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NASA An Educational Services Publication of the

FACT S
NASA FACTS Vol. III, No.5 National Aeronautics and Space Administration

LIVING IN SPACE

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Astronauts will some day live in space cabins similar to the one pictured here. The test subject is checking the status of the equip-
ment in this simulated space station before removing his pressure suit.

In our earth-bound existence, the availability tories, performing useful work for months. Trips
of the food we eat, the water we drink, and the to the moon may lead to establishment of lunar
air we breathe are pretty much taken for granted. scientific stations. It is not too great a step
Because of the absence of these elements in beyond this to imagine a new generation of
outer space, it is necessary to take them along or Magellans, enroute to the near planets of our
to create them within a manned spacecraft. solar system; a journey that may take a year or
Man already has ventured into the hostile en- longer.
vironment of space, carrying a small portion of
his earth environment with him. Until now he
LIVING ON EARTH
has been able to carry only enough to sustain
himself for short periods of time.
We can predict, with reasonable certainty, How will we support life in space over such
that men will orbit the earth in scientific labora- extended periods of time? What are the prob-
 Page 2 NASA FACTS Vol. III, No.5

lems? What must we contain in the astronauts'

spacecraft to ensure their s~vival in comfort?
To put this into its simplest terms, let's take
on objective look at "living on earth," noting
the essentials to the existence of all living
creatures.
Life, as we know it, can survive only within a
certain range of pressures. Deep-sea fish, for
example, cannot survive in shallow water. Man
has evolved in an atmosphere which compresses
him with a force of 14.7 pounds per square inch
{one atmosphere}. If he moves too far away
from this pressure, his death is certain. The
minimum pressure under which man can live com-
fortably and function efficiently is about half on
atmosphere (about 7.5 pounds per square inch).
A second need for life support is the right
temperature. Most creatures live within a lim-
ited range of temperature. Man's body tem-
perature must stay pretty close to 98.6 degrees
Fahrenheit, or he won't function well.
Our third requirement for life support is
oxygen: A fairly constant intake proportional to Pressure suited Astronaut enters the space-station test bed.
Once he is within the pressurized atmosphere of his space sta-
the amount of energy we are expending at any tion, an Astronaut will be able to shed the clumsy space corset
far shirt sleeves.
given moment. Three minutes without oxygen
risks permanent brain damage; five minutes with-
out oxygen spells death. More complex is the space capsule. The Mer-
Water is the fourth. We can live less than a cury capsule had little room for movement, a
week without it. limitation imposed by the restricted amount of
Fifth and last on our list of physical necessities
weight its booster could place in orbit. Because
is food. It is the fuel that keeps our machinery
of the difficulty of movement, and other reasons,
running, and at the right temperature.
taking off and putting on a space suit was
Mother Earth provides all of these supplies in
inadvisable.
abundance. Man, though, has broken through
The Gemini capsule presents a similar but
the thin shell of his atmosphere into space,
smaller problem because it is more spacious.
where they are lacking. He can remain there
Gemini astronauts have spent extended periods
only as long as he can maintain an environment
of time in their "long-Johns" . Beginning with
like the one from which he sprang.
the Apollo capsule, the astronauts will have the
adequate living and work space they need in a
cabin pressurized for comfort, in which they can
BASIC ELEMENTS OF LIVING IN SPACE move about in shirt-sleeve freedom.
Heat is an essential but is not a " load factor".
It is produced in excess by the operation of the
Man in space must live within a pressurized capsule in flight as a by-product of the genera-
enclosure. The simplest form is the space suit, tion of electrical power and by the human body.
which can sustain him for a short time. It must be continuously dissipated in space to
This is an airtight suit completely enclosing the maintain the thermal balance of the spacecraft.
astronaut, which is "pumped up" to provide him The amount of oxygen needed depends upon
with his own atmospheric envelope. the number of crewmen, and the duration of the
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LIFE SUPPORT MATERIAL BALANCE

