International Cryogenics and NASA team together to provide a prototype GN2 Vapor Freezer for the International Space Station.
August 1999International Cryogenics, Inc. is pleased to announce its latest project for the Johnson Space Center in conjunction with Lockheed Martin Space Operations, an independent contractor of NASA. This project entails the design and development of a nitrogen vapor storage system. This storage system will potentially be used for transferring biological samples obtained from crew members and animals on the International Space Station via the space shuttle.
One of the requirements for the system includes the ability to store nitrogen in a vapor phase, since liquid nitrogen is not suitable for use in space. Also the system must be able to store the nitrogen, thus preserving the samples, for a minimum of 16 days.
The system, a 16 liter capacity dewar, is also known as a nitrogen vapor freezer. It has a necktube opening of 9.7” and stands 38 ½” high. The absorbent material, which lines the inside walls of the freezer, absorbs the liquid nitrogen and allows the temperature inside the freezer to maintain -80 degrees Celsius, or lower. The samples, stored in specially designed compartments, will be lowered into the freezer and will then be frozen or preserved. Upon returning to earth, the samples will continue to be preserved in the storage system, or transferred to another storage freezer, until they are thawed and used for scientific research and evaluation.
International Cryogenics, Inc. was selected by Lockheed Martin as the manufacturer to design and develop this system in August of 1999. The scheduled completion date for this prototype is set for November of 1999.
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