Browsing by Author "Gatens, Robyn"
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Item Comparison of Exploration Oxygen Recovery Technology Options Using ESM and LSMAC(2020 International Conference on Environmental Systems, 2020-07-31) Abney, Morgan; Gatens, Robyn; Lange, Kevin; Brown, Brittany; Wetzel, John; Morrow, Robert; Schneider, Walter; Stanley, ChristineIn preparation for long duration manned space flight, numerous technology development efforts are ongoing in the area of environmental control and life support (ECLS). In cooperation with international, industry, and academic partners, NASA seeks to leverage the International Space Station as a testbed for technologies targeted for Exploration-class missions. In recent years, Equivalent Systems Mass (ESM) analyses have been conducted to evaluate the relative breakeven points and to compare technologies as part of ECLS architectural trades. While these studies have provided important data pertaining to key engineering metrics, additional considerations are important to more fully understand the potential impacts and costs associated with selecting a specific architecture. A tool, called the Life Support Multi-Dimensional Assessment Criteria (LSMAC), was recently proposed by Sierra Nevada Corporation in an attempt to incorporate influences of these additional considerations including Maintainability, Risk Analysis, Technology Readiness Level, Radiation Impacts, Manufacturing Costs, Reliability, Human Factors, and Un-Crewed Operations. As a first step toward evaluating and implementing this tool, LSMAC was used to revisit the ISS oxygen recovery trade from the 1990’s wherein Sabatier was selected over Bosch technology. Second, the tool was used to compare oxygen recovery developmental technologies currently in work. The results of these studies as well as a comparison with standalone ESM analyses are reported. Further, a discussion of the potential application of the tool across the ECLS portfolio and its potential use in future technology selection for ISS flight demonstrations is provided.Item Development of Carbon Dioxide Removal Systems for Advanced Exploration Systems 2014-2015(45th International Conference on Environmental Systems, 2015-07-12) Knox, James C.; Coker, Robert; Huff, Timothy L.; Gatens, Robyn; Miller, Lee A.; Stanley, ChristineA long-term goal for NASA is to enable crewed missions to Mars: first to the vicinity of Mars, and then to the Mars surface. These missions present new challenges for all aspects of spacecraft design in comparison with the International Space Station, as resupply is unavailable in the transit phase, and early return is not possible. Additionally, mass, power, and volume must be minimized for all phases to reduce propulsion needs. Mass reduction is particularly crucial for Mars surface landing and liftoff due to the challenges inherent in these operations for even much smaller payloads. In this paper we describe current and planned developments in the area of carbon dioxide removal to support future crewed Mars missions. Activities are also described that apply to both the resolution of anomalies observed in the ISS CDRA and the design of life support systems for future missions.Item Life Support and Environmental Monitoring International System Maturation Team Considerations(46th International Conference on Environmental Systems, 2016-07-10) Anderson, Molly; Gatens, Robyn; Ikeda, Toshitami; Ito, Tsuyoshi; Witt, Johannes; Hovland, ScottHuman exploration of the solar system is an ambitious goal. Future missions to Mars or other planets will require the cooperation of many nations. Exploration concepts have been gathered by the International Space Exploration Coordination Group (ISECG) at a high level, representing overall goals and strategies of each participating agency. The ISECG Global Exploration Roadmap states that international partnerships are part of what drives the mission scenarios. It states “Collaborations will be established at all levels (missions, capabilities, technologies), with various levels of interdependency among the partners.” To make missions with interdependency successful, technologists and system experts need to share information early, before there are concrete plans and binding agreements. This paper provides an overview of possible ways of integrating NASA, ESA, and JAXA work into a roadmap of life support and environmental monitoring capabilities for future exploration missions. Agencies may have immediate plans, long term goals, or new ideas that are not part of official policy. But relationships between plans and capabilities may influence the strategies for the best ways to achieve partner goals. Without commitments and an organized program, requirements for future missions are unclear. Experience from ISS shows that standards and an early understanding of requirements are an important part of international partnerships. Attempting to integrate systems that were not designed together can create many problems. Several areas have been identified as important to discuss and understand: units of measure, cabin CO2 levels, and fluids like high purity oxygen, potable water and residual biocide, and crew urine and urine pretreat. Each of the partners is exploring different kinds of technologies. Depending on the system concepts, it may be important to define specific parameters, or explore possible ranges. Early coordination can create new possibilities for collaboration, and provide input to determine what combinations create the best overall system.Item NASA Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLS) Technology Development