In Ibs/day Out Ibs/doy

Oxygen consumption 2.0 Water vapor generation 2.20

Food requirement (dry basis) 1.32 Carbon dioxide generation 2.25
Carbon in food converted into CO, 0.615 Metabolic water generation 0.41
Hydrogen in food converted into H2 0 0.046 Urine production 3.0
H, O derived from food 0.99 Fecal output 0.33
Net water intake for drinking and food Fecal water (at 75%) 0.25
preparation 4.46 Solid waste from food 0 .08
TOTAL 7.78 Total H 2 0 output 5.45
TOTAL 7.78

miSSion. A four-man crew in an orbiting space
laboratory on a year-long mission will consume
about 2700 pounds of oxygen. At the same
time, they would be exhaling about 3300 pounds
of carbon dioxide. This gas must be kept be-
low .5% of the total capsule atmosphere or the
efficiency and health of the crewmen will be im-
paired. If allowed to accumulate it would
asphyxiate the astronauts.
The breathing air is subject to other forms of
contamination which also must be controlled.
Machines, men, and chemical reactions between
various compounds will give off minute quantities
of gas or floating particles which, over a long
period of time, could present a hazard to the
crew.
Of the consumables that must be carried,
water offers the most serious weight problem.
Four men, over a one year period, will consume
16,000 pounds of it.
This amount of water is based on a daily al-
lotment of 1 V2 gallons of water a day for each
crewman; much less than the average earth man
normally uses.
A year's supply of food for four men, care-
fully selected for nutrition, taste, and minimum
weight, with all the moisture removed would tip
the scales at 2400 pounds.
The grand total for oxygen, water, and food
exceeds ten tons .
Even though we may be able to launch this
much weight with our advanced boosters, it is
at great cost. The more we carry, the greater
the booster required, the larger storage space
we need, and for every pound of supplies car-
ried, we may have to sacrifice a pound of
experimental equipment.
REGENERATION
By the process of "regeneration," we can re-
duce the basic amount of water and oxygen for
our theoretical mission from 1 8,700 pounds-to
around 400 pounds with a corresponding saving
in storage space.
Literally, regenerate means to restore a ma-
terial to its original strength or properties.
Another definition is "to make use, by means of
special devices, of heat, or the like, that would
otherwise be lost."
The development of regenerative systems for
life support in space has not been easy, but the
first demonstration of the capability has been
accomplished.
A GROUND-BASED SPACE STATION
"living in Space" experiments are now under
way. The first experimental working model of

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 Page 4 NASA FACTS Vol. III, No.5

an orbiting space laboratory is already in opera-

tio~ at NASA's Langley Res~arch Center.
This space station will never leave the ground,
but men will live within the sealed hull for ex-
tended periods of time, under conditions which
simulate living conditions in space. They will
live only on the supplies sealed in with them at
the beginning of each test.
This space laboratory is a cylinder measuring
18 feet 4 inches in diameter and 18 feet in
length. It contains three compartments: A living
area with a volume of 2840 cubic feet, a labora-
tory/work area with a volume of 1910 cubic
feet, and an airlock entry/exit area comprising
another 90 cubic feet.
There are seven main subsystems comprising
the life support system which are undergoing
rigid and exhaustive tests. Atmospheric control
is the subsystem which regulates pressures, re-
covers oxygen from carbon dioxide, and re-
moves atmospheric contaminants. The water
management subsystem includes means for stor-
ing, testing, distributing, and for regenerating Exterior view of a model space laboratory developed by NASA
water from wastes. Food management include~ and General Dynamics Corporation, and now in use at the
Langley Research Center in Virginia.
techniques for storing, heating, chilling, pre-
paring, and serving food under zero-gravity con-
ditions. The thermal control subsystem main- actual space vehicles. They will develop pro-
tains cabin air temperature and humidity at crew grams of work, rest, exercise, and recreation.
choice, provides hot and cold operating tem- They will refine the menu and seek to improve
peratures for equipment, and dissipates excess equipment.
heat. Waste management includes collection, The major ingredient mission in the test pro-
transfer, processing, and storage or disposal of gram will be zero gravity except for very brief
all unwanted materials. Personal hygiene is periods. The real test will come when the
provided for by another subsystem developed to operational laboratory assumes its orbital path
keep the astronauts healthy and clean. Thread- in space, and becomes a home and place of
ing through all of these subsystems is a seventh work for four men in long-term isolation.
subsystem, instrumentation and control, which
"measures" and controls the distribution of
physical factors such as pressure, flow, electrical LIFE SUPPORT PROCESSES
power, temperatures, etc. This last subsystem
includes "status" display panels and alarms to Early orbital laboratories may be launched
warn of malfunctions of any of the subsystems. with their crews riding in re-entry capsules at-
The space station and its life support system tached to the larger structures. However, for
are designed to support four men. However, the long-term orbital observatories it is most prac-
the principles and techniques of the station can tical to launch without the crew.
be "sized" to a larger or smaller crew. After the crewless lab attains its orbit, ground
NASA scientists, in performing experimental stations will test its systems, to assure that every-
tests with the working model laboratory, will thing is in good working order. Then, members
accu mulate data that will guide the design of of the scientist/ astronaut team will ride to their

