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Emergency and rescue considerations for manned space missions
1Hamilton Standard, Division of United Technologies Corporation, Windsor Locks, CT 06096, USA.
Acta Astronautica
|September 1, 1981
Summary
Spacecraft Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLS) systems are critical for crew safety. This paper reviews safety, emergency, and rescue provisions in the Space Transportation System (STS) and future mission designs.
Area of Science:
- Space Engineering
- Aerospace Medicine
- Human Spaceflight
Background:
- Manned spacecraft rely heavily on Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLS) systems for crew survival.
- Ensuring crew safety necessitates robust backup, emergency, and rescue operational modes within spacecraft design.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the safety, emergency, and rescue provisions within the Space Transportation System (STS).
- To discuss ECLS subsystems in the context of crew safety.
- To project these provisions for future extended-duration space missions.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing safety protocols for the Space Transportation System (STS).
- Analysis of Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLS) subsystems.
- Projection of safety measures for future long-duration space missions.
Main Results:
- Detailed discussion of safety, emergency, and rescue features in STS ECLS.
- Identification of key ECLS subsystems crucial for crew survival.
- Consideration of enhanced provisions for extended missions.
Conclusions:
- Adequate crew safety margins are achieved through comprehensive ECLS design.
- The STS incorporates essential safety, emergency, and rescue features.
- Future missions require advanced ECLS for prolonged human spaceflight.