2014-10-222014-10-222014-07-13978-0-692-38220-2ICES-2014-313http://hdl.handle.net/2346/59717Tucson, ArizonaThe 44th International Conference on Environmental Systems was held in Tuscon, Arizona, USA on 13 July 2014 through 17 July 2014.Phil D. Sadler, Sadler Machine Company, USARoberto Furfaro, University of Arizona, USAR. Lane Patterson, University of Arizona, USASadler Machine Company, working in collaboration with the University of Arizona Controlled Environment Agriculture Center, UA Aerospace/Mechanical Engineering School, and other NASA Steckler Space Grant partners, proposes a future Bioregenerative Life Support System (BLSS) oriented Mars Habitat. Initial human Mars surface exploration missions will most likely be of limited duration (~60 days) due to the narrow return window resulting from the roughly biennial Earth/Mars alignment. Once longer missions are undertaken, this same Earth/Mars biennial alignment will dictate missions of approximately ~500 days with crews spending over a year living on Martian surface. These initial “picnic missions” (~ 60 days) will rely almost exclusively on meals brought from Earth, utilize very small crew quarters, and be supported by physicochemical life support systems (PCLSS). Once the longer duration missions of ~500 plus days are undertaken, crop production in the habitat becomes feasible, which can augment the crew’s diets while recycling their water and revitalizing their atmosphere. BLSS works in concert with Physicochemical Life Support Systems (PCLSS) and adds another level of dissimilar system redundancy for crew life support safety while extending the PCLSS functional longevity. BLSS enables incorporation of ISRU of Mars’ carbon dioxide atmosphere, water, and sunlight into the mission to reduce dependency on stowed or resupplied food and water, and could help support a crew for an unintended extended mission duration. The habitats utilized for an extended presence on the lunar surface and the ~500 day Martian missions will most likely be of common design. Utilizing the earlier BLSS based UA/SMC Lunar Habitat design a comparison of the Lunar and Martian habitats challenges are explored.application/pdfengPresentation