Difference between revisions of "Atmosphere"

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There are several different types of atmospheres to consider.
 
There are several different types of atmospheres to consider.
  
[[Luna|Lunar]] atmosphere[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmosphere_of_the_Moon]
+
*[[Luna|Lunar]] atmosphere[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmosphere_of_the_Moon]
Earth's atmosphere[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth%27s_atmosphere]
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*Earth's atmosphere[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth%27s_atmosphere]
Atmospheric pressure on Earth[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmospheric_pressure]
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*Atmospheric pressure on Earth[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmospheric_pressure]
 +
*Cabin Pressurization[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabin_pressurization][http://oregonstate.edu/~atwaterj/merc.htm]
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[http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=605848]
  
 
The most important for Lunar development is the pressure inside your [[Space Suits|space suit]] or habitat.  Here is a listing of the relative pressures of other environments and the percentage oxygen in each.
 
The most important for Lunar development is the pressure inside your [[Space Suits|space suit]] or habitat.  Here is a listing of the relative pressures of other environments and the percentage oxygen in each.
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|- style="background:#BFBFBF"
 
|- style="background:#BFBFBF"
 
|Location
 
|Location
|Sea Level Oxygen
+
|Oxygen Percentage
 
|Pressure
 
|Pressure
 
|- style="background:#EFEFEF"
 
|- style="background:#EFEFEF"
|[[Terrestrial Air|Earth]]  
+
|[[Terrestrial Air|Earth]] at Sea Level
 
|(21%)  
 
|(21%)  
 
|101.3 kPa<BR/>
 
|101.3 kPa<BR/>
 
|-  
 
|-  
|[[Mercury Spacecraft|Mercury]] Program  
+
|Leadville Colorado, 10K altitude
 +
|()
 +
|10.1 psi<BR/>
 +
|- style="background:#EFEFEF"
 +
|Denver Colorado
 +
|()
 +
|12.1 psi<BR/>
 +
|-
 +
|LaPaz
 +
|()
 +
|9 psi<BR />
 +
|- style="background:#EFEFEF"
 +
|[[Mercury Spacecraft|Mercury]] Program
 +
|(100%)
 +
|34.5 kPa<BR/>
 +
|-
 +
|[[Geminii]] Program
 
|(100%)  
 
|(100%)  
 
|34.5 kPa<BR/>
 
|34.5 kPa<BR/>
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|[[Space Shuttle]]  
 
|[[Space Shuttle]]  
 
|(28.5%)  
 
|(28.5%)  
|70.0 kPa<BR/>
+
|70.0 kPa
|-
 
|[[Cabin Pressurization]] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabin_pressurization]
 
 
|}
 
|}
  

Revision as of 20:55, 31 October 2008

Work on this article has outpaced copyediting on it. You can help Lunarpedia by formatting, editing, or tidying it.


There are several different types of atmospheres to consider.

  • Lunar atmosphere[1]
  • Earth's atmosphere[2]
  • Atmospheric pressure on Earth[3]
  • Cabin Pressurization[4][5]

[6]

The most important for Lunar development is the pressure inside your space suit or habitat. Here is a listing of the relative pressures of other environments and the percentage oxygen in each.

Location Oxygen Percentage Pressure
Earth at Sea Level (21%) 101.3 kPa
Leadville Colorado, 10K altitude () 10.1 psi
Denver Colorado () 12.1 psi
LaPaz () 9 psi
Mercury Program (100%) 34.5 kPa
Geminii Program (100%) 34.5 kPa
Apollo Program (100%) 34.5 kPa
Skylab (70%) 34.5kPa
Space Shuttle (28.5%) 70.0 kPa


Hazards: Lack of Breathable Atmosphere and Improper Pressure

Under most circumstances, if you don't get enough oxygen pressure you will get altitude sickness[7], aka Hypoxia.

In the extreme case of a severe leak in space, you have to consider what the Death Zone does to climbers on Everest [8].

Most desirable for long term habitats in space is somewhere around 40kPa total with about 60% oxygen. In the event of an sudden depressurization this ratio means you do not have a hard transition to switch to your backup breathing systems. The rest is Nitrogen, water vapor and trace amounts of CO2 which can be isolated quite easily.

Hazards