Life and Medical Support System Terrestrial Analog Utilization to Prepare for Human Solar System Exploration

To enable human exploration of the solar system in the next decade, demonstration of the technologies to support the survival and function of the carbon-based occupants needs to conducted, utilizing reasonably high fidelity analog environments. Operational issues may be best evaluated and improved in topographically and climatically similar conditions to the planetary surface. Earth-based mission support operations can be simulated for planetary exploration in an exploration payload operations center (ExPOC) with appropriate communication time delays. Surface habitat issues may best be resolved in closed life support chambers, where the performance of each subsystem for air, water and energy management can be evaluated and integrated. Testing of both physiochemical and bioregenerative systems alone and in combination, along with evaluation of the effect of the life support system (LSS) on human health and function, is required to prepare such systems for planetary exploration. A thorough review of the key life and health sustaining issues for planetary exploration is the starting point for LSS and medical support system (MSS) design refinement.