Advanced life support system for Mars exploration: Keeping astronauts thermoneutral
Nikhil Vadhavkar, HST/Bioastronautics and MVL
During the Apollo missions, open-loop sublimation of water was incorporated into the life support system (LSS) to keep astronauts cool. This same technology has seen continued use for both Shuttle and International Space Station extravehicular activities (EVAs). Current suit LSS technologies are not adapted for Martian exploration, as they are designed to operate in low-gravity environments with hard vacuum. In this seminar, we discuss the development of an advanced LSS to both leverage and protect against the Martian atmosphere. We review historical models of human-suit thermal interaction and advanced modeling techniques that will allow for the development and prototyping of a next-generation life support system.