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 NASA FACTS Vol. III, No.5 Page 5

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Life support functions are symbolized to show inter-dependence: (I) oxygen recovery (2) air pressure (3) water (4) contaminant
j removal (5) food (6) waste disposal (7) power (8) hygiene (9) thermal control (10) instrumentation and control.

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new home in space in transport vehicles similar
to the Gemini spacecraft, thrust into a matching
orbit by smaller boosters.
Their first task, after they enter the lab, will
be to check out all functions. If everything is
working right, they will then be ready for the
relative freedom of the shirt-sleeve environment.
It is then that the men will enter into the life sup-
port loop-i.e., become a part of the total life
support system cycle. The life support system
begins to function when the astronauts lift their
visors and take a first breath of the lab air.
ATMOSPHERIC CONTROL-When you inhale
and use oxygen, it isn't lost. It merely gets
"tied up" within the body. Some of the oxygen
you breathe combines with carbon, and is ex-
haled as carbon dioxide (C0 2 ), If you could
 Page 6
A wide-angle view of the equipment and laboratory deck shows the actual operating equipment now in use to regenerate oxygen
and water for re-use. Living quarters are on the deck above this.
separate the oxygen in CO 2 from its carbon
atoms, you could use it again. So, the oxygen
present in a small room will sustain you for a life-
time, if it is reclaimed for use over and over
again.
Oxygen recovery, as you may recall, IS a
part of the atmospheric control subsystem.
In the space cabin, air continuo.usly flows
through a number of devices which cleanse and
purify it. There is a set of filters in the living
area, and a duplicate set in the laboratory. At
each of these stations, air first passes through
fiber-glass filters which remove visible-size par-
ticles. The air then flows through charcoal
filters, which remove odors and certain unwanted
gasses.
Beyond the filter, air is passed through a de-
vice called a catalytic burner which changes any
trace quantities of toxic gases into harmless
compounds. Then all the air flows through the
cabin heat exchanger which cools the air to a
temperature which maintains the cabin at a com-
fortable range. In passing through this unit,
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most of the moisture contained in the air changes
to tiny droplets of water which are siphoned off
NASA FACTS Vol. III, No.5
into water storage tanks for later purification and
reuse.
The air also passes through a continuous ~ycle
of oxygen recovery. There are three elements
in the system: The CO 2 concentrator, the CO 2
reduction unit, and a water electrolysis unit.
The CO 2 concentration unit is comprised of
two separate filtering devices. One removes
all water from the air as the air flows through
the concentrator. The second filter is composed
of Zeolite, a chemical compo·sition that has a
very great attraction for carbon dioxide. As
the air flows through this second filter, the mole-
cules of carbon dioxide are captured by the
granules of Zeolite. The airstream, thus relieved
of CO 2 returns to the main air circuit.
The CO u captured in the Zeolite filter, is then
extracted by a combination of heat and a vac-
uum pump. It is then mixed with hydrogen
and is passed into a device called a "Bosch
Reactor." Here, the mixture is raised to a tem-
perature of 1200 degrees Fahrenheit, in the
presence of iron, which acts as a catalyst. In
the reaction which follows, some of the hydro-
gen atoms combine with atoms of oxygen in the
NASA FACTS Vol. IJI, No. 5
CO 2 to form water. The carbon atoms adhere
to the iron catalyst.
The water created in the Bosch Reactor is
taken into an electrolysis unit where it is mixed
with a chemical liquid that will conduct electricity.
The liquid is contained in a material that will al-
low hydrogen ions and oxygen ions to pass
