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Phase IIA of the Lunar-Mars Life Support Test Project was conducted in January, February and March of 1997 at the NASA Johnson Space Center. The primary objective of this test was to demonstrate representative International Space Station life support systems in a closed chamber for sixty days. In addition to air and water recovery twelve medical demonstration projects were evaluated for applicability to the International Space Station. A crew of four engineers consisting of three men and one woman lived and worked inside the chamber continuously throughout the 60-day test. The primary functions of the crew were to provide metabolic loads to the life support systems, perform system maintenance and evaluate human accommodations issues. The crew also performed medical experiments and participated in public affairs events and educational outreach efforts. Test activities were recorded and subsequent reports are being written.

A thermal analysis of the compressible carbon dioxide (CO2) flow for the Portable Fire Extinguisher (PFE) system has been performed. A SINDA/FLUINT model has been developed for this analysis. The model includes the PFE tank and the Temporary Sleep Station (TeSS) nozzle, and both have an initial temperature of 72 °F. In order to investigate the thermal effect on the nozzle due to discharging CO2, the PFE TeSS nozzle pipe has been divided into three segments. This model also includes heat transfer predictions for PFE tank inner and outer wall surfaces. The simulation results show that the CO2 discharge rates and component wall temperatures fall within the requirements for the PFE system. The simulation results also indicate that after 50 seconds, the remaining CO2 in the tank may be near the triple point (gas, liquid and solid) state and, therefore, restricts the flow.