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Development of a Mechanical Trash Compactor (Mpactor) for Human Space Exploration Missions
No full textGregory S. Pace, Bastion Technologies, United StatesSerena Trieu, Bastion Technologies, United StatesJanine Young, Bastion Technologies, United StatesLance Delzeit, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), United StatesSteve A. Sepka, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), United StatesTra-My Justine Richardson, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), United StatesICES304: Physico-Chemical Life Support- Waste Management
Systems- Technology and Process DevelopmentThe 54th International Conference on Environmental Systems was held in Prague, Czechia, on 13 July 2025 through 17 July 2025.A pneumatically driven trash compaction system called the
Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) Compactor, intended for use
in the micro-gravity environment, was developed at NASA
Ames Research Center in 2007 for the NASA Constellation
Program. This CEV Compactor is being further developed and
was renamed the Mpactor (short for mechanical trash
compactor). The Mpactor does not use heating or perform
water removal and water recovery which eliminates the need
for the complex ancillary hardware required to manage
gaseous effluents or liquid water. The Mpactor is being
used to gather engineering data that will allow engineers
and planners to scale a future design for different mission
scenarios and to evaluate different bag materials and
designs
Life Support Systems: A Comparative Study of Machine Learning Applications, Challenges, and Future Developments in Space Exploration
No full textChristian Mayer, University of Stuttgart, GermanyClaas Olthoff, University of Stuttgart, GermanyICES301: Advanced Life Support Systems ControlThe 54th International Conference on Environmental Systems was held in Prague, Czechia, on 13 July 2025 through 17 July 2025.Future space exploration missions will take humans farther
away from Earth than ever before. This increases the
necessity for more reliable and efficient life support
systems (LSSs). To improve autonomy and safety, the use of
modern machine learning (ML) methods for fault detection or
control is promising. This paper provides a comparative
study of existing research on ML applications, including
technology from other scientific fields such as the
automotive or smart home sectors, to motivate further
research towards developing reliable and efficient ML-based
solutions for LSSs in human space exploration. Challenges
about explainability, robustness and overall implementation
in the harsh environment of space must be addressed to
ensure the safety of the crew and flexibility as well as
scalability of a model. Looking ahead, key opportunities
and possible future research in the areas of ressource
optimization, autonomy and efficiency are discussed. In
addition, the current and ongoing research in the field of
LSSs at the University of Stuttgart’s Institute of Space
Systems is highlighted, including an overview of the Human
Spaceflight Lab and ML-based fault detection
Development of a Damageable Numerical Engine Cooling System for Resilient Aerospike Rockets
Get PDFMarco Nanni, Purdue University, United StatesSeungho Rhee, Purdue University, United StatesJames Canino, Purdue University, United StatesFederico Rossi, Pangea Aerospace, SpainErnesto Sozio, Pangea Aerospace, SpainDavide Ziviani, Purdue University, United StatesICES511: Reliability for Space Based SystemsThe 54th International Conference on Environmental Systems was held in Prague, Czechia, on 13 July 2025 through 17 July 2025.The role of a resilient aerospike rocket engine system,
including both propulsion and thermal management systems,
is to ensure mission success during nominal and emergency
operations for long-term space explorations. In the event
of planetary landings under unexpected atmospheric and
terrain conditions, thrust levels and throttle responses
should be adapted to perform critical maneuvers, even with
damaged components. Abnormal flight conditions can
drastically impact component performance, leading to
cascading damage effects across the entire system. To
understand the effects of degrading components on other
critical elements, it is necessary to conduct system-level
analyses. While existing research has optimized
regenerative cooling systems for rocket engines under
steady-state, or during normal engine operations, a
critical gap remains in analyzing system-level interactions
with damaged components during abnormal conditions. To
address this gap, this paper introduces a multi-physics
system-level numerical model of the thermal management
system of the aerospike rocket. First, a literature review
of the state-of-the-art in aerospike engines is conducted
to identify baseline requirements and establish the design
operating conditions. Subsequently, system behaviors are
evaluated with the introduced model, under both normal and
abnormal conditions, to investigate potential reliable
engine cooling system designs. The proposed model is
validated with experimental data under nominal conditions.
