Sixteen times around the earth every day

Every astronaut is subjected to stringent health checks before embarking on a mission to space and is constantly monitored while in orbit, in particular their cardiovascular and respiratory systems. The Danish company Damec Research ApS develops medical devices to monitor astronauts' respiratory systems. Its respiratory monitoring system - the Portable Pulmonary Function System (Portable PFS) - is a permanent component on the International Space Station (ISS) and is used for regular checks of the astronauts' health as well as for scientific experiments.

An important part of the Portable PFS is the measurement of gas flow. For this, Damec Reseach ApS trusts the proven technology of Sensirion's mass flow controllers, which guarantee the fast and highly precise control of gas flows. Like all Sensirion sensors, it is based on the innovative CMOSens® Technology. At the centre of every mass flow controller is a calorimetric microsensor (MEMS) which is integrated with the entire signal conditioning electronics on a single, tiny chip. While the flow is measured using a thermal measuring principle, efficient control of the flow is provided by an analogue control switch. This unique integrated technological approach results in excellent performance and reliability even in the zero-gravity space.