EURECA
In 1982 ESA formally approved the development of a free-flying satellite dedicated to microgravity research during missions lasting six months or longer. The European Retrievable Carrier (EURECA) was finally launched 31 July 1992 on board the Atlantis Space Shuttle and deployed two days later. The 4.5 metric ton spacecraft with a 1 metric ton payload used its own propulsion system to maneuver into an operational orbit of approximately 500 km at an inclination of 28.5 degrees (Figure 4.101). The two solar arrays can generate up to 5 kW with 1 kW average power available to the payload (References 750-752).
The prime contractor for EURECA was MBB/ERNO of Germany, assisted by major subcontractors Matra Marconi, Fokker, Aeritalia, AEG, and SNIA/BPD. On its first flight EURECA was expected to achieve microgravity conditions of 5 x 10-7 9 and carried five Microgravity Multi-User Facilities: Automatic Monoellipsoid Mirror Furnace (AMP), the Exobiology and Radiation Assembly (ERA), the Multi-Furnace Assembly (MFA), the Protein Crystallization Facility (PCF), and the Solution Growth Facility (SGF). Also on board were the High Precision Thermostat (HPT) and the Surface Forces Adhesion (SPA) materials science experiments. After a stay in Earth orbit of 11 months (2 months longer than originally planned), EURECA was successfully retrieved during the STS-57 mission and returned to Earth 1 July 1993. However, ESA budgetary constraints have cast doubt on whether EURECA will ever fly again (References 753-757).
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