NASA Selects 22 Projects to Advance Human Support Technologies

NASA’s Office of Biological and Physical
Research has selected 22 researchers to receive grants of up to four years
to conduct research and development in advanced human support technologies.
These technologies could have a significant impact on the ability of humans
to conduct long-duration space flight missions safely. Benefits to the quality
of life on Earth from improved environmental technologies may also result
from this research.

The proposals were selected for one
to four year efforts, and are potentially worth $16.5 million over four years.
Work under these grants will enhance safe human space flight in both the
Low Earth Orbit (LEO) where the International Space Station operates, and
in exploration of the solar system beyond LEO.

Five of the grants are for new technologies
in advanced environmental monitoring of space habitats. Three grants address
strategies for advanced control systems or systems analysis. Two projects
address biomass production. Four projects focus on space human factors engineering.
Eight others address novel approaches to waste processing, including air
revitalization, water recycling, and treatment of solid wastes.

NASA received 122 proposals in response
to the NASA Research Announcement 03-OBPR-01, which was released in March
2003. The Proposals were peer-reviewed by scientific and technical experts
from academia, government, and industry before selections were made. In addition
to technical and scientific merit, selection criteria also included cost,
relevance to NASA programs, and feasibility of utilization by NASA.

Those selected are listed below by
state, along with their institutions and their research titles:

Ellis, Stephen NASA Ames Research Center

Virtual Environment Interfaces for Remote Operations

Flynn, Michael NASA Ames Research Center

Advanced Development of the Direct Osmotic Concentration System

Macknight, Allen Honeywell

Wastewater Processing Cascade Distillation Subsystem

Plott, Chris Micro Analysis and Design, Inc.

Technology Transfer Requirements Definition for Adapting the Crew Station
Design Tool to NASA Data and Applications

Nalette, Timothy Hamilton Sundstrand Space Systems International,
Inc.

Advanced CO2, Humidity, and Trace Contaminant Control System for Closed Loop
Life Support Systems

Smets, Barth University of Connecticut

Integrated Biotreatment Technology for Nitrogen-Rich Wastewaters in Advanced
Life Support Systems

Garland, Jay Dynamac Corporation

Treatment of Urine/Condensate Spacecraft Wastewater Using Hollow Fiber Membrane
Biofilm Redox Control Reactor

Porter, Marc Iowa State Universtiy

Rapid Staged Development of ISS Water Quality Sensors

Rittmann, Bruce Northwestern University

A Novel Membrane Microbial Fuel Cell for Energy and Resource Recovery from
Solid Organic Wastes

Bertone, Jane EIC Laboratories, Inc.

The Use of Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy to Monitor Water Quality

Pandya, Abhilash Wayne State University

Real-Time Augmented Reality Development and Human Factors Assessment for
the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator

LaPara, Timothy University of Minnesota

Advanced Life Support: Development of the M2BR for Biological Treatment of
Wastewater Generated During Long-Term Space Missions

Badler, Norman University of Pennsylvania

RIVET: Rapid Interactive Visualization for Extensible Training

Sayler, Gary University of Tennessee

Prototype Biophotonic Biosensor for Monitoring VOC Contaminants in Spacecraft
Habitats

Andrews, Craig Lynntech, Inc.

An Advanced Portable Ion Analyzer for Water Quality Monitoring and Control

Best, Frederick Texas Engineering Experiment Station

Vortex Dehumidification System

Bonasso, Russell NASA Johnson Space Center

A Dynamically Reconfigurable Software Control Architecture for Advanced Life
Support

Davies, Fred Texas A&M University

Plant Growth at Sub-Ambient Atmospheric Pressures with Control of the Partial
Pressures of Constituent Gases

Kortenkamp, David NASA Johnson Space Center

Qualitative Models for Planning, Scheduling and Control of Integrated Advanced
Life Support Systems

Pillai, Suresh Texas A&M University

Microfluidic Device-Based Capture and Concentration of Microbial Contaminants
in Recycled Water

Rodriguez, Luis National Research Council

Development and Application of Reliability Analysis Techniques for Early
Advanced Life Support Systems

Bingham, Gail Utah State University Research Foundation

Validating Vegetable Production Unit Plants, Protocols, Procedures and Requirements
Using Currently Existing Flight Resources