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MPB has developed advanced smart radiator devices (SRDs) for passive, dynamic thermal control of space structures and payloads. The SRDs employ a nano-engineered, integrated thin-film structure based on V1-x-yMxNyOn. Dopants, M and N, tailor the transition temperature characteristics of the tuneable IR emittance. This paper describes the progress in MPB's smart thermal radiator towards its validation as an efficient thermal control device for space environment. A set of environmental tests were performed in order to validate the coating resistance and performance stability in space. The tests included random vibration, thermal shock, and accelerated aging. In addition, the thermo-optic characteristics after exposure to Atomic Oxygen (AO) in a simulated LEO environment were similar to the “as deposited” characteristics. Preliminary radiation tests, comparable to 3 years in a GEO environment, indicate very low change in emissivity and solar absorptance relative to the initial values.

Manned space systems have many requirements for the monitoring of vital life support systems such as the cabin air quality and the quality of the recycled water supply. Infrared spectroscopy probes the characteristic vibrational and rotational modes of chemical bonds in molecules to provide information about both the chemical composition and the bonding configuration of a sample. The significant advantage of the IR spectral technique is that it can be used with minimal consumables to simultaneously detect a large variety of chemical and biochemical species with high chemical specificity. To date, relatively large Fourier Transform (FT-IR) spectrometers employing variations of the Michelson interferometer have been successfully employed in space for various IR spectroscopy applications. However, FT-IR systems are mechanically complex, bulky (> 15 kg), and require considerable processing.

This paper discusses the Inukshuk landed rover mission to Mars that is currently undergoing the Phase 0 mission study for the Canadian Space Agency. The Inukshuk landed rover mission addresses key science themes for planetary exploration; focusing on the search for hydrated mineralogy and subsurface water sites that can provide evidence of past or present life. New exploration and science will be accomplished using an innovative tethered combination of a small rover and a self-elevating sky-cam aerostat. The elevating visible (VIS) imager, at about 10 m altitude, will provide an informative high-resolution 2-D view of the rover below and surrounding terrain to greatly assist the semi-autonomous navigation of the rover around obstacles and selection of sites for detailed subsurface exploration.

This paper presents experimental results regarding a new approach to smart radiator devices (SRD) employing a smart, integrated thin-film structure based on V1-x-yMxNyOn that can be applied to existing thermal blankets such as Kapton or to thermal radiators such as Al. The smart coating facilitates thermal control by dynamically modifying the thermo-optic characteristics of the underlying substrate in response to the ambient temperature and/or a control voltage. This methodology has significant advantages over competitive technologies in terms of weight, cost, structural simplicity, and integration with the space structure. The effective emissivity of the film/substrate structure can be reduced dynamically by changing the behavior of the smart coating from insulator to metallic. High quality VO2 films have been prepared using a hybrid reactive laser ablation technique.

The feasibility of extended human presence on the Moon and Mars depends critically on in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) to mitigate the high interplanetary transportation costs. Key resource requirements include water, oxygen, fuel and a variety of building materials. This paper discusses the robotic instrumentation associated with the LORE (Lunar Origins and Resource Exploration) miniature payload proposed for JAXA's Selene-2, and the potential follow-on CSA INUKSHUK landed-Mars mission. LORE would for the first time systematically explore the lunar surface and subsurface ice distribution, dust, mineralogy and resources using combined UV/VIS/MIR reflectance spectroscopy. The spectral differences between ilmenite and other lunar minerals in the ultraviolet region will be exploited for mapping ilmenite distribution and abundances on the lunar surface and subsurface.

Manned space systems have many requirements for the monitoring of vital life support systems including quality of cabin air and the recycled water supply, as well as direct monitoring of vital indicators of astronaut health. Infrared (IR) spectroscopy is an attractive monitoring technique because it requires minimal consumables while providing relatively high chemical specificity for the detection of a wide variety of biochemicals using the characteristic vibrational modes of chemical bonds. For space-based systems, the important drivers are reliability, power consumption, mass and simplicity of operation. MPB has advanced its IOSPEC™ technology for miniature integrated IR spectrometers to provide performance comparable to large bench-top IR systems but in a compact and ruggedized footprint weighing under 2.5 kg.