Advanced Technology Infusion into a Spacesuit Portable Life Support System

Advancement in technology drives our future. Moreover, the successful implementation of a technology drives its possibilities. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has invested in numerous technologies over the decades. A quote from NASA�s Space Technology Mission Directorates indicates the importance of technology: �Historically, technology has driven humanity�s progress and will continue to define our future. Our nation chooses to invest in new technology not only to maintain our edge in the global economy but also because technology helps us: Redefine the possible; Create a technologically advanced future; and Drive economic growth.� It is difficult for a technology to satisfy these goals unless it can be successfully infused into a system. For a technology to continue to evolve, become a reality, and infuse into NASA�s missions, there must exist a compilation of success-oriented factors for the technology to reach fruition. Understanding these factors could help decrease the complexity of technology infusion and bridge the gap between technology developers and system integrators. Ultimately, the knowledge gained could facilitate the design, development, and infusion of a technology to be more effective and efficient. Successful technology infusion is complex and can be even more daunting when advanced technologies infuse into complex systems such as a spacesuit portable life support system (PLSS). Overall, there is a need to understand and measure the success of infusing an advanced technology into a complex system. Industry and academia desire understand the infusion process. This paper focuses on advanced technology infusion into a spacesuit PLSS. A discussion of how the infusion began with a schematic study performed and documented in 2007 which influenced and shaped the design of the Exploration PLSS protype for the last 15 years. This research could help NASA and industry�s project managers and system mangers integrate advanced technologies more effectively and efficiently.