SpaceCraft Oxygen Recovery (SCOR)

The SpaceCraft Oxygen Recovery (SCOR) project is developing advanced technologies capable of nearly 100% recovery of oxygen from metabolic carbon dioxide. The state-of-the-art Sabatier Carbon Dioxide Reduction (CRA) flight hardware can only process about half of the available carbon dioxide because hydrogen is limited in flight and about half the hydrogen is lost as the byproduct methane. SCOR is developing two uniquely different technologies in parallel. The Continuous Bosch Reactor reacts carbon dioxide with hydrogen, yielding water and solid carbon. No hydrogen is wasted. Water is the source of oxgyen for modern spacecraft utilizing regenerative life support systems, where oxygen is produced from water by electrolysis. Our primary deliverable for this technology is a kinetic model for the reactor. The second technology under development, Hydrogen Recovery by Carbon Vapor Deposition (CVD), recovers hydrogen from methane waste byproducts using a high temperature pyrolysis reaction and returns it to the Sabatier to react with additional carbon dioxide, ultimately achieving up to 100% recovery of oxygen. Brassboard hardware and a kinetic model have been delivered to NASA at completion of the CVD development task. SCOR has a systems integration and analysis function that performs project management, systems analysis, kinetic and thermal modeling, trade studies, and experiments investigating subsystem integration. The Sabatier hardware has operated on the International Space Station as the Carbon Dioxide Reduction Assembly (CRA) with an average estimated recovery of about 47%. SCOR technologies are expected to more than double this value. These technologies will seek to increase mission affordability, performance, vehicle self-sufficiency and life support systems closure, through decreasing consumable mass and other mission resources.

The SpaceCraft Oxygen Recovery (SCOR) Project is developing technologies that have the potential to nearly double the recovery of oxygen from metabolically produced carbon dioxide over the current state-of-the-art. Our goal is to make possible full recycling of the cabin atmosphere in space habitats and vehicles, which will be enabling for long duration human exploration away from Earth. This will increase the level of autonomy and sustainability of future human spacecraft, especially for those missions away from Earth with limited or no capability for resupply. Improved recycling will reduce mass of consumables required to sustain crews during long duration human exploration missions. Additional water produced if in excess of a crew's oxygen needs, can be used for consumables needed for Extra Vehicular Activity. The Sabatier hardware has operated on the International Space Station as the Carbon Dioxide Reduction Assembly (CRA) with an average estimated recovery of about 47%. SCOR technologies are expected to more than double this value. These technologies will seek to increase mission affordability, performance, vehicle self-sufficiency and life support systems closure, through decreasing consumable mass and other mission resources.

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