Human Performance in Space

For three weeks here in Montreal it was Department time at SSP14. Participants chose from either Space Sciences, Policy, Economics & Law, Space Engineering, Space Applications and my Department Human Performance in Space. During these few weeks they attended the Departmental Activities that have been planned for the past few months. 

My Department Activities included a variety of professional visits, visiting lecturers and workshops that enriched the lecture material given at the start of the program. As the Teaching Associate for Human Performance in Space, I had the chance to work alongside some fantastic visiting lecturers and participants!

 The first Departmental Activity was a Neuroscience Workshop. Participants used neuroscience equipment flown onboard the Shuttle that was utilised for measuring disturbances in spatial orientation (posture, eye moments, cognition) - typical in astronauts after returning to Earth. It was pretty fun to watch everyone try to write their names whilst wearing inverted mirrored goggles :)

HPS also visited the PERFORM Centre - a research-driven facility with state-of-the-art equipment and ultra-modern laboratories and suites. We were able to see experiments take place in the Functional Assessment Lab and Cardiopulmonary Suite.

Last year's TA for HPS, Ana Diaz visited the Department and gave an interesting workshop on Spacesuit Design.

 

She brought along some sample spacesuits from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) - including the famous Biosuit which I'm posing with below.

The nearby Cosmodome in Laval provided hours of fun. The space centre has three different virtual missions that include challenges such as testing piloting abilities and collaborating with crew members to construct the International Space Station (ISS). 

As the Human Performance in Space Department, we had some astronauts visit us including Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronauts Bob Thirsk, David Saint-Jacques and the first Korean astronaut Soyeon-Yi. This in turn led to a astronaut selfie with my friend Hugo - an opportunity too good to miss at space school :)

Bob Thirsk and David Saint-Jacques ran a workshop on Space Scenarios that I devised with help from Bob. Participants spent time imagining themselves in different real-life space situations such as a hard-working yet isolating crew member or a trajectory occurring back on Earth and we discussed potential outcomes of these. It was interesting to put ourselves in the shoes of an astronaut orbiting above the Earth.

Soyeon-Yi took part in the annual Space Studies Program astronaut panel the night before. This was the first year that the panel was all-female! One small step for women and one giant step for gender equality :)

The last week of Departmental Activities included a visit to the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and the Montreal Biodome.

We visited the headquarters of CSA and saw the Canadarm training facilities as well as observing mission deployment using a Juno rover prototype in the outdoor Mars yard. The rover was controlled via remote tele-operation from the ExDOC control centre.

The penultimate Departmental Activity took us to the Biodome - the 'house of life' in the heart of the city. Its 5 enclosed ecosystems are a great way to learn about life support systems in space. Animals and plants from across the world are housed here including the adorable sloths and penguins (my favourites)!

The last Departmental Activity was Project Presentation Day. Participants in my Department had been working on a Human Performance in Space project for the past 2 weeks. With topics ranging from embryonic development in space to the influence of plants on humans in space, the talks were very insightful and I loved hearing such interesting presentations from everyone. Below is a presentation on a project that I proposed - Creative Communication of HPS. I was very impressed with the inspiring results of the research done by Ariane and Akane - the wonderful participants that chose my topic :)

Afterwards, we treated everyone to a surprise party complete with balloons, cake and snacks! Always a great combination. As a thank you for my work as their TA, the participants got me a cute teddy and flowers :) I miss my HPS-ers already!

 

Following the end of Department time, Alumni Weekend was upon us here at SSP14. Every summer, International Space University alumni from across the globe attend this weekend wherever that year's summer program is taking place. Below is a photo of alumni from the year that I did SSP in Florida - SSP12  :)

The annual Space Masquerade Ball and Alumni Vs Participant football match also takes place during Alumni weekend. There's a costume competition and this year's prize went to a group that collectively dressed up as the International Space Station! Cultural night was also incredible this weekend since it was Canada's turn - they put on a great show!

Right now we're in the middle of Team Project work. It's pretty hectic with report writing, editing and deadlines but the end of SSP will be upon us next week as Week 9 arrives and we will start to fly back to our respective corners of the world. SSP has once again ended too soon -my next blog post will include some of the highlights of SSP14 so that I can relive the program through memories of the summer.

-Nikita

*Photo Credits: Hugo Wagner

Space Wardrobe Design: Chinese Spacesuit Analysis & Inspiration

Chinese taikonauts Zhai Zhigang (center), Liu Boming (right) and Jing Haipeng return from their Shenzhou-7 mission in which China’s first EVA was conducted
(Credits: China.org.cn).

Spacesuit design varies with each spacefaring nation that ventures into space. In order to optimize design, it is important to discuss these differences so that areas of improvement are addressed and proven features are maintained. The Chinese space program has developed the Feitian spacesuit which possesses characteristics that are comparable to both the US Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) and the Russian Orlan spacesuits.

