Page 110 - International Space Station Benefits for Humanity, 3rd edition.

structure in processed metal samples is of great
importance in these experiments, as the microstructure
influences an alloy’s characteristic properties such
as strength, toughness, and resistance to fatigue
and (high-temperature) creep. The existence of these
non-uniform dendritic forms in an alloy microstructure
implies that the mechanical properties of the alloy can
vary considerably throughout the sample. This non-
uniformity makes matching the specific casting of
an alloy with the appropriate application much more
complex, especially in high-end industry.
These experiments help to validate and/or improve
industrial casting models with vital benchmark data
from space where gravity-induced convection does not
mask certain physical phenomena that occur in molten
liquids—phenomena such as multiphase fluid flow,
diffusion, capillarity effects and heat transport that affect
the properties of materials. The software company
Transvalor has used the results of analysis from the
CETSOL experiment to improve their own commercial
software code THERCAST®. This code is used by
a variety of users to improve their casting products.
The casting industry, especially for high-end industry
such as aerospace, is relying more heavily on the ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst is wearing
benefits of using numerical models to determine SpaceTex experiment fabrics while on the
casting methods and conditions needed in ISS exercise bike during ESA’s Blue Dot
anticipation of producing materials with specific mission in 2014.
performance characteristics that are tailored to
particular applications. Image credit: ESA and NASA

Clothes “Made In Space”
new fabrics to improve heat transfer and sweat
Sweat is an unwanted exercise companion. management during exercise. The fabrics were chosen
Space-proven garments are inspiring innovative for their antibacterial properties. T-shirts with ultrashort
textiles for the gym and for those working in drying times would be very useful to athletes, as well
extreme conditions on Earth. as firefighters, mine workers and members of the
A warm and humid environment is an ideal scenario armed forces. This is the first clothing physiology
for bacterial, viral and fungal super-infections. experiment performed in microgravity. Sportswear
Space garments offer physical comfort by acting like manufacturers are hoping to improve their products.
a second skin, are more hygienic and allow freedom A modified polyester has already been created for
of movement. The SpaceTex experiment assessed the Swiss military.
The lack of convection in space affects the way
body heat and sweat are transported and absorbed
into an astronaut’s clothing. Astronauts often report
sweating more during exercise in orbit compared to
Space-proven garments are exercise on Earth. Heat envelops their bodies like an
inspiring innovative textiles for aura. High-performance fibers were assessed on the
the gym and for those working in space station for how comfortable the clothes were in
comparison to conventional cotton garments. Positive
extreme conditions on Earth. feedback coupled with the data from the experiment
are helping optimize astronaut clothing for future
long-term missions such as a future journey to Mars.

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