CCT Develops Space Shuttle Fuel Cell Telemetry Processing System
Kennedy Space Center, FL

Space Shuttle Mission STS-83 was scheduled for a 16-day Spacelab mission in April 1997 to conduct microgravity research. The mission’s payload, the Microgravity Sciences Laboratory (MSL) carried 19 material science experiments in 4 major Spacelab facilities. A successful mission would build on previous international research missions.  

Shortly after launch, however, a problem was detected in an on-board fuel cell. Fuel cell #2, one of three fuel cells on board the space shuttle orbiter, was indicating unusual readings which could require that the fuel cell be shut down, robbing valuable power from the experiments, and decreasing the margin of safety for the crew.