Space Station Live: Environmental Control and Life Support System

Summary

The script discusses the evolution of life support systems on the Space Station since 1985, detailing the current regenerative system that recycles air and water for six crew members. It highlights the challenges of managing air and water in a closed environment, including carbon dioxide removal and waste management. The script also mentions the commercial application of the water processing technology for global disaster relief. The focus is on improving the system's reliability and efficiency for future space missions beyond Earth's orbit, aiming to demonstrate a Mars-like life support system on the Space Station.

Takeaways

• 🚀 The speaker's career began in 1985, working on the Space Station project in its early phases.
• 🌌 The Space Station has a fully operational regenerative life support system that recycles air and water for its crew.
• 🌳 Earth relies on plants for carbon dioxide removal and oxygen production, but the Space Station uses chemical equipment for these processes.
• 🌡️ The life support system also manages temperature and humidity, similar to an air conditioner.
• 💧 Water management on the Space Station includes processing waste such as urine and sweat, and recycling humidity into clean drinking water.
• 🚽 Solid waste management, including toilet systems, is also a critical part of the life support system.
• 🔥 Emergency equipment like fire detection and suppression, as well as atmosphere and water monitoring, are essential components of the system.
• 🦠 Iodine is used to control microbial populations in the water, with a specially developed resin releasing iodine for this purpose.
• 🌐 The iodine resin technology was initially developed for the shuttle and has been commercialized for global use in filtration systems.
• 🔍 The speaker emphasizes the need for more reliable systems for future long-duration missions, where resupply from Earth will not be feasible.
• 🌟 The goal is to demonstrate the Mars-like life support system on the Space Station by the end of the Space Station Live program.

Q & A

When did the speaker start working with Space Station projects?

The speaker started working with Space Station projects in 1985, during Phase B.

What is the current status of the life support system on the Space Station?

The life support system on the Space Station is operational and regenerative, supporting six crew members by recycling air and water.

What is the role of chemical equipment in the Space Station's life support system?

The chemical equipment is used to remove carbon dioxide from the air and replace it with oxygen for the crew to breathe.

How does the Space Station manage carbon dioxide and oxygen levels?

The Space Station uses chemical equipment to remove carbon dioxide and relies on the chemical release of oxygen to maintain breathable air for the crew.

What is the purpose of the iodine in the water processing system?

Iodine is used to control the microbial population in the product water, ensuring the water is safe for the crew to drink.

How is the humidity from the air on the Space Station managed?

Humidity is removed from the air and recycled, turning it into clean drinking water.

What is the significance of the resin used in the water processor?

The specially developed resin is used to impart iodine into the water, which helps control microbial growth and was initially developed for shuttle use.

How has the technology from the Space Station's water processor been applied commercially?

The technology has been licensed to a commercial company that has adapted it for ground-based filtration systems used in villages and for disaster relief applications globally.

What are the challenges for life support systems in future long-duration missions?

The challenges include making the systems more reliable, reducing complexity, and increasing the efficiency of recycling to minimize the need for resupply from Earth.

Why is the Space Station an ideal platform for testing life support systems?

The Space Station is an ideal platform because it allows for real-world testing of systems in a space environment, providing valuable data for improving and evolving the technology for future missions.

What is the speaker's goal regarding the demonstration of Mars life support systems on the Space Station?

The speaker's goal is to demonstrate the Mars life support system on the Space Station by the end of the Space Station Live, showcasing the system intended for future missions.

Outlines

00:00

🚀 Space Station Life Support System Development

The speaker reflects on their career since 1985, starting with the early stages of the Space Station project. They discuss the evolution of the life support systems on the Space Station, which now fully recycle air and water for a crew of six. The systems include air conditioning, carbon dioxide removal, oxygen production, and water purification from waste and humidity. The speaker also mentions the use of iodine and a special resin for water purification, originally developed for the shuttle and later commercialized for global deployment in various applications, including disaster relief. The goal is to improve these systems for future space missions beyond Earth's orbit, making them more reliable and efficient without the need for resupply.

Keywords

💡Space Station

The Space Station refers to a large orbital structure designed for humans to live and work in space. In the video, it is mentioned as a place where regenerative life support systems are being developed and tested. The script discusses the evolution from Phase B in 1985 to the current working system that supports six crew members, highlighting its importance in the context of space exploration and sustainability.

💡Regenerative life support system

A regenerative life support system is a type of closed-loop system that recycles air and water for a crew in a space habitat. The script mentions that the current system on the Space Station completely recycles air and water, which is crucial for long-duration space missions where resupply from Earth is not feasible.

💡Air conditioning

Air conditioning is a system used to control the temperature and humidity in an environment. In the context of the Space Station, air conditioning is essential for maintaining a comfortable living space for the crew. The script uses this term to illustrate the need for temperature and humidity control, similar to how it is done on Earth.

💡Carbon dioxide

Carbon dioxide is a gas that is a byproduct of human respiration and needs to be managed in a closed environment like the Space Station. The script discusses the use of chemical equipment to remove carbon dioxide from the air and replace it with oxygen, which is critical for maintaining a breathable atmosphere.

