National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Small Business Innovation Research & Technology Transfer 2004 Program Solicitations

TOPIC X3 Habitation, Bioastronautics, and EVA

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X3.01 Extravehicular Activity Systems
X3.02 Habitats, Habitability, and Human Factors

The goal of this topic is to assure robust and reliable capabilities to support the health and safety of human explorers during long-duration space missions. In addition, it is the goal of this topic to drive down the cost of human exploration missions and campaigns beyond Earth orbit and to develop and demonstrate critically-needed capabilities for human activities in space. Some selected objectives of this topic include 1) developing innovative, affordable, and highly operable new technologies for extravehicular activity (EVA) systems and advanced space habitation systems; and 2) establishing a foundation for profitable commercial development of space applications of these technologies in the mid- to long-term.

X3.01 Extravehicular Activity Systems
Lead Center: JSC

Advanced extravehicular activity (EVA) systems are necessary for the successful support of future human space missions. Complex missions require innovative approaches for maximizing human productivity and for providing the capability to perform useful work tasks. Requirements include reduction of system hardware weight and volume; increased hardware reliability, durability, and operating lifetime (before resupply, recharge and maintenance, or replacement is necessary); reduced hardware and software costs; increased human comfort; and less-restrictive work performance capability in the space environment, in hazardous ground-level contaminated atmospheres, or in extreme ambient thermal environments. All proposed Phase I research must lead to specific Phase-II experimental development that could be integrated into a functional EVA system. Additional design information on advanced EVA systems can be found in the EVA Technology Roadmap of the EVA Project Plan. Areas in which innovations are solicited include the following:

Environmental Protection

Radiation protection technologies that protect the suited crewmember from radiation particles;
Puncture protection technologies that provide self-sealing capabilities when a puncture occurs and minimizes punctures and cuts from sharp objects;
Dust and abrasion protection materials to exclude dust and withstand abrasion; and
Thermal insulation suitable for use in vacuum and low ambient pressure.

EVA Mobility

Space suit low profile bearings that maximizes rotation which is necessary for partial gravity mobility requirements and is also lightweight and low cost.

Life Support System

Long-life and high-capacity chemical oxygen storage systems for an emergency supply of oxygen for breathing;
Low-venting or non-venting regenerable individual life support subsystem(s) concepts for crewmember cooling, heat rejection, and removal of expired water vapor and CO₂;
Fuel cell technology that can provide power to a space suit and other EVA support systems;
Convection and freezable radiators that will be low cost and weight for thermal control;
Innovative garments that provide direct thermal control to crewmember;
High reliability pumps and fans that will provide flow for a space suit but can be stacked to give greater flow for a vehicle;
CO₂ and humidity control devices that, while minimizing expendables, function in a CO₂ environment; and
Variable conductance flexible suit garment that can function as a radiator for high metabolic loads and as an insulator for low metabolic loads.

Sensors, Communications, and Cameras

Space suit mounted displays for use both inside and outside the space suit–outside mounted displays will be compatible with space;
CO₂, bio-med, and core temperature sensors with reduced size, lightweight, increased reliability, and packaging flexibility;
Visual camera that provides excellent environment awareness for crewmembers and the public and are integratable into a spacesuit that is lightweight and low power;
Minimass spectrometer that detects N₂, CO₂, NH₄, O₂, and hydrazine partial pressures; and
Radio and laser communications that provides good communications among the crew and the base that is lightweight and low power.

Integration

Robotics interfaces that permit autonomous robot control by voice control via EVA;
Minimum gas loss airlock providing quick exit and entry and can accommodate an incapacitated crewmember; and
Work tools that assist the EVA crewmember during operations in zero-gravity and at worksites; specifically, devices that provide temporary attachments, which rigidly restrain equipment to other equipment and the EVA crewmember, and that contain provisions for tethering and storage of loose articles such as tool sockets and extensions.

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X3.02 Habitats, Habitability, and Human Factors
Lead Center: JSC

Advanced Habitation Systems
Advanced habitation systems include the overall habitat system and its crew supporting habitability functions within. Habitability systems technologies are being sought to enable Human Exploration and Development of Space Enterprise future orbital, planetary, and deep space applications. Space Station and planetary habitation and habitability systems in areas such as crew work, food, hygiene, rest, logistics, maintenance, and repair systems are being sought out for innovative solutions with regard to reliability, durability, repairability, radiation protection, packaging efficiency, and life-cycle cost effectiveness. Integration of workstations, integrated sensors, circuitry, automated components, integrated outfitting and advanced work station evolution to aid and enable the crew to work autonomously are considered necessary for advanced habitation. Development in crew food systems in the areas of foot heating, preparation, dining, water heating, chilling and dispensing, and trash management enable a cohesive habitable environment for the crew. Technology development in crew hygiene systems such as waste collection, personal hygiene, multi-use equipment, and hygiene evolution enables a habitable environment for the crew.