through its walls, but holds back liquids. On
one side of the container is another compartment
which contains a positive electrode. A third
compartment contains a negative electrode.
When electric current is applied, hydrogen atoms
with a positive charge move towards the nega-
tive electrode in one compartment. The oxygen
atoms, with a negative charge, move toward
the positive electrode in the other compartment.
As the oxygen accumulates it returns to the cabin
atmosphere, ready for reuse. The hydrogen
gas is returned to the Bosch Reactor, where it is
used again, mixing with CO 2 to create more
water for electrolysis.
Thus, by regeneration, the same oxygen pres-
ent in the cabin air when the spacecraft goes into
orbit is used over and over in an endless cycle.
Theoretically, in a space cabin such as the one
we have described, if there were no losses of
air to the vacuum of space, 80 pounds of oxygen
would be enough to sustain four men for the
lifetime of each. However, some loss is inevi-
table, so additional supplies will have to be on
board to make up for it. No material is "leak-
proof" when the pressure on one side is greater
than that on the other. Engineers have calcu-
lated that a minute quantity of gases will leak
through the cabin wall into space. To offset
this leakage a reserve supply equal to about 100
pounds of air for each 90 days of space travel
must be carried.
During the same period, astronauts will be
using the airlock for entering and leaving the
spacecraft. We can estimate that they will use
it about five times every 90 days. Each time,
90 cubic feet of air will be lost.
As a safety factor, we will provide enough
additional gases to replenish completely the
cabin once every 90 days. This reserve is to
meet any possible emergencies; a leak in the
cabin wall, or serious contamination of the at-
mosphere as a result of equipment malfunction.
Page 7
If one of these conditions were to occur, the
crew would make necessary repairs, drain the
atmosphere from the cabin and refill it with the
reserve supplies. During this process, they
would be protected by their space suits, drawing
from air supplies included in each space suit
"bio-pack. "
Reserve supplies of gases will be stored as
liquids or in high-pressure containers.
THE WATER CYCLE-When we drink water,
it doesn't necessarily change its form. It be-
comes contaminated by the waste products of
our biological processes. We consume it in its
pure form, in beverages, and in the food we eat.
We reject it as water vapor in breathing, as
perspiration, as urine, or in solid wastes (feces).
The recovery of a part of this was covered in
the description of the air circuit. Perspiration
evaporates, and with vapor in the breath, be-
comes suspended in the atmosphere, increasing
the humidity level within the cabin. This humid-
ity is concentrated by cooling in the cabin heat
exchanger, and recovered in the water separator.
Man's biological processes produce more
water than he consumes. This is because
oxygen he breathes combines with hydrogen
from hydrocarbons in food to produce about a
pint of water per day. With this net gain, it
won't be necessary to recover water from solid
wastes-as long as leakage and loss of atmos-
phere due to use of air-lock for extra-vehicular
activities are minimal.
Wash water and urine are the other two
sources of water which is purified for re-use.
The process begins in the collection tanks.
The collection tanks hold the waste water until
there is enough to process. Here, special
chemicals are added. These inhibit bacterial
growth and formation of objectionable gases.
From here, the waste water begins its flow
through the recovery circuit.
To "regenerate" water, the prototype life
support system uses a combination of evapora-
tion and filtration. The main unit is a sealed
container enclosing a special wick over which
flows a stream of hot air. With this, we can
"hold" water in zero-gravity.
Waste water, in a carefully regulated flow,
saturates the wick. The hot air flowing past the
Page 8 NASA FACTS Vol. III, No.5

