NASA Habitat Demonstration Unit Project - Deep Space Habitat Overview

Kennedy, Kriss J.

doi:10.2514/6.2011-5020

Cited by 13 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…For additional detail on the HDU Deep Space Habitat configuration, see Ref. 4. For more details on the X-Hab challenge, reference http://www.spacegrant.org/xhab/.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Habitat Demonstration Unit Pressurized Excursion Module Systems Integration Strategy

Gill

Kennedy

Merbitz

et al. 2011

41st International Conference on Environmental Systems

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I. AbstractThe Habitat Demonstration Unit (HDU) project team constructed an analog prototype lunar surface laboratory called the Pressurized Excursion Module (PEM). The prototype unit subsystems were integrated in a short amount of time, utilizing a rapid prototyping approach that brought together over 20 habitation-related technologies from a variety of NASA centers. This paper describes the system integration strategies and lessons learned, that allowed the PEM to be brought from paper design to working field prototype using a multi-center team.The system integration process was based on a rapid prototyping approach. Tailored design review and test and integration processes facilitated that approach. The use of collaboration tools including electronic tools as well as documentation enabled a geographically distributed team take a paper concept to an operational prototype in approximately one year. One of the major tools used in the integration strategy was a coordinated effort to accurately model all the subsystems using computer aided design (CAD), so conflicts were identified before physical components came together.A deliberate effort was made following the deployment of the HDU PEM for field operations to collect lessons learned to facilitate process improvement and inform the design of future flight or analog versions of habitat systems. Significant items within those lessons learned were limitations with the CAD integration approach and the impact of shell design on flexibility of placing systems within the HDU shell. II. BackgroundA technique being utilized in NASA's exploration architecture analysis is rapid prototyping for analog testing in relevant environments such as desert locales as seen in Ref. 1. Running through potential "day in the life" scenarios at an outpost with prototype equipment allows designers insight into the utilization of the proposed systems and refines architecture and operations concepts. A series of Desert Research and Technology Studies (RaTS) have been held in locations such as Moses Lake, Washington, Black Point Lava Flow, and SP Crater, Arizona, where the most recent tests in September 2010 were performed simulating a 14-21 day lunar mission. A depiction of the lunar architecture 2 under evaluation in the Desert RaTS 2010 campaign is depicted in Figure 1.

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“…For additional detail on the HDU Deep Space Habitat configuration, see Ref. 4. For more details on the X-Hab challenge, reference http://www.spacegrant.org/xhab/.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Habitat Demonstration Unit Pressurized Excursion Module Systems Integration Strategy

Gill

Kennedy

Merbitz

et al. 2011

41st International Conference on Environmental Systems

Self Cite

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“…Additionally, an evaluation known as the "incapacitated crewmember scenario" was performed, in which a stuffed mockup space suit was translated from the bottom of the Airlock access ramp, up the ramp, over the porch, and into the Airlock using the Airlock winch, which was operated by a suited test subject. After completion of these final PEM test points in late January 2011, reconfiguration activities began in earnest with the HDU to convert it from the PEM configuration to the Deep Space Habitat configuration in support of the Desert RATS 2011 field campaign (see Figure 10) 4 .…”

Section: Post-desert Rats Hdu-pem Testingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Planning and Logistics for the In-Field Demonstration of NASA's Habitat Demonstration Unit (HDU) Pressurized Excursion Module (PEM) at Desert RATS 2010

Tri

Kennedy

Toups

et al. 2011

41st International Conference on Environmental Systems

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This paper describes the construction, assembly, subsystem integration, transportation, and field testing operations associated with the Habitat Demonstration Unit (HDU) Pressurized Excursion Module (PEM) and discusses lessons learned. In a one-year period beginning summer 2009, a tightly scheduled design-develop-build process was utilized by a small NASA "tiger team" to produce the functional HDU-PEM prototype in time to participate in the 2010 Desert Research and Technology Studies (Desert RATS) field campaign. The process required the coordination of multiple teams, subcontractors, facility management and safety staff. It also required a well-choreographed material handling and transportation process to deliver the finished product from the NASA-Johnson Space Center facilities to the remote Arizona desert locations of the field test. Significant findings of this paper include the team's greater understanding of the HDU-PEM's many integration issues and the in-field training the team acquired which will enable the implementation of the next-generation of improvements and development of high-fidelity field operations in a harsh environment. The Desert RATS analog environment is being promoted by NASA as an efficient means to design, build, and integrate multiple technologies in a mission architecture context, with the eventual goal of evolving the technologies into robust flight hardware systems. The HDU-PEM in-field demonstration at Desert RATS 2010 provided a validation process for the integration team, which has already begun to retool for the 2011 field tests that require an adapted architecture.

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“…To begin addressing this question, an experiment assessing crew-ground interaction and operational performance was performed in May and June of 2012 in NASA Johnson Space Center's Deep-Space Habitat (DSH) [10,18], an Earth-analog of a workspace and living area that might house a crew during the transport and surface phases of a deep-space crewed mission. Crews consisting of a commander and three flight engineers followed a two-hour mission timeline populated with activities representative of those that might occur during a typical day in the quiescent (cruise) phase of a long-duration space mission.…”

Section: Table 1 Human Spaceflight Destinations In the Solarmentioning

confidence: 99%