Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Environmental Control”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 163 records · Page 9

Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLS) Integrated Roadmap Development

This white paper documents a roadmap for development of Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLS) Systems (ECLSS) capabilities required to enable beyond-Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Exploration missions. In many cases, the execution of this Exploration-based roadmap will directly benefit International Space Station (ISS) operational capability by resolving known issues and/or improving overall system reliability. In addition, many of the resulting products will be applicable across multiple Exploration elements such as Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV), Multi-Mission Space Exploration Vehicle (MMSEV), Deep Space Habitat (DSH), and Landers. Within the ECLS community, this white paper will be a unifying tool that will improve coordination of resources, common hardware, and technologies. It will help to align efforts to focus on the highest priority needs that will produce life support systems for future human exploration missions that will simply run in the background, requiring minimal crew interaction.

Metcalf, Jordan L.↗

International Space Station Environmental Control and Life Support System Status for the Prior Year: 2010-2011

The International Space Station (ISS) Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLS) system includes regenerative and non-regenerative technologies that provide the basic life support functions to support the crew, while maintaining a safe and habitable shirtsleeve environment. This paper provides a summary of the U.S. ECLS system activities over the prior year, covering the period of time between March 2010 and February 2011. The ISS continued permanent crew operations including the continuation of six crew members being on ISS. Work continues on the last of the Phase 3 pressurized elements, the commercial cargo resupply vehicles, and work to try and extend ISS service life from 2015 to no later than 2028.

Williams, David E.↗

International Space Station Environmental Control and Life Support System Status for the Prior Year: 2011 - 2012

The International Space Station (ISS) Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLS) system includes regenerative and non-regenerative technologies that provide the basic life support functions to support the crew, while maintaining a safe and habitable shirtsleeve environment. This paper provides a summary of the U.S. ECLS system activities over the prior year, covering the period of time between March 2011 and February 2012. The ISS continued permanent crew operations including the continuation of six crew members being on ISS. Work continues on the last of the Phase 3 pressurized elements, the commercial cargo resupply vehicles, and work to try and extend ISS service life from 2015 to at least 2028.

Williams, David E.↗

Spacelab Phase B study environmental control system component handbook

Descriptions are given of candidate components for the Phase B Study of the Spacelab environmental control system. Most of the hardware was defined for the baseline ECS design concept. A low cost design approach was followed, with most of the components being selected from the Apollo and Skylab Programs.

Burns, R. A.↗

A preliminary investigation of the Environmental Control and Life Support Subsystem (EC/LSS) for the space construction base manufacturing modules

The preliminary data of the environmental control and life support subsystem for a space construction base manufacturing module was reported. A space processing module, which is capable of performing production biological experiments, was chosen as a baseline configuration. The primary assemblies and components considered for use were humidity and temperature control, ventilation fan, cabin fan, water separator, condensate storage, overboard dumping, distribution system, contaminant monitoring, cabin sensors, and fire and smoke detection.

Wells, H. B.↗

Systems engineering aspects of a preliminary conceptual design of the space station environmental control and life support system

The systems engineering aspects of developing a conceptual design of the Space Station Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) are discussed. Topics covered include defining system requirements and groundrules for approach, formulating possible cycle closure options, and establishing a system-level mass balance on the essential materials processed in oxygen and water cycles. Consideration is also given to the performance of a system trade-off study to determine the best degree of cycle closure for the ECLSS, and the construction of a conceptual design of the ECLSS with subsystem performance specifications and candidate concepts. For the optimum balance between development costs, technological risks, and resupply penalties, a partially closed cycle ECLSS option is suggested.

Lin, C. H.↗

Environmental control and life support system requirements and technology needs for advanced manned space missions

NASA has completed an environmental control and life support system (ECLSS) technology R&D plan for advanced missions which gave attention to the drivers (crew size, mission duration, etc.) of a range of manned missions under consideration. Key planning guidelines encompassed a time horizon greater than 50 years, funding resource requirements, an evolutionary approach to goal definition, and the funding of more than one approach to satisfy a given perceived requirement. Attention was given to the ECLSS requirements of transportation and service vehicles, platforms, bases and settlements, ECLSS functions and average load requirements, unique drivers for various missions, and potentially exploitable commonalities among vehicles and habitats.

Powell, Ferolyn T.↗

International Space Station (ISS) Node 1 Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLS) System Keep Out Zone On-Orbit Problems

The International Space Station (ISS) Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLS) system performance can be impacted by operations on ISS. This is especially important for the Temperature and Humidity Control (THC) and for the Fire Detection and Suppression (FDS) subsystems. It is also more important for Node 1 since it has become a convenient area for many crew tasks and for stowing hardware prior to Shuttle arrival. This paper will discuss the current requirements for ECLS keep out zones in Node 1; the issues with stowage in Node 1 during Increment 7 and how they impacted the keep out zone requirements; and the solution during Increment 7 and 8 for maintaining the keep out zones in Node 1.

