Intelligent spacecraft module

The paper presents the development of an on-going research project that focuses on a human-centered design approach to habitable spacecraft modules. It focuses on the technical requirements and proposes approaches on how to achieve a spatial arrangement of the interior that addresses sufficiently the functional, physiological and psychosocial needs of the people living and working in such confined spaces that entail long-term environmental threats to human health and performance. Since the research perspective examines the issue from a qualitative point of view, it is based on establishing specific relationships between the built environment and its users, targeting people?s bodily and psychological comfort as a measure toward a successful mission. This research has two basic branches, one examining the context of the system?s operation and behavior and the other in the direction of identifying, experimenting and formulating the environment that successfully performs according to the desired context. The latter aspect is researched upon the construction of a scaled-model on which we run series of tests to identify the materiality, the geometry and the electronic infrastructure required. Guided by the principles of sensponsive architecture, the ISM research project explores the application of the necessary spatial arrangement and behavior for a user-centered, functional interior where the appropriate intelligent systems are based upon the existing mechanical and chemical support ones featured on space today, and especially on the ISS. The problem is set according to the characteristics presented at the Mars500 project, regarding the living quarters of six crew-members, along with their hygiene, leisure and eating areas. Transformable design techniques introduce spatial economy, adjustable zoning and increased efficiency within the interior, securing at the same time precise spatial orientation and character at any given time. The sensponsive configuration is programmed to exhibit behavior in direct relation to human activity. It is based upon two active systems, the Activity Evaluation System (AES) and the Response System (RS), with combined action that is always open to the control of the user. The AES monitors the daily schedule of the astronauts in order to find patterns of activity, understand the context of actions and moreover to assess the psychological condition of the crew-members. If it finds cause for intervention, AES will give way to the RS which employs smart materials, controllers and actuators in order to perform required changes in the environmental factors, both spatial (volume and surface) and ambient (audio, visual, olfactory, and haptic), and induce a desirable spatial and/or psychological condition that is beneficial for the astronauts? comfort and well being.