Dirty Thermal Vacuum Test Facilities with H2/O2 (H2O2 dTVAC)

The purpose of this task is to establish a Hydrogen (H₂) / Oxygen (O₂) Dirty Thermal Vacuum (DTVAC) test chamber capability that can safely handle potentially significant H₂/O₂ leakage. Currently, there is no Lunar or Mars TVAC chamber with this capability. The proposed capability will enable the controlled introduction of nitrogen (N₂) into the TVAC chamber volume to dilute and reduce H₂/O₂ concentrations below the flammability thresholds of H₂. The capability to precisely control and manipulate hydrogen and oxygen in a vacuum opens new frontiers for fundamental and applied research. This approach allows for safe operations while maintaining relevant Lunar and Mars vacuum environments at the following conditions: * Lunar vacuum: 1.0 × 10⁻⁴ to 1.0 × 10⁻⁵ torr * Mars vacuum: ~6 torr This upgrade will close a critical gap in the ground testing infrastructure available to the Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) for hydrogen/oxygen-based power systems. Without this capability, it is not possible for ground testing to increase the Technical Readiness Level (TRL) of a system to 6 (requires a demonstration in a relevant environment). A survey of available chambers at the Johnson Space Center’s (JSC) Energy Systems Test Area (ESTA) was completed to determine which chambers have a majority of the desired test environment available. Existing lunar and/or Mars chambers will be upgraded to handle H2/02 leakage as follows. * Lunar Chamber: Add a second turbo pump to the Lunar TVAC chamber to tolerate higher H2/02 leakage without impacting vacuum levels.  * Mars Chamber: Upgrade the vacuum pump system, the Martian gas mixture capability, and the gas mixture analysis system.

​The primary benefit of a dedicated hydrogen-oxygen dirty vacuum test chamber is the ability to conduct experiments with lunar and Mars simulant in a highly controlled and intrinsically safe environment. Hydrogen and oxygen, while essential for many advanced fuel cell and In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) technologies, pose significant safety risks due to their flammability and explosive potential when mixed. Critical benefits to STMD and STMD's industry partners include the following:Controlled Environment / Risk Mitigation: Precise control over gas concentrations, pressure, and temperature mitigates the risks of accidental ignition or explosion. This enables researchers to study H2/O2 interactions under extreme conditions without endangering personnel or facilities.Innovation Impact: Enables the development and validation of STMD hardware in a relevant environment using actual fluids (opposed to simulated inert gases such a nitrogen). This capability will lead to the design of more robust and fault-tolerant ISRU and power subsystems. Research and Development: Efficiency gains from dedicated Lunar and Mars test stands have the potential to accelerate the development timeline for future technologies.This capability has the potential to directly contribute to breakthroughs in space exploration (e.g., ISRU on the Moon or Mars), sustainable energy technologies (e.g., high-efficiency fuel cells, safe hydrogen infrastructure), and potentially novel manufacturing processes (e.g., atomic layer deposition using H2/O2 precursors). In addition, materials exposed to H2 and O2, especially under vacuum or extreme temperatures/pressures, can behave differently than in ambient conditions. A dedicated chamber is essential for understanding these behaviors.

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