Abstract: This disclosure provides a two-phase separator device for separating condensate or particulate from a gas stream. In some implementations, the separator device removes water from air and may operate under micro-gravity conditions. The gas stream flows through the two-phase separator device and passes through a rotatable vane assembly along a flow path without being redirected in another flow path. Condensate or particulate in the gas stream is impacted by a plurality of vanes of the rotatable vane assembly, and the condensate is captured by features formed within the plurality of vanes. The captured condensate is accelerated radially outwardly along the each of the plurality of vanes towards a sloped inner wall, and further moved along the sloped inner wall in a direction against the flow path of the gas stream during rotation.

Abstract: This disclosure provides an integrated system and method for producing purified water, hydrogen, and oxygen from contaminated water. The contaminated water may be derived from regolith-based resources on the moon, Mars, near-Earth asteroids, or other destination in outer space. The integrated system and method utilize a cold trap to receive the contaminated water in a vapor phase and selectively freeze out water from one or more volatiles. A heat source increases temperature in the cold trap to vaporize the frozen contaminated water to produce a gas stream of water vapor and volatiles. A chemical scrubber may remove one or more volatiles. The integrated system and method utilize ionomer membrane technology to separate the water vapor from remaining volatiles. The water vapor is delivered for crew use or delivered to an electrolyzer to produce hydrogen and oxygen.

Abstract: This disclosure provides a two-phase separator device for separating condensate or particulate from a gas stream. In some implementations, the separator device removes water from air and may operate under micro-gravity conditions. The gas stream flows through the two-phase separator device and passes through a rotatable vane assembly along a flow path without being redirected in another flow path. Condensate or particulate in the gas stream is impacted by a plurality of vanes of the rotatable vane assembly, and the condensate is captured by features formed within the plurality of vanes. The captured condensate is accelerated radially outwardly along the each of the plurality of vanes towards a sloped inner wall, and further moved along the sloped inner wall in a direction against the flow path of the gas stream during rotation.

Abstract: This disclosure provides an integrated system and method for producing purified water, hydrogen, and oxygen from contaminated water. The contaminated water may be derived from regolith-based resources on the moon, Mars, near-Earth asteroids, or other destination in outer space. The integrated system and method utilize a cold trap to receive the contaminated water in a vapor phase and selectively freeze out water from one or more volatiles. A heat source increases temperature in the cold trap to vaporize the frozen contaminated water to produce a gas stream of water vapor and volatiles. A chemical scrubber may remove one or more volatiles. The integrated system and method utilize ionomer membrane technology to separate the water vapor from remaining volatiles. The water vapor is delivered for crew use or delivered to an electrolyzer to produce hydrogen and oxygen.

Abstract: A joint assembly thermally isolates a warm structure, such as a payload, from a cold structure, such as a cryogenic fuel tank, in a space vehicle while maintaining structural interconnection within the joint assembly. The joint assembly includes a primary joint that is capable of separating, and a secondary joint connected to and adjacent to the primary joint. The secondary joint includes an inflatable annulus structure and one or more restraining members, where separation of the primary joint causes the inflatable annulus structure to be in compression and the one or more restraining members to be in tension.

Abstract: This disclosure provides water processing apparatuses, systems, and methods for recovering purified water and concentrated brine from wastewater. The water processing apparatuses, systems, and methods utilize ionomer membrane technology to separate water vapor from volatiles of a wastewater stream. The wastewater stream is evaporated into a gas stream including water vapor and volatiles of the wastewater stream in an evaporation container. The gas stream is delivered to a water separation module spatially separated from and fluidly coupled to the evaporation container. The water vapor of the gas stream is separated out in the water separation module while the volatiles are rejected. The water vapor can be collected into purified water while concentrated brine from the wastewater stream is left behind in the evaporation container.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a regenerable, heat-abating, humidity-neutralizing, carbon dioxide removal system for a self-contained breathing apparatus. The self-contained breathing apparatus can include a carbon dioxide removal unit that scrubs carbon dioxide out of exhaled air from a user to provide humidified, scrubbed exhaled air. The self-contained breathing apparatus can further include a heat and humidity removal unit that is configured to receive the humidified, scrubbed exhaled air, and is configured to remove water vapor and heat associated with the water vapor from the humidified, scrubbed exhaled air in order to provide cooled, dehumidified inhalation air. The cooled, dehumidified air can be supplemented with oxygen and returned to the user at a comfortable temperature. In some implementations, the heat and humidity removal unit can replace conventional heat exchange and energy storage units, including heat exchange and energy storage units that use phase change materials.

Abstract: A system is designed to increase diver safety in a high-risk environment containing one or more hazardous materials. The system includes chemically-hardened surface-supplied diving equipment designed to provide full environment isolation for the diver. The system also includes a dive helmet and a surface-return exhaust system, where the surface-return exhaust system includes a demand exhaust regulator that serves as a pressure-actuated valve to enable exhausting to a breathable atmosphere outside of a dive helmet instead of exhausting into the environment containing one or more hazardous materials. The system also includes retrofittable kits enabling the upgrading of contaminant-vulnerable materials of an existing dive helmet. The system also includes fluoroelastomeric materials and components to implement in a closed circuit dive system.

