Testing of Materials for Passive Thermal Control of Space Suits

1988 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernadette Squire
Keyword(s):  
Author(s):  
Christopher J. Massina ◽  
David M. Klaus

Extravehicular activity (EVA) will play an important role as humans begin exploring Mars, which, in turn, will drive the need for new enabling technologies. For example, space suit heat rejection is currently achieved through the sublimation of ice water to the vacuum of space, a mechanism widely regarded as not feasible for use in Martian environment pressure ranges. As such, new, more robust thermal control mechanisms are needed for use under these conditions. Here, we evaluate the potential of utilizing a full suit, variable emittance radiator as the primary heat rejection mechanism during Martian surface EVAs. Diurnal and seasonal environment variations are considered for a latitude 27.5°S Martian surface exploration site. Surface environmental parameters were generated using the same methods used in the initial selection of the Mars Science Laboratory's initial landing site. This evaluation provides theoretical emittance setting requirements to evaluate the potential of the system's performance in a Mars environment. Parametric variations include metabolic rate, wind speed, radiator solar absorption, and total radiator area. The results showed that this thermal control architecture is capable of dissipating a standard nominal EVA metabolic load of 300 W in all the conditions with the exception of summer noon hours, where a supplemental heat rejection mechanism with a 250 W capacity must be included. These results can be used to identify when conditions are most favorable for conducting EVAs. The full suit, variable emittance radiator architecture provides a viable means of EVA thermal control on the Martian surface.


Author(s):  
S. P. Sapers ◽  
R. Clark ◽  
P. Somerville

OCLI is a leading manufacturer of thin films for optical and thermal control applications. The determination of thin film and substrate topography can be a powerful way to obtain information for deposition process design and control, and about the final thin film device properties. At OCLI we use a scanning probe microscope (SPM) in the analytical lab to obtain qualitative and quantitative data about thin film and substrate surfaces for applications in production and research and development. This manufacturing environment requires a rapid response, and a large degree of flexibility, which poses special challenges for this emerging technology. The types of information the SPM provides can be broken into three categories:(1)Imaging of surface topography for visualization purposes, especially for samples that are not SEM compatible due to size or material constraints;(2)Examination of sample surface features to make physical measurements such as surface roughness, lateral feature spacing, grain size, and surface area;(3)Determination of physical properties such as surface compliance, i.e. “hardness”, surface frictional forces, surface electrical properties.


2007 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 245-258 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leonid L. Vasiliev ◽  
Andrei G. Kulakov ◽  
L. L. Vasiliev, Jr ◽  
Mikhail I. Rabetskii ◽  
A. A. Antukh

Author(s):  
S. A. Hryshyn ◽  
A. G. Batischev ◽  
S. V. Koldashov ◽  
Aliaksei L. Petsiuk ◽  
V. A. Seliantev ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Alejandro Torres ◽  
Donatas Mishkinis ◽  
Andrei Kulakov ◽  
Francisco Romera ◽  
Carmen Gregori

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