The PolAres research programme includes a series of stratospheric balloons, simulated spacesuits and a rover to be tested in the High Arctic. The science focus is planetary protection.
Welcome to PolAres Programme
...a Mars analogue research programme for human-robotic exploration missions.
The experimental spacesuit-simulator “Aouda.X” is a both a spacecraft and a computer to wear: It mimics border conditions a real Mars spacesuit would provide during a surface EVA, like weight, pressure, limited sensory input etc… The 45 kg suit has advanced On-Board Computing, internal sensor networks and computing power, biomedical telemetry and an advanced Human-Machine-Interface including gesture control and voice command.
The suit is designed to study contamination vectors in planetary exploration analogue environments and create limitations depending on the pressure regime chosen for a simulation. An advanced human-machine interface, a set of sensors and a purpose designed software act as a local virtual assistant to the crewman. It is designed to interact with other field components like the rover and instruments.
System Overview:
< 45 kg, Hard-Upper-Torso suit, ambient air ventilation
Outer hull: Panox/Kevlar tissue with aluminium coating
Modifiable exoskeleton able to simulate various pressure regimes for all major human joints including fingers
Biomedical and engineering telemetry with W-Lan (e.g. continuous video & audio, various temperatures, CO2, GPS, air pressure, humidity, acceleration,...), human waste mgmt.
Advanced human-machine interface from early 2010 onwards including speech recognition and accelerometer input devices in the gloves;
Voltage: various buses, main bus: 12 V; W-Lan band: 5 GHz, Back-up analogue Radio for contingency situations
Performance envelope
4-6 hours (incl. donning/doffing) field operations
Temperature limits: -110°C and +35°C (tested)
>1 km W-Lan range (can be extended with directional W-Lan)
Operational requirements:
power supply on-site for telemetry laptops & displays
Donning/doffing time: approx. 60 min.
System weight incl. support infrastructure: approx. 100 kg
Did you know this is possible - a spacesuit simulator for rent?
The Austrian Space Forum is offering the Aouda.X prototype to be used as a versatile platform for e.g. instrument or procedures testing to other research and outreach institutions. Except for logistics costs, no other costs arise for research organizations in case the loan request is approved by the Austrian Space Forum.
PolAres Schedule Update
27. April - 01 May 2012: Field test Austria
After Rio Tinto in April 2011 this will be the first field test after upgrading the Aouda.X space suit simulator. Proposed location: Dachstein cave systems (upper Austria)
Become involved!
This could be your chance to get involved in frontline space research!
We are looking for volunteers for the PolAres Programme!