and Maturation for Exploration: 2015 to 2016 Overview(46th International Conference on Environmental Systems, 2016-07-10) Schneider, Walter; Gatens, Robyn; Anderson, Molly; Broyan, James; Macatangay, Ariel; Shull, Sarah; Perry, Jay; Toomarian, NikzadOver the last year, NASA has continued to refine the understanding and prioritization of technology gaps that must be closed in order to achieve Evolvable Mars Campaign objectives. These efforts are reflected in updates to the technical area roadmaps released by NASA in 2015 and have guided technology development and maturation tasks that have been sponsored by various programs. This paper provides an overview of the refined Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLS) strategic planning, as well as a synopsis of key technology and maturation project tasks that occurred in 2015 and early 2016 to support the strategic needs. Plans for the remainder of 2015 and subsequent years will also be described.Item NASA Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLS) Technology Development and Maturation for Exploration: 2016 to 2017 Overview(47th International Conference on Environmental Systems, 2017-07-16) Anderson, Molly; Broyan, James; Gatens, Robyn; Macatangay, Ariel; Perry, Jay; Schneider, Walter; Toomarian, NikzadNational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)’s life support community has made significant progress in the last year advancing key technologies and capabilities to enable future exploration missions. Technology gap identification and prioritization has remained fairly consistent. The development teams have completed key development milestones to prove or disprove the feasibility of new technology. Decisions were made to narrow technology options and even make the first selections for technologies that will be demonstrated at full scale on the International Space Station (ISS). Detailed planning for integrated system demonstrations on ISS has begun. Also, other activities began to investigate the ECLS system design and integration considerations for development of capabilities for the cislunar proving ground. This paper provides an overview of the refined Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLS) strategic planning, and overall roadmap updates, as well as a synopsis of key technology and maturation project tasks that occurred in 2016 and early 2017 to support the strategic needs. Plans for the remainder of 2017 and subsequent years are also described.Item NASA Environmental Control and Life Support Technology Development and Maturation for Exploration: 2017 to 2018 Overview(48th International Conference on Environmental Systems, 2018-07-08) Sargusingh, Miriam; Anderson, Molly; Perry, Jay; Gatens, Robyn; Broyan, James; Macatangay, Ariel; Schneider, Walter; Toomarian, NikzadOver the last year, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has made steps towards defining a path for extending human presence beyond low Earth orbit. The environmental control and life support (ECLS) technology gap identification and prioritization has remained fairly consistent throughout the past year during which the ECLS community has continued to refine and execute the plan for advancing key technologies and capabilities that enable future exploration missions. The development teams have completed key milestones, moving toward prototypes for ground and on-orbit demonstration. Detailed planning for integrated system demonstrations on ISS has continued. Studies to refine deep space exploration requirements, design and integration considerations were performed. Of particular concern for the emerging deep space exploration architecture was consideration of long-duration intermittent dormancy. This paper provides an overview of the refined ECLS strategic planning and overall roadmap updates as well as a synopsis of key technology and maturation project tasks that occurred in 2017 and early 2018 to support the strategic needs. Plans for the remainder of 2018 and subsequent years are also described.Item NASA Environmental Control and Life Support Technology Development and Maturation for Exploration: 2018 to 2019 Overview(49th International Conference on Environmental Systems, 2019-07-07) Anderson, Molly; Sargusingh, Miriam; Gatens, Robyn; Perry, Jay; Schneider, Walter; Macatangay, Ariel; Toomarian, Nikzad; McKinley, Melissa; Shaw, LauraNASA’s Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLS) technology development projects have reached important milestones in 2018 and 2019, that represent vital steps toward establishing readiness for the next generation of human space exploration missions. Some of the first technology demonstration systems were delivered for testing and evaluation aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Key reviews have been completed for other systems, and the ISS team is planning for the complex challenges of integrating the multiple technology demonstrations with upgraded ISS systems on orbit. In parallel, planning is beginning for ground testing to be conducted that strategically complements the on-orbit demonstrations. Analyses of reliability and supportability are being considered for their impact on subsystem and system design as well. Outside of the technology development projects, the Gateway program has also defined more detailed plans and schedules, which aid the ECLS community in developing more detailed functional and performance requirements for technolog, and requires the ECLS community to respond with strategies for deploying an early open-loop functional capability that can evolve to provide improved capabilities or greater loop