Williams, David E.↗

International Space Station Environmental Control and Life Support System On-Orbit Station Development Test Objective Status

The International Space Station (ISS) Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLS) system includes regenerative and non-regenerative technologies that provide the basic life support functions to support the crew, while maintaining a safe and habitable shirtsleeve environment. This paper provides a summary of the ECLS System On-Orbit Station Development Test Objective (SDTO) status from the start of assembly until the end of February 2003.

Williams, David E.↗

Generalized environmental control and life support system computer program (G1894), phase 3

The work performed during Phase 3 of the Generalized Environmental Control Life Support System (ECLSS) Computer Program is reported. Phase 3 of this program covered the period from December 1977 to September 1978. The computerized simulation of the Shuttle Orbiter ECLSS was upgraded in the following areas: (1) the payload loop of the Shuttle simulation was completely recoded and checked out; (2) the Shuttle simulation water and freon loop initialization logic was simplified to permit easier program input for the user; (3) the computerized simulation was modified to accept the WASP subroutine, which is a subroutine to evaluate thermal properties of water and freon; (4) the 1108 operating system was upgraded by LEC; (5) the Shuttle simulation was modified to permit failure cases which simulate zero component flow values; and (6) the Shuttle SEPS version was modified and secure files were setup on the 1108 and 1110 systems to permit simulation runs to be made from remote terminals.

Mcenulty, R. E.↗

Manned space station environmental control and life support system computer-aided technology assessment program

A computer program for assessing manned space station environmental control and life support systems technology is described. The methodology, mission model parameters, evaluation criteria, and data base for 17 candidate technologies for providing metabolic oxygen and water to the crew are discussed. Examples are presented which demonstrate the capability of the program to evaluate candidate technology options for evolving space station requirements.

Hall, J. B., Jr.↗

Space station environmental control and life support systems test bed program - An overview

The successful demonstration of the maturity of the regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) is an essential factor in the development of the Space Station. The present paper provides an overview of the Space Station ECLSS Test Bed Program, the mechanism by which the maturity of regenerative ECLSS technologies is demonstrated. Attention is given to the background regarding the ECLSS development, the purpose of the Space Station ECLSS Test Bed Program, the objectives of this program, the three facility elements of the ECLS Test Bed, the technical approach, the design support test phase, the testing of the Regenerative Life Support Equipment (RLSE) systems, advanced prototype testing, fallback testing, and the integrated test phase. The integrated test phase will provide the final demonstration of the regenerative ECLSS technology maturity.

Behrend, A. F., Jr.↗

Spacelab environmental control system

This paper describes the NASA/MSFC thermal control activities performed in support of the European design and development of the Spacelab environmental control system (ECS) and the integration of the ECS with experiments and with the Shuttle Orbiter. Thermal interfaces with the Orbiter are reviewed, including payload bay temperature profiles for the long module and pallet Spacelab configuration for the on-orbit mission phase. Thermal designs and predicted thermal performance are also reviewed for the module air cooling systems and specific experiment interfaces, such as the experiment dedicated heat exchanger and rack cooling.

Mitchell, K. L.↗

International Space Station Environmental Control and Life Support System: Verification for the Pressurized Mating Adapters

The International Space Station (ISS) Pressurized Mating Adapters (PMAs) Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLS) System is comprised of three subsystems: Atmosphere Control and Supply (ACS), Temperature and Humidity Control (THC), and Water Recovery and Management (WRM). PMA 1 and PMA 2 flew to ISS on Flight 2A and PMA 3 flew to ISS on Flight 3A. This paper provides a summary of the PMAs ECLS design and the detailed Element Verification methodologies utilized during the Qualification phase for the PMAs.

Williams, David E.↗

Microbiological Tests Performed During the Design of the International Space Station Environmental Control and Life Support Systems. Part 1, Bulk Phase: Bulk Phase - Part 1

The design and manufacturing of the main Environmental Control and Life Support Systems (ECLSS) for the United States segments of the International Space Station (ISS) was an involved process that started in the mid 1980s, with the assessment and testing of competing technologies that could be used to clean the air and recycle water. It culminated in 2009 with the delivery and successful activation of the Water Recovery System (WRS) water processor (WP). The ECLSS required the work of a team of engineers and scientist working together to develop systems that could clean and/or recycle human metabolic loads to maintain a clean atmosphere and provide the crew clean water. One of the main goals of the ECLSS is to minimize the time spent by the crew worrying about vital resources not available in the vacuum of space, which allows them to spend most of their time learning to live in a microgravity environment many miles from the comforts of Earth and working on science experiments. Microorganisms are a significant part of the human body as well as part of the environment that we live in. Therefore, the ISS ECLSS design had to take into account the effect microorganisms have on the quality of stored water and wastewater, as well as that of the air systems. Hardware performance issues impacted by the accumulation of biofilm and/or microbiologically influenced corrosion were also studied during the ECLSS development stages. Many of the tests that were performed had to take into account the unique aspects of a microgravity environment as well as the challenge of understanding how to design systems that could not be sterilized or maintained in a sterile state. This paper will summarize the work of several studies that were performed to assess the impacts and/or to minimize the effects of microorganisms in open, semi-closed and closed loop life support system. The biofilm and biodeterioration studies that were performed during the design and test periods will be presented in a future publication.

Roman, Monsi C.↗