AOUDA TCS subsystem qualifies

Here the subsystem was checked prior to assembling into the life support system. The liquid cooling system, based on a thermoelectric heat exchanger in the LSS backpack, was presented successfully. AOUDA team leader Gernot Groemer sums up: "This was a major step forward in implementing AOUDA and we eagerly await the first field tests of the complete system in the marble quarry in Kramsach (Tyrol)."

Currently AOUDA's "central nervous system" is under heavy development. A week ago the main computer went online for the first time while the sensory system will be integrated in the weeks to come.

Space suit "AOUDA" is a so called analogue space suit which means it is not to be used in real space or on Mars. Its intention is to simulate all essential specifications during realistic tests.

The space suit is a prototype which will be tested and improved in near future. A hard upper torso makes the central element of the suit weighing 45 kg in all. Being one of the top models ever used in analogue science it shows a lot of special characteristics:
- a thermoelectric cooling system
- broadband wireless communications
- an experimental gesture and speech controlled human to machine interface
- fully equipped medical telemetry

The suit can be used for several hours in the desert under temperatures up to 50°C as well as in the arctic (-25°C). The exterior layer consists of aluminium coated panox-kevlar which bears excellent astrobiological characteristics. AOUDA simulates the constraints of a real space suit on Mars with the help of an especially developed exoskeleton. So a high level of realism can be achieved to assure optimal conditions for mars research on Earth. Thanks to the enormous commitment of voluntary professionals the research and development costs could kept down on EUR 30.000. This is a "generation.innovation" project by the BMVIT (austrian ministry for transport, innovation and technology) also funded by the tyrolean science fund. Under the scientific administration of the Austrian Space Forum pupils of four tyrolean schools (HBLA Ferrari school, HTL Fulpmes, HTL Anichstrasse, BRG Imst) contribute main facets to the development of the suit.