An Innovative Payload-to-Workbench Interface Design for the Starlab Space Station

The space industry is moving forward to develop new and innovative research platforms in low-Earth orbit, following the era of the International Space Station (ISS), currently scheduled to end with ISS retirement in 2030. One of the main focal points of any efficient research activity in space is the optimal use of astronauts’ valuable time, which includes the setup of experiments onboard any orbiting platform. Currently, the ISS utilizes the Expedite the Processing of Experiments to the Space Station (EXPRESS) Racks system to house many different experiments, facilities – such as a glovebox or furnace – and other equipment. Any photograph of the inside of the ISS shows that interfacing payloads can require an array of additional connections, cables, computers, and other infrastructure for appropriate interfacing to the rack. These connection modalities can consume a significant amount of a crew-person’s time, create a complicated environment, and can be visually ‘noisy’. All of these can limit the overall efficiency, effectiveness, and reliability of experiments performed in space. Starlab is a next-generation space station being developed under a joint-venture led by Voyager Technologies, with partners that include Airbus GmbH, Mitsubishi Corporation, MDA, Palantir, Hilton Hotels, and more. In this partnership, The Ohio State University (OSU) is the lead university research organization. One task being performed by the OSU team focuses on alleviating the complexity of setting up space experiments within the Starlab payload experiment/research bench environment. Our student-experimental team at Ohio State has designed and prototyped a streamlined payload-to-workbench connector system, that seeks to standardize the attachment of payloads to a simple connection interface. Within this system, we are performing engineering tests and evaluations on four different mechanical locking mechanisms between the bench and a payload, including a push lock, a slide lock, a twist lock, and an embedded lock. The simplicity of our connector design ensures that all experimenters will have the flexibility to choose the shape and sizing of their payloads, and be able to leverage a modular, extendible, and flexible system. Our connector system design is being tested for ease of use, simplicity, and setup efficiency through ‘human in the loop’ testing, including the accounting for different astronaut heights, hand sizes, and potential orientation differences with respect to the payload bench.