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Operational Performance and Reliability of Advanced Magnetic-Bearing Supported Carbon Dioxide Blower for Space Applications
Get PDFRasish Khatri, Calnetix Technologies, United StatesOctavio Solis, Calnetix Technologies, United StatesLarry Hawkins, Calnetix Technologies, United StatesNick Fruth, Calnetix Technologies, United StatesScott Tran, Calnetix Technologies, United StatesKaitlin Oliver-Butler, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), United StatesICES404: International Space Station ECLS: SystemsThe 54th International Conference on Environmental Systems was held in Prague, Czechia, on 13 July 2025 through 17 July 2025.The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
engineered the Four Bed Carbon Dioxide Scrubber (FBCO2),
serving as a technology demonstration for implementation
aboard the International Space Station (ISS). A critical
component of the FBCO2 system is the
magnetic-bearing-supported blower, developed by Calnetix
Technologies, which facilitates air circulation through the
sorbent beds. The blower was integrated into the existing
FBCO2 infrastructure onboard the ISS in February 2023 as a
retrofitted enhancement. The active magnetic bearings
exhibit superior reliability and minimal energy consumption
characteristics, rendering them an optimal technology
solution for space applications. While previous papers have
focused on the design of the blower, the testing of the
blower, the ground test data collected for the blower, and
the commissioning of the blower, this paper focuses on the
reliability of the blower, including technical issues
encountered during operation, the blower telemetry captured
during the first 2 years of operation, and recent touchdown
bearing testing conducted on ground. Details of the motor,
magnetic bearing, blower data and touchdown bearing testing
are discussed
Analysis of Historical Life Support Systems to Define a Design Envelope for Future Missions
Get PDFFelicitas Leese, University of Stuttgart, GermanyClaas Olthoff, University of Stuttgart, GermanyICES501: Life Support Systems Engineering and AnalysisThe 54th International Conference on Environmental Systems was held in Prague, Czechia, on 13 July 2025 through 17 July 2025.Since the dawn of the space age in the early 1960s, humans
have ventured into space and continuously pushed the
boundaries of space exploration. In order to sustain their
health in this harsh environment and permanently inhabit
the vicinity of the Earth and the Moon, various Life
Support Systems (LSSs) have been developed. Ranging from
simple storage tanks during the early Soviet and American
missions to complex physico-chemical (P/C) systems and
technology demonstrations for bio-regenerative systems on
the International Space Station, LSS complexity has
increased over the years. For future missions to the Moon
and Mars, this trend is expected to continue, with a focus
on increasing system autonomy and robustness. In this
paper, past and present LSSs are analyzed regarding their
mass requirements per Crew Member (CM) as well as their
mission duration. By evaluating this data, relationships
between the different systems are identified, design trends
are determined and an easier preliminary design for future
missions is facilitated. Using these trends, a design
envelope is defined that intends to set boundaries which
enable engineers to decide on a viable LSS design for
future exploration based on the mission duration
Orion Aft Side Thermal Protection (XTP) Subsystem - Challenges, Design and Implementation
Get PDFMatthias Pfeiffer, Airbus Defence and Space GmbH, GermanyDirk Labuhn, Airbus Defence and Space GmbH, GermanyPatrick Oger, Airbus Defence and Space GmbH, GermanyICES103: Thermal Control of Commercial and Exploration
Spacecraft and Surface HabitatsThe 54th International Conference on Environmental Systems was held in Prague, Czechia, on 13 July 2025 through 17 July 2025.The European Service Module (ESM) for the Orion spacecraft
is equipped with high-thrust engines on its aft side, which
generate significant heat loads during prolonged firing.