Designed to keep a human alive in the harsh environment of outer space with temperature fluctuations and vacuum conditions, the spacesuit serves as an individual spacecraft of its own and has the ability to perform vital functions such as gaseous exchange and waste storage as well having a built-in communications system. This complexity of requirements has led to the development of several different spacesuits each with distinct yet similar designs.

As part of the US Spacesuit Knowledge Capture (KC) Series, the Feitian Chinese Spacesuit was analyzed in a presentation given by Lewis Croog at NASA Johnson Space Center following the 2008 milestone of China becoming the third nation to perform an EVA from a spacecraft.

Croog analyzed Feitian, meaning ‘flying in the sky’, based on a video from that first EVA. The EVA was conducted by Chinese taikonauts Zhai Zhigang and Liu Boming outside the Shenzhou-7 spacecraft whilst Jing Haipeng monitored the walk from inside. Two spacesuits were involved: the Feitian suit and a backup Russian Orlan spacesuit.
According to a contract signed in April 2004, a Russian company provided three Orlan suits, two low-pressure Launch Entry suits, four underwater training suits, and four docking systems to the Chinese.

A Feitian suit photographed in 2008 at the Hong Kong Space Museum (Credits: Johnson Lau).

No information on the suits was available prior to this video and Croog identifies great resemblance between the Feitian and the Russian Orlan – a much closer relation than the Feitan bears to the EMU. Feitian/Russian Orlan spacesuits are one size fits all, whereas the EMU can be sized for different people. Another distinction is that the Russian Orlan is certified for 15 uses before it is discarded whereas the EMU spacesuit can be worn for up to 25 years with maintenance. Upon visiting China in 2008 and witnessing the Feitian suits  on display at the Beijing Military Museum, American astronaut Leroy Chiao, commented on the stark similarity between the Russian and Chinese spacesuits in a post on hisonline blog.

“I was impressed with the suit. It has obvious Russian Orlan heritage, with some differences. The Display and Control module looked similar, as did the pressure regulators and the oxygen injector switch. The hatch latching mechanism also looked similar. So did the umbilical interfaces. In fact, it is reasonable to assume that the spacecraft interfaces are identical to the Russian system, since the second suit worn by Liu Boming was in fact an Orlan.”

The Orlan suit on which the Feitian is based (Credits: NASA).

Differences between the two suits include the location of the suit pressure gauge, which is on top of the Display Control Module on the Feitian yet on the arm of the Orlan suit. Additionally, a rotating knob is on the Feitian in place of a sliding handle on Orlan for temperature control. Helmet size is another area of disparity as the Feitian visor is larger and wider than the Orlan helmet and the Orlan-M has a moon roof on the helmet, the Feitian does not. Such differences are relatively trivial, however, and the suits are close enough that assumptions can be made about the Feitian based on the Orlan. For example, the Feitan’s helmet is assumed to be built onto the torso as one piece just like the Orlan; in contrast, the EMU helmet is removable.

Astronaut Chiao commented on the Russian influence on Feitian design: “There is nothing wrong with the approach. It is arguably optimal to take an existing design and improve upon it, while retaining critical systems that are proven. In my view, China is taking a very logical course in developing their manned space capability.”

As well as resemblance in glove design, spacesuit interface control panel, training facilities and simulators, the Feitian uses the Orlan style umbilical connection, carrying an emergency oxygen supply tube during the EVA. The video of the EVA displays contrasts not just between spacesuits, but between EVA procedures as well: the shortage of handholds on the Shenzhou was notable, as were pressure differences affecting the door and objects flying out of the airlock. Such observations are key to identifying areas of improvement for future EVAs.

NASA’s Extravehicular Mobility Unit, or EMU (Credits: NASA).

Liu Guoning, a researcher of China’s Manned Space Engineering Program, believes that amongst such likeness, there are three key differences in technology and reliability. Firstly, digital technology is extensively present in the design of the Feitian whereas Orlan-M, designed in 1970s-80s does not. Code Division Multiple Access network (CDMA) technology is applied in the Feitian’s communication system but the Russian suit depends on short-wave communication. Lastly, Guoning also states that the elbow and knee joints of Feitian are softer than those of the Russian version.

The Russian spacesuit style icon has as many as 135 spacewalks under its belt and has recently undergone an upgrade. Dubbed Orlan MKS, new features include a fully automated thermal control system, built-in computer, enlarged color display with increased viewing and informational capacity as well as a pressurization layer made of a material with improved wear and tear resistance and easier manufacturability.

This new polyurethane skin has the ability to withstand depressurization, making the suit much lighter and flexible thanks to the no-longer-needed back up layer. The Orlan MKS is scheduled to be sent to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2014.

Such advancement and international influence in spacesuit design is vital to ensuring that EVAs are conducted in the safest and most comfortable method as possible whilst maintaining efficiency in time and cost.

Watch Croog’s talk on the Feitian below:

Image caption: In 2008, China became the third nation to conduct an EVA from a spacecraft (Credits: China.org.cn)

Written for Space Safety Magazine by Nikita Marwaha