Center for Space Simulation

What is Space Simulation?

The IIAS Space Simulation Laboratory (IIAS-SSL) develops high-fidelity simulation to meet the needs of the IIAS research and education mission. The IIAS-SSL maintains a gravity-offload laboratory, a hypobaric and hyperbaric chamber, a space suit testing facility, and suborbital and orbital mission simulators at IIAS’s Melbourne, Florida campus. The IIAS-SSL also maintains a Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory and a Post-Landing Human Factors Laboratory at the Groton, Connecticut campus location.

The IIAS-SSL can build high-fidelity boilerplate designs for research and education applications as well as integrative test beds for payload integration. Additionally, control systems and custom software are developed in-house and as needed.

Our Facilities:

Gravity Offload Laboratory

Together with Kansas State University, IIAS has developed a gravity-offload laboratory now in service at IIAS’s Melbourne, FL facility. The two-axis system is actively controlled like NASA’s ARGOS system combining a hoist with active force control for vertical gravity-offset and a servo-driven electro-mechanical drive for horizontal motion. The system is designed to be used to with human test subjects to evaluate human performance and EVA space suit functionality in terrestrial environments of partial gravity or in the simulation of zero gravity environments.

The IIAS gravity-offload laboratory may also be used to evaluate EVA tools and techniques in a safe, analog environment. To date, a variety of geological and contingency medical tools have been evaluated in the laboratory, as well as several tools approximating those that would be useful on zero-G maintenance EVAs.

Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL)

IIAS and Survival Systems USA have jointly developed a Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL) laboratory that provides analog environments for the testing and evaluation of space suit technologies in neutral buoyant environments. Consisting of a 18′ pool with a human-rated hoist, the facility may also be configured as an underwater NBL environment for EVA space suit testing.

The NBL facility is supported by a 10,000lb bridge crane to support boilerplate and test article installation and is operated by a highly-qualified dive safety team in partnership with the National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI), the same dive agency that is used by NASA.

EVA 106 Engineering for Underwater Environments

Post-Landing Human Factors Laboratory

IIAS and Survival Systems USA have jointly developed a Post-Landing Egress Laboratory (PLEL) laboratory that provides analog landing and post-landing environments for the testing and evaluation of crewed space vehicle test ‘boilerplates’. The PLEL consists of a 18′ pool, human-rated hoist, and a means to simulate a variety of environmental conditions.

Presently, the PLEL supports IIAS’s full-scale boilerplate of NASA’s Orion spacecraft which can simulate side and top hatch egress procedures.

BIO 104 Post-landing Space Suit Evaluation

Hypobaric and Hyperbaric Altitude Chamber

IIAS is a well-renowned in high-altitude space suit systems testing and crew training. Since 2014, IIAS has partnered with the Southern Aeromedical Institute to conduct low-pressure testing of space suit technologies through human testing in hypobaric hypoxic environments. IIAS also has expertise in training and evaluation of human operators of space suit technologies in slow-onset hypoxia environments.

Space Suit Testing Laboratory

The IIAS Space Suit Laboratory consists of motion camera technologies and simulation which may be used for cockpit design trade studies, range-of-motion studies, CO2 washout testing, and kinesthetic assessments. IIAS owns:

1 EVA Space Suit Prototype with Liquid Cooling Garment and tethered Personal Life Support System (PLSS)

3 IVA Space Suits (5th Generation) with pressurization and intercooler systems.

2 IVA Space Suits (4th Generation) with post-landing gear (life preserver units, egress bottles, neck dams)

Orbital Space Flight Simulation

The IIAS Orbital Space Flight Simulator is based on NASA’s Orion Spacecraft and supports egress testing and human factors research activities in addition to educational uses. The IIAS Orbital Simulator is used in conjunction with astrodynamics and orbital mechanics courses to better provide an immersive educational experience.

Suborbital Space Flight Simulation

The IIAS Suborbital Space Flight Simulator is based on Virgin Galactic’s Spaceship Two vehicle and is used in conjunction with IIAS aeronomy and fundamentals of astronautics courses in order to better provide an immersive educational experience to our students.

Directorship

Ken Ernandes, Center Director

Ken Ernandes is an Aerospace Engineer specializing in Space Flight Dynamics. He is employed by L3Harris Technologies and as an Adjunct Professor at Florida Institute of Technology. He is a former U.S. Air Force officer where he was the Chief Orbital Analyst Instructor for the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). He also had the opportunity to train in Air Combat Maneuvering as a member of the 71st Tactical Fighter Squadron, flying the F-15 Eagle. Ken has a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics/Mathematics from Manhattan College and a Master of Engineering degree in Aerospace Engineering Sciences from the University of Colorado at Boulder. He has two patents applying Kalman filtering: one for calibrating non-uniformity of hyperspectral imagers and one for geo-locating seaborne vessels from space using their Automatic Identification System (AIS) signals.

Ken has had the privilege of working with numerous space systems including NAVSTAR GPS and the GOES-R series of meteorological satellites, as well as being a member of the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) Inter-Operable Radio System (IORS) development team. For ARISS IORS he is primarily responsible for tracking hardware compliance against the rigid NASA crew safety requirements, coordinating with the design engineers, and preparing the corresponding documentation that is delivered to NASA. More recently, he is a member of the Amateur Radio Exploration (AREx) team, which is developing the amateur radio equipment for the Lunar Gateway space station. Ken is a private pilot and a PADI certified Master SCUBA Diver, where he enjoys underwater videography.

Chris Lundeen, Facilities Manager

Mr. Chris Lundeen is IIAS’s Director of Operations. Prior, Chris has served as program coordinator for IIAS’s educational programs. Chris brings extensive expertise in prototyping and simulation development. He is IIAS’s lead spacesuit technician and simulator technician for IIAS’s various simulation facilities. Chris is a NAUI SCUBA instructor.

Center for Bioastronautics

Center for Space Medicine

Center for Flight Research

Flight Opportunities