Objective:

BIO 103 is an immersive class that teaches students to evaluate technologies and science related to human test subjects in the microgravity environment. The class culminates in a five-day campaign with the National Research Council of Canada where prototype space suits and related technologies are evaluated in parabolic flight. Students are encouraged to initiate and engage in research involving a test subject in a pressurized IVA space suit in the near weightless environment. Enhanced Crew Resource Management techniques are introduced focusing on redundancy and flight safety. Biomonitoring and life support systems are presented in the context of space suit test and evaluation. All students will receive space suit technician training.

Lectures and Assignments:
The course will consist of ten one-hour webinars and three assignments. Assignment will receive either a Pass or Fail grade. Students should be prepared to spend four to five hours per assignment. Webinar 10 will provide students with an opportunity to present their research plan and to get feedback from the class.

Prerequisites:

• AST 101 (Fundamentals of Astronautics)
• AST 102 (Fundamentals of Microgravity Sciences)

Outline:

Webinar 1

• Formulation of research ideas and campaign objectives
• CITI and IRB Training

Webinar 2

• Technical Aspects of Space Suit Operations

Webinar 3

• Biomonitoring techniques

Webinar 4 & 5

• Engineering of Life Support Systems (LSS)
• LSS System Integration on aerospace platforms

Webinar 6 & 7

• Space Suit Evaluation Processes

Webinar 8 & 9

• Crew Resource Management for Human Test Subject Teams
• Training Plan Development for Human Test Subject Teams

Webinar 10

• Student presentations

Briefing with details related to the NRC Flight Campaign

• Logistics Review
• Flight Roster
• List of experiments and research objectives
• Ground and Flight crew roles assigned

Flight Campaign:
Students in the course will apply their knowledge and skills learned in the webinars in a parabolic flight campaign with Integrated Spaceflight Services and the National Research Council of Canada. The flight campaign will take place at the NRC Flight Research Lab (FRL) located in Ottawa, Canada. The address is 1920 Research Private, Ottawa, ON K1V 1J8, Canada and is suited within walking distance of the Ottawa International Airport. Students should plan to arrive at 8AM each day. A typical day will end by 6PM. Students should plan to stay until 6PM on the last day of the campaign. Additional details of the flight campaign will be provided in the webinars. A tentative schedule follows:

Day One: Test Readiness Review (TRR)

Day Two: Space Suit Technician Training, Day 1

Day Three: Space Suit Technician Training, Day 2

Day Four: Flight Day 1

Day Five: Flight Day 2 (if needed)

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