Journal Article
Maintaining and Monitoring the Habitable Environment of the International Space Station
2008-06-29
2008-01-2127
The maintenance of cabin air-quality aboard spacecraft requires a proper balance of contamination generation and removal, and environmental monitoring. Achieving this balance is paramount to a spacecraft's ability to sustain human life and maintain functionality. Spacecraft cabin atmosphere can best be described as an equilibrium. As with other systems in equilibrium, the cabin air-quality of the International Space Station (ISS) has a remarkable ability to respond to constantly applied perturbations and restore balance. This is a function of not only design, but also a proficient understanding of the ISS atmosphere. Active air quality control equipment is deployed on board every vehicle to remove carbon dioxide, water vapor, and trace chemical components from the cabin atmosphere. Proper management of various logistics, vehicle construction, and system configuration are applied to ensure that cabin atmospheric quality is preserved.