Cryogenic Fluid Management Facility

The Cryogenic Fluid Management Facility is a reusable test bed which is designed to be carried within the shuttle cargo bay to investigate the systems and technologies associated with the efficient management of cryogens in space. Cryogenic fluid management consists of the systems and technologies for: 1) liquid storage and supply, including capillary acquisition/expulsion systems which provide single-phase liquid to the user system, 2) both passive and active thermal control systems, and 3) fluid transfer/resupply systems, including transfer lines and receiver tanks. The facility contains a storage and supply tank, a transfer line and a receiver tank, configured to provide low-g verification of fluid and thermal models of cryogenic storage and transfer processes. The facility will provide design data and criteria for future subcritical cryogenic storage and transfer system applications, such as space station life support, attitude control, power and fuel depot supply, resupply tankers, external tank (ET) propellant scavenging, and ground-based and space-based orbit transfer vehicles (OTV).