NASA Next Generation Life Support (NGLS)

NASA NGLC project is working on more efficient heating and cooling, longer lasting, nearly maintenance free, systems, more durable fabrics, and more dextrous gloves.

New oxygen recovery systems might utilise local planetary materials: ‘in-situ’ consumables.

he Next Generation Life Support (NGLS) project will develop key technologies to enable critical capabilities in Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Portable Life Support System (PLSS), life support oxygen recovery, and life support water recovery required to extend human presence beyond low Earth orbit into the solar system.

Portable Life Support System (PLSS)

The selected technologies within each of these areas are focused on increasing affordability, reliability, and vehicle self-sufficiency while decreasing mass and enabling long duration exploration.

The primary project goal is to advance technologies in three key areas of life support to a technology readiness level (TRL) of 5 and infuse the technologies into Advanced Exploration Systems (AES) system demonstrations.

Within each of the prescribed focus areas identified in the FY 2013 Space Technology Program Resource Guidance (PRG), the most challenging (or high payoff) technology development opportunities were chosen to be included as part of this project.

If successfully developed, the selected opportunities will provide new capabilities not found in existing NASA systems.

The PLSS development effort is specifically focused on the prototyping and testing of next generation suit components required for heat rejection, pressure regulation, and carbon dioxide and humidity removal.

All of the spacecraft life support system technology development efforts are focused on advanced technologies for improving system closure (i.e., recovering or recycling a larger amount of the life support consumables) to enable long duration space exploration.