NASA and Corscience collaborate in Spacesuit Vital Sign Monitoring
Corscience Supports NASA with Advanced Capnography Technology to Optimize Spacesuit Monitoring
NASA is constantly working towards enhancing astronaut safety through the development of next-generation spacesuits. In collaboration with the German medical technology developer Corscience, a crucial milestone has been achieved in advancing the design and functionality of spacesuits for the upcoming Artemis lunar missions.
Originally initiated in spring of 2024, the partnership between NASA and Corscience focused on developing an innovative in-suit CO₂ washout test system. This system was designed to verify that the suits meet rigorous CO₂ washout performance requirements while lowering helmet noise and reducing ventilation flow requirements. The Corscience CAP201 capnography module, initially designed for emergency, clinical and MRI applications, was selected to improve and verify the new developed system due to its exceptional reliability across a wide range of parameters.
Customized solutions for specific requirements
To meet NASA’s specific requirements, Corscience has been commissioned to modify the hardware and software to allow for a wider operational pressure range and the ability to make adjustments to the flow rate. Additionally, the company is integrating a communication adapter and designing a housing around the sensor that is compatible with the interior of a spacesuit. These customizations will soon be completed ahead of schedule, marking the successful implementation of the project.
“This collaboration underscores the versatility of our systems and the deep expertise of our team. We are proud to have NASA recognize the quality of our solutions and to contribute to the safety of future space exploration,” said Dr Jörg Pintaske, CEO of Corscience.
NASA’s technical lead on the project highlighted the importance of Corscience’s contributions: “Corscience proved to be an exceptional partner, not only because their module met most of our technical requirements, but also because of their proactive approach to addressing critical safety questions from the outset.”
There is still a lot of development work to be done on the new spacesuits, which will be implemented in the coming months. The new equipment will support astronauts on the Artemis lunar missions in 2026 and 2027.
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