MISSE-5
This was the third MISSE experiment launched, although the fifth MISSE PEC. MISSE-5 was launched by Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-114, on 26 July 2005 and contained 254 specimens of various materials. It was installed on the P6 truss and a year later, during the third EVA of mission STS-115 on 15 September 2006, the MISSE-5 package was retrieved.
MISSE-5 contained three investigations. One experiment the Forward Technology Solar Cell Experiment (FTSCE), a performance test of 36 solar cells for use on future spacecraft. The second investigation measured the degradation of more than 200 flexible materials in the space environment. The third experiment involved the PCSat-2 that provided a communications system and tested the Amateur Satellite Service off-the-shelf solution for telemetry command and control. MISSE-5 was the first active experiment of the MISSE series. It required power and could communicate with the ground through PCSat-2.
-
MISSE PEC5 being prepared for launch. On the left is FTCSE, on the right PcSat-2 covered and by a golden thermal blanket with the flexible materials samples
-
MISSE PEC5 on the end of the P6 Truss
-
MISSE PEC5 on the end of P6 Truss
Read more about this topic: Materials International Space Station Experiment