Compact, Lightweight, Efficient Cooling Pump for Space Suit Life Support Systems, Phase II

With the increasing demands placed on extravehicular activity (EVA) for the International Space Station assembly and maintenance, along with planned lunar and Martian missions, the need for increased human productivity and capability becomes ever more critical. This is most readily achieved by reduction in space suit weight and volume, and increased hardware reliability, durability, and operating lifetime.

A rugged, long life, low power, compact fluid pump will have applications in the thermal subsystem of the Primary Life Support System (PLSS) of the next generation space suit. Lynntech's fluid pump will be more efficient, lighter, and more robust the centrifugal pump currently used in the Shuttle Extravehicular Mobile unit (EMU). Additionally, Lynntech's pump does not suffer from cavitation issues and is not susceptible to water impurities, like the Shuttle EMU pump. With the increasing power density of electronics, there is a growing market for miniature, low-power pumps for use in the thermal management of consumer electronics. In particular, the interest in a low-cost, lightweight, quiet, efficient liquid pump for laptop cooling is high. Another potentially large market is thermal management systems for small fuel cell power systems.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 6) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

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