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This paper describes the efforts to date by a NASA and contractor team to accomplish a concept design of a Portable Life Support System (PLSS) packaging scheme that offers flexibility to technology change, access for maintenance in the use environment, ability to be used in multiple modes of operation, and the hope of cost reduction. A companion paper, Advanced Spacesuit Portable Life Support System Design and Development1, gives a description of the three competing concepts for which mock ups were built.

TDA Research, Inc. (TDA) is developing a compact, lightweight ExtraVehicular activity (EVA) emergency system that provides 30-minute life-support in the case of system or component failures in the Portable Life Support System (PLSS). The system uses a low ventilation rate to reduce the amount of stored oxygen, reducing the associated weight and volume penalty. Operation of the system requires an effective sorbent that would remove carbon dioxide and moisture from the suit. We are developing a regenerable sorbent that is suitable for the conceptual system. Recently, we tested the sorbent performance in an adiabatic reactor setup simulating representative EVA emergency conditions. This paper summarizes results of these adiabatic tests.