Brushing teeth in zero-gravity is not much different. It is best In zero-gravity, bathing is with a sponge, filled and squeezed
done while strapped to a bunk. Astronauts will have to be with a mechanical device. Exercise must be of those kinds
careful not to squirt paste, and must keep mouth closed while which do not depend on gravity. Push-ups and weight-lifting
brushing. are out .

wick evaporates the water, leaving the major
part of the contaminants in the wick. These
wicks are replaceable, and are changed
periodically.
The air stream carries the evaporated water
through a charcoal filter which removes odors
and contaminants which may have escaped in
the evaporative process.
Leaving the charcoal filter, the hot air enters
a heat exchanger which cools it, condensing the
water to droplets. These move on with the air
stream to a centrifuge type water separator,
where the precious liquid is recovered.
Air discharged from the separator passes
through the blower which keeps it circulating; then
through a heat exchanger which heats it again;
and returns again as hot, dry air, passing over
the wick to pick up more water.
Water from the centrifugal air/liquid separa-
tor passes out through another line to another
charcoal filter, and finally into the recovery hold-
ing tank. It remains in this tank until it can be
tested for pu rity.
For space crews, the standard of purity is
higher than that applied to the water you use in
your home.
For psychological reasons, however, water
recovered from urine is processed through a
separate unit reserved for this, and is used only
for washing. Potable water for drinking and
food preparation is processed in the first unit, and
is derived from humidity condensates and wash
water.
FOOD-Scientists are working on techniques
to reconstitute food from waste products, bacteria
and algae. There has been progress but ac-
ceptable methods will take some time to develop.
For the next generation of astronauts, we will
have to settle for improvements i n products that
have already been tested in space flight.
NASA, working with industry, has developed
techniques of freeze-drying foods in vacuum
packages . Using this technique, we can pre-
serve almost any food, providing a menu both
tasty and nutritious.
Space meals, in individual, sealed plastic con-
tainers, will be stored in cabinets aboard the
spacecraft. At meal-time, an astronaut will
select his balanced intake, and place the pack-
age on "zero-gravity" trays. They must be
held down, or they would float away at the
slightest movement of the tray.
To prepare food for eating, crewmen will set
an automatic dispenser control to the amount of
water required. A water nozzle fits into a valve
on each food bag, and delivers the right amount

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NASA FACTS Vol. III, No.5 Page 9

SAMPLE MENU
DAYS 1, 5 and 9 DAYS 2, 6 and 10 DAYS 3 and 7 DAYS 4 and 8
Meal Apricot Nectar Prune Bits Orange Juice Peach Bits
No. 1 Grapenuts Scrambled Eggs Wheat Chex Scrambled Eggs
Bread Wafers 111 Bread Wafers I Bread Wafers 111 Bread Wafers III
Mocha Beverage Milk Chocolate Milk Milk
Coff •• Coffee Coffee Coffee

Meal Fruit Cocktail Cream Soup Swiss Steak Tomato Consomme

No. 2 Shrimp Casserol. Tornato Aspic Mashed Potatoes Hamburger Patties
Bread Wafers I Cheese Sandwiches Corn Bread Wafers I
Lemon Gelatin Rice Pudding Apple Pudding Coffee Milk Shake
Jordan Almonds Honey Squares Toffee
Coffee Coffee Tea

Meal Beef Salad Blended Juices Cream of Mushroom Soup Grape Punch
No.3 Bread Wafers II Beef and Gravy Gelatin Fruit Salad Turkey and Gravy
Applesauce Mashed Potatoes Corn Meal Wafers Winter Squ ash
Sp ice Squares Peas Cheese Cake Bits Spinach
Milk Pecan Bites Milk Bread Wafers III
Coffee Tea Coffee Raspberry Dessert
Tea

Meal Pineapple Juice Vegetable Soup Grapefruit Juice Blended Jui ce

No . 4 Breast of Chicken Ham Patties Chicken a 10 king Ham Casserole
Mashed Potatoes Bread Wafers II Rice Corn Meal Wafers
Glazed Carrots Banana Milk Shake Bread Wafers II Pineapple
Corn Meal Wafers Nougats Pears Peppermint Wafers
Strawberry Dessert Bites Coffee Coffee
Tea Almond Wafers

The next generation of space men will use freeze-dried foods in vacuum packages. They reconstitute these foods by adding certa'"
amounts of hot or cold water, through a self-sealing valve. Food is eaten by squeezing contents into mouth .

