Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Tech Transfer
Non-Intrusive, Distributed Gas Sensing Technology for Advanced Spacesuits
Project Description
Advances in spacesuits are required to support the ISS and future human exploration. Spacesuit development and ground-based testing tasks require sensing and analytical instrumentation for characterizing and validating prototypes. While miniature thermosensors measure reliably at low cost, and can be incorporated all around spacesuit prototypes, incorporating gas sensors at locations of interest inside a spacesuit has been a significant challenge – in particular for human subject tests – because of the size and cost of available instrumentation. The sensor probes and cables must not restrict the suit or human subjects' mobility, and must not disturb the gas flow. Intelligent Optical System proposes to develop luminescence-based sensing patches for non-intrusive monitoring of critical life support gas constituents and potential trace contaminants in spacesuits. Flexible sensitive patches inside prototype spacesuits will be interrogated via optical fibers, and will not disturb the gas flow or the human subject. This will give suit engineers great flexibility for choosing multiple sensing points, fitting the sensor elements into the spacesuit, and cost effectively relocating the sensor elements as desired.
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Anticipated Benefits
The proposed technology will apply directly to accomplishing the objectives of the NASA Advanced Exploration Systems (AES) program, facilitating the rapid and effective development of novel EVA systems, and the demonstration of key capabilities for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. Exhaustive testing of prototype systems reduces risk and improves the affordability of exploration missions. The proposed technology will significantly enhance current capabilities for demonstrating, in ground-based testbeds and in flight experiments on the International Space Station (ISS), the prototype EVA systems developed in the AES program.
The potential market for noninvasive sensor patches includes the industries that apply protective packaging to moisture- or oxygen-sensitive goods. Incorporating patches inside packages will enable the users to check gas composition nondestructively throughout the life of the packaged product, assuring the integrity of the envelope. Packaging with gas barrier properties and/or modified atmospheres is used extensively for electronic components, hygroscopic chemicals, pharmaceuticals, food, animal feed, and surgical and dental instruments. Specifically adapting and calibrating the patch sensors will suit them for use in these industries. More »
The potential market for noninvasive sensor patches includes the industries that apply protective packaging to moisture- or oxygen-sensitive goods. Incorporating patches inside packages will enable the users to check gas composition nondestructively throughout the life of the packaged product, assuring the integrity of the envelope. Packaging with gas barrier properties and/or modified atmospheres is used extensively for electronic components, hygroscopic chemicals, pharmaceuticals, food, animal feed, and surgical and dental instruments. Specifically adapting and calibrating the patch sensors will suit them for use in these industries. More »
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Primary U.S. Work Locations and Key Partners
| Organizations Performing Work | Role | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intelligent Optical Systems, Inc. | Lead Organization | Industry | Torrance, California |
Johnson Space Center
(JSC)
|
Supporting Organization | NASA Center | Houston, Texas |
Primary U.S. Work Locations
-
California
-
Texas
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