💡Contaminants

Contaminants refer to substances that can pollute or degrade the quality of air or water. In the script, the management of air contaminants is mentioned as part of the life support system's function, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a clean environment for the crew.

💡Waste management

Waste management involves the collection, treatment, and disposal of waste materials. The script discusses the need to manage all crew waste, including urine and sweat, and how humidity from the air is removed and recycled into clean drinking water. This is a key aspect of sustainability in a closed-loop system.

💡Solid waste

Solid waste refers to non-liquid waste materials that need to be disposed of or recycled. In the script, solid waste management is mentioned alongside the need for potties, indicating the comprehensive nature of waste management systems in space.

💡Fire detection and suppression

Fire detection and suppression systems are crucial for safety in any environment, including space. The script mentions the responsibility for these systems, highlighting the importance of safety measures in a confined space like the Space Station.

💡Microbial population

The microbial population refers to the community of microorganisms in a given environment. In the script, iodine is used to control the microbial population in product water, demonstrating the need for water quality management in a closed-loop system.

💡Resin

Resin is a material used in various applications, including water filtration. The script mentions a specially developed resin that imparts iodine into water, which is used in the water processor on the Space Station and has been commercialized for ground-based applications.

💡Long-duration missions

Long-duration missions refer to space missions that last for extended periods, often beyond Earth's orbit. The script discusses the need for more reliable systems that do not require frequent resupply, which is essential for the success of such missions.

Highlights

The speaker has been working on Space Station projects since 1985, starting in Phase B.

The development of a regenerative life support system on the Space Station that recycles air and water for six crew members.

The need to evolve and improve the life support system for beyond Earth orbit applications.

Functions of the life support system include air conditioning, carbon dioxide removal, and oxygen production.

Use of chemical equipment to replace carbon dioxide with oxygen in a closed environment.

Management of crew waste, including urine and sweat, and humidity recycling into drinking water.

Handling of solid waste and the use of potties on the Space Station.

Responsibility for emergency equipment, fire detection, suppression, and atmosphere monitoring.

Use of iodine and specially developed resin for microbial control in product water.

Commercial application of the water processor technology for ground-based filtration systems globally.

The goal of demonstrating Mars-like life support systems on the Space Station by the end of the Space Station Live.

The necessity for more reliable systems for future long-duration missions without Earth resupply.

The need for systems that do not break down and require fewer spare parts.

The importance of closing the recycling loop more completely for further space exploration.

Plans to start with existing systems and make them less complex, more reliable, and more efficient.

The Space Station as a perfect platform for testing and demonstrating future mission technologies.

Transcripts

>> Well, I've been working with [inaudible] pretty much

since the beginning of my career back in 1985.

Back then, Space Station was in Phase B,

and we were young engineers playing in the lab

with the first lift support systems trying to figure

out what we could use, what would work.

And so fast forward, now we've got a working regenerative life

support system on the Space Station that supports six crew.

It completely recycles the air and the water

for the Space Station crew, and we're working on how

to further evolve that and improve upon it

so that we can take it beyond [inaudible] orbit.

[Inaudible] is made up of a lot of different functions.

We have to condition the air, temperature and humidity control

like your air conditioner.

Like on Earth, we have plants to remove carbon dioxide

and give us oxygen where we don't have a,

in a closed environment like Space Station.

So we rely on chemical equipment

to essentially remove the carbon dioxide and then replace it

with oxygen for the crew to breathe.

We remove contaminants from the air.

In the water area, we have to manage all the crew's waste,

including urine and sweat,

humidity out of the air is removed and recycled,

and turned into clean drinking water, and then we have to deal

with solid waste as well.

So we do potties.

We also have emergency equipment we're responsible for,

fire detection and suppression, and then monitoring

of the atmosphere in the water.

We use iodine to control the microbial population

of product water, and we use a specially developed resin

that imparts the iodine into the water, it's released

from this resin, and that was licensed.

It was developed for use initially for shuttle

and became part of our water processor,

and then that was sold to a company who has,

a commercial company who has turned it

into ground-based filtration systems that they have taken

across the globe for deployment in villages,

for disaster relief, and all kinds of applications.

So that's been really neat to see that application.

We've got working system on Space Station.

We worked hard on that.

We definitely want to start there and evolve

that into what we need for future missions,

but as we cut the umbilical from Earth right now, you know,

we have the ability to send supplies up.

If an emergency happens, the crew can go home,

you know, back to Earth.

We can send samples down.

We won't have that for future long-duration missions.

They're on their own.

So we need our systems to be more reliable, not break down,

and not have to carry a lot of spare parts, and then also not

to have to resupply oxygen and water.

So we need to actually have a recycle more,

close the loop even more as we go further.

So we're looking at ways to do that with that,

starting with our existing systems

and make them less complex, therefore,

more reliable and more efficient.

So -

>> Will we see a demonstration like that on Space Station -

>> That is our goal.

That is our goal.

By the end of the Space Station Live,

we will have demonstrated the Mars [inaudible] in on station,

the system that we want to take for future.

And the Space Station's that perfect platform to do that. ------------------------------9efd3320fa5b--