closure. As these plans mature, NASA is also considering where disruptive technologies may provide value, and determining what new gaps or new details may emerge for future missions. This paper provides an overview of the refined ECLS strategic planning and overall roadmap updates as well as a synopsis of key technology and maturation project tasks that occurred in 2018 and early 2019 to support the strategic needs. Plans for the remainder of 2019 and subsequent years are also described.Item NASA Environmental Control and Life Support Technology Development and Maturation for Exploration: 2019 to 2020 Overview(2020 International Conference on Environmental Systems, 2020-07-31) Schneider, Walter; Perry, Jay; Broyan, James; Macatangay, Ariel; McKinley, Melissa; Meyer, Caitlin; Owens, Andrew; Toomarian, Nikzad; Gatens, RobynDuring 2019 and 2020, NASA’s Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLS) technology development projects have taken vital steps toward establishing readiness for the next generation of human space exploration missions. Technology demonstration systems from last year have been operated on the International Space Station (ISS) and others have been launched. Development of future technology demonstrations is on-going. Facility and hardware development for ground testing to be conducted that strategically complements the on-orbit demonstrations and some ground testing has been initiated. Reliability studies have started to define requirements for on-orbit and ground testing and other investments to support exploration missions. These efforts support NASA missions beyond LEO and include Gateway, lunar surface, Mars transportation, and Mars surface. This paper provides an overview of the current ECLS strategic planning and roadmap as well as a synopsis of key technology and maturation project tasks that occurred in 2019 and early 2020 to support the strategic needs. Plans for the remainder of 2020 and subsequent years are also described.Item NASA Environmental Control and Life Support Technology Development for Exploration: 2020 to 2021 Overview(50th International Conference on Environmental Systems, 7/12/2021) Broyan, James; Gatens, Robyn; Schneider, Walter; Shaw, Laura; McKinley, Melissa; Ewert, Michael; Meyer, Marit; Ruff, Gary; Owens, Andrew; Meyer, CatlinThis paper provides an overview of NASA supported activities developing Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLSS) technologies in the following capability areas: life support, environmental monitoring, fire safety, and logistics. NASA has been refining technology needs for deep space missions including Gateway, lunar surface, Mars transit, and Mars surface missions. Validating technologies in relevant environments, both in low earth orbit (LEO) and ground tests is critical in understanding technology performance and long duration performance. On-orbit and ground tests inform NASA�s technology decisions to fill exploration gaps. NASA has multiple technology projects across the technology readiness spectrum with potential to fill or partially fill exploration gaps. For each capability area, this paper will describe select capability gaps, NASA technology project maturation over the past year, and how key performance parameters (KPPs) are being used to measure the degree of capability gap closure. KPPs are evolving but they still provide a useful measure in communicating progress and identifying development needs to fill exploration gaps. The intent is to provide a very high-level overview describing the strategic approach to gap closure and provide references to additional technical details, progress, and KPPs.Item The Next Steps for Environmental Control and Life Support Systems Development for Deep Space Exploration(48th International Conference on Environmental Systems, 2018-07-08) Jernigan, Mark; Gatens, Robyn; Perry, Jay; Joshi, JitendraThroughout the life of the International Space Station (ISS), NASA has developed, delivered and operated a suite of progres-sively more capable environmental control and life support system (ECLSS) components and assemblies. These efforts have resulted in substantially reducing the supply chain necessary to sustain crews in flight and garnering invaluable lessons for sustained long term operations of the equipment. Currently, the ISS provides a unique platform for understanding the effects of the environment on the hardware. NASA’s strategy, already underway, is to evolve the ISS ECLSS into the Exploration ECLSS and perform a long-duration demonstration on ISS in preparation for deep space missions. This includes demonstra-tions of upgrades and/or new capabilities for waste manage-ment, atmosphere revitalization, water recovery, and environ-mental monitoring. Within the Advanced Exploration Systems Program under the Next Space Technologies for Exploration Partnerships (NextSTEP) model, NASA intends to revise the architecture developed for ISS to make the systems completely independent of the Earth supply chain for the duration of a deep space crewed mission by increasing robustness, including pro-spective system monitoring to anticipate failures, designing for maintenance, repair and refurbishment, reducing spare part count through use of common components, and grouping sub-systems into modular pallets to minimize interfaces and reduce complexity. The NextSTEP ECLSS will be a partnership between NASA and a competitively selected team of industry partners to produce a closed loop long duration test capability to establish confidence that the systems will be able to work properly in the deep space environment for extremely long missions.