The Lunar Electric Rover (LER) is equipped with a time and space saving concept called suit ports. The suit ports are located on the aft bulkhead of the LER, and are designed to allow astronauts to quickly go from driving in a shirtsleeve environment to Extravehicular Activity (EVA) in their space suits. The suit port will allow the crew to enter and exit their EVA suits via a rear-entry hatch, while never having to bring the suit inside, keeping the internal cabin mostly free of dust. The suit port will also minimize the loss of consumables when it is depressurized for EVA, extending duration of an LER sortie. The crew uses alignment guides for docking to the suit port, and electromechanical mechanisms to lock and unlock the suit in place and also to open and close hatches. This is an upgrade from last year’s suit port concept that used all mechanically-actuated mechanisms with levers that the crew had to move. This suit port concept also includes an environmental shelter for the suits that will protect them from dust, thermal extremes, and micrometeoroid protection.
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Dry runs are a critical aspect of any Desert RATS analog field test. After the objectives of this years field test were established, each team went to work on their aspect of the project. Engineers created solutions such as PUP, the Portable Utility Pallet. This device has stowage space, geological evaluation tools, and even a wireless mesh network repeater. As the field test approaches, each subsytem needs to be fully tested and evaluated. Sometimes this is as simple as a functionality test, however it can expand into finding ways to improve durability, usability, and even things such as ergonomics.
The Desert RATS is a NASA-led team of research partners working together to prepare for human-robotic exploration. This "working group," led by NASA personnel, is comprised of both NASA and non-NASA Members.