With this validated model, simulation cases are extended to
abnormal conditions causing component level damages. Focus
of the analyses is placed on investigating the impact of
these degraded components, and throttling operations in
adverse scenarios on the performance of the aerospike
nozzle's cooling system. This paper provides a baseline for
further studies aimed at enhancing the robustness and
resilience of the aerospike’s thermal management system
3D Tomographic Analysis of Regolith Simulants Enabling Multidimensional Particle-Discrete Characterization
Get PDFRalf Ditscherlein, TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Institute of Mechanical Process
Engineering and Mineral Processing, GermanyLisa Ditscherlein, TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Institute of Mechanical Process
Engineering and Mineral Processing, GermanyUrs Peuker, TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Institute of Mechanical Process
Engineering and Mineral Processing, GermanyMatthias Weber, Ulm University, GermanyOrkun Furat, Ulm University, GermanyVolker Schmidt, Ulm University, GermanyTobias Lamping, TU Braunschweig, Institut für Partikeltechnik, GermanyCarsten Schilde, TU Braunschweig, Institut für Partikeltechnik, GermanyTehya Birch, Airbus Defence and Space, GermanyAchim Seidel, Airbus Defence and Space, GermanyEmanuele Monchieri, Airbus Defence and Space, GermanyMarkus Franz, Airbus Defence and Space, GermanyGeorg Pöhle, Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and
Advanced Materials IFAM, GermanyChristian Redlich, Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and
Advanced Materials IFAM, GermanyICES510: Planetary and Spacecraft Dust Properties and
Mitigation TechnologiesThe 54th International Conference on Environmental Systems was held in Prague, Czechia, on 13 July 2025 through 17 July 2025.Lunar in-situ Resource Utilisation (ISRU) has become a
rapidly growing field within the last decade. In this
context, the extraction of oxygen directly from lunar
regolith is one of the major challenges as starting point
for a successful exploration of the Moon and beyond. This
publication is part of a series of talks on Universal
Predictors of Regolith Behavior (UPREB) which address a
framework to develop a deeper understanding of the source
material, regolith, to successfully process it on the Moon.
The particulate material brought back to Earth by the lunar
missions can only be used for validation due to limited
quantities. To close the knowledge gap regarding the
behaviour of this material in the lunar environment,
simulants are used to try to reproduce real regolith in
terms of mineralogical composition, chemical composition
and particle size distribution. Most analyses, both of
simulants and real regolith, do not provide any information
on particle descriptors on a single-particle basis.
However, this kind of data is essential to correlate
particle descriptors multidimensionally, e.g., for particle
size and particle shape, which cannot be considered
independently of each other in mechanical processes like
sieving. Only particle-discrete data enables reliable
statistical models (e.g., digital twins of the regolith
particle systems) and simulations (e.g., flow behaviour of
the bulk material using Discrete Element Modelling - DEM).
In the following we will focus on the analyses of various
regolith simulants using 3D X-ray Microtomography. We show
special aspects of sample preparation, measurement, and
image post-processing, which are essential to extract valid
particle-discrete data. With the proposed workflow it is
possible to create a valid and statistically significant
data basis for subsequent virtual materials testing. This
will enable the reproduction of the fundamentally different
lunar conditions compared to the Earth's environment,
facilitating preparations for new missions
Tackling a Mars Cycler Design Head-on
Get PDFA. Scott Howe, Plug-in Creations Architecture, LLC / NASA-JPL - retired, United StatesJohn Blincow, Offworld Industries, United StatesTheodore Hall, University of Michigan, United StatesColin Leonard, ISDA Consulting, United StatesICES502: Space ArchitectureThe 54th International Conference on Environmental Systems was held in Prague, Czechia, on 13 July 2025 through 17 July 2025.We approach the design of a conceptual Mars cycler that
could accommodate major numbers of emigrant settlers to a
Mars colony, regardless of how extreme or out-of-reach some
of the required technologies might seem. It is commonly
assumed that in the distant future, a significant planetary
migration program might eventually take place for the
establishment of a multi-planet species. Whereas some
critics have questioned whether priorities for planetary
colonization might be misplaced, others point out that
there may only be a short window for humanity to become a
space-faring civilization. Recently, Elon Musk of SpaceX
has advocated for an accelerated settlement of Mars with a
population of one million by the year 2050, using 1,000
Starships sent at each Earth-Mars launch opportunity.
