Overview of ASI Multi-Purpose Habitation (MPH) Module development and ECLSS Preliminary Concept Design

The NASA Moon-to-Mars Architecture strategy plans to build a sustained lunar presence in the South Pole region of the Moon, supported by elements developed by multiple international stakeholders contributing with the Human Landing System (HLS), the Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV), the Pressurized Rover, the initial Surface Habitation etc. Each surface element will be mainly designed to accomplish specific tasks, but with the capability to provide supplementary functions that will increase the operational flexibility of the system and enable the achievement of additional goals and objectives. Within this framework, ASI is conducting a preliminary design study in cooperation with NASA for the Multi-Purpose Habitation (MPH) module concept - with the support of the national industry represented by Thales Alenia Space Italy - which would provide crew habitation on the lunar surface and would be interoperable with logistics systems and other lunar infrastructures, both surface and orbital. The MPH Program, that positively passed the NASA Mission Concept Review (MCR) in September 2024, is the major Italian contribution to the Artemis Accords. This paper describes the status of the MPH concept study focusing primarily on its open-loop Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS), that is functional to maintain a livable atmosphere for the crews throughout the habitable volume, provide resources for Exploration Extra-Vehicular Activity (xEVA) suits as O2 and potable/feed water and limit dust and volatiles/CO2 contamination for equipment and crew.