In July, Plastron had the pleasure to have the opportunity to present research of their advanced air control system at COSPAR 2022 in Athens.
A collaborative research study with Southampton University was able to show how the 300 cubic metre Plastron UK satellite facility air cleanliness system can achieve ISO8 in six minutes as well as optimise an additional “cleanroom-within-a-cleanroom” at ISO6 within 12 minutes.
The project applied advanced Computational Fluid Dynamics modelling developed by Southampton University to optimise the design and validate the air quality throughout the 9.5m diameter and 4.5m high volume. The research paper was presented at the bi-annual Committee for Space Research (COSPAR) international conference, held in Athens, Greece during July 2022 and is currently under peer review for formal publication in the autumn.
The R&D project team included Charlie Young and Chris Smith from Plastron UK, Harwell Campus, Professor Zheng-Tong Xie and PhD candidate Matthew Coburn from Southampton University School of Aeronautics, and Miguel Robayo, from the Exeter University Centre for Renewable Energy.
The Plastron facility has been designed for the new era of launch and space exploration, currently growing at pace globally. Initially intended to increase safety and reduce the risks associated with propellant and high-pressure activities required for spacecraft during launch campaigns, the design has captured the interest of a broader audience including commercial and academic research relying on high Planetary Protection standards, such as Orbital Life Science R&D and Lunar Operations.
