OS2-3
JAXA および NASA 公募テーマの「きぼう」搭載用静電浮遊炉実験状況
Status of JAXA and NASA Experiments Using theElectrostatic Levitation Furnace onboard the ISS-KIBO.
小山千尋 1, 下西里奈 1, 行松和輝 1, 池内留美子 1, 桒田英明 1, 伊藤剛 1, 石川毅彦 1
Chihiro KOYAMA1, Rina SHIMONISHI 1, Kazuki YUKUMATSU, Rumiko IKEUCHI, Hideaki
KUWADA, Tsuyoshi ITO, and Takehiko ISHIKAWA1
1

宇宙航空研究開発機構，JAXA

Assessing the thermophysical properties of melts at temperatures exceeding 2000°C and suppressing heteronucleation are highly challenging due to reactions between the molten samples and containers. To addressthese problem, containerless techniques such as electromagnetic, aerodynamic, or electrostatic levitation havebeen developed. In electrostatic levitation, the Coulomb force between a charged sample and surrounding
electrodes is employed to manipulate the sample's position. Our group developed the Electrostatic Levitation
Furnace (ELF)1-4, based on the several key technologies essential for stable sample positioning and scientificobservations. In 2016, ELF was installed onboard the International Space Station (ISS). ELF allows for precise
control of the sample's position, melting and solidification, as well as the measurement of thermophysicalproperties

suchasdensity,surface

tension,andviscosity

undermicrogravity

conditions.

Seventeen missions except private commercial experiments have been conducting so far (table 1). 13 missions
were selected by JAXA, and 4 missions were selected by NASA. 9 missions have successfully completed spaceexperiments, 3 missions are currently conducting experiments in space, and 5 missions are in preparation on
the ground. Implementation plans for each domestic experiment will be explained and the results of NASA
experiments5-6) will be introduced in the presentation.
Table 1 Status of ELF experiments selected by JAXA (#1-13) and NASA (#14-17)#Mission namePrincipal Investigator (Affiliation)

Experiment status

1234

ELF Tech DemoInterfacial Energy
Fragility
Hetero-3D

T. Ishikawa (JAXA)
M. Watanabe (Gakushuin Univ.)
S. Kohara (NIMS)
S. Suzuki (Waseda Univ.)

Ongoing
Ongoing
Completed
Completed

56
78

B4C-SS eutectic
Laser Debris Removal
Thermal Storage
Multi Shell Sphere

H. Yamano (JAEA)
K. Mori (Osaka Metropolitan Univ.)
K. Kobatake (Doshisha Univ.)
T. Masaki (Shibaura Institute Tech.)Completed
Completed
Completed
Completed

9

Silicate Melt

Y. Kono (Kwansei Gakuin Univ.)

Completed
1 of 210

Unconventional Glass

A. Masuno (Kyoto Univ.)

In preparation

11Space Egg

T. Nakamura (Tohoku Univ.)

In preparation

1213

Phase Transition
TBD

A. Okawa (Tohoku Univ.)
S. Ozawa (Chiba Institute Tech.)

In preparation
In preparation

14

Round Robin

D. Matson (Tuft Univ.)

Completed

15
16Superglass
Resonance Induced Instability

R. Weber (Materials Development Inc.)
R. Narayanan (Univ. Florida)

Completed
Ongoing

17TBD

R. Hyers (Worcester Polytechnic Int.)

In preparation

References
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