International Space Station:Investing in Humanity’s Future

Space Station v1.5:Space Station v1.5:Using ISS to Develop Using ISS to Develop

Technologies and Practices Technologies and Practices to Improve Utilization for ISS to Improve Utilization for ISS

Life ExtentionLife Extention

Jeffrey L. SmithJeffrey L. SmithJLSmith322@gmail.comJLSmith322@gmail.com

ASTE 527ASTE 527December 15, 2009December 15, 2009

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Problem

• ISS is the most expensive 6-person ISS is the most expensive 6-person national lab ever constructednational lab ever constructed

• ISS is slated to be decommissioned by ISS is slated to be decommissioned by 2020 at the latest2020 at the latest

• Most national labs are not scrapped after Most national labs are not scrapped after a decade in servicea decade in service

• Can we derive additional benefit beyond Can we derive additional benefit beyond this date?this date?

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Constraints/Opportunties

• ““Political Inertia” ensures that once a large program has been funded, it is more Political Inertia” ensures that once a large program has been funded, it is more likely that it will continue to be funded into the futurelikely that it will continue to be funded into the future

• Instead of decommissioning, other large scientific projects take advantage of new Instead of decommissioning, other large scientific projects take advantage of new and emerging technologies, that are retrofitted onto existing capital investments and emerging technologies, that are retrofitted onto existing capital investments and infrastructure, advancing to new capabilities or extending the life of existing and infrastructure, advancing to new capabilities or extending the life of existing capabilitiescapabilities

• If ISS continues beyond 2020, how can its life be made more useful?If ISS continues beyond 2020, how can its life be made more useful?

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Areas to Focus Improvements

• Basic research - experimentsBasic research - experiments– Increase the capability to do Increase the capability to do

basic science basic science – Give more PIs the chance to Give more PIs the chance to

do their researchdo their research

• Engineering development – Engineering development – station itselfstation itself– Test emerging space Test emerging space

exploration technologiesexploration technologies– Use technologies to drive Use technologies to drive

down costs and increase down costs and increase astronaut effectivenessastronaut effectiveness

• Both of these require more Both of these require more efficient operationsefficient operations

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How to Improve Research Efficiency?Focus on Time and Money

• ISS is best used for ISS is best used for human tendedhuman tended experiments, experiments, which requirewhich require– 1 Time – time to run experiments, record data, etc.1 Time – time to run experiments, record data, etc.– 2 Money – money to maintain the facility, re-supply, etc.2 Money – money to maintain the facility, re-supply, etc.

• 3 examples of how to do this with rationales3 examples of how to do this with rationales– 1 Regenerative life support system1 Regenerative life support system– 2 Increase available power for experiments and ECLSS 2 Increase available power for experiments and ECLSS

with nuclear power, additional heat rejectionwith nuclear power, additional heat rejection– 3 Improve astronaut effectiveness with human factors3 Improve astronaut effectiveness with human factors

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Environmentally Closed Life Support System

• Add 1 or more Russian modules to the station (can Add 1 or more Russian modules to the station (can be launched by Protons, etc.) to provide spacebe launched by Protons, etc.) to provide space

• Plants can be used to recycle air, water and wastesPlants can be used to recycle air, water and wastes• Include growing and waste regeneration facilitiesInclude growing and waste regeneration facilities• Growing plants can increase morale Growing plants can increase morale

– Seeing live organismsSeeing live organisms– Eating fresh fruits and vegetablesEating fresh fruits and vegetables

• ECLSS can decrease re-supply needs and increase ECLSS can decrease re-supply needs and increase morale, both of which improve astronaut morale, both of which improve astronaut effectivenesseffectiveness

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Power

• Developing large scale reactors or Developing large scale reactors or RTGs will be useful for future RTGs will be useful for future applications (Moon/Mars voyages applications (Moon/Mars voyages and bases)and bases)

• Nuclear/VASIMR combo would be Nuclear/VASIMR combo would be perfect for the futureperfect for the future

• Due to political concerns, this Due to political concerns, this would be a perfect technology to would be a perfect technology to team up with Russia on, design team up with Russia on, design could be done jointly and then built could be done jointly and then built in US while radioactive material is in US while radioactive material is integrated in Russia integrated in Russia

• Russia also already possesses the Russia also already possesses the radioactive material for such an radioactive material for such an operationoperation

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Human Factors

• Fans, pumps, other equipment lead to a very noisy Fans, pumps, other equipment lead to a very noisy environmentenvironment

• Astronauts aboard ISS as recently as 2006 were Astronauts aboard ISS as recently as 2006 were found to have permanent hearing lossfound to have permanent hearing loss

• NASA has added Passive Noise Reduction with NASA has added Passive Noise Reduction with padding, better fans, mufflers to reduce noise to padding, better fans, mufflers to reduce noise to 60dB or less60dB or less

• High noise levels lead to headaches, fatigue, High noise levels lead to headaches, fatigue, cardiovascular issues, stress, etc.cardiovascular issues, stress, etc.

• Astronauts aboard ISS still use earplugs 2-3 hours Astronauts aboard ISS still use earplugs 2-3 hours per dayper day

• Passive techniques have done about all they canPassive techniques have done about all they can

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Active Noise Reduction

• Add ANR units to fans Add ANR units to fans and pumps to decrease and pumps to decrease noise levelsnoise levels

• Can be used selectively Can be used selectively to target loudest to target loudest “offenders”“offenders”

• Increase the comfort Increase the comfort level of astronauts, level of astronauts, improving productivityimproving productivity

• Decrease chance of Decrease chance of long turn damagelong turn damage

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Conclusion

• During the next decade and beyond, ISS can be used During the next decade and beyond, ISS can be used as a testbed for a suite of new technologies to as a testbed for a suite of new technologies to improve human spaceflightimprove human spaceflight

• This can be done by focusing onThis can be done by focusing on– 1 increasing the throughput of science experiments1 increasing the throughput of science experiments– 2 improving the quality of life of astronauts so they can 2 improving the quality of life of astronauts so they can

focus on the most important tasksfocus on the most important tasks

• 3 examples of this are: ECLSS, nuclear power, and 3 examples of this are: ECLSS, nuclear power, and ANRANR

• Doing both of these can create the synergy to Doing both of these can create the synergy to improve the quantity and quality of work done by improve the quantity and quality of work done by humans in spacehumans in space