Garret Langlois

Introduction

Decompression sickness (DCS) can threaten astronaut safety during EVAs on Mars if pressure drops rapidly (suit puncture, protocol error, forced repressurization). REACT — the Rapid Emergency Action and Contingency Tool — is a lightweight, deployable, soft‑shelled hyperbaric shelter that quickly repressurizes and stabilizes an astronaut in the field while a rescue is mobilized.

Context and Objectives

Gap: Pre‑breathing protocols and suit gaskets reduce risk but do not treat active DCS in the field.
Objective: Provide a portable, rapidly deployable, autonomous shelter that restores survivable pressure, maintains life support, and communicates for rescue.
Mars constraints: Thin atmosphere (manual pumps ineffective), dust, temperature swings, long distances from habitat/rover, and the need for simple operation with gloved hands.

Design Definition

Form factor: Backpack‑carried, tunnel‑style chamber with horizontal entry flaps for drag‑in ingress (conscious or assisted patient).
Deployment: Spring‑assisted single‑person deployment with fold‑out gates that seal as pressure rises.
Pressurization: Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessel (COPV) and a PID‑controlled valve for smooth, stable pressure control to suit‑like conditions.
Life support: Internal circulation fan and CO₂ scrubber (solid amine/LiOH). Gas‑impermeable multilayer liner limits diffusion.
Comms: Standalone UHF beacon with reed‑switch auto‑activation on deployment; relay‑friendly architecture for terrain‑blocked scenarios.
Monitoring/Transport: External viewing window; handles/straps to carry the chamber to a rover for evacuation.

Materials and Structure

Shell: Kevlar aramid fiber composite (proven in portable hyperbaric chambers) with multilayer Mylar/polyethylene liner.
Rationale: Single‑layer envelope reduces mass and gas volume versus inflatable skeletons; optimized for quick deployment and sealing.

Feasibility Highlights

Technical: PID‑based pressure regulation; autonomous activation; modular comms; backpack mass target under ~20 kg (Mars gravity effective weight lower).
Economic: Niche, mission‑critical hardware; development cost justified by risk reduction and mission assurance.
Environmental: Durable materials for reuse; low operating duty cycle; designed for temporary deployment with minimal surface impact.

Operations Protocol (Excerpt)

1. Detect emergency symptoms or suit failure; deploy REACT (~60 s). 2. Drag or assist the astronaut into the chamber; gates seal as pressure rises. 3. PID controller maintains target pressure; circulation and CO₂ scrubbing active. 4. UHF beacon activates and propagates distress via relay/repeater/habitat. 5. Rescue rover retrieves chamber; patient triaged at habitat hyperbaric facilities.

Risks and Mitigations

Leakage or poor retention → seam testing, sensors, multi‑layer structure.
Deployment failure → redundant spring/gas assist; manual override.
Mass/volume constraints → strict audits; modularity; lightweight composites.
Terrain‑blocked comms → deployable relay nodes and rover relays.

Team and Credits

Team RedHorizon — Haaniya Ahmed, Alisa Norenberg, Garret Langlois, Safana Al‑Emara, Dylan Vaughn Villanueva — competing at SGAC (Sydney, Sept 2025). Prepared June 9, 2025.

Conclusion

REACT addresses the missing “field treatment” layer for DCS on Mars EVAs: rapid deployment, autonomous pressurization, and reliable comms for fast rescue. It is a pragmatic, reusable safety system designed to protect crews and preserve mission continuity during surface exploration.