Reconnaissance on MarsReconnaissance on Mars

Creation of a Mars HangarCreation of a Mars Hangar

S. Andrew Ning, Krystle Farnsworth, Robert Lawton, Brian Riddle, David Allred

Mars ExplorationMars Exploration

Assemble and repair machinery: airplanes, Assemble and repair machinery: airplanes, ATVs, roversATVs, rovers

Imagine doing that work in a Full Pressure Imagine doing that work in a Full Pressure SuitSuit

Creation of an Intermediate Creation of an Intermediate EnvironmentEnvironment

Allows design of a suit with greater Allows design of a suit with greater mobility, dexterity, and visibilitymobility, dexterity, and visibility

Mars Homestead Project @ M.I.T.

95% CO95% CO22, 2.7% N, 2.7% N22, ,

1.8% Ar, .13% 1.8% Ar, .13% OO22, .07% CO, .07% CO

Surface pressure is Surface pressure is approximate 6-7 approximate 6-7 millibarsmillibars

Average Temperature Average Temperature = -55= -55°°CC

78% N78% N22, 21%O, 21%O22, .9% , .9%

Ar, .03% COAr, .03% CO22

Surface pressure is Surface pressure is about 1.01 barabout 1.01 bar

Average Surface Average Surface Temperature = 15Temperature = 15°°CC

Biological ConcernsBiological Concerns

Mars has insufficient oxygen (Gas Mars has insufficient oxygen (Gas Composition)Composition)

Mars has insufficient vapor pressure Mars has insufficient vapor pressure (Pressure Regulation)(Pressure Regulation)

Mars is too cold (Temperature Regulation)Mars is too cold (Temperature Regulation)

Solution: Space SuitsSolution: Space Suits

Full Pressure Suits (FPS) used in Full Pressure Suits (FPS) used in past NASA explorations protect past NASA explorations protect against thin atmospheres, low against thin atmospheres, low pressures and cold temperaturespressures and cold temperatures

Downside: The large pressure Downside: The large pressure differential created makes differential created makes movement awkward and large movement awkward and large helmets limit visibilityhelmets limit visibility

Ideal PressureIdeal Pressure

Lower pressure differential decreases Lower pressure differential decreases fatigue and increases productivity. fatigue and increases productivity. Especially gloved hand fatigue.Especially gloved hand fatigue.

Too low of pressure presents risk of Too low of pressure presents risk of hypoxia. Need to maintain sufficient hypoxia. Need to maintain sufficient partial pressure of oxygen in lung alveoli.partial pressure of oxygen in lung alveoli.

Too high of pressure presents risk of Too high of pressure presents risk of oxygen toxicity.oxygen toxicity.

Mixed Gas CompositionMixed Gas Composition

One approach to avoid oxygen toxicity and One approach to avoid oxygen toxicity and flammability hazards is to use a mixed gas flammability hazards is to use a mixed gas suitsuit

Drawbacks: Drawbacks: More expensive to continually monitor both More expensive to continually monitor both

oxygen and nitrogen partial pressureoxygen and nitrogen partial pressure Adds weight and volumeAdds weight and volume Increases risk for decompression sicknessIncreases risk for decompression sickness

Other ProblemsOther Problems

How do we do heavy duty work? How do we do heavy duty work? These Full Pressure Suits (FPS) These Full Pressure Suits (FPS) lack dexterity, mobility, visibility, lack dexterity, mobility, visibility, and are high in energy cost.and are high in energy cost.

Longevity. FPS take a long time to take on and off. Longevity. FPS take a long time to take on and off. Also need to consider repeated decompression. Also need to consider repeated decompression.

