Federal award (DEFINITIVE CONTRACT, fiscal year 2022)
Recipient: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
Awarding agency: National Aeronautics and Space Administration / National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Funding agency: National Aeronautics and Space Administration / National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Period of performance: 2017-09-28 to 2023-03-31
Current total value of award: $3246412
Description: NASA RESEARCH ANNOUNCEMENT (NRA) FOR DEVELOPMENT OF ETHANE PYROLYSIS SYSTEM FOR HIGH-YIELD SOOT-FREE RECOVERY OF OXYGEN FROM CARBON DIOXIDE  THE NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL'S "NASA SPACE TECHNOLOGY ROADMAPS AND PRIORITIES" IDENTIFIED LONG-DURATION ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL AND LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEMS (ECLSS) AS ONE OF THE TOP FIVE AREAS CAPABLE OF HAVING THE GREATEST IMPACT ON DEEP SPACE EXPLORATION.  THE CAPABILITY ADDRESSED REPRESENTS AN ADVANCED SYSTEM TO FURTHER CLOSE THE ATMOSPHERE REVITALIZATION LOOP ON LONG DURATION HUMAN SPACECRAFT. NASA SPACE TECHNOLOGY ROADMAP TA 6 HUMAN HEALTH, LIFE SUPPORT AND HABITATION SYSTEMS ESTABLISHED FOR THE TECHNOLOGY PERFORMANCE GOAL OF INCREASING THE PERCENTAGE OF OXYGEN RECOVERED FROM METABOLIC CARBON DIOXIDE TO 75-90%. AS FUTURE EXPLORATION MISSIONS EXTEND BEYOND LOW EARTH ORBIT (LEO), VEHICLES WILL REQUIRE LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEMS (LSS) WITH HIGH RELIABILITY AND SELF-SUFFICIENCY, AS PRACTICAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR CONSUMABLE RESUPPLY WILL NOT EXIST. AN EFFECTIVE LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEM MUST MAINTAIN A SAFE AND HABITABLE ATMOSPHERE WITHIN A SPACECRAFT BY REMOVING CONTAMINANTS WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY MAINTAINING THE PROPER ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION AND CABIN PRESSURE. THE GOAL OF THIS EFFORT IS TO ADVANCE THE STATE-OF-THE-ART OF ATMOSPHERIC REVITALIZATION SYSTEM TECHNOLOGIES REQUIRED TO ENABLE NASA S HUMAN EXPLORATION MISSIONS. THIS STATEMENT OF WORK IS THE RESULT OF A PROPOSAL SUBMITTED BY HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL, INC. ENTITLED METHANE PYROLYSIS SYSTEM FOR HIGH-YIELD SOOT-FREE RECOVERY OF OXYGEN FROM CARBON DIOXIDE FOR DOWN SELECTION UNDER THE SOLICITATION ADVANCED OXYGEN RECOVERY FOR SPACECRAFT LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEMS APPENDIX PHASE II, SOLICITATION NUMBER: NNH14ZOA001N-14GCD-C2-PHASEII  FOR PHASE II OF THE EFFORT. THIS STATEMENT OF WORK IS FOR PHASE II DEVELOPMENT OF GAME CHANGING TECHNOLOGIES WITH THE POTENTIAL TO INCREASE THE OXYGEN RECOVERY RATE ABOARD HUMAN SPACECRAFT TO AT LEAST 75% OR HIGHER WHILE ACHIEVING HIGH RELIABILITY.  THESE OXYGEN RECOVERY AND RECYCLING TECHNOLOGIES WILL DRIVE EXPLORATION AND ENABLE OUR HUMAN JOURNEY TO MARS AND BEYOND. THE CONTRACTOR SHALL DEVELOP AND DELIVER A METHANE PYROLYSIS BRASSBOARD UNIT BASED ON CHEMICAL VAPOR INFILTRATION (CVI) THAT SHALL ACCEPT A SIMULATED PRODUCT FEED OF A SABATIER REACTOR, INCLUDING METHANE, AND CONVERT IT TO CARBON, THEREBY PROVIDING HYDROGEN AS A PRODUCT FOR RECYCLE BACK INTO AN OXYGEN RECOVERY SYSTEM AND ACHIEVING AT LEAST 75% RECOVERY OF THE OXYGEN FROM CARBON DIOXIDE WHEN COUPLED WITH A WATER ELECTROLYSIS SYSTEM.