Life Support Project
Meeting Minutes |
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| January 2000 Design Workshop | ||||||||
| Date: | 22 January 2000 | |||||||
| Location: | Biological Resources Engineering Department, Room 1420 University of Maryland College Park College Park, Maryland |
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| Time: | 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM | |||||||
| Attendees: | Erik Biermann David Blersch Dean Calahan Mindy Jacobson Dr. Patrick Kangas Kurt Micheels, MARS project manager (via conference call, 11 AM to 12 PM) | |||||||
| - | All attendees received at the start an information packet containing the following: | ||||||||
| - | Proposed workshop agenda | ||||||||
| - | MARS Life Support Project Team: current list of members | ||||||||
| - | "The Purpose of the Mars Society"; printed from website www.marssociety.org/purpose.asp | ||||||||
| - | "Mars Arctic Research Station"; printed from website home.marssociety.org/arctic | ||||||||
| - | Paper: Blersch, et al. 1999. "Preliminary design considerations for the MARS wastewater treatment system: Physico-chemical or living machine?" Presented at the 1999 Mars Society Conference in Boulder, CO, Aug. 12-16; proceedings in press. | ||||||||
| - | Paper: Kangas, P. 1996. "Development of an ecological engineering curriculum at the University of Maryland". American Society for Engineering Education Conference proceedings. | ||||||||
| - | Paper: Biermann, et al. 1999. "The development of an ecological engineering design seminar. Annals of Earth, Vol 17 (1). | ||||||||
| - | Program description brochure: "Biological Resources Engineering at the University of Maryland" | ||||||||
| - | Technical data: "Waste Production and Waste Categories". From Eckart, P. 1996. Spaceflight Life Support and Biospherics. Torrance, CA: Microcosm Press. | ||||||||
| - | The agenda was posted on the group web page and was reviewed prior to the meeting as a guide for the meeting discussions. Ultimately it was not closely followed, but rather served as a valuable preliminary guide to the discussions. | ||||||||
| - | Following introductions, the meeting commenced. | ||||||||
| - | The overall scope of waste treatment/life support technical task force (TTF) was discussed. | ||||||||
| - | The following contexts were determined as relevant: | ||||||||
| - | prototype system rated and operation for Mars (very difficult) | ||||||||
| - | model system designed specifically for Arctic base (not as difficult, but 50 day research season is a constraint) | ||||||||
| - | Mars or MARS analog done anywhere in a lab (e.g. @UMD)(easiest) | ||||||||
| - | The immediate focus of the TTF would be on creating a wastewater treatment system (WWTS) for the Mars Arctic Research Station (MARS) within any of above listed contexts. The TTF decided that this is an important place to start in order to establish the credibility of the TTF within the Mars Society | ||||||||
| - | It was recognized that most attending members have appropriate hard engineering background with practical design experience [Erik, Mindy, Dave] | ||||||||
| - | Implementation of any WWTS for the MARS should be as a "platform" on which to add further functional attributes: | ||||||||
| - | begin with the WWTS, starting with a partially open water cycle with intent for eventual closure | ||||||||
| - | next step would be to add food production | ||||||||
| - | following this, add conservation of waste heat | ||||||||
| - | finally, address gas dynamics, achieving a materially-closed system. | ||||||||
| - | It was recognized that life support efforts in the past by other groups offer valuable learning experiences and information upon which the TTF can draw: | ||||||||
| - | At least two opposing models exist: | ||||||||
| - | Biosphere 2: complex ecological model [note that the TTF has practical experience on team (Dr. Kangas)]. | ||||||||
| - | NASA CELSS: engineering/technosphere model [TTF has practical experience on team (Mindy Jacobson)]. | ||||||||
| - | These models represent the extreme positions from which life support systems design has been historically discussed, and the debate has been going on since the 1950's. | ||||||||
| - | The ecological paradigm involves utilizing whole ecosystems on the scale of 1-2 acres per human (as calculated by H.T. Odum) for ensuring reliability of life support functions. The reliability results from interconnections between many species over a large area that confers stability. | ||||||||
| - | The engineering paradigm relies on mechanical/physical/chemical solutions that are well understood with long design histories. These have low biological diversity to minimize uncertainty. The advantage is that the scale of the system is realistic in terms of space travel constraints. | ||||||||
