Polar (Research Refrigerator for ISS)

Polar was designed and developed by University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Center for Biophysical Sciences and Engineering (CBSE) for NASA Cold Stowage. Polar was designed as a single mid-deck locker equivalent payload to store scientific samples on-board ISS and in transport to/from ISS via Spacex Dragon (spacecraft) or Cygnus (spacecraft). Polar operates between +4 °C and -95 °C.^[1][2]

Description

• Polar is mounted in the ISS on the EXpedite the PRocessing of Experiments to Space Station (EXPRESS) rack.
• Polar can maintain temperatures ranging from +4 °C to -95 °C.
• Polar is air-cooled via rear-air fan.

Additional Cold Stowage

GLACIER is one of multiple units available for storage on the ISS and/or transportation to and from the ISS.

• Minus Eighty Degree Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI)
  • +4 °C to -80 °C

• MERLIN (Microgravity Experiment Research Locker/ Incubator)
  • +48 °C to -20 °C

• GLACIER (General Laboratory Active Cryogenic ISS Experiment Refrigerator)
  • +4 °C to –160 °C

See also

• Scientific research on the ISS
• International Space Station
• Dragon (spacecraft)

References