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Page 10 NASA FACTS Vol. III, No.5

·of water for reconstituting the food. There are "Tooth-brushing" won 't be too much different,
separate nozzles for hot and cold. but spacemen will have to learn to keep their
~fter removing the bag, an astronaut will mouths closed during the process.
knead it to mix properly dried food and water. Shaving could become a minor problem, since
To eat, you just squeeze the contents into your ordinary blade or electric razors would con-
mouth and chew, careful to keep your mouth taminate the atmosphere with floating shaving
closed. Biscuits, cookies, and the like are pack- cream and bristles. Yet the spaceman needs to
aged in edible wrappers. They are eaten pack- shave, or his space helmet might eventually close
age and all. him in like the man in the iron mask. To solve
this problem, engineers have developed an electric
razor that vacuums as it shaves.
PERSONAL HYGIENE-Those who will volun-
Nail clippers will be enclosed in plastic bags
teer for lonely, long-term vigils in space will have
into which an astronaut must insert his finger.
some adjustments to make in terms of personal
The common haircut would require special pre-
hygiene. They will sacrifice warm tub-baths and
cautions. It is highly probable that crew-
invigorating showers for the zero-gravity sponge.
men will shave their heads . Dandruff is a big
Even the squeezing of their sponge will be-
problem.
come a mechanical task-since it must be
enclosed-or the cleansing fluid, instead of run- Wash day may consist of simply discarding
ning out, would gather into a glob of moisture, used or soiled clothing in to the waste collector
to go floating about the cabin with the slightest and slipping into new disposable outfits.
motion. A special program of exercises is needed to
keep spacemen fit. The absence of gravity
takes the exercise out of the conventional chin-
ups and push-ups because there is no load on
the muscles.
Instead, crewmen will use well-planned regi-
mens of isometrics, chest pulls, and other similar
devices which do not depend on a gravity en-
vironment. Gemini crews have done valuable
work in developing exercise programs.
In the year-long mission, there will very likely
be a small centrifuge between decks. Astro-
nauts will spin-up in these devices for a set
~eriod on a regular basis. This will help keep
muscles from deteriorating .

WASTE MANAGEMENT-Waste co llection

equipment and facilities are designed to over-
come the no-gravity problem . For example,
the commode uses forced air as a transport
force instead of water.
The commode ' s receptor con t ains a bag
made from special material that allows air to
pass through, but captures solids and liquids .
The spaceman's razor will mast likely be electric, but it must An object entering the bag is caught by a con-
have a special attachment; a built-in vacuum sweeper that tinuous flow of air which forces it to the bottom
picks up whiskers as it shaves. We cannot allow loose
whiskers floating about. and holds it there.

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I NASA FACTS Vol. III, No.5 Page 11
I form of heat. If it were allowed to accumulate,
j it would become intolerably hot for the crew, so
j the excess heat must be radiated to space.
I
I The amount to be radiated is constantly
:
Ii changing. Heat given off by the human body
varies with the activity of the individual. Heat
generated by electronic and processing equip-