This paper addresses the technical challenges associated
with managing these heat loads, including the distribution
of heat across the ESM and the selection of appropriate
thermal protection technologies. It details the systems
implemented to sustain these extreme conditions, focusing
on the integration and performance of the thermal
protection in the context of the ESM 1 and 2. The
discussion highlights key design decisions, lessons
learned, and the effectiveness of the chosen solutions in
ensuring the thermal integrity of the ESM during mission
operations
Engaging Stakeholders to Characterize Perspectives and Experiences of Adolescent Sickle Cell Disease Pain and Their Related Factors
Get PDFSickle Cell Disease (SCD) is a genetic disorder often requiring intensive pain management. However, negative attitudes toward individuals with SCD and concerns about substance misuse may contribute to inadequate pain management, particularly for minoritized adolescents. In other adolescent health populations, inadequate pain management has been linked to substance use; this has not been thoroughly explored in adolescents with SCD. This study examines perspectives on SCD pain management for Black adolescents within two stakeholder groups: adolescents with SCD and healthcare providers. Participants included healthcare providers (n=48; 87.2% Female; 58.7% White; 87.2% non-Hispanic/Latinx) recruited from national medical clinics and adolescents aged 15-20 (n=138; Mage(SD)=16.76 (1.92)) from a larger study on barriers to SCD care. Healthcare providers generally reported positive views of adolescent patients with SCD, with most believing fewer than 20% exaggerated pain, abused substances, or manipulated providers. However, 83.3% were at least “somewhat” bothered by how some colleagues treated adolescents with SCD. Providers linked perceived pain exaggeration to inadequate management and prior poor care. Among adolescents, pain crisis frequency was positively associated with substance use, suggesting that unmanaged pain may increase risk for substance use. However, there were no significant differences in pain severity or interference between those who did and did not report substance use. These findings highlight a gap between providers’ self-perceived empathy and systemic biases in pain management. They also suggest that inadequate pain management may contribute to substance use risk, emphasizing the need for further research on provider attitudes and the pain-substance use relationship in this underserved population
Understanding What Characteristics of Peer Victimization and Bullying Predict Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms Among Children
Get PDFExperiences of peer victimization and bullying have been linked to the development of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), in part due to the heightened frequency and chronicity with which youth are exposed to aggression at the hands of peers. Less is known, however, about how other characteristics of these experiences, including polyvictimization, power imbalance, gender differences, and victim perceptions, may contribute to PTSS. The purpose of the current study was to examine the links between these characteristics of peer victimization/bullying and the development of PTSS during middle childhood. Participants included a sample of 284 third- through fifth-grade students (ages 8-12; 50.7% boys; 51.5% Hispanic). Children provided ratings of peer victimization and PTSS. A series of linear regression models were estimated to examine the impact of individual characteristics of peer victimization and bullying on PTSS. Notably, each characteristic was found to significantly predict PTSS, with the exception of victims’ perceived intentionality of the behavior. Significant predictors were then examined in a multiple regression model; results revealed that polyvictimization and one component of power imbalance—popularity of the aggressor(s)—were the most robust predictors of PTSS when examined alongside all other characteristics. These findings build on previous research and highlight the need to assess for factors that may lead to development of PTSS among victims of peer aggression
Space Radiation Protection Preparations for Commercial Space Station Activities
No full textNicholas N. Stoffle, Axiom Space, United StatesRoger A. Gard, Axiom Space, United StatesTed Duchesne, Axiom Space, United StatesMichael F. Harrison, Axiom Space, United StatesBen W. McGee, University of Maryland, United StatesICES503: Radiation Issues for Space FlightThe 54th International Conference on Environmental Systems was held in Prague, Czechia, on 13 July 2025 through 17 July 2025.Protection of astronaut crew members from the effects of
space radiation is not a novel issue faced by commercial
space providers, however, the changing landscape of
commercial space regulation presents an increased need to
prepare a robust system for radiation environment
monitoring and crew exposure tracking. As a wider swath of
the population gains access to space travel, the
‘healthy-astronaut’ assumption with respect to risks of
living and working in space will become less valid, and
impacts to long term health of both professional and
customer astronaut crew members require constant
re-evaluation.
