PBSI. She joined the team in 2020 as Assistant Editor after achieving a First-Class Honours BA in English Literature and Film Studies from the University of East Anglia. In her current role, she leads the editorial strategy, driving digital growth and ensuring each title continues to deliver trusted, relevant insight for engineering and manufacturing professionals.