Mercury Life Support Systems
Mercury Life Support Systems
Mercury Life Support Systems
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By RichaPd S. Johnston
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By Richard S. Johnston*
NASA Space Task Group
INTRODUCTION
This paper defines the design objectives for the Mercury environmental
mentation and controls, and presents the concepts of operation for orbital
flight.
approximately 100 miles above the earth and return him safely. Space
missiles and orbital launch by Atlas missiles. The capsule when placed
the capsule velocity and allow the earth's gravitational force to bring
the capsule into the earth's atmosphere. The capsule will be recovered
9
The primary function of the environmental control system is to pro-
equipment aboard the capsule. The system has been designed to the fol-
DESCRIPTION OF SYSTEM
tion. This system maintains the capsule at 3 psi with an oxygen atmos-
within the s u i t and cabin during all phases of flight. The system also
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Common Supplies
actuated.
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ventilation temperatures.
at the pressure suit torso and an exit connection at the helmet. A com-
pressor circulates a 100-percent oxygen gas stream into the suit where
carbon dioxide, water vapors, and body odors are picked up. 'The gas
on into a chemical canister to remove odor and carbon dioxide. The gas
stream then passes through a heat exchanger where the gas is cooled to
approximately 45' F. The water vapors condense into water droplets and
are carried suspended in the gas stream into a water separator. The
lator meters oxygen into the circuit to maintain the suit at nominal
senses the loss in pressure and maintains the pressure suit at 4.6 psi.
An additional emergency mode of operation is provided in the pres-
sure suit control system by an emergency rate valve. In the event that
the normal suit pressurization system fails, the emergency rate valve
senses this emergency and directs an Oxygen flow of 0.05 lb/min through
the pressure suit and out an exhaust port of the pressure suit regulator
into the cabin. When this mode of operation is used the pressure suit
-4-
valve closed. The emergency r a t e valve may a l s o be manually a c t u a t e d by
through 10.
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senses the l o s s of pressure across t h e blower and automatically t u r n s off
bypass. A f i l t e r i s i n s t a l l e d on t h e o u t l e t s i d e of t h e c a n i s t e r t o prevent
heat from the gas stream and evaporates. The water vapors then make a
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i n t o a storage tank. The condensate water i s a v a i l a b l e t o t h e a s t r o n a u t
a
f o r drinking purposes following reentry and landing.
described.
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i n cabin pressure below 5.1 P s i , oxygen i s metered i n t o t h e cabin t o main-
When the cabin pressure drops below 4 psi t h e cabin r e g u l a t o r valve seals,
c o n t r o l t o insure postlanding v e n t i l a t i o n .
- 8 -
Instrumentation
control system. Cabin and pressure suit system fan controls are pro-
actuated when failures occur. The astronaut would turn off the auditory
that corrective action is taken. Warning lights are provided for: loss
heat exchangers. System controls are located on the left console for
sequential operation. On this panel the launch oxygen supply and snorkel
to the lights. A green light indicates that the event has occurred, a red
light indicates the event has not occurred. Heat exchanger water flow
controls and the emergency rate valve control are located on the right
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console which is not shown in this figure. The instrument panel and
recorders .
Continuous physiological data on the astronaut's condition in flight
will be made with EKG, body temperature, and respiration rate and depth
be telemetered.
SYSTEM OPERATION
Launch
helmet face visor closed, and a ground purge of the pressure suit con-
is fed into the heat exchangers for ground cooling. The capsule is
pressure suit control system with the pressure suit helmet visor closed
Orbital Flight
Following launch the cabin is purged by the launch supply and cabin
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suit control system. If the pressure suit control system fails, the
tem and the pressure suit control system fail, the astronaut would be
Reentry
Following reentry into the earth's atmosphere the snorkel system provides
ambient air for breathing and ventilation throughout the postlanding phase.
SUMMARY
sure suit and suit control system are installed as a backup to the cabin
exchangers.
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project. A n environmental c o n t r o l t e s t capsule will be obtained f o r
t i o n a l t e s t programs.
cepts. The system has been designed with a f a i l safe approach, redundancy
has been provided where possible, and manual backups have been incorporated
u n i t t o serve multipurposes.
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Figure 5.- Project Mercury full pressure suit.
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