Setting aside discussions regarding the timing and
appropriateness of such an ambitious endeavor, even though
the numbers seem daunting there are engineering solutions
that could make it work. While SpaceX has designed reusable
transportation systems that could conceivably carry out the
task, the sheer scale of launching, refueling, and carrying
100 persons per vessel across vast distances and durations
will require significant logistical and technical
considerations. We analyze the Musk targets, and
realistically consider the problem from a human habitation
perspective to ask what it would take to accommodate such
large numbers in a transit scenario
Cryogenic Thermal Margins: Key to IR Sensor Success
Get PDFDavid Glaister, BAE Systems, United StatesCarlita Gorham, BAE Systems, United StatesICES108: Thermal Control of Cryogenic Instruments and
Optical SystemsThe 54th International Conference on Environmental Systems was held in Prague, Czechia, on 13 July 2025 through 17 July 2025.Thermal margins are critical to the development, the
production, the test, and ultimately the performance of
thermal subsystems. And, the subset of thermal subsystems
that are cryogenic are even more reliant on thermal margins
for success. Thermal uncertainty margins cover the inherent
uncertainty, due to both design and analysis limitations,
of predicting performance in space. They are not equivalent
to sensitivity analyses that focus on the impact on
performance of individual design and analysis parameters
and assumptions. Thermal margins cover all the areas of
uncertainty in the design. These include areas that are
inherently nearly impossible to eliminate uncertainty such
as: thermal interstitial joints (workmanship influenced),
orbit environments (transient), surface properties (vary
with individual surfaces), thermophysical properties (vary
with individual material lots), MLI (empirical ranges),
etc. These areas often have empirically derived ranges. At
Ball Aerospace, cryogenic margin is based on the MIL-STD
philosophy and this section will cover that in more detail.
It is critical to not only establish, but track margins
throughout a program, from pre-proposal to on-orbit.
Examples will be provided that show the tracking of margin
on several actual Ball programs
Design and Qualification of a New High-Altitude Bailout Survival Ensemble
Get PDFShane Jacobs, David Clark Company Incorporated, United StatesNicholas Deane, David Clark Company Incorporated, United StatesICES400: Extravehicular Activity: Space SuitsThe 54th International Conference on Environmental Systems was held in Prague, Czechia, on 13 July 2025 through 17 July 2025.The S1034 Pilot’s Protective Assembly worn by U-2 pilots is
designed to provide hypobaric protection in the event of
cabin depressurization, and bailout capability in the event
of ejection. The ensemble recently required a design
update and re-qualification to incorporate the Combat
Survivor Evader Locator (CSEL) survival radio. This paper
describes the design, development and qualification of the
new ensemble. The retainer assembly, which is worn
exterior to the pressure suit and integrates the parachute
harness and flotations, has been redesigned to include a
unique pocket to accommodate the CSEL. It is critical that
the CSEL is quickly accessible post-ejection, and the
pocket must be easily operable by either hand. Remaining
secure through all phases of nominal flight and any
potential contingencies, including ejection, was also a
driving requirement. A tether feature was integrated
within the pocket to ensure that the CSEL would not be lost
if dropped in a post-ejection scenario. Several prototype
units were developed and subjected to myriad tests
including cycle testing, lanyard pull tests, gloved hand
accessibility, and subjective fittings within the ejection
envelope of the cockpit. Once finalized, the new design
required requalification for ejection. Critical testing
performed included wind-blast testing and vertical drop
tower testing. The wind-blast testing was conducted to
ensure that the new pocket would not open during ejection,
nor cause secondary effects to the suit/seat system.
Vertical drop tower testing verified the ensemble’s
integrity when subjected to the large shock loads
associated with ejection and parachute opening. Cockpit
integration tests demonstrated that the CSEL and pocket did
not preclude nominal flight functions within the cockpit
and further served to certify that the new ensemble was
qualified for flight use. The system is now qualified, and
the designs and lessons learned from this effort will be
applied to future high-altitude bailout efforts
Late Hemingfordian-Barstovian Mammalian Biostratigraphy and Lithostratigraphy of the Tesuque Formation (Middle Miocene), Española Basin, North-central New Mexico
No full textThe middle Miocene was a time of significant climatic, ecological, and depositional transitions that shaped mammalian communities and basin evolution across North America. The Tesuque Formation of the Española Basin, north-central New Mexico, preserves a well-documented record of faunal and environmental changes spanning the late Hemingfordian to the Barstovian North American Land Mammal Ages (NALMA). However, the complex tectonic history of the Española Basin, a west-tilted half-graben within the Rio Grande Rift, has complicated stratigraphic correlation due to intrabasinal faulting and facies variability. To address this, a composite stratigraphic section (836 m thick) was developed through the Bureau of Land Management’s Sombrillo Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC), targeting fossil-rich intervals and utilizing widespread volcanic ash beds to stratigraphic correlation across structurally complex areas. This lithostratigraphic framework provides critical context for understanding faunal turnover and paleoenvironmental evolution during the Miocene Climatic Optimum (MCO; ~17-14.5 Ma) and the subsequent Miocene Climatic Transition (MCT; ~14.5-13.9 Ma).
During the MCO, the Española Basin experienced warm, humid conditions, coeval with alluvial fan deposition, and the presence of a diverse browsing-adapted fauna, including camelids, equids, rhinos, and oreodonts. As global climate cooling began near the end of the MCO, alluvial fan facies began to retrograde. Floral evidence suggests that while the basin remained relatively wet, cooling temperatures led to the local extinction of palms. This period also saw shifts in mammalian communities, including increased antilocaprid abundance and the appearance of gomphotheres.
