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A series of hot and cold thermal vacuum tests compared the radiation and contact conduction thermal performance of two Space Shuttle extravehicular pressure suit glove designs. An ambient test established the relationship between heat transfer and contact pressure. Contact with hot and cold objects was tolerated longer with an enhanced fingertip insulation design. The data obtained was used to correlate a glove model for predicting skin temperatures of advanced gloves in extreme extravehicular thermal environments.

A thermoelectric liquid cooling system recently developed at the Johnson Space Center was evaluated in manned and unmanned ground tests as an alternative to the Space Shuttle launch and entry suit personal fan. The liquid cooling system provided superior cooling in environments simulating flight deck conditions during launch and postlanding.

This paper documents the Space Station Freedom (SSF) Active Thermal Control System (ATCS) performance during approach/departure, berthing, and deberthing operations. Recommended fixed radiator orientations and radiator orientations as a function of the (β angle were used for SSF flights MB5 through UF-1. Radiator rotation restrictions impacting ATCS performance included plume loads during proximity operations, minimum clearances from the Shuttle post-mating, visual cues required for mating and/or SSF remote manipulator system, attitude perturbations, number of Orbital Replacement Units (ORUs) deployed and thermal radiator rotation joint bending moment response. Three thermal models (TEA, ALPHA and TAURUS) performed the analyses on the MB5 through UF-1 mission builds. The study was divided into three parts pertaining to approach/departure, berthing, and deberthing.

This study assessed Active Thermal Control System Central Thermal Bus radiator rotation profiles for the Space Station Freedom in Local Vertical/Local Horizontal, two Torque Equilibrium Attitudes (MB11 and MB17), Arrow and Gravity Gradient modes while maintaining radiator angular velocities and accelerations under 45 degree/minute and 0.01 degree/sec2, respectively. To determine the thermal influence of the Flex Hose Coupler (FHC), cases ran with the ±105° radiator orientation restriction as imposed by the coupler. The study used hot thermal environments and End-Of-Life panel properties. The model used was structured to produce radiator profiles that are as close as possible to an instantaneous and local minimum environment without violating the maximum angular rotation imposed. The results from all the investigated cases indicate that the radiator should be allowed to rotate between -167° (Gravity Gradient mode) and 207° (Arrow mode).

Optimal design of spacecraft environmental control and life support systems (ECLSS) for long-duration missions requires an understanding of microgravity and its long-term influence on ECLSS performance characteristics. This understanding will require examination of the fundamental processes associated with air revitalization and water recovery in a microgravity environment. Short-term testing can be performed on NASA's reduced gravity aircraft (KC135), but longer tests will need to be conducted on the shuttle or Space Station Freedom (SSF). Conceptual designs have been prepared for ECLSS test beds that will allow extended testing of equipment under microgravity conditions. Separate designs have been formulated for air revitalization and water recovery test beds.

Throughout the manned-space programs of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), significant data has been gathered regarding how humans live and work in the environment encountered in space. Recording operational experience helps avoid duplication of errors, can improve the design of equipment and procedures, and can provide valuable insight into human-machine and human-environment interfaces. Several sources contain valuable information about living and working in space, but are in an uncoordinated paper format. A relational database, called the Operational Experience Database, has been constructed to electronically store and organize human factors information from the Skylab and Space Shuttle missions. The taxonomy used to organize this database builds on the one used for the Skylab human-machine experiments. This information can be used by NASA engineers and operations personnel to remedy design problems, or expand on design successes.