SEATEST 6
One of the most interesting projects I have had the privilege to work on is the Space Environment Analog for Training, Engineering, Science, and Technology, or SEATEST 6. My team was tasked with building a series of mockups to be shipped to the Wrigley Marine Science Center, University of Southern California (USC) - Dornsife and installed on the ocean floor 30 ft below the surface. The purpose of this test was to evaluate EVA operations related to logistics transfer from a notional cargo lander to a surface element.
We designed and built 7 mockups in total- an Airlock, Logistics Port, Logistics Lander, 3 different types of logistics carriers, a mock Portable Life Support System (PLSS), as well as a massive deck to provide a level ground and keep divers from disturbing the fragile ocean floor.
Overview of the mockup layout for SEATEST 6
The mockups had to be durable,—resistant to sun, wind, and sea water— able to be shipped across the country, and able to be assembled by divers within a limited time frame. We built the structures using Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic (FRP) and stainless steel, and designed an accompanying assembly guide for reference, as we would not be assembling the mockup entirely ourselves. We analyzed the center of gravity and center of buoyancy for each mockup and added either ballast or buoyancy foam to create a proper amount of negative buoyancy. We focused on the user experience of assembling the mockups just as much as the design itself.
Picture of the assembled mockup on the sea floor
Crew member uses a zipline to transfer logistics carriers off of the Lander
I worked on the design and fabrication for most of the major mockups, as well as leading the design effort on the mock-PLSS. This mockup was to be worn over the SCUBA gear of crew members, simulating the volume and movement constraints of a spacesuit PLSS. Above all else, this mockup was designed with safety in mind— should a diver need to access a critical component on their tank, buoyancy control device, or regulator, nothing on the mockup could impede that task. It was able to be donned and doffed quickly, as well as adjusted on the spot for different sized crew members.
CAD screenshot of the mock-PLSS. All dimensions are in inches.
Fit-checking the mock-PLSS on myself during development.
Crew members conducting dust mitigation during testing.
As a diver myself, this was a wonderful challenge to utilize my knowledge of fabrication and ergonomics to support a unique user case. It was especially rewarding to see crew members wearing the mock-PLSS during testing on the ocean floor and discussing potential improvements for future iterations with them.
The full SEATEST 6 Crew on site at the USC Wrigley Marine Science Center
Detailed information on the SEATEST 6 mission can be found here: SEATEST 6 Detailed Final Report Charts
Further information can be found here: NASA Space Environment Analog for Training, Engineering, Science, and Technology (SEATEST) 6 Detailed Final Report