Materials Exposure and Degradation Experiment (MEDET)

Material properties are of primary interest for spacecraft designers and their evolution as a consequence of exposure to the space environment must be accurately predicted. In this context, CNES, ESA, the University of Southampton and ONERA are participating in a co- operative effort to develop a test-bed called the Material Exposure and Degradation Experiment (MEDET). The experiment will be integrated on the European Technology Exposure Facility (EuTEF), and as such will be placed on the Columbus External Payload Facility, an exterior platform on the International Space Station. The objectives of the experiment are concerned with the effect of the complex space environment on the optical and thermo-optical properties of materials and the characterisation of the ISS environment. This paper describes the MEDET system configuration, the different scientific experiments, the control electronics and the overall implementation of the payload.