Our Solution: Build a “Mars Our Solution: Build a “Mars Hangar”Hangar”

An intermediate environment can be used An intermediate environment can be used to provide external pressure- Compress to provide external pressure- Compress existing Mars air to >0.5 Barexisting Mars air to >0.5 Bar

Sprung Instant Structures

Intermediate Environment SuitIntermediate Environment Suit

• Used as a supplemental Used as a supplemental suitsuit

• Not gas-tight suit (thin Not gas-tight suit (thin like a flight suit)like a flight suit)

• Oxygen Face MaskOxygen Face Mask• Microwave absorbent Microwave absorbent

materialmaterial

Benefits of a “Mars Hangar”Benefits of a “Mars Hangar”

We can increase the pressure while using a We can increase the pressure while using a thinner suit, so motion is much less restrictedthinner suit, so motion is much less restricted

With a higher pressure we can use mixed gasesWith a higher pressure we can use mixed gases Can decrease or eliminate decompression timeCan decrease or eliminate decompression time Taking suit on and off is much more time Taking suit on and off is much more time

efficientefficient Allow us to use local resources to supply and Allow us to use local resources to supply and

exhaust air – saves on costsexhaust air – saves on costs Increased mobility makes it much easier to Increased mobility makes it much easier to

assemble and repair airplanes, ATVs and roversassemble and repair airplanes, ATVs and rovers

Decompress in “Mars Hangar”Decompress in “Mars Hangar”

Pre-breathe 100% OxygenPre-breathe 100% Oxygen Inert EnvironmentInert EnvironmentCan still do productive workCan still do productive work

Temperature RegulationTemperature Regulation

Long range heating by directed Long range heating by directed microwaves – minimize bulkiness of suitmicrowaves – minimize bulkiness of suit

Deliver the heat energy directly rather than Deliver the heat energy directly rather than heating empty space, a plus for energy heating empty space, a plus for energy poor environments like Marspoor environments like Mars

Can be more efficiently reflected than Can be more efficiently reflected than infraredinfrared

Easier to produce and direct than infraredEasier to produce and direct than infrared

Quantum theory of lightQuantum theory of light

Electrochromic MaterialsElectrochromic MaterialsTransport hydrogen Transport hydrogen

ions from a storage ions from a storage area through a area through a conducting layer into conducting layer into electrochromic electrochromic materialmaterial

By applying a voltage By applying a voltage we can reversibly we can reversibly change the window change the window from a clear state to a from a clear state to a darkened statedarkened state

NREL of the DOE

ExperimentExperimentMirror* Aluminum

77% 88%2% 1%

21% 11%

ReflectanceTransmissionAbsorption*Readings for both 'clear' and 'tint' settings were the same within measurable error

Why didn’t the microwaves switch?Why didn’t the microwaves switch?

We used an electrochromic mirror that uses two We used an electrochromic mirror that uses two electrically conductive transparent coatingselectrically conductive transparent coatings

The microwaves didn’t even reach the The microwaves didn’t even reach the electrochromic materialelectrochromic material

Where do we go from here?Where do we go from here?

Needs a smaller plasma frequency than Needs a smaller plasma frequency than conventional materials (lower conductivity)conventional materials (lower conductivity)

Make our own electrochromic material Make our own electrochromic material using Tungsten-Bronze, Ruthenium-Oxide, using Tungsten-Bronze, Ruthenium-Oxide, or Vanadium-Oxideor Vanadium-Oxide

Use a microwave mirror with co-planar Use a microwave mirror with co-planar switchable linksswitchable links

Use of materials that rotate polarization Use of materials that rotate polarization (we can use polarized microwaves to (we can use polarized microwaves to switch from absorbing to reflecting)switch from absorbing to reflecting)

SummarySummary Building and operating machinery Building and operating machinery

will be essential in Martian will be essential in Martian exploration. exploration.

Intermediate environments will be Intermediate environments will be very useful and can be developed very useful and can be developed by:by: Building a Mars air pressurized Building a Mars air pressurized

hangar hangar Developing a thin, flexible, low weight, Developing a thin, flexible, low weight,

intermediate environment suitintermediate environment suit Using directed heating by microwavesUsing directed heating by microwaves

Thus, we can provide sufficient Thus, we can provide sufficient pressure, oxygen and pressure, oxygen and temperature while dramatically temperature while dramatically decreasing the bulkiness of the decreasing the bulkiness of the space suit. This will increase space suit. This will increase mobility, dexterity and visibility. mobility, dexterity and visibility.

Things will get done!Things will get done!