Human Research Program - Advanced Environmental Health
The Advanced Environmental
Health (AEH) project is part of the Space Human Factors
and Habitability (SHFH) element of the Human Research
Program (HRP). AEH generates data and information
critical to establishing crew exposure standards and
monitoring strategies for crew cabin environmental
pollutants for Constellation design reference missions.
Pollutants in the habitable volume of spacecraft and
habitats include chemicals, microbes and dust. Apollo
experience clearly shows that lunar dust enters the
cabin as a result of extravehicular activity. The
two AEH tasks initiated in FY06 were an advisory role
to the Advanced Environmental Monitoring & Control
(AEMC) project under the Exploration Technology Development
Program, and Lunar Dust Toxicology.
The AEMC Advisory role
supports the AEMC charter to create miniature environmental
sensors for Constellation. Three AEMC products selected
for technology demonstration are the Electronic Nose
as an event monitor, the Vehicle Cabin Air Monitor
(VCAM) for trace gases, and Colorimetric Solid Phase
Extraction (C-SPE) for water biocide monitoring. The
AEH role is to provide subject matter expert consulting
and science requirements for each technology demonstration.
Once proved out and refined through ISS testing, the
technologies can be applied to Constellation missions.
The AEH task that likely
has the greatest impact to Constellation is Lunar
Dust Toxicology. The task involves establishing a
Lunar Airborne Dust Toxicology Advisory Group (LADTAG),
performing lunar dust and simulant physicochemical
characterization, determining how to activate dust
and stimulants, developing methods and conducting
toxicological studies. LADTAG directed research is
critical for establishing crew exposure limits, and
the resulting health effects data drive life support
system dust control methods, personal protective equipment,
flight rules, monitoring requirements, and other aspects
of the lunar missions. These findings affect the design
of various Constellation elements including vehicles,
lunar habitat, airlocks and spacesuits. FY06 accomplishments
were as follows:
Established LADTAG panel of renowned experts
in toxicology and lunar geology
Coordinated cellular response, dermatological
and occular toxicology testing role for ARC
Assembled an inhalation chamber and conducted
initial tests of dust dosing and monitoring
Began quick start research efforts on reactivity,
morphological characterization of fine lunar dusts
Performed preliminary particle size distribution
analysis by SEM imaging
Performed preliminary compositional analysis
that indicates Apollo equatorial lunar dust contains
~70-80% impact glass with nano-sized metallic iron
