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In Human Spaceflight , the life support system is a group of devices that allow a human being to survive in outer space. NASA often uses the phrase '''Environmental Control and Life Support System''' or the acronym '''ECLSS''' when describing these systems for its Human Spaceflight missions. 1 The life support system may supply: Air , Water and Food . It must also maintain the correct body temperature, an acceptable pressure on the body and deal with the body's waste products. Shielding against harmful external influences such as radiation and micro-meteorites may also be necessary. Components of the life support system are Life-critical , and are designed and constructed using Safety Engineering techniques. LIFE SUPPORT FUNCTIONS Human physiological needs Atmosphere Temperature control Water Food Waste SPACE VEHICLE SYSTEMS Gemini, Mercury, & Apollo Space Shuttle For the s, Crew Altitude Protection System, and Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator Cooling and Gaseous Nitrogen Purge for Payloads. 2 Crew Exploration Vehicle Soyuz The life support system on the Soyuz Spacecraft is called the Kompleks Sredstv Obespecheniya Zhiznideyatelnosti (KSOZh). SPACE STATION SYSTEMS Spacelab Mir International Space Station In May of 1996, NASA published Technical Memorandum 108508, the ''International Space Station ECLSS Technical Task Agreement Summary Report''. 3 It covers work done to develop and test both water recovery and air revitalization systems for the ISS. Water recovery systems Air revitalization systems ; Oxygen Generating Systems The Oxygen Generating System (OGS) currently used aboard the ISS ( International Space Station ) is the Elektron , located in ''Zvezda'' . ''Destiny'' also contains an OGS which is not yet in use. Initial use of the ''Destiny'' OGS is planned for late Summer, 2007. During one of the Spacewalk s conducted by STS-117 astronauts, a hydrogen vent valve required to begin using the system was installed. Additionally, the ISS crew has sometimes used backup sources of bottled oxygen and Solid Fuel Oxygen Generation canisters. The OGS aboard ''Destiny'' will electrolyze water the from the Water Recovery System to produce oxygen and hydrogen. The oxygen will be delivered to the cabin atmosphere and the hydrogen will be vented overboard. 4 EVA SYSTEMS Extra-vehicular Activity (EVA) systems primarily consist of the traditional space suit, but can also include self-contained individual spacecraft. Space suits Both Space Suit designs currently in use, the U.S. EMU and the Russian Orlan , include life support systems allowing the user to work independently without an umbilical connection from a spacecraft. A space suit must have life support, either through an umbilical connection cord or independently, as spacesuits are supposed to protect people from the Vacuum of Outer Space . REFERENCES FURTHER READINGS
SEE ALSO EXTERNAL LINKS
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