Browsing by Author "Douglas, Grace"
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Item NASA Centennial Challenges Deep Space Food Challenge Competition to Incentive Innovation in Food Systems for Long-Duration Space Exploration Missions(50th International Conference on Environmental Systems, 7/12/2021) Roman, Monsi; Herblet, Angela; Broyan, James; Douglas, Grace; Turner, DawnThe Centennial Challenges (CC) program, currently part of NASA�s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD), is one of the vehicles NASA uses to develop and execute public prize competitions. Since opening its first challenge in 2005, the CC program has initiated more than 20 challenges in a variety of technology areas. This paper provides the background, development and execution of the Deep Space Food Challenge as one approach to fulfilling NASA�s Space Policy Directive 1 (�To the Moon, then Mars�). Specifics about the CC program�s accomplishments will also be discussed. The Deep Space Food Challenge (DSF) was developed in collaboration with the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) to create novel food production technologies with minimal inputs, maximum safe, nutritious, palatable food outputs for long-duration space missions, which have potential to benefit people on Earth. When humans return to the lunar surface in the mid-2020s, the early missions will use prepackaged foods similar to those in use on the International Space Station (ISS) today. However, extending the duration of lunar missions requires reducing resupply dependency on Earth. Testing a sustainable system on the Moon that meets lunar crews� needs is a fundamental step for lunar sustainability and future Mars exploration. NASA and CSA are focused on how to furnish crew members with a viable food system for long duration space missions that provides all daily nutritional needs through a variety of palatable, safe food with limited resource requirements and no dependency on resupply from Earth; and enables acceptable, safe and quick preparation methods. On Earth, technology solutions for food systems could also be used to produce nutritional sources for urban and rural environments; potentially leading to a reduced impact on our Earth�s resources. Challenges, such as the DSF, are an embodiment of NASA�s continuing commitment to technological advancement and innovation through non-traditional programs.Item NASA Crew Health & Performance Capability Development for Exploration: 2021 to 2022 Overview(51st International Conference on Environmental Systems, 7/10/2022) Abercromby, Andrew; Douglas, Grace; Kalogera, Kent; Somers, Jeffrey; Suresh, Rahul; Thompson, Moriah; Wood, Scott; Hwang, Emma; Parton, Kyle; Broyan, JamesRadiation, reduced gravity, distance from earth, isolation and confinement, and habitation within artificially created and controlled life support environments are hazards that present risk to human space explorers. In many cases, research is required to characterize those risks and help identify risk mitigation strategies. Where new capabilities are necessary to maintain crew health and performance (CHP) during exploration missions, a multi-step process is followed: 1) a Capability Gap is defined; 2) a plan or �roadmap� to develop that capability is established based on agency priorities and anticipated mission development timelines; and 3) work defined on the roadmap is then initiated as resources allow, with the objective that the capability will be available in time to support the future mission. Over the past year, significant progress has occurred in CHP technology development, ground testbed development, ground-based testing, and in preparations for ISS technology demonstrations. This paper provides a development update in the following capability areas: crew health countermeasures, EVA physiology and performance, food and nutrition, exploration medical capabilities, and radiation. Project overviews will include descriptions of CHP development activities over the past year, the human system risks and capability gaps being targeted, as well as planned follow-on activities and anticipated program infusion points.Item NASA Crew Health & Performance Capability Development for Exploration: 2022 to 2023 Overview(2023 International Conference on Environmental Systems, 2023-07-16) Abercromby, Andrew; Douglas, Grace; Kalogera, Kent; Marshall-Goebel, Karina; Somers, Jeffrey; Suresh, Rahul; Thompson, Moriah; Wood, Scott; Fritsche, Ralph; Hwang, Emma; Yang, Justin; Broyan, JamesRadiation, reduced gravity, distance from earth, isolation and confinement, and habitation within artificially created and controlled life support environments are hazards that present risk to human space explorers. These hazards necessitate development of new technologies to protect crew health and performance during future long-duration missions to the moon and Mars. NASA’s System Capability Leads coordinate with agency experts, programs, and exploration architecture teams to identify and prioritize technology investments in support of future missions. This paper describes progress over the past year in CHP technology development, ground testbed development, ground-based testing, parabolic flight testing, and on-orbit technology demonstrations. Technology maturation progress and future plans are described in the following capability areas: crew health countermeasures; spacesuit physiology and performance; food and nutrition; radiation protection; and exploration medical capabilities.Item Space Food System Water Content: Considerations for ECLSS Water System Closure(50th International Conference on Environmental Systems, 7/12/2021) Douglas, Grace; Broyan, James; Johnson, MeredithThe water content of the food system has a direct impact on determining an efficient level of water system closure in the Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) on a spaceflight mission. The standard food system, which makes up the bulk of the food on the International Space Station (ISS), consists of a variety of shelf stable foods that are provisioned to meet nutritional requirements. In this work, we developed a tool to estimate water content within the standard food system, given varying usage rates. Outcomes from this tool indicate that, as provisioned and with a predicted consumption rate that meets nutritional requirements, approximately 46% of the current standard food system is water. Around 88% of the water content in the food system was determined to be in the retort thermostabilized foods. Recent mission analysis has indicated it is beneficial to life support processing to reduce the water content to 30%. With the assumptions used in this analysis, approximately 37% of the retort thermostabilized foods (ready-to-eat, fully hydrated at launch) would need to be replaced with freeze-dried foods to meet this goal. The feasibility of developing a similar nutritional variety of acceptable and stable freeze-dried foods to replace this percentage of thermostabilized foods is currently unknown. Some foods are not as compatible with freeze-drying, and consideration must be given for provisioning balanced macro and micro-nutrition, variety, and acceptability, in addition to water content. ISS crew members have commented that the variety from different types of foods is important to prevent menu fatigue and maintain intake, health and performance. The ready-to-eat, fully hydrated foods are especially critical when crew time is limited. The impact of reducing these options on overall intake and resulting health and performance is currently unknown and would need to be assessed.