ECLSS Architecture and Breakeven Analysis for Mission-Flexible LIFE™ Habitat

Loop closure for Environmental Control and Life Support Systems (ECLSS) has long been a goal for extended duration crewed missions. Journeys to destinations beyond Low Earth Orbit can take days, months, or years. As the distance from the Earth increases so does the need for efficient life support systems and effective allocations for consumables. Different mission durations have different ideal ECLSS configurations. System mass, crew size, consumables mass, and technology readiness level all factor into designing a suitable ECLSS. Sierra Space's Large Integrated Flexible Environment (LIFE™) habitat is suited to a wide range of low Earth and deep space missions. The flexibility of LIFE necessitates an evolvable and adaptable ECLSS design. To encompass a wide range of potential LIFE missions, ECLSS selections were made for three mission durations: 30 days, 180 days, and 1100 days. A literature survey was completed for each major environmental control and life support subsystem to determine the current state of the art, up and coming technologies, expected operational lifetime, and support services needed. Armed with the information gathered, the team evaluated each subsystem technology against mission needs, logistical limitations, and crew size and made selection recommendations for each mission configuration. This paper summarizes the considered options, resulting integrated systems, and necessary consumables for each of the three mission durations.