Logistics and Life Support Systems Analysis for High-Mobility Exploration on a Lunar Surface

Abstract

This paper presents a formulation of a lunar surface excursion based on planetary extra vehicular activity parameters and constraints, and analyzes the supply and collection of resources (i.e. oxygen, pure water and waste water) for the life support system during a short excursion to Malapert and a longer trip to Schrödinger Basin. In the two excursions the life support system recycling options were studied using spread sheet simulations. The results indicated that the improved whole-system recycling rate when CO 2 was collected in the Lunar Electric Rover was smaller than when CO 2 was collected in the Pressurized Excursion Module. The effects of batch and periodic supply and collection of resources were analyzed by means of a dynamic simulation model. The results indicated that periodic supply and collection can stabilize the mass changes of resources at the outpost. However in a long-range excursion, the supplies and collections could not be adequately disperse since the Portable Utility Pallet's operation is restricted to daytime use only. If that restriction can be overcome, the resulting improved stabilization will contribute to the robustness of life support system operations when the range and term of exploration are extended. NomenclatureCh CO2 = carbon dioxide discharge rate of crew Ch O2 = oxygen consumption rate of crew d LERi = position of Lunar Electric Rover (LER) i d PCM = position of Pressurized Core Module (PCM) d PUPj = position of Portable Utility Pallet (PUP) j El = production rate of electrolysis reaction i = number of LER (i=1, 2, …, I) j = number of PUP (j=1, 2, …, J) N LERi = number of crew on LER i N PCM = number of crew in PCM pC sa = carbon production rate of CO 2 reduction pH 2EI = hydrogen production rate of electrolysis reaction pH 2 O EI = water consumption rate of electrolysis reaction pO 2EI = oxygen production rate of electrolysis reaction pO 2Sa = oxygen production rate of CO 2 reduction Sa = CO 2 reduction rate sw H2O = amount of water supply 1 Professor, Faculty of Liberal Arts for Global Studies and Leadership, 1105 Tsuruma, Senior Member. Downloaded by PURDUE UNIVERSITY on March 28, 2016 | http://arc.aiaa.org | International Conference on Environmental Systems (ICES) sw O2= amount of oxygen supply sw wH2O = amount of waste water recovery t = day (t=1, 2, …, T) Ta H2OinLERi = amount of water in water tank of LER i Ta H2OinPCM = amount of water in water tank of PCM Ta H2OinPUPj = amount of water in water tank of PUP j Ta H2OmaxinLERi = capacity of water tank in LER i Ta H2OmaxinPUPj = capacity of water tank in PUP j Ta O2inLERi = amount of oxygen in oxygen tank of LER i Ta O2inPCM = amount of oxygen in oxygen tank of PCM Ta O2inPUPj = amount of oxygen in oxygen tank of PUP j Ta O2maxinLERi = capacity of oxygen tank in LER i Ta O2maxinPUPj = capacity of oxygen tank in PUP j Ta wH2OinLERi = amount of waste water in waste water tank of LER i Ta wH2OinPCM = amount of waste water in waste water tank of PCM Ta wH2OinPUPj = amount of waste water in waste water tank o...