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TABLE 4-2 Current Revolutionary (or Lunar/Mars) Technology Projects
Project Description
Funding level (in $k) in FY96
FY the project would be completed if funded
Total funding ($k) necessary to complete project
Planetary dust protection
0
97
50
Mars thermal protection
0
97
75
Planetary mobility of ISS and Mark III suits
0
98
200
Ionization removal of CO2 and H2O
0
99
200
Microencapsulated materials for cooling
0
99
200
Metal hydride thermal control system
80
96
516
Variable conductance heat rejection
0
99
300
Increased thermoelectric module efficiency
0
97
10
Convection/radiation radiator for Mars
0
00
400
Lightweight fuel cell
0
98
300
Minimum mass and volume airlock
0
97
40
Liquid oxygen PLSS
0
98
500
Variable pressure O2 regulator
0
00
500
Carbon fullerene O2 storage
0
99
250
Mars atmospheric pressure analysis
0
97
40
Totals
80
3,581
Recommendation 4-1. Improvements in areas where current technologies can meet mission requirements should be given lower priority. The emphasis should be placed on developing techniques that have the potential to make large improvements. In general, in the absence of a requirement for a new extravehicular mobility unit, the first priority of research and development should include the development of components and subsystems. The second priority should be systems integration, testing, and the packaging of technologies in prototypes. Specific high priorities for extravehicular activity research and development include (not in rank order):
achieving zero prebreathe capability
reducing the total mass of extravehicular mobility units
minimizing consumables through advanced subsystem designs (thermal control, CO2 removal, humidity control)
enabling adequate mobility on planetary surfaces
protecting against dust contamination
designing to fit multiple crewmembers
increasing reliability and maintainability of extravehicular mobility units (e.g., possibly by using modular components and subsystems)
