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The possibility and consequences of a fire on board a spacecraft and the subsequent effects of the resultant toxic gases and smoke on the crew, equipment and mission is an ever-present hazard for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The necessity to remove these contaminants in the presence of high levels of humidity and carbon dioxide has prompted the development of a new prototype atmospheric filter (smoke eater) that can scrub acid gases, basic gases, and carbon monoxide from a spacecraft atmosphere in a post-fire event to a concentration below one half the Spacecraft Maximum Allowable Concentration (SMAC) levels. TDA Research, Inc. (TDA) is developing an advanced smoke eater to remove combustion byproducts. The material makeup of the smoke eater will also be applicable to spacecraft evacuation masks and the shipboard atmospheric revitalization system.

Future National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)-planned missions set stringent demands on the design of the Portable Life Support Systems (PLSS), requiring dramatic reductions in weight, decreased reliance on supplies and greater flexibility on the types of missions. Use of regenerable systems that reduce weight and volume of the Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) is of critical importance to NASA, both for low orbit operations and for long duration manned missions. TDA Research, Inc. (TDA) is developing a high capacity, rapid cycling sorbent to control CO2 and humidity in the space suit ventilation loop. The sorbent can be regenerated using space vacuum during the EVA, eliminating all duration-limiting elements in the life support system. This paper summarizes the results of the sorbent development and testing, and evaluation efforts.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) planned future missions set stringent demands on the design of the Portable Life Support System (PLSS), requiring dramatic reductions in weight, decreased reliance on supplies and greater flexibility for Extravehicular Activity (EVA) duration and objectives. Use of regenerable systems that reduce weight and volume of the space suit life support system is of critical importance to NASA, both for low orbit operations and for long duration manned missions. The carbon dioxide and humidity control unit in the existing PLSS design is relatively large, since it has to remove and store eight hours worth of carbon dioxide (CO2). If the sorbent regeneration can be carried out during the EVA with a relatively high regeneration frequency, the size of the sorbent canister and weight can be significantly reduced.