The document proposes a "Chameleon Suit" concept that would liberate human space exploration by developing a more adaptive spacesuit. It envisions a suit that integrates life support, environmental protection, and mobility functions through emerging technologies. A multi-phase study is outlined to develop the concept through technology exploration, system design, and establishing a roadmap. The goal is a suit that can adapt to environmental conditions, harvest energy from the environment, and potentially regenerate oxygen through artificial photosynthesis.

1. A Chameleon Suit to Liberate
Human Exploration of Space
Environments
Ed Hodgson
HSSSI
Chameleon Suit, Ed Hodgson 1

2. Introduction
• “To boldly go ……
– We’ve found that you need a spacesuit
– Vacuum, radiation, extreme heat and
cold, micrometeoroids
– This sure isn’t Kansas … So…
• “Working in their
bulky spacesuits …
– But does it have to be
this way forever?
– We think not!
Chameleon Suit, Ed Hodgson 2

3. Overview
• Study Foundations
• The Phase I Chameleon Suit Study
• The Phase II Study Concept
• The Emergence of Enabling Technologies
• The Study Plan
• Where It All Leads
Chameleon Suit, Ed Hodgson 3

4. Extravehicular Activity (EVA)
Systems Development History
• The base paradigm –
“Protecting the human from a
hostile environment”
• Subsystem architecture
– Protective pressure suit
– Life support
– Communication &
information
Life Support
- Oxygen supply
- CO2 removal
- Humidity
- Waste heat
- Trace contaminants
- Pressure control
- Gas circulation
Information Systems
Pressure Suit (Isolation)
- Insulation
- Pressure barrier
- MMOD
- Radiation
Chameleon Suit, Ed Hodgson 4

5. Human Systems In Every-Day Life
• Environmentally adaptive & connected
– Multi-tiered control
– Broad tolerance
• Functionally integrated
– Multi-purpose systems
– Distributed functions
1
2
3
4
Insulation Factor(CLO)
Chameleon Suit, Ed Hodgson 5
From: NASA STD 3000

6. The Phase I Chameleon Suit Study
Sun Heated
Surfaces Insulated
Metabolic Heat Rejected Through
Transmissive Surfaces With Low
Sink Temperature
• Testing a new space-suit paradigm:
– Working with the environment
– Integration of life support and pressure
garment
• Focus on thermal management
• Applying emerging
technologies
Chameleon Suit, Ed Hodgson 6

7. The Phase I Chameleon Suit Study
•According to environmental
conditions
• Vary conduction - active
polymers control layer
spacing
• Vary layer emissivity
Chameleon Suit, Ed Hodgson 7

8. The Phase II Study Concept
Active Heat Transport
Selective Mass
Transport
Energy Harvesting CO2
H2O
O2
Oxygen Recovery
Active Suit Fit
Chameleon Suit, Ed Hodgson 8

9. Active Heat Transport Technology
• Micro-machines
• Thermoelectrics
• Recent breakthroughs in
performance
• Flexible thermoelectric
polymers
• Distributed thin-film
modules
Progress of Thermoelectic Improvements
5
Polymer state of the art
Figure of Merit, ZT Conventional material
4
3
2
1
0
state of the art
Commercially available material
1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
Year
Chameleon Suit, Ed Hodgson 9

10. Active Suit Fit Technology
• Personal & variable fitting
• Mechanical Counter
Pressure (MCP) increases
mobility & flexibility
– SMA mesh
– Smart gels
• Joints
– Unidirectional Stretch Fabric
• Active mobility support
Active
Fit Mat’ls
Chameleon Suit, Ed Hodgson 10

11. Selective Mass Transport Technology
• Separate CO2, H2O from
O2 with minimal O2 loss
• Facilitated transport of
CO2 through chemical
reaction
• Facilitators immobilized in
membrane
CO2
H2O
0.1 1 10 100 1000
O2
7000
6000
5000
4000
3000
2000
1000
0
CO2 permeance x10-5 (scm3/cm2/sec/cmHg)
Chameleon Suit, Ed Hodgson 11
CO2/N2 selectivity
Performance
Sodium goal
glycinate
sodium
carbonate

