Systems Studies and Modeling of Advanced Life Support Systems

Advanced Life Support Systems(ALSS) are being studied to support human life during long-duration space missions. ALSS can be categorized into four subsystems: Crew, Biomass Production, Food Processing and Nutrition, Waste Processing and Resource Recovery. The System Studies and Modeling (SSM) team of New Jersey-NASA Specialized Center of Research and Training (NJ-NSCORT) has facilitated and conducted analyses of ALSS to address systems level issues. The underlying concept of the SSM work is to enable the effective utilization of information to aid in planning, analysis, design, management, and operation of ALSS and their components. Analytical tools and computer models for ALSS analyses have been developed and implemented for value-added information processing. The results of analyses heave been delivered through the internet for effective communication within the advanced life support (ALS) community. Several modeling paradigms have been explored by developing tools for use in systems analysis. they include objected-oriented approach for top-level models, procedureal approach for process-level models, and application of commercially available modeling tools such as $MATLAB^{R}$/$Simulink^{R}$. Every paradigm has its particular applicability for the purpose of modeling work. an overview is presented of the systems studies and modeling work conducted by the NJ-NSCORT SSM team in its efforts to provide systems analysis capabilities to the ALS community. The experience gained and the analytical tools developed from this work can be extended to solving problems encountered in general agriculture.