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Critical gaps exist with respect to interfaces between human accommodations and life support systems for long duration human missions beyond low Earth orbit. New technologies are needed for management and processing of human fecal waste and for clothing and laundry. Proposals should explicitly describe the weight, power, volume, and microgravity performance advantages. Human Fecal Waste Management

Environmental Monitoring

Future spacecraft will require quieter fans, better cabin air filtration, and advanced active thermal control systems. Small Fan Aero-Acoustics

Advanced Extra -Vehicular Activity (EVA) systems are necessary for the successful support of the International Space Station (ISS) beyond 2020 and future human space exploration missions for in-space microgravity EVA and for planetary surface exploration. Advanced EVA systems include the space suit pressure garment, airlocks, the Portable Life Support System (PLSS), Avionics and Displays, and EVA Integrated Systems.

Advanced space suit pressure garment and airlock technologies are necessary for the successful support of the International Space Station (ISS) and future human space exploration missions for in-space microgravity EVA and planetary surface operations. Research is needed in the following space suit pressure garment areas:

Advanced space suit life support systems are necessary for the successful support of the International Space Station (ISS) and future human space exploration missions for in-space microgravity EVA and planetary surface operations. Exploration missions will require a robust, lightweight, and maintainable Primary Life Support System (PLSS).

Future EVAs need advances in radio technologies, including antennas, tunable RF front-ends, and power amplifiers; low-power cameras; more accurate, reliable, and packaged core temperature, CO2, and biomedical sensors; user-friendly, minimally invasive crewmember information displays; and technologies that provide improvements in speech quality, listening quality and listening effort for in-helmet aural and vocal communications. Progress in these technologies will help ensure reliable communications, crew safety and comfort, and work efficiency and autonomy.

The SBIR topic area of Lightweight Spacecraft Materials and Structures centers on developing lightweight inflatable structures, advanced manufacturing technologies for metallic and composite materials, structural sensoring techniques, and in-situ non-destructive evaluation systems. Applications are expected to include space exploration vehicles including launch vehicles, crewed vehicles, and surface and habitat systems.

The SBIR subtopic area of Lightweight Inflatable Structures solicits innovative concepts to support the development of primary pressurized expandable habitat and storage modules for space exploration environments. Inflatable concepts should illustrate small efficient launch volumes and large deployment volumes. Concepts should also illustrate simple designs, efficient deployment techniques, lightweight materials, and potential for integrated hard points. Robustness, damage tolerance, and minor repair capabilities should also be considered in concept submittals.

The objective of the subtopic is to advance technology readiness levels of lightweight structures for launch vehicles and in-space applications, by using advanced materials and manufacturing techniques, resulting in structures having affordable, reliable, predictable performance with reduced costs.