A surface heating device and related method includes a heater assembly having a layer of dielectric material, thermal insulation material positioned adjacent to the heater assembly, an encapsulation layer surrounding the thermal insulation material and connected to the heater assembly, and a controller configured to control power delivered to the heater assembly to activate the dielectric material to generate heat.

A surface heating device and related method includes a heater assembly having a layer of dielectric material, thermal insulation material positioned adjacent to the heater assembly, an encapsulation layer surrounding the thermal insulation material and connected to the heater assembly, and a controller configured to control power delivered to the heater assembly to activate the dielectric material to generate heat.

A system to perform multi-stage cleaning of material from a space suit worn by an astronaut in a deep space environment includes one or more discharge units installed external to an interior volume of a facility in the deep space environment. Each of the one or more discharge units releases one or more substances. The one or more substances includes water or air and the interior volume of the facility is defined by an interior hatch that is separated from an exterior hatch leading to the deep space environment by an airlock. One or more collection units installed external to the interior volume. Each collection unit traps released material that is released from a space suit based on the multi-stage cleaning to prevent the released material from entering the interior volume.

Systems and methods to remove dust from an extravehicular mobility unit (EMU) worn by an astronaut in a deep space environment involve one or more ionic shower units installed external to an interior volume of a facility. Each ionic shower unit releases positively charged ions and negatively charged ions in a specified direction to neutralize the dust and generate neutralized dust. The interior volume of the facility is defined by an interior hatch that is separated from an exterior hatch by an airlock. One or more collection units is installed external to the interior volume. Each collection unit traps the neutralized dust to prevent the dust from entering the interior volume.

Systems and methods to remove dust from an extravehicular mobility unit (EMU) worn by an astronaut in a deep space environment involve one or more ionic shower units installed external to an interior volume of a facility. Each ionic shower unit releases positively charged ions and negatively charged ions in a specified direction to neutralize the dust and generate neutralized dust. The interior volume of the facility is defined by an interior hatch that is separated from an exterior hatch by an airlock. One or more collection units is installed external to the interior volume. Each collection unit traps the neutralized dust to prevent the dust from entering the interior volume.

Provided herein are various improvements to launch vehicle payload systems, such as employed to launch and deploy secondary payloads into orbit. In one example, a system includes a fairing configured to encase a payload within an envelope of a primary fairing of a launch vehicle, and a mount system configured to adapt a mounting port for the payload to a mounting port associated with the launch vehicle. The system also includes a fairing door configured to be commanded open for deployment of the payload after the primary fairing has open.

Provided herein are various improvements to launch vehicle payload systems, such as employed to launch and deploy secondary payloads into orbit. In one example, a system includes a fairing configured to encase a payload within an envelope of a primary fairing of a launch vehicle, and a mount system configured to adapt a mounting port for the payload to a mounting port associated with the launch vehicle. The system also includes a fairing door configured to be commanded open for deployment of the payload after the primary fairing has open.

A surface heating device and related method includes a heater assembly having a layer of dielectric material, thermal insulation material positioned adjacent to the heater assembly, an encapsulation layer surrounding the thermal insulation material and connected to the heater assembly, and a controller configured to control power delivered to the heater assembly to activate the dielectric material to generate heat.

Provided are embodiments of a system for performing health monitoring. The system includes one or more wake-up modules configured to detect a condition, and one or more sensors operably coupled to the one or more wake-up modules, wherein the one or more sensors are configured to operate in a sleep mode and an active mode. The system also includes a spacesuit comprising one or more sensors, and a controller operably coupled to the one or more sensors, wherein the controller is configured to process measurement data from the one or more sensors. Also provided are embodiments of a method for performing health monitoring.

An orbital delivery system includes a exo-atmospheric system arranged along an orbital or sub-orbital trajectory. The exo-atmospheric system includes a propulsion system to adjust an orientation responsive to a signal to begin a reentry procedure. During the reentry procedure, a deployment system is activated to engage an atmospheric landing system to direct a payload toward a landing location.