Human Control and Closed Ecosystem Stability
- Paper number
IAC-12,YPVF,2,3,x16354
- Author
Mr. Marty McNutt, University of North Dakota, United States
- Year
2012
- Abstract
Closed Ecological Life Support Systems (CELSS) rely on the natural circulation of water, atmosphere, and biomass to provide human inhabitants with consumable material in a closed system, such as a space habitat. This project is a conceptual approach for analyzing complex, long-duration CELSS reliability. The methodology is based on mathematical models of closed ecosystem dynamics. Preliminary considerations have led to the identification of critical variables including: 1. The average rate of material circulation in the system; 2. System uncertainty (fluctuations in the material circulation rates); 3. System buffer capacities (the mass of circulating materials); 4. Accuracy and limitations of human control within the system. The first conclusion is that the mass of circulating materials must exceed the baseline requirements of human inhabitants by a value proportional to anticipated material cycle fluctuations. The second conclusion is that the requirement for precise human control increases alongside the level of anticipated material cycle fluctuations.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
(absent)