Space Suit & Protective Equipment Technology for Commercial Launch Entry Applications

Abstract

Nomenclature Conops = Concept of Operations COTS = Commercial Off the Shelf CO2 = Carbon Dioxide EMU = Extravehicular Mobility Unit EVA = Extravehicular Activity FAA = Federal Aviation Administration FEA = Finite Element Analysis LEA = Launch Entry Abort OSHA = Occupational Safety and Health Administration PPE = Personal Protective Equipment PPS = Personal Protective System TRL = Test Readiness Level I. Abstractommercial spaceflight is growing rapidly and advancing towards human-rated vehicles to support flights to the International Space Station, and commercial endpoints. Provisions for human safety and performance in nominal and emergency situations will be critical to the creation of a reliable space transportation system. Commercial space companies are considering various approaches to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) ranging from emergency breathing systems to space suits. Several hood/mask and space suits have been developed recently for application in commercial spaceflight. These suits and masks were designed to leverage commercial PPE technologies, such as chemical protective suits and Portable Air Purification Respirators, to minimize production cost and performance risk, and increase safety. By blending components and technologies from existing space suits, commercial PPE, and emerging technologies, an optimal approach to crew protection can be achieved for each vehicle type. This paper will discuss considerations for developing a commercial PPE system for use in space flight applications including system requirements, aesthetics, design and performance details of recently developed equipment, and what is required to transition this equipment into use on commercial vehicles.