Human Spaceflight
One of the most impressive things humans have been able to accomplish on Earth is to develop the ability to leave it. A new era of human exploration of the Moon, Mars, and beyond is on the horizon. Programs are in work across industry to develop the systems and technology that will safely transport the next generation of humans to and from the vast expanse of space.
Participation in development of systems for human spaceflight takes the already onerous set of requirements and process controls for uncrewed missions to whole different level. Very few companies have experience in this rarified environment. Vivace is one of those companies.
Located within NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility but operating as a completely private enterprise, Vivace shares in the local workforce’s long and proud history of human spaceflight programs. Vivace has developed several human-rated systems in the past few years, supporting hypersonic systems, life support components for orbital habitats, and is actively working human lunar system development.
Vivace Capabilities
COPV Propellent Tanks
- Vivace builds large cryogenic propellant tanks to support larger human-rated systems and has delivered tanks up to 3.8 meters (12.5 feet) in diameter for lunar landers.
- Vivace has the capability to build cryogenic propellant tanks up to 7 meters (23 feet) in diameter and has successfully built tanks up to 18 feet (5.5 meters) in diameter.
- Vivace has the capability to build common bulkhead configuration cryogenic propellant tanks as well, and has designed, built, tested, and delivered common bulkhead tanks up to 3.8 meters (12.5 feet) in diameter.
COPV Pressurant Tanks
- Vivace provides Composite Overwrapped high performance pressurant tanks that meet the requirements for human spaceflight. These tanks meet stringent Leak Before Burst (LBB) and Damage Tolerance (DT) requirements along with NASA Review Board approval requirements.
- Composite Overwrapped pressurant tanks are primarily used in environmental control and life support systems, but tanks used for propulsion system, attitude control, and other functions on human rated missions must all the meet the same safety requirements.
- Vivace produces pressurant tanks rated to operate up to 10,000 psi (690 bar)
Habitable Pressurized Modules
- Vivace has extensive experience in systems engineering, requirements analysis, verification, and certification of human rated orbital modules. Paired with Vivace’s manufacturing capabilities, maximum value is delivered to customers in terms of cost and schedule.
- Once requirements are developed, Vivace can design, analyze, build, test, and deliver primary structures up to 7 meters (23 feet) in diameter. Vivace has successfully built and tested aluminum pressure vessels for spaceflight up to 5.5 meters (18 feet) in diameter.
- Vivace has developed innovative and proven approaches to the design and fabrication of space station modules that radically reduces lead time and cost while preserving reliable performance to rigorous human spaceflight requirements.
