News The Microgravity Science Glovebox   Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG)     6 June 2002   Most people think of a ‘glovebox’ as a compartment in the dashboard of a car where manuals, road atlases, various oddments and even occasionally gloves are stored. ESA's Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG), now on board the supply vehicle Leonardo in the hold of the Space Shuttle Endeavour on its way to the International Space Station, is a far more complicated piece of equipment.   The device will allow astronauts aboard the ISS to perform a wide range of experiments in a fully sealed and controlled environment, completely isolated from the rest of the Station. It shares nevertheless the weightlessness of orbit. The ‘gloves’ are the access points through which astronauts can manipulate experiments, which will be in the field of material science, biotechnology, fluid science, combustion science and crystal growth research.       Microgravity Science Glovebox Logo     Scientific ‘gloveboxes’ have already been long established on Earth. To build a glovebox that will last at least ten years in weightlessness, however, was a much tougher proposition. The MSG had to fit into a standard ISS equipment rack, and be versatile enough to accommodate a huge range of experiments and materials - which will almost certainly include a few that no one had thought of during the design stage.       Frank De Winne will use the glovebox during his mission to the ISS in October 2002     The MSG will initially be installed in the US science lab aboard the Space Station, although it may subsequently be moved to the ESA's Columbus Laboratory when that becomes part of the ISS assembly in a few years's time. Built by Astrium in Bremen, Germany, the glovebox was delivered to NASA last October, and since then it has undergone an enormous range of tests. It passed with flying colours. Very shortly, it will be hard at work in orbit.     Related articles  •  ESA's Microgravity Science Glovebox is launched to the ISS (http://www.esa.int/esaHS/ESALTXG18ZC_research_0.html)  •  ESA's 'glovebox' is integrated within MPLM-Leonardo ready for launch to the ISS (http://www.esa.int/esaHS/ESAUEQVTYWC_research_0.html)  •  More science on the International Space Station thanks to ESA's "glovebox" (http://www.esa.int/esaHS/P9EVCKSC_research_0.html) Related links  •  Biography Frank De Winne (http://www.esa.int/esaHS/ESA0EUZUMOC_astronauts_0.html)