I ment, operated intermittently, fluctuates with

demands placed upon them. A spacecraft de-
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signed for earth orbit may pass in and out of sun
light and earth shadow many times a day, ex-
posing the cabin to constantly changing tem-
perature extremes. Instruments must detect the
The "Men's Room" aboard a space station is designed to over-
come the problems of zero-gravity. All wastes must be dried changing conditions and automatically regulate
and stored in the large container on the left. Waste drier is
the flow of air and fluids to dissipate the excess
at upper left center.
heat at just the right rate.
life support system processing uses energy in
To dispose of the bag, the astronaut carefully two forms-as heat and as electricity. If its
closes it, removes it and places it in the waste only source were electricity, it would require up
drier. When the lid is closed, this container is to 9,000 watts during peak loads-for a four
sealed off from the cabin. Heat is then provided man system. However, scientists designed the
inside the container, and a valve is opened which equipment to utilize heat energy in place of
exposes the materials to the vacuum of space. electricity whenever possible. The use of heat
Between the container and the exit to space, reduces the electrical energy required to about
there is a filter which captures bacteria and other 2600 watts. This leaves a greater amount of
electricity with which to operate electronic equip-
contaminants.
After drying, waste products are removed ment and perform experiments.
from the drier and stored in collector "trash A fluid picks up heat from the power genera-
barrels." Into these also go the used filters from tor by means of a heat exchanger. This fluid
circulates to the equipment which requires heat.
various components, such as the carbon filters
Its energy is used to desorb the CO 2 concentra-
from the Bosch Reactor, and wicks from the
tor, for CO 2 reduction, in the water recovery
evaporative water recovery units.
units, in the waste drier, and in heating water
It would be simpler to dump the waste into
for food preparation and washing.
space, but scientists of most nations have agreed
All of this thermal energy must eventually be
that space missions should not clutter space with
radiated into space, or the space cabin would
debris or bacteria. All waste will eventually be
become intolerably hot. This is accomplished
brought back into the earth's atmosphere.
by means of space radiators.
An alternate proposal suggests that we could
The power generator has its own radiator.
send waste rockets hurtling back into the atmos-
All operating energy for the spacecraft originates
phere, where the objectionable materials inside
as heat in an atomic isotope. This heats a
them would burn up during re-entry.
working fluid which dr;ves a turbine to produce
electricity. The hot fluid, no longer hot enough
THERMAL CONTROL-Heat control is needed to drive the turbine, is then used to heat another
to maintain a comfortable temperature within the working fluid-by means of a heat exchanger.
spacecraft, and to provide controlled tempera- It is this second fluid which is used to operate the
tures for the various machines. spacecraft's life support equipment. The power
All the energy that is generated on the space system fluid flows from the heat exchanger to
vehicle for operating equipment ends up in the tubes outside the cabin walls.
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Ii Page 12 NASA FACTS Vol. III, No.5

..
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Test volunteers must keep an eye on

the status panel, which keeps them
.,
informed of the candition of all sys-
tems in their sealed chamber. If a
component begins to go bad, lights
will warn the occupants. There are
also audible signals. ..

There, it gives up (or radiates) its heat load to of living in space. Every component or sub-
space. The cooled fluid returns to the atomic system in the spacecraft has backup. If a a
isotope to repeat the cycle. unit should malfunction, there would be an iden-
There is another radiator which is used for the tical unit to take over, or a substitute method of
coolant system. The fluid in this radiator is performing the same operation.
chilled to a low temperature. It then passes Crew safety and reliability are factors which
through the various components of the life sup- have been paramount in the design of all equip-
port system-chilling water, condensing water ment, and development of procedures.
from the air, picking up heat from the air which The developfTIent of life support systems for
passes through the cabin air conditioner, and living in space is in its infancy. The system de-
cooling the various items which become heated scribed here is the finest NASA scientists, and
in operation. their contemporaries in industry, have thus far
As the coolant moves through its pickup points, been able to devise for conserving air, water,
it heats up. It then flows back through the radi- and energy in an orbiting spacecraft.
ator to discard all of the excess heat, and re- As improvements are made, they will be in-
turns through the life support equipment to get corporated into the system. More and more use
some more. will be made of materials and energy now dis-
Thermal control is a thread which runs through carded. Even as late as 1960, the manned
every station in the spacecraft. In a sense, it space flight realities of today would have seemed
ties everything together, providing high tempera- like fanciful dreams. NASA research and de-
tures where needed, and rejecting heat at lower velopment on regenerative systems today may
temperatures when it is no longer useful. make it possible to extend man's space goals
Briefly, we have described the major problems beyond the solar system.

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