Support for radiation protection ground tests: the primary objective of this work is the planning and execution of human performance and usability evaluations of radiation protection concepts. A…

This federal contract award to the National Institute of Aerospace Associates (NIA), a non-profit research organization based in Hampton, Virginia, is for support related to radiation protection ground tests for NASA's Advanced Exploration Systems (AES) program. The primary objective is to conduct human performance and usability evaluations of various garments, blankets, and sleeping bags designed to provide astronauts with additional radiation protection, particularly focusing on a new water bladder-based sleeping bag concept and reconfigurable storm shelter concepts that utilize onboard resources.

The $380,255.00 cost-plus-fixed-fee delivery order contract, awarded by NASA's Langley Research Center, will fund two sets of ground tests in 2018 to develop testing procedures for the radiation protection systems being developed by NextSTEP contractors for a deep space gateway habitat. The contract does not have a set-aside designation. This work will build upon previous testing of radiation protection concepts conducted under the AES RadWorks project from 2012-2014.

Support for radiation protection ground tests: the primary objective of this work is the planning and execution of human performance and usability evaluations of radiation protection concepts. A variety of garments, blankets, and sleeping bags have previously been developed to provide astronauts with additional radiation protection. Most of these items utilize polyethylene, or a similar hydrogen rich material, as the primary shielding material. During the 2012-2014 time period, this work was extended under NASA s advanced exploration systems (AES) radworks project. A new sleeping bag concept was developed, which utilizes a water bladder, and new solar particle event storm shelter concepts were created. One of the storm shelter concepts augmented the astronaut crew quarters with water walls and pantry type shelves, and another relied on the reconfiguration of onboard food, water, and supplies to create a safe haven. In 2014, an initial set of human factors tests were performed on those two storm shelter concepts, providing a better understanding of the set-up time required and astronaut training needs. Under the next space technologies for exploration partnerships (nextstep), NASA has recently awarded contracts to several companies to develop human exploration habitation systems for a deep space gateway habitat. This activity includes the development of prototypes for some vehicle systems, which will be utilized in a set of ground tests next year. In preparation for the planned ground testing of systems delivered by the nextstep contractors, the NASA nextstep team will be performing two sets of ground tests this year, utilizing existing technology, with the goal of developing testing procedures that will be used in next year s tests of the new systems delivered by the contractors. Radiation protection concepts will be included in this year s ground tests, because several of the companies are expected to deliver radiation protection concepts. Two sets of ground tests are planned for FY18. The first will take place in march or april and will primarily be performed at JSC, but testing for radiation concepts is expected to be at larc. The second set of ground tests will occur at multiple centers (JSC, msfc, and KSC) where the contractors are delivering prototype habitat modules in the september time frame. The testing of radiation concepts will occur at one of those centers and be integrated into the habitat module. Two radiation protection concepts, a garment and an adaptation of the reconfigurable logistics concept, will be evaluated during each of the testing periods. The garment tests will focus on how easily the garment can be donned and the astronauts ability to perform normal tasks while wearing the garment. The reconfigurable logistics test will extend and improve the previous tests by taking into account the time IT takes astronauts to gather the logistics used from their stored locations within the habitat and the ability to create the shelter, put everything back, and then repeat the process.