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International Space Station as a Testbed for Long-Duration

Human Exploration

Robyn Gatens, NASA HQ ISS DivisionAffording Mars Workshop, Dec 2, 2015

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Technologies & Capabilities Human Health

Operations

ECLSS & Environmental Monitoring

Crew Autonomy, Comm Delay

Long Duration Health & Performance

Microgravity Biomedical Countermeasures/Exerci

se Equipment

Radiation Monitoring

EVA

Fire Safety

Earth re-entry systems

Communications & Navigation

Long duration Cryogenic Storage Systems

Fission Power

Electric Propulsion

Nuclear Propulsion

Habitation, Structures & Materials

Telerobotics

Variable, low mass thermal systems

ISRU

Robotic crew assist

Power & energy storage

Mars Entry, Descent & Landing Systems

Docking systems

Autonomous AR&D

Radiation Protection

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* = NRC priority area

In-space manufacturing

ISS can close these gaps for future missions

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The OCT Road mapping, NRC recommendations, teams of NASA experts, and International teams identified these key areas where ISS research would be beneficial to advance the SOA reducing risk and improve capability for exploration. Benefits include system demonstration (+flight safety and system interoperability), training (flight and ground crew), con-ops (nominal and off nominal), and understand system logistics/reliability.

Key areas include:• Long Duration Health & Performance• In-Space Propulsion• Space Power and Energy• Robotics, Tele-Robotics and Autonomous Systems • Communication and Navigation• Life Support and Habitation Systems (air, water, waste, Environmental Monitoring)

• Exploration Destination Systems• Science Instruments• Entry, Descent and Landing Systems• Materials, Structures and Manufacturing• Thermal Management Systems (including Cryo)

• Radiation (monitoring & protection)• Fire Safety• Operational Processes and Procedures

Technology Demonstration focus - Technical Areas

MISSE-8

SCAN

Robonaut

Amine Swingbed

REBR

* NRC priority area

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Human Research ProgramIntegrated Path to Risk Reduction, Revision C (2015)

Assumptions:

- 450 crew hrs/ Increment pair

- 3 crew/ Increment pair

- 6 month missions

Updated6/10/15

HRPCB-approvedPPBE17 baseline

Uncontrolled

PartiallyControlled

Controlled

Optimized

InsufficientData

Milestones Requires ISS Milestone ShiftISS Not RequiredISS Required 1

Long-Duration Human Health

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Exercise and Bone Loss Prevention

Effects of microgravity on ocular health and intra-cranial pressure

Nutrition

Radiation Effects

Medical Kits & Devices

One-Year Crew

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ISS Exploration Technology “Fly-Off Plan” (page 1 of 2)

Revision dated 12/1/15

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ISS Exploration Technology “Fly-Off Plan” (page 2 of 2)

Revision dated 12/1/15

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• Developed initially in 2013 following ISS SIP action to determine necessary gap-closing technology demonstrations needed on ISS

• Continuously revised with agency System Maturation Team inputs• Not a listing of ALL ISS technology demonstrations; intended to capture

critical gap-closing ones• Does not include international partner demonstrations related to gaps.

Administrator has sent matrix to the IP’s for input, and I-SMT’s coordinating with their counterparts.

Fly-Off Plan

Key Takeaways:• Many gap-filling demonstrations lack sufficient funding

commitments at this time• Joint coordination and sponsorship needed between HEOMD

(ISS, AES) and STMD

ISS Technology Development for Exploration

Life Support

Optical Communication

Lightweight Structures & Materials

Fire Safety

In-Space Manufacturing

Zero Boil-off Cryogenic Fluid Storage

Robotic Refueling

Environmental Monitoring

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Recent Technology Demonstrations on ISS

Examples of research recently performed SPHERES HALO

– testing of on-orbit robotic assembly and servicing

SPHERES-Slosh– understanding of liquid movement in a zero gravity

3D Printing In Zero-G– characterization of 3D printing in micro gravity

Orion Optical Navigation– Orion Optical Navigation Algorithm Demo

AMO TOCA and AMO EXPRESS– demonstrates advanced software to help astronauts operate a component of

