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Flexible Foam Protection Materials for Constellation Space Suit Element Portable Life Support Subsystem Packaging StudyThis paper discusses the effort in evaluating and selecting a light weight impact protection material for the Constellation Space Suit Element (CSSE) Portable Life Support Subsystem (PLSS) conceptual packaging study. A light weight material capable of holding and protecting the components inside the PLSS is required to demonstrate the viability of the flexible PLSS packaging concept. The material needs to distribute, dissipate, and absorb the impact energy of the PLSS falling on the lunar surface. It must also be very robust and function in the extreme lunar thermal vacuum environment for up to one hundred Extravehicular Activity (EVA) missions. This paper documents the performance requirements for selecting a foam protection material, and the methodologies for evaluating commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) foam protection materials. It also presents the materials properties test results and impact drop test results of the various foam materials evaluated in the study. The findings from this study suggest that a foam based flexible protection system is a viable solution for PLSS packaging. However, additional works are needed to optimize COTS foam properties or to develop a composite foam system that will meet all the performance requirements for the CSSE PLSS flexible packaging.
Document ID
20090039994
Acquisition Source
Johnson Space Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Tang, Henry H.
(MEI Technologies, Inc. Houston, TX, United States)
Orndoff, Evelyne S.
(NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)
Thomas, Gretchen A.
(NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)
Date Acquired
August 24, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2009
Subject Category
Man/System Technology And Life Support
Report/Patent Number
JSC-CN-19228
Meeting Information
Meeting: 40tt International Conference on Environmental System (ICES)
Location: Barcelona
Country: Spain
Start Date: July 11, 2010
End Date: July 15, 2010
Sponsors: American Inst. of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNJ05HI05C
WBS: WBS 903184.04.02.01.02
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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