MSPO 513 - Space Habitation & Life Support Systems

Research Mission

The central assignment for this course is a research mission project focusing on a space habitation and life support systems scenario that you will select. The research project will consist of creating the conceptual design of a human habitat and life support system to accomplish one of the three following scenarios.

1. Tourist mission to the moon with a one-week stay on the lunar surface offering tours of the lunar surface.  
2. Exploration mission to Mars with a twelve-week stay on the Martian surface determining long-term basing options, science options, and search for Martian life.  
3. Exploration mission to the asteroid 1036 Ganymed with a three-week stay determining planetary defense, mining, and science basing options.  

For each scenario, six people will constitute the tourist group or exploration team. There will also be a crew.  Space and surface transportation for all scenarios are provided by the course. You will be expected to provide your assessment of the best habitation and life support planning and technologies for the mission. Remember to discuss optimum spacesuit designs. See the table below. Completion of mission objectives including the safe return to Earth of all space travelers in as good or better health than at the start is the end of the exercise.

Reference Resources

• Space Environments for Humans (Applied Science)
• Space Stations of the Future (Space Sciences)
• Human Missions to Mars (Space Sciences)
• Space Tourism, Evolution of (Space Sciences)

Books