EnviHab – A modularly designed ground-based habitat for scientific and medical studies –
- Paper number
IAC-05-A1.6.08
- Author
Dr. Bernhard Koch, Deutsches Zentrum fur Luft und Raumfahrt e.V. (DLR), Germany
- Coauthor
Dr. Elke Rabbow, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Germany
- Coauthor
Dr. Petra Rettberg, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Germany
- Coauthor
Prof. Rupert Gerzer, Deutsches Zentrum fur Luft und Raumfahrt e.V. (DLR), Germany
- Year
2005
- Abstract
Answers to basic medical and scientific questions to better prepare humans for long-term space missions are of increased importance ever since the NASA and ESA exploration initiative was proclaimed. Thus basic questions concerning e.g. osteoporosis and muscle atrophy, regulation of body fluid and salt homeostasis, closed (life support) systems and pollution/waste management and crew selection and psychophysiology stress monitoring and training need to be answered. Solutions to such questions are of high terrestrial significance as well. At DLR, a modularly designed and gradually closed habitat – in which humans are included as integral part of bioregenerative life support systems – is planned for such medical and scientific studies. As an integrated simulation test bed for different scientific purposes EnviHab will encompass research like confinement studies (e.g. with regard to crew selection), bed rest studies, metabolic studies, psychophysiological studies (crew training, prophylaxis), life in extreme environments and for investigations on various aspects of the environment of an inhabited complex of life support systems. The investigated topics orient themselves, e.g., on the need of a crew of astronauts during space missions. At the same time the solutions are of high significance to simultaneously answer questions relevant to applications on Earth. Microbiological research in EnviHab will help to understand the environment related microbial population dynamics and the interaction between microbial communities, environmental conditions and humans in general and in closed systems like ISS. Finally, it is EnviHab’s long term goal to provide a habitat sustained by bioregenerative life support systems with a high degree of closure, supporting a human crew of 6 to 8, in an artificial life supporting environment under controlled conditions for the simulation of long-term human missions in LEO or in Space. The experience of long-term space flights made evident that the importance of psychological problems (individual performance and health, group dynamics, multi-cultural effects) increases with the duration of a mission. Especially in preparation for long-term flights with increasing distance from earth an automated system seems to be useful which can provide help to the crew (diagnostics and recommendations) and which is independent from any relationship to the Earth and immediately available. In German-Russian joint projects some main features of such an expert system have been developed and a first shell does already exist. For the Russian Segment of the ISS the application of a hardware prototype (NEUROLAB-2000M) is foreseen. The system will include the monitoring of daily medical and crew report data, repeatedly testing of individual performance and group efficiency as well as mission history or work-rest schedules. With EnviHab special focus will be put on public outreach in general and on inspiring the next generation of scientists in particular. Therefore it is envisaged taking a combined approach of bringing together scientific as well as industrial and educational communities under the topic of EnviHab. Promising steps into that direction have already been taken.
- Abstract document