Hard Upper Torso Shoulder Joint Design for Crew Member Sizing Adjustment and Enhanced Mobility, Phase I

Air-Lock, Incorporated proposes to design an Enhanced Shoulder Mobility Joint Assembly (ESMJA) that increases dynamic mobility and static sizing capabilities for spacesuited crewmembers (CM) employing a Hard Upper Torso (HUT). The proposed shoulder joint will allow historically fixed Hard Upper Torsos to be sized in-situ by crewmembers of varying anthropometries. The Shoulders will also increase CM range of motion in a pressurized spacesuit and incorporate must mitigating strategies geared towards lunar exploration. Throughout Phase One, Air-Lock will exhibit the following innovations: • Design pressure sealed ESMJA that optimizes mobility and sizing characteristics of Hard Upper Torso Advanced Planetary Spacesuits. • Utilize 3D CAD software to design, develop and integrate the ESMJA with the MK-III HUT. • Perform a materials evaluation in order to determine the lightest, most robust material to be use in the manufacture of the ESMJA. • Create a matrix highlighting sizing potential and added mobility (i.e., range of motion). • Perform a comparative analysis of the sizing and mobility matrix to historic NASA anthropometry data to determine the optimum HUT sizes required to outfit current NASA astronaut corp.

This is a mature technology (TRL 7+) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

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