12. Energy Harvesting
Ideal Power Recovery Potential From Metabolic Waste Heat
With Radiation To Various Heat Sinks
28 89 167 194
222 117
234
352
469
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
Power
(watts)
Tsink (K)
Met. Rate
(Watts)
Power
(Watts)
120-140
100-120
80-100
60-80
40-60
20-40
0-20
• Incident Sunlight
– Increased solar cell
efficiency
– Thin, flexible solar arrays
• Waste Metabolic Heat
– Lower radiating
temperatures
– Thermoelectric heat pumps
• Reduce battery size
• Local storage eliminates
need for power
distribution
Chameleon Suit, Ed Hodgson 12

13. Oxygen Recovery – Artificial
Photosynthesis
• Transform CO2, H2O back
into O2 and fuel
• Thermo-chemical reactions,
electrochemical reactions,
catalysis
• Interest from environmen-tal,
biochemistry, medical
fields
sugars CO2
Carbon fixation
NADPH
NADP
H+
light
light
e-e-e-
chlorophyll chlorophyll
PS II PS I
Water O2+H+ H+
ADP
ATP
ATPase
thylakoid
membrane
H+
http://photoscience.la.asu.edu/photosyn/education/photointro.html
Chameleon Suit, Ed Hodgson 13

14. The Emergence of Enabling
Technologies
Advanced
Materials
Technologies
Bio-mimetic
Technologies
Advanced Information
Technologies
Chameleon Suit, Ed Hodgson 14

15. Advanced Materials Technology
Molecular Design
Capabilities
Nano-assembly
Capabilities
Engineered
Polymers /
Nano-composites
Thermal Optical
Functional
Materials
Chemical Mechanical
CO2
H2O
O2
Chameleon Suit, Ed Hodgson 15

16. Advanced Information Technologies
CAD / CASE
Tools
Advanced
Manufacture
Reducing
Scale
Advanced
Integration
Connectivity/
Networking
Technologies
Smaller,
Faster,
Cheaper,
Systems
Advanced,
Electrically Active
Materials
Integrated
Intelligence
Chameleon Suit, Ed Hodgson 16

17. Bio-Mimetic Technologies
Learning from nature
Understanding biological
materials and processes
Biologically
inspired designs
and approaches
Self
assembling
systems
Advanced
Materials
Toolbox
Biocatalysts
Bio-membranes
Engineered
Bio-mimetic
Designs
Artificial
Muscles
Chameleon Suit, Ed Hodgson 17

18. The Study Plan – What We Are
Doing About It
• Technology exploration
• System concept development
• System concept characterization
– Prioritization and selection
• NASA coordination
• Technology needs and potential assessment
• Roadmap definition
Chameleon Suit, Ed Hodgson 18

19. The Study Plan
System Evolution Perspective
Chameleon Suit Concept Evolution Roadmap
2010 2040
Research Needs & Directions Enabling
Concept
Technologies Evolution
No-Expendables
Heat Rejection
Integrated
Heat Pump
Self -Fitting
Pressure Suit
Integrated
CO2 & H2O
Management
Energy
Generation
& Capture
O2
Regeneration
Smart
Polymers
MEMS
Wearable
Electronics
Polymeric
Thermo-Electrics
Microturbines /
Micro-channel HX
High Force
Active Polymer
Advanced
Joint Designs
Chemical
Transport Smart
Polymers -
Selective
Membranes
Polymer Photo- &
Thermo-Electrics
Advanced Energy
Storage
Biomimetic Technologies
Artificial Photosynthesis
Active Polymer
Space
Environment
Tolerance
High
Performance IR
Electro-chromics
Fabric - MEMS
Integration
Large Scale
Wearables
Integration
Flexible, Light
Weight,
Thermo-electric
Heat Pump
Efficient
Integrated
Micro-Fluid
Systems
Electro-Active
Polymer
Molecular
Design
Advanced
Structural Design
and Modeling
Controlled
Anisotropic
Materials
Chemically Enhanced
Transport Membranes
Transport
Control
Mechanisms
Integration With
Active Polymers
High Efficiency Photo Conversion
Extended Life Metastable
States
Enhanced Charge Transfer
Broad Spectrum Photo-Energy
Capture
High Efficiency Thermal Energy
Conversion
Low Energy Cost Reactions
Oxygen Recovery
Carbon Fixation
Chameleon Suit, Ed Hodgson 19

20. Where It All Leads
Chameleon Suit, Ed Hodgson 20