Four major faunal turnover events (17.1 Ma, 16.3 Ma, 15.3 Ma, and 14.3 Ma) align with climatic and depositional shifts, highlighting the interplay between environmental change and mammalian evolution. The final turnover at ~14.3 Ma coincides with the MCT and a transition from an ecosystem dominated by C3 feeders to an ecosystem with an abundance of mixed feeders incorporating some C4 plants in their diets. By integrating biostratigraphy with lithostratigraphy and paleoecological analyses, this study refines the temporal and environmental framework of the middle Miocene mammalian evolution in the southwestern United States. The results enhance regional biochronologic correlations within the late Hemingfordian to the Barstovian NALMAs and provide new insights into the role of climate in shaping terrestrial ecosystems during the middle Miocene
Feasibility Assessment for Passive Silver Delivery Supported by Inorganic 3D Printed Lattice Monoliths
Get PDFJoseph Cesarano, Robocasting Enterprises LLC, United StatesMathew Esquibel, Robocasting Enterprises LLC, United StatesAlex Valdez, Robocasting Enterprises LLC, United StatesHossein Ahmadian, North Carolina State University, United StatesTra-My Justine Richardson, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), United StatesSajjad Bigham, North Carolina State University, United StatesICES303: Physico-Chemical Life Support- Water Recovery &
Management Systems- Technology and Process DevelopmentThe 54th International Conference on Environmental Systems was held in Prague, Czechia, on 13 July 2025 through 17 July 2025.Ceramic lattices, 3D-printed via the process known as
robocasting, have shown great promise as sorbents,
catalysis supports, and monoliths for the adsorption and
desorption of carbon dioxide. Structures can be created
which have a great deal of surface area per unit volume,
porosity accessible in three dimensions, and low pressure
drop penalties. It is proposed that similar structures can
be suitable supports for passive silver ion (Ag+) dosing
into water to provide disinfection. Like polyurethane foams
which incorporate AgCl as the source of passive Ag+
delivery, inorganic ceramic lattices incorporating AgCl are
envisioned. In this paper, a combination of modeling and
preliminary results for 3D-printed porous alumina used to
support AgCl will be discussed. It is concluded that stable
inorganic lattices incorporating AgCl are feasible.
However, their performance, long-term viability, and
optimization need to be further studied
Regenerable Trace Contaminant Control for Advanced Portable Life Support System
Get PDFChristian Junaedi, Precision Combustion Inc., United StatesKyle Hawley, Precision Combustion Inc., United StatesCodruta Loebick, Precision Combustion Inc., United StatesNicholas Cameron, Precision Combustion Inc., United StatesICES402: Extravehicular Activity: PLSS SystemsThe 54th International Conference on Environmental Systems was held in Prague, Czechia, on 13 July 2025 through 17 July 2025.The Trace Contaminant Control (TCC) System is a component
in the Exploration Portable Life Support System (xPLSS)
which removes contaminants present in the ventilation loop.
These trace contaminants, introduced into the ventilation
loop via crew metabolic processes, off-gassing of spacesuit
materials, and by-products of the suit processes, such as
the CO2/H2O removal system (e.g., Rapid Cycle Amine beds),
would accumulate without the TCC and pose a threat to the
crewmember. Trace contaminants are traditionally removed
using non-regenerable activated carbon. While effective,
the downside of the current state-of-the-art is a high
associated life cycle operating cost resulting from a low
regeneration capability, a large canister size, and
significant power consumption during regeneration. This
provides a logistics impact for future missions.
Precision Combustion, Inc. (PCI) has continued its
development of a compact, vacuum-regenerable sorbent bed
for effectively removing a broad range of trace
contaminants, including ammonia, meeting NASA’s target
performance requirements, which can be integrated with the
xPLSS CO2/H2O removal system. Both the primary trace
contaminants as well as other species that threaten to
exceed the 7-day Spacecraft Maximum Allowable Concentration
(SMAC) levels are addressed. PCI’s proven sorbent
nanomaterials have high surface area on a structured
support, enabling a compact, modular, and
vacuum-regenerable TCC device. Current development efforts
have focused on design optimization to reduce the pressure
drop of the TCC canisters and extend their protection
periods for the contaminants of concern. In this paper,
performance data will be presented for the second
generation TCC hardware prototypes integrated with a
CO2/H2O removal system in a closed-loop ventilation test
rig. Additionally, results from sorbent testing with
multiple trace contaminants under PLSS operating conditions
will be presented, including capacity, regenerability, and
multi-cycle performance. The performance of an integrated,
vacuum-regenerable TCC bed for multi-contaminant adsorption
will be presented along with future maturation steps