Space Suit Portable Life Support System Test Stand Overview

The Space Suit Portable Life Support System (PLSS) must meet stringent requirements during testing prior to any Human in The Loop (HITL) activity on the ground or in space. The PLSS Test Stand (PTS) is intended to fully test an Exploration PLSS either with or without the Hard Upper Torso (HUT) and Display and Control Unit (DCU). It can test the system at either ambient pressure or at vacuum. This test stand shall bridge the gap between basic component level testing and a HITL test. The stand will be able to test the system level integration of all components in the PLSS. The PTS will be able to simulate human metabolic functions using a vent loop and thermal loop and provide suit recharge operations. It can operate with 100 percent nitrogen for preliminary testing, 100 percent oxygen for final testing, and heliox (99.5 percent O2, 0.5 percent He) for leak checking. This report will provide a design overview of the test rig. It will also review lessons learned, future upgrades, and potential test capabilities.