ISS with less assistance from Earth

Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) Testbed

– reconfigurable software defined radios (SDRs)

Payloads transitioned to ISS Core operations Amine Swingbed (CO2 removal system for Orion)

Disruption Tolerant Networking for Space Operations (DTN)

SPHERES - HALO

Orion Optical Navigation

SPHERES - Slosh

AMO Interface

SCaN

Amine Swingbed

Disruption Tolerant Networking

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April 2014-September 2015, NASA technology demonstrations have accounted for 20-28% of the NASA research on ISS

Recent ISS Research

18 TDO Experiments

17 TDO Experiments

19 TDO Experiments

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Upcoming Planned Demos (FY16 and 17)

Technology Demonstrations planned for FY 2016 Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM)

– Demonstrate inflatable module technologies

Packed Bed Reactor Experiment (PBRE) – Fluid physics experiment in packed bed reactor system design in microgravity

environment

Water Monitoring Suite [1-E]– monitor microbial, reactive silica and organics on-board

Long Duration Sorbent Testbed (LDST) [1-E]– evaluates CO2 adsorption capacity

Zero Boil-Off Tank (ZBOT) – cryogenic tank experiment

Personal CO2 Monitor [1-E]– Wearable CO2 monitor

Saffire Spacecraft Fire Safety Demonstration (SAFFIRE I, II, (III in FY17 )

– 3 CYGNUS flights post undock test flammability of different materials in low gravity

NICER– demonstrate real-time, on-board X-ray pulsar-based navigation (XNAV) for the first

time

Mini Exercise Device-2 (MED-2) [1-E]– Demonstrate resistive, rowing and cycling exercise concept with a single cable

device to reduce weight and volume

BEAM

Water Monitoring Suite

Silica Analyzer Microbial Monitoring

OrganicWaterMonitor

NICER

ZBOT

LDST

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Technology Demonstrations planned for FY 2017 Space Debris Sensor (SDS) [1-E]

– directly measure orbital debris

Phase Change HX – test PCM HXs for Orion and future exploration vehicles

RFID Logistics Awareness [1-E]– Autonomous logistics management

RED-Data2 – measurement system to characterize the entry environment for Orion

Roll-Out Solar Array – demonstrate an advanced, lightweight, solar array technology

Phase Change Heat exchanger

Space Debris Sensor

Roll out solar Array Demo

Upcoming Planned Demos (FY16 and 17)

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Specific Habitation System Objectives

System Includes Today Cis-Lunar Goal

Life Support

Air revitalization, water recovery, waste collection and

processing

42% recovery of O2 from CO2; 90% recovery of H2O;

<6 mo MTBF for some components

>75% recovery of O2 from CO2; >98% recovery of H2O;

>2 yr MTBF

Environmental Monitoring

atmosphere, water, microbial, particulate, and acoustic

monitors

Limited, crew-intensive on-board capability; rely on sample return to

Earth

On-board analysis capability with no sample return; identify and quantify species and organisms in air & water

Crew Health

exercise equipment, medical treatment and diagnostic

equipment, long-duration food storage

Large, cumbersome exercise equipment, limited on-orbit medical

capability, food system based on frequent resupply

Small, effective exercise equipment, on-board medical capabilities, long-duration

food system

EVA

Exploration suit ISS EMU’s based on Shuttle heritage technology; not extensible to

surface ops

Next generation spacesuit with greater mobility, reliability, enhanced life support,

operational flexibility

Fire

Non-toxic portable fire extinguisher, emergency mask, combustion products monitor,

fire cleanup device

Large CO2 suppressant tanks, 2-cartridge mask, obsolete fire

products. No fire cleanup other than depress/repress

Unified fire safety approach that works across small and large architecture

elements

Radiation Protection

Low atomic number materials including polyethylene, water,

or any hydrogen-containing materials

Node 2 CQ’s augmented with polyethylene to reduce the impacts of trapped proton irradiation for ISS

crew members

Solar particle event storm shelter based on optimized position of on-board materials and CQ’s with minimized

upmass to eliminate major impact of solar particle event on total mission dose