Life Support Systems for a New Lunar Lander

Abstract

A life support system concept has been developed for a new NASA lunar lander concept. The ground rules and assumptions driving the design of this vehicle are different from the Constellation Altair vehicle, and have led to a different design solution. For example, this concept assumes that the lander vehicle arrives in lunar orbit independently of the crew. It loiters in lunar orbit for months before rendezvousing with the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV), resulting in the use of solar power for this new lander, rather than fuel cells that provided product water to the life support system in the Altair vehicle. Without the need to perform a single Lunar Orbit Insertion burn for both the lander and the MPCV, the modules do not have to be centered in the same way, so the new lander has a smaller ascent module than Altair and a large habitat rather than a small airlock. This new lander utilizes suitport technology to perform EVAs from the habitat, which leads to significantly different requirements for the pressure control system. This paper describes the major trades and resulting concept design for the life support system of a new lunar lander concept.

Lunar Exploration and Access to Polar Regions (LEAPR)

“…The vehicle can perform a direct landing to some places, mostly at PR and ER, with V of 2,400 m/s to ~3,000 m/s [143]. The Table [6] shows the distribution of velocities that the KTV can do. Utilizing this for the 2-day missions presents a better solution for a minimal time of return to the Gateway, considering the departure point in NRHO.…”

Complexity Evaluation of an Environmental Control and Life-Support System Based on Directed and Undirected Structural Entropy Methods

“…In addition, it can remove human waste, CO 2 , wastewater, urine, and feces. Moreover, the system can realize the functions of pressure relief protection, fire detection and extinction, and harmful gas removal [ 1 , 2 , 3 ].…”