Habitats and Laboratories
Prototype Habitat on the Moon
  

Current designs for the first human mission to Mars include the lander/habitat module, in which the crew has traveled to Mars in, and an additional inflatable laboratory. The inflatable design module for the habitat and laboratory is being prototyped at NASA’s Johnson Space Center.

The prototype habitat would be joined to the International Space Station for testing and training of the Mars exploration crews. If NASA decides to return to the Moon first, the habitat could be tested there as well. The concept for TransHab originated in 1997 as a possible design for an inflatable living quarters on future Mars-bound spacecraft and to replace the traditional aluminum module on the International Space Station.

 The first level of the TransHab houses a kitchen with a refrigerator-freezer, a microwave oven, a water dispenser, and food preparation equipment as well as a table that seats 12. This is enough to allow an entire station resident crew and replacement crew to sit together for meetings or meals.

There are also three galley racks, a large wardroom table, an Earth-viewing window, and a soft stowage array. The Earth-viewing window is 20 inches in diameter and is located in the kitchen near the dining area. The window has four panes, which are 4 inches thick, and a hard frame around each window that attaches to all layers of the shell. Soft-sided cabinets provide stowage for spare parts, supplies, clothing, and other equipment.

The crew quarters area has six individual crew quarters, which are sized at 81 cubic feet of volume per crew person, and a central passageway located within the second level central core structure. All of this is cocooned by water tanks. Each compartment contains a sleeping bag/sleep restraint and a personal work area.

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Water tanks can help protect the crew from radiation and solar flares. The mechanical room, which is external to the core structure and uses only half the floor space, consists of an environmental control and life support system, power equipment, and avionics equipment and it provides return airflow.

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 Level three houses an exercise area with a treadmill and a stationary bicycle. Exercise is important to keep astronauts healthy in weightlessness for long periods. The area also contains a complete health care system with all types of medical and emergency equipment and a bathroom area.  In addition, this level contains a soft stowage area identical to that found on level one.

The crew health care area incorporates two crew health care system racks, a full body cleansing compartment, a changing area, exercise equipment (treadmill and ergometer), a partitionable area for private medical exams and conferencing, and an Earth-viewing window. The Earth-viewing window is located near the exercise area. The pressurized tunnel area provides a passageway between TransHab and the vehicle to which it is attached. This tunnel has two standard International Space Station hatches and houses critical equipment required during inflation, such as avionics and power equipment.

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Questions to think about:

  • How would you feel living in a three-story habitat for 2 to 3 years?
  • What would you do to your crew compartment to make it feel more like home?
  • What parts of the habitat would you feel most comfortable in?
  • Where would you spent most of your time?

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