| - | The TTF decided it is important to establish a position relative to these two very different paradigms. This will determine the design approach and thus the difficulty level of the MARS life support system design. | ||||||||
| - | Resources of the group were discussed: | ||||||||
| - | Mr. Calahan indicated that free web space should be available on the Mars Society server. | ||||||||
| - | New TTF volunteers: the current attendees decided on making a concerted effort to get all appropriate and relevant people contacted for future participation. Mr. Calahan, Mr. Blersch, and Ms. Jacobson agreed to focus on contacting at least 5 prominent Mars Society members about experienced people who might not have been contacted yet. | ||||||||
| - | Good communication links were recognized as important. E-mail, TTF website, and occasional face-to-face meetings will be the primary communication. | ||||||||
| - | It was recognized that a working group in the mid-Atlantic region will realistically and practically be able to function with periodic face-to-face meetings. | ||||||||
| - | Those people not attending who are in region: Rudy Behrens, Pat Collier, Ramses Ramirez | ||||||||
| - | Mr. Calahan agreed to continue the TTF website updating and maintenance. It was determined that the website will eventually include the following: | ||||||||
| - | CVs of TTF members; these will be retained as references for future work | ||||||||
| - | Relevant Mars Society papers, and a reading/reference list should be posted | ||||||||
| - | Links to other relevant pages, TTF member websites and contact information | ||||||||
| - | TTF mission statement, updates and progress reports | ||||||||
| - | Specific design approach Items discussed: | ||||||||
| - | The availability of Arctic sunlight was discussed relative to the question: will a greenhouse-based system be appropriate in the Arctic? The possibility of placing a photometer in Haughton Crater with the next expedition was discussed. | ||||||||
| - | The relevance of simulation models was briefly discussed. It was decided that a virtual (computer) simulation model would not to be too relevant at this time because of variability in design, although a physical model would be desired. | ||||||||
| - | Phone conference with Kurt Micheels, MARS project coordinator (11:00 am EST) | ||||||||
| - | The TTF spent time before the conference call preparing questions to take advantage of limited time with Mr. Micheels, with intended participation of the entire group. | ||||||||
| - | Mr. Micheels reviewed the current state of the MARS design and construction: | ||||||||
| - | A contractor (Infracomp) has been selected for construction of the primary habitat structure. | ||||||||
| - | The habitat interior design is being looked at by Sundance Lab at the University of Colorado. | ||||||||
| - | In addition, various European groups (Tech. U. Munich, U. Vienna) are consulting on the interior furnishings | ||||||||
| - | the current timetable calls for construction of the structure with interior this summer, with a full simulation by next summer. | ||||||||
| - | For the WWTS, the MARS design team is currently looking at marine toilet as immediate option with waste being shipped out. | ||||||||
| - | Mr. Micheels reviewed the overall MARS time schedule and noted some important benchmarks for the TTF: | ||||||||
| - | A 5-year phasing plan for overall MARS is envisioned; | ||||||||
| - | A preliminary budget has been established and includes an unspecified set-aside for life support technology and a greenhouse; | ||||||||
| - | A WWTS/life support test module should be implemented by Summer 2001; | ||||||||
| - | A greenhouse should be available in Summer 2002; | ||||||||
| - | Expansion of the WWTS to include other life support should be implemented in Summer 2003 and beyond. | ||||||||
| - | Mr. Micheels confirmed that the MARS design team is indeed interested in a bioregenerative life support system (BLSS) that would be modular, expandable, and attached to outside of MARS station as it is presently envisioned. The BLSS will eventually include water recycling and food production. | ||||||||
| - | Mr. Micheels also confirmed that the MARS would not be an atmospherically-closed system. It was immediately recognized that this releases the TTF from certain significant constraints dealing with atmosphere management. | ||||||||
| - | Mr. Micheels indicated that the primary contact for the TTF is Dr. Stephen Braham, who will serve as the TTF's interface with the Mars Society as a whole. | ||||||||
