Honda is a perfect ‘Fit’ for an Engineering collaboration
2015-10-14
Two fully electric Honda Fit cars on loan to Johnson Space Center are the perfect guinea pigs for NASA’s Journey to Mars. Thanks to a Space Act Agreement between NASA and Honda, these vehicles will provide the JSC Engineering Directorate with more than just new mechanical toys—they will help improve NASA’s carbon dioxide (CO2)-removal system for deep space excursions.
This collaboration is a win for Honda, too. The electric Honda Fits still have some glitches to be worked out in areas where NASA excels. For instance, the overall design doesn’t allow for CO2 produced by four passengers to be expelled properly. And since the heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC) systems on these Fits don’t last for long-range travel, it has issues circulating CO2 out of the vehicle. Honda’s goal is to increase the range of the HVAC system while decreasing battery pull.
Currently aboard the International Space Station, the CO2-removal system needs a vacuum to be ejected. This will not work once humankind has landed on Mars. Since the atmosphere of the Red Planet is 95 percent CO2, NASA must create a new compact device that will remove the gas without needing the vacuum of space. NASA must also update its design for smaller, tighter areas as we downsize for extended space travel.
The partnership will eventually pay dividends to both NASA and Honda. The Fits will become more efficient electric vehicles, and NASA will gain better systems for Martian-friendly CO2 removal—bringing us one step closer to spacesuited boots on Mars.
These two electric Honda Fits, courtesy of a collaboration between Honda and JSC, will help perfect NASA's journey to Mars. Image Credit: NASA/David DeHoyos
Amelia Hill
NASA Johnson Space Center
This collaboration is a win for Honda, too. The electric Honda Fits still have some glitches to be worked out in areas where NASA excels. For instance, the overall design doesn’t allow for CO2 produced by four passengers to be expelled properly. And since the heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC) systems on these Fits don’t last for long-range travel, it has issues circulating CO2 out of the vehicle. Honda’s goal is to increase the range of the HVAC system while decreasing battery pull.
Currently aboard the International Space Station, the CO2-removal system needs a vacuum to be ejected. This will not work once humankind has landed on Mars. Since the atmosphere of the Red Planet is 95 percent CO2, NASA must create a new compact device that will remove the gas without needing the vacuum of space. NASA must also update its design for smaller, tighter areas as we downsize for extended space travel.
The partnership will eventually pay dividends to both NASA and Honda. The Fits will become more efficient electric vehicles, and NASA will gain better systems for Martian-friendly CO2 removal—bringing us one step closer to spacesuited boots on Mars.
These two electric Honda Fits, courtesy of a collaboration between Honda and JSC, will help perfect NASA's journey to Mars. Image Credit: NASA/David DeHoyos
Amelia Hill
NASA Johnson Space Center