Main description:

Life support systems are an integral part of crewed spacecraft designs and habitation systems. This textbook introduces the LSS capabilities that sustain humans who live and work in space, and it is written at a level appropriate for both undergraduate and postgraduate students.

The book begins with the basics of space physiology before detailing the features that make up different kinds of life support systems. It includes concise descriptions of how atmospheric pressure is monitored, how oxygen levels are maintained, how waste management is achieved and how water is recycled, and also describes the processes of fire detection and suppression. Several chapters are devoted to chronicling the evolution of life support systems through the decades.

Each chapter includes a list of learning objectives, summary sections and review questions. Additionally, various analogs for spaceflight life support systems are examined, including nuclear submarines and our natural life support system here on Earth! Overall, this book serves as an approachable primer for any student seeking to understand the intricacies of spacecraft life support systems.

Contents:

Chapter 1

Life Support Systems Basics

O Earth's Life Support System

O The Space Environment

O Planetary Environments

Chapter 2

Space Physiology. A Primer

O Cardiovascular and Respiratory Systems

O Skeletal and Muscular Systems

O Fluid, Immune and Nervous Systems

Chapter 3

Life Support Systems and Sub-Systems

O Life Support Classification

O Open vs. Closed

O Sub-Systems and what they do

Chapter 4

Evolution and Development

O Mercury, Gemini and Apollo

O Skylab, Shuttle

O ISS

Chapter 5

ISS Systems and Sub-Systems

O ARS, ACS, THC, FDS, WRS, VS

O Sub-system performance

O Sub-system reliability

Chapter 6

EVA Equipment and Protocols

O Current technology

O Prebreathe protocols

O Lunar and Martian suits

Chapter 7

Exercise and other countermeasures

O Bone and muscle loss explained

O COLBERT, CEVIS, ARED

O Radiation protection

Chapter 8

Closing in on a Closed Life Support System

O Bioregenerative Life Support

O MELISSA

O How it works

Chapter 9

Future Life Support Concepts

O Near-term: Lunar and Martian

O Hypometabolic stasis

O Human Hibernation