Ph.D. Proposal
Leon Chen
(Advisor: Prof. Dimitri Mavris)
“Establish a Methodology for Architecting Self-Sustaining Environmental Control and Life Support Systems (ECLSS) for Lunar Habitat”
On
Friday, February 7
9 a.m.
Weber Space and Technology Building (SST II),
Collaborative Visualization Environment (CoVE)
And
MS Teams
Meeting ID: 215 051 489 236
Passcode: Xn6b7yE6
Abstract
Since the Apollo program’s early milestones, lunar exploration has been a cornerstone of human space exploration, pushing the boundaries of science, technology, and sustainability. Sustaining a human presence on the Moon poses significant logistical, environmental, and operational challenges. Unlike missions to the International Space Station (ISS), lunar exploration requires robust systems that can operate autonomously for extended periods due to the complexity and cost of transporting supplies from Earth. Key challenges include extreme lunar temperature variations, radiation exposure, and abrasive lunar dust, all of which demand innovative life support systems. Addressing these challenges requires the development of self-sustaining habitats capable of generating essential resources such as water, oxygen, and food locally, reducing reliance on Earth resupply missions.
Space habitats can be categorized into orbital, transit, and planetary types, each tailored to specific mission needs. Planetary habitats, such as those envisioned for the Moon, must withstand harsh environmental conditions while providing a sustainable living environment for extended missions. Self-sustaining habitats are designed to function independently for periods ranging from 18 to 24 months, particularly when accounting for potential delays or missed resupply missions. Achieving this level of autonomy involves integrating systems capable of resource recycling, waste management, and emergency response.
Environmental Control and Life Support Systems (ECLSS) play a pivotal role in creating self-sustaining habitats. ECLSS includes subsystems for water recovery, atmosphere revitalization, and others, all of which are essential for reducing resource demands. Current technologies, such as those employed on the ISS, recover potentially up to 98% of water and 50% of oxygen. Enhancements like advanced oxygen recovery methods, including sabatier and bosch process, have the potential to significantly improve system efficiency and sustainability.
In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) is another critical factor for self-sustaining habitats. ISRU leverages local resources, such as lunar water ice and regolith, to produce essential commodities like oxygen, water, and fuel. For example, lunar regolith contains over 40% oxygen by mass, and technologies are being developed to extract this resource efficiently. Strategic site selection, such as regions near the lunar South Pole with access to water ice and continuous sunlight, further enhances the viability of ISRU and supports sustainable habitat operations.
Developing a self-sustaining habitat involves a complex system-of-systems approach, requiring careful evaluation of each subsystem and their interconnections. By addressing internal factors, such as configurational design and resource recycling, and external factors, like location and ISRU potential, a scalable methodology can be established for lunar habitats.
This thesis presents a comprehensive methodology for developing a self-sustaining ECLSS tailored for lunar habitats, addressing critical challenges associated with sustaining human presence in extreme extraterrestrial environments. The research aims to bridge gaps in quantifying self-sustaining capabilities and evaluating the impacts of advanced technologies on system loop closure rates. By integrating simulation modeling, reliability analysis, site-specific evaluations, and lunar resource utilization, the proposed methodology seeks to enable scalable and efficient designs for long-term lunar operations. Ultimately, this work aims to create a robust design methodology for self-sustaining ECLSS that not only supports extended human presence on the Moon but also potentially serves as a foundation for future exploration of Mars and beyond.
Committee
Prof. Dimitri Mavris – School of Aerospace Engineering (advisor)
- Prof. Brian Gunter – School of Aerospace Engineering
- Dr. Michael Balchanos – School of Aerospace Engineering
- Dr. Mark Whorton – School of Aerospace Engineering
- Dr. Dean Muirhead - Principal Engineer, NASA Johnson Space Center – Barrios Technology