The Space Station and Crew Exploration Vehicle are of most interest and consideration of flight-testing in space should be considered. Exploration missions such as the Moon, Mars, and planetary transit are of particular interest. Areas in which advanced habitability system innovations are solicited include the following technologies for use in space (zero gravity) and/or planetary surfaces:

Advanced Habitability Systems
Crew Food Systems: Create food systems to package, preserve quality food and lightweight, low power, food preparation systems to support on-orbit crew meal storage, preparation, and dining activities.

Food Heating Systems: Create low power food heating systems to support crew food preparation activities; conduction, convection, microwave, or advanced heating technologies may be considered.

Water Dispensing Systems: Create low power systems that chill, heat, and dispense potable water, which support crew food preparation activities.

Wardroom: Create a wardroom system using deployable or erectable systems, which support crew rest-and-relaxation activities.

Trash Management Systems: Recycling technologies, and dual use technologies.

Crew Hygiene Systems: Create crew hygiene systems that are lightweight, low power, low volume systems to support on-orbit and planetary crew waste and hygiene activities. Create lightweight, low power and low volume technologies for waste collection, gas and liquid separation and urine separation. Create new and/or advanced technologies for crew hygiene, no-rinse hygiene products, and non-foaming gas/liquid separation (technologies which handle soaps). Integrated systems and outfitting: Create new and/or advanced approaches to integrating crew hygiene systems and products into the Space Station, crew exploration vehicle, and planetary vehicles and facilities. Create new approaches to outfitting the Space Station, crew exploration vehicle, and planetary vehicles to accommodate crew hygiene.

Crew Rest Systems: Create crew rest systems that are lightweight, low power, low volume systems to support orbit and planetary sleeping and privacy activities. Create new technologies and/or approaches with regard to the design and implementation of crew quarters, radiation protection, acoustic and noise control, quiet air ventilation, crew relaxation and recreation, and interactive audiovisual systems. Integrated systems and outfitting: Create new technologies and/or approaches to integrating crew rest systems into the Space Station, crew exploration vehicle, and planetary vehicles and facilities. Create new approaches to outfitting the Space Station, crew exploration vehicle, and planetary vehicles to accommodate crew rest and privacy.

Airlock Systems
Create airlock systems that are low power and minimum gas loss during operations. Create new technologies with regard to long life and replaceable seals. Create new technologies with regard to low power, long life, and replaceable pumps. Create new approaches to hatch mechanisms for minimum effect to airlock volume during opening and closing.

Tools for Integrated Testing for Human Exploration Missions
Future human exploration missions in space will be increasingly complex. In order to carry out these challenging missions, systems engineering and integration activities must be efficient and demonstrated. It will, therefore, be necessary to perform large-scale integrated tests on the ground before undertaking the actual missions.

Integrated ground tests for human exploration missions will provide a test bed not only for hardware, but also for development of requirements, hardware acquisition strategies, novel system concepts, and management. These must all result in systems that are increasingly self-sufficient and sustainable in order to leave Earth for longer periods of time. This subtopic focuses on tools that help technology developers, mission planners, and eventually astronauts to accomplish their various tasks in more efficient and synergistic ways. By developing these tools and using them in ground test beds, they will then be ready for use in the complex human exploration missions of the future.

Specific items solicited for integrated testing of human missions include:

Tools which help develop, flow down, and verify mission requirements at various levels;
Novel hardware acquisition strategies for incremental missions;
Techniques that improve real-time analysis and help minimize the time between integrated tests;
Novel system concepts for highly integrated systems that result in much lower mass, power, and volume of hardware and consumables;
Sustainability technologies that capitalize on terrestrial dual-use of the technology to improve development time and support for research and development;
Novel management techniques for planning, scheduling, and conducting complex integrated mission simulations;
Tools to develop system level mathematical models of missions and tests that are more intuitive and easier to use than existing ones;
Computer-based tools that can be used to perform real-time test or mission analysis;
Systems engineering and analysis tools that make mission architecture studies faster to perform and easier to conduct and communicate; and
Tools that improve the efficiency and cost effectiveness of integrated testing with humans.

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