Abstract: A system of spacecraft radiators comprising pre-formed thermal-transfer modules joined together by at least one solid-state welding process. Critical failure points are eliminated by forming the thermal-transfer modules as a single unitary piece, preferably by an extrusion process. The thermal-transfer modules allow the formation of larger radiator assemblies, which may comprise a wide range of sizes and physical geometries.

Abstract: This disclosure provides water processing apparatuses, systems, and methods for recovering water from wastewater such as urine. The water processing apparatuses, systems, and methods can utilize membrane technology for extracting purified water in a single step. A containment unit can include an ionomer membrane, such as Nafion®, over a hydrophobic microporous membrane, such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). The containment unit can be filled with wastewater, and the hydrophobic microporous membrane can be impermeable to liquids and solids of the wastewater but permeable to gases and vapors of the wastewater, and the ionomer membrane can be permeable to water vapor but impermeable to one or more contaminants of the gases and vapors. The containment unit can be exposed to a dry purge gas to maintain a water vapor partial pressure differential to drive permeation of the water vapor, and the water vapor can be collected and processed into potable water.

Abstract: This disclosure provides water processing apparatuses, systems, and methods for recovering water from wastewater such as urine. The water processing apparatuses, systems, and methods can utilize membrane technology for extracting purified water in a single step. A containment unit can include an ionomer membrane, such as Nafion®, over a hydrophobic microporous membrane, such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). The containment unit can be filled with wastewater, and the hydrophobic microporous membrane can be impermeable to liquids and solids of the wastewater but permeable to gases and vapors of the wastewater, and the ionomer membrane can be permeable to water vapor but impermeable to one or more contaminants of the gases and vapors. The containment unit can be exposed to a dry purge gas to maintain a water vapor partial pressure differential to drive permeation of the water vapor, and the water vapor can be collected and processed into potable water.

Abstract: An emergency refuge system relating to improved occupant access and air revitalization.

Abstract: A system of spacecraft radiators comprising pre-formed thermal-transfer modules joined together by at least one solid-state welding process. Critical failure points are eliminated by forming the thermal-transfer modules as a single unitary piece, preferably by an extrusion process. The thermal-transfer modules allow the formation of larger radiator assemblies, which may comprise a wide range of sizes and physical geometries.

Abstract: This disclosure provides water processing apparatuses, systems, and methods for recovering water from wastewater such as urine. The water processing apparatuses, systems, and methods can utilize membrane technology for extracting purified water in a single step. A containment unit can include an ionomer membrane, such as Nafion®, over a hydrophobic microporous membrane, such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). The containment unit can be filled with wastewater, and the hydrophobic microporous membrane can be impermeable to liquids and solids of the wastewater but permeable to gases and vapors of the wastewater, and the ionomer membrane can be permeable to water vapor but impermeable to one or more contaminants of the gases and vapors. The containment unit can be exposed to a dry purge gas to maintain a water vapor partial pressure differential to drive permeation of the water vapor, and the water vapor can be collected and processed into potable water.

Abstract: A portable thermal-control system adapted to support space-related research and exploration. Embodiments of the present invention assist in preventing overheating of small payloads being transported from an orbiting space vehicle to a planetary surface by small atmospheric-entry vehicles. Other embodiments of the present invention provide thermal control within an extra-vehicular activity (EVA) suit. Each embodiment utilizes at least one phase-change material, cooled significantly below the freezing temperature, to absorb heat.

Abstract: Radiator systems utilizing controlling features for shutdown and restart for varying heat load applications.

Abstract: A system of spacecraft radiators comprising pre-formed thermal-transfer modules joined together by at least one solid-state welding process. Critical failure points are eliminated by forming the thermal-transfer modules as a single unitary piece, preferably by an extrusion process. The thermal-transfer modules allow the formation of larger radiator assemblies, which may comprise a wide range of sizes and physical geometries.

Abstract: Systems and methods utilizing water-vapor-partial-pressure-differential across a chemically-selective membrane to remove water vapor from a habitable spacecraft environment(s). The system preferably utilizes heat from an exothermic CO2 removal process to prevent condensation at the chemically-selective membrane.

Abstract: A system designed to increase diver safety in high-risk environments containing one or more hazardous materials. The system comprises one or more retrofittable kits enabling the upgrading of contaminate-vulnerable materials of an existing dive helmet to provide full environment isolation for the diver. The system preferably utilizes fluoroelastomeric replacement materials and components to convert an open circuit dive system to a closed circuit dive system. Methods of system development are also disclosed.

Abstract: Closed system breathable gas regeneration systems comprising temperature swing adsorption (“TSA”) using metabolic regeneration, such systems being useful for EVA in extraterrestrial environments having hostile atmospheres.