Here, we present a monitoring plan that is expected to
provide a comprehensive understanding of the radiation
environment inside a commercial space station. The
resulting data will be applicable both to crew exposure
tracking and to risk modelling. In addition, the plan
provides monitoring of the local environments for
individual payload needs during missions in low-earth orbit.
In conjunction with environment monitoring in-mission,
iterative design inputs and preflight evaluations will be
critical to ensuring that commercial vehicles and mission
plans are within safety margins necessary to meet
regulatory guidelines while also meeting the needs of
spaceflight customers. A general approach to vehicle
shielding evaluation will be discussed with relevant
mission design considerations
Box 1, Folder 7, MGN Transcripts Meditaciones Ligeras II
Get PDFThe Boyd Carter Papers represent a significant archival collection housed in the Hispanic Studies Collection in Texas Tech University's CMLL building. Dr. Boyd Carter was a distinguished scholar of Latin American literature who was active from the 1940s to his death in 1980. He held professorships at the University of Nebraska, Southern Illinois University, and the University of Missouri before concluding his career at Texas Tech University (1978-1980). Upon joining TTU, Carter donated his extensive archive to the university, including rare books, microfilm collections, bibliographical notes, and periodicals focusing on Latin American literature from 1850-1950, with particular emphasis on the famed Mexican writer Manuel Gutiérrez Nájera
Assessing the Efficacy, Robustness and Safety of Spacecraft Surfaces Incorporating Pylote SAS Mineral Oxide Antimicrobial Technology
Get PDFKatia Iskandar, PYLOTE SAS, LebanonGrégory Navarro, CNES, FranceDelphine Faye, Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales, FranceLoïc Marchin, PYLOTE SAS, FranceChristine Roques, Université de Toulouse, FranceICES504: Management of Air Quality in Sealed EnvironmentsThe 54th International Conference on Environmental Systems was held in Prague, Czechia, on 13 July 2025 through 17 July 2025.Spaceflights induce unique environmental conditions such as
cosmic radiation, microgravity, and temperature
fluctuations that alter microbial behavior and the human
microbiome. These changes include enhanced virulence,
increased biofilm formation, and elevated antimicrobial
resistance, posing challenges to astronaut health.
Microorganisms transferred from Earth to spacecraft can
adapt to these conditions, leading to increased
pathogenicity. Current antimicrobial measures, including
surface disinfectants, can be hazardous and show limited
long-term effectiveness against these adapted
microorganisms, highlighting the need for novel solutions
for microbial control in space environments. This study
evaluated the antimicrobial efficiency of Pylote SAS inert
mineral oxide microspheres incorporated into varnishes and
resins under conditions in line with spaces use to provide
a long-term solution for microbial control in spacecraft
environments whatever the surfaces materials. The
antimicrobial efficacy, robustness, and safety of samples,
with and without Pylote technology, were tested using
standardized methods. The antimicrobial activity was
assessed according to ISO 22196, comparing Pylote-treated
samples to controls against Escherichia coli,
Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Bacillus subtilis, selected
through the MATISS program to represent relevant
microorganisms in space environments. The technology's
robustness test was undertaken under simulated real-use
conditions through 1,352 cleaning cycles using
chlorhexidine-based wipes. Cytotoxicity was evaluated using
ISO 10993-5 standard based on XTT assay regarding leachable
substances. Results showed that Pylote-treated samples
exhibited superior antimicrobial activity compared to
untreated samples, with a log reduction of >2 against the
selected strains. After 1,352 cleaning cycles, no bacterial
growth was detected after the contact with the
Pylote-treated surfaces, confirming the technology's
sustainable antimicrobial effect. Cytotoxicity testing
revealed no leachable substances at cytotoxic
concentrations, ensuring safety for aerospace applications.
These findings demonstrate the potential of Pylote’ mineral
oxide microspheres to provide a innovative, safe, and
efficient solution for microbial contamination control on
numerous different surfaces, equipment and devices in space
environments