| - | It was indicated that no official design review process exists in the Mars Society at present -- the TTF should create its own review process by soliciting qualified colleagues. | ||||||||
| - | It was also indicated that the life support TTF is only formal, established 'technical task force', intended as an R&D effort within the Mars Society that can contribute work to the MARS effort. | ||||||||
| - | Mr. Micheels briefly mentioned that there presently exists a press package with over 40 articles from the press worldwide; the TTF decided it might be worthwhile to obtain a copy. | ||||||||
| - | Mr. Micheels indicated that the preliminary drawings of MARS structure should be completed by Feb. 28th detailing location of windows, hatches, etc. However, after erection of the structure on Devon Island this summer, the contractor will deliver a package of as-built drawings. It was recognized by the TTF that these drawings will be important to its efforts for design of attachments and linkage to existing shell perforations. | ||||||||
| - | Finally, Mr. Micheels requested from the TTF a document committing to design a test module by Summer 2001, to which the TTF agreed. | ||||||||
| - | Further Actions: Following the conference call, the TTF summarized discussions up to that point and decided upon a general design approach. | ||||||||
| - | The TTF agreed on the following design characteristics of the initial MARS WWTS: | ||||||||
| - | It will be composed of sequential unit processes; | ||||||||
| - | It will contain biological components; | ||||||||
| - | It will recirculate water for non-potable use; | ||||||||
| - | It will be a platform for expansion into other life support functions. | ||||||||
| - | A possible existing model of this design was discussed: the Second Nature® WWTS of Natureworks, Inc., a biologically-based closed-loop wastewater treatment system that incorporates anaerobic digestion, hyacinth ponds, and treatment wetlands enclosed in a greenhouse. A working prototype exists in Manassas, VA. Several members of the TTF (Biermann, Blersch, Kangas) have direct, firsthand knowledge of system. | ||||||||
| - | A possible TTF mission statement was discussed. Mr. Calahan volunteered to create a first draft. | ||||||||
| - | The TTF decided that a comprehensive literature review would be desirable as a review of available technology and to provide a perspective for design in the context of the previously discussed life support paradigms. The lit. review will be composed of three major sections. Each section will be a concise, systematic review of literature that is relevant to the section topic. The three sections are as follows (with the responsible TTF member listed in parentheses): | ||||||||
| - | Discussion of alternative life support paradigms (Kangas) | ||||||||
| - | Available unit processes: discussion of each of these shall include (1) a description of the process and function; (2) a list of papers that use or study the unit process in a BLSS system; (3) a list of tradeoffs (as listed in Blersch, et al. 1999, p. 3). The unit process categories to be addressed are as follows: | ||||||||
| - | Physico-chemical processes (Blersch, Jacobson) | ||||||||
| - | Aerobic and anaerobic reactors (Blersch) | ||||||||
| - | Algal based systems (Kangas) | ||||||||
| - | Aquatic macrophytes (Kangas) | ||||||||
| - | Soil beds (Jacobson) | ||||||||
| - | Higher plants/crops (Jacobson) | ||||||||
| - | Fixed-film systems (Biermann) | ||||||||
| - | Overall systems design: how are these connected together? How should they be connected as a whole system? The entire TTF will address this in future meetings. | ||||||||
| - | The TTF decided on a rough schedule of projected activities to be done between January 2000 and the end of summer 2000: | ||||||||
| - | Finalize group makeup, maintain a major web presence; | ||||||||
| - | Continue literature review for possible presentation at Mars Society annual conference in Toronto in August; | ||||||||
| - | Develop design review panel through soliciting support from experts; | ||||||||
| - | Make presentations to DC/Baltimore chapter for local support; | ||||||||
| - | Accumulate MARS specifications as they develop and are available; | ||||||||
| - | Brainstorm ideas for creating a benchtop model for local laboratory experimentation and, ultimately, testing at MARS in summer 2001. | ||||||||
| - | TTF Future meetings: the small Maryland subgroup will meet at the end of February or the beginning of March to discuss progress on the literature review. | ||||||||
| - | Target date: April 2000 -- if possible, meet in Philadelphia Mr. Behrens (if he is still interested in contributing) if possible to see and discuss hydroponics system. | ||||||||
| - | Workshop concluded 2:00 PM. | ||||||||