NASA Environmental Control and Life Support Technology Development for Exploration: 2020 to 2021 Overview

Abstract

This 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.

Description

James Broyan, NASA
Robyn Gatens, NASA
Walter Schneider, NASA
Laura Shaw, NASA
Melissa McKinley, NASA
Michael Ewert, Johnson Space Center
Marit Meyer, NASA
Gary Ruff, NASA
Andrew Owens, NASA
Catlin Meyer, NASA
ICES506: Human Exploration Beyond Low Earth Orbit: Missions and Technologies
The 50th International Conference on Environmental Systems was held virtually on 12 July 2021 through 14 July 2021.

Keywords

Life Support, Environmental Control, Technology Development

Citation